Looking for a healthy, simple, quick, and pleasing appetizer or afternoon snack? Wonderful for even a Monday, or any week night for that matter. I’ve got you covered. So please pay attention ’cause raw veggies are waaaaay underrated.
Small bites + Big Flavors = Don’t Mind if I Do!
Sculpture by Jeff Kiefer from my private collection; additional pieces available at City Art Gallery of Greenville, NC.
16 oz reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature 1 1/2 cups pico de gallo 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 t black pepper
Pulse all together in food processor. Serve in cocktail glass with veggies on top. This is also great with sweet ginger cookies or chips.
Who’s in the kitchen this weekend? Even the youngest, well almost, can create this yummy appetizer or breakfast. Yes this is a truly simple creation. But, hey…we’re not trying to impress anyone. It’s about making our family or guests feel comfortable; and trust me, this makes everyone feel just that! Remember that food is our common ground. So go out and have yourselves a wonderful weekend! Stay safe, well, and away from that nasty Delta Variant good people!
2 slices whole grain bread, toasted* 1/2 ripe avocado, gently mashed Dash kosher salt Dash pepper 1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts 2 t sunflower seeds Wedge fresh lemon
Spread avocado on top of bread. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with sprouts. Sprinkle on seeds. Squeeze lemon juice evenly on top.
Makes 8 Appetizers. Excellent as breakfast as a whole slice of toast. *My personal favorites are Ezekiel and Genesis, made by Food for Life. Earthy tasting, in a great way.
Happy Tomato Season from here in comfortable, warm unbearably hot and humid ENC. You know, that kind of weather that begs for you to stay inside, turn the air really cool, and create delicious treats like this one that I’m sharing with you here. So drop everything and dash to the local farmers’ market this very minute. Grab those vibrantly colored fresh tomatoes and get kicking! Slice it small for an appetizer, or larger for brunch. This one is a winner.
1 sheet puff pastry 12 oz mixed tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds 2 leeks, white and light green parts, chopped 2 Tbs Dijon mustard 6 oz Brie, sliced 1/4 inch thick 2 t fresh thyme leaves, chopped 1 Tbs olive oil Whole thyme leaves for garnish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, roll out dough to 9 1/2 x 11 1/2 rectangle. Refrigerate on baking sheet 20 minutes. Place tomato slices on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Top with paper towels to absorb excess liquid. Score edges of pastry, creating 1/2 inch border. Spread mustard inside border. Top with cheese, onions, tomatoes (overlapping slightly to allow for shrinkage), and thyme. Drizzle with oil. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375 degrees. Continue baking until golden brown, about 25 to 30 more minutes. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and serve warm.
Here’s to Sunday evening, and looking forward to the bold new work week tomorrow. Let’s get it going with a simple side, starring fresh, in season ingredients for Monday dinner. This isn’t a particularly strong trick, but it gets the job done. So casually hit the pause button and enjoy. Eat fresh corn! This is what you need:
Kernels of 6 ears of cooked corn 6 inch Persian cucumber, thickly sliced and quartered 5 radishes, thinly sliced 4 Tbs olive oil 3 Tbs champagne vinegar 1 Tbs sugar 1/2 t salt 1/4 t pepper 1 Tbs chopped dill 1 Tbs chopped cilantro
Stir together oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Add corn, cucumbers, and radishes. Toss. Add dill and cilantro. Toss gently. Serve room temperature.
Ok pals! Here’s a sweet little mid-week side veggie for your hump day supper tonight. I used my new Geoffrey Zakarian non stick iron skillet; and even with the brown sugar and maple syrup, the clean up was a cinch. And no, I don’t receive anything for pitching this product…i was skeptical, but now I thank the don for his research and excellent gift giving! Booyah!
1 1/2 lbs baby carrots*, or regular carrots peeled and cut into 1/2” slices
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs maple syrup
1/4 t salt
1 Tbs chopped parsley, optional
Place the carrots in a large pan and add 1 1/2 cups of water.
Bring carrots to a simmer.
Cook for 8-10 minutes or until carrots are tender.
Drain off excess water.
Add butter, brown sugar, syrup, and salt to the pan.
Stir to coat the carrots.
Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until a sauce has formed.
Sprinkle with parsley if desired to serve.
*I really love GreenWise Rainbow Baby Carrots.
Just sharing a bit of ambiance to cheer up your day!
The swan was “bagged” by Brenton at age 9 in Mattamuskeet with PaPa…circa 1993.
Above that is the bottom tip of a painting I love by Ben Knight titled “Heaven Through the Eyes of a Four Year Old.” Special fact…I purchased this at a City Art Gallery opening after I retired, coincidentally on Liam’s (the first grandchild born that made me officially “Grand”!) Fourth Birthday!! Below is the painting in its entirety and where it brings daily joy in our dining room.
All of your favorite things, just not the bread! I guess I’m on a bacon, lettuce, avocado, tomato kick. I mean tomatoes are at their best, right? Continuing the love here, salad form. Eat, Drink & Carry On!
8 oz fat free sour cream 1/2 cup fat free mayonnaise 1 Tbs lemon juice 1 t dried basil 1/8 t salt 1/2 t black pepper 1/4 t garlic powder 2 large heads of red leaf lettuce, torn into small pieces 12 slices precooked bacon, warmed and crumbled 6 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced 2 avocados, pitted, peeled and either sliced or chopped.
Stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, basil, salt, pepper and garlic powder until well blended. Layer lettuce, bacon, tomato, and avocado in a wide shallow bowl, or large platter. Drop mayonnaise mixture in dollops evenly over avocado. Cover and chill salad at least 2 hours.
Serves 8.
*Author’s Note: This is really beautiful presented untossed. I prefer for guests to see it in its glorious layers, and then serve it or toss it in front of them!
It may have been dark and stormy drizzly here in Kennebunkport yesterday, but our spirits were anything but damp. Notnerb, Zus, and I made gnocchi with White Barn Inn Chef, played Farkle (rolling straights), and dined at the lively Old Vines Wine Bar with the Don. Thanks babe for treating us to all of this fun!
But I ran off subject a bit…the Dark and Stormy Cocktail…The story began in Bermuda in 1806, when John Gosling managed to come ashore after three months at sea fighting the Bermuda Triangle. He settled on the island and later began producing rum. He paired his dark rum with ginger beer and the Dark ‘n’ Stormy was born! Visiting ships carried the recipe home with them, spreading it world wide, and right into my kitchen as well. So, here’s how you create this cocktail at home! Simple and Delicious!
5 oz Ginger Beer (I prefer Reeds) 2 oz Dark Rum 2 Lime wedges Fresh mint
Fill cocktail glass with ice (I prefer crushed). Squeeze one lime wedge in glass. Pour in ginger beer. Top up with rum, so that it floats on top. Garnish with lime wedge and mint.
This is a terrific, easy to prep dinner for a full house of actual PEOPLE over the Fourth of July Holiday. So take a quick peek here and “up” your kitchen success, while sparking extra joy. I’m totally thrilled to be seeing my family (on the regular now) and friends (cautiously) in the flesh, after admittedly being emotionally paralyzed with Covid Fear. But there are also some wonderful lessons learned and accomplishments achieved during Quarantine that will be part of my life forever, thanks to guidance from a trusted life coach, and an organizer unparalleled! So go out there, have some fun, celebrate America, eat good food, and most importantly relish the joy of human interaction…hugs optional…
1 lb Baby Dutch yellow small potatoes 4 ears corn, cut into halves or thirds Zest of 1 lemon Juice of 1 lemon 1 lemon, cut into quarters 1/2 lb andouille sausage, sliced in half lengthwise, then into 2 inch sections Stick of butter, melted 8 sprigs thyme, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 2 lbs large cleaned shrimp 2 heaping Tbs Old Bay seasoning (I prefer blackened) 8 oz pilsner beer
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Microwave potatoes on plate 4 1/2 minutes. Place corn, standing on ends, in baking pan. Add potatoes and sausage (cut side down). Drizzle with half melted butter, half lemon juice, thyme, and garlic. Place lemon wedges on pan. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Make pouch of aluminum foil. Add shrimp, Old Bay, lemon zest, remaining lemon juice, remaining butter, and beer. Bunch foil together at top. Place in center of baking pan. Return to oven and roast 15 more minutes. Remove from oven. Empty shrimp and juices onto sheet pan. Turn corn on side to absorb juices. Return to oven for 5 minutes.
This house on “the Forest Hill” was packed with energy and festive events last week. I had the five year olds for Grand and GrandDad Camp, a childhood friend here from Shaker Heights, and the Queen Peggy’s 95th celebration of life! And in the midst of it all, the children managed to create a wonderful bread concoction! It’s play time, so follow the trail below…
16 oz round sourdough bread Stick of butter 2 t minced garlic 1 1/2 t Italian seasoning (or equal parts of dried basil, parsley, and oregano) 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 3 Tbs chopped parsley, divided
Preheat the oven to 375°. Place the bread on non stick sheet pan. Cut a grid on the bread by creating vertical cuts, stopping before you hit the bottom crust. Repeat the cuts in a horizontal manner. Place butter, garlic, seasoning, and half of parsley in small sauce pan. Heat until butter is melted. Drizzle butter into crevices of bread. Gently stuff cheese deep into crevices of bread, and sprinkle of top. Wrap bread in foil to cover. Bake 10 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 12 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining parsley, and serve.
Bread by Lucy, Parker, and Peg. Sculpture by Jeff Kiefer.
Our family has always enjoyed the properties of a single, simple glass of Sangria, especially following a L.O.N.G. day of walking streets, touring museums, scouring markets, and absorbing culture in a distant city…or simply picking up the 5 year olds for the week right here in ENC (Eastern North Carolina)! The top pics below are from a treasured Thanksgiving holiday in London, on a quiet little street in Brenton’s neighborhood, when she was there and studying at Sotheby’s. Dare I say a magical adventure. The London version is a white wine Sangria, and my recipe is for a delightful red wine Sangria. Cheers!
2 oranges, sliced 2 lemons, sliced 2 Tbs superfine sugar 2 (1/5th size ) bottles red wine 2/3 cup Grand Marnier 1 red apple, cored and sliced into thin wedges Club soda to top up
Place half orange and lemon slices in large pitcher. Sprinkle with sugar. Leave to commingle flavors 15 minutes. Add wine and Grand Marnier. Refrigerate 1 hour or more. When ready to serve, add apple slices, remaining orange and lemon slices. Add ice to tall glasses and pour over. Top up with small bit of club soda.
PegHardee.com Insight into Southern Cuisine and Hospitality 