Over at I Heart Cooking Clubs we've spent the last six months cooking the recipes of Heidi Swanson. Usually I like to wrap up each six months with a final dish and a recap of my top favorites, but this week I'm out of town and didn't get a chance to make a final dish, so instead I'm just sharing my top five favorites. In order.
I didn't realize how much we loved this Green Chile Whipped Cream Cheese until after I blogged about it. We finished the dish in record time by smearing it on bagels, layering it on sandwiches, and dipping our veggies in. The heat from the serrano paired with the garlic just makes this incredibly flavorful. I can see this being my most repeated Heidi Swanson recipe.
In her cookbook, Heidi says she gets more requests for this recipe than any other and I can understand why. The beans go all crispy with rich and creamy centers and the greens add an extra punch of flavor. I could eat this meal every night for dinner and be perfectly happy.
Barley and I did not make friends until I made this Risotto-Style Barley w/ Winter Citrus & Arugula. This slow cooking risotto method produced the most fun-to-eat little balls of barley and I was instantly in love with the unique texture. I found myself hoarding this recipe, not wanting to share at all. I'd go so far as to say that I like barley risotto better than the original arborio rice risotto!
Cherries are one of my favorite fruits so it was a given that I would be crazy for this recipe! If you find yourself craving fresh cherries and they're out of season, as they're prone to be, then whip up this smoothie using frozen cherries. I love that this smoothie is full of fruit: banana, orange, pineapple, and cherries. A delicious way to meet your five a day!
Last, but not least, is this glorious and simple way to enjoy one of my favorite veggies: Brussels Sprouts! We all know and love Brussels prepared with bacon or pancetta, but this preparation with melted crusty Parmesan cheese is right up there with that, and much healthier. Try it if you're looking for a new way to prepare your sprouts and I guarantee you'll be impressed!
Big Thanks to Heidi for all of the fabulous recipes and kitchen adventures! Next up I Heart Cooking Clubs will be tackling the recipes of Hugh Fearnley-Whittinstall!
So glad you had such a good Heidi experience! I've honestly never made a recipe of hers that I didn't love.
ReplyDeleteAll the dishes you've made looks delicious! I've been wanting to make the creamy white bean and greens, one of these days, I will!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this wrap up. I know what I'd cook up next. Barley risotto and Brussels sprouts with crusty Parmesan. Yum!
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