All day, everyday, there is something new and delicious to pick and eat. I have my CSA with the Interval Community Farm, which is in full swing, so I am picking up thousands of pounds of fresh produce every week. (maybe not quite that much, but so so much) Plus our lovely garden is starting to reward up with the prettiest veggies as well. I have so much fresh produce that I find myself mindless eating just to make more room in the fridge.(not to mention that my counters are also covered and I have a laundry basket full of yellow squash and zucchini on the table). I guess its getting about time to do a little canning and pickling… but until then, I will just have to solider on and keep on eating!
So this salad is completely inspired by the ever exploding contents of my fridge (and table, and counters). Fresh zucchini, corn,and peaches roasted and tossed together with fresh tomato, creamy avocado, and herbs into one big bowl.. It’s like eating summer… And it fantastic.
The stuff. Zucchini, corn, tomato, peach, and avocado. A lemon (not shown..it rolled under the couch and I couldn’t find it for a little while) and salt and pepper. Also not shown is the bunch of fresh cilantro that I added at the last minute
I initially wanted to grill this stuff, but I didn’t feel like starting the charcoal and getting that all situated, so I just used the oven. So if you want, use the grill.
Cut zucchini into long wedges and cut the peaches into a few large slices. Place on a lightly oiled pan or baking sheet, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and stick into the oven at 425 degrees. Toss you corn into the oven too.. but I just stuck that on the oven rack.
While the stuff is roasting in the oven, chop the tomato into mouth sized chunks, and mash the avocado with the juice of the lemon( I finally found it) and a pitch or more of salt. Add enough water to make it slightly runny.
Afer about 15 minutes, the stuff in the oven should be done. You want the corn slightly charred and the peach and zucchini to be soft, but not mushy. Remove from oven and stick everything on a plate or baking sheet and let cool for a few minutes, or until cool enough to handle it.
And now cut the corn from the cob and dice the zucchini and peaches into chunks.
Toss it all into a bowl, give it a mix and smother with the avocado dressing.
And lastly, dice up and add a big ass handful of some freshly chopped herb.. (Cilantro is great, but basil is also just as nice) and toss that on top too!
So much color, so much tasty. This is all summer!
Happy Friday
BYE!
-C
Makes a meal for 1 or a side for 2
1 ripe peaches
1 medium zucchini
1 ear of corn
l medium tomato
1 avocado
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
bunch of fresh cilantro or basil
Note..If i had the time to light up the charcoal to grill, I would have. So Feel free to cook the corn, zucchini and peach on the grill if you so do please.
Slice peach into 4 equal chunks and zucchini into 4-5 wedges. Place in a lightly oiled skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stick the pan and the corn, husk removed, into oven at 425 degrees for about 10-15 minutes, or until the corn is charred and the zucchini and peach is browning and slightly tender. While this is going on, dice up the tomato into chunks and smash the avocadoin a jar until smoothish with the juice of the lemon, salt and pepper, and enough water to thin it out so that its kind of pasty. (make it any consistency you like)
When veggies are done cooking, remove from oven and place on the counter or a plate and let sit until its cool enough to handle. When cooled off, dice the peach and zucchini into chunks and remove corn from the cob. Toss together with the tomato, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, dump the mixed lemony avocado all over and top wit a heavy handful of some freshly chopped herb.
Serve warm or cold. Can be eaten with a fork or spoon.
I am a mint lover, even when it grows at such a ferocious speed that it threatens the lives of all the plants near it. That just means that I have to be vilagent and harvest and use as much as I can.
This drink is a fantastic way to use up some of that mint. I have been making and drinking fresh, hot, mint tea almost ever night for the past few weeks, but this weekend was way to freaking hot to be doing hot tea. So using my little noggin, I figured I should just chill it and added some lime because mint and lime are oh so nice together. Now my favorite, and one of the most refreshing drinks after a long hot day.
And limes just happen to be on sale this week….
The stuff. A few stems of fresh mint, a couple juicy limes, and water. And if you want, a little sweetener of your choice. (I used a tiny bit of honey..not shown)
Start by placing the mint, leaves and stem, into a big pot. Take a wooden spoon and gently muddle the mint. Add in the water, making sure that all the mint is fully sumerged (stuff it down in the pot)
Now place pot on the stove and bring water to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes.
After steeping for a few, pout tea into a big jug, straining out the mint leaves. Add any sweetener that you might like (just a little.. you can always add more later if you need it) and stick into fridge to cool, or just leave it on the counter if your want.
While you are waiting for the tea to cool, you might as well juice the limes (cause we need the lime juice)
After the tea is cool, add in the juice of the limes and mix/shake/stir around.
And thats it..
Serve in a cup with a few chunks of ice and a mint leaf garnish (not necessary but nice)
A nice tall glass of cold yumminess… Keeps one from melting completely in this crazy hot weather and keeps mint from killing everything around it.
Stay cool!
-C
4 full stems of fresh mint
6 cups water
2-3 limes (I used 2 1/2 which was almost a full cup of juice)
sweetener to taste (a tablespoon of honey is nice)
Place mint, stems and all, into a large pot large pot. With a wooden spoon or sme type of blunt object, lightly muddle the plant. Pour water over mint and place pot on the stove. Bring water to a boil, then remove and let cool for a few minutes. Pour the mint tea into a big jar, straining out the mint leaves..(A half gallon ball jar works perfectly) If using a sweetener, add it to the tea while it is still warm.( little goes a long way… you can alway add a little more later!) Place mint tea into the fridge to cool. When the tea is cool, juice you limes and dump the juice into the tea and mix or shake.
It is now done and ready to serve. Pour over ice (thats in a cup) and serve with a fresh mint leaf (if your fancy)
First things first… This is the BEST SOUP EVER! And yes, soup is for summer too.
I make a lot of soup, especially in the summer. It’s one of the best ways to use up an extra large bounty of any kind of veggie. And with me, I am that person that everyone know will take any or all of the extra veggies that come out of their gardens. I have been handed down bags of fresh produce, loving picked by some old man from his backyard garden who then gives it to his grand daughter, who then gives ti to a friend, which then gives it to a sister, then gives it to me. I think I end up with all the extra veggies in the county (keep them coming) And around these parts, the zucchini are starting to come in and I have already gathered a mound of beautiful green zucchinis on the eating table. It’s kind of fantastic I am more then happy to take all of your extra zucchini, even the kind of big ones… cause I can make just about anything out of zucchini. And I will for sure eat it all.
With that said, you might not want to give me ALL of your zucchini because you are going to want to make this soup.It’s smooth and creamy (thanks to all the zucchini) but still has a nice chunkiness from the lentils. And the spice is nice, even on a warm day. Plus, this is one of those soups that tastes just as good cool as it does hot..
I was serious when I said that this was the best soup ever, becauce it is. (for now)
So make the soup,then give me your extra zucchinis…. if you have any left after this.
The stuff. Lots of chopped up zucchini along with a chopped up carrot and an onion. Curry powder, salt and pepper, and some oh so sweet little red lentils.
Grab a large pot and toss all of the chopped up veggies, a good handful of curry powder, salt, pepper and a cup or so of water, right on in. Give it a stir and place on medium heat with a lid and let the veggies cook down until nice and soft.
Once all the veggies are tender, remove from heat and add in enough water to completely sumerege the veggies.
And now bust out the blender, or hand blender and blend the veggies as smooth as you like, adding more water if needed to get the soup moving. Here is a good tie to taste and season it with a bit more of whatever you need.
Now dump in the lentils into the soup along with another couple cups of water for good measure.(don’t worry if it seems watery.. the lentils will suck up the water) Stir, bring back to a boil, then turn heat down to low and stick the lid back on. Let that simmer until the lentils are cooked.
And maybe you want to be a little fancy… add a few thinly sliced zucchini to the pot, you know, for a tasty garnish.
Scooped into bowls, with the garnish and lots of cracked pepper.
Now go for it.
And watch out, I though I made enough for the mr. and I to eat for a few lunches, but we ended up eating almost all of it in one sitting and then I ended up eating the little bit left for a mid afternoon snack (I was amazing cold too!). But it’s cool, I up making it again today.. So f*ing good.
Have the most fantastic day!
-C
2 -3 zucchinis ( I used one really big one)
1 large carrot
1 medium yellow onion
1 uncooked cup red lentils
2 -3 teaspoons curry powder*
salt and pepper
water
*Use a pre blended powder, or make your own. I use a combination of equal(ish) parts cumin, cardamon, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and ground mustard. And I tend to go heavy on the cumin and turmeric… But do whatever you like.
Chop up the veggies and toss into a big pot with the curry powder,a good pinch of salt and pepper, and about a cup of water. Stick on burner on medium heat and cover. Cook for about 8 minutes, making sure that the water never full evaporates (just add more if needed ) and conitunue to cook the veggies until they are all soft and tender. Remove from heat completely submerge the veggies with water. Now either with a hand blender, or a regular blender, puree the veggies until smooth . Place puree back into pot (or leave in pot) and add in the red lentils and another 2 cups water. Bring the soup back to a boil then turn heat down to low, cover and let the lentils cook through completely. The soup is done when the lentils are cooked through and you are ready to eat. And if you think that soup is to thick, add more water, or to thin, cook down fa little longer.
Scoop soup into bowls or cups, add a few thinly sliced pieces of zucchini on top with lots of freshly ground pepper (if you want) and enjoy with s smile and maybe a spoon.
Having a vegetable garden is one of my joys of summer. You put seeds into the ground, water, weed, whisper sweet nothings to the plants as they start to grown and flourish. It’s all like magic.
And in the garden, working our crazy magic, we grow all sorts of things; broccoli, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and so on. And even though all equally fantastic and exiting to watch grow, they take a bit more love and care and most of all, time.
But not radishes. First into the ground as soon as the ground allows, and first to come to maturity. the lovely radishes is a champion on it’s own. Yeah, we thin and weed and water them a bit, but basically, once these zinging roots take hold, they shoot up and take charge. And within a month are ready to be picked and eaten. The closest thing to instant gratification in the garden that we can get.
This salad… oh this a good one. Its very slightly sweet, yet still has bit of bitter with a touch of spice and acid. A salad of the first radish harvest of the year,greens and all. (thanks to So, a little that will toss a cherry lollipop to the ground in exchange for a dirty bright red radish, and its greens. …she’s the best!) I feel in love with radish greens a many years back when I started a veggie garden of my own and realized the radishes do in fact grow with leaves and that those leaves are vey much tasty. Now I can’t imagine eating radishes without eating the leaves., that just seems like taking the best part and tossing it. Crazy, that’s what that is. And as crazy as it it, I still find that most people are tossing there greens.
So stop being an ass and eat them.
The stuff. A big bunch of radishes, chickpeas, and red onion. Red wine vinegar for the onions, honey for a sweet drizzle, salt, pepper and olive oil.
First thing first.. get that vinegar ond a sprinkle of salt on those onions. The longer they have to sit, the better.
And now that we got that out of the way, remove radishes from greens, give them a good wash, and chop them in half (or quarters if really big)
Toss the cut up radishes and the chickpeas into a lightly oiled skillet on medium high heat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Give them a stir and let cook.
Once the radishes are slightly browned and tender, turn the heat to low and drizzle on honey (If vegan, use agave or maple syrup)
While the skillet is still hot, toss your greens into and stir around until wilted.
Finish with the pickled red onion and grab a fork. I am all about plating food for others to eat, but I ate my half right out of the pan…one less dish.
Now eat you radishes!
Have a great hump day!
-C
A big bunch of fresh radishes, greens included
1cup of chick peas, drained (if using canned,reserve liquid for a future magic use.. come back soon and I’ll show you)
1/2 of a red onion
2 ish tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
olive oil
1-2 teaspoon honey (optinal)
Thinly slice the red onion and place in a bowl with a sprinkle of salt and the vinegar and set aside. Grab your radishes and remove radishes from leaves, wash leaves and set aside. Cut radishes in half (or quarters if really big) and toss into a lightly oiled skillet on medium high heat, along with the chickpeas. Cook until the radishes are slightly browned and tender. Once cooked turn heat to low, drizzle the radishes with honey (or whatever sweetner you’re using) and mix around. Toss in the cleaned rashish leaves and mix those around until wilted. When ready to serve, top with the pickled red onion and a bit more pepper.
Eat hot, warm, or cold.
A fork works better then a spoon.
I am a year round maker and consumer of soup.
With that being said, the nature of my soups change seasonally. My summertime soups are usually on the lighter side, made with the fresh bounty of the season, and spiced more on the light and floral side, opposed to the really deep and warm spices that I use all winter long,
This corn chowder is made just right. It had the perfect balance of hearty and creamy from the potatoes and use of pureed onion cream, but still light and refreshing from the sweet fresh corn and the lemony fresh thyme. It is for sure a great summertime soup (chowder) Even the Mr. was even really into it, and he claims he doesn’t like corn. (I say bullshit to that.. he eats corn all the time)
Now to chowder!
The Stuff. Some super fresh corn on the cob, a couple onions, a few chopped up potatoes and a chopped up carrot. Then we have a little oil, a lemon, dried thyme and salt and pepper.
To start, take an onion, chop it up, and toss into a large heavy pot with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Stick pot on stove on medium heat and cook until onions are soft and traslutcent. When the onions are done, remove and add to a blender or bowl. (if using a hand blender) Add in the juice of the lemon and blend it all up until nice a smooth.
You have now made a nice creamy cream that will help make the final product more, well more creamy without the use of cream (lets say cream on more time !) .Set aside.
When the pot is empty again, add in the rest of the stuff, including the cobs of the corn, (they hold a butt load of flavor) the dried thyme, and salt and pepper. Place on stove and add enough water to completely submerge the veggies. Keep pot on a medium heat, add a lid, and stir ever once in a while. Cook until the potatoes are nice and tender. (when the potatoes are done, so is everything else)
Now that everything is all cooked up, remove the cobs and stir in the onion puree.
Now with a hand blender, blend up until the chowder is thick and smooth, but still nice and chunky. (If you are working with a blender, just remove about half of the soup and blend up, then dump back in) The optimal chunkiness is up to you , so blend, check the chunk, then blend a little more if needed. If you feel that the soup is to thick, add in a little more water, or to thin, just cook down o little longer.
Once you like the constituency,season to taste with salt and pepper and place pot back on a simmer until you are ready to serve.
And thats how we make corn chowder
It tastes best serves in the daintiest of the cups, sprinkled heavily with cracked pepper, and with a side of some cracker situation (Saltines would be best, but sometime there are only triscits in the house)
Summertime is for chowder!
HAPPY Humpday Wednesday!!!
-C
Makes a pot big enough for 4-6 nice decent sized servings
2 fresh ears of corn
3 medium (tennis ball sized) red or white potatoes
2 white or yellow onions
1 carrot
Juice of a lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme
salt and pepper
To start, peel and dice one whole onion and toss into pot with olive oil and stick on medium heat. Cook onions until translucent and fragrant. Remove from pot and add cooked onions and the lemon juice to a blender and puree until smooth and set aside.
While you are cooking down the onions, dice up the carrot and onion, remove the corn kernels from the cob, and chop up the potatoes. Once you have removed the first batch of onions, toss in corn, onions, carrot, potatoes, and the dried thyme. Stir around in the pot on medium heat for a few minutes just to warm up the spices. Add the cobs into the pot and fill with enough water to cover the stuff in the pot. Place back on medium heat with a lid and cook for another 20ish minutes, or until potatoes are super tender and almost falling apart.
Remove cobs from pot and add in the onion puree. Now either remove about half the soup and place in the bender and blend up til smooth, or use a hand blender and blend up chowder until you get your desired chunkiness. If you think the chowder seems to thick, add in more water, or to thin, just cook down a little longer on the stove.
When ready to eat, ladle chowder into a cup or bowl and add lots of fresh cracked pepper.
Serve with a cracker and a spoon to eat it with.
This little guy asked me to make him some popsicles, and of course I said yes because, well look at him.
So we made a date. A popsicle and playground date to be exact.
For these particular pops, I decided to use watermelon, mainly because I had just broken into one and once I open a melon, I have a race with myself as to how fast I can consume the in entire thing. ( It’s a sick form of watermelon gluttony) But also because the little was really really excited to hear that I could in fact make watermelon popsicles. And the other stuff I added because I had it and it all tastes really good together.
I made the popsicles the day before so they would be ready for our date. He came over, we ate lunch,(peanut butter sandwich and carrot sticks) wondered around the neighborhood with the pup, and made a quick stop at the playground. (we only managed a couple runs on the slide before it was too hot and our sweat had us sticking to the slide and it was more of a painful scoot then a glide) We then made our way home and rewarded ourselves for a walk well done with these amazing, super refreshing, and healthy frozen treats that I made just for us. While we were eating the popsicles, our conversation turned to food. We talked about all the different varieties of popsicle that we could make, and how we could eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner because they are made of only good things and are really healthy (he is really trying to eat healthy) It was the perfect ending to a fantastic afternoon with a five year old, or any human for that matter…
I would have a popsicle date with this kid every day
The Stuff. Fresh seedless watermelon (make sure to have lots on hand cause you are going to be eating it as you make these), a fresh lime, a handful of blueberries and a sprig of fresh mint. And don’t forget a mold of some kind that form the liquid into a popsicle (if you don’t have a mold, little paper cups work too)
Remove watermelon from rind and cut into small chunks. Juice the lime and add that, the watermelon chunks, the mint and the blueberries to a blender or vessel if using a hand blender) and blend everything until smooth.
Look at how pretty that is. And so tasty…. I am not going to lie and say that I didn’t make a little extra to drink, cause I did.
Now pour the puree into your molds to the fill line (follow the instructions that your molds give you) and place into the freezer.
And yes Shannon, these are in fact, your popsicle molds. Don’t worry, I’ll bring them back soon. (I am thinking some type of booze infused situation)
Once the freezer has done its job freezing… pop those suckers out.. (I let the mold sit on the counter for a few minutes so the popsicle pops out clean)
And heres to the best popsicle date ever!
Happy Summer! Happy Tuesday!
-C
A big chunk of seedless Watermelon (aboutt 11/2 cups)
1/2 ish cup of blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Juice of 1 lime
a few fresh mint leaves
note. The popsicle mold that I used only needed 2 cups of popsicle juice. If you have a larger mold, just use more of everything to get the amount you need
Remove rind from watermelon and add to a blender with the lime juice, mint and blueberries. Blend until eveytthing is pureed and mixed all together. Pour liquid into popsicle molds and stick in freezer for at least 4 hours.
When ready to eat…, pop those suckers out of there molds and EAT!
HEY HEY HEY!! HAPPY SUNDAY!!!
So what do you guys think of the new site? For reals, I would love to know cause I spent a shit ton of time making it and it would be nice to know if you like of hate it or if there is some weird wonky thing going on that I have not noticed. The sight itself has pretty much the same content as the old one, but is a little cleaner and easier to get to. (I think) And yes, I am still fin tuning so there might be a slight little change here or there over the next few weeks, but other then that….. WOO HOO!!!!
So apart from spending my week rebuilding this site,(I think I might have spent 20 hours on changing around fonts alone) the mister and I have been super busy busy with the rest of our life, a.k.a. crazy June apartment turnovers. Toilets, trash, painting, cleaning… You know, fun landlord stuff. Its been hectic, as usual, but we got it done.. And on top of that stuff, we had a little or two at least 5 different times this week, so needless to say, we are some freaking tired party people here and today this very sunday, we are going to take a break. I see a river, a picnic, and a book in my future., followed by naping and the drinking of lots of coffee.
Note to anyone with wants or needs from us today….Leave us alone! (hehe, not really, but really)
In the meantime, here are a few little bits from the internet I liked this week.
-I am all about this! Trader Joe’s Ex-President Opens Store With Aging Food And Cheap Meals
-If you have a dog…At Vermont’s Dog Mountain, Comfort And Community For Pet Lovers
-Glamorous Gold Kitchen Cabinets & Islands I am not sure, but I think I really love it, although would never want it in my own house.
-Another lovely home I could get down with
-This Guy Crochets Hilarious Food Hats And Wears Them Himself. Need I say more?
-I love this song. All the instruments. Awesome. Ben Folds And yMusic, ‘Capable Of Anything’
And some eye candy from recent park, garden and bike ride adventures.
A little credit to my little sister Barb, for snatching my camera and taking a few of these badass pictures (which ones, we are still disputing)
Wowzers…Is it for real Memorial day weekend? Where has all the time gone? Let’s talk about a week gone by fast. My brain is on complete overdrive and I am having a hard time keeping it from exploding…SO MUCH TO DO! (Not bad stuff, just a lot of stuff) But lo, that’s life right? There is always a lots of “stuff” to do, but today I am going to try and let that stuff chill and maybe give myself a few hours of coffee, (so much coffee) reading a book in the sunshine, gardening, and just some overall chillin.
Hopefully.
And hopefully you party people out there will be able to do a little of the same, or at least the chillin part. It is a 3 day weekend after all (not for us, but whatever)
Some internet fun finds.
-Sleeping in a loft that I have to crawl to get to the bed… this Gallery of Gorgeous Attic Bedrooms makes me so jealous..
-This new startup wants to sell you ugly fruit and veggies. I still don’t get it, it’s not ugly, its awesome.
-So cool and reminds me of my late brother in law. Wet Fold Origami Technique Gives Wavy Personality to Paper Animals by Artist Hoang Tien Quyet
-Could this be my new home? And I love a good plant lady. BURSTING WITH PLANTS, A 1910 PORTLAND FOURSQUARE FOR A FLORIST AND BARISTA
-Its so weird how try this is. Going, Going, Gone: 30+ Items That Are Disappearing from Our Homes
-We are doing this is the humongus pot hole in front of our house(we want to anyway) Treats in the Streets: Artist Jim Bachor Fills Potholes with Ice Cream Mosaics
-Holy shit is this the mister. 5 Conditions That Afflict the Reluctant Dishwasher. (1 and 2 really hit the nail)
A few photos from the weekGoodbye fiddleheads…. Hello ferns
On our way to a geo catch…. And note clothing options for 2 in the afternoon. I am much fond of that little guy wearing a rain jacket without a shirt in when its sunny and 80 degrees. And a pink poke dot bath robe.. I mean, it’s so the cool thing to do.
We didn’t find the geo, but we found this gigantic mushroom. Just as cool, maybe even cooler.
I love brick and there is one street in all of burlington (that I know of) that has brick sidewalks. I like to walk down it a lot.
Nurse lady making food… I compare this to a big foot sighting. I have heard stories that she cooks,but have never actually witnessed it myself. (Just kidding….kinda)
Happy long weekend! (if you are lucky to have one!)
THE LOVELY CRAZY
September 19, 2015 by maximios • Blog
I love summer!
All day, everyday, there is something new and delicious to pick and eat. I have my CSA with the Interval Community Farm, which is in full swing, so I am picking up thousands of pounds of fresh produce every week. (maybe not quite that much, but so so much) Plus our lovely garden is starting to reward up with the prettiest veggies as well. I have so much fresh produce that I find myself mindless eating just to make more room in the fridge.(not to mention that my counters are also covered and I have a laundry basket full of yellow squash and zucchini on the table). I guess its getting about time to do a little canning and pickling… but until then, I will just have to solider on and keep on eating!
So this salad is completely inspired by the ever exploding contents of my fridge (and table, and counters). Fresh zucchini, corn,and peaches roasted and tossed together with fresh tomato, creamy avocado, and herbs into one big bowl.. It’s like eating summer… And it fantastic.
The stuff. Zucchini, corn, tomato, peach, and avocado. A lemon (not shown..it rolled under the couch and I couldn’t find it for a little while) and salt and pepper. Also not shown is the bunch of fresh cilantro that I added at the last minute
I initially wanted to grill this stuff, but I didn’t feel like starting the charcoal and getting that all situated, so I just used the oven. So if you want, use the grill.
Cut zucchini into long wedges and cut the peaches into a few large slices. Place on a lightly oiled pan or baking sheet, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and stick into the oven at 425 degrees. Toss you corn into the oven too.. but I just stuck that on the oven rack.
While the stuff is roasting in the oven, chop the tomato into mouth sized chunks, and mash the avocado with the juice of the lemon( I finally found it) and a pitch or more of salt. Add enough water to make it slightly runny.
Afer about 15 minutes, the stuff in the oven should be done. You want the corn slightly charred and the peach and zucchini to be soft, but not mushy. Remove from oven and stick everything on a plate or baking sheet and let cool for a few minutes, or until cool enough to handle it.
And now cut the corn from the cob and dice the zucchini and peaches into chunks.
Toss it all into a bowl, give it a mix and smother with the avocado dressing.
And lastly, dice up and add a big ass handful of some freshly chopped herb.. (Cilantro is great, but basil is also just as nice) and toss that on top too!
So much color, so much tasty. This is all summer!
Happy Friday
BYE!
-C
Makes a meal for 1 or a side for 2
Note..If i had the time to light up the charcoal to grill, I would have. So Feel free to cook the corn, zucchini and peach on the grill if you so do please.
Slice peach into 4 equal chunks and zucchini into 4-5 wedges. Place in a lightly oiled skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stick the pan and the corn, husk removed, into oven at 425 degrees for about 10-15 minutes, or until the corn is charred and the zucchini and peach is browning and slightly tender. While this is going on, dice up the tomato into chunks and smash the avocadoin a jar until smoothish with the juice of the lemon, salt and pepper, and enough water to thin it out so that its kind of pasty. (make it any consistency you like)
When veggies are done cooking, remove from oven and place on the counter or a plate and let sit until its cool enough to handle. When cooled off, dice the peach and zucchini into chunks and remove corn from the cob. Toss together with the tomato, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, dump the mixed lemony avocado all over and top wit a heavy handful of some freshly chopped herb.
Serve warm or cold. Can be eaten with a fork or spoon.
I am a mint lover, even when it grows at such a ferocious speed that it threatens the lives of all the plants near it. That just means that I have to be vilagent and harvest and use as much as I can.
This drink is a fantastic way to use up some of that mint. I have been making and drinking fresh, hot, mint tea almost ever night for the past few weeks, but this weekend was way to freaking hot to be doing hot tea. So using my little noggin, I figured I should just chill it and added some lime because mint and lime are oh so nice together. Now my favorite, and one of the most refreshing drinks after a long hot day.
And limes just happen to be on sale this week….
The stuff. A few stems of fresh mint, a couple juicy limes, and water. And if you want, a little sweetener of your choice. (I used a tiny bit of honey..not shown)
Start by placing the mint, leaves and stem, into a big pot. Take a wooden spoon and gently muddle the mint. Add in the water, making sure that all the mint is fully sumerged (stuff it down in the pot)
Now place pot on the stove and bring water to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes.
After steeping for a few, pout tea into a big jug, straining out the mint leaves. Add any sweetener that you might like (just a little.. you can always add more later if you need it) and stick into fridge to cool, or just leave it on the counter if your want.
While you are waiting for the tea to cool, you might as well juice the limes (cause we need the lime juice)
After the tea is cool, add in the juice of the limes and mix/shake/stir around.
And thats it..
Serve in a cup with a few chunks of ice and a mint leaf garnish (not necessary but nice)
A nice tall glass of cold yumminess… Keeps one from melting completely in this crazy hot weather and keeps mint from killing everything around it.
Stay cool!
-C
Place mint, stems and all, into a large pot large pot. With a wooden spoon or sme type of blunt object, lightly muddle the plant. Pour water over mint and place pot on the stove. Bring water to a boil, then remove and let cool for a few minutes. Pour the mint tea into a big jar, straining out the mint leaves..(A half gallon ball jar works perfectly) If using a sweetener, add it to the tea while it is still warm.( little goes a long way… you can alway add a little more later!) Place mint tea into the fridge to cool. When the tea is cool, juice you limes and dump the juice into the tea and mix or shake.
It is now done and ready to serve. Pour over ice (thats in a cup) and serve with a fresh mint leaf (if your fancy)
First things first… This is the BEST SOUP EVER! And yes, soup is for summer too.
I make a lot of soup, especially in the summer. It’s one of the best ways to use up an extra large bounty of any kind of veggie. And with me, I am that person that everyone know will take any or all of the extra veggies that come out of their gardens. I have been handed down bags of fresh produce, loving picked by some old man from his backyard garden who then gives it to his grand daughter, who then gives ti to a friend, which then gives it to a sister, then gives it to me. I think I end up with all the extra veggies in the county (keep them coming) And around these parts, the zucchini are starting to come in and I have already gathered a mound of beautiful green zucchinis on the eating table. It’s kind of fantastic I am more then happy to take all of your extra zucchini, even the kind of big ones… cause I can make just about anything out of zucchini. And I will for sure eat it all.
With that said, you might not want to give me ALL of your zucchini because you are going to want to make this soup.It’s smooth and creamy (thanks to all the zucchini) but still has a nice chunkiness from the lentils. And the spice is nice, even on a warm day. Plus, this is one of those soups that tastes just as good cool as it does hot..
I was serious when I said that this was the best soup ever, becauce it is. (for now)
So make the soup,then give me your extra zucchinis…. if you have any left after this.
The stuff. Lots of chopped up zucchini along with a chopped up carrot and an onion. Curry powder, salt and pepper, and some oh so sweet little red lentils.
Grab a large pot and toss all of the chopped up veggies, a good handful of curry powder, salt, pepper and a cup or so of water, right on in. Give it a stir and place on medium heat with a lid and let the veggies cook down until nice and soft.
Once all the veggies are tender, remove from heat and add in enough water to completely sumerege the veggies.
And now bust out the blender, or hand blender and blend the veggies as smooth as you like, adding more water if needed to get the soup moving. Here is a good tie to taste and season it with a bit more of whatever you need.
Now dump in the lentils into the soup along with another couple cups of water for good measure.(don’t worry if it seems watery.. the lentils will suck up the water) Stir, bring back to a boil, then turn heat down to low and stick the lid back on. Let that simmer until the lentils are cooked.
And maybe you want to be a little fancy… add a few thinly sliced zucchini to the pot, you know, for a tasty garnish.
Scooped into bowls, with the garnish and lots of cracked pepper.
Now go for it.
And watch out, I though I made enough for the mr. and I to eat for a few lunches, but we ended up eating almost all of it in one sitting and then I ended up eating the little bit left for a mid afternoon snack (I was amazing cold too!). But it’s cool, I up making it again today.. So f*ing good.
Have the most fantastic day!
-C
*Use a pre blended powder, or make your own. I use a combination of equal(ish) parts cumin, cardamon, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and ground mustard. And I tend to go heavy on the cumin and turmeric… But do whatever you like.
Chop up the veggies and toss into a big pot with the curry powder,a good pinch of salt and pepper, and about a cup of water. Stick on burner on medium heat and cover. Cook for about 8 minutes, making sure that the water never full evaporates (just add more if needed ) and conitunue to cook the veggies until they are all soft and tender. Remove from heat completely submerge the veggies with water. Now either with a hand blender, or a regular blender, puree the veggies until smooth . Place puree back into pot (or leave in pot) and add in the red lentils and another 2 cups water. Bring the soup back to a boil then turn heat down to low, cover and let the lentils cook through completely. The soup is done when the lentils are cooked through and you are ready to eat. And if you think that soup is to thick, add more water, or to thin, cook down fa little longer.
Scoop soup into bowls or cups, add a few thinly sliced pieces of zucchini on top with lots of freshly ground pepper (if you want) and enjoy with s smile and maybe a spoon.
Having a vegetable garden is one of my joys of summer. You put seeds into the ground, water, weed, whisper sweet nothings to the plants as they start to grown and flourish. It’s all like magic.
And in the garden, working our crazy magic, we grow all sorts of things; broccoli, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and so on. And even though all equally fantastic and exiting to watch grow, they take a bit more love and care and most of all, time.
But not radishes. First into the ground as soon as the ground allows, and first to come to maturity. the lovely radishes is a champion on it’s own. Yeah, we thin and weed and water them a bit, but basically, once these zinging roots take hold, they shoot up and take charge. And within a month are ready to be picked and eaten. The closest thing to instant gratification in the garden that we can get.
This salad… oh this a good one. Its very slightly sweet, yet still has bit of bitter with a touch of spice and acid. A salad of the first radish harvest of the year,greens and all. (thanks to So, a little that will toss a cherry lollipop to the ground in exchange for a dirty bright red radish, and its greens. …she’s the best!) I feel in love with radish greens a many years back when I started a veggie garden of my own and realized the radishes do in fact grow with leaves and that those leaves are vey much tasty. Now I can’t imagine eating radishes without eating the leaves., that just seems like taking the best part and tossing it. Crazy, that’s what that is. And as crazy as it it, I still find that most people are tossing there greens.
So stop being an ass and eat them.
The stuff. A big bunch of radishes, chickpeas, and red onion. Red wine vinegar for the onions, honey for a sweet drizzle, salt, pepper and olive oil.
First thing first.. get that vinegar ond a sprinkle of salt on those onions. The longer they have to sit, the better.
And now that we got that out of the way, remove radishes from greens, give them a good wash, and chop them in half (or quarters if really big)
Toss the cut up radishes and the chickpeas into a lightly oiled skillet on medium high heat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Give them a stir and let cook.
Once the radishes are slightly browned and tender, turn the heat to low and drizzle on honey (If vegan, use agave or maple syrup)
While the skillet is still hot, toss your greens into and stir around until wilted.
Finish with the pickled red onion and grab a fork. I am all about plating food for others to eat, but I ate my half right out of the pan…one less dish.
Now eat you radishes!
Have a great hump day!
-C
Thinly slice the red onion and place in a bowl with a sprinkle of salt and the vinegar and set aside. Grab your radishes and remove radishes from leaves, wash leaves and set aside. Cut radishes in half (or quarters if really big) and toss into a lightly oiled skillet on medium high heat, along with the chickpeas. Cook until the radishes are slightly browned and tender. Once cooked turn heat to low, drizzle the radishes with honey (or whatever sweetner you’re using) and mix around. Toss in the cleaned rashish leaves and mix those around until wilted. When ready to serve, top with the pickled red onion and a bit more pepper.
Eat hot, warm, or cold.
A fork works better then a spoon.
I am a year round maker and consumer of soup.
With that being said, the nature of my soups change seasonally. My summertime soups are usually on the lighter side, made with the fresh bounty of the season, and spiced more on the light and floral side, opposed to the really deep and warm spices that I use all winter long,
This corn chowder is made just right. It had the perfect balance of hearty and creamy from the potatoes and use of pureed onion cream, but still light and refreshing from the sweet fresh corn and the lemony fresh thyme. It is for sure a great summertime soup (chowder) Even the Mr. was even really into it, and he claims he doesn’t like corn. (I say bullshit to that.. he eats corn all the time)
Now to chowder!
The Stuff. Some super fresh corn on the cob, a couple onions, a few chopped up potatoes and a chopped up carrot. Then we have a little oil, a lemon, dried thyme and salt and pepper.
To start, take an onion, chop it up, and toss into a large heavy pot with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Stick pot on stove on medium heat and cook until onions are soft and traslutcent. When the onions are done, remove and add to a blender or bowl. (if using a hand blender) Add in the juice of the lemon and blend it all up until nice a smooth.
You have now made a nice creamy cream that will help make the final product more, well more creamy without the use of cream (lets say cream on more time !) .Set aside.
When the pot is empty again, add in the rest of the stuff, including the cobs of the corn, (they hold a butt load of flavor) the dried thyme, and salt and pepper. Place on stove and add enough water to completely submerge the veggies. Keep pot on a medium heat, add a lid, and stir ever once in a while. Cook until the potatoes are nice and tender. (when the potatoes are done, so is everything else)
Now that everything is all cooked up, remove the cobs and stir in the onion puree.
Now with a hand blender, blend up until the chowder is thick and smooth, but still nice and chunky. (If you are working with a blender, just remove about half of the soup and blend up, then dump back in) The optimal chunkiness is up to you , so blend, check the chunk, then blend a little more if needed. If you feel that the soup is to thick, add in a little more water, or to thin, just cook down o little longer.
Once you like the constituency,season to taste with salt and pepper and place pot back on a simmer until you are ready to serve.
And thats how we make corn chowder
It tastes best serves in the daintiest of the cups, sprinkled heavily with cracked pepper, and with a side of some cracker situation (Saltines would be best, but sometime there are only triscits in the house)
Summertime is for chowder!
HAPPY Humpday Wednesday!!!
-C
Makes a pot big enough for 4-6 nice decent sized servings
To start, peel and dice one whole onion and toss into pot with olive oil and stick on medium heat. Cook onions until translucent and fragrant. Remove from pot and add cooked onions and the lemon juice to a blender and puree until smooth and set aside.
While you are cooking down the onions, dice up the carrot and onion, remove the corn kernels from the cob, and chop up the potatoes. Once you have removed the first batch of onions, toss in corn, onions, carrot, potatoes, and the dried thyme. Stir around in the pot on medium heat for a few minutes just to warm up the spices. Add the cobs into the pot and fill with enough water to cover the stuff in the pot. Place back on medium heat with a lid and cook for another 20ish minutes, or until potatoes are super tender and almost falling apart.
Remove cobs from pot and add in the onion puree. Now either remove about half the soup and place in the bender and blend up til smooth, or use a hand blender and blend up chowder until you get your desired chunkiness. If you think the chowder seems to thick, add in more water, or to thin, just cook down a little longer on the stove.
When ready to eat, ladle chowder into a cup or bowl and add lots of fresh cracked pepper.
Serve with a cracker and a spoon to eat it with.
This little guy asked me to make him some popsicles, and of course I said yes because, well look at him.
So we made a date. A popsicle and playground date to be exact.
For these particular pops, I decided to use watermelon, mainly because I had just broken into one and once I open a melon, I have a race with myself as to how fast I can consume the in entire thing. ( It’s a sick form of watermelon gluttony) But also because the little was really really excited to hear that I could in fact make watermelon popsicles. And the other stuff I added because I had it and it all tastes really good together.
I made the popsicles the day before so they would be ready for our date. He came over, we ate lunch,(peanut butter sandwich and carrot sticks) wondered around the neighborhood with the pup, and made a quick stop at the playground. (we only managed a couple runs on the slide before it was too hot and our sweat had us sticking to the slide and it was more of a painful scoot then a glide) We then made our way home and rewarded ourselves for a walk well done with these amazing, super refreshing, and healthy frozen treats that I made just for us. While we were eating the popsicles, our conversation turned to food. We talked about all the different varieties of popsicle that we could make, and how we could eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner because they are made of only good things and are really healthy (he is really trying to eat healthy) It was the perfect ending to a fantastic afternoon with a five year old, or any human for that matter…
I would have a popsicle date with this kid every day
The Stuff. Fresh seedless watermelon (make sure to have lots on hand cause you are going to be eating it as you make these), a fresh lime, a handful of blueberries and a sprig of fresh mint. And don’t forget a mold of some kind that form the liquid into a popsicle (if you don’t have a mold, little paper cups work too)
Remove watermelon from rind and cut into small chunks. Juice the lime and add that, the watermelon chunks, the mint and the blueberries to a blender or vessel if using a hand blender) and blend everything until smooth.
Look at how pretty that is. And so tasty…. I am not going to lie and say that I didn’t make a little extra to drink, cause I did.
Now pour the puree into your molds to the fill line (follow the instructions that your molds give you) and place into the freezer.
And yes Shannon, these are in fact, your popsicle molds. Don’t worry, I’ll bring them back soon. (I am thinking some type of booze infused situation)
Once the freezer has done its job freezing… pop those suckers out.. (I let the mold sit on the counter for a few minutes so the popsicle pops out clean)
And heres to the best popsicle date ever!
Happy Summer! Happy Tuesday!
-C
note. The popsicle mold that I used only needed 2 cups of popsicle juice. If you have a larger mold, just use more of everything to get the amount you need
Remove rind from watermelon and add to a blender with the lime juice, mint and blueberries. Blend until eveytthing is pureed and mixed all together. Pour liquid into popsicle molds and stick in freezer for at least 4 hours.
When ready to eat…, pop those suckers out of there molds and EAT!
HEY HEY HEY!! HAPPY SUNDAY!!!
So what do you guys think of the new site? For reals, I would love to know cause I spent a shit ton of time making it and it would be nice to know if you like of hate it or if there is some weird wonky thing going on that I have not noticed. The sight itself has pretty much the same content as the old one, but is a little cleaner and easier to get to. (I think) And yes, I am still fin tuning so there might be a slight little change here or there over the next few weeks, but other then that….. WOO HOO!!!!
So apart from spending my week rebuilding this site,(I think I might have spent 20 hours on changing around fonts alone) the mister and I have been super busy busy with the rest of our life, a.k.a. crazy June apartment turnovers. Toilets, trash, painting, cleaning… You know, fun landlord stuff. Its been hectic, as usual, but we got it done.. And on top of that stuff, we had a little or two at least 5 different times this week, so needless to say, we are some freaking tired party people here and today this very sunday, we are going to take a break. I see a river, a picnic, and a book in my future., followed by naping and the drinking of lots of coffee.
Note to anyone with wants or needs from us today….Leave us alone! (hehe, not really, but really)
In the meantime, here are a few little bits from the internet I liked this week.
-I am all about this! Trader Joe’s Ex-President Opens Store With Aging Food And Cheap Meals
-If you have a dog…At Vermont’s Dog Mountain, Comfort And Community For Pet Lovers
-Glamorous Gold Kitchen Cabinets & Islands I am not sure, but I think I really love it, although would never want it in my own house.
-Another lovely home I could get down with
-This Guy Crochets Hilarious Food Hats And Wears Them Himself. Need I say more?
-I love this song. All the instruments. Awesome. Ben Folds And yMusic, ‘Capable Of Anything’
And some eye candy from recent park, garden and bike ride adventures.
A little credit to my little sister Barb, for snatching my camera and taking a few of these badass pictures (which ones, we are still disputing)
Hopefully.
And hopefully you party people out there will be able to do a little of the same, or at least the chillin part. It is a 3 day weekend after all (not for us, but whatever)
Some internet fun finds.
-Sleeping in a loft that I have to crawl to get to the bed… this Gallery of Gorgeous Attic Bedrooms makes me so jealous..
-This new startup wants to sell you ugly fruit and veggies. I still don’t get it, it’s not ugly, its awesome.
-So cool and reminds me of my late brother in law. Wet Fold Origami Technique Gives Wavy Personality to Paper Animals by Artist Hoang Tien Quyet
-Could this be my new home? And I love a good plant lady. BURSTING WITH PLANTS, A 1910 PORTLAND FOURSQUARE FOR A FLORIST AND BARISTA
-Its so weird how try this is. Going, Going, Gone: 30+ Items That Are Disappearing from Our Homes
-We are doing this is the humongus pot hole in front of our house(we want to anyway) Treats in the Streets: Artist Jim Bachor Fills Potholes with Ice Cream Mosaics
-Holy shit is this the mister. 5 Conditions That Afflict the Reluctant Dishwasher. (1 and 2 really hit the nail)
A few photos from the week
Goodbye fiddleheads…. Hello ferns
Happy long weekend! (if you are lucky to have one!)
-C