hot dogs + cold soup

Summer officially started just yesterday and BAM, just like that, 100 degrees all week. Feeling a little sluggish? Not relishing the idea of heating up your kitchen? It's time to take a look at all my cold soup recipes again. Although I never ever grow tired of classic gazpacho and I love the avocado cucumber, this spinach and cucumber soup is a unique and very tasty alternative with minimal heat up in the kitchen.

I'd like to thank my sous chef, Olive. Stellar company in the kitchen.

My boy Buster was not so helpful. It looks like he partied too hard last night!

Spinach and Cucumber Soup with Feta from A Good Day for Soup

by Ferrary and Fiszer

2T butter

4 scallions, trimmed and chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced

fresh spinach leaves, about 2 cups coarsely chopped

1/2c. fresh chopped parsley

2 c. chicken stock ( I didn't have any on hand, so I used one bouillon cube dissolved in 2c. boiling water)

Fresh lemon juice from one lemon

1 c. buttermilk

salt and pepper

1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese

1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over med/high heat. Cook scallions, garlic and cucumbers until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add oregano, spinach and half the parsley. Cook, stirring just until spinach wilts.
3. Puree mixture in a blender or food processor with stock and lemon juice.
4. Cover and chill.
5. Stir in buttermilk and taste for salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with remaining parsley and some feta.

comfort food

This post originally ran about a year ago. I think it's worth a repeat. If you live in Texas, you'll be thanking me around Saturday for this delicious cold summer soup.

I'm not talking about mac and cheese, or meatloaf or mashed potatoes or roasted chicken.
You see, the dress I planned to wear for Sophie's middle school graduation is snug.......ish. Not obscenely tight or anything. Just a tad snug. This is a problem because I like to be comfortable. At all times. I like jeans and funny t shirts from Threadless and running shorts and tennis shoes and A line skirts. Nowhere on this list do you see snug dress. I'll use this deadline as an opportunity to eat smart this week for a comfy fit. If you follow the Weight Watchers core plan, this is a perfectly legal recipe. Just be reasonable about portions.

Here is what I'm eating tonight.

cold avocado cucumber soup - serves 4 - Everyday Food, long ago issue

1 english cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/4 in. cubes

2 avocados, pitted and peeled

1/2 c. non fat plain yogurt

3 T. fresh lime juice

1 small minced jalapeno (seeds and ribs removed for less heat, if desired)

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

course salt and pepper

1 t. olive oil

1. In a blender, combine half the cucumber and 1 avocado with the yogurt, lime juice, jalapeno, scallions, 1 T cilantro, 1 c. ice water, 1 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t pepper. Puree until completely smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Cut remaining avocado into 1/4 inch cubes. Stir avodado and remaining cucumber into soup. Thin with 1/2 to 1 c. water, as desired. Season again with salt and pepper. Chill about 1 hour. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

some women just can't take it

My nephew Tyson graduates from high school tomorrow. There are sure to be tears. A toast to my brother and sister in law for raising such a wonderful guy. We're having a little family party in his honor. I was looking through some old recipes for a nice kid friendly punch. Kids love a good punch after sitting still for so long! I ran across this recipe from my Aunt Shirley who just died a couple of months ago at 97. Shirley was very social. She enjoyed having the ladies over for an afternoon of bridge. I got tickled when I read her personal note: Here's a recipe I use sometimes - but I leave out the Ginger Ale. It's good but some women can't take the carbonated water.....

If you're so inclined, by all means, add the ginger ale! Here's the recipe if you have a little shin dig coming up and you want a special drink for the little guys.

2 packages Kool Aid - Keep in mind, this was before they had Kool Aid with sugar added.

1 can 6 oz. frozen orange juice

1 1/2 pints pineapple juice

2 qts. water

2/3 c. sugar

bottle of ginger ale

You can add to or take from. Mix and it's better to set awhile. This makes about 18 glasses. Shirley probably meant punch cups.

*zip it there sporty spice!

I'm crazy about iced coffee on a summer afternoon. Here's a little "recipe" to make your own. All you need is a jar, 1/3 cup of ground coffee and 12 hours. I had to rig a lid since my lids and jars are never together.

Cold-Brewed Iced Coffee

Time: 5 minutes to mix plus 12 hours' resting

1/3 c. ground coffee

Milk (optional)

1. In a jar, stir together coffee and 1 1/2 c. water. Cover and let rest at room temp for 12 hours.

2. Strain twice through a coffee filter. In a tall glass filled with ice, mix equal parts coffee concentrate and water, or to taste. If desired add milk and anything else you like.

Yield: two drinks

*Title of post from this clip featuring Will Ferrell jonesing for a cup of joe. Funny.

gracias mexico!

Thank you Mexico, for the beautiful papel picado and much, much more!

Such as....

Tasty Rita X

Can you tell I was a cocktail waitress throughout college?

Sugar dusted churros.

Lovely and talented Salma.

Candy filled pinatas.

My beloved pintos. You're delicious, cheap and versatile. My comfort food.

Festive Mexican sodas.

Praying for good health, wealth and fortune.

Here's a nice little recipe for White Sangria, the perfect sweet/tart combo for a warm May day.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

White Sangria from Pastry Queen Parties by Rebecca Rather

1 (1.5 liter) bottle dry white table wine

1 (6 oz) can frozen lemonade concentrate, defrosted

1/4 c. freshly squeezed lime juice, about 4 medium

1/2 c. brandy

fruit for floating in pitcher, such as citrus slices, fresh cherries, pineapple chunks

1 12oz can soda water, or to taste

In a large pitcher, stir together the wine, lemonade, lime juice and brandy. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate fro at least an hour, preferably longer. When ready to serve, stir in the fruit and soda water. Add plenty of ice and serve immediately.

All photos by me except the following:

Salma from her Wikipedia page

Papel picado - stylehive.com

margarita - mexicanfood.about.com

simple kitchen

Here's a wonderful recipe from one of my all time favorite cook books, Cucina Rustica, by Viana La Place and Evan Kleiman. Cucina rustica translates as "simple kitchen." With a few choice ingredients, you can whip up a fantastic meal! Here's a nice spring salad for you to try.

Chicken and Mozzarella Salad - serves 4

1 whole chicken breast

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

5 T olive oil, divided

salt and pepper

1 green bell pepper (yellow, red or orange would be great too)

1/2 hothouse cucumber

1 large tomato

1/4 lb. haricots verts or tender green beans

3 celery stalks

1 fresh mozzarella, about 8 oz.

3 T. red wine vinegar

5 fresh basil leaves

Under the skin of each 1/2 chicken breast, insert a sprig of rosemary and a few slivers of garlic.

Rub with 1 T of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 450 degree oven for 15 minutes or until the juices run clear. Let cool. Remove the skin and bones and cut chicken into dice. Peel the pepper with a vegetable peeler. Remove the seeds and membranes and cut into thin strips. Peel the cucumber, cut into half lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Cut cucumber crosswise into slices. Dice the tomato. Cook the haricots verts or garden variety green beans in salted boiling water to cover until tender but crisp. Refresh under cold water and drain on paper towels. Slice the celery stalks crosswise and coarsely chop the tender leaves. Cut the mozzarella into dice and drain on paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Assemble chicken, vegetables and mozzarella in a shallow salad bowl. Add the remaining olive oil, vinegar and season to taste. Tear the basil leaves and sprinkle over the top.

brisket twice removed

Brisket, done well, NOT well done, is a real crowd pleaser. Here is a brisket recipe that I adapted from a smitten kitchen recipe that she adapted from Emeril. I had every intention of making the smitten version in my slow cooker, but started the process too late. Besides, I didn't have all the ingredients on hand to follow her recipe specifically. No worries. I'll use what I have on hand. I refuse to go to the grocery for 2 or 3 items. So, you can read the smitten kitchen version here and see my adaptation of her adaptation right here:

Sunday Brisket - Me via Smitten Kitchen via Emeril

2 onions, I had a purple with a mushy side and a small good yellow one

1 shallot

1/2 packet of dry onion soup mix

4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved

1 t. salt

1 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. black pepper

a little cayenne

1 t. fresh thyme

beef bouillon cube

1 c. water

1/2 c. ketchup

Heinz chili sauce - Not much left in the jar, so I put about 1/2 c. water in the jar and swished it around. I ended up with a little over 1/2 c. diluted chili sauce

1/2 c brown sugar

5 pound brisket

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees
2. Make the sauce: Heat a skillet over medium flame and saute onions and shallot, stirring every now and again until caramelized and your kitchen smells great. Add the garlic cloves and saute a bit longer. Stir in spices and seasonings, cook for 2 more minutes and remove from heat. In a large bowl, stir together ketchup, onion soup mix, chili sauce, beef bouillon and water, and brown sugar.
3. Place brisket in a baking dish, spread the onion mixture over the top, then pour the sauce over the brisket. Cover with foil and bake for 5 hours.
4. When the brisket is tender, remove it from the baking dish to a platter and cover that in foil.
5. Put the baking dish with the drippings in the refrigerator. Remove the fat with a spatula or big spoon once it has solidified. Reheat the sauce and serve it alongside sliced brisket.

Terrific!

sweet tart

My dinner party dessert is lemon sour cream poundcake

from Art Smith's 2001 cookbook, Back to the Table

You might know Art as Oprah's former personal chef.

If you saw him compete on last seasons Top Chef Masters,

you likely fell for his kindness, his great laugh and his

modern southern cooking.

Lemon sour cream pound cake

3 c. flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp

3 c. sugar

6 large eggs, room temp

1 t. vanilla

zest of 2 lemons

1 c. sour cream, room temp

Lemon syrup - super tart

zest of 1 lemon

1 c. fresh lemon juice

1/4 c. water

2/3 c. sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour pans. Art calls for a Bundt pan. I used 2 loaf pans because I want to cut them differently.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and soda and salt together. set aside. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a hand held mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla and the zest. On low speed, add the flour in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour and beat until smooth. Spread evenly in the pan.
3. Bake until tip of the knife comes out clean, about 1 1/4 hours.
4. Meanwhile, make the syrup. Bring the lemon juice, zest, water, and sugar to a boil over high heat and cook until it is reduced to 1/2 cup. (It's intense!) Allow syrup to cool before drizzling onto the cake.
5. Transfer cake to wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Drizzle half of the syrup over the bottom of the cake and the other half over the top. Cool completely before cutting.

Quality control, aka the girls, gave this cake a thumbs up.

get smart

Sophie is taking exams this week.

I couldn't walk a day in Sophie's academic shoes and I've told her so.

I'm really proud of her.

To prepare for exam week, I've stocked our pantry with some of

her favorites. It's the least I can do.

Here are a couple of other good snack recipes for the studious

young people in your home.

Orange Cream Smoothie

1 c. milk

1 1/2 c. orange juice

1/2 t. vanilla

1 c. vanilla frozen yogurt

1/2 frozen banana, cut into chunks before you freeze

3 T. orange juice concentrate

Directions:

BLEND

Serves 4

PB Snacks - Lamplighter Family Cookbook

1/3c. peanut butter

2 T butter

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. ginger

5 c. popped popcorn

2 c. Rice Chex cereal

1 c. mini pretzels

1 c. M&M's or raisins or other

candy they enjoy

Directions: In a small microwaveable bowl, combine peanut butter, cinnamon and ginger.

Microwave until the butter melts and mix well. In a 9x13 baking dish, combine popcorn

cereal and pretzels. Pour peanut butter mixture over & toss until well coated.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, stirring halfway thru cooking time.

Cool to room temp, then stir in candy and/or raisins. Makes 8 cups.

Note to Sophie's pal Taylor.

Sorry you can't have this one. I'll try to find an allergy

friendly recipe for you, ok?

And last, a kid deserves a study break now and then.

How about the latest from VeryMaryKate?

Very Mary-Kate, Episode 4 from Mary-Kate Olsen on Vimeo.

Very Mary-Kate, Episode 8 from Mary-Kate Olsen on Vimeo.

golden evening

Last Saturday night, I threw together a little dinner party celebrating the visit and birthday of

Deb, my long distance friend and collaborator in quilting.

Although we've worked together for a few years, we had never met. We had a blast!

Now, what to make.

Since the pants were still borderline snug from Tex Mex the previous evening, I decided to go a little lighter. This is my version of a hearty salad from a favorite local restaurant.

Click here for my pal Ann's version of the same salad on amy and ann.

my grocery list:

romaine

variety of tomatoes

(cherry, grape, heirloom, whatever you have access to!)

golden or red beets

red potatoes or fingerlings

haricot verts

avocado

goat cheese

chicken breasts

crusty bread

wine

italian sodas for the kids

Pinch the stem ends off the haricot verts and cook until crisp tender in boiling, salted water.

Be careful not to overcook.

Trim ends from your beets, peel, dice and toss in a little olive oil and salt.

Put in 375 degree oven and roast until tender. Confession: A ridiculous hot dog and beet diet

in college almost ruined beets for me. Wisely, I gave them another chance. Do any of

you remember that one??

The color is just incredible!

In a separate pan, I roasted the potatoes with olive oil, salt and

rosemary in a 375 degree oven until tender.

I broiled the herb marinated chicken breasts.

I tossed the romaine in a basic vinaigrette, typically 3 parts oil to 1 part

vinegar/acid plus herbs and seasonings to your liking.

Taste it and decide what to add. I put minced fresh

garlic in there too.

Everyone started with a dressed salad base and then we passed around

the toppings so you could pick and choose what you liked.

It's a great meal that's nice for a group.

And what's a birthday without cake?! Kalynn picked up these

beauties from Whole Foods. They do a very nice job with desserts!

Great food, wine, dessert and company......a perfect evening.

Happy birthday Deb! So nice to meet you.

midweek resolve

My Weight Watchers resolve always get a bit shaky around midweek. Today, I'm really craving sweets. I decided to make these Oatmeal-Raisin Bites, a recipe from one of my weekly WW handouts. They are delicious! You'll notice the recipe calls for butter and sugar, the mandatory ingredients for a tasty cookie, but around half as much as the average recipe. Although the recipe says one point per serving, they fail to mention yield, so the point value remains a bit of a mystery.

Oatmeal-Raisin Bites

1 1/2 c. rolled oats

3/4 c. whole wheat flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. packed brown sugar ( I used Splenda brown sugar)

1 large egg

1 t. vanilla

1 c raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; set aside.
2. Using a mixer, cream butter and both sugars until thoroughly combined. Add egg and vanilla and mix again.
3. Add oat mixture and stir just until combined; fold in raisins.
4. Drop rounded teaspoons of dough about 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake 9-10 minutes for chewy cookies and 11-12 minutes for crispy ones.

My recipe made 32, but I confess, I ate some dough. It probably should've made 36 of the teensiest cookies ever!

like magic

I had some really big plans for my shiny new crock pot. We've all heard the tales. Toss in this and that before you go to work and let the savory smells greet you at the end of the day. Pour yourself a big glass of wine, adjust the seasonings in your magic crock pot and call the family because it's time to eat! Sadly, I dropped my brand new crock pot and now it's sitting on the floor all busted up, a mocking reminder of the culinary conveniences that might've been. This is the soup I would've made in my magic crock pot. It's one of our family favorites. Back to my trusty stock pot. Dazzle factor? Low.

Monterey Chicken Soup - The Peach Tree Family Cookbook

3 T olive oil

1 1/2 med. onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 @ 4 ounce cans green chiles, diced

3 t chili powder

3 t cumin

3 t dried oregano, crumbled

12 c chicken broth

3 @ 14 1/2 ounce cans tomatoes, diced with juice

4 c chicken, cubed

4 c frozen corn, thawed

2/3 c cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

monterey jack cheese, shredded

1. Heat oil in stock pot over medium low heat.
2. Add onion and garlic. Saute until soft. Add chiles, chili powder, cumin and oregano. Stir one minute.
3. Mix in broth and tomatoes and their juice. Bring mixture just to a boil. Add chicken, corn, cilantro and simmer until cooked thoroughly.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Sprinkle with cheese.

my tiny valentines

Aren't you just crazy over sweet homemade

Valentines cards?

Shiny, messy glitter and a swash of watercolor

is all you need. Oh, and an adorable photo

doesn't hurt either.

I just love this one of the girls when they were tiny.

What else do I love on Valentines Day?How about our family favorite

flour less chocolate cake, aka "Bruce" cake, named for

the chocolate loving boy who infuriates the evil Miss Trunchbull in

Matilda, by Roald Dahl.Recipe on following post.

bruce! bruce! bruce!

Bruce Bogtrotter's Cake - Roald Dahl's Revolting Recipes

This is a fantastic cake!

8 oz. good quality semi sweet chocolate

12 T. unsalted butter, softened

1 c. plus 2T sugar

1/4 c. all purpose flour

6 eggs, separated, yolks lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line 8 1/2 inch round cake pan with wax paper and butter the sides and bottom of pan.
3. Melt the chocolate in a pyrex bowl set in a saucepan of simmering water or in a microwave on low heat. Mix in the butter and stir until melted.
4. Transfer to a large bowl and add the sugar, flour and lightly beaten egg yolks.
5. Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Gently folk half of the whites into the chocolate mixture, blending thoroughly, then fold in the remaining whites.
6. Pour batter into the cake pan and bake for about 35 minutes. There will be a think crust on top of the cake, and if tested with a toothpick, the inside will appear undercooked (don't worry, the cake will get firmer as it cools). Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack.
7. When the cake is cool enough to handle, carefully remove from the pan, leaving the crusty side up.
8. Dust generously with powdered sugar and serve with sliced strawberries.

emily's oven

This simple little gem of a recipe came from a 1999 preschool cookbook.

We've made it hundreds of times over the years as it's Sophie and Sadie's weekend favorite.

Thanks and hugs to Emily and Nancy for years of delicious oven pancakes.

Emily's Oven Pancake

2 eggs

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. milk

1/4 c. sugar

dash of vanilla

1 T of butter

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Let butter melt in ovenproof skillet while oven is preheating.
3. Beat 2 eggs.
4. Add 1/2 c. flour, 1/4 c. sugar, 1/2 c. milk and dash of vanilla.
5. Stir until smooth.
6. Bake in preheated skillet for 12 minutes.
7. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and lemon or syrup.

Happy weekend!

virtuous dinner

Well, things are heating up over on the Biggest Loser campus with accusations of lying and throwing weigh ins and such. Why do the trouble makers always have to reign from Texas?! I just love Tuesday nights! Here is the virtuous meal I'm making tonight.

BBQ Chicken - serves 4 adapted from a Weight Watchers cookbook

3 T ketchup

1 T hoisin sauce

1 T apple cider vinegar

2 t molasses

2 t reduced sodium soy sauce

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1. stir together all ingredients except chicken
2. coat chicken breasts with sauce and bake at 375 degrees until cooked through

I'll serve the chicken with salad and brown rice.

This is a photo of my Weight Watchers journals. I became a lifetime member in 2007. I tracked obsessively to reach my goal. I've put a few back on, so I'm back to writing in my journals and attending meetings once again.

grilllzzzz + aliens

Test for determining if someone is an alien from a far away galaxy

according to my friend Malina:

1. offer grilled cheese sandwich

2. if they refuse the grilled cheese sandwich,

you are looking into the eyes of an alien.

3. Harry is an alien. If you saw

yesterdays video, you might

tend to agree

Otherwise, the whole family loved our custom grilled cheese sandwiches.

Sorry David. No special orders.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup - The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

3lbs. ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

1/4 c. plus 2T. olive oil

1 T salt

1 1/2 t. pepper

2 c. chopped yellow onions (around 2)

6 cloves of garlic, minced

2 T butter

1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes

28 oz. canned plum tomatoes with their juice

4 c. fresh basil leaves, packed

1 t. fresh thyme leaves

1 qt. chicken stock

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4c. olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in one layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.
3. In a large soup pot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2T of olive oil, butter and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes until the onions start to brown.
4. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme and chicken stock. Add the oven roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet.
5. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 40 minutes.
6. Pass thru a food mill on the coarsest blade or just use your blender like I did. I still like my soup a bit chunky so I didn't puree too fine. Adjust your seasonings.

whoopie!

I'm spending this weekend with 22 of my favorite people on the planet. My dad, siblings, nieces, nephews (ranging from 2-17 years old!) and a couple of family friends who might as well be family. It's our 9th annual Bastop State Park camp out. We don't actually sleep in tents, but we do sleep in rustic cabins sometimes sharing quarters with a friendly raccoon.

We divide meals and share in the work. This year, I'm in charge of Saturday brunch.

Here is my menu:

custom made grilled cheese sandwiches

I wanted to call them Grillzzzzz, but the girls strongly

objected

roasted tomato and basil soup

cole slaw

whoopie pies

I'm going to let the little kids take "orders" from the grown ups.

They like to help.

Sadie made this colorful order form to make it simple.

I'll post the fun next week. Enjoy your weekend!

lucky peas

Like many southerners, we always make a point to eat black eyed peas on New Years Day. After all, who couldn't use a little extra luck in the coming year? Here's todays version using what I had on hand.

New Year's Day BEP's

1. soak a bag of dried black eyed peas overnight

2. rinse and put in soup pot

3. cover with water and add two chicken bouillon cubes

4. add 4 slices applewood smoked bacon, a chopped purple onion

and a handful of cilantro

5. bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook until tender

Happy New Year!

chutney + buddies

This colorful, if disparate collection of ingredients will soon become cranberry sage chutney. It's delicious on leftover turkey sandwiches! I plan to take some as hostess gifts and send others along with my running pals as they travel to see their families. We ended our run today in a full out group hug with wishes of safe travel and great happiness to have one another. Aren't friends grand?!?

Cranberry Sage Chutney - The Herbal Pantry, Emelie Tolley

6 c. cranberries

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 unpeeled orange, chopped and seeded

1 c. orange juice

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/4 c. raisins

1/4 c. slivered almonds

12 dried dates, chopped (I forgot to get these on my grocery outing. Can't bear the thought of going again. I used orange essence prunes instead.)

1/4 c. crystallized ginger

1/2 c. cider vinegar

1 t. salt

1 t. dry mustard

3 T chopped fresh sage

Place all ingredients except 2 T of sage in a non aluminum pan, and cook over medium low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil until berries pop and mixture thickens slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Add remaining sage. Pour into jars. This chutney will keep refrigerated for up to 6 months.