Beet, Orange, and Apple Salad

Inspiration:
Tim's newfound love of beets and allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds beets
• 2 cups shredded beet greens
• 1 large orange
• 2 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored
• and sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted sunflower seeds, toasted

Instructions:

1. Wash and dry beet roots and greens. Shred greens to measure 2 cups and set aside.
2. Place beets in a sauce pan with enough water to cover. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and allow to cool.
3. Trim and peel off skins; cut into 8 wedges.
4. Peel and section orange. In a bowl, combine orange sections, beets and apples.
5. Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and garlic. Pour over beet mixture and toss well.
6. Arrange 1/2 cup beet greens on 4 salad plates. Top with beet mixture, sprinkle with sunflower seeds and serve.

Notes: Loved this recipe. It's not for beginners--kind of time consuming--but it's delicious. Next time I'll double the dressing recipe and keep the salad ingredients the same. I may also add in an extra orange.

Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 9/10

Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies

Inspiration:
Rachael Ray


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped
• 6 cups miniature pretzels, chopped

Instructions:

1. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°. In a bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and peanut butter on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, beating until just combined; stir in the peanuts.

3. Place the pretzels in a bowl. Using a 1 1/2-inch-diameter cookie scoop and working in batches, drop a few balls of dough in the bowl and toss to coat. Place the cookies on the prepared pans. Bake, rotating the pans after 10 minutes, until golden but still soft to the touch, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before transferring to racks to cool.

Notes: So good. I love that salty-sweet combination!

Liz's Rating: 9.5/10
Tim's Rating: 9/10

Fusilli Alla Crazy Bastard

Inspiration:
Food & Wine
I was looking for a recipe to use up some Swiss chard, and who could resist a recipe with the name "Fusilli Alla Crazy Bastard"?


Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup walnut halves
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound fusilli pasta
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/2 pound beet greens, rinsed and coarsely chopped
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1/2 pound soft goat cheese, thickly sliced
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. On a rimmed baking sheet, toast the walnuts for 7 minutes, until lightly browned; let cool slightly. Coarsely chop and transfer to a bowl.
2. Raise the oven temperature to 450°. On the rimmed baking sheet, toss the cherry tomatoes with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes for about 10 minutes, until browned in spots.
3. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the fusilli. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until golden, 2 minutes. Add the roasted tomatoes, beet greens and crushed red pepper and cook, crushing the tomatoes slightly, until the greens are just wilted, 3 minutes.
4. Drain the fusilli, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta, the reserved cooking water and the sliced goat cheese to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, tossing to coat the pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to a bowl, garnish with the chopped toasted walnuts, top with the Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve immediately.

Notes: Make this recipe if you really, really, really love goat cheese. Otherwise adapt it. The goat cheese flavor was a bit overwhelming. I did like the combination of walnuts, pasta, goat cheese, and chard, and the roasted tomatoes were delicious.

Liz's Rating: 8/10
Tim's Rating: 7/10

Product Rave: Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

YOU MUST BUY THESE.
That's all.

Enjoy!

Winter Pizza

Inspiration:
Arugulove


Ingredients:

• Butternut squash – peeled and diced into 3/4 inch chunks, about 2 1/2 cups
  
• 4 ounces of an earthy, nutty cheese like Fontal or Taleggio, grated (if it is soft, it helps to stick it in the freezer for 10 minutes before grating)
  
• 1 cup of walnuts, roughly chopped
  
• 15 or so sage leaves, more if you’d like
  
• 3-4 shallots
  
• Pizza dough
  
• Olive oil, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425.

2. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add tablespoon of olive oil. Add the shallots and saute for about 8 minutes or so, until they become golden brown and caramelized. Remove and set aside.

3. In the same skillet, heat another tablespoon of oil. Add the butternut squash, and saute that for 5 minutes or so. This is really just to make sure it gets fully cooked when it goes into the oven. You don’t need to make it soft, just brown it for a few minutes to start the cooking process.

   Roll out the pizza dough and brush the carmelized shallots over the base, making sure they are evenly distributed. It won’t be totally covered, just more of a flavoring. (If you want it totally covered, I would double the shallots.)

4. Sprinkle the cheese on top, followed by the squash and walnuts.

5. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes. While it is baking, toss the sage leaves in a drop of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. You just want to coat them so they don’t burn in the oven and get a little fried. Take the pizza out and sprinkle the sage over the pizza. Put the pizza back in the oven for another 8 minutes or so, until the cheese starts to brown. Then serve.

Notes: The recipe title says it all- this is an excellent pizza using winter ingredients! For more seasonal recipes, visit Arugulove.

Liz's Rating: 9/10

Penguin Appetizers

Inspiration:
I saw these on Megan's blog over two years ago and finally had the chance to make them for a neighbor's New Year's Eve party.

These were much easier to make than I expected, and they tasted pretty good! I'll keep these in mind for future winter parties.


Ingredients:

• 18 jumbo ripe Black olives

• 18 small ripe Black olives

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

• 1 carrot (about 6 inches long and 1 inch wide)

• 18 long fresh chives

• 18 frill toothpicks
  

Instructions:

1. Cut a slit lengthwise from top to bottom in each jumbo olive

2. Fill each cavity of the jumbo olives with about a teaspoon of cream cheese
   (using a pastry bag makes this much easier)

3. This makes the the white stripe in penguins chest. Cut carrot into 1/4 inch slices,then out of each slice cut a small pie shaped piece. This makes the feet, save the piece you cut out, this will be the beak

4. In the x slit in the center of each small olive (where the pit was removed) press the small piece of carrot into the hole with the pointed end out.

5. Using a frill toothpick,stack head ( small olive ), body (large olive) and feet (carrot slice), adjusting so that beak, cream cheese breast and notch in carrot line up.

6. Tie chive around neck for the scarf.

Slow-Cooker Squash Stew

Inspiration:
Food Network Magazine


Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas, rinsed
• 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, leaves and stems separated and roughly chopped
• 1 piece Parmesan cheese rind, plus grated Parmesan for topping (optional)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Crusty bread and/or lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup water, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer the contents of the skillet to a 6-quart slow cooker.

2. Add the chickpeas, squash, chard stems (not the leaves), the parmesan rind, if using, 2 teaspoons salt and 7 cups water to the slow cooker. Stir, then cover and cook on low, 8 hours.

3. Just before serving, lift the lid and stir in the chard leaves; cover and continue cooking 10 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and stir to slightly break up the squash. Discard the Parmesan rind, if used. Ladle the stew into bowls; top with the grated Parmesan, if desired, and serve with bread and/or lemon wedges.

Nutrtional Information:
Per serving (1/4 of recipe): Calories 428; Fat 15 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 1,250 mg; Carbohydrate 63 g; Fiber 17 g; Protein 18g


Notes: Get the Parmesan cheese rind! I found one for only $1 at my food co-op. This was a fairly easy recipe, and I felt healthier after eating it, even though I piled on the Parmesan. :) I loved the texture of the dried chickpeas.


Liz's Rating: 9/10
Tim's Rating: 8.5/10

White Beans with Onion Confit

Inspiration:
Food & Wine


Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 scant tablespoon chopped rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Two 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onions, garlic, rosemary and crushed red pepper and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes longer. Stir in the beans, parsley and water and simmer until stewy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Notes: The cooked white beans can be refrigerated overnight. Serve with crusty bread.

My Notes: This was really easy, and really good. Use good Parmesan! I think it would be a nice side dish for a winter dinner party as you can assemble it beforehand.


Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 9.5/10

Cottage Cheese Farm Salad

Inspiration:
I had a some cottage cheese and lots of fresh veggies from our CSA. A little googling led me to Grandpa's Home Cooking.


Ingredients:

• 1 tomato (heirlooms preferred; quarter and slice into chunks)
• 1 cucumber (quarter and slice into chunks)
• 1 bunch of green pencil onions (sliced thin)
• 1 fist full of fresh basil leaves (chopped)
• 24 oz container of large curd, 4% milk fat cottage cheese
• A pretty serving bowl
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions:

1. Empty the contents of the cottage cheese container in a bowl. Add the tomato and cucumber chunks, round pencil onion slices, and chopped basil. Stir the vegetables and cottage cheese together. Salt and pepper to taste.
   
2. Spoon into a pretty serving bowl and set it on the table.

Notes: I know not everyone is a fan of cottage cheese, but I am, and I really enjoyed this salad. The crunch of the cucumbers and the flavor of fresh basil make the dish.


Liz's Rating: 8.5/10
Tim's Rating: 8/10

Tomato, Basil, and White-Bean Salad

Inspiration:
Martha Stewart


Ingredients:

• 2 cans (19 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 pound small roma (plum) tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 small garlic cloves, minced

Instructions:

1. Combine beans, tomatoes, basil, and salt in a bowl, and season with pepper.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Pour over bean mixture, and gently toss. Let stand 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Salad can be covered and kept at room temperature up to 4 hours.

Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

Rick Bayless' Mexican-Style Zucchini Tacos

Inspiration:
Rick Bayless


Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium white onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 pound ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped (6 to 8 Italian-plum or 2 medium- large round)

2 large fresh poblano chiles

1 cup fresh corn kernels (about one ear of corn)

4 medium zucchini cut into 1/2" cubes (about 1 1/2 pounds or 5 cups)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2/3 cup homemade crème frâiche or heavy cream

Salt

1/2 cup Mexican queso fresco or other crumbly fresh cheese-like salted, pressed farmer's cheese or feta

24 fresh, warm corn tortillas

Instructions:

1. Measure the oil into a large (12-inch skillet) and set over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until richly browned, about 8 minutes.

2. While onion is cooking, coarsely puree the tomatoes in a food processor or blender. Add garlic to the browned onion, cook 1 minute, stirring, then add the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Roast the poblanos directly over a gas flame or on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler, turning regularly until the skin has blistered and blackened on all sides, about 5 minutes for an open flames, about 10 minutes for the broiler. Remove from heat and cover with a kitchen towel and let stand for 5 minutes. Rub off the blackened skins, then pull out the stems and seedpods. Rinse briefly to remove stray seeds and bits of skin. Slice into 1/4-inch strips.

4. Uncover the skillet, return to flame and raise the heat to medium-high. Stir in the poblanos, corn, zucchini, epazote and crema. Cook, stirring frequently, until the zucchini is crisp-tender and the liquid has thickened enough to coat the vegetables nicely, about 8 minutes. Taste and season with salt, about 1 teaspoon or to taste. Serve in a decorative bowl, sprinkle with crumbled cheese and pass hot tortillas separate for do-it-yourself tacos.

Nutrition facts per serving (1/6 of the recipe): 453 calories, 18 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 43 mg cholesterol, 66 g carbohydrates, 12 g protein, 604 mg sodium, 8 g fiber


Tim's Rating: 8.5/10 ("better than 'facos'")
Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

Green Beans with Goat Cheese and Fresh Lemon Vinaigrette

Inspiration: Oprah.com and green beans from our CSA.


Ingredients:

• 2 pounds green beans , trimmed
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 2 ounces goat cheese , softened and crumbled

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add green beans. Cook 3 minutes; drain well. Set beans aside in colander; do not rinse (they will continue to cook).
   
2. In a large bowl, whisk together lemon zest, juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add beans to bowl and toss.
   
3. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese.
   

Notes: Loved the combination of lemon zest and goat cheese with the green beans. We took this to work with our lunches- it's a nice way to mix up the monotony of bagged lunch.

Tim's Rating: 8.5/10
Liz's Rating: 9.5/10

Bobby Flay's Grilled Corn Salad with Lime, Red Chili, and Cotija

Inspiration:
A side dish tasted at Mesa Grill over a year ago that we couldn't forget. I finally looked online to see if a recipe was available when we received corn from our CSA. It was!


Ingredients:

• 8 ears fresh corn, silks removed, husk on, soaked in cold water 30 minutes
• Canola oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup creme fraiche
• 2 limes, juiced and 1 zested
• 1 tablespoons ancho chili powder
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup grated cotija

Instructions:

1. Heat grill to high. Grill corn until charred on all sides, 10 or so minutes. Take off the grill and remove the kernels with a sharp knife. While you are cutting the corn, put a cast iron skillet on the grill to heat.
2. Add the corn and the remaining ingredients to the hot pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until creamy and heated through.

Notes: Cotija is the food of the gods. This is a fantastic recipe to enjoy the sweet corn of summer.

Tim's Rating: 10/10
Liz's Rating: 10/10

Bittman's Kosher Pickles

Inspiration: A love for crisp pickles that still have a hint of cucumber, cucumbers from our CSA, and Mark Bittman's recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup kosher salt
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 pounds small (“Kirby”) cucumbers, washed (scrub if spiny) and cut lengthwise into halves or quarters
• At least 5 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 large bunch dill, preferably fresh and with flowers, or substitute 2 tablespoons dried dill and 1 teaspoon dill seeds or 1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1. Combine the salt and boiling water in a large bowl; stir to dissolve the salt. Add a handful of ice cubes to cool down the mixture, then add all the remaining ingredients.

2. Add cold water to cover. Use a plate slightly smaller than the diameter of the bowl and a small weight to hold the cucumbers under the water. Keep at room temperature.

3. Begin sampling the cucumbers after 4 hours if you’ve quartered them, 8 hours if you’ve cut them in half. In either case, it will probably take from 12 to 24 or even 48 hours for them to taste “pickle-y” enough to suit your taste.

4. When they are ready, refrigerate them, still in the brine. The pickles will continue to ferment as they sit, more quickly at room temperature, more slowly in the refrigerator. They will keep well for up to a week.

Notes: So easy, and a good way to use up those summer cucumbers. They're salty and tasty!

Liz's Rating: 8.5/10
Tim's Rating: 8/10

Breakfast Tacos with Homemade Corn Tortillas

Inspiration:
This week, my friend Brooke declared it's easy to make corn tortillas and that they're delicious.

I immediately headed to Amazon to order a tortilla press and to my co-op to search for Masa Harina. They had it, but if you can't find it, you can order it online.


Ingredients:

• 1 cup Masa Harina (will make approximately 6 6-inch tortillas)
  
• Eggs
• Shredded Cheddar
• Hot Sauce
• Optional: cooked sausage, vegetables, other taco ingredients

Instructions:

1. Mix Masa Harina with scant 1 cup hot water and a dash of salt. Once combined, cover and set aside for one hour.
2. When dough is ready, roll into 2-inch balls. Press in a tortilla press lined with wax or parchment paper.
   
3. Heat griddle to hot. Cook tortillas approximately 1 minute on each side. Keep warm in towels until other ingredients are ready.
4. Scramble eggs and season with salt and pepper.
   
5. Assemble tacos and enjoy!

Rating:
9/10

Notes: Very easy to make! I don't know what took me so long to try it, but I don't think we'll ever purchase tortillas again.

Coconut Arborio Rice Pudding

Inspiration:
Food and Wine


Ingredients:

• 1 quart whole milk
• 1 cup arborio rice (about 8 ounces)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• One 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/2 cup coarsely shredded unsweetened coconut

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan, combine the milk, rice and sugar with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender and suspended in a thick, creamy sauce, about 30 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice is very tender and the liquid is thickened, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
2. In a medium saucepan, toast the coconut over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
3. Spoon the rice pudding into bowls, garnish with the toasted coconut and serve.

Notes: This would be the perfect dessert for a casual Southeast Asian dinner party.

Tim's Rating: 8/10
Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

Fettuccine with Lima Beans, Peas, and Leeks

Inspiration:
Real Simple


Ingredients:

• 12 ounces fettuccine (3/4 box)
• 1 10-ounce package frozen lima beans (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 leeks (white and light green parts), cut into half-moons
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 1/4 cup grated pecorino or Parmesan (1 ounce)

Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, adding the beans and peas during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender (but not brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add the cream and cook until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the pasta and tarragon to the skillet and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the cheese before serving.

Notes: This was really good, and really quick to make. Boiling water took the most amount of time! I think it would be even better with some lemon zest tossed in at the end and/or some minced garlic sauteed along with the leeks.

Liz's Rating: 9/10

Giada's Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Inspiration: Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:

Cookies:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested

Glaze:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

   Cookies:

2. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
   

4. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated.
   

5. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine.
   

6. Stir in the dry ingredients.

7. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets.
   

8. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges.
   

9. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

   Glaze:

10. Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth.
    

11. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread.
    

12. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.
    

Notes:

• I am revisiting a few recipes I published when first working on this blog, before I had many readers or my dSLR. I hope you enjoy these!
• Make sure you don't overbake these- they may not look done at the suggested time, but they are. :)
• It is very important to let the glaze harden before you store the cookies.
• I have not had much luck storing them in sealed containers- I think it's better to cover them loosely with plastic wrap or tinfoil and serve them within a couple days.
• These may make you famous with your friends, family, and colleagues. Everyone loves them!
  

Tim's Rating: 10/10
Liz's Rating: 10/10

Quinoa Salad with Cucumber

Inspiration:
A search for a new rice/pasta/other salad to take for lunch, and Martha Stewart's Living.


Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• Coarse salt
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise (1 cup)
• 3/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions:

1. Bring water, quinoa, and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat; cover, and simmer until tender and water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet, and let cool on a wire rack.
2. Combine shallot, vinegar, and red-pepper flakes in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil until emulsified.
3. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl, and stir in cucumber, parsley, and vinaigrette. Season with salt.

Notes:
I substituted white wine vinegar for the champagne vinegar and used a regular cucumber.

While this was ok, I think it would be even better with some feta or ricotta salata cheese added-- or kalamata olives or diced red bell pepper.


Liz's Rating: 7.5/10
Tim's Rating: 8/10

Pioneer Woman's Restaurant-Style Salsa

Inspiration:
I love restaurant-style salsa, so when I saw Pioneer Woman's recipe on my friend Sarah's blog, I had to make it immediately!


Ingredients:

• 1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes With Juice
• 2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies)
• ¼ cups Chopped Onion
• 1 clove Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole Jalapeno, Quartered And Sliced Thin
• ¼ teaspoons Sugar
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Ground Cumin
• ½ cups Cilantro (more To Taste!)
• ½ whole Lime Juice

Instructions:

1. Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like—I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.

2. Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips or cheese nachos.

Notes: I used one large jalapeño, including the ribs and seeds. I would describe the salsa as medium-hot. Tim loves spicy food, so I'll probably use two next time. This makes a lot, but we ate the entire batch within a week.

I make my own salsa in summer using fresh tomatoes, but I never had made it in winter. This recipe is so good! I think it may be my favorite salsa of all time.


Liz's Rating: 10/10
Tim's Rating: 9.5/10