FOODIE FRIDAY -- S is for SALAD

When the temperature hovers way above 90 degrees for days on end (100++ most of this week) I can't bring myself to turn on the stove or oven. Luckily, my husband is just as fond of entrée salads as I am. So, he grills the main protein on the outside bbq, while I assemble the remaining ingredients in the comfort of our air conditioned kitchen.

Some of the salads we've had in the past couple of months:

~ Classic Caesar with grilled shrimp or chicken, my homemade dressing and home-baked croutons

~ A Mexican version of the traditional Cobb salad: greens topped with chopped chicken, avocado, pinto beans, tomato, red onion, black olives and cotija cheese with a salsa, sour cream, red wine vinegar dressing (pictured above)

~ Nicoise Style salad of greens topped with Ahi seared rare, tomatoes, new potatoes and green beans (I cheat and cook them in the microwave) Nicoise or French green olives, boiled egg

~ Spinach Salad with strawberries, almonds, blue cheese, and grilled chicken with a lemon poppyseed dressing

~ Shrimp Louie--traditional except the dressing was served on the side, and the shrimp was grilled

~ Greek Salad of romaine, tomato, cucumber, red onion, pepperoncini, kalmata olives, feta cheese, and grilled salmon with a red wine dressing flavored with garlic and oregano

As you can see, we LOVE salads, and the possibilities are endless.

Get some great ideas at this website:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/10-classic-diy-salad-creations/

Of course, everything tastes better when served in vintage style--perfect example from nachokitty.etsy.com:

FOODIE FRIDAY -- Q is for QUESADILLAS

Around here, when time is scarce, we still like to have a healthy meal. I rarely use any "convenience" foods, so QUESADILLAS make for a health lunch or dinner in a hurry! (just in case you aren't familiar with quesadillas, think "grilled cheese" sandwich, Mexican style)

We keep whole wheat flour tortillas, and good quality pre-shredded cheese on hand, which means we can have healthy quesadillas. I use our grill pan, as it's non-stick so no added fats are needed. Get the pan fairly hot, warm the tortilla on both sides so it's softened, sprinkle cheese on half, fold over, cover and grill on each side until the cheese melts and the tortilla is a bit crisp. You can add chiles, cooked meat or shrimp, etc.... (in the lead photo, taken last Saturday, I served the quesadilla with a side of refried beans and a mango-avocado salad)

Here are a couple of vintage treasures that would add some real Mexican style to any table setting:

from bontonvintage.etsy.com:

from blackrain4.etsy.com:

Foodie Friday: P is Also for PANTRY and PORK

Foodie Friday is BACK...after a 2 week hiatus...just too busy to get a post in. This week I'd like you all to take a moment and think about your PANTRY. When life gets crazy busy, it's so nice to know that you can still manage to prepare a decent meal using just what you have on hand. That's where having a well stocked "pantry" and/or freezer comes in.

My grandma had a huge, old-fashioned walk-in pantry in her kitchen. it was wonderful. My California 70s ranch style house doesn't have anything that qualifies as a pantry, but I still manage. I put a shelf in between the family room and kitchen, and it holds gallon sized jars of sugar, flour, 3 types of brown rice, beans, split peas, pasta...useful, and attractive! Since my cabinet space is limited, the canned goods are on shelves in the garage.

My freezer is FULL. We always have frozen salmon, shrimp, chicken, vegetables, etc. on hand. So, in a pinch, I can make a nice meal without a trip to the store. Here is a GREAT crock pot recipe, that utilizes primarily pantry staples. (and PORK)

Crock Pot CHILE VERDE


Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 lbs pork, cubed and dredged in seasoned flour
* 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1 large fresh onions, chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 cans HERDEZ salsa verde
* 1/2 cup water or 1/2 cup chicken broth (preferred) or 1/2 cup mexican beer
* 1 can PINTO beans, drained and rinsed

Directions:


1. Cut pork into 1/2-inch cubes; season cubes with salt and pepper. Shake or roll in flour
2. In a large, heavy pan brown the cubes well in oil
3. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes, then drain the fat.
4. Transfer to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients, (except the beans) cover, and cook on HIGH setting for 6-8 hours. Stir occasionally, and add more water (or broth or beer) during cooking if necessary to achieve desired sauce texture. Add the beans during the last hour.
5. Serve with warm tortillas
Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Foodie Friday: P is for PINEAPPLE

Pineapple: tropical vacation in a fruit form! So many ways to enjoy it----by itself, in fruit salads, smoothies, upside down cake, pina coladas............or one of my favorites: a salsa (relish) that is GREAT on grilled fish, chicken or pork.

Pineapple Salsa

* 1 C pineapple, chopped (fresh is best, but canned will do in a pinch)
* 1/2 C red onion, in diced fine
* 1- 2 jalapenos, seeded, deveined, and minced
* 1 TBS cilantro or mint, minced
* 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
* sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
* 1/2 - 1 tsp of your favorite hot sauce
* juice of 1 lime
* brown sugar or honey, to taste


In a medium bowl, combine the pineapple, red onion, jalapenos and cilantro. Stir well to mix and season with salt, pepper, and the hot saucer. Squeeze the lime juice over the salsa and toss well to combine. Taste, and adjust salt, pepper and sugar or honey to your liking Chill until ready to serve, then toss again before serving.

Makes 1 1/2 C of salsa.

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If the task of cutting up a fresh pineapple seems daunting to you, just google HOW TO CIT UP a PINEAPPLE for many helpful articles and videos!

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Pineapples have long been a symbol of hospitality and welcome throughout the world. You can find many artistic renditions on everything from earrings to tablecloths to dishes. Here are a few fun pineapple motif items from EVT shops:

FOODIE FRIDAY -- G is for GUEST BLOGGER

Hi everyone, fellow EVT member Bit of Butter, here! Now is the time of the year when ovens are getting a workout, and there's nothing that smells better than holiday cookies.

Vintage Cookie Cutters from lagelle

I've come across quite a few vintage cookie molds recently that are perfect for making Christmas cookies. Most of the cookie molds I've come across are German in origin and are traditionally used during the Christmas season.

Two Vintage Springerle Molds from Bit of Butter

The cookie molds above are called springerle. These molded cookies have been popular in Germany since the 14th century. Typically springerle are anise-flavored cookies that, after molded, are left out to dry overnight before they're put in the oven.

Vintage Ausstecherle Roller from Bit of Butter

Ausstecherle are another type of German molded cookie, and these are very much like traditional American sugar cookies. I just whipped up a batch of cookies using an ausstechrolle from Monopol that was made between 1969 and 1970. Below is the roller in action!

I used this basic sugar cookie recipe and sprinkled crushed almonds on the top! They turned out beautifully, but it's always good to remember that cookie rolls need to be liberally floured between each use or else the dough will stick the roller.

FOODIE FRIDAY--F is for FISH

  

Fish Studio Plate from popgoesmyvintage

fish trivet from DandelionGirl

 
After all the feasting that took place across the US yesterday, I thought a heathful recipe might be in order.  FISH seems a fitting choice. I could go on and on about the health benefits and potential risks in eating fish, but thought I'd cite a reliable source:

Excerpt from a Washington State Department of Health article:

Fish is brain and heart food - but trying to balance its health - boosting benefits with concerns about contaminant level can leave you floundering!  Sad and true, contaminants are in most foods, but don’t give up on fish, because fish are still an excellent health choice. 

The American Heart Association recommends eating fish twice a week because fish are a great source of protein, vitamins, and nutrients. Fish are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which provide protection from heart disease and are great brain food for you, your children and if you are pregnant, for your unborn child. It is important to continue to eat fish to gain the healthy heart and brain benefits. The key is to make smart choices and choose fish that are low in mercury, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), and other contaminants......Fish is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids, a fatty acid that our body cannot produce on its own. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in every kind of fish, but are especially high in fatty fish. Good fish choices for Omega-3’s include salmon, tuna (canned light), trout, sardines, sea bass, oysters, crab, perch, shrimp, and cod. Fish is low-fat and is a good quality protein, filled with vitamins like riboflavin (Vitamin B2), which aids the body in the metabolism of amino acids, fatty acids, and carbohydrates and Vitamin D, which aids calcium absorption to help prevent osteoporosis. Fish is also rich in calcium and phosphorus and a great source of minerals, such as iron, zinc, potassium (a mineral needed for muscles, nerves, and fluid balance in the body), iodine, and magnesium. When people substitute meat for fish, they decrease their intake of these essential vitamins, minerals, and Omega-3 fatty acids.  Fish is good choice for people with diabetes.  The high protein supply aids in the regulation of blood sugar. Fish is a good low calorie, high protein choice to assist in weight loss.

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You can read more, and check for which types of fish are recommended here:

cited article

SUPER EASY BAKED FISH VERA CRUZ STYLE

1 LB Fish Fillets  (your favorite variety, I like MahMahi or Salmon

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 Can Mexican Style Stewed Tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 Onion, Sliced 

1/2 c. shredded cheese 

1/3 c. sliced olives 

2TBS capers (optional)

~~Preheat oven to 350. Lightly oil a baking dish.  (or use cooking spray)  Lay fillets in baking dish. Squeeze lemon juice over fish.  Season with salt and pepper.  Top with onion slices.  Cover with foil.  Bake 10 minutes.  Remove foil.  Pour tomatoes over fish and onions, spread evenly.  Bake add'l 10 minutes.  Top with cheese, sprinkle on olives and capers.  Bake @ 5-10 minutes more, until cheese is melted, and fish is desired doneness.

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Foodie Friday --- B is also for BANANAS

MMMMM...BANANAS.  So sweet, so portable, so packed with nutrition!!!  What's not to like?

25 facts about BANANAS

You can eat them as is, slice them and add to cereal, dessert, or pancakes...Or, you can bake some BANANA BREAD.

Kitchen utensils from Lagelle

Yummy Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 SUPER ripe bananas, mashed with a potato masher
• 1/3 cup salad oil
• 1/2 cup sugar 
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• LG Pinch of salt
• cinnamon and nutmeg to taste (optional)
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour, sifted

Method

No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix oil into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda, salt and (optional) spices over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix well, but gently. Pour mixture into a greased and floured (I use PAM for baking) 5x9 inch loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

I also make an AMAZING tropical banana - pineapple bread   Send me a message if you would like the recipe!