SENSORI

Cobb Salad Hosts the Final Summer Tomatoes

Swept up by the trend to grow our own food, I planted my first vegetable garden this year late in the spring season.  I had very low yield but the flavor and texture of the fruit that the garden bore was excellent.  I harvested Asian eggplant (a few of which were stuffed and others were factored into mixed grills or curries), jalapeno peppers, hungarian peppers and tomatoes.  The tomatoes, along with the jalapeno peppers, helped to make mouth-watering salsa.  And on hot summer afternoons, the tomatoes made the perfect lunch sliced, placed on white bread or a lightly toasted pita with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper.  Yum!

I pulled the last three Celebrity tomatoes off the vine a few days ago (pictured left are slices from one of the tomatoes) and used them in a deconstructed cobb salad (pictured above).  My version of this salad is a tribute to the deconstructed cobb on the menu of DC Coast, a restaurant in Washington, D.C. known as a go-to  power meal spot for the tasseled Gucci-loafered lobbyists in town.  A detailed history of the Cobb salad (which dates back to 1930s Hollywood), including its original ingredients, can be found on Wikipedia.  I haven't dined at DC Coast for a while, so I prepared my salad from a foggy recollection and gut instinct.  The preparation of the ingredients is so simple that I'm not addressing preparation steps.  Appearing left to right on the salad plate pictured at the top of this page are the following ingredients:

•     crumbled blue cheese
•     diced tomatoes
•     chopped spinach
•     chopped bacon
•     diced cucumber
•     chopped grilled chicken (or you can use chopped chicken from roaster leftovers)
  
•     chopped egg

And across the top of the plate is diced, ripened avocado.  The dressing I used for this salad is a honey mustard and grapefruit champagne vinaigrette that is spicy and bright and a delicious contrast to the rich ingredients of the salad.  The ingredients for the dressing are:

• 1/3 cup of Honeycup Uniquely Sharp Mustard
• 1/4 cup of mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon of white, refined sugar
  
• 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 1/2 tablespoon of finely minced fresh garlic
  
• 1/8 cup of champagne
• 1/8 cup of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
  
• Pinch of dry oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

NOTE: the Honeycup brand of mustard is central to this dressing.  No other honey mustard will do.  Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk until fully combined and the dressing is emulsified.  If you don't have champagne at the ready, a splash of dry white wine is a good substitute.  You also may add a little water to the dressing to tone down the flavor or thin out the consistency or you may add sparkling water if you'd like the effervescence of champagne but don't have any handy.  Remember, the key to improvising is tasting your product along the way.  Whisk the dressing after every adjustment, dab a drop of dressing on your forefinger and taste to determine whether you are satisfied or more adjustments are needed.  If you can't pluck the last of this season's tomatoes fresh from your garden for this salad, consider buying from your local farmers market.  But, hurry -- grab them while supplies last!

What I'm Eating: Harris Teeter Turkey Meatballs -- Centerpiece of a Quick Summer Dinner

I can't say enough good things about Harris Teeter's Italian Style Turkey Meatballs.  They are spiced with garlic, onion, peppers and parmesan and romano cheeses and, for a pre-cooked food, are surprisingly flavorful.  They also have great texture, contain few additives, are satisfying (they way good meatballs should be) and are low in fat (10 grams per serving or three meatballs) compared to meatballs made with other meats.

The meatballs (pictured, immediate left, in store packaging and, below, out of the packaging) are an ideal dinner option when you want something tasty and healthy but don't have a lot of energy and/or time for cooking or the weather is too hot to make an elaborate meal.  I have yet to explore the full possibilities of recipes that can feature these meatballs either whole or ground.  So for now, I've been making a meatball and sauce recipe that is easy and light -- perfect for summer.  I simmer the meatballs in a homemade sauce made from onions and yellow peppers sauteed in olive oil, diced fresh tomatoes, a little tomato paste (to thicken the sauce), fresh minced garlic and fresh basil (add the garlic and fresh basil last), and, of course, salt and pepper to taste.  The sauce doesn't need to cook long, and simmer the meatballs with the sauce just long enough to heat the meatballs thoroughly and allow the flavor of the sauce to permeate the meatballs and vice versa.  Serve the meatballs and sauce over a thick cut, fresh pasta like Buitoni's Fettuccine (which cooks in as few as three to five minutes), and top with a light dusting of grated parmigiano reggiano (which we're never without in our kitchen).  Complement the main course with a small garden salad.  On nights when making dinner fast is key, we limit our salad ingredients to three vegetables; this to avoid the tendency to build a huge salad that is a meal unto itself.  And with that, dinner is done! Buon appetito!

Dancing a Genuine Negro Jig

After the first few notes of the Carolina Chocolate Drops's "Cornbread, Butterbeans," I was hooked.  "Cornbread, butterbeans and you across the table/eatin' them beans and makin' love as long as I am able . . ."  Not only does the song title elicit pleasant memories of one of my favorite comfort meals (and my grandma making it!), but the band's instrumentation is **tight.**  It includes banjo picking, fiddling, bones playing (Yes! Band member Dom Flemons plays the rhythm bones!  No -- more aptly, he works them bones!) and jug blowin.'  And floating above that are beautifully sung harmonies that are emblematic of mountain music and bluegrass.

As the band's name might suggest, its three members are African-American -- Dom Flemons, Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson.  They are making a nice splash with their recently released album titled Genuine Negro Jig.  I really like this band all around, but must say that watching Rhiannon Giddens play the fiddle and the banjo is so sweet.  She also plays the kazoo!  The video below gives you a sampling of the band's talent.  If you want more, Genuine Negro Jig is available on iTunes.  You have to hear the band's rendition of Blue Cantrell's "Hit 'Em Up Style"  (the YouTube video version features the band performing live with Justin Robinson offering up a little human beat box).  I also really like "Your Baby Ain't Sweet Like Mine" and the instrumental "Peace Behind the Bridge."  Check 'em out.

Knocked out by knock-out roses

After being on the road for a few days, I came home to find the knock-out rose bushes in our front yard e-x-p-l-o-d-i-n-g with blooms.  I couldn't get my bags in the house fast enough.  I rushed to get my pruning tools and started clipping stems of roses.  Look at the splendor! I've made a few arrangements for our neighbors and one for our house, but these roses looked their absolute best when first cut.  You might be able to see dew on the petals in the photo (you can click on the photo to enlarge it).  And they smell soft and powdery - just delightful!

What matters

I walked my dog today on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. (my hometown, which I miss terribly).  These two young gents photographed above, adorable as all get out, were cooing at my dog, and asked if they could play with her.  I obliged, of course.  They ran her around a bit, and threw her mini-tennis ball for her to chase.  They were having a great time.  Right after I snapped this shot, there was a WWE-styled take down and these lads were wrestling and giggling in the grass.

Watching these two friends reminded me of what really matters in life.  What matters about people is what is inside their hearts and our making the effort to discover what lies within.  What matters is making time for friends, friends into whose eyes you can look deeply and know they have your back.  What matters is feeling free enough to wrestle in the grass with your best friend.  What matters is smiling at a stranger.  These are things that matter.

Hoodblooms

 
Finally, I'm posting about something other than food.  Look at this beautiful, crisp white bloom on a shrub in my neighbor's yard.  More photos of flowers, bunnies, ducks and other natural delights found within a two block radius of our home are on my Picasa site.

Pasta Salad Sits Pretty Aside a Juicy Grilled Burger

Grilling outside this past week has been a treat.  We didn’t have to run inside to warm up after turning over the food.  In fact, we had to find some shade to avoid the sun!  We grilled hamburgers and they turned out thick, juicy and yummy (see photo right; doesn’t that burger look dee-lish?!?).  It’s a given that my husband Baxter will have french fries with his hamburgers.  He loves fries and is lean with a super high metabolism so he can eat whatever he wants without consequence.  Under the guise of eating something healthier than french fries, I made a pasta salad for myself.  And yes, Baxter ended up eating my pasta salad, too.

Friends, don’t buy store-bought pasta salad or make it from a boxed pasta salad kit.  Most store-bought options contain overdone pasta and soggy vegetables that are swimming in oil.  The boxed kits are overpriced and contained spice packages that are loaded with sodium and other additives that don’t contribute much to flavor.  With a few fresh ingredients and a creative flair for adding things like cheese, you can easily make a pasta salad at home that suits your tastes, looks gourmet and screams “I’m fresh!”   Start with a pasta shape that makes you smile!  For the pasta salad pictured above, I used fusilli or corkscrew pasta, but you can use farfalle/bowtie, shell, elbow shaped pasta or even cut spaghetti.  Just remember **don’t overcook the pasta.**  Cook your pasta al dente or it just won’t taste good.

Choose some fresh vegetables and herbs for your salad.  For the pictured salad, I used a combination of diced tomatoes, cucumber and green bell pepper and chopped parsley.  I seeded the cucumber and tomatoes to avoid adding too much water to the salad.  You can find a great, quick how-to YouTube video on seeding a tomato posted by the Chatelaine Test Kitchens if you need a few seeding tips.  Instead of fresh tomatoes, try grilled or sun-dried tomatoes.  You also can try a variation of grilled, steamed or blanched asparagus tips, roasted eggplant cubes, steamed broccoli or cauliflower, chopped carrots, mushrooms . . . the possible vegetable variations are endless.  Let your imagination and palate lead you.   Lightly dress your salad with olive oil and a little vinegar if you choose.  Or you can use lemon juice or the juice of any citrus fruit instead.  Add salt and pepper to taste, and you might try adding dry Italian or Mediterranean herbs.  Then top your salad off with some cheese.  I used grated parmigiano-reggiano on the salad pictured above.  Other options are mozarella, feta and chevre.  Be creative and choose a cheese that pairs well with the other ingredients you’ve selected for your masterpiece!  Toss your salad ingredients gently before serving, then dig in and enjoy.

Cranberry white chocolate chip cookies: can you say "crackberry" cookies?

My friend Alisa recently won the top prize for cookies in a bake-off with her cranberry white chocolate chip cookies.  It was exciting news.  The competition benefited a public elementary school in Washington, D.C., so the bakers were doing good works to support their community, and Alisa got to shine a light on her baking skills (skills I didn't know she had).

I am not a white chocolate fan but I do like cranberries so I was intrigued.  Alisa shared her winning cookie recipe with me and I didn't waste time baking up a batch (see photo above).  These cookies are da' bomb!  No kidding.  Taste one cookie and it's easy understand why Alisa took first prize.  The tart and texture of the cranberries are perfectly complemented by the creamy smoothness of the white chocolate chips.  I added chopped walnuts to my batch, and they provided a delightful touch of salt and savory.

Over the past decade or so, cranberries have increased in popularity.  Cranberries are a uniquely American fruit, and dried cranberries appear more and more in recipes for salads, entrees and baked goods.  Perhaps this is due in some part to the mass-appeal and availability of Ocean Spray's dried, sweetened cranberries called Craisins.  Even the Girl Scouts have caught on: their newest cookie is Thank U Berry Much, which is a cranberry cookie (pictured right).  No offense to the Girl Scouts and their cookies -- I've tried a few Thank U Berry Much cookies.  They can't compare to Alisa's Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies.  So, here's the recipe, slightly modified by me.  Give it a try and please let me know how you like them.  But here's a WARNING: You can't stop eating these cookies once you start!  They are deliciously "crack-ish."

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour    - 1 tsp. baking soda

- 1 tsp. salt                                - 2 sticks butter, softened

- 3/4 cup granulated sugar        - 3/4 cup brown sugar

- 1 tsp vanilla extract                - 2 eggs

- 2 cups white chocolate chips   - 1 cup of chopped walnuts

- 1 cup of dried cranberries (Craisins are recommended)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.  Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla together in another bowl.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after adding each.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in chips, cranberries & walnuts.  Drop rounded teaspoon-fulls onto an ungreased cookie sheet and cook for 9-11 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before removing.

Alisa in her kitchen.

Olive Tapenade: A Twist on Final Four Noshing

I love this time of year.  Yes, it’s the Lenten season.  And yes, crocuses are sprouting out of the ground, a sign that spring is on our heels.  But what my heart beats for is:  March Madness! Yes, indeedy.  Tradition will hold and I will be glued (G-L-U-E-D, you hear me?!) to the television coverage of the 2010 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.  If you’re looking for bracket analysis, go to ESPN.com.  What I have to offer is an alternative or an addition to the usual tournament-watching chow of wings, chips and cheesy, creamy dips.  It’s olive tapenade.

Since moving to Norfolk, I’ve searched for a fresh, ready-made tapenade at my local supermarkets and found nothing.  So, I’ve been making this recipe at home, which I adapted from a recipe I found at the blog site, The Rogue Gourmet.  This tapenade is a delicious alternative to high fat dips typically served for noshing while watching sporting events.  The rich and salty olives layer nicely against the smooth taste of roasted eggplant and red peppers and pureed chick peas.  Make adjustments to the recipe if you are staying away from salt (you can decrease the amount of olives) or if you don’t like fresh garlic (you can skip it all together or use a little powered garlic instead).  It’s mighty tasty served with hot bread (the photo above shows the tapenade served with bread sticks I made) or something crispy like Stacy's Simply Naked Pita Chips.  The tapenade recipe follows.  Serve it up however you like.  You won’t be disappointed.  And catch some of exciting college hoops games over the next few weeks!  They won’t disappoint either.

Green Olive Tapenade

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant
• 1 16 oz. can of chick peas (garbanzo beans) in water, drained
• 1 24 oz. jar of green olives with pimentos, drained
• 1 red pepper, roasted and seeded (or 1/2 cup of canned roasted red pepper strips)
• 1/4 bunch of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• fresh ground pepper to taste
  

Directions:

1. Split eggplant in half, season with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.  When cooled, remove pulp and discard skin.
2. Take remaining ingredients, except the olive oil and black pepper, and make sure they are well drained.  Place these ingredients in a food processor in batches and pulse until well chopped.
3. Slowly drizzle olive oil into ground mixture while stirring the tapenande until the oil is incorporated.
4. Season to taste with fresh ground black pepper.
5. Nosh away!

Beach treasure sprinkles Oceanview shores

A sign that spring is around the corner, temperatures reached into the 70s today in the Tidewater region of Virginia.  I took advantage of the weather and walked with my dog along the banks of the Chesapeake Bay in the Oceanview neighborhood of Norfolk.  This was my first time visiting the beach in Oceanview (a shame since it's 10 minutes from my front door).  It felt wonderful to have the sun shining on my face, and to watch the dog run with abandon in the sand.  I spent some time beachcombing and found these gorgeous rocks smoothed by the water, an almost perfectly rectangular piece of beach glass and a beautiful shell, broken into the shape of an angel's wing.  What a gift to walk upon beauty forged by nature!