Summertime Succotash

As I mentioned in our Americana Steak post, we made succotash as our accompaniment for our fabulous steak. Now, I have been reminded several times, that succotash means lima beans. Lima beans don’t really top my list of favorite foods. It’s not really that I don’t like them, I just haven’t had any great lima beans…so when I saw this recipe, I knew it was right up my alley. The lima beans are replaced with green beans, yum! This was a quick and easy way to switch up our regular vegetable options. We did adjust this recipe a little based on the vegetables we had available. The big changes we made to this were that we threw the corn on the grill before adding it, we left the peppers fresh, and we were lacking zucchini (but I am sure that would be awesome). We left the corn a bit on the underdone side so it wouldn’t be overdone when added to the pan. This was a great way to round out our meal.
One other thing—If you struggle with corn going everywhere when you cut it off the cob, try this little trick. Get out your Bundt pan, yes the one for baking, place the corn cob vertically in the center of the pan and cut the kernels off as you normally would. All of the kernels will fall into the pan, keeping them contained. It is like magic! (Sorry I don’t have photos, I will remember next time!)

Kelly

Summertime Succotash

Based on the ‘Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook‘

1 to 1 ½ c green and/or yellow wax beans, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
2 T olive oil
1 T butter
¾ c minced scallions (white and light green parts only)
1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 ½ c fresh corn kernels
¾ cup corn stock, chicken stock, or fish stock
¼ c heavy whipping cream
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Blanch the beans in boiling salted water for 5-7 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and cook gently for one minute, until slightly soft. Add the zucchini, pepper and corn kernels (reserve if grilled) and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the beans, stock and cream (and corn if grilled) and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the liquid is reduced to a thick, creamy consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

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Americana Steak

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Tortilla Soup or Sopa Azteca

Tortilla soup is something that takes many forms now-a-days. You can have chunky or silky, low-fat or not so much. This particular version is a new favorite of ours. This is a soup made super smooth with the use of a blender with all the chunks added to the bowl. I love that you can pick your own toppings and everyone gets what they want. I tend to like this a little spicier, so I add a couple different chili (ancho and guajillo) powders to the original recipe. Not everyone loves it that way, so if you stick with the traditional dried pasilla (negro) chile, you will get a smoky, sweet, mild heat. We make chicken stock on a regular basis and I often make this using that. I really do think the homemade broth makes a big difference, but you can absolutely use store bought with great results. Add this healthy comfort food to your arsenal!

Kelly

Sopa Azteca

Adapted from Rick Bayless‘ Mexican Everyday

Serves 4 to 6

Recipe from Frontera Grill/Topolobampo

1 large dried pasilla (negro) chile, stemmed and seeded

One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice (preferably fire-roasted)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick

3 garlic cloves, peeled

2 quarts chicken broth

1 large epazote sprig, if you have one (I have not tried this yet but it’s on my radar)

4 (about 1 1/4 pounds total) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 large ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin and cut into 1/4-inch cubes

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Mexican melting cheese (like Chihuahua, quesadilla or asadero) or Monterey Jack, brick or mild cheddar

A generous 4 cups (about 6 ounces) roughly broken tortilla chips

1/2 cup Mexican crema, sour cream or creme fraîche for garnish

1 large lime, cut into 6 wedges, for serving

Quickly toast the chile by turning it an inch or two above an open flame for a few seconds until its aroma fills the kitchen. (Lacking an open flame, toast it in a dry pan over medium heat, pressing it flat for a few seconds, then flipping it over and pressing it again.) Break the chile into pieces and put in a blender jar along with the tomatoes with their juice. (A food processor will work, though it won’t completely puree the chile.)


Heat the oil in a medium (4-quart) saucepan over medium-high. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 7 minutes.



Scoop up the onion and garlic with a slotted spoon, pressing them against the side of the pan to leave behind as much oil as possible, and transfer to the blender. Process until smooth.


Return the pan to medium-high heat. When quite hot, add the puree and stir nearly constantly, until thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 6 minutes.


Add the broth and epazote, if using. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt, usually about a generous teaspoon (depending on the saltiness of the broth).


Just before serving, add the chicken to the simmering broth. Divide the avocado, cheese and tortilla chips between serving bowls.


When the chicken is done, usually about 5 minutes, ladle the soup into the bowls. Garnish with the crema. Pass the lime separately.


YUMMY!

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Steak Salad for Supper

A trip to the farmer’s market left us with piles of early lettuce, arugula, French radishes and tomatoes. Instead of spending $100 on each of us getting a nice Filet, we bought one ½ pound beef tenderloin filet for $12 at the “nice” store, since we are hardly going to cook it. The question was whether to grill the steak or pan fry. I wanted this to be almost raw, a quick sear on each side to make a crust, so I didn’t know if the (disappointing Jenn-Air) gas grill would get hot enough. So I pulled out my old trusty cast iron pan. I figured, searing hot, 2 minutes per side, to break down the fat and get a nice crust. And, frankly, it came out perfect.
Prep your salad by washing and drying your lettuce. Make salad dressing by combining 2 T. good olive oil plus 1 ½ t. sherry vinegar, a crushed clove of garlic and salt and pepper. Shake well and set aside until later. You can do all this ahead and chill while you take a nap after the Farmer’s market!
After your nap, cut up tomatoes, radishes, cabbage and measure your capers and shave the Parmesan. We like to lay all the ingredients out in our salad bowl.

Next, trim off the silver skin (that the expensive store left on). Crush some peppercorns, with the heavy cast iron pan. The heavy pan will keep the pepper from flying away! Preheat the pan until SUPERhot on high. Add 1 T. Canola Oil and spread around the pan. Cover the steak with the crushed pepper and some Celtic salt. Press onto the meat so it stays on. Put the steak in the pan fat side down (on its side) for 2 minutes. It will smoke, don’t worry, just turn on your fan. Flip and cook 2 minutes per side. Let steak rest for 5 minutes.

Toss salad. Slice steak against the grain and into super thin slices.

Add cooked steak to the top of the salad. YUM!

Mary

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Weeknight Dinner: Chicken Fried Rice

There are some meals that you just go back to over and over again; this is one of mine. I started making this in college because my best friend, Robin,  LOVED fried rice and we were looking for a way to make a healthy version at home. I started with this recipe from Tyler Florence but, as usual, I didn’t have all the ingredients, so I improvised. Since then, I have tweaked it and made it my own. Though I often throw in extra vegetables I have laying around or make substitutions, this is my favorite combination. The keys to this recipe are the fresh ginger and Hosin sauce, other than that, play around. We often cook extra chicken or beef on the grill to have on hand for lunch or so we have it available for recipes like this. You could also use shrimp or rotisserie chicken to make it easy. I like short grain brown rice for this, though it is traditionally made with white rice, there is enough flavor that people don’t notice the substitution. Plus, I think the brown rice gives it a nice bite. This is such a versatile recipe and super easy to make!

Kelly

Chicken Fried Rice

Ingredients
2 cups short-grain brown rice
4 cups cold water
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and sliced in 1/2
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sesame or olive oil
1 teaspoon Mongolian Fire Oil (optional)
4 scallions, sliced thin (reserve some of the green part for garnish)
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 cup sugar snap peas, chopped
1 cup pineapple, cubed
½ red bell pepper, chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup orange juice
3-5 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
In a pot with a tight fitting lid, add the rice and 4 cups cold water. Put in the ginger and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for about 10 minutes. (I usually use a rice cooker so I don’t have to watch it, but you can prepare on the stovetop).

While the rice is cooking, prep the vegetables and chicken. Try to make all the pieces roughly the same size so they cook evenly.

Heat a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When it is hot, pour in the sesame oil. Add the scallions, ginger, and garlic; stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant.

Stir in the vegetables and orange juice leaving out the pineapple and cook for about 2 minutes.

Stir in the chicken to reheat, about 1-2 minutes.

Remove the ginger from the rice and add the rice and pineapple to the wok; stir everything together and break up any clumps of rice.

Add the soy and hoisin and stir some more.

Pour in the egg and stir-fry until cooked, about 1-2 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more soy sauce if needed.

Stir in the additional green onion and serve.

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Memorial Day Burger Bash

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Suit or no Suit?

I am in the process of job hunting and every time I end up with an interview, I ask myself this very question. Is a suit still the way to go in today’s more casual society? I think a suit is always necessary for certain jobs and professions (think doctors, politicos or stockbrokers). In my more creative field, I don’t know that it is always the answer. While I don’t think you can go wrong wearing a suit, is it worth the investment? PR, marketing and events have an interesting place in the world. They really attempt to strike a balance between business and creative. Let me tell you, it is not always easy. As a young professional in the field, you want to feel pulled together and age appropriate at the same time. Fashion forward yet professional. How do you best strike the balance? In addition, I think the answer varies a bit by region. I always feel compelled to wear a black suit and panty hose (yes, they still exist) for East Coast jobs, whereas I would probably never consider it for a job in LA. Here in Boulder, I generally wear a nice skirt and a jacket, but not necessarily a suit. Like this:

Elizabeth and James Available Here

I don’t want to feel like I am relegated to wearing the boxy “power suits” of yesteryear…

…so I have been on the hunt for something that is the perfect blend. Here are some that I like (affording these is, of course, a separate issue)!

Nanette Lepore Available Here

Theory Available Here

Elie Tahari Available Here

Rebecca Taylor Available Here

What do you think? Do you have a rule on interview suits? Would you wear any of these? What are your favorite places to find clothes for work? I would LOVE input!

Kelly

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Saturday Smoothie

Sunday breakfast often seems to be the time for eggs and bacon or wonderful pastries, but in our house, Saturday is for lighter fare. This morning we threw together a quick smoothie that turned out delicious! Smoothies are one of those great things that are easy to make and allow for creativity. I have to admit, not all of my smoothies come out perfect, but I have fun playing with it! We had cappuccinos this morning, so we didn’t need more espresso, but this smoothie would be great with a shot of espresso added! Try it and let me know what you think.

Kelly

Saturday Smoothie

2 T Almond Butter
1 Banana (Frozen)
½ c Frozen Peaches
2 Scoops Chocolate Protein Powder
1 c Skim Milk
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Add more liquid if necessary. Serve immediately.

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Royal Scones

I woke up this morning and knew that scones were the only way to celebrate the Royal Wedding today! This recipe is a light all-purpose rendition. We have in the past added crystalized ginger to the dough with great success. You could add almost anything to make them your own! They also store quite well, unbaked, in the freezer. I decided to keep it simple this morning and served them with my favorite Huckleberry jam and strawberries.

Buttermilk Scones

Courtesy of The SONO Baking Company Cookbook

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 T sugar

1 T baking powder

1 t coarse salt

1/2 t baking soda

6 T chilled butter cut into small pieces

3/4 cup buttermilk

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
  3. Work butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1/2 cup of buttermilk and fold together then continue adding buttermilk 1 T at a time until the dough just comes together and there are no dry spots.
  4. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into two balls. Form each ball into a 7 inch disk, 3/4 inch to 1 inch thick. Using a scraper or a sharp knife cut each disk into 6 equal wedges. Place wedges on prepared baking sheet and chill for 1 hour.
  5. Preheat oven to 400°
  6. Bake on middle rack for 16-20 minutes, until golden brown. Rotate about 2/3 of the way through.
  7. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
  8. ENJOY!

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Chicken Piccata

When it comes to Chicken Piccata, recipes vary a bit on the details, but the basics are simple. Think chicken breasts, lemon and capers. This is absolutely one of my favorites and this is a recipe that has evolved over the years. Some people prefer to bread the chicken while I prefer just a seasoned flour coating. Some people prefer to pan fry the chicken in just olive oil and add butter to the sauce later, I think using both butter and olive oil to fry adds some depth and a lovely golden color. Many recipes choose either chicken stock or white wine, I like to use both. Sometimes I adjust it based on what I have on hand, but this is my favorite combination. I tend to like the sauce a bit more on the tart side. One other note: I buy chicken cutlets that have already been prepared by a butcher to save time, but you can buy boneless breasts and butterfly them or pound them to the thickness you like. Enjoy playing with this recipe!

Chicken Piccata

1 Package Chicken Cutlets (5-6 cutlets)

4 T. Flour

Salt

Pepper

1/3 c. Chicken Stock

2/3 c. White Wine

2/3 c. Lemon Juice (Freshly squeezed, about 2-3 large lemons)

2 Cloves Garlic, Finely Chopped

2 T. Capers

6 T. Butter

4 T. Olive Oil

Fresh Parsley, Chopped

Add flour to a plate and season generously with salt and pepper. Dredge the cutlets in the seasoned flour and set aside, making sure to shake off any excess flour.

In a large skillet, melt 1 1/2 T. butter and 1 T. olive oil over med high heat.

Place two or three cutlets in the pan (making sure not to crowd them) and cook until golden brown, approximately 3 minutes per side.

Remove from the pan and cover with foil while cooking the next batch.

Wipe out the bottom of the pan before adding another 1 1/2 T. butter and 1 T. olive oil and repeating with the next batch of chicken. When the chicken is cooked, wipe out the pan again and add 2 T. of butter plus 1 T. olive oil. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly brown. Add the wine, lemon juice, stock, a pinch of salt and pepper, bring to a simmer.

While the sauce is cooking, make beurre manie by mixing equal parts flour and softened butter (1 T. of each) which will make a paste to thicken the sauce.

Add half of the beurre manie to the simmering sauce and add more as needed. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon when ready, 3-5 minutes. Add the chicken back to the sauce to finish the cooking (about 5 minutes), turning several times to coat evenly.

Add capers. Adjust seasoning as needed. Add the chopped parsley just before serving.

Serve with some good bread to sop up the sauce!

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