Fruits and Vegetables Archives | Page 6 of 30

Pickled Daikon and Kohlrabi Salad

March 10, 2015

This tangy pickled daikon and kohlrabi salad makes a super simple side dish for spring!

I’m a big fan of pickled veggies. Asparagus, long beans, cucumbers, carrots — pickle it and I love it. Last year, I gave up on pickling for long term preserving. Meaning no water bath pickling, etc.

I just can’t seem to master the art of keeping things crisp, and the batches end up being too large for us to finish in a reasonable amount of time.

So now I’m into quick pickling. A few veggies, a vinegar mixture, a couple hours in the fridge and a manageable amount is ready to serve.

Meyer Lemon Bourbon Winter Warmer

February 8, 2015

This Meyer lemon bourbon cocktail is the best way to get through a cold winter night! It combines the fresh flavor of seasonal citrus with warming spices and Kentucky bourbon.

Let’s be clear. It’s not cold here. If I were to utter the phrase, “I’m cold,” I’m certain it would be met with a bless-her-heart chuckle and an eye roll from just about everyone Colorado and eastward. Those being pounded with snow would likely close the browser window, never to return.

So it’s not cold, but it does get cool and there are distinct differences between winter, spring, summer and fall here in the Bay Area. Thank goodness, because I do love the four seasons. They just aren’t nearly as extreme as other places I’ve lived.

That being said, I still love the comfort foods and drinks of winter — a steaming bowl of soup, rich pot pies, and a warm bourbon drink — just as much as a person digging out from the snow.

We might not have freezing temps, but one thing we do have in the winter is citrus! And you are probably well aware of my love for it.

When we moved into our apartment here in 2012, I immediately purchased a small dwarf Meyer lemon tree from the local farmers market. I read up a little on growing them in pots and this tree already had a few lemons on it when I bought it so I thought, this is going to be too easy.

Baby Yellow Potatoes with Smoky Sauce, Pickled Shallots and Bacon

January 29, 2015

These baby yellow potatoes are a recreation of an appetizer we had while dining out. They are served with a smoky sauce and topped with tangy pickled shallots and crisp crumbled bacon! The Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes I recently received from Melissa’s Produce are the perfect size for this party snack or side dish.

I’m not really a bar person. Brewery tasting room person, yes, but bar person, not so much. I’m talking about the kind where all the cool kids go. The places where you have to scream to speak with someone and get bumped so many times that you aren’t sure if you actually drank your cocktail or splashed it out of the glass.

Truth be told, though, these places are usually pretty cool, with intriguing interiors and inventive drinks. I don’t like to miss out completely, so if I do go, I prefer to be there about 5:00 pm.

Yes, I know. Old lady. But this is also when happy hour specials are available so I call it me being frugal.

Don’t worry. I see it, too. Happy hour specials could easily merge into the early bird discounts at the local restaurant and eating dinner at 4:00 pm. I may be on a downward spiral.

Beef Medallions with Spinach and Arugula Paired with Cultivar Wine

January 26, 2015

Special meals don’t have to be complicated. These beef medallions are quick and easy. They pair so well with the excellent 2012 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon I received from Cultivar Wine.

Fancy is not a word that I would use to describe my cooking. Most often from scratch, sometimes simple, other times complicated, but not exactly fancy.

But every now and then I get the opportunity to make something a little special. Like when you receive an elegant, yet approachable bottle of fine wine.

Blood Orange and Finger Lime Gin Martini

January 21, 2015

Add some citrus to your next cocktail! This simple gin martini is made with fresh blood orange juice and flavorful finger limes!

Citrus season is one of those things that went completely unnoticed to me prior to living in California. With oranges, lemons and limes available year round and a few tangerines thrown into the mix, it never felt like there was a beginning and end to the selection.

These days, things are different. My post autumn-pumpkin and holiday-gingerbread blues, are not so difficult to deal with anymore. Now, as we move into January and February, I hear trumpets in my head and a big round of applause as I walk into a supermarket or roam the farmers market. Ta da — it’s citrus season!

Ground Turkey and Ale Cabbage Rolls and My 3 Words

January 7, 2015

I’m sharing My 3 Words for the New Year along with a spiced up and spiked version of cabbage rolls!

It’s a new year. I keep repeating that to myself, but it doesn’t want to stick.

Most years, I feel this big sense of transition as we close one out and enter another. I’m big on the goals and resolutions, so I have those all lined up and I’m ready to jump right in the minute the ball drops.

This year feels different.

We spent the last two weeks of 2014 traveling. We visited Copenhagen, went to Berlin and explored the markets over the Christmas holiday, enjoyed a day in Malmo and returned to Copenhagen for New Years Eve. It was a blissful break filled with new experiences, people and foods.

Bourbon Poached Persimmon with Vanilla Custard

November 24, 2014

If you are looking to try a new dessert this holiday season, you can’t go wrong with bourbon poached persimmon. The seasonal fruit is spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, anise and clove, then served with warm vanilla custard sauce.

My heart belongs to pumpkin pie, but I’m not at all opposed to trying a new dessert for Thanksgiving. Since I hold pumpkin pie in such high regard, though (my grandmother’s version, specifically), it’s always so hard to choose what to try.

Since no other pie can compare for me this time of year, and I save cookies for Christmas, I decided to do something completely out of the ordinary for me — poached fruit.

Turkey Red Lettuce Wraps with Sweet Potatoes and Cranberries

November 18, 2014

These lettuce wraps make a quick and easy seasonal dinner. They are filled with my favorite fall ingredients and served in beautiful red leaf lettuce that is full of nutrients. This post was sponsored by Coastline Family Farms.

Don’t mind my deer-in-the-headlights look. That is just my reaction to how quickly the end of October and most of November have flown by. I’ve been finding myself staring blankly from time to time trying to get my brain to catch up to the date.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing. There’s been a reason for it – events. Lots of awesome, new experiences, meet new people, have fun while learning, eating and drinking, events.

Chickpea and Quinoa Griddle Cakes with Spinach and Feta

November 7, 2014

These chickpea and quinoa griddle cakes are made with chickpea and quinoa flours. Spiced with curry powder, they are topped with sautéed spinach and feta cheese.

I’ve been experimenting with socca a lot over the past year. In case you are unfamiliar (like I was just a year ago), socca is a snack made with chickpea flour and water. To me, it’s a cross between a tortilla and a crepe.

Roasted Pepper and Arugula Scrambled Eggs

October 31, 2014

This single serving breakfast recipe combines roasted peppers and arugula for scrambled eggs that are simple, but special.

I often get asked – how do you find ideas for recipes?

Like most people, I find inspiration just about everywhere. Sometimes I get an idea, make a list and ponder it for a while. Other times, I stand in front of the fridge, trying to figure out what to have for breakfast. I grab a few ingredients, mix them together and it tastes so good that I think maybe someone else who is trying to eat protein-rich breakfasts might enjoy it.

This is one of those recipes.