Author Archives: Peg

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About Peg

I love cooking...basic southern style to sophisticated and modern cuisine, especially when my daughters and son in law are in the kitchen with me. Then it becomes a bit more festive! Traveling is something that I am passionate about. I achieved one of my loftiest goals a couple of years ago when we were in Vietnam. I spent days just photographing people. It was a blast; and the book i made brings me delight daily. Cheers!

Chicken Club Salad

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Entree Salad Club Sandwich Salald IThis is how the simple cook rolls for an easy weeknight supper. I adapted this refreshing salad from my darling friend Katie Lee‘s The Comfort Table, 2008. I think I adore her so because she’s down to earth and honestly grew up in the kitchen. AND the fact that she and a sweet young friend of mine (knock knock Teryn Elizabeth) look so much alike. They are both natural beauties! Dance with this one.

Breast meat from 4 cooked chicken breasts
6 slices pre cooked smoked bacon
1 ripe avocado
3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup diced sweet onion
1/2 cup fat free mayonnaise
2 Tbs Dijon mustard
2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 t black pepper
1 head of Bibb lettuce
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

Chop chicken into cubes.

Heat bacon in microware according to directions.
Drain on paper towels.
When cooled, crumble into small pieces.

Dice the avocado.
In small bowl, combine diced avocado with lemon juice.
*Lemon juice keeps avocado from browning.
Set aside.

Combine mayonnaise, mustard, cilantro, and pepper.
Stir until combined.
Add onion and chicken and toss.
Gently add avocado.

To serve:
Line plates with Bibb lettuce.
Top with the chicken mixture.
Garnish with tomato wedges.

Serves 6 to 8.

Skillet Succotash

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Veggies Succotash

No more old school trash! This is grown up stuff! Sorry Sylvester, no “sufferin’ succotash” here ole cat. Gray and Liam were here for 72 fast and fun hours this past weekend and we stopped by Briley’s Produce Stand to gather the goods for Saturday evening’s dinner. The fresh sweet white corn and lima beans are still in season. Hurry, it’s almost September. Gray made this yummy creation. Can you smell it yet?!

3 Tbs butter
1 sweet onion, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 zucchinis cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 red pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 yellow pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups lima beans
1 1/2 cups corn
1 Tbs fresh oregano, chopped
1/8 t kosher salt
1/4 t ground black pepper

Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add onion.
Cook 4 minutes.
Add lima beans and corn.
Cook stirring constantly 5 minutes.
Add zucchini and peppers.
Cook 3 minutes, stirring often.
Stir in oregano, salt and pepper.
Turn heat off and cover skillet with lid.
Allow to rest 5 minutes.

Serves 8.

Cubano

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Appetizer Cubano CocktailIt’s M.O.N.D.A.Y. Get your cocktail on! My children had a sweet friend, Burke who established a Monday evening cocktail group. Just for the hell of it. Just to begin the week properly. So, today I give you yet another delicious cocktail, The Cubano. Friday found TD (the don for new readers!) and me swooping up Gray and Liam at RDU and making the baby visiting rounds in “Dash” (affectionate name for Winston-Salem). The last stop was Single Brothers, the Yelle’s favorite watering hole from their lives there, prior to the Boston move. There we met up with two other babies/toddlers and their parents, where we shared a table and libations. The new seasonal drink menu had just been established and I enjoyed this Cubano. Remember, I love champagne! So, here you have it!

1 1/2 oz 10 Cane Rum
1 oz simple syrup
4 mint leaves
1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
Splash of champagne

Muddle mint and syrup in cocktail shaker.
Fill with ice cubes.
Add lime juice and rum.
Shake vigorously.
Strain into stemmed glass.
Top off with champagne.

Mini Quiche

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I’m preparing for the busy weekend that is here. YIKES! Have a crowd arriving and I’m going to be better than just plain “ready”! This is a simple marvelous breakfast/brunch/nutritious snack to have on hand. And children think it’s wonderful. What beats that? Game Day!

Brunch Mini egg omelet I1/2 lb ground sausage
8 eggs
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
2 Tbs butter
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped red pepper

Brown sausage in skillet on medium high, stirring often.
Drain grease off sausage, and transfer sausage to paper towels to blot.
Melt butter in small skillet.
Sauté peppers 2 minutes, until tender.
Drain excess butter.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Beat eggs in large mixing bowl.
Add sausage, cheese, and peppers; and stir to combine.
Grease a muffin tin with cooking spray.
Fill 10 cups with mixture.
*If there are empty cups in the muffin tray, fill them half way up with water to balance cooking.
Cook 20 minutes, or until done.

*Author’s Note: If you use low fat turkey sausage, you are looking at a mere 140 calories each.Brunch mini egg omelet III

*These freeze well.
To serve after frozen, thaw 1 hour at room temperature.
Then microwave for 45 seconds.
Let rest for 1 minute.
Microwave another 45 seconds.

*If you are going to serve them the next day for breakfast, do not freeze. You may simply place them in a plastic bag and pop them in the microwave the next morning for 45 seconds. Test for warmth by inserting a knife into the center and then touch the knife for heat. If necessary zap another 10 to 15 seconds.

Summer Vegetable Salad

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Gotta love the vibrancy here!

©PEGhardee

©PEGhardee

1 cup fresh Lima beans
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup olive oil
1scallion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced
1small shallot, thinly sliced
1/8 t sea salt
2 ears fresh corn kernels
2 nectarines, cut into thin wedges
1 avocado, cubed
1 orange bell pepper, finely julienned
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Cook Lima beans in salted boiling water 10 minutes, until tender.
Drain and rinse under cold water.
In large bowl, whisk together lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, scallion, jalapeño, and shallot.
Sprinkle with salt.
Gently fold in Lima beans, corn, nectarine, avocado, bell pepper, and tomatoes.
Refrigerate 2 hours.
Fold in cilantro.
Serve cold or room temperature.

Food and Wine, August 2013.

Mango Chutney

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Ingredients just pored in pot, totally uncooked.

Ingredients just poured in pot, totally uncooked at this point.

Put this one in your Trapper Keeper. Mangos (may also be spelled mangoes) have been grown in India for an amazing four thousand years. Right?! Mangos were introduced to the tropics of Florida in 1863, with the first successful variety commercially grown being the “Haden”. Other popular Florida mangos are the Tommy Atkins, Keitt, and Kent. Their peak seasons are mid June to late August, making this a perfect time to can Mango Chutney to blast you through the winter and spring. Uhhh, I think I’ve also just completed my non-shopping Christmas shopping with all of this canning I’ve been up to (don’t end a sentence with a preposition!). Yes Ma’am. Go for it. Enjoy it with pork, chicken, potato salad and so forth!

Here ya GO! Task Complete.

Here ya go! Task Complete.

10 mangos, peeled and cubed
2 small onions, chopped
2 cups golden raisins
4 Tbs ginger paste (in refrigerated produce section)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 t mustard seeds
1/2 t red pepper flakes
5 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar

Combine sugar and vinegar in large pot.
Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Add remaining ingredients.
Bring to boil, and then simmer, uncovered, stirring every 5 minutes approximately 45 minutes, until thickened and syrupy.
Pour in to clean, prepared mason jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space.
Close jars with lid and lightly placed rim.
Process in boiling water 15 minutes.

Makes 11 to 12 half pint jars.

Do NOT double this. Make additional separate batches if desired.

The French 75

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Appetizer French 75 CocktailIt is S.A.T.U.R.D.A.Y! Get your cocktail on! I enjoyed this a couple of weeks ago with The Yelles at the lively Oak Long Bar at the Fairmont Hotel, Boston. I inquired about the seemingly odd name and quickly received an education of its history from our brainiac bartender. The cocktail pays homage to two powerful French icons – guns and champagne. The French 75mm field gun was a powerful weapon in WWI and the American soldiers were impressed with its power in battle. Adding a bit of muscle to solo champagne, the soldiers mixed in Brandy. Thirst Quenched. The cocktail evolved further when the American soldiers returned to the USofA and aptly named it to honor the allies. And now I present The French 75!

2 oz Brandy
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 Tbs simple syrup
2/3 cup chilled champagne

Pour Brandy, lemon juice, and simple syrup in to cocktail shaker.
Fill with ice cubes.
Shake vigorously.
Strain into 2 champagne flutes.
Top with champagne.
Garnish with lemon or orange peel.

Shrimp, Corn and Watermelon

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This is a pure orchestra of flavors and textures combining to make amazing, crisp music in your mouth. Makes me want to run hug this darling fellow, right now. Thanks Lou, who cut this out of the WSJ’s Slow Food Fast section of her paper for me.

Entree Seafood Shrimp Corn Watermelon1 lb large shrimp, cleaned
3 1/2 Tbs olive oil, divided
2 t minced garlic
4 Tbs chopped fresh basil, divided
1/8 t salt
1/4 t pepper
Kernels from 4 ears fresh sweet corn
1 1/2 Tbs white balsamic vinegar
3 cups cubed watermelon
Small Brie wheel, cut in wedges, rind removed

In small bowl, toss shrimp with 2 Tbs olive oil, garlic, and 2 Tbs chopped basil.
Season with salt and pepper.
Set aside to marinate.
Cook corn in boiling water 6 to 8 minutes, until tender.
Drain and place corn in bowl of cold iced water for 1 minute to cool.
Dry corn with towel and remove kernels with sharp knife.
In medium bowl, toss together corn, remaining oil, remaining basil, and vinegar.
Add watermelon and toss gently.
Heat skillet over medium high heat.
Add shrimp mixture and cook 2 minutes per side, stirring often.
Remove from heat.

To plate:
Spoon corn and watermelon mixture on to plate.
Top with a few shrimp.
Place a wedge of Brie on the side.
Drizzle shrimp and Brie with a bit of sauce from skillet.

Serves 4.

From Chef Joseph Lenn, “The Barn” at Blackberry Farm.

Sautéed Sweet Corn ~ Three Ways

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Sautéed Sweet Corn (Original Version)

Sautéed Sweet Corn (Original Version)

Sweet white corn is still plentiful at your farmers market and grocery. So treat your taste buds to some real happiness with one or all three of these variations!

8 ears of local sweet white corn, shucked and silked
2 Tbs butter
1 cup milk
1 Tbs sugar
1/4 t salt
1/2 t pepper

With a large sharp knife, cut the corn off the cob on a cutting board.
Melt butter in large skillet.
Add corn, milk, sugar, salt and pepper.
Cook over medium high heat stirring often for 4 minutes.
Turn heat to medium low, and continue cooking 3 to 4 more minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to rest 5 minutes.

*Author’s Note: I count on a bit more than 1 ear of corn per person.

Mexican Variation … Where Great Flavors Co-mingle!
Ingredients from Sautéed Sweet Corn
2 Tbs minced ginger
Zest of 1/2 lime
Juice of 1 lime
2 Tbs of chopped cilantro

Add ginger and lime zest to the corn, milk, and sugar as prepared above.
When corn is cooked, remove it from the heat.
Add lime juice and cilantro.
Stir and allow to rest 2 minutes.

Starch Sauteed Corn with JalapenosJalapeño Variation … Ohhh La La!
Ingredients from Sautéed Sweet Corn
10 slices of jalapeño pepper (in a jar), diced
Sauté jalapeño in butter for 2 minutes.
Add corn, milk, and sugar.
Cook over medium high heat stirring often for 4 minutes.
Turn heat to medium low, and continue cooking 3 to 4 more minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to rest 5 minutes.

Siberian Ice Squares

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Mr. Trebek, I’ll take Desserts for $500 please.

Warning: This requires an old school ice tray. But that’s always handy to have around. I mean freeze some mint in water and you’ll be extra ready for your mojito! I just love these little dessert squares during the dog days. At least it’s August now and prayerfully we have just 6 or 7 weeks of this miserable heat left to endure. “Calgon, take me away”, Siberia perhaps.

Desserts Siberian Squares1/2 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
1/2 cup vodka
1/2 cup freshly brewed espresso, cooled

Mix all the ingredients in a blender.
Fill an ice tray with the mixture and freeze for at least 24 hours.
Carefully remove from the ice tray and serve 1-2 squares in shot glasses with demitasse spoons.

*Author’s Note: You may also inset a small popsicle stick in each cube after it has begun to freeze, approximately 1 hour after placed in the freezer.

Makes 14 – 16.