Most of you that know me realize I have a couple passions, outside my family that is, one is food and the other is music.  My husband and I produce live shows here in VA, intimate groups in very cool venues and we strive to have the experience as great for our artists as we know it will be for our attendees.  In an effort to care for our musical talent we prepare meals/snacks that suit their dietary choices.  Some prefer vegetarian selections and we created this one just for them....served in lettuce wraps and topped with a fresh vinaigrette you can't go wrong for a side or a main dish choice!  Enjoy.

Quinoa - Sweet n Savory

Ingredients:

1 medium onion (yellow or vidallia)

1/4 cup chopped dried apricots

1/4 cup dried cranraisins

1/4 cup chopped almonds (you can use sliced if you like)

1/4 cup chopped carrots

2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup Quinoa, rinsed well

1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

salt and pepper to taste

dash or two of caynne

dash of ground corriander

Vegetable oil

Prep all your ingredients (measure, chop, rinse, etc)

In a skillet over medium heat add a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil, add your onion and carrots and sautee for about 5 min till they start to soften - then add your fruit. Continue cooking, adding some more oil if needed to keep them moist, for about another 5 min till all ingredients are softened but not mushy.

In a saucepan - add vegetable broth, spices (start with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper for the cooking process - you can more after the dish is done if needed). Add the sauteed vegetables and rinsed quinoa - bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stir just to ensure ingredients are not sticking to pan or each other. Once this is at a boil, reduce heat till the mixture is at a simmer and cover. Cook for about 15-20 min. Test for tenderness and that the broth has been absorbed.

When done, turn out onto a cookie sheet and fluff evenly across the pan and allow to cool. When cooled put in a bowl, add parsley and nuts, and taste to see whether you feel it needs any more salt/pepper. Cover and refrigerate.

SPICED RYE LEMONADE

Want a sipper to enjoy the front porch, or the backyard swing....or maybe a hammock a the beach, then this is the beverage for you!! (we know, we tried it, loved it and wanted to share!)


Step One:  Simple Syrup

In a saucepan combine the following:
2 Cups Water
3 Cups Sugar
3 Cinnamon Sticks
20 Whole Cloves
1 Vanilla Bean (whole)
1/2 a lemon (squeezed and thrown in the pot)
1 whole nutmeg (I put mine in a sandwich bag and gave it a whack with a heavy pan, then dumped the pieces into the pot)

Bring up to a simmer, stir every couple min to make sure the sugar gets dissolved in the liquid.......keep on low heat for an hour!
COOL and transfer to a Mason Jar or similar container and store in fridge.

Step Two:  Make the Lemonade

Juice 6 lemons over a mesh strainer to catch the pulp and seeds.
Pour juice into a measuring cup....see how much it equals to THEN
Add equal amount of water and equal amount of simple syrup.
That is your lemonade - put in a pitcher or similar container and store in fridge.

Step Three:  MAKE THE DRINK!!

For each serving - 1.5 oz rye (Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye if possible)
3 oz lemonade
Serve over crushed ice
Stir
Garnish with a slice of lemon and a mint leaf

ENJOY!!!
CB

Easiest Monkey-Bread EVER!!!

Good Morning - here's a simple recipe for a quick breakfast treat.  Since Father's Day is tomorrow - well any one of your kids, with minimal supervision, could put this together as a surprise for Dad - along with a cup of coffee and lots of laughter - certainly a great way to start the day!!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 heaping Tablespoon of Cinnamon
1 pkg of Cook n Serve Butterscotch Pudding mix
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 cup butter (melted)
3 10-oz containers of your favorite refrigerated biscuits

How to:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Prep a bundt or fluted cake pan with non-stick spray

In a bowl (or a ziplock bag) mix the sugar, cinnamon and pudding mix well.
set aside

In a separate bowl, melt the butter

Pop open the tubes of biscuits and, one at a time, roll in the butter then roll in the dry mix till well coated.  Lay coated biscuits in the pan and overlap layer by layer till all of them are used.

Bake for 30-35 minutes and serve!

Corn Pudding - life after corn on the cob!

Typically I use this recipe at Thanksgiving, but with summer upon us there's no reason you can't use fresh - just make your own creamed corn and use the same volume as the canned variety!   (now don't get all "organic" on me...yes, sometimes we have to use canned veggies instead of fresh due to season or time constraints!)

For my friends on gluten free diets - I've played with using cornstarch to replace the flour and increasing eggs to 5 - seems to do ok!

1 stick melted butter
4 eggs, beaten
1 17 oz cans of creamed corn
1 17 oz can of sweet corn kernels
2 5 oz cans evaporated milk
1 Tablespoon sugar
6 Tablespoons Matzo meal
1 1/2 Teaspoons kosher salt
1/8 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
"Pam" a 2 quart casserole dish

Melt butter (I usually just use the microwave)
In a mixing bowl combine milk, eggs, sugar, salt, cayenne and beat well, add butter.  Stir in creamed corn and sweet corn kernels and Matzo meal, mix well.

Pour into casserole and set in a pan filled with hot tap water about 1/2 way up the side of the dish.

Bake 1 1/2 hours or until set.

Serve hot, room temp or even cold!

Beer Punch - hot summer/cool beverage

Simple ... and tasty!

The scoop on dealing with summer heat, especially while just hanging on the porch swing in the back yard, or with 50 people in your house after hearing amazing live music....good friends, good food and an easy cold beverage!

2 Cans frozen pink lemonade mix
6 Bottles Michelob Ultra Cactus/Lime beer
2 Cups of your favorite vodka

Mix, put into a gallon pitcher and keep in the fridge.

Pour over a glass of ice and enjoy!!

Easy Appetizer...Texas Caviar

College Graduation this weekend - wonderful party where the food was primarily lots of great apps. Texas Caviar is one of our favorites - hope you enjoy!

3 15-oz cans of black-eyed peas
2 15 oz cans of black beans
2 15 oz cans of sweet corn
2 jalapeño peppers, chopped with seeds removed
1 can Rotelle
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped with seeds removed
1 red bell pepper, chopped with seeds removed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Lime, juiced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 bunches green onions, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 Teaspoon of Paprika (feel free to add a touch of cayenne or chili powder if you like it spicier)
1 bottle zesty Italian dressing
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Open black-eyed peas, black beans and corn cans - put in colander and rinse, drain and transfer to large mixing bowl. Add all the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Great to eat immediately, but flavors will develop further if allowed to sit for a couple hours. This recipe can be made the day before and can be cut in half since it makes quite a bit! Stores well in the fridge in airtight containers or ziplock bags.

Green Gazpacho.....best summer soup ever!!

Happy Week 8, although my posted market basket box is from Week 7!!

The last few weeks have been busy being out of town, swamped with work and getting our newest VT Freshman settled into his dorm. I had the pleasure to give away one of my weeks to a wonderful friend for her b-day...the special people in her life used the bounty for dinner.

This week I want to share an amazing gazpacho with you. I've posted my favorite traditional red gazpacho last year and have fallen head over heels with this new twist. Never has a cold soup excited me so much. It does take a little planning since you need to prep some of it the night before, but it is so worth all your efforts! You truly eat this soup with your sense of sight, taste, smell and I do believe I could enjoy it everyday.

Hope you enjoy - let me hear you opinions please!!

Cheers,
Cheryl



Green Gazpacho

Ingredients:

Approx 2 pounds ripe tomatoes. (any variety) to create tomato water (directions below)
5 mint or basil leaves (depends on your preference in herb)
1/4 cup tequilla (we like to infuse our tequilla with roasted poblano peppers but not mandatory)
2 cucumbers, peeled , seeded and chopped
2 green bell peppers, seeded, cored and chopped
4 tomatillos, seeded and quartered
2 tablespoons white wine, sherry or champagne vinegar (your choice)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper
2-3 avocados
1/2 small bunch chives, rough chopped
1 bunch of cilantro, rough chopped
1 bunch of parsley, rough chopped
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and rough chopped

How To:

Day before – combine tomatoes and tequilla in a blender and puree. Using a large piece of cheesecloth folded in half, line a mesh strainer and then add puree. Tie up the cheesecloth around a wooden spoon and hang over pitcher in fridge overnight. The result will be great tomato flavor without the bulk and color of the fruit. (discard all the solids)

In a large glass bowl combine all the prepared veggies (cukes, peppers, tomatillos) with vinegar, lime juice, sugar and add just about a teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper (ground white is best). Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.

Day of -
In blender combine the herbs, marinating vegetables (with their rendered liquid), the tomato water and puree till smooth. Add avocados and blend. Taste for salt and pepper, add more if needed.

Serve: Keep the gazpacho cold till service – for each serving, put about a cup of gazpacho in a bowl and top with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, a cilantro leaf and a few dots of either a basil or lime infused oil (if you don't have flavored oils, a good quality olive oil will do just fine). Option – a dollop of creme fraiche with a couple thin slices of avocado would do nicely.