roasted pumpkin seeds.

Aside from the fun of picking and carving pumpkins, the seeds are the treasure of your work. If you throw them away, reconsider, this is one of our favorite fall snacks and they are so easy to make.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

preheat oven to 300

3 tsp olive oil or coconut oil (butter works too)
3 tsp any seasoning of your choice of the following:
garlic powder
cajun seasoning
cayenne

Remove all the seeds from the pumpkin and rinse in a colander.
Pour into a bowl and mix with oil and seasonings of your choice.

Bake on a cookie sheet for 45 minutes.

Makes about 2 cups of seeds.

a return.

I am sure I've thought a bunch of times throughout the past few weeks about our blog. And I've ignored it. Set it aside. And I am happy to say I have. This pregnancy has simplified life a lot for me/us.

For the first time in months, I finally had a "normal" Monday of staying home, cleaning, doing laundry, and spending time with my girl. Add in a total meal fail with chili, but that couldn't derail me, I was just so happy to be back on some kind of routine. Now don't get me wrong, I don't have debilitating pregnancies as some and I certainly don't want to use our blog as a platform for pregnancy complaints, but this time around has been much harder. I have had persistent stomach issues, tiredness, the usual, all indicating a very healthy baby, but making for a very worn out Mommy.

Meals have been simple. But I finally do have a recipe to share. Little things like this do remind me that some kind of "normal" will return, I just need to be patient and wait for my body to catch up with my ambitions.

But, more than anything, I want to return. This blog has been a wonderful way for me look back and see God's faithfulness on display, life's milestones watching my girl grow up, and even my go to for remembering recipes we have loved.

I want to remember that my girl is now saying her ABC's, is counting to 10 and wants to learn the numbers to 20, loves babies, and that the new life that will join us in March is also reminding us of their existence through tiny baby kicks.

The simple, mundane, just at home moments of life are beautiful. And home is where God has me for now and I have so much to be grateful for even though my heart's ambitions sometimes want to take me other places.

This recipe that I have come to love so much (thanks to Becca's shower) could be the result of pregnancy but I think it is amazing.

Mexican Chopped Salad adapted from SELF

Salad
Mixed Greens
1 yellow/red pepper
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup freshly grated white cheddar (optional)

Dressing
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TBS honey
2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 tsp chopped jalapeno (use canned for less heat)

Top with Quinoa with Black Beans and Tomato.

Yum and yum.

recipe of the week.

fridays are such good days for recipes. especially when they involve the crock pot. its hard to believe it, but in our almost 5 years of marriage, I have never made ribs. gasp. i think it was kind of like the whole chicken thing for me, it was intimidating and it seemed like a kind of meat that had a great potential for total catastrophe if I did it wrong. happy to say the first time around, it rocked. and because it was so good, I just had to share. 


slow cooker honey barbeque ribs

3 lbs boneless pork ribs
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar (next time I am going to try and substitute molasses)
1/2 cup raw honey
1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 Tbl Worcestershire sauce
1/2 Tbl liquid smoke

place pork ribs in bottom of slow cooker. cover and cook on High for 3 hours. drain and discard liquid. reduce heat to low. in a bowl, combine garlic salt, pepper, ketchup, brown sugar, honey, spicy brown mustard, worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke. mix well. pour over ribs in slow cooker. cover and cook on low for 3 hours. 

and also because its friday, I had to share something that has made me laugh...

found on one of my new favorite blogs, homemade crap. horrible blog title, but great ideas. 

recipe of the week.

trying new recipes hasn't been happening much, I went from doing a detox to wedding celebrations, to birthday celebrations to vacation. so needless to say, I haven't been cooking nearly as much as I usually do and I really have missed it. 

it was so nice to get back into following through with my meal plans last night and made these:

(image courtesy of whole foods market)

grilled apple and cheddar grass fed beef burgers

3/4 pound 90% lean ground grass-fed beef 
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion 
2 ounces sharp cheddar, cut into 1/4-inch cubes 
1 tablespoon dijon mustard 
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
1/2 cup shredded peeled granny smith apple 

combine beef, onion, cheddar, mustard, salt, pepper and apple in a large bowl and form into four (4-inch) patties. grill over medium heat or broil, flipping once, until done to your taste, 6 to 8 minutes. 

quinoa with black beans and cilantro (from bon appetit)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups chopped white onion

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 cup quinoa

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 
1 1/2 cups water
1 15oz can of black beans (or used soaked if desired)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro, divided

crumbled cotija or feta cheese to top with (optional) 

Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and red pepper; sauté until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in next 4 ingredients. Add water; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until quinoa is almost tender, about 14 minutes. Add beans and 1/4 cup cilantro; cook uncovered until heated through and liquid is fully absorbed, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cilantro and cheese, if desired.

meal planning.

over the 4 1/2 years of our marriage, I have not meal planned at all, meal planned for a month, a week and two weeks at a time. since coming home and settling more into my role as wife and homemaker this has been an area that I have been able to focus more of my time and attention to. as a result, I started meal planning for two weeks at a time and have been doing so for about a year now. its has worked out really well, even as we have gotten our weekly food deliveries. in fact it has served me more to have a plan for the food that comes so that none of it goes to waste. not to mention sticking to a very small food budget. 

I sat down to plan our next two weeks of meals and this is what I came up with. (mondays are always omitted because we do date night and weekends are usually excluded because we often eat leftovers or stick with our weekend "traditions" of breakfast for dinner or homemade pizzas.)  

tuesday: chicken enchilada casserole

wednesday: spicy beef kebabs with green peppers, onion & quinoa

thursday: coconut rice & beans

friday: spicy honey chicken with sweet potato fries (with the fries, you can substitute coconut oil for the olive oil and it adds a really nice flavor)

tuesday: spice rubbed grilled pork chops (this is me being optimistic that we will get our pig this week or next) with grilled asparagus

wednesday: brown rice pasta with meat sauce

thursday: grilled cajun chicken salad

friday: jalapeno cheeseburgers with grilled onion & sweet potato fries

in terms of how I approach my meal plans, I have learned a lot from megan and her post on meal planning I found extremely helpful in finding my way. I follow her system of crossing things off as a go and using the days as a tentative plan, but sometimes, I just don't always want what I have planned for the assigned day. and the reality is too, life happens, we go out to eat or dinner just ends up being a total fail. when I don't use that meal it usually gets cycled on to my next two week plan. 

happy meal making!

a little bit of everything.

our friends, andrew + carissa, are adopting a little girl, rinah, from uganda. we have been praying for months for the day she will come home. and we are still waiting. and still praying. and now we have this wonderful poster as reminder on our wall to keep praying. our hearts will be so glad when that day comes. 

in other tuesday miscellany, the new fleet foxes album is on amazon daily deal download for $3.99 (today only). for once in my life I am actually glad that I waited to get this album. we are going to see them with friends in less than 2 weeks and I couldn't be more excited.

if you need a great recipe idea, you should make spicy honey chicken. they tasted delicious, your tummy will be glad, and I will def make them again. (the only modification that I made was I used chicken tenderloins instead of thighs.)

and until next tuesday, I am counting down the days to this amazing app.

recipe of the week.

this is going to make for a great summer side, or lunch, or anything really because it was just that yummy and easy to make. great source of protein and great taste. double score. 

(image via epicurious)

black-bean and tomato quinoa from gourmet

2 teaspoons grated lime zest

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (to make this DF you can use earth balance spread)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used olive oil)

1 teaspoon sugar (I used palm sugar)

1 cup quinoa

1 (14- to 15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 medium tomatoes, diced

4 scallions, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

whisk together lime zest and juice, butter, oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

wash quinoa in 3 changes of cold water in a bowl, draining in a sieve each time.

cook quinoa in a medium pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt for 2 quarts water), uncovered, until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and remove lid. let stand 5 minutes.

add quinoa to dressing and toss until dressing is absorbed, then stir in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.

enjoy! 

recipe(s) of the week. tacos.

(image via martha stewart)

we love tacos in our house. there is no question that during any given week we could eat them at least once. so much so, that I have it broken down by categories of favorite tacos based on the meat I use to make them.

ground beef (you can substitute chicken or turkey) go to penzeys spices and buy their fajita seasoning. becca gave it to me as a gift for christmas and it changed the way I make ground beef tacos. right now if you use coupon code 00002C you get $5 off.

shredded beef (made with a beef roast)

dark meat (chicken thighs) *this is a crockpot wonder and has been a recipe that has been passed on from friend to friend. even people who don't normally like dark meat love these tacos. they are worth giving a try.

white meat (chicken breasts) this is great for the summer months.

fish tacos jenne introduced me to these. this recipe can be modified to use cornmeal instead of flour and you can use gf beer. for all non-gf eaters, enjoy as is. the chipotle tartar sauce and slaw is incredible. 

cilantro lime rice is my go to side dish.

all this taco talk makes me even more excited for our annual cinco de mayo party that is just around the corner now. and chances are I will probably be serving some of these recipes there. cant wait.

recipe of the week.

I'm back. after long last I have something food-worthy to share. and since I feel like I can smell spring in the air today I hope to keep them coming. what is it about spring that brings inspiration to making yummy food? I would have to say that it could have something to do with dinners on the deck, grilling out, and not being sick anymore that would be at the top of my list.

chicken enchilada casserole adapted from cooking light

(image from cooking light)

here's what you need:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/3  cup  chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 1  cup  frozen corn kernels, thawed (when in season fresh corn would be an amazing addition)
• 1/3  cup  (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/4  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 2  cups  chopped onion, divided
• 6  garlic cloves, minced and divided
• 1  cup low sodium chicken broth
• 2/3  cup  salsa verde (you can make your own from this recipe...you wont be sad you did or if you want to save time buy a store brand, we like the TJ's salsa verde)
• 1/4  cup  water
• 2  tablespoons  chopped pickled jalapeño pepper (if you do not like spicy do not put these in, they def add a bit of heat)
• 9  (6-inch) corn tortillas
• shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 
  
• here's how to do it: 
• 1. Preheat oven to 425°.
• 2. Boil chicken on stovetop for 15 min, cool, and then shred. Place chicken in a medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons cilantro, corn, and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) to chicken; toss to combine.
• 3. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup onion; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 garlic cloves; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add onion mixture to chicken mixture; stir to combine.
  4. Combine remaining 1 1/2 cups onion, remaining 3 garlic cloves, broth, salsa, 1/4 cup water, and jalapeño in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Carefully pour mixture into a blender; add 2 tablespoons cilantro. Process until smooth.
  5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tortillas; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove tortillas from pan; repeat procedure with remaining tortillas. Cut tortillas into quarters.
  6. Spread 1/2 cup salsa mixture in the bottom of an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 12 tortilla quarters over salsa mixture. Spoon half of chicken mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers, ending with tortillas. Pour remaining salsa mixture over tortillas; sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. Top with remaining cilantro.
  I served it with avocado and sour cream to cool off our spicier version. it was easy, delicious, and made for great leftovers. 

recipe of the week. last minute shopping & merry christmas.

the week before christmas is like being hit by a wave day after day. projects to do, presents to shop for, gifts to wrap. leaving little time for blogging, facebook, twitter, or even email (if you emailed this week, I love you, and I cant wait to respond). and did I forget to mention getting sick? double awesome.

last night I found myself subjected to the insanity of last minute shoppers and item grabbers in not just one, but three stores. the shelves were picked bare and even walmart had entirely run out of basic cooking essentials like chocolate chips (dont even ask why I was in there) and you couldn't find a single box of candy canes in target. sigh.

for one who did most of my christmas shopping online this year, this was a shock to the system and one that I don't think I will ever repeat. I learned my lesson. not doing that again.

thankfully prior to the insanity we were able to enjoy a wonderful recipe from real simple that I just had to share.

coconut chicken and rice
serves 8 (I halved it)

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• zest from 2 limes
• 3 cups uncooked basmati rice
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 14-ounce can coconut milk
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• juice from 2 limes
• 1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut

heat oven to 325° F. lightly coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with vegetable cooking spray. sprinkle the chicken breasts with the garlic, cayenne, and lime zest; set aside. place the rice in the baking dish. combine the chicken stock, coconut milk, cilantro, salt, and lime juice and pour onto the rice. arrange the chicken on top of the rice. cover with foil and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through. remove the foil, sprinkle the coconut on top, and cook 5 minutes more or until the coconut is browned.

while that is set and going, make this stuff too...

spicy peanut sauce

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (2)
• Chopped peanuts (optional)

in a bowl stir together peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, coconut milk, garlic, sesame oil, and crushed red pepper. stir in green onion.

be happy. eat good food. forget in store shopping. and reconsider spending the money for amazon next day shipping. you wont be sad. i promise.

and last but not least. merry christmas from us to you!
we celebrate God sending his perfect Son, Jesus.
who saved us from our sin.
and gives us new life in Him.

and that is why we have peace, love, and joy this holiday season.

isaiah 9:6 for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

recipe of the week.

smoky beef tacos by martha stewart

serves 8

• 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 pounds), excess fat trimmed
• 16 corn tortillas (6-inch), lightly toasted (we used hard tacos)

preheat oven to 350 degrees. in a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, stir together chiles, ketchup, 1 cup water, garlic, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. cut beef into 4 equal pieces. add to pot, and turn to coat. cover, and bring to a boil; transfer pot to oven. bake, covered, until beef is fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours. transfer beef to a bowl. with a large spoon, skim off and discard fat from cooking liquid. shred beef with two forks; moisten with cooking liquid as needed. season with salt and pepper. serve beef with tortillas and desired toppings.

I don't currently have a cast iron pot so I used my stoneware piece instead and covered it with foil. and it worked like a dream.

perfect for yet another cold snowy day.

recipe of the week.

wow, its been awhile with the recipe posts.

but the drought is over.

I'm a pretty picky soup eater. but this one's a winner.

red pepper soup with basil cream from country living
serves 6

• 3 clove(s) (small) garlic, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 1 can(s) (15-ounce) crushed tomatoes
• 1 jar(s) (12-ounce) marinated roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 2 cup(s) chicken broth
• 1/2 cup(s) packed fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon(s) balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoon(s) sugar

basil cream

• 1/4 cup(s) sour cream
• 1/4 cup(s) heavy cream
• 1/4 cup(s) chopped fresh basil, for basil cream
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper

1. Sauté garlic and onion with olive oil in large pot over medium heat for 6 minutes. Add tomatoes, red peppers, and chicken broth. Cook for 15 minutes.
2. Add fresh basil, balsamic vinegar, and sugar and puree in a blender or food processor.
3. For basil cream, stir sour cream and heavy cream together with chopped basil and salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve soup with dollop of basil cream and chopped basil.

perfect for cold, first day of snow kind of days. :)

meatless wonder

I'm sure many of you out there know people or have husbands who dont believe in meals without meat. To them, its just not a meal. But I finally found one!

I had a spaghetti squash to use from our veggie delivery last week and I was able to find a fantastic recipe and just had to share. This recipe is sure to be added to our regular rotation.

Enjoy! You won't be sad you made it either. I promise. So try it out.

Southwestern Spaghetti Squash (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash (3 pounds)
• 1 (14 ounce) can Mexican-style tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup monterey jack cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise. (Anyone out there have any good tips on doing this so you dont lose any fingers or cut your arm off?)
   
3. Remove and discard seeds.
4. Place squash, cut side down, in greased baking pan.
5. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until just tender.
6. Using fork, remove spaghetti-like strands from hot squash and place strands in large bowl.
7. Add tomatoes with juice, beans, 1/2 cup cheese, cilantro, cumin, garlic salt and pepper; toss well. (I mixed all this together while the squash was baking to save time)
   
8. Spray 1 1/2 quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray.
9. Spoon mixture into casserole.
10. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
11. Bake uncovered, 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through.
12. Serve immediately.

I served it with corn chips, avocado, and sour cream on top. Perfect fall meal.

family favorite recipe

Being gluten intolerant anytime I see a recipe in a magazine for foods that we used to enjoy and are made with ingredients we can actually eat, its always exciting. After making these many a time I thought it would be time to share. You can't keep a good thing to yourself, right?

(image from Rachel Ray)

Cajun Chicken Fingers (serves 4)

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1 pound chicken tenders
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 
  
• In a shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal, chili powder, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In another shallow bowl, beat the eggs. Working with one at a time, coat the chicken tenders with the cornmeal mixture, dip into the egg, then coat again with the cornmeal. Transfer to a large plate.
• 
  
• In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. Add half of the chicken and cook, turning once, until golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining oil and chicken tenders.

• 
  

recipe of the week. goodbye summer. maybe?

I usually wait til I have eaten a meal to post a recipe, but I just made the salsa and I am pretty confident that the taste of that alone pretty much seals a dinner victory tonight. its amazing. and fresh. and my favorite thing...its easy.

Soft Fried Tortillas with Tomatillo Salsa and Chicken from Gourmet

For tomatillo salsa

• 1/2 lb fresh tomatillos, husks discarded and tomatillos rinsed and quartered
• 3 fresh green serrano chiles, coarsely chopped (including seeds) I used 2 jalapenos, and opted out of the seeds.
  
• 1/4 cup chopped white onion
• 3 garlic cloves, quartered
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

For chalupas

• 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 12 (4-inch) corn tortillas (see cooks' note, below)
• 1 cup shredded cooked chicken (from 1 chicken breast half)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons crema or crème fraîche
• 1/3 cup finely chopped white onion
• 1/3 cup finely crumbled queso fresco (Mexican fresh cheese)

Make salsa:
Purée tomatillos, chiles, onion, garlic, salt, and water in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then carefully add tomatillo purée (oil will splatter) and simmer, stirring, until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro and simmer 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl.

Make chalupas:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 200°F.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in cleaned dried skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then briefly cook tortillas, 3 at a time, until softened and hot but still pale, about 10 seconds per side, adding more oil if necessary. Transfer tortillas with tongs to paper towels to drain briefly, then to a large shallow baking pan in oven to keep warm, arranging tortillas in one layer (overlapping slightly if necessary) and covering pan with foil.

Spread each warm tortilla with about 1 teaspoon salsa, then top sparingly with a few shreds of chicken. Thin crema with a little water and drizzle over chicken, then sprinkle with onion and cheese. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

salad dressings.

Thank you Crate&Barrel for ending my quest for the perfect salad dressing "pitcher."After searching high and low for weeks, my dreams came true and I found just the right one.

We've made some big changes in our fridge and I've almost entirely cut out buying pre-made dressings, because making your own can save a lot of money, its easy, and its really yummy. Here are some we have been enjoying...

Everyday Salad Dressing (I keep mentioning it, because it really is my new favorite thing and tastes good with so many things).

Greek Salad Dressing from Martha Stewart

Asian Vinagrette from Womens Health Magazine (I shamelessly ripped out the page at the doc office because it looked good)

1/3 cup safflower oil
1/2 tsp white vinegar
2 to 3 tsp Hoisin sauce (for GF eaters they do have GF options out there)
1 to 2 Tbs chopped scallions
Puree all the ingredients together in a blender and add s&p to taste.
*Seth actually requests this dressing when I make salad. Huge progress from my non salad eating boy.

Happy Salad Eating!

recipe(s) of the week.

These are two that I have been meaning to post for awhile, they have been a repeat on our summer menu and have been a good use of all the veggies we have been enjoying from our weekly veggie delivery.

Blackened Steak Salad from Bon Appetit

For spice mixture

• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

For salad

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 6 cups (packed) mixed baby greens
• 1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

• 2 5- to 6-ounce beef tenderloin steaks, each about 1/2 inch thick
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 6 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese (about 3 ounces)
• 1 tomato, quartered
  

For spice mixture:
Mix all ingredients in small bowl. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

For salad:
Whisk oil, vinegar and mustard in large bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Add greens, bell pepper and onion and toss to coat. Divide salad between 2 plates.

Spread spice mixture on plate. Coat both sides of steaks with spice mixture. Dip both sides of steaks into melted butter. Heat heavy large skillet over high heat until very hot. Add steaks and cook to desired doneness, about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to cutting board; let stand 2 minutes. Thinly slice steaks crosswise. Arrange slices atop salads. Sprinkle with cheese. Garnish with tomato and serve.

Some tweaks I made to this recipe: I used whatever steak I happen to have on hand. It all tastes good. Instead of using the balsamic dressing I opt for the everyday salad dressing from the Nourishing Gourmet because that is what I usually have on hand. For the men in your life who claim "salad isn't a meal" the steak tastes great as an entree without the greens.

To make DF, use oil to brown the steaks or grill and leave off the cheese.

Green Bean and Lemon Casserole from Nigella Lawson

• 2 lbs slender green beans
• 3/4 stick unsalted butter (to make DF use Earth Balance Spread)
  
• few drops olive oil
• 1 lemon
• sea salt and fresh pepper
  

Bring a big pot of water to the boil, while you top and tail (trim) the beans. Once the water has come to the boil, salt it and cook the beans until they have lost their rawness (about 6 minutes after the water comes back to the boil), but retain a bit of crunch.

Strain them, and put the pot back on the stove over a low heat with the butter and olive oil. While the butter melts, chop up the lemon. Put it on a chopping board, cut a slice off each end, just enough to remove skin and pith, and then cut downwards, turning the lemon as you go, to peel the fruit fully. Don't worry if in order to remove all the pith you cut into the fruit a bit: just take the pieces of fruity peel over to the pan and squeeze in any juice you can. Then cut the lemon up on the board: I just slice and let each slice tumble into bits on its own. Add the lemon pieces and all the juice that collects to the melted butter and stir well with a wooden spoon, adding the drained beans.

Swirl the pan vigorously and turn the beans in the lemony butter. Add salt to taste and lots of freshly ground pepper. I love white pepper (out of deference to my mother's taste and practice) or the much-abominated 1980s restaurant-style mixed pepper, but neither is crucial.

Remove to a warmed casserole making sure you don't leave any lemony, buttery juices behind.

Simple, easy, delicious.

grilling tips

Our family made the change from store bought beef to buying grass fed, organic beef from a local farm (you can find more info on Wagon Wheel Ranch here). Not everyone does this, nor is this the way to go for every family, but it has proven to be a very cost effective option for us and we have spent less per pound on beef that I was able to in the past.

Today, the owner sent out an email with these tips on grilling steak that I found incredibly helpful.

1) A good steak should not need steak sauce when cooking or when eating.

2) Spices - it is better to cook your spices into the meat than put them on after cooking. Coarse salt, sea salt, no table salt should be put on both sides before grilling. Fresh ground pepper also.

3) Temperature - you never want to cut a steak to see if it is done, you let the natural juices out. Check your steak by sticking a meat thermometer into the side 140 degrees is medium rare.

4) Remember to let the steak sit for 3 to 5 minutes after you take it off the grill again to let the natural juices spread thru your steak and not run out.

Last, the use of butter. It seems all the high end steak houses put butter on their steaks. They first boil the butter and remove the white foam that forms at the top,by doing this it keeps the steak from being "greasy." Most add some spices to the butter. Some will also boil wine to reduce the wine and then add it to the butter. Personally, I do not do this. If you have a piece of meat that is flavorless or tough using butter can help.

Most chefs paint the butter on every time the flip the steak. Some will actually put some on after the steak comes off the grill. Some chefs will even soak the entire steak in a butter vat (the butter has been boiled and spiced) for 20 minutes before cooking, the butter is at 110 degrees, this really helps make a tough steak tender.

Happy Grilling!

summer faves

blanket making for sweet baby sullivan.

cards with my love.

gf bread.

yum. where have you been all my life?

sweet little A.

rock hill flowers.

yummy goodness.

run.

do not walk.

to your kitchen.

to make this salad dressing.

you won't regret it.

and your tummy will thank you.