Red, White, and Blueberry Popsicles
July 3, 2012
I am not known for overt patriotism, but I am also not one to pass up an opportunity to celebrate. And isn’t it a happy coincidence that our nation’s birthday falls smack dab in the middle of berry season? We are surrounded by luscious reds and blues hanging from the bushes and trees throughout our neighborhoods and farms. To pass these by is a shame and perhaps even unpatriotic.
My kids and I went on a west county adventure yesterday, and came home with a bag full of blueberries from Sonoma Swamp Blues (great spot to pick up super tasty local blueberries!). Most of them are destined for shortcakes with strawberries and cream, but I could not resist tossing a few handfuls into the blender to make these popsicles. Believe it our not, my kiddos will happily gobble up a popsicle every day of summer!
Red, White and Blueberry Popsicles are a tasty treat to cool you off while savoring the sweet tastes of July. Also they only take about 10 minutes to prepare (and freeze overnight), so you have more time to sit around sipping on lemonade (or an ice cold margarita). You can test your luck and pull them out of the mold after 4 hours or so. We did. Waiting until the actual 4th of July was more than our patience could take. Use caution though, if they are not fully frozen they are more likely to break off or for the stick to come loose from the popsicle.
*Don’t have a popsicle mold? Check out this one.
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Thai-Style Steak Salad
July 2, 2012
At least once a week we opt for a dinner salad. Tired from a long day of work or summertime adventures as it may be, dinner can be on the table in minutes with just a bit of forethought. Our secret… grill enough meat on the weekend to have hearty leftovers. Perhaps it is a breast of chicken spared from our ravenous tots or a generous morsel of salmon craftily hidden from my husband’s lunch, or as the case was last weekend, a nice piece of hanger steak. Steak salad takes on endless incarnations, but this is one of our favorites from Sunset magazine years ago.
Thai-Style Steak Salad bursts with flavor from a mixture of fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables, salty peanuts, and a tangy dressing. Using leftover grilled meat makes it a cinch to pull together, but you could certainly grill up a steak for the occasion. The dressing is super light and oil free helping this dinner balance out the indulgences of the weekend. The chili garlic sauce is spicy so adjust the amount to your own taste.
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Cherry Rhubarb Jam (Low-Sugar)
June 13, 2012
School has been out for two weeks now, the sun is blazing, and the canning pot has reasserted its dominance on my stove top. Hello summer! Canning is usually a solitary sport for me, squeezed in the early hours of the morning or late at night when the kids have finally succumbed to sleep. While the bubbling caldron of jam is still a bit much for my youngsters, they are quite capable of helping me to process the fruit. My son found the cherry pitter to be quite a lot of fun and was thrilled when I handed him the knife to cut the cherries. Who needs summer camp when you can enlist your kids in practical life skills at home? (Of course, give me a few weeks and I may be screaming for them to go to any sort of camp that will take them!)
Cherry Rhubarb Jam is a delightful balance of sweet and tart with a rich background note of vanilla. The color is absolutely divine. This is my second attempt at this type of jam and it is an absolute hit. There is a relatively small amount of sugar added. Cherries are so naturally sweet that it is very easy to over-sweeten them. The fruit macerates for an extended time before cooking. This reduces the overall cooking time, since the fruit has already given up its juice. Shorter cooking times mean fresher tasting jam and more vibrant colors. This jam is sure to a new June tradition in our house. Absolutely delicious!
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Lebovitz’s Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
June 8, 2012
Summer, with a capital “S”, beginning with the longest day of the year, is weeks away, but thanks to our local school board, summer is in full swing here. School is out, pools are open, and that means it is time to break out the ice cream maker. My kids and I (since I teach for a living) are wholeheartedly leaping into carefree summer-mode. I am now in the business of putting smiles on their sweet little faces and nothing works better for that than some form of sweet frozen goodness.
Lebovitz’s Strawberry Frozen Yogurt made its way into our lives (and bellies) last summer. As strawberry season unfolded this year, I could not wait to make it again. David Lebovitz is a master of desserts and this frozen yogurt is no exception. The recipe starts with a full pound of perfectly ripe seasonal strawberries macerating in sugar and vodka. Once they are nice and syrupy, simply blend them with yogurt (he calls for whole milk, but I find lowfat makes it perfectly creamy) and pour into your ice cream maker. Wow, the result is frozen yogurt with an amazingly intense strawberry flavor not to mention the remarkable pink color. The yogurt has a tender yielding texture and truly tastes like strawberries. Head for the field or market, gather the most delectable strawberries you can find and make this dessert. It is sure to bring a smile to your face.
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Chicken Chile Verde with Hominy
October 5, 2011
We only grew one tomatillo plant in our garden this summer. Based on our past success with these, I did not expect that we would harvest very many fruits. So I was dumbstruck the other day when I went to harvest. We had so many tomatillos that I had to rally the kids to hand over their sand buckets so we could fill them with fruit. We harvested over 4 gallons of tomatillos from one plant!
Tomatillos are a funny fruit. The firm green fruit is encased in a papery husk that is removed before cooking. The fruit itself is sticky to the touch, though this substance washes off easily. Though they are sometimes confused with green tomatoes, tomatillos are actually from a different plant family. Tomatillos are best known for their role in green salsa. One of our favorite preparations with tomatillos is to make Grilled Tomatillo Salsa, the other is this stew.
Chicken Chile Verde with Hominy is a perfect way to celebrate the tomatillo. Cook them up with peppers, onions, and cilantro ,then braise the browned chicken and hominy in this tangy sauce. The stew is warm and nourishing, yet the flavors are light from the tart tomatillos. Do not forget a squeeze of lime over the top at the last minute for a bright, acidic note. This stew can stand alone, but serve with a simple slaw and some warm tortillas for a complete meal.
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