Been spending the summer back East in Michigan. On the lake. A real lake- no dam at the end. Just crystal clear spring fed water. Surrounded by trees and hills and history. There aren’t many places that are dearer to me. Reminds me of my mom and brothers swimming across to Frog Island; letting the minnows nibble our toes. Catching pollywogs on the other side, playing fort in the middle. Then swimming back to the cabin for lunch.

So in that spirit of simplicity and quality i give you a recipe/no recipe. You can morph this to suit what you have on hand- this includes lemon and fig; you can just as easily substitute blueberry jam and lose the rosemary. Or make it more savory- include chopped prosciutto, a swirl of pesto and top with pinenuts.

Beauty Shot:

Rustic Goat Cheese Tart with Figs

Ingredients:

1 Sheet Puff Pastry thawed

5 T Fig Jam ( I like Dalmatia Fig Spread Original)

7 Ounces Goat Cheese, plain at room temperature

8 T Heavy Cream

Zest of lemon

Juice from one Lemon

1/4 C or so, Toasted Walnuts

Rough Chopped Rosemary to taste (couple of tablespoons typically)

Salt and Pepper

Fresh Black Mission Figs for garnish, split into quarters

Fresh Rosemary sprigs for garnish

Putting it Together:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove thawed Puff Pastry from refrigerator and let sit at room temp for at least 30 minutes. Lightly dust baking sheet with flour. Roll out sheet to slightly larger rectangle. Vertically, cut 1″ from either side. Cut horizontal strip of 1″ from top and bottom.

While pastry sits, make the goat cheese mixture; combine the room temp goat cheese, zest, lemon juice and cream into bowl. Note- this is messy. Have tried by hand, with spoon. Seriously, use a food processor. Scraping often till well combined.

Place half of cheese mix into center of puff pastry. Smoosh around till pretty well spread. Doesn’t have to be perfect. Top with fig jam. Again, perfection is not the goal. Top with remaining goat cheese.

Brush the long strips with water on one side and place watered side down to meld the two sides together. Lightly press to adhere. Repeat brushing each remaining strip with water to make a “frame”.

Top with rough chopped rosemary. Top with walnuts. Place into oven for 15-17 minutes. But watch closely, do not want to burn.

Remove when pastry has risen and is golden brown.

Move to platter and garnish with figs and rosemary sprigs.

A pie cutter works well for serving.

Enjoy!

Terri

The quarantine/COVID19 crisis is wearing on everyone. And we are lucky enough to BLM land to hike on, go fishing, mountain bike and run on county land. But I am SO ready to go to a restaurant and have some one bring me cocktails and dinner.

But I am trying new recipes/combos all the time. I made Onion Chicken with Cornmeal Jalapeno Cheddar waffles. I loved it. My kids love it. Scott asked me not to make it ever again together. Like never. Separately, fine. Together again, never.

Though left over waffles are great from the toaster- with ham.

OK, back to the tacos. Took inspiration from Bon Appetit May 2020 for the shrimp. The rest is mine. And may I say, a bit more exciting. I often think that Bon Appetit down plays spice. Not me. Bring it on!

Beauty Shot:

Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw and Pickled Onion:

Ingredients:

Quick Pickled Onion:

1 Medium Red Onion, sliced thin

1/2 C Apple Cider Vinegar

1 T Sugar

1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

Sprinkling of Black Peppercorns, whole

Shrimp:

1 LB Jumbo Shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 T Adobo Sauce (from can of Chipotle Peppers in Adobo)

2 T Honey ( I love Queen Farina Raw Honey- https://www.queenfarina.com/shop/raw-honey-15-lb) That’s a pound and half, not 15 LB’S!

Olive oil

Cilantro Lime Slaw:

1 14 oz. Package of Shredded Cabbage with Carrots

1 C Plain Greek Yogurt ( I like Greek Gods Plain, full fat)

1 tsp Cumin

1/2 C Cilantro, tightly packed. Leaves and tender stems only

3 Large or 4 Medium Green Onions sliced, green parts only

Juice of 1 Lime. Note; if your limes are dry, may need 1/2 of another. Should be about 3 T

1 tsp Sea Salt ( I like Redmond Real Salt)

1 T minced Garlic

Toppings:

Queso Fresco

Crema Mexicana

Limes

Chopped Cilantro

Sliced Avocado

Taco shells/Tostadas/Corn Tortillas

Putting It Together:

Pickled Onion: heat the apple cider vinegar on the stove till steam comes off. Add in sugar and peppercorns. Stir till sugar dissolves. Remove from stove. Add in sliced onion and let cool. Set aside.

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Slaw/Slaw Sauce: Add yogurt, cumin, cilantro, garlic, green onions and salt to food processor. (Note: I used an immersion blender in it’s bowl. Easier to deal with and clean). Pour cabbage into bowl and toss with sauce. Put in the refrigerator to chill. I did not use all the sauce. And if you like, you can drizzle some of it on top of the tacos instead of Crema.

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I served the tacos with Roasted Potato Wedges: Start these first. Set oven to 400F. Slice russets in half lengthwise and again in half. Slice each quarter into halves again lengthwise. Drizzle with EVOO. Roast for 15 minutes. At 15, shake on sea salt, paprika, and garlic salt. Continue to bake for 20-30 minutes or till golden brown and crispy.

Shrimp: Clean, rinse and pat dry. In a small bowl, mix the honey and adobo. Mix well till combined. Add the shrimp and stir to coat. Place in the refrigerator to chill and rest for about 20 minutes.

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I made roasted potato wedges to go with this: Set oven to 400F. Slice russets length wise into quarters, slice each quarter in half lengthwise.

Heat a saute pan to medium high. Add in olive oil. When hot, add in shrimp and sauce. Cook till pink and done. 2-3 minutes.

Place a taco shell, tostado or tortilla on a plate. Put slaw on top of tortilla. Top with shrimp and a bit of sauce. Top with avocado, queso fresco, cilantro,a bit of pickled onion and Crema or sauce. Serve with potato wedges.

Enjoy!

Terri

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Thinking of wanting something sophisticated but wanting is quickly? Me too. So I went to the grocery store, (still open during the pandemic thank goodness. And still amazed I can’t find toilet paper or paper towels.) So I went to grab yeast for the pie crust.

Seriously, a run on yeast? Carter, our manager at Smith’s said can’t keep it in stock. So, plan B. Using a premade pie crust. Not as good as from scratch, but hey, saved me a ton of time. And pretty good actually. And during these stressful times, compromise is just fine.

Beauty shot:

Savory Galette with Goat Cheese, Onion and Prosciutto. And Arugula Salad.

Ingredients:

Galette:

1 Pie Crust

4 oz Goat Cheese, (Chevre), plain

3 oz Blue Cheese. Crumbled- chop crumble it yourself.

4 oz Prosciutto, thinly sliced

1 Small Red Onion, thinly sliced (adjust to your preference)

Leaves from 4 Sprigs of Thyme

2 T minced garlic (Note: I like to used smashed roasted garlic as an upgrade. Use an entire head)

1 T butter

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Yellow Corn meal for baking pan

Egg Wash:

1 egg

Splash of milk or half & half.

Whisk together well.

Arugula Salad:

2-3 oz Fresh Baby Arugula

3 T EVOO

Juice from half a fresh Lemon

Salt & Pepper

Putting it Together:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle the parchment paper with yellow cornmeal. Set aside.

Make the pie crust. (Will do this on another day).OR, take the pie crust out of the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.

While the pie crust is warming, julienne the onion and saute in medium heat pan with 1 T butter and a glug of EVOO. Cook till softened and starting to carmelize; about 8-10 minutes. Stir them every couple of minutes. When done, remove from heat and allow to cool.

While the onions are cooking, tear the prosciutto into good size hunks. Take the cheeses and scatter onto pie crust on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the thyme leaves over the top of the cheeses. Randomly place smashed roasted garlic pieces around the gallette. Place onions over the cheeses. Top with prosciutto. Or the other way around. Your choice.

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Taking scissors, cut the pie crust at an angle every couple of inches. Then fold the over each other, moving in a single direction.

When this is complete, brush the edges with an egg wash.

Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes, till golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.

While galette is cooling, make the salad. Make the dressing, whisking all ingredients together till well blended. In separate bowl, add the arugula then drizzle the dressing over the lettuce. Don’t drown the lettuce- add a little at a time then toss and add more if needed. The lemon in the dressing is a great foil to the richness of the cheeses.

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Place the salad over the top of the galette and slice into sections.

Enjoy!

Terri

Right now, as everyone is hunkered down at home or practicing social distancing, (funny how quickly that phrase became part of daily lexicon), most of us are spending more time cooking at home.

Have been cooking all sorts of things- sous vide blade roast, pastas, salads, soups, frittatas. Even oatmeal cookies with coconut, butterscotch morsels and toasted walnuts. But this post is about a salad I had for dinner last night. Filling on its own with crusty bread, but perfect as a side for steak. I have made it twice this week. No joke.

Beauty Shot:

Endive & Romaine Salad with Apples and Hazelnuts

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 Head Hearts of Romaine, quartered and chopped

3 Small Endive, quartered and chopped

1 Gala Apple, cut into matchsticks

1/2 C of Toasted Hazelnuts

1/2 Cup Shaved Parm

1/2 C Blue Cheese crumbled

3 T White Balsamic Vinegar

Ranch Dressing ( make your own or use a good quality refrigerated one from the market) Here is a great recipe for homemade: https://thesaltymarshmallow.com/easy-homemade-ranch-dressing/

Optional: Homemade Croutons (But does add an additional crunch and flavor profile. I cut day old bread into cubes, toss in EVOO and kosher salt and add 2 T minced garlic. Place on baking sheet in oven set to 350F for about 20-25 minutes till brown and crisp outside, chewy inside.)

Putting It Together:

Place the two lettuces and apple into a bowl. Toss with the white balsamic. Add in hazelnuts, blue and Parmesan cheeses. Toss again. Add in Ranch dressing, croutons and toss again. Done! May become your families fav like it is ours!

Enjoy!

Terri

Bright.

It’s been unusually grey here in the mountain west. When its gloomy, I hunker down and typically make a good soup. Not this time. I wanted something I adore that brought the brightness of its own. A bit of sunshine of flavors in my kitchen. And in my mouth.

I give you Chicken Piccata with Artichokes.

Beauty Shot:

Chicken Piccata

Ingredients:

2 Chicken breasts

4 tsp brined capers, drained

1 Shallot sliced thinly lengthwise (I did not have a shallot this time-so used a red onion. Sliced from top to bottom. Not across. Only used a “side”)

1/2 a lemon sliced thinly across

Juice from half a lemon (use the other half)

Jar of artichokes, not marinated, patted dry and halved or quartered

Olive oil for frying

5 T butter

1/4 C dry white wine

1/2 C chicken stock or broth

Flour for dusting chicken

salt and pepper to taste

Fresh dill for garnish

Putting it Together:

Trim off exterior fat from chicken breast. Slice the chicken breasts horizontally so that each breast becomes two portions.

Pour flour onto plate and dredge both sides of each piece of chicken. Shake off any excess.

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In large fry pan, add olive oil and 3 T of butter to pan. When shimmering, add in chicken. DO NOT CROWD THE PAN! You will have to work in batches. Brown each side. May take 3-4 minutes per side. Remove to warm plate. You may need to add in additional olive oil to saute the chicken.

To pan, add in lemon slices, artichokes and shallot. Stirring a few times, cook till shallot is translucent and some carmelization begins to show on the lemons and artichokes. Add in stock, lemon juice and wine. Stir up the brown bits into sauce. Simmer till sauce reduces to coat a spoon. Add in capers. Add in remaining 2 T of butter. Salt and pepper to taste.

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Place the chicken on plates platter. Top with the sauce. Serve with a simple green salad and crusty bread. The crusty bread is perfection for sopping up every bit of sauce on your plate.

Enjoy!

Terri

Fresh.

Isn’t that what each year brings us? The opportunity to put the past behind us. To begin anew. A fresh perspective. A fresh start. A chance to commit to a better lifestyle, more mindfulness, thoughtful and impactful decisions.

My goal is to hydrate more and to eat a bit cleaner. Not a bad way to look forward to the possibility of a great year.

Beauty Shot:

Beef Stir fry with Mushrooms and Snap Peas.

Ingredients:

Note: this is a two step process, marinate the meat for at least 4 hours, then create a sauce to pour over the stir fry.

1 lb Beef Flank Steak cut into strips (Note: I used venison fingers. Both are tasty!)

1/2 lb sliced Mushrooms

2 cups whole Snap Peas ( I like a lot of snap peas so I cook 3 cups)

1 tsp of Ginger Paste, divided into 1/2 tsp’s

6 T Olive Oil

1 T Sesame Oil

6 Heaping T Minced Garlic, divided into 2 T and 4 T

1 T Worcestershire Sauce

3/4 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce, divided into 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup

7 T Brown Sugar, divided into 5 T and 2 T

2 tsp Rice Vinegar

4 Cups cooked Brown Rice

After the marinade process, this comes together very quickly. Could marinade the meat in the morning, then make a 15 minute dinner when you get home.

Marinade:

Mix 2 T of the olive oil, 1 T of sesame oil, 2 T of minced garlic, 1/4 c of soy sauce, 1/2 tsp of ginger paste, 1 T Worcestershire, 2 T of brown sugar into a bowl or Ziploc gallon bag. Mix well. Add beef and cover in bowl or, add to bag and squish around a bit. Push air out and close bag. Place into refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

Sauce:

Mix 1/2 cup of soy sauce, 5 T of brown sugar, 6 T minced garlic, 1/2 tsp ginger paste, 2 tsp rice vinegar. Stir to combine well. Set aside.

Putting it Together:

Heat cast iron or heavy duty pan to medium high heat. Put 4 T olive oil into pan. When shimmering, add in sliced mushrooms. Cook till browned the way you like them and water has evaporated. Remove from heat into bowl.

Add in whole snap peas. I like mine seared with a few brown spots. They will cook quickly- like 3 minutes with stirring. They should be crunchy so don’t over cook. Remove from pan and place in bowl.

Remove the steak from marinade. Brown the sliced steak. You may have to work in batches- I did. And you don’t want to crowd the pan or meat will steam, not brown.

Once meat is browned, add the vegetables back in the pan with the meat. Pour the sauce over and heat through.

Serve the meat/vegetable mix over the rice. Spoon additional sauce over as necessary.

Optional garnish: if you choose, can add sliced green onions over the top.

Terri