tongue in chic

                                       Tomato Watermelon, & Basil Skewers

Another winner from the one and only Giada and the Food Network! 

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1 (4-5lb) watermelon cut into 1 1/2 in cubes (about 32 cubes)

32 leaves of small basil leaves

16 cherry tomatoes, halved

extra-virgin olive oil

kosher salt

skewers

You want to make a thick balsamic vinegar.  Combine the balsamic vinegar and sugar in a small pan over medium heat.  Simmer and stir occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Turn the heat off and let cool. 

Start with the watermelon as your base - so push the watermelon to the bottom of the skewer.  Then add a basil leaf, tomato half and continue with another piece of watermelon.  Place on your serving platter with the skewers standing up-right.  

Drizzle skewers with balsamic syrup and olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. 

                                          Grammie’s ‘Christmas’ Chili

It is cold, rainy and I have a cold.  I dont know about you, but that means I want something warm to snuggle up with.  There is nothing easier than Grammie’s Christmas Chili.

1 Large can of whole tomatos

1 Small can of tomato sauce or more Large whole tomatoes

1 lb ground beef

1 medium yellow onion

2 cloves of garlic (optional)

3 cans of beans (I used kidney, pinto and white.  Use whatever you have in your kitchen)

1 small can diced chili (optional)

1 packet of chili seasoning

1 pinch chili powder (optional)

Cheese / red onion / olives / chives….whatever you like to garnish

salt / pepper to taste

oil

The think I love about this recipe is that you can really use whatever you have in your kitchen and you just throw it in a big pot and simmer for as long or short as you want!  Grammie’s recipe calls for just kidney beans, but I like to use garbanzo, pinto, white, etc.  I like the different colors and textures.

On a skillet with a little oil, saute diced onions with salt and pepper.  Once they start to sweat, throw in the bottom of your soup pot.  Let sit with your minced garlic and add more salt and pepper (I used frozen garlic cubes). 

Start to cook your beef and once complete, remove excess fat and toss into your soup pot.  Turn on your stove and start to simmer on low.

Add in your tomato and break up the whole tomatoes with your spatula.  Then, add in your rinsed beans.

Add in your chili powder and mix well.  If you want, add in your pinch chili powder now as well.

Last minute, I decided to add in diced chili’s.

We have this dinner on Christmas Eve every year!  Enjoy!

                                                Mexican Tomato Soup

Anyone who knows me or my family, knows we love spicy food - even my 19 month old nephew that eats spoonfuls of salsa.  Here is a super super easy spin on tomato soup.

1 bermuda onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 serrano chilies, seeded and chopped

2 1/2 cups peeled, seeded diced tomatoes

3 oz. vermicelli

6 3/4 cups basic vegetable stock

1 tbsp ketchup

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp  chopped fresh cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

finely shredded lime rind to garnish

grapeseed oil or oil of your choice

Put onion, garlic, chilies, and tomatoes into a good processor and process to a smooth puree.  I only have a mini processor, so I used a blender.  Worked perfectly, but I did it in two batches.

Heat the oil in a skillet.  Add the vermicelli and stir-fry over low heat for a few mins, until golden brown.  Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.

Add the vegetable puree to a pot and cook, stirring constantly for 6-8 mins, until thickened. 

Add in basic vegetable stock, stir in ketchup and tomato paste, and add the vermicelli and cilantro.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Reduce the deat, cover, and simmer for 5 mins or until the vermicelli is tender. 

Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with lime zest or a squeeze of lime.

                                            Tomato & White Bean Soup

We have had a few overcast days here is sunny southern cali, so I thought I would make some yummy soup.  I just love all soups, but they can be packed with hidden calories and sugar. This recipe avoids the usual suspects, potato, cream and carrots.

Serves 6

3 tbsp olive oil

1 medium red onion diced

1 celery stalk with leaves, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 cups peeled and chopped plum tomatoes

5 2/3 cup basic vegetable stock (ended up being 1 lrg box)

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp sweet paprika

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

14 oz canned cannellini or white beans, drained and rinsed

salt and pepper

3 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley to garnish

Heat olive oil in a large pot.  Add onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 mins, until softened.

Increase to medium heat, add the tomatoes, and cook.  Stir occasionally for 5 mins more, and pour in the basic vegetable stock.  Stir in the tomato paste, sugar, and sweet paprika and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and

simmer for 15 mins.

Meanwhile, mash together the butter and flour into a paste in a small bowl.  Stir in the paste, in small pieces at a time into the soup.  Make sure wach piece is fully incorporated before adding the next.

Add the beans, stir well, and summer for another 5 mins until heated through.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

                                                 Panko-Crusted Eggplant

This delicious treat is so diverse.  Make for appetizers for a party, a veggie side-dish, or as a sandwich! 

Serves (4)

1 medium sized eggplant - cut into circles

1/2 cup panko crumbs

1/4 cup flour

2 eggs - beat (or egg whites in the same volume)

salt / pepper

grapeseed oil (or your oil of choice)

chevre cheese (goat cheese)

4 slices of tomato

basil to garnish

After cutting the eggplant set aside.  In a bowl, beaten eggs.  On a plate, put your panko crumbs.  On a separate plate, place the flour.  Mix the flour with salt and pepper.

Take your eggplant and cover with flour - including the edges.  Then, dip into eggs to cover both sides of the eggplant.  Then, press firmly into the panko-crumbs, including the edges.  Meanwhile, heat the oil on the skillet.  Place the eggplant into the skillet.

Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side on medium heat.  Use tongs to check and make sure the panko browns and doesn’t burn.

When it is done cooking, place on a plate with paper-towel.  Do not let it sit too long - it will start to get soggy.

Garnish with chevre, tomato and basil and serve warm.  To make a sandwich, add lettuce, and even some rings of onion and place another eggplant circle ontop.

                                      Black Bean and Roasted Corn Burgers

Veggie friends….This is the best thing you could ever sink your teeth into!  Yummy, all veggie, black bean and roasted corn burgers with tomato and zesty chili sour cream. 

1 small onion - diced

2 cloves of garlic - minced

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 cans of black beans - rinsed (15.5 oz)

3 1/2 tbps. cilantro

2 ears of corn

1 egg

salt / pepper to taste - at least 1/2 tsp.

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp tapatio or hot sauce of your choice

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tbsp diced chili’s from the can

tomato sliced

8 tbsp oil

Heat some oil in a pan, and when hot, saute onion for about 5 mins until soft and then add in garlic for about 30 seconds.  When done, set aside and allow to cool.

Pop 2 ears of corn in the oven, 250 degrees for about 25 mins.  

In a medium bowl, mash black beans until almost no individual beans are visible.  Add cooled onions, cumin, chili powder, hot sauce until smooth.

Add cilantro and egg and mix well.  When the corn is done cooking, remove the husks and blacken the outside of the corn on your stove.

Use a serrated knife and cut corn off the cob and add to your bean mixture.

Mold the mixture into burger pattyies. 

Dust the patties in flour and place on a hot skillet with oil. 

Heat on each side for 3 - 5 mins or until slightly brown.  Be careful as the patties are very delicate.

Mix sour cream with diced chili’s and slice your tomato.  Plate, add tomato, sour cream, and garnish with the remaining cilantro.

Serve hot.  Makes 8 patties.

                                                   Taco Tuesday!

Taco’s are a staple in our household at least once a week.  Here is a 20 minute version for you to enjoy.

Handmade corn tortillas (trader joes has a few great options)

1 lb ground turkey

1 packet of taco seasoning

1 cup cut lettuce

1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1 can black beans

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/4 shredded cheese of your choice

Brown the meat on your skillet and add your seasoning.  Splash a little water in and let simmer.  Meanwhile, heat your black beans and chop up your veggies.

Plate and serve!  Don’t forget your Mexican Beer, Margarita or Tequila & Squirt.

                                   Now, let’s put some of our fav’s together!

My hubby and I got some yummy fresh yellow-tail from a friend.  We marinated with dill, garlic and olive oil and cooked it up on the grill.

Then, we tossed together the tomato salad from the Beef and Barley recipe, to add on-top of the fish.

We cooked up the stuffed veggies and made a simple salad. 

Salad was baby spinach, cucumber, marinated artichokes with a simple dressing.  (Dressing was made of 1 tbsp dijon dressing, 1 lemon juiced, 1 tbsp honey, salt/pepper to taste and olive oil.  Whisk and dress salad.)

What are you having for dinner tonight? :)

                                                               Beef & Barley

SUPER FOOD!  Barley!  I had no idea how to make or what to make it with, but what I did know, was that I was hearing all these great things about barley. 

“Not only is barley a low-glycemic grain, it is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber helps the body metabolize fats, cholesterol and carbohydrates, and lowers blood cholesterol levels. Insoluble fiber—commonly called “roughage”—promotes a healthy digestive tract and reduces the risk of cancers affecting it (e.g., colon cancer).”

-(Oprah.com)

So I had to give it a try. I did a little research and found a recipe that I though would lend itself to barley and, man-o-man it does.

1/4 pine nuts

8 ounces lean ground beef

1 1/2 - 2 cups of barley grain

2 3/4 cups low sodium chicken broth

2 medium zucchini, diced

2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half

2 scallions, diced

1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

2 cloves of garlic - minced

1 lemon - to zest and for juice

kosher salt and pepper

grape-seed oil or extra-virgin olive oil

Start to cook your barley like you would make rice: 2-1 ratio for barley to water.  Cover and let cook for about 20 mins. 

Meanwhile, heat your oil and pine nuts over medium heat and stir nuts until brown and toasted (about 2 mins).  Add ground beef and break up with your spoon. 

When the beef is cooked, add in your partially cooked barely. (You should not see any water in your barley, but you will need to drain it before you add it to the beef.)

Add in  your chicken broth and let simmer.

Scatter the zucchini over the top.  Don’t stir in, just let it the zucchini steam.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and let simmer on low heat for 10 - 15 mins.

In a medium bowl, add the halved the tomatoes and scallions. Toss with dill, mint, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and about 2 tbls of extra-virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.  This tomato salad is so yummy and can be used for many things.  If you are going to buy the ingredients, I would make extra and use on top of a green salad, etc.  Mound your beef and barley on your plate or serving platter and top with tomato salad.  Serve warm.