Cucumber, Avocado and Dill Soup

I wouldn't normally include this recipe since it calls for an avocado and I'm trying to stick to 100% local as much as possible, but this is so yummy and healthful that I had to make an exception.  My friend Rose made it for me this evening; I couldn't get over how good it was!

Source: Rose C.

1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and chunked

1 medium cucumber, chunked

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1/2 t. sea salt

4 T. fresh dill (or less)

Simply place all the above ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  (No need to peel the cucumber unless you purchased it at the grocery store and it has a waxy coating; if so be sure to peel it.)

Serve with sun-dried tomatoes.

Yum!!

Cilantro Pesto

I still have a bunch of cilantro in the refrigerator that I wanted to use up (it keeps great, by the way!), so I thought I'd try making some pesto with it this evening.  Blech!!!  I had several recipes, all different, so I tried tweaking it by using a second recipe.  Blech again!  Then, I started over with a new recipe that used half cilantro and half parsley.  Better, but I don't think I'm going to waste any more time (or olive oil!) trying to perfect the recipe, especially since I have a fabulous Parsley Pesto recipe that I discovered last fall.  To stay on the up and up, I'll wait to post it until I actually make a batch this year.  :)
But hey, if you have a Cilantro Pesto recipe that you like, please let me know!

Roast Chicken

Photo Credit: Melissa Binder


You may ask, "What's 'In Season' about chicken?"  Well, believe it or not, summer is the best time to eat fresh, pasture-raised chicken because the chickens are out and about the fields these days, eating grass and all kinds of tasty bugs.  We benefit from their diet!  (If you're interested in more details about the benefits of eating grass-fed meat, check out this link.)  I'm fortunate enough to have a farm just three miles away that sells this type of chicken.  I've arranged to purchase a fresh whole broiler chicken or two every three weeks as they "harvest" them, then plan to buy a few extra at the end of the season to stash in the freezer.  I have to admit, I did feel a bit like a chicken-killer - a freshly-dressed chicken straight from the farm looks and feels a bit too alive for me compared to buying them wrapped in plastic from a sterile grocery store that is nowhere in sight of their happy home .... (And I even grew up on a farm and have plenty of experience plucking chickens!)  I had never roasted a chicken before, but have been practicing and think I've gotten the method down now (except for the part about setting off the smoke alarm....).  I usually eat the legs/thighs right away, then freeze the breasts for another time; the breasts are so moist and tender prepared this way!  I've also been freezing the leftover carcasses for making a big pot of chicken stock at a later date.

Enjoy!! 

Source: adapted from  The Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judy Rodgers

one small chicken, 2-3/4 to 3-1/2 pounds
4 tender sprigs of fresh thyme, marjoram, rosemary or sage, about 1/2" long
2-3 t. sea salt (3/4 t. per pound of chicken)
1 t. freshly ground black pepper

One to three days prior to cooking (at least two days for 3+ pounds chickens):
Rinse chicken and pat dry thoroughly.  Snip skin and shove an herb sprig under each breast and thigh.  Season chicken liberally all over with salt and pepper.  Twist and tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders.  Cover loosely and refrigerate. 

To roast chicken:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Preheat an oven-proof 10" skillet over medium heat.  Wipe chicken dry and set it breast side up in pan.  (It should sizzle).
Place in center of oven and watch for it to start browning within 20 min.  If it doesn't, raise the temperature progressively until it does.  The skin should blister, but if the chicken begins to char, or the fat is smoking, reduce the temperature by 25 degrees.  After about 30 min., turn bird over.  Roast for another 10-20 min., depending on size, then flip back over to re crisp the breast skin, another 5-10 min.  Total oven time will be 45 min. to an hour.
Remove chicken from oven.  Lift chicken from skillet and set on a plate; place in a warm spot to rest.  (The meat will become more tender and uniformly succulent as it cools.)
Cut chicken into pieces and serve!

Note:  Salting the bird at least 24 hours in advance is the secret - it improves flavor, keeps it moist, and makes it tender. 

Update - 8/20/10
Rosemary Roast Chicken
I roasted 4 chickens last night for my "August in Tuscany" dinner.  I followed the above directions, but instead of tucking an herb sprig under the skin, I simply put 1/4 c. chopped rosemary and 1 small onion, quartered inside the cavity of each chicken just before roasting - even easier and tastier!

Another update - 10/14/12
I typically eat the wings, legs and thighs, then remove the white breast meat from the carcass and chop and freeze it for later use in recipes calling for chopped, cooked chicken.  But more recently, I've been been shredding the breast meat, then pouring the clear drippings over it to keep it moist before freezing it.  The drippings give it great flavor, and I like the texture of the shredded chicken vs. chopped.

Trouchia

Trouchia is simply a Swiss chard frittata flavored with Parmesan cheese, a classic French egg dish.  It was featured on the Martha Stewart show today.  It sounded so simple and wonderful, I knew I had to try it.  And it was just that! 

For one serving, simply divide the ingredients by 4.

Ingredients:

8 large eggs

8 c. thinly sliced Swiss chard leaves

1 1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 c. plus 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 t. sea salt

1/4 t. cayenne pepper

freshly ground pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs.  Add chard, cheese, 1/4 c. olive oil, salt and cayenne pepper; season with black pepper, and stir to combine.

Heat 2 T. olive oil in a 10" nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add egg mixture and reduce heat to low.  Cover and let cook until eggs are set, 10-12 min.  Holding the lid tightly to cover skillet, invert and turn trouchia onto lid.  Gently slide trouchia into pan and cook until bottom is golden, 2-3 min.

Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Double Broccoli Quinoa

This was downright yummy!  I love pesto and garlic, but never would have thought to use broccoli.  Due to the rabbit competition this year, my entire broccoli harvest for the season (including the stems!) yielded only 5 cups of broccoli - exactly what I needed for this recipe.  :)

Source:  CPRS

Ingredients:

3 c. cooked quinoa*

5 c. raw broccoli, cut into small florets and stems

3 medium garlic cloves

2/3 c. sliced or slivered almonds, toasted

1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 big pinches salt

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 c. heavy cream

Optional toppings:  slivered basil, red chili oil**, sliced avocado, crumbled feta or goat cheese

Directions:

Cook the quinoa and set aside.

Steam broccoli just long enough to take the raw edge off.  Transfer to strainer and run under cold water.  Set aside.

To make the broccoli pesto, puree 2 c. cooked broccoli, garlic, 1/2 c. almonds, Parmesan cheese, salt and lemon juice in food processor.  Drizzle in the olive oil and cream and pulse until smooth.

Just before serving, toss quinoa and remaining broccoli with about one half of the broccoli pesto.  Taste and adjust, if needed, with more pesto, salt or lemon juice.  Place on serving platter and top with remaining almonds, a drizzle of red chili oil, and additional optional toppings.

Serves 4-6

*  To cook quinoa:  rinse 1 c. quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer (if quinoa is not pre-rinsed).  In medium saucepan, heat quinoa, 2 c. water (or broth if you like), and a few big pinches of salt until boiling.  Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 15 min.  Quinoa is done when you can see the curlicue in each grain, and it is tender with a bit of pop to each bite.  Drain any extra water and set aside.

**  To make the red chili oil:  heat 1/2 c. olive oil in small saucepan for several minutes.  Turn off heat and stir in 1 1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes.  Set aside and let cool, then store in refrigerator.  Bring to room temperature before using.

Creamed Spinach

source:  Better Homes & Gardens, November 2009

I'd like to tweak the seasonings a bit in this recipe, but for now, it was a great way to use up an abundance of fresh spinach; my spinach was soon ready to bolt, so I harvested all of it - way more than I can eat raw!  And, if you use raw cream from grass-fed cows, you'll get those nutrient benefits (minus the guilt!) as well.

20 oz. fresh spinach (large stems removed) or two 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1/2 c. chopped onion

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. butter

1 c. whipping cream

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

In large saucepan of rapidly boiling salted water, cook fresh spinach 1 min.  Drain, squeeze out excess liquid.  Pat dry with paper towels (I didn't bother - didn't want to waste the towels).  Coarsely snip spinach with kitchen shears; set aside.  For frozen spinach, drain well and squeeze out liquid.

In large skillet, cook onion and garlic in hot butter 5 min.  Stir in cream, pepper, salt and nutmeg.  Bring to boiling. Cook, uncovered, until cream begins to thicken.  Add spinach.  Simmer, uncovered, 2 min. or until thickened.  Season to taste with salt & pepper.

Baked Kale Chips

Source:  adapted from allrecipes.com

OK, these may be a stretch for you, but it's worth a try!  It's a great low-calorie, nutritious snack and soothes the craving for something salty and crunchy.  I used sea salt, but am going to experiment with some other seasonings.  Let me know if you come up with a seasoning you like!

1 bunch kale

1 T. olive oil

1 t. seasoned salt or sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 non-insulated cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Carefully remove leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite-size pieces.  Wash and thoroughly dry with a salad spinner.  (Important - if there is moisture on the leaves, the kale will steam instead of crisping.)   Place in a large bowl.  Drizzle kale with olive oil and toss with hands until thoroughly coated.  Place in a single layer on cookie sheets.

Bake until the edges are brown but not burned, about 10-15 minutes.  Sprinkle with salt.

Update - since I posted this recipe, I tried another batch in my dehydrator.  I had dehydrated some kale last year and remembered it tasting better than the baked version.  My memory was correct - the kale is much better dehydrated - it looses the bitter taste and just tastes better all around.  I realize few people have the luxury of a dehydrator, but if you do, simply dehydrate at 110 degrees until crisp, then sprinkle with seasonings.
 My kale continues to produce, so I plan to keep dehydrating it so I have a supply of kale chips on hand for later use.

Deluxe Whole Wheat Strawberry Shortcake

OK, I can't take credit for this picture.  It's from the "Tammy's Recipes" site.  Here's the link:  http://www.tammysrecipes.com/whole_wheat_strawberry_shortcake

But, I can agree with her that this is a fabulous recipe!!  I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I tasted it last summer after making it for the first time.  I've been trying to eat healthfully and was missing some good strawberry shortcake; I'm so glad I found this recipe!  The whipped egg whites make the cake light and fluffy - you'd never know it was made from 100% whole wheat flour.  When served with whipped cream made with fresh raw unpasteurized cream from grass-fed cows, this is about as nutritious as strawberry shortcake gets!  Be sure to try it again later in the season with  fresh blueberries or red raspberries.

Source:  Tammy's Recipes

Ingredients:

4 eggs, separated

3/4 c. sugar, divided

1 c. whole wheat flour

1/3 c. water

1/4 c. oil

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. vanilla extract

1 lb. (about 2 c.) fresh strawberries, washed and sliced

Whipped cream:

1 c. whipping cream

1 T. sugar

1/2 t. vanilla

Directions:

Grease and flour a 9" springform pan.

In a large bowl with electric mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Continue beating at high speed and add 1/4 c. sugar, about 2 tablespoonfuls at a time.  Beat well after each addition, until sugar is completely dissolved and egg whites stand in stiff peaks.

In another bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the egg yolks, flour, water, oil, baking powder, vanilla, and 1/2 c. sugar.  Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the flour mixture into the beaten egg whites until completely blended.  Pour batter into springform pan.

Bake cake at 325 degrees for about 40 min. or until top of cake springs back when lightly touched with finger and cake tests done.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before removing from pan.  Cake will sink slightly as it cools.

Beat whipping cream in a chilled bowl on high until soft peaks form.  Add a tablespoon of sugar and 1/2 t. vanilla and continue beating until cream is stiff.

To serve, cut into 8 servings and slice cake into 2 layers.  Spread whipped cream between layers and top with whipped cream and strawberries.

Yield:  8 servings

Chicken Caesar Salad

Source:  adapted from Taste of Home

Dressing:

2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped, optional

1/2 c. mayonnaise

1 T. grated Parmesan cheese

1 T. red wine vinegar

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1 t. Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

plenty of sea salt to taste if not using anchovies

Salad ingredients:
1/2 large bunch Romaine lettuce, torn

1 small red onion, sliced into rings

2 c. cooked chicken strips

croutons

In large bowl, combine dressing ingredients.  Just before serving, toss with lettuce, onion, chicken and croutons.

Berry Green Smoothie

I've been eagerly anticipating making a smoothie ever since I planted my Swiss chard 2 months ago.

Don't let the color scare you - be brave and give it a try!! 

It's so refreshing, especially if you use frozen fruit.  The secret is the banana - it cuts the taste of the greens.  It's a wonderful way to get in your daily quota of fruits and veggies!

3 leaves Swiss chard (my fav) or 2 handfuls of spinach

1 very ripe banana, frozen

a handful of  fresh or frozen strawberries, blueberries or red raspberries

enough water to thin to your liking

Simply blend the above ingredients in your blender.  Add additional water to thin if necessary. 

Spinach Feta Pizza

Yummo!

Source:  Rose C., Taste of Home

Ingredients:

Prepared or homemade pizza crust

Topping:

1 garlic clove, minced

1/8 t. garlic salt

2 c. chopped fresh spinach

1 small red onion, sliced and separated into rings

1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms

1 c. (4 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese

1/2 t. dried basil

Sprinkle pizza crust with garlic and garlic salt.  Top with the spinach, onion, mushrooms, cheeses and basil.  Bake at 400 deg. for 35-40 min. (less for pre-baked crust) or until crust is golden and cheese is melted.  Let stand for 5 min. before slicing. 

Yield:  6 slices

Strawberry Vinaigrette

Source:  Taste of Home

Pretty!

16 oz. fresh or frozen (thawed) strawberries

6 T. fresh lemon juice

1/4 c. sugar

2 T. cider vinegar

2 T. olive oil

1/8 t. poppy seeds

Place the strawberries in a blender; cover and process until smooth.  Add lemon juice and sugar.  While processing, add vinegar and oil in a steady stream; process until thickened.  Stir in poppy seeds.  Transfer to a bowl or jar; cover and store in the refrigerator.

Yield:  2 1/2 cups

Pan-Fried Chicken & Spinach Salad

I was going to wait until fall when apples are in season to post this recipe, but I had apples on hand (a forced purchase for rabbit bait!!).  And, since I have yet to be successful at raising a fall crop of spinach, I thought it would be wise to make this now!

Source:  Southern Living Magazine

4 skinned and boned chicken breasts
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten
2/3 c. Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 c. olive oil
1 (6-oz.) pkg fresh baby spinach
1 large apple, thinly sliced
1/2 c. walnut pieces
1 (8-oz.) jar poppy seed dressing
1/2 c. sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese

Dredge chicken in flour; dip in egg, and dredge in breadcrumbs.

Cook chicken in hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat 3-5 min. on each side or until done; remove from skillet, and let stand 5 min.  Cut chicken diagonally in 1/2" thick slices.

Toss together spinach, apple slices, and walnuts.  Divide evenly between 4 serving plates; top evenly with cooked chicken.

Stir together poppy seed dressing, cranberries, and blue cheese; serve with salad.

Spinach Strawberry Salad

Here's another strawberry spinach salad to try!

Source: CPRS

 

1/2 t. toasted sesame seeds

6 c. fresh spinach leaves, torn

2 c. fresh strawberries, sliced

 

Dressing:

1/4 c. olive oil

2 T. red wine vinegar

1 1/2 T. sugar

1/2 t. dried dill weed

1/8 t. onion powder

1/8 t. garlic powder

1/8 t. dry mustard

 

In large bowl, toss spinach with sesame seeds.  Add strawberries.  Cover and refrigerate.

 

Combine dressing ingredients in a screw-top jar; shake well, then refrigerate to chill.  Pour chilled dressing over salad mixture and toss gently to distribute.

Super Spinach Soup

adapted from Farmgirl Fare:

Farmgirl Susan's Super Spinach Soup

Double or triple this recipe as needed!

1 1/2 T. olive oil

l large onion

2 c. chicken broth

1 1/2 T. white rice

4 oz. spinach

salt & pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in large skillet and cook onions, stirring frequently, over medium heat until translucent and just starting to turn golden at the edges, about 7-10 minutes.

Add chicken broth, bring to a boil, add rice, turn down heat and simmer, with the lid cracked, stirring every so often, for 20 minutes.

Stir in spinach, salt and pepper and simmer for another 5-7 minutes. Transfer soup to a blender and puree.

Serve hot, garnished with dollops of sour cream or creme fraiche and a few chive blossoms.