Grilled Chicken Thighs with Peaches, Mint, and Almonds

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait
Six years ago, when we moved into our current house, one of the first things we did (even before fixing the doors) was plant a fruit orchard on the Front 40 of our lot.

We originally planted 12 trees: 2 Peach, 2 Nectarine, 1 French Prune, 1 Sekel Pear, 2 Cherry, and 4 Apple. It’s been a painful process, often because we think we kinda know what we are doing—but we really don’t. Most of the time we just get lucky.

We lost one of the Peach trees to gophers, and have gone through multiple rounds of peach leaf curl. Last year we had quite a few prunes and apparently they were quite tasty. At least the squirrels thought so—since they ate them all.

This year things are looking up. The trees are bigger, and loaded with early signs of a decent crop: especially the Nectarine. It looks like we might actually get to harvest some of it. (Quick, somebody knock on wood!)

We usually head out to Brentwood to do our peach and nectarine picking this time of year, but I am hoping we can just eat our own crop. I have a feeling we will still end up in Brentwood. Peaches and nectarines do not last long in our house.

In the mean time I am keeping watch on the trees, and anticipating that first juicy, sweet bite. I am looking forward to a summer of recipes like this Grilled Chicken Thighs with Peaches, Mint, and Almonds adapted from Michael Symon’s cookbook Carnivore. The chicken is good, but the real reason I make this is for the peach salad. It’s such a great match for anything grilled. Read more…

Amy’s Spicy Slaw

The Long Arm Of The Slaw

I have never really been a huge fan of cabbage in any form. As I grow older I have found one exception: cole slaw. In my childhood, I wouldn’t get within ten feet of the stuff. But lately, I notice, I seek it out—if only to try the different versions that are becoming mainstream. Coleslaw is no longer the tri-colored sloppy-sweet mess I remember as a kid. There’s Asian Slaw, Apple Slaw, Jicama Slaw…and the list goes on.

One thing I note with my newly acquired taste—I prefer less sweet and more crunch. I also lean more toward the spicy, Asian versions which tend to use Napa cabbage rather than the typical green cabbage.

My favorite recipe for coleslaw is adapted from a number of different recipes. Throw in the ingredients I like, leave out the stuff I don’t, and TA-DA! We have a winner! I also add some Sriracha sauce because, just like bacon, everything is better with Sriracha sauce.

As we fast approach the official start of the BBQ season, I encourage you to give this slaw a try when you decide to light the coals. It is also fabulous on pulled pork sandwiches! I encourage you to get a little wacky and make one of your own…

Amy’s Spicy Slaw
I mess around with this recipe for Amy’s Spicy Slaw a lot, but here is the basic version. Sometimes I add jicama. Sometimes I add green apple. Sometimes I leave out the cilantro ’cause Mom hates it. Feel free to mess around. Read more…

Feast or Famine Mac ‘n Cheese

Feast or Famine

April is the month of budding fruit trees, tulips, nasty yellow marshmallow birds and, sigh, taxes.

Some years we look forward to April ‘cause we naively think that Uncle Sam will contribute to our “Butt on a Beach” fund. (By the way, this is a cause I believe in wholeheartedly. Donate now!)

Other years? Not so much.

We’ve all been there. One week we’re cruising down our beautiful “well maintained” highways (that shrine to our tax dollars at work) on our way to a dinner of filet mignon with lobster. And the next week Turbo Tax is telling us that there is a Costco size case of Top Ramen in our future.

So, in honor of Feast or Famine month, I offer you two of my top recipes for a comfort food favorite, Mac & Cheese. True, the desperate can go the blue-box, plastic cheese route. But the real deal is easy to prepare, and you can make extra for the freezer.

For those whose fortunes have been favored, I offer a decadent version, and suggest you enjoy it with your favorite bottle of bubbly—while using your best Thurston Howell III voice. Read more…

New Potato Salad

They Call Me…‘Tater Salad

My mom had her birthday over the weekend, so we celebrated at my house with one of her (and my) favorite dinners: Baby Back Ribs, Coleslaw, Cornbread, Beans and Potato Salad. Oh! And don’t forget the coconut cupcakes…again, Mom’s favorite. My sister and I split the cooking duties, and I admit we may have gone a little crazy—but we had a couple good excuses.

The best excuse was Mom’s birthday. So, why not? The other excuse? My sister and I are trying to cook as many dishes for our next Cookbook Club dinner as we can and we had a captive audience. So again, why not?

The required book this time around is anything written by The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. She has a number of cookbooks, and most of her recipes can be found on foodnetwork.com. Her cooking is approachable, uncomplicated, and always tasty. For Mom’s Birthday BBQ, the beans, potato salad and the cupcakes were all Ina recipes.

The potato salad happened because I knew that most of the party goers under 5 feet tall were not going to get near the cole slaw. (Cabbage, in any form, is apparently poisonous to kids). I have always been a big fan of potato salad, but this particular recipe is by far one of my favorites and I make it often—though I do tweak it a bit ’cause I can. Adding hard-boiled eggs is my favorite tweak.

No matter if you leave it alone or give it your own twist, try this recipe. With BBQ season fast approaching it’s the perfect recipe for any outdoor get-togethers…or just ’cause. Read more…