Honey Ginger Glazed and Grilled Chicken

If you're looking for a unique and light alternative to barbecue sauce, try this one!  I'm always looking for ways to introduce those "healing" plants and herbs into my cooking.  Rosemary, garlic and ginger goes well into this basting sauce for chicken, fish or maybe even steak or ribs.  It will be a welcome addition to your 4th of July barbecue!

Marinade:

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary (or in a jar)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp grated ginger

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp roasted garlic flavor rice vinegar

2 Tbsp olive oil

Mix the above and set aside.  Grill the chicken pieces.  (I use thighs.)  During the last 10 minutes, start to baste the chicken, turning a few times to cover both sides.  So good!

No Dishes - Grilled Veggies

Buy a mattress and get a free barbecue grill!  Enticing enough...especially since we needed a new mattress, anyway.  It might have been even better if the grill came assembled.  After several hours and a few glitches with instructions and parts, hubby and I high fived each other.  We probably should have toasted with a drink instead.

The next evening we tried out our new grill.  It's nothing spectacular, but to us, it's kind of nice.  No charcoal or lighter fluid to mess with, so I'll be doing more grilling myself.  And with that future kitchen remodel on the horizon,  this will be our main means of meal prep.

I love roasted veggies, so my first side dish was a simple grilled vegetable medley which was cooked in a packet of foil.  Very basic and no dishes!

On a large piece of foil arrange:

2 baby bok choy, sliced lengthwise

2 carrots, sliced

5 cloves of garlic, or more, leave whole

1/2 cup red onion, sliced or in chunks

5 Tbsp margarine

drizzle of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

I also had trimmings from the garden which I added.  Fresh parsley, spinach, beet and radish leaves.  Use your imagination.

Lay the veggies on the foil, add the margarine, salt & pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.  Fold the top and ends loosely so that it steams.  Place onto the grill for about 20-25 minutes.  Serve.  It doesn't get any easier than that!  Enjoy..

My First Summer Salad

This last week I had my first Summer salad with fixings from my garden!  The butter lettuce has been flourishing along with the spinach and radishes.  I'm loving the taste of fresh picked veggies!  There is nothing like it!  Even going to the farmer's market doesn't compare when you can walk right out the door and start gathering.

My hops vine reaching for the sun - Beer anyone?

The night before,  I made my maple glazed salmon in foil packets on our new grill.  I had leftover chunks of salmon  so into the salad it went with a drizzle of FF honey mustard and a sprinkle of goat cheese.  All my favorites!

Simple salmon and butter lettuce salad

The next night I sauteed the "first pick" of the swiss chard in olive oil and garlic.  Yum!   I've been making use of the fresh parsley and lemon verbena before a hungry rabbit demolishes it.  The war of the garden has begun with all the critters so most of my garden is extremely "raised" or double fenced!

Resting and digesting after a meal of parsley and lemon verbena

  Hopefully, this year the harvest will be plentiful, enough for all.  I'll keep you posted.

From Sorrento with Amore - Pasta of the Month

Do you ever travel in your daydreams?  One of the scenes in my mind is to rise one morning, throw open the rustic wooden shutters and find myself staring into the deep blue waters of the Tyrrenian Sea.  The morning sun climbs higher and sparkles across the sea like small diamonds.   The intoxicating lemon scented air surrounds me.  Throwing on some clothes, I wander down to the street where I will be greeted with a warm cup of espresso.

The fishermen are beginning to dock and unload their catch.  When I finish my "wake up" beverage, I begin my ritual at the pasticerria.  I buy some creme filled cannolis for later, as well as a just baked loaf of bread encrusted with rosemary and olives.  This will go nicely with my lemon infused pasta.  I continue down the trellised path surrounded by magenta colored bougainvillea.  Bright terracotta urns filled with hot red geraniums line the street.  Each step beholds a beautiful sight.

It's just a dream, but I know dreams do come true!  I've only been to Sorrento through pictures and travel brochures, but I'm sure its as beautiful as they say.  I will visit someday! 

As June is rapidly coming to an end, my pasta of the month is a lemon infused angel hair pasta.  So lemony but light, and simple to make.  You don't have to be in Sorrento to enjoy the bounty of the region.

Ingredients:

Serves 4

1/2 box angel hair pasta

olive oil

1/2 shallot or onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

a handful of parsley, basil and lemon verbena, roughly chopped

1/2 lemon, juice squeezed

2 ladles of pasta water

2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp lemon zest

In a large pot boil water for pasta and cook according to directions.  Reserve at least 2 ladles of the pasta water before draining.  In a large skillet, cover the bottom with olive oil.  Add the shallot, garlic, parsley, basil and lemon verbena.  (If you don't have verbena you can use a little more lemon zest, juice or lemon thyme might be an interesting variation.)  Cook on medium only until shallots soften.  Add the lemon juice, drained pasta and ladles of pasta water to moisten.  Mix thoroughly, garnish with Parmesan and lemon zest and serve immediately.  Hopefully, this will transport you to the villa in Sorrento...

Lemon Pecan Loaf with Amaretto Glaze

For Father's Day I was assigned the task of creating dessert.  Most of the men in our family love strawberries, and they are certainly in their peak right now.  (Strawberries, that is!)  Instead of a traditional shortcake or pound cake for a strawberry shortcake, I came up with this lemon bread inspired by Betty Crocker.

I made a few adjustments to it, ingredients and altitude, and the result was a nice light, lemony success to accompany some perfectly ripe and sweet strawberries!  Of course,  scoops of vanilla bean ice cream topped it off in lieu of heavy whipped cream.  It also makes a perfect "stand alone" snack or breakfast cake.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup milk (low altitude increase to 1 1/4 c)

1 Tbsp lemon zest

3 Tbsp oil

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1/4 cup sugar

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 - 1 1/2 Tbsp amaretto

Preheat oven to 375 (350 for lower altitude).  Grease the bottom of a loaf pan (9x5).  Place all the ingredient in a large bowl,  through the egg, and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds.  Pour into the pan and bake for approximately 55 -60 minutes.  If a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, it's done.  Remove and poke holes every one inch,  using a long toothpick. 

 In a small bowl, mix the sugar, lemon juice and amaretto, and drizzle over the top.  Cool the bread for 10 minutes, remove from the pan and continue to cool on a rack.  Try to wait before slicing it.  About an hour will do.  Eat it plain, with coffee, milk or as a shortcake.  Enjoy!

I sliced it!  It had to be tested.

A Glimpse of a Great Father

In honor of Father's Day, I wanted to share mine.  No recipes, although I'll be baking for a celebration later in the day.  Perhaps, I'll have something tomorrow.

Happy Father's Day to all the great fathers out there.  You are so important to the family unit.  While mothers are generally the nurturing force, the fathers, day in and day out, sacrifice so much. (Anymore, it's a joint effort with husband and wife sharing responsibilites.)  In my family, my dad seemed to always be working, to get that food on the table and clothes on our back.  Some things never change!  Reflecting back, my dad gave me an appreciation of travel, good food and gardening skills.  (all my favorite things!)

With his wife/my mom

My father and his first grandson, Jeremy                            

                                                                                                                  

You've always been a great dad and a wonderful grandfather to my son, and all your grandsons.  On this day I wish you well....you're the best!  I Love You!

What's for Lunch - Veggie Quesadilla

This has got to be the simplest, quickest quesadilla ever.  Instead of grilling it, I simply microwaved it!  I know this doesn't sound like much of a revelation to some of you, but I hardly use that appliance unless I'm reheating or popping popcorn!  I usually have an assortment of roasted veggies on hand, either from a previous meal or to create with.  Today, I used leftover roasted cauliflower which was part of last night's dinner.  Also, I had roasted red pepper because it goes well with pizza, pasta or sandwiches!

I roast my peppers in a large pan on 400 degrees, turning during the cooking process until all sides have a little charred look.   For those of you who have a gas cook top, this step is easy for you.  After roasting, the secret is to place peppers into a paper sack for about 20 minutes.  Then you can peel them fairly easy.  For the cauliflower, just put into a roasting pan with a little olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until done. (usually around 30 minutes, turning once during the process, or you can shake the flowerettes.)

If you spend a little time preparing the vegetables,  you can throw together a meal in no time.  A weekend would be good, if you have a spare hour.  You'll never buy bottles red peppers again!

For 1 quesadilla, use two 6- inch tortillas.  No measurements needed!  Put the bottom tortilla on a microwave safe plate.  Add some jack or cheddar cheese, (enough to cover the tortilla), and lay the strips of red pepper and roasted cauliflower on top.  Put the top tortilla on and flatten with hand.  Microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes.  Remove and cool slightly.  Cut into wedges and serve.  Each quesadilla can be for two people or for one hungry one!

These are the "soft taco" version of quesadillas.  If you want a more authentic cooked tortilla, just put in a pan with a little butter to "crisp" it up.  Enjoy!

Mexico Revisited - Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

Indulge me as I revisit one of my favorite places.  Along the Eastern coast of Mexico lies, in my opinion, the jewel of Mexico.  The Riviera Maya is the stretch of sunkissed tropical beaches, also the home of  Playa del Carmen, a once quaint fishing village,  and it's only a 45 minute drive from the lively Las Vegas like town of Cancum.   If you love a beach with talcum powder-like white sand, this is THE place.  If you like exploring the ancient Mayan ruins, you can do that, too.  If you're a foodie, and love the ultimate in dining and the beachside taco or shrimp quesadilla stands, you'll eat your way through Mexico.  But then you can walk the long stretches of beach for exercise relief! 

Amazingly enough, some of the best Italian food has been found in Mexico.  Also, as you stroll along 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen, the restaurants have plate displays of what a meal would look like on your plate.  The lobsters, I swear, were the size of 3 month old small kittens!  Or mini chihuahuas, if you're a dog person!

Food aside, though, the multi colored turguiose waters is what pulls me there.  The vibrant colors and the graciousness of the Mayan/Mexican people is another reason I have a fondness for the Riviera Maya region.  But, until a time comes when I can revisit, I continue to fill my kitchen with Mexican influenced dishes.

Some of the best sunrises!

Chicken Black Bean Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked chicken

1/4 c green chile enchilada sauce

1/4 c water

1 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro (optional)

Cook the above together in a small saucepan until the flavors mix.

1 cup black beans, rinsed well

1 cup grated jack cheese

1 small can black olives (optional)

1 1/2 c green chile enchilada sauce

6  soft flour tortillas (6 inch size is best)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In an 11x7 glass baking dish,  spray first with pan spray and put a small amount of green chile sauce on the bottom.  Lay out a tortilla,  put a small amount of chicken mixture, some black beans and cheese on top.  Roll closed and place seam side down into baking dish.  Repeat the process.  Pour the rest of the chile sauce evenly on top.  If you have remaining cheese you can add that, too.  Bake covered for approximately 30 minutes.  Garnish with fresh guacamole, perhaps a margharita, close your eyes and wish you were back on the glistening white sand beach.  Feel the tropical breeze?  Enjoy!

Bruschetta, Again? The Spicy Garden Variety

Those of you who know me, expect that most of my meals will be inspired by my travels.  On my return from my first trip to Italy my repertoire expanded with many Italian influenced recipes and my own creations.  I love the simplicity of Italian food and look forward to this time of year when fresh ingredients start to show up in the markets.  And before long, most veggies will be coming from my backyard garden!

Bruschetta are usually appetizers, but in this case they were hardy enough to be a complete meal.

Ingredients:

12 slices of a baguette or 6 slices of French (oops) bread cut in half will do

2 cups eggplant, peeled and cubed

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp onion, chopped

1/2 cup portabello mushrooms, cubed

olive oil (for the bottom of pan and to brush the bread before toasting)

fresh basil, a handful chopped

fresh spinach, a handful chopped

fresh parsley, a smaller handful, chopped

2 Italian sausages, precooked and chopped (I had some from the previous night.  Optional)

Set oven to broil.  On a cookie sheet, arrange the bread, brush with oil and broil until light brown.  Remove and you can rub with additional garlic clove, if you wish.  In a large skillet, cover the bottom with the olive oil.  On medium high heat add the eggplant, cook and stir until softened.  Add the mushrooms, garlic, onion, basil,  spinach, and parsley and continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes on a lower heat (medium).  Add the sausage at the end, mix and pile onto the bread slices.  I added a sprinkle of goat cheese before serving. Perfect for first course or an entire meal with a nice glass of Chianti!

More Garden Adventures

Who will win the war of the rabbits this year?  As I sat in the family room yesterday enjoying my first cup of coffee, I watched my backyard come alive with nature at its best (or worst?)  It seems one of the many rabbits that hop around and  forage my yard has been teaching itself to jump onto a patio chair.  I find this amusing because it's my cat chair where she lounges in the early morning sun.  Maybe the rabbit's been watching  from afar as the cat jumps on and off her perch!   After several attempts it finally succeeded, only to jump down and do it again, over and over until he was secure in his new found ability.

Moving on to the mother lode

This morning, he was back again, bright and early ready to practice.  After repeated jumps he moved onto a more challenging course.  Rabbit Olympics!   Using the chair he jumped onto the table where I have some lettuce, arugula and flowers.  Looks like he found the mother lode! 

He calls in the troops!

So, today as I plant more tomatoes, jalapenos, acorn squash, etc, I can hardly wait to see who else this cute little rabbit invites over for brunch!  It's time to buy more fencing, or perhaps a dog to scare him off!

With all the snow and cold weather this Spring, I was curious as to how the growing season is shaping up.  The following pictures were taken on the same day in 2009 and this year (June 7th).  What a huge difference.

June 7, 2011

June 7, 2009

Enjoy the day!  It may reach 80 degrees!  So much for Spring, on to Summer!

Roasted Mandarin Rosemary Chicken

When in doubt, cook chicken!  Chicken has to be the most versatile key ingredient on the planet.  You can roast it, bake it, disguise it 150 ways, put it in soups, stews, tortillas, and pasta, to mention a few ways.

I look for "deals" on whole organic chickens when I frequent the store.  I prefer organic because I really don't want the chemicals and syringe full of sodium solution injected into my meat.  If I need salt (and I don't), I want the opportunity to add it myself!

I'm a big fan of roasting whether it's a whole chicken or vegetables.  Somehow the flavor is always better.  Even though roasting a chicken is pretty straightforward, you can get creative with rubs and spices.  I had a few mandarins on the sink so I incorporated them into my basting sauce.

Ingredients:

1 mandarin, zested, peeled, sectioned and crushed

1 Tbsp oil

1 Tbsp butter

In a small saucepan place the mandarin pieces that were crushed.  (I also zested it first and saved it for the rub.)  Add the oil and butter.  Simmer for a bit and remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  In a roasting pan place the chicken.  In a small bowl add 1 Tbsp oil, 1 Tbsp dried rosemary, mandarin zest, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Rub this onto the chicken and massage it in. 

Roast the chicken until done.  For a 5 lb. bird,  I roasted for 2 1/2 hours, approximately,  while using the mandarin basting sauce (and liquid in the pan from chicken) every 30 minutes.

Another roasted chicken with lemon slices under the breast skin and rubbed with garlic and herbs de provence, also delicious!

If you have time, depending on your schedule, roasted chicken is great because you usually have leftovers to use other ways during the week!

Weekend Hideaways

One reason why I started this blog was to capture some of "my favorite places and things", and archive my recipes and travel, etc.   Somehow, it morphed into a food blog.  While I have no qualms about this, my true passion lies in traveling, even if it's just traveling down the road a bit.

Living in the Sierra Nevadas exposes me to many beautiful vistas, plenty of camping, pristine lakes for boating,  hiking trails practically outside my door and winding rivers and streams from which to reel that prized catch.  If I were to look on a map and draw a 200 mile radius circle from my home, the only thing lacking would be the ocean.  This can be daunting at times for a born and raised beach person!  But, we go on mini vacations to the ocean for a cure.

Two years ago we planned a 7 day motorcycle journey up into the Trinity-Shasta forest, continuing up into Oregon, over to the coast at Gold's Beach and back down the California coast, through the Redwoods and over the hill along the Feather river canyon road.  Whew!    The first "leg" of the trip took us up hwy 395N to Susanville, where we caught highway 44 to the 89hwy.  In mid June, you never know what kind of weather to expect but we were prepared.  Of course, we had our share of sunshine, puffy white clouds quickly turning to a shade of dark gray with a side helping of hail and rain mix!



Lunch stop in Susanville, CA



Amost there...will the weather hold?

Not perfect cycling weather

Our first night was spent at a place called the Green Gables Inn.  It was a circa 1950's u-shaped  motel complex with all the amenities.  The rooms were very clean which is a huge plus since we've stayed in our share of "dives" over the years.  After checking in we had some daylight left so we took a quick trip over to Burney Falls.  We stumbled upon this oasis years ago as we travelled up to Portland, Oregon.  We vowed we'd stop by again if we ever had the time.

At Burney Falls there are campsites and RV hookups.  In the nearby town of Burney, the motels and restaurants (cafe type) are sufficient.  It's a hop, skip and a jump to other Sierra playgrounds such as Lake Almanor and Lassen National Park.  If you're into hiking, the trail that winds around the Falls area is is a must do (Just don't do it in hot leather motorcycle boots and chaps that weigh 10 pounds!  Not recommended!)




Oh, what a hike!




My hero!




Stretching before the hike




View from the top of trail

 In the future I'll continue on the 2nd "leg" of the journey.   I just wanted to expose the beauty that surrounds me .  It's so close, a little slice of paradise!

A "favorite" place

Enjoy the weekend!

A Simple "Slimming Sandwich"

It seems I'm beginning to sharpen my sandwich skills in anticipation for a kitchen remodeling project.  Yes., We're finally updating our kitchen.  New granite surfaces, new gas cook top, (I'll need to learn to cook  all over again.)  So many ideas are flooding my mind.  I already have a great "work triangle" but there's always room for improvement!

At any rate, it's a process I'm looking forward to.  Even the chaos which will surely arise with a kitchen remodel will not bother me because I'm focused on the end results.  A beautiful, functional cook's kitchen.  Maybe I'll even hold cooking classes..anyone interested?   I'll keep you posted.  The demolishing has not yet begun, but this sandwich may very likely be on the "remodel menu"!

2 bagel thins (Love those!)

2 slices provolone cheese

1/2 cucumber sliced thin

1/2 avocado, sliced

basil leaves

Mayo, brown spicy mustard or your favorite spread (try hummus)

1/2 roasted red pepper, sliced

lettuce or spinach topping (optional)

salt and pepper (if you wish)

I lightly toasted the bagel thin and slathered mayo on hubby's and combination mayo/mustard on mine. Sometimes, I'll use roasted garlic hummus as a sandwich spread!  Good stuff!   Arrange the rest of the ingredients and dinner is ready.  A no-stove, no-oven allowed recipe.   Here's hoping the remodel goes as simple as this sandwich preparation!  Enjoy!