Two Summer Tomato Recipes

The Ripe Time
Thanks to the recent hot weather, last night we ate the first garden fresh tomatoes of the season. There really is nothing like home grown tomatoes. Of course by the end of the summer I’ll be giving them to anyone and everyone who happens by—but at this point I am savoring the sweetness.

When our tomatoes start to ripen to the tune of one or two a day, I look for recipes that use them fresh, without much alteration. I want to taste the tomatoes, not hide their flavor under a heavy sauce or dressing.

More often than not, I will make some kind of bruschetta or open faced tomato sandwich. They are easy, and perfect for lunch or a light dinner. Add a little sliced fresh mozzarella and/or Prosciutto and you’re good to go. You could even add some good quality tuna in olive oil and some sliced hard boiled egg…whatever suits your fancy.

I found these two recipes on my new favorite blog, Love And Lemons. The first is a Tomato, Peach, and Avocado Bruschetta — tomatoes are at their best right now. The combined flavors are amazing.

The Eggplant and Squash Tian caught my eye because as the tomatoes are ripening, so are the summer squashes and zucchini. This is a great way to use both. I’m on the fence about the eggplant. Not one of my favorites but feel free to take the risk! Read more…

Two Summer Salads

It’s A Toss Up!

As a general rule, I am not a salad kinda gal. You will almost never see me order a salad for a meal. There are some notable exceptions. On rare occasion, a Cobb Salad hits the spot.

It’s not that I have anything against salads. I don’t. I love veggies. I simply would rather have something else along with my salad. The salads I prepare are more of a side veggie than a bowl of leafy greens.

I have recently discovered two recipes that quickly became go-to favorites. They are easy and go well with Summer meals. I found this first recipe while researching Tyler Florence for this coming weekend’s cookbook club dinner, and it made it to the menu. It takes minutes to assemble and is perfect with the ripe avocados of the summer. Of course, anything with bacon works for me.

The second is for people who like pickles. That would be me. (I blame my Viking heritage.) However, here’s a way to enjoy fresh pickles without the two-week wait. I was looking for a recipe that would help me use up the cucumbers (that have been multiplying like rabbits in my garden) since I haven’t had time to make them into pickles. It’s the best of both worlds. It’s cooling and full of flavor and great with burgers or anything you want to throw on the grill. Read more…

Steak and Eggs with Smoked Paprika

In Theaters Everywhere…

Over the weekend my sister and I saw the movie Chef. It reminded me to strive to do what I am passionate about.

I was also reminded that this is the beginning of Blockbuster Movie season. Walking through the theater, I got a preview of what’s to come. The walls were covered in posters advertising what will be blown up, turned into robots, animated, scared to death, invaded by aliens, laughed at, and enjoyed.

Summer Movie season is a little of everything. There are a few heavy films here and there (The Fault In Our Stars, anyone?) But for the most part the movies reflect the season. It’s a fun and carefree way to spend some time cooling off from the afternoon heat, and to ingest way more than your daily allowance of sugar from candy and sodium from buttered popcorn.

I have been introducing my kids to some of my favorite movies from when I was their age. Back to the Future was a big hit, as was The Goonies. Unfortunately, I was made to suffer through Ace Ventura Pet Detective—but it was worth it if only to watch my boys totally loose it laughing.

This week’s recipe, Steak and Eggs with Smoked Paprika, is inspired by one of my favorite summer movies, Twister. “Tasty Cow Aunt Meg.” Twister is one of my guilty pleasures, and everything a summer movie should be. It’s scientifically questionable, totally cheezy, and epically cool when seen on the big screen. (It’s also quite good when shown on the garage door on a hot summer night!)

If I catch it while channel surfing, I am incapable of passing it by. (Along with Top Gun, Stand By Me, Speed, Bull Durham…ooooo! Backdraft, Men in Black, Braveheart, Independence Day, The Sandlot, any Harry Potter, Forrest Gump…)

Brazilian Feijoada and Caipirinhas

The Beautiful Game

Ole! Ole! Ole! Ole!
For those of you living a normal day-to-day existence, this week is like any other—although for some it is the last week of school, which makes this week (in the eyes of the kids) awesome. For us sports junkies, this week kicks of a month of pounding hearts, adrenaline spikes, heated debates, and hair pulling as the greatest sporting event in the world begins…the 2014 World Cup.

Aside from the Olympics, this is the only sporting event where the winners can legitimately call themselves a World Champion. Here in the U.S., soccer is well-loved by our younger generations, but for the most part takes a back seat to football and baseball. The rest of the world on the other hand, goes nuts for it. And I do mean nuts.,

This year’s games are being played in Rio de Jeneiro, which couldn’t be a more appropriate location. (Talk about a party!) Brazil has a long history of great soccer, and is looking to prove to the world again just how dominant they are in the sport.

For me, it’s an excuse to eat Brazilian food. I know. Not exactly the kind of fare you will find around every corner though you can find it—especially in the Bay Area. One of my favorite dishes is Feijoada.

Feijoada is Brazil’s most emblematic dish. It is stewed meat and beans with sausage and rice and collard greens. (My mouth is watering just thinking about it.) Throw in a caipirinha and I am a happy girl. Too many of those caipirinhas and I am too happy. (Be careful. Caipirinhas are the kind of drinks where you wake up in a road-side ditch…Don’t wake up in a road-side ditch!)

Authentic Feijoada can be time intensive and uses unfamiliar smoked cuts of meat not easily found by most Americans. (How’s that for diplomatic?) Below are two recipes for different versions of Feijoada. The first one is a not so traditional version from Chef Eric Ripert and is more approachable for the American home: the ingredients are more readily available, and the recipe is less labor-intensive. The second is a more traditional version for those who are up for the challenge.

And of course, the Caipirinhas…
Read more…