On the Table: Squash Quesadilla

Quesadillas are probably my favorite fast food option.  I try to keep tortillas and cheese in the refrigerator all the time, along with salsa and sour cream (ok, who am I kidding - I really just want an excuse to eat sour cream).  I will often go with just the basics, especially if I am in a rush, but sometimes I like to jazz up a quesadilla.  The other night, I decided to make a quesadilla with sauteed squash, and it was delicious!  To prepare:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees (I like to keep the oven low so the tortilla stays soft, but the cheese still melts).

Cut up a quarter of a yellow squash into small pieces (smaller than you would use if you were roasting them).

Put a small saute pan over medium heat and thinly coat the bottom of the pan with canola oil.  When the oil gets hot, add in the squash.

Cook, stirring often, until the squash is tender.  Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a splash of balsamic vinegar.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Put a tortilla on a baking sheet (I use 8 inch tortillas) and top with shredded cheddar cheese, the squash, and a little bit of shredded parmesan cheese. 

Place another tortilla on top.  Cook in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.  I put some cherry tomatoes on the baking sheet as well to heat them up a bit, and I used them as a garnish.

Serve with sour cream and salsa, and the cherry tomatoes.

Enjoy!

On the Table: Cabbage and Bacon

Do you know how to make something extremely healthy less healthy (but delicious)?  BACON!  I wanted to make cabbage the other night and I saw that I had some bacon in the fridge (when did bacon become a kitchen staple?  I don't know, but I seem to have it around a lot), so I figured why not put them together?  They were delicious, naturally.  To prepare:

Cook six slices of bacon in a large skillet.  Start with a cold pan and cook over medium heat, so as to maximize rendering of the fat.

When the bacon is nice and crispy, remove it from the pan and place it on a paper-towel-lined plate.  Leave the bacon fat in the pan.

Finely slice half a head of cabbage.  Depending on how big it is, I would cut the cabbage half into three or four big chunks, and then slice it (so you don't get super long strips - you want bite-sized!).

Make sure the bacon fat in the pan is nice and hot, and toss in the cabbage.  Cook it, stirring often, until the cabbage is tender.  If some of the pieces start to brown, even better.

Add into the pan the following: 1/4 of a cup of apple cider vinegar, salt and freshly ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes (just a pinch if you want less spice, or more if you like it hot!).  Stir well to combine.  Cook for a few minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. 

In the meantime, dice up the bacon.  I cut each piece in half lengthwise, then cut it into small pieces.  Toss most of the bacon with the cabbage (about 5 slices worth), and save a little bit for topping the dish.

I served the cabbage over brown rice, but it would also be great on its own.  Serve topped with the remaining bacon pieces.

Enjoy!

On the Table: Melon, Bacon and Cheese Plate

I found this little guy at the farmers' market this week.

It's a butterscotch melon!  I had never heard of it before, so of course I needed to get one to try.  It looks like a honeydew on the outside and a cantaloupe on the inside.  It tastes a lot like cantaloupe.

I made a delicious little appetizer with melon, bacon, and baby swiss cheese (raw milk, of course!).

Tell me this doesn't look delicious.  Restaurant-ready, even.

Of course, you could also use prosciutto, but I had bacon in the fridge so I used that.  Plus, you could use a different cheese.  I actually think some nice sharp parmesan would be fantastic.  And cantaloupe would work, if you can't find the butterscotch melon.  But I say, if you can find an unusual variety, why not use that?!

On a different note, I think everybody should check out this article in the New York Times, about how to use ALL parts of a plant.  There are so many plant parts that get thrown away, but that could be turned into delicious treats!

On the Table: Roasted Squash, Eggplant, and Tomatoes - with a Hint of Cinnamon!

I am loving the explosion of produce at the market these days!  I am also impressed with my local grocery store, which has really started emphasizing local produce.  They have a stand right at the front of the store where they display local produce, and the signs even indicate how far from the market the produce was grown.  It is clearly working as a marketing ploy (on me, at least), but I am impressed nonetheless.  I love having it as an option when I am grocery shopping and it is not farmers' market day!

Anyway, I guess what I am trying to say is that I have quite a supply of vegetables in the fridge this week.  Some are local and some aren't, but they are all delicious!  I decided to do something with squash and eggplant.  I love the taste and texture of roasted vegetables (plus I really appreciate not having to stand over a hot stove), so I decided to try roasting the squash and eggplant along with some tomatoes.  It is almost like an oven-made tomato sauce or ratatouille.  To prepare:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut up half a yellow squash and half an eggplant into small pieces (you could peel the eggplant, if you don't like the skin).

Put the pieces in a baking dish, and sprinkle them with canola oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper, rosemary, and cinnamon (the cinnamon adds an unexpected and delicious flavor!).  Toss everything together.

Cook in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and stir in a 14.1 ounce can of diced tomatoes in tomato juice (don't drain them - pour the juice into the pan as well).  You could definitely use fresh tomatoes instead. 

Cook for about 15 minutes more.  Taste (carefully!) and adjust seasoning. 

I served it over rice, though it would also be great with pasta, or on its own as a side dish!

Enjoy!

On the Table: Pastina and Roasted Tomato and Squash Salad

I decided to get started using some of my vacation inspiration, and I figured the easiest to implement was tomatoes roasted with rosemary.  I also had some extra pastina that I had made while preparing Triple Peas the other day, so I decided to make a pasta salad-type dish with roasted vegetables.  It was fabulous (and beautiful)!  I made it as a main dish, but it would be a fantastic side dish as well - or think about bringing it to your next potlock!  To prepare:

Cook a third of a pound of pastina according to package directions.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut up one medium-sized yellow squash into small pieces.  I cut the squash in half lengthwise, then cut each half into four long pieces, then cut the long pieces into small pieces.  You could also cut the cherry tomatoes in half (half a pint), though I left them whole.

Put the squash pieces and the tomatoes in a baking dish.  Coat the vegetables with canola oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper, and rosemary.  If you want, you can toss the vegetables with the oil and seasonings in a bowl first and then put them in the baking dish, but I prefer to just do it all in the pan and use my hands to toss everything (one less bowl to wash!).

Cook in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the squash is cooked through.

While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the dressing.  Whisk together 1.5 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, half a teaspoon of dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt.  Slowly whisk in canola oil until the dressing reaches the consistency of thin caramel.

When the vegetables are finished cooking, put them in a large mixing bowl.

When the pastina is done cooking, drain it and put it into the bowl as well (or, if you're using leftover pastina from an earlier meal, just dump it in).  Slowly pour the dressing over the salad, stirring well to thoroughly combine.
 

I tried my salad topped with some chiffonaded mint, but I think the salad was actually better on its own. 

Enjoy!

On the Table: Triple Peas

OK, technically one of the peas is chickpeas and the other is pasta that just looks like mini peas, but I liked the title.

I was in quasi-denial for a couple of days about being back from vacation, plus it was just too hot to even think about going to the grocery store, so I took this opportunity to really work on cleaning out the pantry and freezer.  I had chickpeas and frozen peas, plus an open box of pastina (a little pasta that looks like couscous), and I figured all those ingredients could go well together - it was just a matter of adding the right seasonings.  I was constantly tasting as I made this dish and adding components (it was highly experimental!), but in the end it was delicious!  To prepare:

Cook one third of a pound of pastina according to the package directions.

It should only take about nine minutes once the (salted) water has come to a boil, which should be plenty of time to prepare the rest of the dish.  Put a large skillet over medium heat and thinly coat the bottom of the pan with canola oil, plus about a tablespoon of olive oil.  When the oil gets hot, add in a 15.5 ounce can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans (rinse and drain the chickpeas before adding them) and half a pound of frozen peas.

Cook, stirring often, until the peas are thawed.  Add into the pan the following: 1 tablespoon of onion flakes (dried chopped onions - I happened to have these in the cabinet, left over from something I made a while ago.  You could also use probably half of a fresh onion, diced, and saute it in the oil before adding the chickpeas and peas); 2 tablespoons of slivered almonds; 1 tablespoon of capers, drained (optional); half a tablespoon of red pepper flakes (or less, if you want less spice); about 5 twists of freshly ground black pepper; half a tablespoon of honey; and salt to taste.

When the pastina is ready, put it right into the skillet.  I used a big spoon and strained off most of the liquid before adding the pasta to the pan.  You want a little bit of the pasta water to get into the pan, though!  Add 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar to the pan as well.  Stir well to combine all the ingredients, and cook until most of the moisture has evaporated.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve topped with a healthy sprinkle (pile?) of parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

In the Neighborhood: Delicious, Locally-Sourced Diner Food

I hadn't been to the Silver Diner in quite a while (several years, probably), but I went for breakfast yesterday, and I was incredibly impressed.  Silver Diner is a small diner chain that can be found in Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey.  I had always found them to be a great option for diner food - much better quality than the bigger chains - but this most recent trip really blew the "diner" concept out of the water. 

Silver Diner has started vigorously promoting the fact that they source local ingredients (I'm not sure whether they were locally sourcing before the big advertising campaign), and they have really proven that delicious, locally-source food can be sold at reasonable prices.  Often, the restaurants that loudly tout their local sourcing charge a huge premium, but Silver Diner proves that does not have to be the case.  The entryway features several boards that list the sources of various ingredients as well as special locally-focused dishes.  The menu also does a good job of highlighting local options (as well as healthier options). 

The menu features a huge range of dishes (several pages worth!), but of course...the breakfast options are the way to go, in my opinion.  I had the veggie scramble, which provides quite the smorgasbord - scrambled eggs loaded with vegetables, strawberries with a delicious cinnamon-sour cream sauce (it sounds weird, but oh my word it is delicious), and pancakes.  The most popular dish at our table was definitely the pecan sweet potato pancakes (again, it sounds weird, but they were SO GOOD!), which came with grilled bananas and the fantastic strawberries and sauce.  The menu options are plentiful, and feature some fun and inventive twists on traditional diner dishes.

The line when you arrive may look intimidating, but Silver Diner does an incredible job of keeping things moving (and yet, you don't feel rushed once you sit down).  It is definitely worth the wait, and provides an incredible example for other restaurants that want to combine great taste, local sourcing, and reasonable prices.

On the Table: Inspiration

I tried a few dishes in Bermuda that included very unique flavor pairings, which I am excited to keep in the back of my mind now that I am home.  Even if I don't recreate the same dishes, I am always excited to have a frame of reference for ingredients that might go well together.  Additionally, some of the dishes were assembled in fun ways that I might try out at home.  I figured I would list some of my favorite here (in no particular order), so y'all can also go forth and experiment!

Thinly sliced raw beef (like for beef carpaccio) wrapped around shredded lettuce and parmesan cheese

Lobster paired with mango and brie (this combo was wrapped into an egg roll and deep fried)

Corn and manchego cheese (made into fritters - fabulous!)

Jumbo shrimp skewered around a piece of pineapple

Finely diced fruit (mainly tropical fruits) mixed with tiny pieces of goat cheese (served as an amuse bouche on individual spoons, for a lovely one-bite treat)

Avocado, tomato, and red onion, tossed with a balsamic dressing (the dressing had plenty of shallots in it) and topped with spinach leaves, served inside a puff pastry shell (it must have been baked inside a muffin tin, to form a bowl shape) and surrounded by a balsamic reduction (beautiful AND delicious)

Banana chutney (served on a fish cake sandwich, but I'm thinking it would also be fab with pancakes)

And...a fun inter-country connection.  I think every breakfast dish came with roasted potatoes and plum tomatoes, tossed with rosemary.  When I got home, I caught up on Tom Sietsema's Wednesday chat on washingtonpost.com, and I was thrilled and amused to see someone wrote in to describe a trip they had taken to the Inn at Little Washington...where their omelettes were served with baked tomatoes and potatoes.  Now I know what I need to do to classy-up my breakfast dishes!

Stay cool everybody!  I wish I were still here...

...where it was definitely not 101 degrees!

I'm Back!

I am back!  Well, physically I am back.  Mentally, I am still here:

Bermuda!  It was awesome!!  Unfortunately, I did not take any food pictures while I was there, though I did eat very well.  Any time I travel, I try to eat local specialties, and in Bermuda, that means lots of fish.  They have a fish stew that I think showed up on the menu at every restaurant at which we ate.  The dishes were slightly different at different places, but they were always full of fish and finished with rum and sherry pepper (poured tableside).  I am not a huge fan of sherry, but the sherry pepper was delicious and added a nice punch of heat.  I am thinking there will be some experimentation in my future. 

I guess I did get a food shot:

This stuff is delicious!  It's soda, not beer per say (like root beer), and I will be keeping an eyes out to see if I can find any around here.  I have had a dark and stormy (rum + ginger beer) at home, but it was nothing compared to the version I had in Bermuda, and I suspect that quality ginger beer makes a key difference (and the soda was delicious on its own).

Though it's not related to anything I ate, I found the story of these little guys adorable:

They are called honeymoon pigs, and they are created at the Dockyard Glassworks.  Legend has it that the first explorer to land in Bermuda had two pigs sent ashore and left on the island, so that if later travellers came to / shipwrecked on the island, they would have a source of meat available.  Hence, those two pigs were the first "honeymooners" on the island!  Apparently they reproduced over the years and later settlers hunted them, and the meat was salted and sent to the settlers in Virginia.  Great story, right?  And I love the Virginia connection!

The food really was fantastic, and I was particularly excited to come across some really unique flavor pairings.  They will be detailed in upcoming posts!  I will leave you with some incredible scenery from the island (beautiful!!).

More food stories (and experimentation at home!) to come!

In My Purse: Better Than Floss!

I know this has pretty much nothing to do with food (well, I guess it does, but don't think about it too much or it's a little unappetizing) and is probably going to sound like an infomercial, but I'm posting it anyway because I have become a huge proponent of this product:

One thing that can really hamper my enjoyment of a meal is getting food stuck between my teeth.  Which happens a lot.  It drives me nutty.  These little guys are the portable, better-than-floss tool for cleaning between your teeth (I promise I'm not being paid or anything to say this!  They were recommended by my dentist.  And they're awesome).

They have a handy dandy cover for cleanliness and portability...

...and an awesome cone shaped top that really gets between your teeth!

(Hopefully you can see the awesome cone shaped top.)

Each one lasts for a while, and they really have proven better than floss at getting little things out from between my teeth (sorry, this is a pretty unappetizing post...).  Now I can eat sandwiches without being tormented for the rest of the afternoon!

On the Schedule: Vacation!

If you are reading this, it means I have figured out how to schedule posts for a future date!  And that I am currently en route to vacation!  I have one more post that hopefully will spontaneously appear (i.e., I hope my advance scheduling works), and in any event, I will return with plenty of pictures on Friday!

On the Table: Cabbage and Peach Saute

I had half a head of green cabbage in the refrigerator that I needed to use, and I ALSO had some peaches that were perfectly ripe.  I had been thinking I would make cole slaw or perhaps stir fried cabbage with the cabbage and, well, eat the peaches.  But then I got to thinking.  Cabbage goes great with vinegar, and peaches and balsamic vinegar is a great pairing, so why not combine cabbage and peaches and balsamic vinegar all together?  To be honest, I had a few doubts about how this dish would turn out, but in the end it was fantastic!  To prepare:

I served the dish over rice, so make some rice while preparing the saute.

Thinly slice (but don't shred) half a head of green cabbage.

Dice up two ripe medium-sized peaches.

Put a large skillet over medium heat.  Thinly coat the bottom of the pan with canola oil.  When the oil gets hot, add in the cabbage.  Cook, stirring often, until the cabbage gets tender.  If some pieces get brown around the edges, even better!

Stir in 1/8 of a cup of balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sweet mango chutney, and a dash of salt.  Stir well to combine.

Add in the peaches.

Stir well to combine and cook until the peaches are heated through.

Serve over rice, and topped with another dollop of sweet mango chutney.

Enjoy!