...just add salad...

We filled our basement freezer with some basics so on a weekend like this we don't have to run to the grocery store.  Tim baked chicken but there is nothing I like more then a good salad and Green Goddess dressing.  Tim usually makes the dressing using a Penzy's herb mix but since Penzy's closed in Grand Central - we haven't had the mix in awhile.  Thank Goodness for Ina Garten.  Sans anchovy paste - great recipe!

Bibb Salad with Basil Green Goddess Dressing
Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten

Bibb Salad with Basil Green Goddess Dressing
Total Time:
10 min
Prep:
10 min
Yield:6 servings
Level:Easy
Ingredients

1 cup good mayonnaise
1 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts (6 to 7 scallions)
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sour cream
3 heads Bibb lettuce
2 to 3 tomatoes
Directions

Place the mayonnaise, scallions, basil, lemon juice, garlic, anchovy paste, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the sour cream and process just until blended. (If not using immediately, refrigerate the dressing until ready to serve.)

Cut each head of lettuce into quarters, remove some of the cores, and arrange on 6 salad plates. Cut the tomatoes into wedges and add to the plates. Pour on the dressing and serve.

2006, Barefoot Contessa at Home, All Rights Reserved

Just add reindeer...

This morning while Tim was sleeping, I got up early and made a pot of coffee.  I love this time of year because it's so quiet out and the world outside is blanketed for the next few months.  I stepped out onto our front porch and took a mini panoramic of the view from the porch of the garden covered, and the driveway and woods.  So pretty.  All we need is reindeer and Santa.

So Peaceful!

As we move towards the New Year with so much speed and quicker every year - I just want to take a moment to reflect on how beautiful this time of year can be.   Despite the horrible snowfall in Buffalo, winter in the Catskills is so gorgeous.  The light, sound, quiet and the peacefulness is so amazing. As we drove up to the house this morning and took photos - we are reminded of how incredible this place is at this time of year.  It can be brutally cold but we both find it so peaceful and remote and relaxed.   We take a brief moment to enjoy the calm before the storm.  I leave for Texas in a week and Tim spends the holidays with his family in and around the tri-state area.  We have a brief weekend to just have time to ourselves.

Thanksgiving Recap

Holidays just come and go so quickly and with work and travel and a mad dash to the end of the year - we finally manage to catch up with our postings.  Halloween is one of my favorite holidays but it was briefly celebrated with a dessert party at work.  We were too busy to even remember what we did for the evening. Thanksgiving was a total joy since I didn't do too much but help plan the menu and Tim, his mother and his sister did all the work.  What a great job they did - amazing food, incredible execution and it was a lovely day at Tim's parent's home with so much delicious food and great company.  It snowed early this year and the views from the house were beautiful as we stayed warm and full inside.

Testing Thanksgiving Recipes - Bacon and Compound Butter Marinaded Baked Chicken

Okay Bacon again - there's a theme here and guess who was kind of bossy about the recipe selection - ooops!  Me - bad!  Fudging the ingredients a little bit - this was the attempt to test this on Turkey Day.  So I apoligize for the randomness of the below recipe.  However, it was really lip-smacking good.

Stick of Butter
Bacon  (Enough to create a latticed or braided cover for Turkey or Chicken Size)
Olive Oil
Rosemary
Thyme
Garlic

Combine butter, oil and herbs into a compound butter mix.  Rub inside the skin and allover the outside of the skin.

Lattice/Braid complete bacon to cover the entire exterior of the chicken or turkey.  The lattice is to keep all the bacon together and not have it fall off while cooking.

Bake the chicken for an hour ( will have to be modified timing for Turkey) and then cover with foil until bacon gets crisp.

Testing Thanksgiving Recipes - Bacon Glazed Carrots

Two bacon recipes in one night - yum!  Great thinking Tim!  I can eat bacon 24/7.  Also a VERY GOOD side dish for Thanksgiving.

BACON GLAZED CARROTS

1 pound of baby carrots
3 bacon slices
1 small onion, chopped
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook carrots in boiling water for 15 minutes or until carrots are tender.  Drain and set aside.  In a large skillet cook bacon until crisp.  Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.  Crumble and set aside.  Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in skillet.  Saute onion in bacon drippings over medium-high heat for 3 minutes or until tender.  Stir in brown sugar, pepper and cooked carrots.  Cook for 5 minutes or until carrots are glazed and heated through.  Serve with crumbled bacon on top.

The Best Cream Corn Recipe Ever - Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

I love creamed corn, corn pudding, corn anything!  Tim was starting to test new recipes and this was one of them this weekend.  This HAS to be the best side dish.  I could have made a complete meal of this alone!

Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

Cook Time 3 Hours 15 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

3 (15.25 ounces) cans whole kernal corn, drained
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup ( 1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into thin slices

Place corn into a slow cooker. Stir in milk, sugar and pepper until well combined.  Without stirring, tap with butter and cream cheese.  Cover and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours.

Uncover and stir until butter and cream cheese are well combined.  Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 15 minutes.

Serve Immediately.

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Keep Out Deer!

You know it's truly Fall when the deer fencing has to go up.  Last year was our first time putting up all the stakes and netting around most of the property but it was well worth it and managed to save most of our new trees and shrubs form the massive herds of deer waiting to eat up everything in sight.  We neatly saved all our netting fencing properly.  We got a head start putting all the stakes back in the ground before the first freeze and the netting went up so fast this weekend.  We will still have to burlap wrap a lot of the shrubs - azaleas, rhododendrons and some evergreens and Japanese maples on the perimeter but it will get done and without the frenzy of last year.

Halloween Prep!

I have had the most exhausting month and a half with September Textiles market, a quick trip to North Carolina to visit my Uncle and Aunt who are selling their home and moving into a condo and work travel.  Lots to catch up on . However, this weekend was about priorities.  Winterizing the yard and house and more importantly - baking for Halloween!  I love this time of year cause it allows me to break out all my William Sonoma baking obsession molds for cookies, cakes and breads and start putting them to use.  I bought a couple new items - a new pumpkin bread mold and a skull cake mold.  Still looking for the ultimate pumpkin bread recipe but making old fashioned molasses and sugar cookies and a red velvet skull cake for an office party coming soon.  Bought lots of decorations for the office dessert party and cannot wait!

The Best Labor Day Weekend Meal Ever!

We had an amazing weekend.  Lots of great food, good friends and relaxation.  Tim made an unbelievable meal Sunday night - unbelievable!

Flank Steak with Lime Marinade

1/3 cup fresh lime juice(about 4 limes)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 scallions, thinly sliced ( about 1/3 cup)

2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 1/2 pounds flank steak

Vegetable oil for grates

Coarse salt

Fresh ground pepper

1. In a resealable plastic bag, combine the lime juice, soy sauce, scallions, ginger, and the red pepper.  Add the steak and seal the bag (Place it in a dish to catch any leaks); marinate the steak in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, for 30 minutes.

2. Heat the grill to high; lightly oil the grates.  Remove the steak from the marinade, letting excess drip off ( discard the marinade); season with salt and pepper.  Place on the grill; cover.  Cook, turning once, until the meat has reached the desired doneness.  6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare.  Let the steak rest for 10 minutes before slicing thin.   

Potato Salad with Sour Cream and Scallions

2 pounds white new potatoes, quartered and cut into 3/4 - inch chunks

Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

3/4 cup reduced- fat sour cream

 1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1/2 cup thinkly sliced scallions, plus more for garnish (optional)

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, for garnish ( optional)

1. In a large pot, cover the potatoes with salted water.  Bring to a boil; reduce the heat.  Simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp paring knife, 12 to 15 minutes.  Drain well.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream and mayonnaise; add the warm potatoes, and gently fold to combine.  Season with salt and pepper. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.  To serve season the salad again with salt and pepper; fold in the scallions.  Garnish with the bacon and more scallions, if desired.  

Cucumber - Radish Slaw

2 cucumbers

 4 to 6 radishes

Coarse salt

Fresh ground pepper

2 tablespoons minced red onion 

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1. Peel the cucumbers.  Halve lengthwise; scrape out any seeds with a teaspoon.  Slice the cucumbers very thin on the diagonal. 

2. Thinly slice enough radishes to equal 1 cup.  In a large colander, toss the vegetables with 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Top the mixture with a plate that fits inside the colander; weight  with a heavy object.  Drain in the sink for 20 minutes; squeeze the vegetables in paper towels to dry. 

3. Transfer to a bowl; toss with the onion , vinegar, olive oil, and sugar; season with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately. 

Potato Harvest

I just love this time of year when we start harvesting all of our veggies.  The beans, zucchini and tomatoes have actually been great this year but the potatoes have been terrific.  Very excited about making some potatoes au gratin this fall with coq au vin and maybe a tarte tatin - our favorites!

Ewwwwwwww!!!!!

Ewwww!!!!

We were relaxing in our side yard when our weekend pet, Spirit, ran up to visit us.  Shortly, her owner, Faith, arrived after chasing after her dog, whom we have never met.  We sat there for an hour chatting and getting to know each other and laugh about our mutual pet, Spirit.    As we were chatting, Spirit wandered into the woods on our property and then came running back happy as a clam.  She had found a deer carcass and dragged the head out by it's antlers ready to share her find with us.  All of us had the same reaction, "EWWWWWW!  What is in her mouth?"  It was a battle to get the deer head out of her mouth and even more of a battle getting Tim to get rid of it.  Just knowing that there is a headless deer ghost wandering the property now looking for it's head has me freaked out.  Between last year's bear and this - I don't know if I will going out at night much anymore!

Spirit

Spirit is our neighbor's dog.  She lives down the street and we absolutely love her.  She loves to visit us on the weekends.  She loves to cannon ball our pond and raid our compost heap and chase frogs and chipmunks.  She won't accept food and if we give her treats she proceeds to bury them in our herb garden and comes back to get them later. It's as if she wouldn't be as rude to let us know that she is there to beg but to just visit us for a couple hours instead.  We adore her. We love to roll in the grass with her and smother her with affection.  I love big, sloppy, kissy, dogs. She arrives and leaves without warning.  Her name is so appropriate. She is so free and loving and adorable.  She is part of our summer weekends and I hate to see it end.

Happy 80th Birthday

What a lovely weekend.  Tim's parents are exceptional and it was his Dad's 80th birthday and we were so happy to host a party this weekend.  Amazing food ( as usual), such lovely family, gardening, and great new surprises.  We had our fern frenzy cocktails, delicious brown sugar chicken, amazing cake and ice cream sandwiches, new outdoor movie projector ( awesome!) and a great brunch!.  Awesome weekend!

Shredder Awesomeness!!!

It took a couple trips to figure out the oil mix - who would have thought that there were so many oil combos?  However, once we got started - what a blast.  So excited to make our own mulch.  The shredder is a little intimidating but so damn awesome!  We had a pile of mulch in no time and with all our trees - it's totally sustainable and we can keep the beds fed all the time.  It is so great!

Memories of tomatoes past...

When I was a kid, no matter where we lived, my Dad would plant a small vegetable garden.  Japan, Philippines, Montana, New York...there was always a little patch of at least tomato plants on our patio or backyard.  I love tomatoes and I love that my Dad tried to be a gardener no matter where we lived and no matter how long we lived there.  We lived a very transient life growing up.  Life in the military is tough.  This year, we have the best tomatoes we have ever had and all I can wish is that my Dad could see them and be able to make him a tomato sandwich.  He would like that.

New Toys!

We got a couple new toys this weekend to try.  Tim had bought me a chipper-shredder for my birthday and it finally arrived!  Woo-hoo!  Not that we want to re-enact  a scene from Fargo . However, we have so much tree debris on the property that it will be an eco friendly and sustainable use for mulch for the garden beds.  The second toy - Tim got a gift from is boss of a vegetable shredder from William-Sonoma and he made zucchini pasta with zucchini, tomatoes and onions from our garden.  Yum.

Homesick Texan

I grew up in Texas.  I love San Antonio and Austin but I absolutely hate the heat and humidity.  I have these very small travel windows to Texas - where I can tolerate the weather.  January through April and that's about it.  I am heading down to visit my Mom in August in a couple weeks - I just wish her birthday was in my window but it's not.  Texas food is amazing.  I stalk down old and new Tex-Mex restaurants and cannot wait till I get there because I go into a feeding frenzy.  A friend of mine, Jerry, recommended this new blog www.homesicktexan.com and it has some of my favorite recipes and great restaurant recommendations.  Check it out.

Thai Chopped Salad with Tofu

Tim and I decided that enough was enough and that we either s.... or get off the pot with this eating healthy thing.  So, we dived into the tofu world.  Neither one of us are fond of Tofu but I do have to say this was the most delicious salad I have ever had.  Tons of flavor and we felt like we had eaten nothing - it was so good.  We might open up a Spirit Chaser store next!

Thai Chopped Salad with Tofu

1 (16-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained

1/4 cup low-sodium tamari

2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional oil for broiling

2 tablespoons roasted red chili paste

2 teaspoons natural cane sugar

2 heaping cups small okra, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds

2 cups sliced green or purple snap beans

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

2 cups cubed cucumber

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish

2 small heads Little Gem or butter lettuce, rinsed and torn

Cilantro leaves and blossoms, for garnish

1 small Thai red chile, seeded and thinly sliced, for garnish

Lime Dressing

Juice of 2 limes, plus zest of 1 lime

3 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

To prepare the tofu, place the tofu on a plate and weight it with another heavy plate on top. Set aside to press for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the marinade, in a medium bowl, whisk together the tamari, brown rice vinegar, olive oil, red chili paste, and sugar until smooth. When the tofu is ready, dry it with a paper towel and cut into 1-inch cubes. Add to the bowl with the marinade and toss gently to coat. Cover, chill, and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Preheat the broiler. Arrange the tofu in a single layer on a lightly oiled, small baking sheet, discarding the marinade. Broil about 6 inches from the flame for 15 to 18 minutes, turning every 3 minutes or so, until deeply browned. Set aside.

While the tofu broils, make the dressing. Whisk together the lime juice and zest, fish sauce, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes until the brown sugar has dissolved.

To prepare the salad, combine the okra, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, mint leaves, and basil. Toss with about two-thirds of the dressing, serving the remaining dressing on the side or reserving for another use. (Use it with any simple salad for bright flavor.) Serve atop a bed of lettuce, topped with the tofu and garnished with fresh cilantro leaves and flowers and sliced Thai red chile. 

Worcestershire and Lemon Marinade

Tim and I were cleaning out our freezer and we had this one last flank steak to use.  We are planning to go vegetarian for awhile and try and lose weight so this was a last hurrah!  We are always looking for new marinades to try and this was absolutely light and delicious.  Really loved it.

1 onion
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Grated zest of lemon
Coarse salt

Mix ingredients into bowl and whisk to combine.  Pour marinade over steaks and cover with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature 40 minutes, turning steaks once.

Save some onions and grill them about 1 minute on each side and serve with steaks.

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Blue Moon

For the first time in my life - I have a job that gives me half day Fridays for the summer! Woo-hoo!  It's a NY tradition - but I have always worked for companies that have corporate offices elsewhere and don't understand half day Fridays or don't care.  Tim and I took off after a frantic morning and for the first time in years - after errands, after Lowes, after Liquor store most importantly and landed in Bovina with daylight and an evening ahead of us.  We had cocktails and watched a movie on the porch on a laptop and then got to watch the most beautiful full moon come up over the mountain ridge across from our house.  I love special moments like this living here because it justifies every exhausting moment otherwise.  Every long Metro North train ride, every long exhausting mowing day, every mouse I have to clean out of the basement - it's so beautiful here and we love it.  Tonight was gorgeous.

July 4th Weekend

Nice, relaxing weekend.  Lot of pics.  Beautiful bracken fern along the driveway, amazing weather, lots of flowers blooming, great food, and one of the most beautiful weekends ever.

Hiking on the Hudson

We have been dying to do this hike for years.  Poughkeepsie walking bridge across the Hudson River.  These smart townsfolk converted an old railroad bridge into a walking excursion and it's truly such a spectacular hike and the views are amazing.  It helps that the weather is perfect and the sky is clear and you are on an outing with some of your favorite folks - Tim's family!  We all drove up to Poughkeepsie and spent the early part of the day walking across the bridge.  It's such a nice, easy walk and the views up and down the Hudson on a sunny June day were amazing.  Such a nice thing to do - the pace is perfect and it was totally free. 15 of us hiking.  Afterwards, burgers and disco fries at Everready Diner in Hyde Park and blizzards at Dairy Queen.  A perfect summer excursion!

Rhubarb Honey Lemon Cake

We are celebrating this year because our rhubarb is finally mature and we can harvest it and bake with it this year.  Tim made a desert last weekend from one of his mother's classic recipes but this weekend he ventured out with something different.

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 

2 eggs 

3/4 cup white flour 

1½ tsp baking powder 

Pinch salt 

2/3 cup honey 

Grated zest 1 lemon

Juice ½ lemon 

1 tbsp milk

1 cup of rhubarb, cut into chunks

3 tbsp rum

Greek yoghurt, to serve

• Preheat the oven to  350F. Grease and line the base of a 8"  loose-based cake tin. In a large bowl, beat the butter with electric beaters until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs.

Add the flour, baking powder, salt, honey and lemon zest and juice. Fold in the milk. Tip the cake batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top.

Toss the rhubarb in 1 tbsp of sugar and use to top the batter. Dust with the remaining 2 tbsp of sugar. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Allow to cool on a wire rack before removing from the tin. Serve with Greek yoghurt.

Easy pretty pictures

There just isn't time for chatting, or blogging or anything these days.... however pretty flowers and beautiful weather do make a difference.

Peonies blooming.  Painting the sheds white.  Globe flowers blooming and potatoes are crazy.

Beautiful spring weather and lots of liquor and we manage through all the work and stress.

Sweet Potatoes and Quinoa Tacos

Tim and I are both overwhelmed by life these days and just trying to cope with work, life, and existing.  Still trying desperately to eat healthy - we had a vegetarian weekend.  These were delicious although a little dry - so add a little more lime juice or oil and vinegar and they are delicious. 

• SWEET POTATOES:
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Juice from one lime
•  
• MOLE SEASONING:
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoons ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cloves
• ½ teaspoon sage
• ½ teaspoon pepper
•  
• Extras:
• ½ cup quinoa, pre-cooked
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2-3 handfuls lettuce
• 4-6 corn tortillas
• 2-3 ounces queso fresco or goat cheese
• Lime juice/Cilantro to top

1. Preheat oven to 350˚. Peel sweet potato and cut into 2-3” long sticks that are ¼” in thickness. Toss together all the seasonings for the mole rub. Sprinkle over sweet potatoes, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice; toss until everything is well coated.
2. Roast sweet potatoes until tender, 25-35 minutes.
3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat and add quinoa. Cook and stir quinoa until liquid has evaporated and quinoa is crisp, 2-3 minutes.
4. To assemble tacos, layer spinach, roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, and cheese. Give a quick squeeze of lime juice and sprinkle with cilantro, serve warm.