Attention All Pickle Lovers: Hot Dogs with Pickle Slaw! {You Need It At Your Next Cookout}!

If you want to level up your next cookout, whip up a batch of this Pickle Slaw and you'll have all the pickle lovers swooning! Why stop at plain ol' relish when you can whip up a batch of pickle slaw with relish and cabbage for double the crunch!

It's really easy as pie. What a minute. Pie isn't really easy, but this pickle slaw is! You just need a couple cups of very thinly sliced green cabbage. Put it in a bowl and add fresh chopped dill, a couple tablespoons of sweet relish, a couple tablespoons of dill relish, olive oil, red wine vinegar, dill pickle juice, some honey, and finally some salt and pepper to taste. Mix up this zingy fresh slaw and let the flavors meld for about an hour, or as long as you can.

Grill up some hot dogs, put them in a nice soft buttery brioche bun, and dress with pickle slaw, ketchup, and mustard. The pickle slaw is somewhat mild in flavor, adding some zip but not a punch. The pickle slaw lends a freshness to the hot dog that is real nice, light, and summery! We really loved the pickle slaw and could see adding it to BBQ sandwiches, burgers, steak, chicken.  The sky really is the limit with this pickle slaw! It's even good on it's own.

 If you're a pickle lover, or you know a pickle lover, give it a try this season!

Pickle Slaw

Adapted from How Sweet Eats blog

Yields 2.5 cups

 4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage, very thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh chopped dill

3 tablespoons sweet relish

2 tablespoons dill relish

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons dill pickle juice

1 teaspoon honey

salt and pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage and dill with a few pinches of salt and pepper. Whisk together the relishes, olive oil, vinegar, pickle juice and honey. Pour over the cabbage and toss well to combine. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. This stays great in the fridge for a day - you can also make it a fewh ours ahead of time and refrigerate, then bring it out for a party.

NOTE: Pickle slaw would be great for any BBQ or cookout! It's incredible on hot dogs and burgers, pulled chicken or pork, tacos, steak, and sky is the limit!

For The Picnic @ IHCC!
 

 

Ruth Reichl's Confit Garlic Cloves

 

Last weekend I went to Costco with a friend and felt compelled to buy 2 pounds of fresh garlic, which is exactly 22 heads of garlic in my case. Sometimes I just like to give myself a challenge and I guess my current challenge is to use up 2 pounds of garlic.  

In my mind garlic equals love, so for Valentine's Day, I roasted six heads of garlic and made a roasted garlic butter that I used in every part of my dinner. I mixed the roasted garlic butter into my broccoli and mashed potatoes and used it as a topping to finish off my strip steaks. It sounds like it would be overwhelmingly garlicky, but it wasn't. Instead it gave everything a rather mellow yet succulent garlic flavor. 

Garlic Countdown: Down 6 with 16 to go

Today I'm using three heads of garlic to make Ruth Reichl's Confit Garlic Cloves, which is something I've always wanted to make. I won't lie to you, it really is a pain to peel all those garlic cloves, keeping them intact, but the results are worth it because you get the the softest, smoothest, creamiest garlic that spreads like butter. It's heavenly.

Garlic Countdown: Down 3 with 13 to go

In short, garlic is a very delicious and economical way to give your food a flavor boost! Whether you roast garlic or confit it, you are adding layers of flavor that will really elevate your dish. Ruth says to serve the garlic confit smeared onto pizza crust, country bread, mashed potatoes, or blended with mayonnaise for roast beef or pork sandwiches. I think it would be amazing served with hummus! The sky's the limit!

Garlic Countdown: 13 heads to go...wonder what you'll see next week!

Confit Garlic Cloves

Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook

by Ruth Reichl

Makes about 1/2 cup

1/2 cup peeled garlic cloves (about 24)

about 1/2 cup olive oil

Put the garlic in a small heavy saucepan and add enough oil to cover garlic. Bring just to a simmer, reduce heat, and cook at a bare simmer until garlic is tender, about 25 minutes. Let garlic cool in oil. 

*The confit garlic keeps, in the oil, for up to 2 weeks, covered and refrigerated. 

Love Is In The Air @ I Heart Cooking Clubs

Half Baked Harvest's Six Ingredient Pumpkin Butter

  The flu has been making the rounds here in Kentucky. I've been down for the count for two weeks now and am just now starting to feel human again. My school district and the surrounding school districts are all closed for illness. Flu came early this year and it is no joke!

I was looking for a seasonal and easy recipe this week and this pumpkin butter fits the bills nicely! You can put all the ingredients into a slow cooker or let it simmer for hours OR you can put them in a saucepan on the stovetop and have this ready in about half an hour, which is what I did.

Pumpkin butter simmering on the stovetop smells like the holidays and is great to gift to neighbors and friends. It pairs well with good gouda cheese and is great on toast, biscuits, and/or crackers. It's also a great ingredient to use for baking. A quick visit to the Half-Baked Harvest site and you will find all manner of cookies, breads, and baked goods containing pumpkin butter. You might even see some here next week!

Six Ingredient Spiced Pumpkin Butter 

Recipe adapted from 

Makes about 4 cups

2 cans (15 ounce) pumpkin puree

1/3 cup apple cider

1/2 cup real maple syrup, plus more if needed to sweeten

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice 

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Stovetop: In a medium saucepan, combine the pumpkin, cider, maple syrup, vanilla pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring often until the pumpkin thickens slightly, but is spreadable, about 20-30 minutes. Taste, adding more maple syrup if needed to sweeten. Remove from the heat and let cool (the pumpkin butter will thicken as it cools). Transfer to glass jars and keep stored in the fridge for up to 1 month or in freezer safe containers for up to 3 months.

Slow Cooker: In the bowl of your slow cooker, combine the pumpkin, cider, maple syrup, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt, Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours. During the last 45 minutes of cooking remove the lid to allow the pumpkin butter to thicken. Taste, adding more maple syrup if needed to sweeten. Turn off the heat and let cool (the pumpkin butter will thicken as it cools). Transfer to glass jars and keep store in the fridge for up to 1 month or in freezer safe containers for up to 3 months.

October Potluck @ IHCC

Spicy Salmon Poke Bowls {Summer Slim Down Series #10}

This is my last recipe in the Summer Slim Down Series. When I started this series I thought I would have the entire summer to myself. I wanted to put a lot of effort into these meals. Then I got a call that the school needed help and I worked most of my summer away, and wow...what an incredibly busy summer it was. I think I ran harder than I do throughout the school year. Now summer is drawing to a close and I want to go out with a bang, so I chose Spicy Salmon Poke Bowls. 

This dish speaks to me on so many levels. Fish and seafood were always something I loved, but now they have become a huge part of my new lifestyle, shrimp and salmon especially. I have built many meals around these two proteins with wonderful success. Mostly I pair them with vegetables for a really beautiful and colorful meal that is hugely satisfying. Every once in awhile I throw in a healthy gluten-free grain, such as rice or potatoes. This meal is a representation of all those winning go-to ingredients. I love the spicy mayo-Sriracha drizzle to give things a little extra flavor. A little bit of sauce and/or drizzle goes a long way in building flavor and making things extra-special!

I absolutely loved this recipe! In fact, it is probably my favorite Summer Slim Down recipe and I highly recommend it. There is flavor from the spicy sriracha mayo and loads of crunch and texture from all the veggies. I love spicy food, but I found the chunks of avocado were essential in cooling everything down and adding some creaminess. The whole dish is served room temperature or cold and it eats like a really fancy but more substantial salad. I can definitely foresee myself making this many times in the future and even packing it in my lunch as it would keep very well!

I'm so happy I finally got around to making this delicious recipe and I'm also really happy to end the Summer Slim Down Series with something that is so tasty!  

Spicy Salmon Poke Bowls

Adapted from Skinnytaste Meal Prep

by Gina Homolka

Serves 4

Spicy Mayo

1/4 cup light mayo

1-1/2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce

Salmon

Previous cooked salmon

4 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari

1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce

Bowls

2 cups cooked rice 

4 Persian cucumbers, diced into 1/2" cubes

1 medium Hass avocado, sliced

1/2 cup shredded red cabbage

Jarred pickled ginger (optional)

2 scallions, green parts only, sliced for garnish

1 tablespoon furikake or black sesame seeds

soy sauce or tamari, for serving

Sriracha sauce, for serving

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and Sriracha and thin with 1 tablespoon water to drizzle.

Flake or cut the cold salmon into large chunks. Drizzle with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and Sriracha and gently toss to combine. Set aside while you prepare the bowls.

Place 1/2 cup rice in each of 4 shallow bowl. In each bowl, arrange 6 ounces of salmon, one-fourth of the diced cucumber and avocado, 2 tablespoons of the red cabbage, some pickled ginger (if using), and one-fourth of the scallion greens.

Drizzle with the spicy mayo, then top with the furikake and serve with extra soy sauce and Sriracha on the side (if using). 

Curtis Stone's Pesto

I grew up in the 80's and early 90's in small blue-collar town called Elyria, Ohio (just about 20 or so miles south of Cleveland). It sounds cliche, but life was simpler then. It really truly was.

When you got to be a junior or senior in high school, and it was time for Homecoming or Prom, you went to the Spitzer Plaza Hotel for dinner beforehand. Back then the Spitzer was about the ONLY fine dining establishment around, and you had to drive out to the lake which was about a half hour to get there. Now this is a BIG DEAL because as I mentioned, life was simpler and NO ONE drove half an hour to eat anywhere in those days.

My friends and I would get real dressed up for our big date. Again, times were simpler. We didn't get our nails done. We didn't get our hair done. We didn't get our makeup done. But, we did do it ourselves and we were happy with that. We didn't know any different. We'd wear our fancy gowns, we always had fancy gloves up to our elbows, gaudy rhinestone jewelry, shoes dyed some neon color to match our dresses, and we were SET. Let me tell ya...we thought we were something else. We were like movie stars going to eat at a fancy restaurant.

I can still remember the first time I walked into the restaurant. I'll never forget all the blue velvet and  also never forget that this was the first time I ever heard of pesto. None of us knew what the Pasta Pesto was, but we figured pasta was the safest bet so we ALL ordered it!

When the pasta came out and it was green we were surprised and interested. What was this dish sitting before us so different than anything else we'd had before? It felt so exclusive and fancy with the freshly grated Parmesan on top. Funny enough, I don't remember if any of us really liked it, but I DO remember that we all had a blast living it up drinking our Shirley Temples and eating our Pasta Pesto. Those were the days. No worries. No responsibilities.
 

Fast forward about 30 years and I'm making pesto in my own kitchen with ingredients that I always have on hand and basil that I grew in my bourbon barrel out back.

Pesto is no longer a specialty ingredient and times, well....they are certainly no longer simple. 

I have tried lots of different pesto recipes over the years and this one is my all-time favorite. The pesto turned out perfectly balanced. THIS IS THE PESTO RECIPE!

Pesto

Adapted from Parade Magazine

by Curtis Stone

Makes about 1 cup

2 garlic cloves

salt, to taste

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 cups fresh basil leaves, lightly packed

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to cover the pesto

Note: I had SO MUCH fresh basil so I used 2 cups basil in place of 1-1/2 cups like the recipe was written. Because I used more basil I also used more oil, 1/2 cups per batch. Traditional basil pesto is made in a mortar and pestle and that is how Curtis makes his. Directions for both the mortar and pestle and food processor are below.

To make the pesto in a mortar and pestle: Mash the garlic, salt and red pepper flakes into a coarse paste. Ad 1 cup of the basil and pound until it is coarsely ground. Add the remaining 1/2 cup basil and pound until a coarse puree forms. Add the pine nuts and pound just to break them up. Add the Parmesan cheese and olive oil and mash until the nuts are coarsely ground and the mixture is well blended.

To make the pesto in a food processor: Pulse the pine nuts, garlic, sald and red pepper flakes together until the nuts and garlic are finely chopped. Add the basil and Parmesan cheese and pulse about 10 times to chop the basil. With the machine running, gradually pour in the olive oil.

Transfer the pesto to a container and float a thin layer of olive oil on top. Cover and keep refrigerated, but bring to room temperature before using.

Pickled @ IHCC

A Tessa Kiros Mezedes Feast (Keftedes, Patates Tiganites, Tzatziki, Cucumber Meze, & Alatopiperigano}

Tessa Kiros is one of my favorite IHCC chefs and I love all her books, but Food From Many Greek Kitchens was on my kitchen counter and her Omeleta Horiatiki was so good I was hungry for more! I have so many pages in this cookbook bookmarked to make and I decided it was time to get to work and start crossing some off my list.

Now, I'm all about potatoes lately and I will confess that I planned this meal around Tessa's Patates Tiganites (French Fries) solely because she mentions scattering the wedges with a seasoning blend called Alatopiperigano (salt, pepper, and oregano) then topping with feta cheese before dunking them in some tzatziki. Um, yes. Why haven't I had fries with feta or tzatziki before? Where have I been hiding? Three recipes down. Next, I needed some meat, hence the Keftedes and then I needed a veg, and we love cucumbers, so bring on the Cucumber Meze.

I won't lie. I was in the kitchen for a good amount of time, but it was all easy and doable. First I made the Cucumber Meze and it was so refreshing and delicious I pretty much ate it all while I was putting the other recipes together so then I had to make another batch! Next was the Tzatziki. I wanted it to have some time to set in the fridge and allow the flavors to meld.

Then I fried up the Keftedes and I have to tell you, you need to make these! They are no ordinary meatball. Instead of breadcrumbs, they are bound with potato and they are therefore much lighter and become much crispier when fried. The texture is a huge delight and they are irresistible right out of the frying pan. Not to mention, those little suckers are loaded with flavor.

Next, I soaked the potato wedges in salt water to remove some of the startch and waited to fry them up. While they were soaking I mixed up the Alatopiperigano seasoning which is just a simple blend of salt, oregano, and black pepper that smells absolutely delicious. When the potato wedges were ready I fried those babies up and was so excited to drain them and sprinkle that Alatopiperigano on top because now it was time to feast!

It was all such a delight and for a moment I was transported to Greece. I closed my eyes and smelled savory meat, aromatic oregano and mint, and lemon. I imagined a world where people topped hearty potato wedges with feta cheese before dunking them in tzatziki and I wanted to be a part of it, and in my kitchen, I was a part of it. Even if only for a moment or two.

Keftedes (Fried Meatballs)

Adapted From Food Many Greek Kitchens

by Tessa Kiros

Makes about 35

10 - 1/2 ounces unpeeled potato (about 2)

1 pound 2 ounces ground beef

1 red onion, grated (small)

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped Italian parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried mint

a good pinch of ground cinnamon*

1 egg, lightly beaten

salt and pepper, to taste

all-purpose flour for dusting

olive oil, for frying

lemon quarters, for serving

Note: I know cinnamon is traditional in Greek cooking, but I don't care for it with meat so I omitted it.

Boil the potatoes, covered, in plenty of water until they are soft when pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, put the beef, onion, parsley, oregano, mint, cinnamon and egg into a bowl and mix. Drain the cooked potatoes and when they are cool enough to handle, peel and break up into the bowl. Season well with salt and pepper, then mash everything together with a potato masher. Knead again with your hands to make a compact mix. Form walnut-sized balls of about 1 ounce each, but you can make them smaller or bigger if you like. Scatter some flour onto a flat plate and roll the balls lightly in the flour, keeping them in compact balls.

Heat olive oil to a depth to a depth of about 1/4" in a large nonstick skillet. Add as many balls as will fit to the skillet and fry until they are golden on all sides, flicking them gently to roll over. You will probably have to fry them in two batches. Remove carefully with tongs and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Add a little salt and serve hot, with a few drops of lemon juice.

Patates Tiganites (French Fries)

Adapted from Food From Many Greek Kitchens

by Tessa Kiros

Serves 2

10 1/2 ounces long potatoes, about 2

light olive oil, for frying

Alatopiperigano* (see recipe below)

Note: I fried my potatoes in canola oil, but olive oil is what they use in Greece.

Peel the potatoes, halve them lengthwise and slice each half into 3 or 4 wedges. Put into a bowl of cold water with some salt and leave them for 30 minutes to 1hour to soak off some of the starch. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels. Wrap in a clean dish cloth to dry further while the oil is heating.

Pour a good 1/2" depth of oil into a large skillet. Heat oil over medium-high heat until a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 15 seconds. When you think it's hot enough, throw in a wedge to see if it bubbles and fizzles. If so, add all the wedges, leveling them so they are not on top of each other. When they start to look soft, poke at them with a wooden spoon to roughen up their surfaces. Leave them alone again until they start looking crunchy, then shuffle them with a wooden spoon, turning them if necessary. Turn the heat down if the oil bubbles too quickly and becomes too hot; you don't want dark brown, soggy chips. When they are lightly golden and crisp, move them around in the pan with a slotted spoon and remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Scatter with alatopiperigano. Serve at once with tzatziki and a scattering of feta cheese on top!

 Tzatziki (Yogurt, Cucumber, Garlic)

Adapted from Food From Many Greek Kitchens

by Tessa Kiros

Makes a bowlful

1 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon olive oil

5-3/4 ounces cucumber (1 small)

1 teaspoon salt

2 ounces Greek yogurt

1-1/2 tablespoons chopped mint

black pepper, to taste

Note: I think the flavors of this tzatziki will depend on the yogurt you used. I used Fage 2% and the results were a thick sauce. If you wanted a thinner sauce you could always save a little of the cucumber liquid or add a touch of olive oil.

Using the flat of your knife, crush the garlic with a pinch of salt into a paste. Put into a small bowl with the oil and leave to marinate while you proceed with the rest.

Trim the cucumber and peel it. I like it striped, with one strip peeled and the net left unpeeled. Using the large holes of the grater, grate the cucumber into a sieve. Scatter with the salt and leave it for 30 minutes or so to drain, turning it over a couple of times and even pressing down with your hands or a wooden spoon.

Put the yogurt into a bowl for serving. Add the garlic and oil, the mint and a couple of grinds of black pepper. Fold the cucumber through and taste for salt. This can be stored in the fridge, covered, for a couple of days. The cucumber will give up a little water, but stir it through to loosen the tzatziki.

Cucumber Meze

Adapted from Food From Many Greek Kitchens

by Tessa Kiros

Serves 2

7 ounces cucumber (about 1, peeled and sliced)

juice of 1/2lemon

1/2 teaspoon dried mint

salt and pepper, to taste

about 1 tablespoon olive oil

Put the cucumber and lemon juice into a bowl and crumble in the mint. Add salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil over just before serving.

Alatopiperigano (Salt, Pepper, Oregano)

Adapted from Food From Many Greek Kitchens

by Tessa Kiros

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons dried oregano

Few grinds of black pepper

Mix together and keep in an airtight container. Use as a Greek seasoning and sprinkle on fries, meats, eggs, etc.

Green Chile Whipped Cream Cheese

Most mornings before work I make an egg scramble using whatever veggies, meat, and/or cheese that is leftover. It is a quick way to get out the door in the morning and it always satisfies me until lunch. Although I love eggs, from time to time I like to switch it up. My absolute favorite breakfast during the weekday is a carb-loaded bagel with some sort of cream cheese.  Even though it slows me down and leaves me peckish before lunch, it is always a delight for my taste buds.

This morning I passed by Panera and decided to grab a few bagels to enjoy with Heidi Swanson's Green Chile Whipped Cream Cheese. Originally her recipe was written using goat cheese, and I certainly like goat cheese, but I happen to have lots of cream cheese leftover from the holidays that needs using up. In truth, you could use goat cheese, ricotta cheese, yogurt cheese, cream cheese, or any other spreadable cheese available to you.

This quick cream cheese falls in line with my new year resolution to keep things simple. A handful of ingredients come together to turn your bagel into a spicy delight.  Often times when you have condiments available they can be used for many other things. I think this cream cheese is a prime example of that. It would be perfect for either filling or dipping veggies, fabulous slathered on a sandwich or burger, and a flavor sensation mixed into your scrambled eggs.We absolutely loved this spread as it was extremely flavorful with a slight kick from the serrano. I highly recommend it and think it is a perfect way to help you wake up and face the day!

Green Chile Whipped Cream Cheese

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

by Heidi Swanson

Makes about 1 cup

8 ounces cream cheese

2 tablespoons half & half, cream, milk or other liquid

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, minced

2 medium cloves garlic, smashed & minced

1-1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds 

salt, to taste

In a medium bowl whisk together the cream cheese and half & half. A hand blender makes quick work of this if you have one. It should become light, and easily spreadable.

Combine the olive oil, chile, and garlic, in a small saucepan over medium heat. Allow to cook for five minutes or so - it's ok if the garlic takes on a bit of color, but you don't want it to get too dark. Use a slotted spoon or fork to transfer most of the solids to the cream cheese, and stir in. Season with salt to taste. Allow the chile oil to cool a bit. When ready to serve, transfer the cream cheese to a serving bowl, and finish by drizzling with the oil, and remaining garlic and chile solids. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. 

Roast Chicken Sandwich with Giardiniera

When the temperatures hover at 100 degrees, and the humidity is suffocating, there is NO WAY I am going near a stove! That's when I break out recipes that require NO COOKING.  This means lots of salads, fruit, smoothies, gazpacho, and of course...sandwiches.

Now that school is back in session, sandwiches are a lunchbox staple. I like to pack something light and easy to eat.  I always welcome a new sandwich recipe to help me change things up.  This Roast Chicken Sandwich with Giardiniera is just the thing.

The recipe calls for a semolina twist bread, but you an use any hearty bread. I bought a small Pugliese loaf and cut it into thick slices. Instead of roasting a chicken I bought one of my favorite grocery store staples, a rotisserie chicken. I sliced the chicken breast into sandwich like slices. Instead of making my own aioli I went fuss-free and used regular mayo. I also changed up the recipe and used an olive muffalata spread in place of the giardiniera. Even with all my lazy modifications, this was a crazy good sandwich.

This is a sandwich that I will pack in my lunchbox and look forward to eating.  The briney flavors of the olive spread really perk things up and take it to another level. A quick, tasty sandwich that is satisfying while keeping you light on your toes and ready for whatever comes next!

Roast Chicken Sandwich with Giardiniera

Adapted from Good Food, Good Life

Serves 4

1/2 storebought rotisserie chicken

 1 (16oz.) jar giardiniera, drained

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup aioli or mayo

8 slices of thick bread

 lettuce leaves

Note: I used an olive muffalata spread from jar and opted for regular mayo in place of making aioli.

Using your knife, cut the chicken from the carcass as you wish. I chose to cut the chicken breast into slices that fit the shape of my bread. 

Rinse the giardiniera and drain well on paper towels. In a food processor, pulse the giardiniera, parsley, and oil until the giardiniera is coarsely chopped. (I used an olive muffalata spread and did not put it in the food processor. Again, the lazy thing.)

Spread the aioli, or mayo on both sides of the bread.  Top with lettuce, chicken, salt and pepper, and giardiniera (or olive muffalata).  Cut the sandwiches in half and serve.

Every Sunday @ Kahakai Kitchen

A Fun Little Fiesta {Inspired by Rick Bayless}

Put on some festive music, pour yourself an ice cold beverage,  and dance around.  It's time for a little fiesta, courtesy of Rick Bayless, and his fabulous recipes. Here's what's on the menu.

 Fiesta Menu

Late Summer Salsa Mexicana

Simple Guacamole

Tortilla Chips

Pollo Monterrey

Garlicky White Rice

Watermelon Cooler

 

The only way to kick off a fiesta is with this  Late Summer Salsa Mexicana.  You may even have all the ingredients in your very own garden! Gather up some ripe tomatoes and dice them up with some white onion, jalapeno, and cilantro.  Toss it all together with some lime juice and a little salt and you have one fresh summer fresh salsa! Serve with chips as an appetizer or use it as a topping to brighten any meal.

Add a little more color to your fiesta with this Simple Guacamole.  Ripe avocado along with some white onion, lime juice, serrano peppers, and garlic come together to make one luscious and creamy dip or topping for your Mexican fiesta!

Since we're building layers of flavor, a little of Rick Bayless' Garlicky White Rice, can only help things out, right?  This simple and fluffy white rice has six cloves of garlic goodness and is definitely a welcome change from the typical Red Chile or Mexican rice served in most Mexican restaurants.  If garlic is your thing then I definitely urge you to give it a try.

 For the main course, I made my own version of a family favorite, Pollo Monterrey, or simply put...chicken topped with cheese sauce.  I seasoned thin chicken cutlets with Sazon and seared both sides in a hot skillet.  I topped the chicken breasts with shredded monterey jack cheese and covered the skillet for a few minutes to melt the cheese.  Delicious, easy and simple. I served my version of Pollo Monterrey with warm flour tortillas, the salsa, simple guacamole, shredded lettuce, cilantro, and all the ingredients to build your own taco.  It was a fun, flavorful, family-friendly meal. 

To wash it all down I made Rick's Watermelon Cooler, a refreshing blend of fresh watermelon, lime juice, and sugar.  This was by far our favorite part of the meal. Perhaps it had something to do with the extreme heat and humidity outside?  Not to mention, I think the kiddos felt like they were drinking a grown up drink.  If you're in the mood for a special little sipper I would highly suggest making this while watermelon in season!

*click on the recipe titles for the link to each recipe

Theme: August Potluck with Rick Bayless!

Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges with Lemongrass Mayo

Please don't think of these as regular everyday sweet potato fries.  They are so much more than that!  These sweet potato wedges are mixed with a very lively combination of coriander (lots of it) and red chile pepper.  All that spicy flavor makes for a very savory and mouthwatering crust on the sweet potato wedges.  These wedges are delicious all on their own, but they pair very well with this bright and fresh lemongrass mayo.  I thought these wedges were very satisfying and comforting without weighing you down.  I'm absolutely addicted to them and can't wait to make them again!

Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges with Lemongrass Mayo

Adapted from Plenty

by Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves 4

3 medium sweet potatoes  (about 2 pounds)

4 tablespoons olive oil

1-1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon salt

1 fresh red chile, finely diced

 Lemongrass Mayo

1/2 lemongrass stalk

1/2 cup mayo

grated zest and juice of 1 lime

1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Wash the sweet potatoes but don't peel them. Cut each lengthways in half.  Cut again lengthways into quarters and then once more in the same way so you are left with eight long wedges.

Place them on a roasting pan that has been lined with parchment paper and brushed lightly with some of the oil.  (Note: I didn't use the parchment paper and my wedges stuck slightly.  I worry that the parchment would impede the browning/caramelizing process so I would fore-go it next time as well. Toss the wedges with the remaining oil and sprinkle with a mixture of the ground coriander, finely diced red chile, and salt.  Roast for about 25-30 minutes or until the sweet potato is tender and golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

To make the dipping sauce:

Very finely chop the lemongrass or grind finely in a spice grinder.  (Note: I found a jar of sliced lemongrass in the Asian section of my supermarket.) Whisk with all of the other ingredients for the dipping sauce and set aside. When ready to serve, place the wedges on a large, flat serving dish. Serve with the sauce on the side.

Theme: You Made Me Love You!

Mini Turkey and Zucchini Burgers with Creamy Sumac Dipping Sauce

These Mini Turkey and Zucchini Burgers are exploding with flavor (zucchini, green onions, mint, cilantro, garlic, cumin and cayenne).  In addition to their wonderful flavor, these burgers are also incredibly moist.  In fact, the mixture was so moist I had to add breadcrumbs in order to shape the patties.   

These burgers are tasty all on their own, but they are absolutely addictive when paired with this refreshing and creamy sumac dipping sauce.  For those of you who have not tried sumac, it is a bright red spice that is popular in Middle Eastern cooking.  Sumac is usually described as sour, but I don't feel like that's a positive or accurate description.  I would describe sumac as a colorful, bright, and refreshing spice that is reminiscent of citrus.  I'm crazy for the bright red color and the special zip it adds to dishes. 

I took some liberties with the recipe for the sumac dipping sauce.  Originally, the dip was made with a base of sour cream and Greek yogurt.  I don't care for sour cream so I decided to sub mayonnaise in place of the sour cream/yogurt base.  My substitution worked perfectly and the recipe below reflects my change.  I will, however, add a special note for those of you who might like to try the recipe as it was written, with the sour cream/yogurt base.  

Mini Turkey & Zucchini Burgers with Creamy Sumac Dipping Sauce

Adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

Makes about 18 burgers (serves 4-6)

1 pound ground turkey

2 cups grated zucchini 

3 green onions, thinly sliced

about 1/2 cup panko or breadcrumbs

1 large egg

2 tablespoons chopped mint

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

about 6-1/2 tablespoons canola oil, for searing

Creamy Sumac Dipping Sauce

heaping 1/2 cup mayo

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, minced

1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon sumac

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Note: This recipe was originally written to include a scant 1/2 cup sour cream plus a scant 2/3 cup Greek yogurt.  If you'd prefer this option then simply omit the mayo in the above recipe and replace it with the sour cream and Greek yogurt.  All other ingredients remain the same. 

First make the creamy sumac sauce by placing all the ingredients in a small bowl.  Stir well and set aside or chill until needed. 

Preheat the oven to 425F.  In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the burgers except the canola oil.  Mix with your hands and then shape into about 18 patties/burgers, each weighing about 1-1/2 ounces.

Pour enough canola oil into a large frying pan to form a layer about 1/16 inch on the pan bottom.  Heat over medium heat until hot, then sear the burgers in batches on all sides.  Cook each batch for about 4 minutes, adding oil as needed, until golden brown.

Carefully transfer the seared burgers to a baking sheet or cast iron skillet, as I've done here, and place in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until just cooked through.  Serve warm or at room temperature, with the sauce spooned over on the side.

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