Drinking sangria on a hot summer day brings me back to Barcelona where we’d enjoy carafes of red, white and sparkling (cava) sangria while sitting on a patio or nibbling on tapas. It’s the ultimate summer beverage because you can make it as boozy or as fruity as you’d like and it’s easy to adapt to the seasons.

Spring Sangria

2-3 cups of sliced or diced fruit (peaches, nectarines, plums, apples, berries)
½ cup peach brandy
1 750ml bottle chilled Prosecco, (Italian sparkling wine)
1 cup peach nectar
Superfine sugar, as desired

In a pitcher, combine fruit, peach brandy, and peach nectar. Stir and let sit in fridge for 1-2 hours. Before serving, add Prosecco and taste. Add superfine sugar as desired and stir to dissolve completely. Serve over ice.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

However, if you’re looking for a salad dressing with more complexity, I have you covered on that end too. This is one of my favorite vinaigrettes and my go-to for dressing salads and lightly steamed vegetables.

Simple Vinaigrette
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tsp shallot, minced
½ tsp sugar or honey
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup flax seed oil

In a Mason jar, combine all ingredients and shake vigorously until combined. Alternatively you can use a food processor and slowly add olive and flax oil until incorporated.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

It’s easy enough to swing by the grocery store and pick up a couple bags of salad, especially those salad kits that come with dressing and toppings, but they hardly count as something homemade. Instead, consider making your own salad mix. I tried this recipe recently and loved how flavorful it was even with a very light dressing. Bring it to your next gathering for a simple and healthy option.

Tri-Color Salad

1 bag baby arugula
1 head radicchio, chopped
2-3 endive, core discarded and leaves chopped
Red wine vinegar, to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a large bowl combine arugula, radicchio, and endive. Just before serving, drizzle equal parts of red wine vinegar and olive oil over salad, toss, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Double or triple recipe depending on party size.

Some of my favorite things have been found at garage sales. Unique kitchen tools like my old-time manual food processor used for quickly grating cheese or potatoes, wooden wine boxes are great for both storing wine and decorating, and thanks to garage sales I have a decent collection of cigar boxes for storing little things around the house.

My most used purchase has to be the Very Vegetarian cookbook that I picked up for $1. At the time I had no clue that “very vegetarian” actually meant “vegan” as I was simply attracted to the wide array of vegetable focused recipes. Over the years I’ve cooked my way through the book and recently made a recipe that quickly became a favorite: Red Onion Pickles.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

Not only are these pickles easy to make, they are a great accompaniment to many dishes and I’ve found myself eating them raw, adding them to tacos, and making quick snacks of baguette slices, cream cheese, and red onion pickles.

Red Onion Pickles
(from Very Vegetarian by Jannequin Bennett)

3 large red onions, peeled and cut into slices
½ cup + 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
¼ cup water
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 whole clove
3 black peppercorns

In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, clove, and peppercorns. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Divide sliced onions between 2-3 Mason jars and pour hot liquid over onions. Stir gently and let cool slightly on the counter before sealing jars and storing in the refrigerator. Let onions sit at least one hour before using. Onions should keep for a couple of weeks.

It was time to change things up and I put pizza on the off limits list, at least for a little while. I was pretty successful in this endeavor and recently earned back my pizza privileges but had to start with homemade first. This was a kitchen sink creation topped with Italian meats, onions, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese. I used a 13×9 pan coated with oil to create a thick and sturdy crust.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

One of my favorite recipes for pizza dough comes from pastry chef and author Zoe Francois and her cookbook partner, Jeff Hertzberg. They have a whole suite of cookbooks showing how easy it is to make artisan bread, pizza, and flatbreads and I’ve been using those books for years. One batch of pizza dough makes 4 pizza crusts so it’s great for feeding a crowd or you can do as I do and store the remaining dough in the freezer for future uses.

I suppose this means I’m back on the pizza train. What toppings should I use next?

Since it seems that spring is reluctant to show its face in Minnesota, there’s no need to turn off our ovens quite yet, so I’m still roasting, baking, and broiling to my heart’s content. If the temperatures were warmer, I’d simply steam these green beans, but since baking still works, I went that route. Prep work was minimal as I trimmed the beans, pulled out some spices, and grated Parmesan cheese ahead of time and popped them in the oven a few minutes before dinner.

Parmesan Green Beans

(serves 4)

1 lb. green beans, trimmed
1-2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp spices (I used a mix of garlic powder, salt, and pepper)
¼ cup Parmesan, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a large sheet pan, toss green beans with olive oil and spices. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until tender and top with shredded parmesan cheese and serve.

Now, I know what you’re thinking and yes, those are the same chia seeds you see on the ch-ch-ch-chia commercials and they happen to be very good for you. Packed with omega-3 fatty acids and soluble fiber, they are becoming quite a popular superfood. When chia seeds meet liquids, they turn into a gel making it perfect for thickening puddings like this one.

The other piece that attracted me to this recipe was the opportunity to use the rest of those beautiful oranges I talked about last week and poaching them in a honey mixture was quite simple.

Honey Poached Oranges
(adapted from What’s Cooking Good Looking)

1-2 navel oranges, peeled and segmented
1 cup water
½ cup orange juice
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp honey

Bring water, orange juice, vanilla, and honey to a boil in a small saucepan. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add orange segments and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Use orange segments on top of chia pudding, yogurt, or ice cream.

To help remedy the situation, I’ve turned to places like Fruitshare to deliver the best organic citrus to my doorstep each winter and even had my parents bring grapefruit back from Texas last month.

At a recent happy hour, a few friends and I were talking about our frustration with unpredictable grocery store produce, especially oranges. It’s quite the bummer to spend all that time peeling an orange only to find a dry and tasteless fruit inside. I was surprised to learn that one of my friends didn’t have that problem. She was working with a company that sold heritage navel oranges and has been enjoying fresh citrus all winter. Best of all, these oranges are being sold at Cub Foods.

She must have seen the look of disbelief cross my face since she offered to send me a sample of Heritage Reserve navel oranges. (Yes, I suppose I could have run to Cub myself, but I’m not one to refuse delivery.)

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

I have to say I was quite impressed and ate most of them raw for lunch. Since they are picked ripe and not gassed or “degreened” before hitting the shelves, the flavor was great, just like an orange should be. I used them in a couple recipes, one of which I’ll share next week. Until then, here is a link to a delicious Citrus Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing that I plan to make with my next batch of oranges and grapefruit.

FTC Disclosure: I received 6 free oranges from LoBue Citrus to try without cost to me. As always, all opinions are my own and I was not under any obligation to write about this product.

I’ve been trying to pare down my magazine collection which has gotten a little out of control recently. I’m not sure of the ideal way to do this because I’ve amassed a lot of content but in the meantime I’ve simply been tearing out recipes I like. I must have subscribed to or been given Food Network Magazine at one point because I came across an incredible recipe over the weekend and it involves two of my favorite foods: pretzels and cheese.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

These little pretzel coated cheese nuggets are meant to resemble eggs, so they’d be great to make for Easter or even April Fool’s Day or heck, you can be like me and just make them for a Sunday afternoon snack. They are a little putzy to assemble but can be prepped ahead of time and refrigerated until you’re ready to fry and bake them. I’ve found that using a frying thermometer is incredibly helpful to get just the right temperature and they only take a few minutes to cook after assembling.

Pretzel-Crusted Fried Cheese
Makes 12
From Food Network Magazine, April 2011

Note: I used Monterey Jack cheese and it worked just as well as provolone or mozzarella. Don’t be alarmed if you have a lot of crushed pretzels leftover. The leftovers can be used as breading for chicken or fish.

For the Fried Cheese:
8 ounces provolone or part-skim mozzarella cheese, cubed
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
4 ounces yellow cheddar cheese, cubed
1 1/2 cups plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 8-ounce bag thin pretzel sticks
Freshly ground pepper
4 large eggs
5 tablespoons spicy mustard
Peanut oil, for frying

For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons horseradish, drained
1 tablespoon spicy mustard
1/4 cup sour cream

Make the fried cheese: Pulse the provolone and parmesan in a food processor until the cheese gathers into a ball; transfer to a bowl. Pulse the yellow cheddar and 2 teaspoons flour in the food processor until smooth. Form teaspoonfuls of the yellow cheddar mixture into 12 small balls; roll between your hands until smooth. Transfer to a plate and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

Wipe out the food processor. Add the pretzels and pulse until finely ground with a few chunks; transfer to a shallow dish. Mix the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in another dish. Whisk the eggs and mustard in a third dish.

Roll tablespoonfuls of the provolone mixture into 12 balls, then flatten into disks. Put 1 yellow cheddar ball on each disk, then shape the provolone around it, enclosing the cheddar. Roll into an egg shape.

Dip the cheese balls in the egg mixture, then dredge in the flour; return to the egg mixture, then roll in the pretzel crumbs, turning to coat. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes and up to 3 hours to set the coating.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat 1/2 inch peanut oil in a saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer registers 360 degrees F. Fry the cheese balls in batches, turning, until golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a rack set in a baking dish. Bake until heated through, 5 to 7 minutes.

Make the sauce: Whisk the horseradish, mustard and sour cream in a bowl. Serve with the fried cheese.

(credit :Crystal Grobe)

Sure there have been some major flops like the carrot cake muffins that tasted like raw flour and didn’t rise, or the curdled soup that I heated too quickly and had to toss. But overall I’ve been lucky to have more successes than failures in the kitchen.

Last week I was tinkering around with a peanut sauce to put on top of zucchini noodles that I cut with my brand new julienne peeler ($5 at the Asian grocery). Even as I plated everything I asked myself, “Is this even going to be good?” There were so many vegetables and I felt like it needed a tad more substance, so at the last minute I added buckwheat soba noodles for some protein and carbs.

The result? So absolutely amazing that I wished I had made enough for leftovers all week. I shared snapshots of the dish on Instagram and Twitter and now I’ll share the recipe here on Bite of Minnesota. Try it; I hope you’ll like it as much as I do.

Peanut Lime Zucchini Noodles with Broccoli, Soba and Kale
(serves 4)

Note: If you don’t have a julienne peeler, use a regular peeler to cut zucchini into long ribbons or slice thinly into long strands

2 medium sized zucchini, julienned
2-3 handfuls of chopped kale (lacinato/dinosaur is great)
1 bunch of broccoli, cut into florets
1 bundle of buckwheat soba noodles
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup roasted cashews, chopped
3 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
Salt and pepper, to taste

sauce:
1-inch fresh ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
1 lime, juice and zest
3 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp hot chile paste (to taste, if using sriracha)
2 tsp agave nectar
¼ cup olive oil

In a food processor, combine sauce ingredients and blend until combined. Adjust heat and sweetness by adding hot chile paste or agave nectar as desired.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook soba noodles according to package directions. Drain hot noodles over chopped kale in a large colander to lightly steam.

Using the same large pot and a steamer basket, steam broccoli for three minutes. Add zucchini noodles, recover, and steam for 30 seconds.

Divide soba noodles and kale among four bowls and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with peanut lime sauce. Add zucchini noodles and broccoli and drizzle with remaining sauce.

Garnish with cilantro, chopped cashews, sesame seeds, and additional chile paste if desired.

Here are some food-related things that may be helpful in those last few long weeks of winter:

1.) Salads
Forego the heavy fare of winter by saying goodbye to stews and roasts and hello to leafy greens. I make kale salad on a regular basis and pair it with a protein, like grilled chicken breast, baked tofu, or nuts.

2.) Smoothies
It’s easy to get a taste of the tropics by adding frozen fruit such as mango and pineapple to a smoothie. Combine the ingredients below in a blender for a blast of nutrition. This will make two servings.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

Tropical Green Smoothie
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup rice milk
1 large frozen banana
1 cup frozen mango chunks
½ cup frozen pineapple chunks
4 cups fresh baby spinach
Splash of water if needed

3.) Citrus
Make use of winter citrus and add slices of grapefruit, lemon, and orange to water for a sliver of sunshine. Use sparkling water for a little more pizzazz.

These three things won’t magically make it warmer or turn winter into spring, but they do offer a nutritious getaway for the body and the mind.

Depending on what you have on hand, you can make a hearty soup chock-full of vegetables, greens, beans, or pasta or you can go the pantry route using canned goods and spices. Either way, the house is sure to smell great with a pot of soup simmering on the stove.

Running low on fresh produce? Here’s a simple yet flavorful recipe for Spicy Tomato Chickpea Soup. Not up for something spicy? Leave out the crushed red pepper and you’ll still have a great tasting soup. The seasonings used in this soup give it a nice warmth while the chickpeas help to bulk it up and add a little creaminess.

Spicy Tomato Chickpea Soup
Vegan Yum Yum cookbook
Serves 4

2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 sweet onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp crushed red pepper
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp turmeric
1 15-ounch can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 28-ounch can diced tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1 cup vegetable broth or water
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté 5-7 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, cumin, and crushed red pepper (if using) and stir for another minute.

Add the mustard seeds, turmeric, and the drained chickpeas. Sauté until the chickpeas begin to turn golden.

Add tomatoes and salt and let simmer 10 to 15 minute until tomatoes are cooked.

Transfer the mixture to a blender, add vegetable broth or water and blend until smooth. You might need to do this in batches and be careful to let some heat escape so the blender lid doesn’t pop off. Return to the pot and heat over medium-low until warmed. Add additional salt as needed and season with freshly ground black pepper.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

Next came Foxy Falafel, who had a big 2012 with the launch of a food truck, multiple farmers’ market booths, and a brick and mortar location in St. Paul that has been going strong with not only the signature falafel but delicious sides like cauliflower steaks and cheese curds too.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

Then we had another personal favorite of mine, World Street Kitchen open in my neighborhood. It’s been a treat to run over there for yum yum rice bowls and walk out with multiple desserts. The soft serve is unbelievable! It’s tough to resist chocolate coated almonds, marshmallows and salted caramel.

Next we had the long-awaited Smack Shack which finally got all of the approvals to open a lobster focused restaurant in the North Loop last month broadening their ability to cater to non-seafood lovers too with fried green tomato po boys.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

Now, sushi lovers rejoice as we can get our Sushi Fix long before the snow melts. You may remember me talking about this sushi after the truck launched last spring and I’ve been raving about it ever since. Not only is the sushi amazing, but the owner, Billy Tserenbat is a kind and generous soul. He’s enthusiastic about creating an excellent experience for his guests and you can see the joy in his face as he talks about his journey to get to where he is today.

I was thrilled to preview the Sushi Fix space this week and I eagerly await the official opening on Friday, March 1st. The menu will offer a variety of sushi options including his popular rolls like the 2-14 (aka Valentine’s roll) and don’t miss some of my favorites: tuna poke and squid salad. He has a loyal following from his days as a chef at Yumi’s and earned more fans through his food truck. That strong fan following combined with a little bit of sake is sure to produce a very joyous opening.

Be on the lookout for more food trucks opening storefronts in the near future. Next on deck: Potters Pasties & Gastrotruck. Have you heard of any others?

Take Anthony Bourdain for example: that guy eats some of the strangest animals and animal parts, but thinks putting ketchup on a hot dog is terrible. Even Bobby Flay has a dislike of lentils, and Rachael Ray hates mayonnaise. We are lucky to live in an environment where we have options and alternatives, but sometimes a strong dislike can be overcome with a little effort.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

For me, I’m still working through my dislike of beets. Sure, I could just avoid them altogether, but they are abundant, affordable, and a good source of nutrients, so I keep trying. I’ve roasted them, juiced them, and shredded them raw into salads. My most recent attempt was just playing around with my food. I roasted some beets (both red and golden), cut them into fun shapes, and stacked them on top of each other for a bite-sized snack. Turns out the more bite-sized and cute a food is, the more likely I am to eat it. Yes, I sometimes eat like a 5 year old.

Give it a try yourself. Beets are easy to cook: scrub clean, wrap individually in foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until easily pierced with a knife. The skins should slip off after cooling, and you’re ready to go. I used a mini cookie cutter to cut flower shapes and then smeared herbed goat cheese in-between each layer.

Personally I accomplished a lot of cooking for there were many odds and ends hanging out in my refrigerator. First, I threw together a delicious quiche made from roasted tomatoes, caramelized red onions, spinach and feta. Then I moved onto zucchini lasagna made with zucchini instead of pasta. Finally, I had some cooked quinoa to use up and made a recipe from a fellow blogger for Quinoa Granola.

I’m always trying to eat a little healthier and Lee over at Fit Foodie Finds is a great person to follow when searching for healthy recipes. Plus, she’s from Minnesota and seems super sweet!

Here is her most recent iteration of Quinoa Granola. I didn’t have pepitas so I used peanuts instead and I’ve been serving it with plain yogurt for breakfast or a quick snack.

Quinoa Granola
Serves 6 (1/2 cup servings)
Fit Foodie Finds blog

2 cups cooked quinoa, chilled
1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup dried cherries, unsweetened
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium size bowl, mix together cooked quinoa, pepitas, coconut and dried cherries. Then, spread evenly on the baking sheet.

In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, honey, and vanilla. Then pour over quinoa mixture and toss to evenly coat. Bake for 35-40 minutes, tossing mixture every 10 minutes to ensure the granola cooks evenly.

I’ve dined at Fitger’s Brewhouse several times over the years and have always enjoyed the bustling restaurant, extensive menu and variety of craft beers. But I haven’t been there in a few years. When news hit this summer that Minneapolis would be getting our own Fitger’s, I was overjoyed. Unfortunately, news hit in November that Fitger’s decided to scratch expansion plans…for now.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

Luckily, I can enjoy my own wild rice burger at home thanks to the recipe development done over at Heavy Table. While Fitger’s wouldn’t spill the exact recipe details, I think you’d agree that Heavy Table’s recipe comes pretty close to the real deal. Head on over to their site for this easy-to-make recipe. You’ll be surprised at how well these burgers come together with the help of melted cheese.

I’m not a frequent pasta eater simply because I tend to eat my carbs in the form of bread, lots of bread. However, I’ll occasionally give in to a craving for a bowl of red sauce-laden spaghetti or hearty lasagna (with a side of garlic bread, of course). I vow to someday own a spiral cutter so I can make zucchini noodles but in the meantime I’ll keep using up the overstock of pasta in my pantry.

Not wanting to waste the leftover asiago cheese sauce from the Italian nachos recipe, I came up with this simple Asiago Pesto Pasta dish. It’s hardly a recipe since I just threw a bunch of things together, but it was delicious nonetheless.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

Here’s a quick rundown of what I did to make 4 servings:

1.) Slowly reheat cheese sauce in a small saucepan, whisking often to avoid separation. Add ¼ cup of premade basil pesto and whisk to combine.

2.) Cook desired amount of pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.

3.) Reheat pasta pan and sauté sliced zucchini (I used 2 zucchini) in a little olive oil until tender. Set aside.

4.) Return pasta to the pan, toss with asiago pesto sauce to coat, and add sautéed zucchini and halved cherry tomatoes. Serve and enjoy!

You can imagine my excitement that there are no games on this weekend. Did you hear that? Zero NFL football games. Yes! That means the Super Bowl is coming up and that’s more of a social event than a sporting event, right?

A few years ago I won several gift certificates to Macaroni Grill. I’m pretty sure I used almost all of the money on plates of Italian Nachos. The indulgent fried pasta sheets paired with creamy cheese and the vinegary kick of banana peppers made them hard to resist. Luckily I got my hands on the recipe and tried it at home with mouth-watering success.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

This recipe made double what you see in the photograph. I had about a cup of leftover cheese sauce that I used in pasta. I’ll share that recipe in an upcoming post.

Nachos di Napoli
From Macaroni Grill
(4-6 appetizer servings)

8 oz. wonton wrappers (about 1/2 a package)
Canola oil
1/3 cup fully cooked Italian sausage, crumbled
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
½ cup fresh tomatoes, diced
¼ cup sliced kalamata olives or any black olives
¼ cup chopped scallions
6-8 slices banana peppers

Asiago Cream Sauce:
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
2 cups heavy whipping cream
½ tsp chicken bouillon granules (or 1 cube)
1 ½ cups shredded Asiago cheese

Stack the wonton wrappers and slice into half diagonally. Deep fry in hot canola oil until light golden brown, drain on paper towels and set aside.

To make cheese sauce, mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl, then add bouillon granules; set aside.

In a saucepan, heat the cream. Slowly add cornstarch mixture, mix until thick and slowly add in cheese. Stir until cheese is totally melted and then turn heat to low and stir occasionally.

Arrange chips on a plate and sprinkle with ½ of the mozzarella cheese and drizzle with hot cheese sauce. Arrange another layer of chips on top and repeat mozzarella cheese and hot cheese sauce layer. Sprinkle remaining ingredients evenly over top. Serve immediately.

Cheese sauce makes about 3 cups.

Lately I’ve been taking a super fun yet exhausting cycling workout with friends and as a reward I’ve been treating myself to an Irish Apple Martini cocktail from Eli’s Food & Cocktails’ talented bartender, Richie. This man knows how to craft a cocktail with Powers whiskey, Irish Mist liqueur, house made apple cider reduction and a splash of sour mix.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

Taprooms are popping up all over the Twin Cities serving craft beer and the latest to open is Dangerous Man Brewing Company in Northeast Minneapolis. They had a soft opening on Saturday and served four beers, one of them being Chocolate Milk Stout. Medium bodied and a perfect winter warmer, be on the lookout for a couple of new brews from head brewer and owner, Rob Miller in the near future.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

My favorite neighborhood coffee shop is Urban Bean Coffee, with locations on Lyndale Avenue and Bryant Avenue in Minneapolis. I ran into owner Greg Martin and he invited me to try their brand new mocha creation. What I love about Urban Bean’s coffee creations is that they offer a touch of sweetness without overdoing it like most coffee shops. This special mocha is made with real chocolate, Dutch process cocoa, and just a splash of their house made vanilla syrup. Perfection.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

If you’re like me, your morning routine is as basic as possible and breakfast has to be eaten in the car or at a desk. As much as I’d love to linger over a cup of coffee and whip up a lavish breakfast, that type of indulgence is held for weekends only. Breakfast has to be quick yet satisfying so I often turn to oatmeal packets or yogurt with granola.

After the holidays I was left with an extra bag of cranberries and in an effort to spice up my morning breakfasts, I made a quick cranberry jam. It is delicious spooned into already prepared oatmeal, slathered on a piece of toast, or dolloped on top of thick and creamy greek yogurt. It’s already become one of my favorite additions to my morning routine and helps get me out the door a bit faster.

Cranberry Jam
(makes 1 quart)
From Green & Lean Blog

1 can root beer
1 bag cranberries
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring root beer and cranberries to a boil.  Whisk in sugars and cornstarch, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly and transfer to a glass storage container and cool completely. Store in the refrigerator.

Simplification doesn’t have to be restrained just to getting rid of “stuff”. It can also be applied in entertaining, especially when unexpected guests drop by. A quick cheese plate or cut fresh fruit works well or if you’re craving something sweeter, make these Cinnamon Stick Puffs. The puff pastry quickly defrosts on the counter (or with a little prodding from low-heat microwaving) while the oven preheats and it’s always easy to throw together a little cinnamon and sugar. Give them a try!

Cinnamon Stick Puffs

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed on the counter or in the microwave
¼ cup melted butter
½ cup sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place puff pastry on a large cookie sheet and cut into strips 1-inch wide x 4-inches long. Bake 8 minutes or until lightly golden and puffed.

While baking, combine sugar and cinnamon. Brush baked strips with butter and toss with cinnamon sugar mixture. Sprinkle additional cinnamon and sugar on top if needed. Serve and enjoy.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

Black Forest Inn – Christmas Market
December 22nd and 23rd; 12pm – 6pm
Website

The German Christmas cookies from Black Forest Inn are my favorite because they are unlike anything I’d make during a traditional cookie exchange. Order a mixed dozen or just your favorites and stop by this weekend for a springerle cookie making demonstration at 3pm on Saturday and Sunday. If you want to try your hand at making these beautiful anise flavored cookies, Black Forest Inn also sells the molds.

Holidazzle Parade
November 23rd – December 23rd; 6:30pm
Website

If you haven’t gone to the Holidazzle, here’s your year to check it out. The weather is relatively mild and there are so many food options nearby. Watch the parade at 6:30pm and then duck into a restaurant on Nicollet Mall like Masa, Vincent, Barrio, or Brit’s for dinner. Alternatively, grab hot chocolate (and mini donuts if Chef Shack is around) and get some shopping done since stores are open later this week.

British Arrow Awards – Walker Art Center
November 30th – December 30th
Website

Although the British Arrow Awards have nothing to do with the holidays, it’s a great opportunity to get away from the holiday hubbub and have a good laugh while watching the best of British advertising at the Walker Art Center. Be sure to check out the pop-up Walker Pub serving British fare for the month of December for your fix of Scotch eggs and a Pimm’s cup.

Elf The Broadway Musical – Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
Now – December 30th
Website

I’ve been hearing wonderful things about Elf at the Ordway and it makes me wish I had planned ahead for an evening out with friends. Tickets are still available and the Ordway has partnered with nearby restaurants like Forepaugh’s, Bennett’s Chop and Railhouse, American Burger Bar, Wild Thymes, and Bin on the Park to offer special Elf-themed food and drink menus.

Happy Holidays!

Disclosure: Black Forest Inn provided a mixed dozen for me to try and per usual, I was under no obligation to write about these cookies and all views are my own. They are dang good cookies!

Sometimes I make unhealthy stuff like baked macaroni and cheese, but I add tomatoes to it for a little bit of brightness. Other times I make traditional food like deviled eggs and add sautéed onions, apples, and herbs to switch up the filling. I also make a lot of salads because ingredients like grilled peaches, roasted corn, and massaged kale are a great way to add variety to a normally boring dish. I may not have one single approach to cooking, but I do believe that variety is the spice of life and that comes through in my cooking as well as my daily activities.

Take the average sweet potato; it is not so exciting on its own and usually has limited ways of preparation: fried, baked, mashed, or covered in marshmallows and pecans. Now think about grapes; there’s only one way I eat grapes – straight from the fridge and raw. Imagine if these two standard ingredients met goat cheese and honey. I think it would look something like this:

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

Thanks to my habit of “reading the internet” (as my husband commonly calls my online research), I came across the idea of roasting grapes and fell in love with the amazing flavor profile. As you can imagine, they taste like raisins and I encourage anyone with kids to roast grapes immediately for snacktime. Yum!

To take it a step further, here’s a recipe from a lovely blog, How Sweet It Is, pairing roasted grapes with sweet potatoes, goat cheese, and honey. These would be so fun to make for a holiday dinner.

Roasted Grape + Goat Cheese + Honey Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
(from How Sweet It Is blog)
makes 4 potatoes

4 sweet potatoes
2 cups red, seedless grapes
1 teaspoon grapeseed oil (or another high heat oil)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces goat cheese
2 tablespoons honey + additional for drizzling
pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Poke holes in sweet potato with a fork, then wrap each tightly in aluminum foil. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until potatoes and tender to the touch. Unwrap foil and cut a slit down the middle of each sweet potato. Let sit until cool enough to handle.

Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Lay grapes on a nonstick baking sheet and drizzle with grapeseed oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper, then toss to coat. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until grapes begin to burst. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Once sweet potatoes are somewhat cool, gently remove the flesh with a spoon, trying to keep the potato intact. Add the sweet potato to a large bowl, then mash with 3 ounces of goat cheese, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, pepper and honey. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired, then scoop flash back into the potato skins. At this point you can re-warm the potatoes (if you let them cool completely) in the oven, then top with remaining goat cheese. Add grapes on top and serve with additional drizzled honey.

Before I knew it, I fell in love with Des Moines and although my contract has long since ended, Des Moines is a regular getaway spot for me. Between the ever-evolving restaurant scene and the hipness (and hipsters) of the East Village, it reminds me of a mini-Minneapolis. The city is easily walkable, affordable, and has plenty to explore. Don’t believe me? Take the four-hour drive yourself and check out a few spots I visited in November.

Proof offers casual counter service for lunch and converts to a fancier white tablecloth prix fixe spot for dinner. Last time I visited for lunch and enjoyed the vegetable falafel sandwich made from chickpeas, potatoes, and carrots with a side of roasted tomato soup.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

Proof
1301 Locust Street
(515) 244-0655
http://proofrestaurant.com

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

Restaurateur George Formaro struck gold again with his newest restaurant, Zombie Burger + Drink Lab. I have long been a fan of his other concepts: Django, Union Bread Company, Centro, and Gateway Market and he continues to impress.

Zombie Burger has some of the most outrageous burger combinations (peanut butter, fried bananas and bacon anyone?) and also offers adult milkshakes if you’ve saved room for dessert. I tried the Walking Ched that has two mac & cheese croquettes instead of a bun and topped with more mac & cheese for good measure.

Zombie Burger + Drink Lab
300 E. Grand Avenue
(515) 244-9292
http://zombieburgerdm.com

If you’re looking for shopping, skip the mall and head to Domestica in the East Village. Owner Chrissy Jensen has made Etsy come to life in her recently expanded shop selling everything from cards to pillowcases to glassware.

Domestica
321 East Walnut Street
(515) 283-2000
http://www.ilovedomestica.com

Don’t miss walking through Pappajohn Sculpture Park, part of the Des Moines Art Center. Grab a coffee at nearby Ritual Café and wander through the park. It’s free, so visit again at night for a transformed visual experience.

Pappajohn Sculpture Park
13th and Grand Avenue
http://www.desmoinesartcenter.org/visit/pappajohn-sculpture-park.aspx

Ritual Café
1301 Locust Street
(515) 288-4872
http://www.ritualcafedsmiowa.com/

Luckily, I still have a couple of days to work on food preparation for Thanksgiving and to plan what I’m doing with ingredient leftovers. Normally, all of the prepared food gets divided up and sent home for sandwiches the next day, but what to do with the leftover pumpkin puree? You could make pumpkin pie lattes or curried pumpkin and wild rice soup, or you could make pumpkin lasagna.

Inspired by another New York Times recipe, I halved this recipe last week and used pumpkin puree instead of kabocha squash, skipping the roasting step since I already had the puree made. After it was all assembled, I stuck it in the fridge for a quick meal on a weeknight.

Lasagna with Roasted Squash

(credit: New York Times, October 30th, 2012)

3 pounds kabocha squash
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons minced shallot or onion
3 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour
3 cups low-fat milk (1 percent)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 pound no-boil lasagna noodles (or a little more, depending on the size of your lasagna pan)
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut the squash into big chunks, brush the exposed flesh with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and place on the baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes or until squash is tender enough to be pierced through to the skin with a paring knife. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until you can handle it, then cut away the skin and cut in thin slices. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees.

While the squash is in the oven, make the béchamel. Heat the remaining oil over medium heat in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the shallot or onion and cook, stirring, until it has softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and bubbling, but not browned. It should have the texture of wet sand. Whisk in the milk all at once and bring to a simmer, whisking all the while, until the mixture begins to thicken. Turn the heat to very low and simmer, stirring often with a whisk and scraping the bottom and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and has lost its raw flour taste. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Strain while hot into a large measuring cup or a medium bowl and stir in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and 1 tablespoon of the sage.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a rectangular baking dish. Spread a spoonful of béchamel over the bottom. Top with a layer of lasagna noodles. Spread a thin layer of the béchamel over the noodles. Top with half the squash. Season the squash with salt and pepper and sprinkle with Parmesan. Repeat the layers, ending with a layer of lasagna noodles topped with béchamel and Parmesan. Sprinkle the remaining sage over the top. Make sure the noodles are well coated with béchamel so they will soften during baking.

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and place in the oven. Bake 40 minutes, until the noodles are tender and the mixture is bubbling. Uncover and, if you wish, bake another 5 to 10 minutes until the top begins to brown. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Instead of having my mom take on all the cooking duties, this year my siblings and I have divided up the dishes and I’m in charge of the baked items: rolls and pies. Usually we buy rolls at the store but after coming across this recipe for Parker House Rolls in Bon Appetit, I had to give it a go. The technique is time consuming (as most from-scratch baking is), but they are so amazingly good that I just have to make them for Thanksgiving.

I’ve also been tapped to make one of my favorite pies, Oatmeal Pecan Pie from Cooking Light. I’ve made it a few times over the years and love how the oatmeal stands in for some of the pecans, hence making it lower in fat without compromising the sweet nutty flavor.

What is on your meal plan for Thanksgiving?

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

Oatmeal Pecan Pie
From Cooking Light, November 2006

1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (or homemade)
Cooking spray
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
2/3 cup regular oats
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

Preparation
Preheat oven to 325°.

Roll dough into an 11-inch circle. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under; flute.

Combine brown sugar and remaining ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Pour into prepared crust. Bake at 325° for 50 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely on a wire rack.

As I mentioned in my last post, it’s squash season and I was sure to stock up, filling my kitchen counter with delicata, pumpkin, kabocha, and butternut squash. Not only does squash keep well, it doesn’t take much effort to cook. A recent New York Times recipe offered a healthy preparation for winter squash paired with a Minnesota favorite: wild rice. To make ahead of time like I did, bake the squash and cook the wild rice as directed. Let cool and store in the fridge until ready to serve. Simply reheat the squash for 10 minutes in the oven and you’re ready for dinner!

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

Balsamic Roasted Winter Squash & Wild Rice Salad
(credit: New York Times, October 29^th, 2012)

1 cup wild rice
3 1/2 cups water or stock (chicken or vegetable)
Salt to taste
2 pounds kabocha or butternut squash, peeled and cut in small dice (about 3 cups peeled and diced, weighing 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds)
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (more to taste)
1 garlic clove, minced or puréed
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons walnut oil, or substitute extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, chives, tarragon
1/2 cup diced celery
1 5- or 6-ounce bag baby arugula or spinach

1. Rinse the wild rice. Bring the water or stock to a boil in a medium saucepan, add salt to taste and the rice. Bring back to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes, until the rice is tender and has begun to splay. Drain through a strainer, return to the pot and cover the pot with a clean dishtowel. Return the lid to the pot and let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the squash in a bowl or directly on the baking sheet and toss with salt to taste, the balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Spread on the baking sheet in an even layer and make sure to tip all of the liquid remaining in the bowl over the squash. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes so that the squash browns evenly. The squash should be tender all the way through. Remove from the heat.

3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, salt to taste and mustard. Whisk in the remaining olive oil and the walnut oil.

4. Combine the wild rice, squash, herbs and celery in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Line a platter, individual plates or a wide salad bowl with the baby spinach or arugula. Top with the salad and serve.

Yield: 6 servings.

Instead of giving up all together, I’ve turned to making soups that are full of healthy ingredients and low in fat. Right now, squash is very much in season and readily available. My favorite squash of the moment is delicata. It’s small enough as to not overwhelm and easy to cut and prepare several ways. Most recently, I used it in a soup, which was easy to make alongside another meal because it required little maintenance.

Delicata Squash Bisque
Adapted from Vegan Yum Yum, October 2008
(serves 4)

2 medium-sized delicate squash, about 3 lbs.
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp thyme (fresh if possible) + additional for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt, to taste
½ cup half and half

Preheat oven to 400º F. Cut the squash in half and scrape out the seeds. Line a baking sheet with foil and place squash cut side down. Bake for 30-40 minutes until tender and beginning to brown.

Remove squash from the oven and scrape insides into a large soup pot. Discard the squash skin. Add veggie broth, thyme, salt, and pepper to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to help break up the squash.

Using an immersion blender (or in batches in a standing blender), blend soup until very smooth. This might take several minutes. Return the blended soup to the pot and stir in half and half. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and divide between warmed soup bowls or mugs. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve.

As for the neighborhood markets, a couple locations are holding winter versions so we can continue to get local produce during those cold months. Here are some dates to put on the calendar:

November 10th – April 13th (Second Saturday of each month)
Mill City Farmers Market at Mill City Museum

November 18th: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Kingfield and Fulton Holiday Market
Martin Luther King Park – 41st and Nicollet

See you there!

Another item that makes a frequent appearance is the deviled egg, getting gobbled up pretty quickly. There hasn’t been much variation on this recipe over the years and I haven’t dared to rock the boat but might come close now that I discovered a new way of making them over the weekend.

Faced with an overflow of eggs and not enough weekend breakfasts to make use of them, I chose to hard-boil a few for snacks. While digging through my fridge for ingredients, a big bag of apples was staring me in the face and I started to get creative. What resulted was the familiar flavor of a deviled egg paired with the slight crunch of apples and shallots. It reminded me very much of fall, perfect as an appetizer this time of year.

Apple Shallot Deviled Eggs
(makes 24 deviled eggs)

1 dozen large eggs
2 tsp butter
1 large shallot, diced
1 apple, peeled and diced
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp herbs or greens (I used arugula)

Place eggs in a single layer in a medium-sized saucepan and fill with enough water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, remove from heat and let sit for 14 minutes. Immediately run cold water over eggs until cooled and peel.

In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add shallots. Cook until tender and almost translucent before adding apples. Cook for 2 minutes or until apples soften slightly. Let cool.

Mash egg yolks in a medium bowl and add mayonnaise, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Add herbs and fold in apple shallot mixture. Spoon yolks into egg whites and garnish with additional herbs, pepper, and sea salt. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Since Chung King Garden closed years ago, I haven’t been able to find a chow mein to my liking. Some were too plain, consisting mostly of celery, while others had questionable ingredients, making it unappetizing. I never thought of making it myself until a St. Louis Park restaurant, Wok in the Park, posted their recipe for Subgum Chow Mein. This recipe comes from the longstanding Nankin restaurant that served many Minnesotans over its 80-year history until it closed in 1999.

After a quick run to the grocery store, I put this recipe together and have to say that it was so fantastic that I packaged up a few servings for my brother who shared in my excitement. So here’s the Subgum Chow Mein recipe courtesy of Wok in the Park.

Subgum Chow Mein
Wok in the Park
(serves 4-6)

Note: I used tofu in my dish and used a mix of hoisin sauce and Worcestershire sauce instead of oyster sauce. I highly suggest prepping all the ingredients before cooking and the process will flow smoothly.

2 cups diced chicken (or protein of choice)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (2 tbsp if only using veggies, seafood or steamed tofu)
4 cups chicken broth (or veggie broth)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, minced
2 cups celery
½ cup onion
½ cup bell pepper
½ cup water chestnuts
½ cup bamboo shoots
½ cup snow peapods
½ cup green cabbage
½ cup carrot
½ cup white mushrooms
½ roasted cashews

Sauce:
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp mirin rice wine
2 tbsp brown sugar
¼- ½ tsp white or black pepper to taste
4 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 6 tbsp cool water

Chopped green onion, for garnish
Chopped cashews, for garnish

To prepare, cut all veggies diagonally into 1/2 –inch pieces and and mix together sauce ingredients in a bowl.

Heat oil in wok until bubbly, toss in protein of choice, stir fry until just cooked. Remove protein from the pan and reserve on a plate.

Discard excess oil, leaving a small layer in the pan. Sauté garlic and ginger over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds, return protein to the pan and toss to coat. Remove protein, garlic, and ginger, and set aside.

Add broth to the pan and increase heat to high. When broth is rapidly boiling, add celery, onion, bell pepper, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, peapods, cabbage, carrots, and mushrooms and return to a rapid boil and add sauce. Return to a boil yet again and add cornstarch/water mixture. Cook for 1 minute and return protein, garlic, and ginger to the pan with the veggies. Add cashews and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are to desired doneness.

Serve over steamed rice and with crispy chow mein noodles. Garnish with chopped green onions and additional chopped cashews if desired.

Back a few years ago, it was a word of mouth thing. There were whisperings of a farm that made pizzas in a wood-fired oven once a week and showing up early was a must to avoid a long wait. After gathering some information (including a possible address), my husband and I drove the 1 ½ hours to Stockholm, waited in line to order pizza and waited 1 ½ hours for our number to be called. It was a fun experience and one that I wanted to share with family next time.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

A few years have passed since that road trip and the pizza farm now has a website and a devoted following of their Tuesday pizza nights, but I had yet to return with my family as planned. Luckily, I had the perfect excuse to get them to drive to Wisconsin on a Tuesday night: my birthday.

We arrived prepared with chairs, coolers, snacks, and games for the kids and spent a few lovely hours outdoors on the farm. Since it was after Labor Day, the wait for a pizza was a mere seven minutes, significantly less than our wait in the middle of summer. The menu was a bit different too, offering variations on the pizzas we tried last time along with a few new menu items like Bacon Pizza! It was the group’s favorite and was eaten quickly. Next time we’re ordering two.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

It was a gorgeous evening to enjoy the outdoors and eat pizza on a farm and it was a fun experience for my family. I went to bed a very happy birthday girl!

The pizza farm is open every Tuesday from 4:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. from mid-May until November. The ingredients used are straight from their farm and it’s BYO-everything except pizza. There is plenty of room to lay a blanket on the grass and they also have indoor spaces for when the weather gets colder (which I hear is on its way). If you visit the pizza farm, drop me a note as I’d love to hear about your experience.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

Are you in the fall mood yet? The seasons have done their official change which means it’s full steam ahead for everything fall, including apples. Last Saturday I picked up a bag of Haralson apples from the apple guy at the Midtown Farmers Market. I’ve been buying from him for years and he always has great apples. He’s quite helpful too; just tell him what you like (crisp and tart for me) and he’ll suggest a variety or two. You can also find him at the Kingfield Market on Sundays.

A few apples went into our lunches, but I also wanted to do some cooking using apples as a main ingredient. I pulled out a few local cookbooks and came across a great recipe from Beth Dooley’s most recent cookbook, “The Northern Heartland Kitchen” that used apples, sausage, and onions for a main dish. The recipe called for uncooked sweet Italian sausage but to save some time, I went with pre-cooked links. She suggests serving this with a warm baguette and it’s also excellent all by itself. I’ve included my adapted recipe below.

Sausage with Apples and Onions
Adapted from “The Northern Heartland Kitchen” by Beth Dooley
(serves 4)

1 lb. sausage links (already cooked)
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large sweet onion
4 tart apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
¼ to ½ cup apple cider

Slice sausage links into ½-inch slices. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add one tablespoon of butter to the pan. Once melted, add sausage slices and cook until crisped, flipping halfway through. Transfer the sausage to a platter and cover to keep warm.

Add two tablespoons of butter to the skillet, add onion, and cook until tender, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add apples and sauté until apples and onions are slightly browned. Pour enough cider in the pan to cover the bottom. Stir to release any of the browned bits sticking to the bottom, then reduce the liquid to create a thick glaze. Spoon the apples and onions over the sausage and top with chopped sage.

Disclaimer: The University of Minnesota Press sent me a review copy of “The Northern Heartland Kitchen” when the book was released in 2011. I am under no obligation to write about it.

One of the recipes I make often is from local cookbook authors Jenny Breen and Susan Thurston and since it requires some stove simmering time, it is great to make this time of year. Their original recipe for Tomato Jam uses canned tomatoes, but with a little extra work, I’ve found it to be a way to use fresh tomatoes.

I’ve included the original recipe below, but if you’re feeling brave and need to put some tomatoes to use, make your own crushed tomatoes. One to two pounds of tomatoes should equal 28 ounces of crushed and kids love to help with the crushing part!

I tend to go with a slower approach on this recipe using a lower heat setting and sauté the onions, garlic, ginger, and jalapenos until they are nice and tender before adding the crushed tomatoes. I also let it simmer for 1-2 hours which helps the extra water from the tomatoes evaporate a bit. Most of the time I serve the jam over grilled vegetables and polenta, but it’s also great over pasta, spaghetti squash, or with a toasted baguette topped with chevre. One batch should feed four adults.

Tomato Jam
From Cooking Up the Good Life by Jenny Breen & Susan Thurston

2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tsp salt

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onion, garlic, ginger and jalapenos for about three minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the tomatoes, maple syrup and salt and simmer on very low heat until quite thick, about 30 to 40 minutes. Let the jam cool for at least two hours or overnight in the refrigerator, if possible.

Disclaimer: The University of Minnesota Press sent me a copy of “Cooking Up the Good Life” when the book was released in 2011. I immediately fell in love with the Tomato Jam recipe and have kept it to myself until now.

The first recipe I think of when I buy chard is Swiss Chard Quiche, a recipe I’ve made ever since I received my first bunch of chard in our CSA years ago. I’ve refined the recipe a bit since then and have used it as a base with other vegetables such as spinach, asparagus, peppers, and tomatoes. On a work night this recipe is a bit long, but if you prep on the weekends like I do, assembling the day of will be a breeze. Simply cook, cool, and store chard mixture until ready to use.

Swiss Chard Quiche
(serves 4)
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons oil
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems discarded
6 eggs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp salt
1 pie crust

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brown onion and garlic in oil. Trim and chop chard, add to pan, and cook down until wilted. Let cool slightly.

Beat eggs in a bowl; mix in cheese, salt, and chard mixture. Pour into pie crust; bake until knife inserted into center comes out clean, 30-40 minutes.

It was also a great weekend for farmers market shopping and preserving the summer’s bounty through canning and pickling. Many of my friends had Labor Day off from work and I was envious of their jars of dilly beans, tomato sauce, and the ever-popular jars of pickles. Although I didn’t have the time to do any major canning this weekend, I managed to make one container of bread and butter pickles. They will only last a week or so; just enough time to eat all of them.

I grabbed this recipe from Saveur through Pinterest and thought the results were great! It calls for Kirby cucumbers, which are small and compact, but I used a regular cucumber from my Belle Creek Gardens crop share. I also didn’t have celery seed, so I skipped using it and didn’t miss a thing. Although the wait time is long, these are super easy to make. Grab the cucumbers from the fridge and get started right now.

Bread & Butter Pickles
From Saveur Issue #108
(makes 5 cups)

3 kirby cucumbers (about 1 lb.), trimmed
 and thickly sliced

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup kosher salt

1 1/2 cups white wine vinegar

1 cup sugar

2 tsp mustard seeds

2 tsp celery seeds

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

Put cucumbers, onions, and salt into a large bowl and toss well. Add 3 cups ice cubes, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Drain cucumbers and onions well, discarding the salty water; set aside.

Put vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and turmeric into a large pot, stir well, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the cucumber–onion mixture and stir well. Allow liquid to return just to a boil, then remove pot from heat.

Transfer pickles and their liquid to a large, clean plastic container. Set aside to let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve pickles the next day or store for up to 1 week.

Although I love creating and trying new recipes, I prefer to prepare my salmon quite simply by grilling, searing, or roasting the filets. Where I get creative is with the accompanying sauce or side, like this mango avocado salsa. I’ve done a couple variations on this recipe using tomatoes instead of the mango or lemon juice instead of lime, depending on what I had on hand. It’s absolutely delicious spooned on top of a piece of simple salmon or serve it with tortilla chips. Either way, your tastebuds will be happy.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

Mango Avocado Salsa
(makes approximately 1 cup)

1 ripe avocado, diced
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 small mango, diced OR 1 tomato, seeded and diced
2 tsp red onion or shallots, minced
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1/4 tsp kosher salt

In a small bowl, combine avocado with lime juice and toss gently to coat. This will help reduce browning. Add diced mango, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno pepper to desired spice level and spoon over the top of salmon.

As my involvement in the food community grew, I started going to the market each week and found less of a need for the plentiful crop share boxes. However, I still look back at that time with fondness and miss the excitement of opening that box each week.

(credit: Crystal Grobe)

Lucky for me, a food blogging friend tipped me off to Belle Creek Gardens, a farm that has been selling extra crop shares each week for a mere $16. I claimed one immediately and picked up my box at a nearby co-op on Saturday afternoon.

I’ve already used quite a few ingredients. The large tomato went in a grilled cheese sandwich while the corn, peppers, mixed greens and cherry tomatoes went into a taco salad. Maybe by next week’s post I’ll have figured out what to do with the ground cherries. Any suggestions?

Of course, I also got out to the farmers markets and took a quick spin around Mill City Market picking up zucchini, greens and melons for meals this week. I know I make a lot of salads, but it’s for good reason: veggie intake! I made yet another salad over the weekend and love how it turned out. Again, I didn’t really use a recipe, but I’ll share the basics for you below. Don’t worry about firing up the grill for this one. Pull out your griddle or grill pan instead and it only takes a couple of minutes.

Grilled Zucchini Salad
(serves 2)

2 medium sized zucchini
2 tsp olive oil
4 cups arugula
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 avocado, sliced
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste

Using a vegetable peeler, slice zucchini into long strips, avoiding the seed-filled center. Toss with olive oil and grill on a pre-heated grill pan for 1 minute a side, just long enough to soften zucchini and make grill marks. Let cool on a plate.

Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining balsamic vinegar, olive oil, mustard and salt and pepper in a jar and shaking well.

Arrange arugula on a serving platter and top with grilled zucchini, feta, pine nuts, and sliced avocado. Drizzle dressing over the top and serve.

Since I bought four pounds of cherries during a recent sale, I knew pie had to be made with at least one of those pounds. Not wanting a traditional pie (because, let’s be honest, I’d eat more than one slice), I pulled out my muffin tins and cherry pitter and got to work. I didn’t really use a recipe or measure any ingredients, but I’ve put the general directions together for you below.

Mini Cherry Pies

(makes approximately 6 1-cup pies)

1 pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
1 lb. cherries, pitted
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup rolled oats

In a medium-sized saucepan, combine cherries and sugar. Heat over medium until bubbly, reduce heat to low and add cornstarch. Stir until dissolved and cook until thickened, approximately 10 minutes.

Using a fork or a potato masher, mash cherries to break up the big pieces. Cherry pieces do not need to be uniform. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pie dough and cut into circles to fit bottom of muffin tins. I used the top of a sour cream container to help measure the circles. Press into muffin tins and fill ¾ with cherry mixture.

In a small bowl, combine softened butter, sugar and oats. Sprinkle over cherry mixture in muffin tins. Bake in pre-heated oven for 35 minutes or until crust is lightly browned and filling is bubbly. Let cool before serving.