Weave a Thousand Flavors

In Memoriam : Nannie Davis' Southern Buttermilk Pie

You've heard me speak of Nannie Davis before. 

I think of her every time I eat southern food, hear a southern accent, shuck corn, string beans and see vine ripened tomatoes.

In short I think of her a lot.

Nannie Davis was 91 years old when she passed away. I knew her a sum total of 1-1/2 years and she completely and irrevocably touched my life. Because family are relations by blood but sometimes if you get very lucky, family are relations by bond.

People who adopt you into their fold. The most unlikely of people who at the most unlikely of times invite you into their lives and engulf you in their warmth. It doesn't matter that she's a 91 to your 30.

This is your tribe.

She was my neighbour that year and a half. And the walls between our homes disappeared. We cooked together, sat on the back porch and shucked corn, sipped icy cold lemonade, swapped recipes and did Lowe's runs together.

She also braved my uber spicy curries & Jambalaya - bless her heart!

People always looked at us funny when we were together. I guess they thought what an odd pair we made and we often chuckled about that. I guess they couldn't quite tell how we were related!

She was with me for almost my entire pregnancy with my first son. Unfortunately, she passed away a week before I gave birth and never met him.

She did however leave me with many many precious gifts - an invaluable friendship with her grand daughter Beth who selflessly cared for her and lived with her and whom I love dearly.

She taught me everything I know about true Southern food - she'd always remind me that she grew up on a farm in North Carolina and they had to raise their own chickens and grow their own vegetables and that I needed to learn how to do it right with all the fixin's.

And boy did she teach me how to make her pies. Like her Million Dollar Pie.

And this gorgeous, custardy, lemony, rich and creamy buttermilk pie.  

"The secret is lemon zest" she'd always say "that and love & home made pie crust".

"Yes ma'am!"

So here's to Nannie Davis and to wonderful moments and people that life hands us.

To the many nameless people who touch our lives in myriad ways, who sacrifice for us, who do the right thing at the worse of times because they represent the very best of our humanity.

And to pie.

A Treat For Mum ~ Fluffy Coconut, Lemon & Blueberry Pancakes

I can't imagine weekends without something special and made-from-scratch come Sunday morning. And what a great way to treat Mum!

French toast, scrambled eggs, sausage & egg muffin sandwiches, you name it, we love it! But pancakes will always be on the top of the most requested breakfast by the younglings.

So the race is always on to out do the last batch, spruce up my basic recipe or create something different altogether. These pancakes take fundamentally salt-of-the-earth flavors and turn them into the fluffiest, cakiest pancakes ever. I must thank my stars for the creative juices that were flowing copiously for this one!

Using both sweet and dessicated coconut, fresh lemon zest and fresh summer blueberries....let me tell you - it does not get much better than that!

Pure grade A maple syrup with is not optional and neither are the warm and fuzzy smiles you'll get when you bring a batch of these to the table.

The fact that you'll love these as much as they will makes these a reward in itself!

Food from the Manverse ~ Deep Dish Reuben Pizza

Once in a while I pull out all stops and cook for the boys.

I mean really cook for the boys.

The kind of food that deserves a cold beer (for the dad) and a cold glass of milk for the munchkins. The kind of food that involves stringy cheese and thick bread and loaded with meat & cheese.

No sign of a green leaf anywhere in sight.

All hail food from the Manverse!

For a family that loves it's Reubens, this comes as no surprise.

Now, a quintessential American sandwich, this country's love for the Reuben sandwiches began in the 1920's though the jury is still out on whether this creation is all thanks to a Lithuanian grocer from Omaha, Nebraska or a deli in New York city.

Either way, America has had a good 93 years loving this sandwich and the fervor has dimmed not.

A classic Reuben sandwich consists of corned beef or pastrami, sauerkraut (pickled cabbage), swiss cheese and Russian dressing (a lot like Thousand Island Dressing) or Dijon mustard.

I've taken all of elements of the sandwich and using home made pizza dough, hand pressed it into my favorite Emile Henry clay pot brazier hence, the deep dish.

Next, I slathered the pizza base in home made Russian dressing, sauerkraut, sliced swiss cheese, folded layers of thick cut pastrami followed by even more sliced cheese.

All that in a super hot oven and the result is an incredible, what's got to be a sandwich's gift to a pizza!

Like I said, all hail the manverse and I leave now you with a recipe and the image of Tarzan beating his chest.

For the Young & the Old & the In Between ~ Oatmeal Butterscotch & Choco Chip Cookies

I don't make cookies too often. There are too many things on my must-make list and life is simply just too short to keep up.

But when I do it's usually because I'm jonesing a sweet morsel or the snack box is empty with the boys tummies rrrumbling. Either way, it's always when time is in short supply so I turn to my usual stash of in-a-jiffy cookie recipes that never fail me.

This one definitely falls in my fave top 10. So good with just enough flour to hold the oatmeal together, redolent with the scent of orange zest and just the right dash of different to keep me coming back.

I have not yet met a person, young or old, who didn't love them and asked for more. Now that's saying something. Especially when it comes to my 'chocolate-is-my-kryptonite' hubby.

Not to mention these are tailor made for a glass of cold milk.

Dunking, not optional!

Meet Your Mate (& your Coffee's) ~ Overflowing Cinnamon Braid Heart for Valentine's Day

 
There is no dearth of chocolate recipes out in the blogosphere and in print for Valentine's day in the world.

but there is also something to be said about sharing a really really good cup of coffee

with your honey

in the morning

before the day separates you

before the kids begin their demands on your time

so make this with love

this spectacular cinammon sugary braid

pull it apart with fingers

eat it warm, eat it hot, eat it cold, eat it together

with that excellent cup of coffee

On Valentine's Day

for there's no better way to start the day!

An Excellent Sort of Mistake ~ Buttermilk Apple Crumb Cake

Ever baked a cake by fluke?

Well, I have. This Christmas in fact.

My dear friend Saloni and I were hard at work in her very urban kitchen overlooking Lake Shore drive in Chicago. The counter top was cluttered with butter, sugar, meats and sauces as we were hard at work for Christmas dinner the next day.

I had butter softening on the counter top for the brioche dough. Completely unaware, I reach out and cream the butter with the sugar. It was only when Saloni asked me, what I was doing that I exclaimed, Oh gosh! I think I began a cake, by reflex!

That's when you know there's such a thing as holiday baking overload! When you live in a world where butter and sugar can't but go together.

Anyway, I doubt she's going to let me live this one down because she couldn't stop laughing as she said, "You're the only one I know who'd end up baking a cake by mistake!"

And what a good mistake it was!

A quick addition of some chopped apples, a basic crumb topping with some butter, flour and sugar and the result was an incredibly moist & delicious apple crumb cake for tea.

So this one is for Saloni, who has been patiently awaiting this blog post so she can make it for her adorable son who asks for it all the time and for good friends, who never let us live down our foibles!

A Kiddie Favorite, All Grown Up ~ Cheese & Z'atar Straws

 
There are few things yummier than puff pastry cheese straws.

I don't care how old you are, a batch of these coming out of the oven will have you swooning.

So here's taking a classic and turning them into a all-grown-up-gourmet variety that will appease not only the kiddies around the holiday table but all adults with discerning paletes.

Let's be clear about one thing though - this post hardly classifies as a recipe. After all, can a recipe with 3 ingredients, namely, aged parmigiano reggiano cheese, z'atar and frozen puff pastry sheets and 15 minutes in the oven be classified as such?

Who the heck knows!

One bite and they'll be your next best friend when ever company is over or you want to make a ooh-la-la statement without letting on that you hardly broke a sweat fixing these.

For kitchen divas everywhere, here goes!

The Sunday Baker ~ Wholegrain, Banana, Pumpkin Hazelnut Maple Loaf

 

I'm feeling quite discombobulated this first week of the New Year, not quite in the groove yet after the long winter break.

And so there is only one thing left to do - bake!

It perhaps has something to do with the oh! so brown bananas that forever seem to stare at me out of the fruit bowl. In fact, it seems that most of my baking involves rescuing bananas. That and half eaten cans of pureed pumpkin.

Now I know that decorum suggests that I shelve all pumpkin related eats with the advent of winter but since when have I ever tried to color in the lines!

So as long as cold weather persists and thank goodness, I have at least a good two months offering such a window of opportunity, I intend to pumpkin away as and when my heart desires.

And quite honestly, though this would be wonderful in autumn, why deny oneself the pleasure of banana, pumpkin, hazelnuts and maple all rolled into one delish loaf this winter's day?

Favorite Autumnal Eats ~ A Line Up of the Season's Best!

The season beginning Autumn to Winter is a great time to explore not just root vegetables but other leafy vegetables as well. Root vegetables by their very definition are vegetables that grow underneath the soil.

And because of their being so akin to the soil (for lack of better verbage), absorb high amounts of minerals and other nutrients from the surrounding earth.

What makes this season, the very best time for these vegetables?

It has to do with the cold weather. A lot of the tastiest fall vegetables get better after a frost and we're not just talking about roots here - Kale and Brussels sprouts for example, react to the frost by producing sugars, which makes them sweeter.

And therefore depending on your geographical location, right after the first frost, around mid October is  a great time to begin really incorporating these vegetables into the daily diet.

Root vegetables, like sweet potatoes, rutabagas, carrots, parsnips and celeriac, convert some of their existing starches to sugars after the first frost, so they get sweeter, too.

In fact, in the olden days before the advent of cane sugar sweet root veggies like parsnips were used in jams as a natural sweetener.

This is a great time to enjoy some of these, nature's autumnal bounty - rutabagas, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, butternut squash, acorn squash, parsnips, kale & brussel sprouts.

And here are a few facts about our favorite fall vegetables along with  some fabulous ways to enjoy eating them right now ~

Acorn Squash: Although considered a winter squash and its prime season being from fall through winter, the acorn squash belongs to the same family as summer squash, such as zucchini. It is actually a botanical fruit which is treated as a culinary vegetable.

Though the acorn squash can’t quite measure up to the butternut squash, in it's  levels of vitamin A, a nutrient that promotes healthy vision, there's is still every reason to be eating these.

Just a 1 cup serving of acorn squash has over 30% of the daily recommended amount for vitamin C, a classic antioxidant as well as high levels of vitamins E and B6 & minerals such as potassium and magnesium.

Decadent Sugar & Thyme Roasted Acorn Squash

Butternut Squash:  The Butternut Squash comes from the gourd family, which is native to the Western Hemisphere and is very much a winter squash.

Available in early Fall through Winter, you will want to choose a squash that is heavy with few blemishes and moldy spots.

Just a 1 cup serving also provides almost 300 percent of recommended daily value of vitamin A, 50 percent of vitamin C, as well as calcium, riboflavin & iron.

Roasted Butternut Squash Curried Soup

Sweet Potatoes:

Sweet potatoes beat out white potatoes when it comes to nuitrition especially antioxidants. Carotenoids are the antioxidants that give the sweet potato its color and are involved with the body's insulin response.

Beta-carotene is a sweet potato carotenoid that is converted to vitamin A which enhances immune function and helps maintain eye and skin health.

Just a 1 cup serving of sweet potatoes can provide you with as much as 700% of  recommended daily  value for Vitamin A, contains 65% of the minimum necessary daily amount of Vitamin C and also high levels of calcium, folate, potassium and beta-carotene.

Good Ole' Buttery Sweet Potato Pie

Rutabagas:

Very much the ugly yellow turnips, what the rutabaga lacks in good looks, it more than makes up for in nuitrition. Surprisingly,  botanically the rutabaga is a member of the Brassica genus which makes cabbage, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards, broccoli it's cousins.

This root vegetable is low in sodium, nearly fat-free, a good source of dietary fiber and is rich in about a half-dozen vitamins and minerals.

But what makes this of special value in our diet is that according to the USDA, the American diet is inadequate in minerals such as phosphorous, manganese and potassium which is precisely what the rutabaga brings to the table. Not to mention

So this is a great time to find new ways to welcome this swedish turnip into the fold.

Holiday Root Mash

Parsnips:

Parsnips are a quintessential cold weather vegetable. They look like carrots but are white and somewhat sweeter, characteristically starchy with a hint of citrus. Infact they have much more sugar content than carrots, turnips and other root vegetables more akin to bananas and grapes!

Like many of the tastiest foodstuffs, parsnips were once a staple among the poor households and before the advent of cane sugar, because of their inherent sweetness were used as a natural sweetener in jams.

They are an excellent source of natural fiber as well as Vitamin C, antioxidants & folic acid.

Stobhach Gaelach, Old Irish Stew

Spices & Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Parsnips, Carrots & Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

Brussel Sprouts:

Brussel sprouts are small leafy green buds resemble like miniature cabbages in appearance. The buds are exceptionally rich in protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which work wonders to get rid of many health troubles.

Botanically, the sprouts belong to the same brassica family, which also includes cabbage, kale, cauliflower & broccoli.

They are power house of nutrients and vitamins and several flavonoid anti-oxidants. They are excellent source of Vitamin C, A & E as well as believed to help protect from various cancers.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Grapes & Thyme

As you can imagine, several of these dishes are making an appearance on my holiday table and I had fun visiting some old posts that feel like old friends now and introducing you to some new ones.

If any of these lovelies make an appearance on your table, I'll be tickled and absolutely want to hear all about it!

 

Perfect for Busy Weeknights ~ Savory Salmon Pancakes with Ricotta

Some busy nights nothing will do but savory pancakes!

I for one am a big fan of them. Remember the long lost blinis? Those marvelous Russian savory pancakes that were so popular served with caviar? Well, if you've been reading the blog then you know I love them, absolutely love them. And no, I don't serve them with caviar (yah, budget buster, that one!) but more like with everything else.

You know I'm always going on and on those thin sections of the salmon on the other side of the fillet half - left over from the thick plumpy halves used before. Those are the salmon bits that are put to brilliant use in a recipe such this.

The inspiration for these pancakes are drawn both from savory pancakes served as Italian Antipasto as well fish Jewish pancakes made with matzo meal.

In this version, a little bit of this and a little bit of that turned out to be just the recipe. So get your forks and dig right in!

Pumpkin, Cardamom & Raisin Sandwich Bread with Maple Cream-Cheese Butter

It's hard not getting caught up in pumpkin fever.

It is after all so seasonal just like the changing colors of autumn. It doesn't matter that it's available in cans all year around. The fact of the matter is that I am only ever compelled to buy pumpkin during the season.

And as soon as the it arrives, I whip into a frenzy thinking of every which way to incorporate pumpkin into just about everything that is baked, roasted or stewed.

This yeasty pumpkin bread with raisins, loads of spice and freshly ground cardamom answers to my craving and is just gorgeous toasted for breakfast. In fact, I'm making my favorite cream cheese, maple & hazelnut butter to go with and you should too.

Mind you, this bread is also just the thing the day after Thanksgiving, when you have turkey coming out of your ears & it makes wicked delicious sandwiches with left over cranberry relish, lettuce and thick cut turkey slices.

Now that's my kind recipe - one that comfortably tweaks to the moment. So make this now or bookmark this for later because this delicious bread will be right here waiting for you & your very own perfect moment!

Sneaky Molasses, Zucchini & Chocolate Bread

 
 
This one is oh so for the love of chocolate with the goodness of zucchini, whole wheat & molasses thrown in.

Make no mistake, it's a bread.

One that inherits it's ever so light hint of sweetness from chocolate morsels and earthy molasses but everything about this shouts B.R.E.A.D.

wonderful. decadent. breakfast. after-school. whenever. bread.

Like I said, sneaky.

As it stands, I am back to Sunday baking. With the kids back to school, the need for healthful after-school snacks with that cold glass of milk, five days a week means that Mum (I speak of moi) is forced to shake off the shackles of procrastination and get a line-up together of yummy healthful baked goods.

Mind you, it's not just for the kids benefiting from this endeavor considering Mr. Hubby & I both sneak in a slice or two before the whole lot is polished off. But it has been a startling revelation that left to my own devices, I would probably drift into a wayward slump of fried eggs and toast, meal after meal as long as I'm left alone buried in my books.

So thank goodness, I have growing boys (and one other fully grown variety) in the house that need feeding & watering to keep me on my toes or there's a very good chance that this blog might have never seen the light of day! 

Which of course begs the next question - whatever will we do when they're off to college?

To which my devious mind who is currently far more interested in Jack Reacher of the Lee Child novels, whispers back, "cross that bridge when you come to it".

Amen to that.

A Blue Plate Special ~ Salmon & Vegetable Loaf with Lemon-Mayo

 
Eat. more. fish.

It seems to be ever where.

From The American Heart Association, the U.S. Department of Agriculture to my Mum keeps telling us to consume two servings of fatty fish per week.

And salmon makes an excellent choice because being rich in omega-3 fatty acids it seems to be a crusader-ninja in the fight against heart disease, Alzheimer's & stroke.

That and the fact that we LOVE  our Salmon Caesars Salad a few times a month. But I always use up the thick, meaty cuts for the salad being left with the thin stomach bits that are just no good served up as fillets.

Now as much as I like turning them into fritters and cutlets & our favorite ceviches there is only so many times we can eat then same old salmon work-up & so I find myself pottering away in the kitchen with my salmon bits trying to turn them into exciting dinners.

And this salmon loaf simply doesn't disappoint. In fact so delicious is it, that I don't recommend you wait for salmon bits to fix this. It  demands a trip to the grocery store.

And if you happen to have a brunch, potluck or a family event coming up and are wondering what to make, this loaf which is big on flavor and tiny on the budget is just the thing.

In fact I think it reminds me of the ideal blue plate special that was all the rage in U.S. cafes and diners back in the 1950's - a delicious (albeit, frugal) entree served with 3 sides. And that's just what I did - served ours with boiled potatoes, peas and carrots.

The lemon-mayo drizzle which comes together in a snap is a do-not-miss and adds a refreshing zing to every salmony-veggie bite.

Lunch Box Treats ~ Chewy Oatmeal, Coconut & Fruit Cookies

The need for healthful lunch treats seems to be a constant challenge for us mothers with school going kids.

Not to mention hubbies who get peckish at tea time at work.

Lets face it, with the no-peanut-butter rule in place in many of the US schools, P B & J sandwiches, cookies and what-nots may be well and good in fuzzy family flicks and commercials on the tele but not quite in the real world - at least in my real world.

And then I've got my own criteria to reckon with,

not fried. Check.

no preservatives. Check.

100% whole grains. Check.

dry fruits. Check

low on sugar. Check.

and most importantly,

chewy & delicious. Check. Check.

Because if your home is anything like mine, healthful is great but it won't go down well around here if it isn't just simply delicious for both kiddos and grown-ups alike.

Now I like my cookies chewy not thin and stiff because if I wanted a thin crisp cookie then for godssake call it 'thins' and then I know what to expect.

But don't call a 'thin' a cookie. Nope sirree.

And that's got everything to do with the dough-thickness-to-the-spread ratio. If you squish the cookie dough too thin it will end up spreading into a nearly flat cookie in the heated oven invariably resulting in a dry and hard cookie.

Chewy & delicious.

That's my kind of cookie and judging from the fact that I have about 6 left in the cookie tin, no questions asked, tells me that healthful, delicious and chewy happens to be right up the alley for the rest of my flock too.

So if you're jonesing for a cookie full of whole wheat, oatmeal, apricots, cranberries and coconut and all of this in a chewy bundle sounds just too delicious for words, then you're part of my flock.

Check.

A Meat Sauce to Write Home About & A Baked Spaghetti To Make You Swoon

In the iconic Fan District in Richmond, Virginia lies the quaint Joe's Inn. Chances are if you've lived here long enough or have family who have, you've graced this eatery. 

It's a place known for its wood paneled walls, friendly service and hearty meals. And as a restaurant it's as neighborhood as they come.

But of all the brunches, lunches and dinners we've tucked away here, I find it impossible to get past Joe's signature dish -

Spaghetti A La Joe
Spaghetti baked with Provolone Cheese topped with your choice of Meat or Marinara Sauce

When it comes to meat sauces, this right here is King and though we never order it but once a year it makes a BIG impression.  You see it represents the superlative meat sauce - rich, hearty, heavy and of course, meaty!

I have been on the lookout for a meat sauce that incorporates everything I love about Joe's and I've found it! I just knew from going down the ingredients list, that this was 'it'. I refer to my fellow blogger veteran,  Thom's  Marinara Sauce for the Motivated. 

If you've paid any attention to Thom at all, there are two things you know lickety quick - the Man is probably one of the oldest bloggers in the community (well into his 70's) and the Man knows his meat! And he dishes it out slathered thick with his sauces & signature wry humor.

I guarantee you, if you pay Thom a visit at Barbecue Tips from Deep In the Heart of Oregon , not only will it satisfy your carnivorous urges but he'll have you rolling on the floor with his 'say it like it is' style.

I have reason to believe that Thom will agree  it has something to do with the fact that the older we all get, the more the need to cut out the BS!

After all, if you can't say it now, then when?

Anyway, Thom's recipe has been tucked away in the recesses of my mind for a few months now and it was time to put it good use. The thing about this recipe is that it's great for weekends with the family when you don't want to spend all day slaving over a hot stove and yet want some comforting, stick-to-your-ribs, delicous wholesomeness.

It makes best in large quantities and for a family like ours that means 1 batch gets used up now and the other goes into the refrigerator  - after all lunch boxes are calling!

Though I have used Thom's recipe almost to the letter, I've thrown in a few tricks of my own such as cooking all the meats together to save time and effort and allowing the sauce to cook 6-7 hours in the slow cooker. I think you'll agree the end result is pretty darn good - Yup, write home good!

So do yourself a favor and have a GREAT weekend - a 'stick-to-your-ribs' kind of weekend!

Blue Corn, Anaheim Chiles & Horseradish Cheddar Bread

Meet the prized grain of the Peublo Native American tribes in the Southwestern USA - blue corn.

With its blue, violet kernels and sweeter nuttier taste than its white and yellow cousins, it's no wonder it was a staple. Ideal for rustic fare like corn bread it has also been known to be used as a stuffing in fresh water fish and pancakes & griddle cakes.

In this recipe, I've used my old corn bread recipe and tweaked it to create this accompaniment to a bowl of hot steaming Chili. It works double duty on busy weeknight as I freeze the leftovers in a zip-loc bag and defrost them just in time for a steaming bowl of soup.

I must say though that the additon of roasted Anaheim chiles & horseradish cheddar cheese gives a bit of polish to this rustic bread. Adding some of that brown sugar rounds off the touch of heat quite nicely.

Fruit Picking & Deliciously Fuss-free, Equipment-free & Pectin-free Golden Plum Jam

Sometimes good fun comes in simple, idyllic packages.

Such as an afternoon driving 40 minutes away from the city to the small town of Purcellville, VA is search of Crooked Run Orchard to spend an afternoon plum, peach and blackberry picking.

After following the GPS, arriving at the farm, seeing nothing but dirt road and a dilapidated shack and tractor trailors, driving away, asking for directions and hereby confusing ourselves even further, only to realise the dirt track behind the heavy equipment was actually the track into the orchard, we were finally there.

We were greeted by what I can only describe as my take on a 'quintenssential farm person' in rural VA. Wearing a wide straw hat and gruff manners she looked at us as idiot specimens from the big city. Which we are, I suppose.

We worked very hard at not being offended (smile) and armed with excellent no-nonsense directions set off;

"only pick what you're gonna take. Don't care for when folks over pick the fruit".

" blackberries must be black and fall straight off the vine".

"Peaches must be a warm red with no hint of yellow or green. They can be hard and they'll ripen just fine just not anything but red".

"Plums - they're ready to go. Just pick away".

It was marvelous being at a family run orchard, completely non-touristy and off the beaten path much like discovering hidden treasure, a hidden oasis in the desert. There were just a handful of people most of whom were locals and collected buckets of fruit every year to make gallons of jam.

Our kids of course were searching out the insects more than the fruit!

Spending time together, doing this very simple thing was a gift. I can't think of a better way for us or the kids to spend an afternoon. 

And in the end, we were rewarded for our efforts

sugary sweet yellow and red plums

 

 

These of course did not arrive home to tell the tale

 

Fortunately for us all, even after we had gorged on the much of the plums we still had over 2 lbs left for several jars of golden plum jam.

Now here's a jam recipe that I have been following for years. It originally hails from Australian Woman's Weekly, is a simple no-nonsense approach to jam making that takes all the fuss and groan out of it.

Healthful & Delicious ~ Summery Mediterranean Turkey Burgers

I think of myself as a relatively healthful cook.

Mostly I stay from processed foods (except for canned tomatoes and corn), buy local, seasonal produce and always cook from scratch. But I'll be the first to admit, you won't find me shovelling through a bowl of bran in the morning for the simple reason that to me it tastes like what I imagine a bowl of hay tastes like.

And therefore you can be rest assured, you won't find me professing some healthy eat that simple isn't yummy because if there is one thing I know, is that healthful and delicious can and invariably are two sides of the same coin.

For many years, turkey in our household made its appearance always on Thanksgiving and almost never the rest of the year.  Barring of course the occasional appearance in a sammie.

This was before I pottered around the kitchen trying to liven up the flavor of this mostly bland and blah flavored meat (seriously dearies, compared with duck?). Born and necessitated more by half consumed containers in the refrigerator and wilting greens resulted in one of the most loved burgers in our household and one that makes an appearance at our dinner table every couple of weeks.

And what a welcome it receives! Simple fresh flavors such as fresh garlic, sun dried tomatoes, scallions, mint and feta cheese come together to create a flavor popping burger that you'll all love and will keep you coming back for more.

And if that isn't good enough, a simple sauce of reduced fat mayo, pomegranate molasses (which I can't get enough of) and Aleppo (or cayenne) pepper adds just the right touch of heat and sweet to whole wheat burger buns, bringing it all home.

So this weekend, while the sun is still shining and warm weather kisses your skin, why not give it a go?

Chicken On the Grill with Raspberry Balsamic BBQ Sauce

Who says one can't make an excellent BBQ sauce without ketchup?

I think of raspberries as the prima donnas of berries and in the summer, when they are plentiful and wilt in a heartbeat, its wonderful to have a way to not only use them up but to do so in an incredibly flavorful sauce, that not only does much for itself but so much more for chicken.

Speaking of which, marinating the chicken overnight in a bit of garlic, olive oil and most importantly fresh orange juice and zest does wonders for the chicken as you get a taste of citrusy flavor with each bite.

I've kept the basic foundations of traditional BBQ sauce intact with molasses and spices. However, I think the balsamic vinegar adds a much richer complexity of flavor instead of good ole' vinegar.

Use this recipe as a guide and tweak to your hearts content. Because we all know, that's where the secret of great BBQ sauce lies!

Nothing Weak About It ~ Rosemary Iced Tea

I avoid Weak.

Weak Me.

Weak Friends.

Weak Opinions.

Weak Decaf.

Make that Decaf.

So is it any wonder that I like my tea strong?

You know what turns me off about weak tea?

When you take that first sip and it tastes like watered down, nothing.

Sweet nothing.

Not the good kind.

So here's how I do it.

Begin strong.

Strong tea.

Strong everything.

Except,

when it comes to the rosemary.

A whiff, a scent.

It's something.

Something potent.

Something strong.

Something to write about.

 Something to love.

Sweet. Not. Cloyingly.

Southwestern Chipotle Shrimp Cocktails with a Spicy Kick

Everyday I thank my stars for our time in the Southwest. 

Had it not been for those years, the joy of Southwestern & Mexican dried chiles with their complex smoky & not necessarily hot flavors would have forever eluded me.

In Asia, the presumption is that Chiles are always hot. Because in that part of the world, it is true. It is also true that larger the chile, lesser the bite, but by and large in Asian cooking, chilies are used for their heat.

On the other hand, Southwestern & Mexican dried chiles like Guajillo, Anjo, Chipotle & Casabel  are used less for their heat but the incredible smoky and rich flavor they impart. And they are absolutely magnificent with all kinds of meat and seafood.

My absolute favorite is using Chipotle chiles in shrimp cocktails. Shrimp cocktails are one of my absolute favorite foods in the world and I have been known to chow down even the mayo laden versions with much gusto.

Mexican shrimp cocktails with a tomato juice base is found in marisco or seafood restaurants all over Mexico. Versions that include a heavy dose of hot serrano chiles paired with a liberal dose Tequila is considered quite the cure for a hangover after a night of fun.

In this Southwestern inspired version, I've paired the smoky heat from the Chipotle comes with the heat from a serrano chile in a clam-tomato juice loaded with red onions, cilantro and fresh lime juice, not forgetting succulent & plump garlicky shrimp.

Whether scooped out of a bowl with tortilla chips in the backyard with swigs of Coronas or Dos Equis or turned into ideal picnic fare when served in small mason jars, carried in a cooler filled with ice for a day in the sand or at the park, one thing is sure: Summer just got a tad more sizzlin'!

Summer Strawberry Cheesecake with Greek Yogurt in a Graham-Pecan Crust

It seems that 5 year old boys are creatures of repition.

This fact reinforced by the fact that for many many weeks now, my little one has been saying verbatim in his sing songy voice, "Momma, can you make strawberry pie'?

I have no idea where he gets this from. Has he ever eaten strawberry pie? And what kind can he possibly mean?

So I set off not with a road map but rather a general notion. Fresh strawberries are everywhere and I think he must get this obsession from his father who all through summer orders nothing but strawberry ice cream at Ben & Jerry's.

With temperatures in the 80's I decide to stay away from the whole baked cheese cake idea and decide to do a more chilled cheesecake kind of dessert. Because there is only one thing the boys in this family love more than strawberries and that is cheesecake.

I begin by pulling out healthful staples from my pantry and refrigerator and we're off.

A orange zest infused greek yogurt fillling with fresh strawberry puree in a pecan-graham cracker crust. Yup that sounds about right.

And let me tell you tastes even better. Not cloying sweet, this delicious cool dessert goes down easy and if yours is anything like my family, will dissappear in a flash.

For now it seems, my 5 year olds cravings have been appeased.

" Momma, can I..........."

and here we go again.

Skillet Corn Grits Pie with Chicken, Roasted Tomatillo & Green Chiles Salsa Verde

I have yet to meet a grain than I couldn't turn into a 'pie' type dish. You know I luv me some pie!

So why not corn grits?

Did you read The Help? Remember when Abilene refers to grits as the vehicle for whatever foods you want to put on it? Well maybe that's not word for word for what she said but you get the drift. And I couldn't agree more.

Grits are a blank canvas in the palette of a cook just dying to be blended with some interesting flavors to create something with color or at least flavor.

So I decided that today was as good as any to make a wonderful roasted tomatillo and green chile sauce, mixed together with some leftover cooked chicken, topped with cilantro & onion and baked over corn grits.

What's wrong if a little bit of Dixie meets a whole lot of Mexican in the kitchen?

Take a bite and I doubt you'll be complaining. In fact I nearly had to arm wrestle the boys for the last piece to be able to get the pic for the post. Yah - it's really that good!

'The Terlingua Red' Chili ~ Corn bread's love match

I never thought my pillow soft corn bread recipe would be taken to so warmly. And I am glad.

So now it's time to introduce you to corn bread's better half.

Meet 'THE TERLINGUA RED' CHILI.

Since 1980 the Hard Times Cafe in Northern Virginia has served as a quintessential All American Chili Parlor thanks to the Parker brothers.

It's an unassuming place where the food is comfort & down-to-earth, the service friendly and the Chili, out of this world. Being family friendly and all, its the perfect place for us and kids alike to load up on wings and Chili on spaghetti and such. Not surprising, it's a visit we look forward to - not often but often enough.

As soon as you're seated in the wooden booths, a tray of chili samplers with little plastic spoons are brought out and the server proceeds to explain all the Chili offerings:

Texas Chili, Vegetarian Chili, Terlingua Red & Cincinnati Chili.

Over the years we've often switchbacked between one and another. Mr. Hubby for most part has given it all a go. For me however, Terlingua Red is king.

One would think that a good chili would require a lot of fussing. Remember a while back we did a recipe for Southwestern Chili? Excellent right? But  it took some work, no doubt. I was expecting a fair bit of fussing when it came to Jim Parker's (JP) recipe of Terlingua Red. So imagine my surprise, when just a chockful of ingredients and an hour's worth of work is all it takes to make this excellent Chili.

At the heart of The Terlingua Red is the spice blend consisting simply  of red chili powder, ground cumin, ground  cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder and a little salt.

Quirky, oh so easy and absolutely delicious especially when you've got those pillow soft corn breads for dunking. Follow the directions to the letter  for a competition worthy bowl of chili, now a staple in our winter kitchen. So get off your hineys, give it a go and see for yourself!

Valentine's Day ~ KARMEL SUTRA Tartlets

The first bite should give you hope,

the second lust &

by the third you're in love!

~

Luscious Chocolate Ganache & Caramel Mingle in a Graham Cracker - Almond Crust

Say it ain't so!

Pillow-Soft Honey Corn Bread - The Definitive Answer To Our Corn Bread Woes

~Dear friends ~

If the only corn bread you've ever met came pre-prepared from a plastic container at the grocery store or from a cardboard box then I am sorry to tell you that you have been depriving yourself one of life's simplest edible pleasures.

The joy that comes from biting to into a warm, moist, full of sweet golden corn with the taste and scent of rustic cornmeal and the the sweetness of honey, corn bread. Simple. Honest. Period.

But I come bearing good news with the definitive answer - home made corn bread with corn. Did you hear what I said? with corn. How many corn-breads that you've eaten have actually had little morsels of golden corn in it?

Not many, I'm sure.

For me during my growing up years, a trip to LA always included - a trip to Marie Callender's for their apple pie, corn bread and spaghetti & meatballs. Things have changed however - on my end or their end.

Now, there are only few places I where I adore the corn bread and that I believe has largely come about from me developing an actual opinion on the subject. For one, I know I like mine sweeter than savory. I also like mine moist rather than dry and crumbly. I also like mine to be made from scratch, slathered with butter and warm out of the oven.

Now in case you are wondering why I bake mine in a muffin pan?

That would be

1) impatience (they bake quicker) bringing me closer to warm & slathered with butter.

2) Because I recognize that # 1 is a very bad thing for me & my hips and so muffin pan = muffin sized portions = portion control.

It's taken me years of trial and error and pans full of mediocre corn bread to finally declare that I now have - THE Definitive Answer to End Our Corn Bread Woes.

Before you think I've bitten off more than I can chew on this subject, fix it-eat it and then drop me a line.