Roasted Acorn Squash Salad + Speaking Honestly

I am going to be completely honest with you.

There are very few things I like about Fall.

I know, know.  Your shock and dismay are not lost on me.  I know I am supposed to be a lover of the seasons changing, of the leaves going from green to reds and golds, of the thought of scarves being tied around my neck.

And in a way, I do like those things. Honestly.  I mean, I have never seen the Northeast during this time of the year, but I bet it is fantastic.  And yes, I do appreciate getting to pull a pair of boots out of the closet. The smells, oh... even I must admit the smells are great.  Cinnamon and apples baking, pumpkin soup cooking.

So I guess it is not that I dislike Fall, it is just that I like Spring and Summer better.

And Winter?  Except for Christmas, I could totally do without it.  (Now before you get all "but-you-live-in-california-so-you-don't-know-what-winter-really-is..." -- and you are totally right -- let me share what Winter means to me: rain and shortened days. That pretty much is the sum total of Winter after Christmas has passed. So no, I do not like Winter.  I really, truly don't.)

But despite all that, there is something that Fall totally takes the cake on: the produce.

I adore Fall produce.

Pumpkins.  Apples.  Brussels sprouts (yes, even brussels sprouts).

Pears, cranberries, sweet potatoes... my list can go on and on.  I love 'em.  They are full of flavor and full of color.

My favorite of all the Fall produce, though?  Squash.  I mean, I know it is technically "winter squash", but those butternut and acorn squashes that come out around this time of year?  I cannot get enough.

Summer is fantastic, but summer squash will never be able to compete with these guys.  Need proof?  It's right here:

ROASTED ACORN SQUASH SALAD

Recipe adapted from Gourmande in the Kitchen

SERVES 2 •  PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES

ingredients

• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• small acorn squash
• tablespoon olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup honey
• 5 oz. fresh greens, washed and dried
• 2 oz. goat cheese

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  While it is preheating, cut squash in half and scrape out seeds.  Cut the squash into quarters, leaving the skin on.
2. On a large baking sheet, place squash skin side down.  Drizzle olive oil on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast until tender, about 40 minutes.
3. While squash is roasting, make reduced apple cider vinegar: pour the vinegar in to a heavy bottomed saucepan and place over medium heat.  Add honey and stir, allowing to come to a simmer.  Cook until the vinegar is reduced to about half of the original volume.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
4. Once cool, toss greens with about 1 tablespoon of the reduced vinegar.  Store the rest of the vinegar in a sealed container. 
5. When squash has finished roasting, remove from oven and let cool slightly.  Place on plate and top with greens, almonds, and goat cheese.  Drizzle more vinegar if desired.

COST: $3.49        COST PER SERVING (2): $1.75

Unprocessed    //    Gluten Free    //   Vegetarian

Blackberry Applesauce

I saw this great recipe for blackberry applesauce the other day -- which was perfect as I had some apples left over from apple picking.  But as I was reading through the recipe I realized it was a little more work than I wanted to do.  I mean, it was excellent if I wanted to can and store a lot, but I didn't.  I just wanted blackberry applesauce, and I wanted it now.

So I did what we all do when we need to figure out how to do something: I googled.  Because, believe it or not, I have never made applesauce.  Not once.  I only know the stuff that comes from the jar.  Oh, and those little plastic tubs that go in lunch boxes.  Yes, I know those, too...

But now I know how simple it is to make applesauce.  Which is unbelievably simple, actually.  And since I didn't really care if my blackberry seeds were in my apple sauce or not, I didn't worry about putting them through a food mill like I kept reading that I should to do remove the seeds.  I don't even know what a food mill is, so clearly I didn't have one on hand.  I just threw the berries in with the apples and moved on with my life  Simple.

I like simple.

And I also like bright pink food.  It is pretty.

So I guess this turned out perfectly for me.

What I came up with was enough applesauce for four servings.  However, if you make more, you can store it in the fridge for two weeks.

COST: $5.10           COST PER SERVING (4): $1.03

Edamame Hummus + Finding Balance

I have a life outside of food.  GASP!  I know.  I used to be better at showing it.  Sometimes I still am.  But most of the time I just share what I have been cooking, talk a little about the thoughts floating through my head, and then press "publish".

I think I am becoming compartmentalized.  School.  Home.  Blog.  Each fitting into their little boxes, only opened when it is the right time.

This is a good thing.  For example, nobody in my everyday life wants to hear about my students all day long (except my husband, who loves to hear all about them every single day and listens to me tirelessly... or maybe he is just a good pretender. Ha!) and so I am pretty sure you don't want to hear about them every day, either.

Nobody in my everyday life wants to hear about food all day long, either.  In fact, out of all of my friends of Facebook (all of whom are truly friends on varying degrees), only about 5% of them follow this blog.  I know it's not because they don't support me (because they truly do!), but because, well, blog reading isn't for everyone.

It is a different issue on this end.  While sharing details about life, about dreams, and so on are such an important part of blogging, you have to find a healthy, safe balance.  Those of you who read regularly feel like you know me, and I feel like I know you.  And you know what?  I do believe you can know somebody and be friends long before you meet in person.  But I am also aware that anybody can follow along. Anybody.  And so you have to find that balance -- share enough to keep up a connection with your fellow blog friends, but don't share so much that stalkers and serial killers could find you.  You know how it goes...

This has led me to a place where I have been having a hard time of thinking of things to write.  Just being honest.  Writing purely about food seems so boring, and so I don't do it.  Sharing all the details of my life, well, that isn't going to happen.  It has to be a balance.  Food, life, love, observations...  Food blogging is one of those things that isn't an exact science.  What works for some doesn't work for others.  I don't know the secret formula.  But maybe you do... and that is one of the many beautiful things about blogging.  I can ask you, whether or not I have ever met you in person.  So please, tell me, how do you find that balance?

PS -- Edamame hummus.  It's good, really good.  And easy.  Try it!

EDAMAME HUMMUS

SERVES 8  •  PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 5 MINUTES

ingredients

• 1 cup thawed edamame (not in the shell)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 cloves of garlic
• juice of 1 lemon
• sea salt, to taste
• "Unprocessed" pita bread, for serving  **I got my pita from Trader Joe's -- meaning it really came from the local bakery.  No preservatives, no colorings, unbleached flour... "safe" for October Unprocessed

directions

1. In a food processor, combine all ingredients.  Blend until creamy.  Add more olive oil, tahini, or lemon juice if needed. 
2. Serve with pita chips (pita bread cut into triangular eighths, brushed with olive oil and salt, baked for 12 minutes at 400 degrees).  

  

COST: $4.47        COST PER SERVING (6): $0.56

Unprocessed    //    30 Min or Less    //   Vegan

Apple-Cider Cheese Fondue

Everybody's into seasonal things these days.  It seems like every year there are more and more expectations about what we should do, wear, eat during each new season.  Or maybe this is nothing new.  Maybe I just missed the memo while I was busy playing at the beach year round.  And maybe I am just noticing it more today because, well, we are more share-y and connecty these days.  (I would like those words to be adjectives, so I made them so.  I am sorry to all of you language buffs out there!)

Either way, I have clearly been missing out.  I mean, besides Christmas and Easter, 4th of July and Thanksgiving, there have never been special foods around me, nor was I aware that you are supposed to change every pillow in your house each tilt of the earth.

Ok, for the food part I was missing out.  The whole super-decoration thing?  Yeah... I have Christmas pillows and I have every-other-time-of-the-year pillows.  I think I will stick with that.

But the other thing I have been missing out on?  Fall activities.

DUDE.  Apple picking is the bomb.  And corn mazes?  Well, I can't tell you much about them as I have never done one, but I imagine it is pretty cool, too.  I will let you know when I find out.  And I will find out this year.

I had two thoughts while I was picking our apples: "Why haven't we done this before???" (as the orchard is pretty close to our house) and "I am so grateful for those who do this for me everyday!" (as it is fun for an hour, but I cannot imagine being out there all day long, everyday.  My gratitude goes out to all the farmers and field workers who do this for us.)

When I came home I had some different thoughts: "What am I going to do with all of these apples?"

Well, I've figured out one thing... apple cider cheese fondue!

I would have never thought of mixing cheese and apple.  Chocolate?  Yes, most definitely.  Caramel?  Peanut butter?  Of course!  But cheese?

Yet it works.  And it is simple.

A cup of cider, a bunch of cheese, a little bit of corn starch, and a dash on nutmeg.  Five minutes from start to finish, and a perfect afternoon snack during this season that we are enjoying.  Or pretending to enjoy, as it is a nice 84 degrees outside, no humidity in the air.

Ok, so I may have missed out on some things living in California, but pleasant weather is not one of them...

APPLE-CIDER CHEESE FONDUE

From Rachael Ray Everyday, October 2013

SERVES 6  •  PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 5 MINUTES

ingredients

• 1 cup cider
• 8 ounces yellow cheddar, shredded
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack, shredded
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• a dash of nutmeg
• sliced apples, for serving

directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the cider to a simmer over medium heat. In a medium bowl, toss the cheeses with the cornstarch. Gradually stir the cheese mixture into the cider until melted and smooth. Add nutmeg to taste. Transfer to a fondue pot. Serve with sliced apples.

COST: $6.34        COST PER SERVING (6): $1.06

Gluten Free    //    30 Min or Less    //   Vegetarian

It's Still Summer + Tomato and Beet Salad

School has started and Labor Day weekend came and went... sounds like summer is over.

Except, it is not.  Don't let those shiny, new backpacks and rules about not wearing white fool you.  Summer is alive and well, and I intend to celebrate it a little more.  

It only comes around once a year, after all, and really is the best season. (Ok, maybe it is tied with spring. I sure do enjoy spring as well...)

If you look at a calendar or at the daily weather forecast, you will see that it actually is still summer, at least until September 22.  So I plan on rounding up, to October.  I will start celebrating fall in October.  Which means unlike the other blogs you are seeing out there, you won't see pumpkin and apple recipes popping up yet.  They will come, trust me, but for now I will enjoy the bountiful harvest of tomatoes, bell peppers, and summer squash.  I hope you enjoy them with me.

Long live summer!

PS -- How did I live this long without knowing how DELICIOUS roasted beets are?  They taste nothing like their might-as-well-be-eating-dirt raw/slightly cooked selves.  Expect to see more of these popping up in my recipes!

TOMATO & ROASTED BEET SALAD

From Everyday Food, July/August 2012

SERVES 4  •  PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME:  85 MINUTES

ingredients

• 1 pound scrubbed small beets
• 2 pounds tomatoes, preferably heirloom
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• ¼ cup crumbled feta
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Seal beets in a foil packet.  Roast on a rimmed baking sheet until tender, 75 minutes.  When cool, rub beets with a paper towel to remove skins; slice.
2. Slice large tomatoes, and halve cherry tomatoes, then arrange with beets on a platter.  Top with feta, cilantro, and olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

COST: $6.75      COST PER SERVING (4): $1.69

PB&J Milkshake

I am a snob.

A peanut butter and jelly snob, that is.

This was told to me by a friend a few years back as we were shopping for PB&J fixings.  He reached out for wheat bread, I wagged my finger and said, "No."  White bread was what was called for.

He grabbed some Jif, and I put it back.  Creamy Skippy, no questions asked.

He didn't even bother getting jelly, but let me peruse the shelf until I found Smucker's Seedless Strawberry Jam.  It's how I roll.

And then he told me I was a PB&J snob.  I just nodded and smiled.  Because I knew it to be true.

So when it was time to make Joy the Baker's peanut butter and jam milkshake and I read the ingredients that said 'natural peanut butter' I shook my head no.  Which might be odd, seeing as almost everything else I eat is under the 'natural' category.  Ok, so maybe I have given up the white bread.  And maybe I used soy ice cream and coconut milk in this shake instead of the dairy stuff.  But don't mess with my Skippy.  There are some things I don't think I will ever change.

Because I am a peanut butter snob like that...

This is actually two shakes in one.  The peanut butter shake (ice cream + milk + peanut butter + a teeny bit of vanilla extract) is layered with the jam shake (ice cream + milk + a bit of jam + fresh fruit blended in).  When they are brought together they make the perfect milk shake combo.

Butternut Squash Risotto

I had a moment with my food the other day.  You know the kind, right?  When you are like, This is what it is all about!  Yeah, that was me just a day or two back...

It all started with a drive through the Californian Central Valley.  Now, since I know you all are not Californians yourself, this might mean nothing to you.  So let me throw down some fun facts about California and our great valley in the middle:

• We have four main regions in California: the beach (to the West), mountains (to the East and some other places), dessert (in the southeast part of the state) and the Central Valley, right down the middle. (Can you tell I am a teacher of California history yet?  Ha!)
• The Central Valley produces half of the fruit and nuts consumed by Americans and one fourth of the vegetables.
• All of this food is grown on 1% of the farmland in America, showing how incredibly fertile the soil is.
• Chances are if you grab any of these, they came from California: tomatoes, almonds, grapes, apricots, or asparagus.
• Actually, 70% of the entire world's almond supply comes from right here.

// source //

So, as I was saying, it all started with a drive through the Central Valley.  Driving on down the back roads en route to our destination we passed fruit stand after fruit stand.  I wanted to stop so badly, yet I didn't have any cash on me so I figured I would just have to pass this moment by.  Until we drove past a large barn-like store.  Figuring they would accept a card, we flipped-a-U and headed on over. 

Strawberries, red cherries, yellow cherries, blueberries, apples, peaches, plums... so much to choose from!  But then in the corner I spotted some butternut squash, at 68 cents a pound.  

I love butternut squash.  Love.

I know it's a winter veggie (well, technically fruit, but ya know what I mean...) and I am not sure how it wound up on that shelf in 80 degree weather, at the end of May.  But it was there, the price was more-that-right, and I scooped it up, know exactly what I wanted to make with it: risotto.

Back on Valentine's Day this year I tried a butternut squash risotto recipe.  And it was... OK.  That's it.  Well, maybe OK-to-good, but it left a lot to desire.  This time I had the challenge to find the recipe.  The one that would be worthy of my out-of-season find.

Thank you to Lindsay at Love and Olive Oil for creating the perfect recipe.  Standing there in my kitchen, surrounded by freshly toasted pine nuts, a balsamic glaze I made, fried sage leaves, and a roasted butternut squash ready to be pureed and turn into risotto, I realized that this was one of the most gourmet meals I had ever made -- if not the most gourmet.  

And I loved it.  

What a moment, from the finding perfect produce at a hidden barn, to cooking up a dish worthy of a restaurant menu.  

Fresh, local ingredients.  Great food.  Grown by neighbors, put together by me, enjoyed by my husband and I.  THIS is what I was hoping to be able to do some day, back when I started this blog.  And here I am, doing it.  

Yes, this is what it is all about.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO

by Lindsay Landis at Love and Olive Oil 

SERVES 4  •  PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES

ingredients

·        For Risotto:
1 small butternut squash
4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
salt and black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese, divided

·        For Garnishes:
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
8-10 fresh sage leaves
Balsamic Glaze

directions

      Recipe for butternut squash risotto by Love and Olive Oil

COST: $10.20     COST PER SERVING (4): $2.55

Apologies + Tomato Salad

Dear Friends Who Leave Me Voicemails,
I am sorry I never reply to you.  Actually, I am sorry I never even check your messages but just delete them and call you back when I have time.  I would like to say I have some good excuse, but I don't, other than I simply don't like checking my voice mail.  Sorry.

Dear Other Drivers on the Road,
I am sorry for all the times I wished the CHP upon you when you ticked me off.  I wouldn't like it if you did the same in return... oh wait, I am pretty sure you do do it in return.  Oh well.

Dear Friends Who Invite Me Over,
I am sorry for all the times I brought lame, store bought food to potluck dinners.  I know that you expect more from a woman with a food blog, but it's just so easy to hit up Safeway on the way over...

Dear Digestive Track,
I am sorry for all the times I fed you cheese or popcorn, knowing full well that it would make you miserable, and therefore make me miserable. I apologize for thinking more about the taste buds than I think about you.

Dear College Roommate,
I am sorry that I showed up to your wedding in the wrong colored bridesmaid's dress. You said 'blackberry' and I wrote down 'black', only to find out the day of your wedding that 'blackberry' was code for 'dark purple'.  Oops.  (And thank you for still being my friend, despite that.)

Dear Husband,
I am sorry for all the times I made you sit through The Bachelor with me. I know you have about 1,287,658 things you would rather be doing, but you power through so I can have someone to comment to.  You are a trooper!

And, Meu Amor, while I am at at, I am sorry that I never feed you Brazilian food anymore.  You have given up your country and your language and all the people you knew, and I don't want you to have to give up your food, as well.  I hope this tomato salad can help put us back on the half-American-half-Brazilian track again.  Besides, with fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime juice it is delicious and there is no reason not to have this on our plate, regularly.  Kind of like pico de gallo as a side dish...  Yum.

Whew!  It was good to get that all off my chest ;)

// Day 13 of Blog Every Day in May //

BRAZILIAN TOMATO SALAD

SERVES 4  •  PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 5 MINUTES

ingredients

• 3-4 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
• ½ onion, very thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• juice from 1-2 limes or ½ lemon
• salt, to taste

directions

1.      Mix tomatoes and onions together.  Add cilantro and lime/lemon juice with salt.  Enjoy!

 COST: $3.14       COST PER SERVING (4): $0.79 

Basil-Almond-Garlic Pesto + Me, in 10 words

Today I am supposed to sell myself in 10 words.  Hmmm.  This is a tricky one...

But here goes nothing.

Loyal.
Compassionate.
Creative, at times.

Learner.
Life lover.
Talker.
Sharer.

And since I am a sharer, I am sharing my favorite way to make pesto.  I don't put any cheese in it, keeping it plant based.  Almonds are cheaper than pine nuts and add a bit of flavor that is just right.  It is incredibly garlicky, so if you are sensitive to that you can cut back on the garlic.  We use it on top of pasta, in sandwiches, over chicken... there are SO MANY uses for pesto.  And as always, pesto is naturally gluten free, so even those with sensitivities to gluten can enjoy this over fish or chicken.  Enjoy!

BASIL ALMOND GARLIC PESTO

YIELDS 1 CUP  •  PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 5 MINUTES

Ingredients

• 1 cup washed basil leaved, packed
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/3 cup almond slices
• 1/3 - ½ cup olive oil
• sea salt, to taste

Directions

1.      Place all ingredients in food processor or blender.  Run for about 30 seconds.  Add more olive oil to get to desired consistency.

2.      Use on top of cooked pasta, in sandwiches, on top of chicken – wherever you want!

 COST: $3.45           

What I "Do" + Cauliflower Mash

The question has been asked, 'What do you do?'

Well, during the day, when my name is 'Teacher' and I am surrounded by nine and ten-year-olds, I do band-aids and hugs, lesson delivery and grading.  I do encouragement. I do discipline. I do high-fives and shushes. I do parent/teacher conferences.  I do report cards and I do assistance with math problems.  I do real-life problem solving.  I do love.

When I am at home and my name is 'Babe' to my husband, I do many other things.  I do laundry and cooking.  I do dishes sometimes and toilet scrubbing when necessary.  I do long conversations over dinner and laughter, a lot.  I do sharing and receiving, compromise and support.  I do kisses and hugs. I do love.

Other times, when my name is 'Friend', I do phone calls and facebook commenting.  I do talking and listening.  I do fun.  I do movies and dinners.  I do nights out and weekend trips. I do hand holding when times are tough and silly dances when times are light.  I do love.

And then, in my free time, I do new recipes and pictures. I do blog posting and very little TV watching.  I do globe-trotting and life-living.

Ultimately, though, I hope the thing that defines me is that I do LOVE.


#BlogEveryDayinMay

CAULIFLOWER MASH WITH GARLIC AND THYME
Recipe inspired by Love & Whimsy

SERVES 4 •  PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 25 MINUTES

Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• salt, to taste
• ¼ cup milk
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, plus more to top

directions

1.      Wash cauliflower and remove green parts.  Cut into large chunks and steam for 10 minutes with salt.

2.      Remove of pot and carefully spoon into a food processor. Add milk and butter, along with thyme. Blend until pureed.  Top with remaining thyme.

 COST: $2.00           COST PER SERVING (4): $0.50

Nutritional Information
calories 104   •    total fat 8.9g    •    fiber 3.3g    •    sugars 0.9g   •    protein 1.4g

Grown-Up Grilled Cheese

Grilled Cheese: The American grilled sandwich of choice.

I am all down for Kraft Singles between bread, and I get that that is what 'grilled cheese' usually means, but the grown-up version of me just hasn't really accepted this as actual food in recent years.  The ingredient list is quite long and well, the texture is a little odd to say the least.  And I would go for cheddar or colby, but those give me a bellyache.  And so grilled cheese became a thing of the past for me.

Until I was scrolling through Blog Lovin' the other day (which is way cooler than Google Reader ever was and you totally need to get it NOW and not later...) and I came across the most delicious looking grilled cheese sandwich I had ever seen: Avocado, mozzarella, and jalapeno-chimichurri.  OH YES.

I looked at Erin's recipe (over at Naturally Ella) and thought jalapeno sounded too spicy, and mozzarella too gooey (my stomach does not like gooey cheeses).  But the whole concept -- avocados + chimichurri + different cheese -- was a winner.

I didn't even know was chimichurri was but recently I have been seeing it pop up everywhere.  A quick internet search shared with me that it is basically an Argentinian style sauce used on top of meat, and another quick look, this time at the ingredients, showed me it is very similar to pesto, with red wine vinegar added to it.  Simple, fresh, and I had all the ingredients in the house.  Perfect.

I opted for goat cheese because (A) I had it in hand, (B) my stomach doesn't mind it, and (C) the ingredient list was goat's milk, cheese cultures, and salt -- as the ingredient list should be.  Grabbed an avocado and some bread, and went to work.

And they were fantastic.

That's the beauty of the blog world.  There are so many great things out there.  Sure, there are many that aren't going to suit your fancy, but there are some real gems.  I have tons of bloggers that I love following -- some for food, some for life, some for no real reason at all other than they share great/random/funny/deep things with me.

Today for the Blog Every Day in May Challenge, I am supposed to profess my love for a blogger, and I am having a hard time coming up with just one.  There are so many great blogs out there and even greater people behind these blogs.  Those of you who visit regularly (Cassandra / Ana / Lynna ), those who inspire me to strive for more in the kitchen ( Naturally Ella / A Couple Cooks / Happy Yolks ), and so many others...

But there is a group I would like to make a super shout out to: My Sundays with Joy girls.  Carrie over at Bakeaholic Mama started the group a little over a year ago, and I jumped in.  Little did I know that I would form true friendships from this group, with so many.  Not only do we bake together, but we share things from outside of our blogs together.  Engagements, moving, difficulties and loss... we have a group on Facebook that shares sweet treats and sweet moments.  And I love being a part of a group like that!  Wanna know something cool?  Joy the Baker is a part of our group (as it IS her book we are going through ;) ) and she takes the time to read what we write and encourage us along the way.  Let me tell you -- it means a lot to have one of the most well-known bloggers tell you that your photos are gorgeous. But it also means a lot when other 'small-time' bloggers such as myself offer words of encouragement and help along the way. What a great group to be a part of!!!  Thank you, ladies!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AVOCADO – CHIMICHURRI – GRILLED GOAT CHEESE SANDWICH
Recipe adapted from Naturally Ella

SERVES 4 •  PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 20 MINUTES

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed parsley
• 3-4 large basil leaves
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup olive oil
• salt, to taste
• large avocado, sliced
• 4 oz. goat cheese (soft / creamy)
• 4 slices sourdough
• spreadable butter

directions

1.      Make chimichurri: In blender/food processor, blend parsley, basil, and garlic together.  Add vinegar and olive oil and blend again, until desired consistency. 

2.      Heat non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add a thin spread of butter on the outside of two pieces of bread.  On one slice (on the non-butter side) spread half of the goat cheese, layer half of the avocado, and spread chimichurri on top. Cover with other slice of bread and carefully put into skillet.

3.      Let cook until lightly golden on bottom and, using a large spatula, flip.  Cook remaining side until golden brown.  Remove from heat and cut in half.  Repeat to make second sandwich.

(You might have chimichurri left over.  Place in an airtight container and refrigerate, up to three days.)

 COST: $5.88           COST PER SANDWICH (2): $2.94

Potato Leek Soup

Let's talk about leeks, Baby. (Sung, of course, to the Salt-N-Pepa's melody, proving I spent a bulk of my formative years in the 90's -- which were great years to grow up in. We had enough technology to enjoy Mario on rainy days but not too much that we didn't pass up the chance to roller blade when we could.  And then we jammed to Can't Touch This on our Walkmans while organizing our Lisa Frank stickers... by the way, all you need to say is, "In West Philedelphia, born and raised," and I cannot help but finish the entire song. Don't believe me? Try it next time you bump into me...)

And back to leeks...

These things are amazing. I have used them a couple of times before, and every single time I have a ridiculously tasty dish in front of me.  Leek & bacon baked eggs and a leek & asparagus quiche were my introduction to them, both packed with immense flavor, both needing very little 'other stuff' added to make that flavor so wonderful.

Actually, the first time I used them I had no idea what they were and I couldn't find them except in the frozen food section, so I broke my usual rule of relying on fresh produce to be the bulk of my purchases.  Wasn't the best combo for what I was using them for.  The next time I decided to get the fresh ones, but had no idea what I was looking for, until I asked the worker at the store.  He looked at me a little funny and then pointed right in front me, where a fairly prominent sign read: LEEKS.

Whatever.  It happens.

One important thing to know about these flavorful giants of the onion family -- you need to clean them very well as dirt can be trapped inside.  The easiest way to do this (or so I read and then did with successful results) is to chop first and then clean in a cold water bath.  Since you will probably just be using white and light green parts (unless you are making broth) don't cut up the dark green tops.  Just put the lighter colored parts in the water, use your hand to agitate any dirt off of them, pour out the water, and then repeat another time or two.  Takes about a minute and ensures that your leeks are ready for you to use.

Apparently, potato leek soup is a classic.  But like many foods that don't come stamped with a Kraft logo, I didn't know that.  For me, it is a new found treat.  I am a lover of soup, which you probably have gathered by reading my blog for any time, and this was one of the best I have ever had.  My husband declared it gold star quality -- and he isn't a fan of soup that much.  The ingredients are simple while the flavor is powerful.

One of my favorite parts? Except for the heavy cream and salt, every ingredient I used came from the Farmers' Market or my own herb garden (the chives).  And you KNOW how happy that makes me ;)

POTATO LEEK SOUP

SERVES 4 •  PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTES

ingredients

• 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced and cleaned (see above)
• 3 cups broth, either vegetable or chicken (You can make your own ahead of time or use canned/bullion/whatever suits you) + 1 ½ cups water
• 3 medium red potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• fresh snipped chives, to top

directions

1.      In a large pot, combine leeks, potatoes, broth, and salt.  Bring to a boil and then lower heat to medium.  Simmer for about 20 minutes, until vegetables are very soft (you can poke the potatoes with a fork to test).

2.      Working in batches of about 1/3 of the soup at a time, puree in blender.  Be careful to allow the heat to escape before closing the lid to the blender to avoid it exploding.  Transfer pureed soup to a new pot, and continue until all soup is pureed.

3.      Add heavy cream to soup, serve while hot, and top with fresh chives.

 COST: $5.10           COST PER BOWL (4): $1.28

Nutritional Information
calories 235   •    total fat 17.2g    •    fiber 1.8g    •    sugars 2.3g   •    protein 3.6g

Introducing Farmer's Market Fridays... (Carrot Soup with Ginger & Lemon)

I have a recent obsession: Farmer's Market.

When I have something that I think about a lot I wind up talking about, a lot.  Which means this new obsession of mine has led me to say, "I really like going to the farmer's market!" about 10 times a day, and "Man, I love farmer's market!" about another 10 times per day.  Yesterday, upon hearing me proclaim my love for farmer's market again, my husband said, "I know.  You told me.  Every single day."

But just in case you missed it, let me proclaim from the rooftops: I LOVE FARMER'S MARKET.

Really, I do.

Which is why I am introducing Farmer's Market Fridays to you.

This will be our chance to come together across the county and hopefully the globe to explore the local farmer's markets in the communities in which we live, to share our fabulous finds and new recipes.

Here is the plan:
Each Friday (or most Fridays -- you know how it goes) a different blogger will be sharing their local Farmer's Market with us.  The task will be to show how much they can get with $10... this will give us the chance to see the similarities and differences that abound, both in produce and in price, while virtually travelling from sea to shining sea.

At the end of each post you will be able to link up with anything Farmer's Market related (from the past two weeks) to allow us to hop on over to each other's blogs and see what is going on in your neck of the woods. You can showcase what you bought, share a recipe that used Farmer's Market ingredients, or anything else you can think of, as long as the post is somehow related to a recent trip to the Farmer's Market.

My hope is that through all of this we can foster a sense of community while supporting the local communities we come from AND get some great food on our tables while keeping our hard earned cash in our wallets.

Please, come join me on this great Farmer's Market adventure!

To start us off today, I have the most incredibly delicious soup that my taste buds have ever encountered.  Most of the ingredients -- carrots, garlic, onion, tomatoes, and lemon -- I picked up last weekend while meandering my way through my local Farmer's Market.  All I needed to add was the stock, yogurt, and ginger.

This was my first time cooking with fresh ginger and IT.WAS.AMAZING.  The smell, the taste... oh my oh my!

This was also the very first time I moved beyond my comfort zone of Martha and Rachael and attempted something from Bon Appetit.  Holy freaking cow.  This stuff has expanded my eyes to a whole new level of soup.  And it was really simple.  Nothing too complicated, jam packed full of flavor, healthy, and super tasty.  Not to mention cheap.  SCORE.

So when you browsing through your Farmer's Market this weekend (if you have them yet -- I just found out today that many states don't actually get them until the Summer.  Naive California girl, right here) pick up some carrots and ginger.  It will be worth every penny, I promise.

Let's get this party started!  Link up below with any (date doesn't matter this week!) Farmer's Market post you want to share and let's start enjoying this great thing together :)  (Link-ups will be open until Sunday night.)

CARROT SOUP WITH GINGER & LEMON

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, June 1997

SERVES 4  •  PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 35 MINUTES

ingredients

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 1/4 pounds medium carrots, peeled, chopped (about 3 cups)
• 2 tomatoes, seeded, chopped (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 3 cups (or more) chicken or vegetable stock
  
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  
• 4 tablespoons Greek yogurt 
• 1 small carrot, peeled, grated

directions

1.      Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add chopped carrots, tomatoes and lemon peel; sauté 1 minute. Add 3 cups stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover partially and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly.

2.      Puree soup in batches in blender. Return soup to pot. Mix in lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

3.      Bring soup to simmer, thinning with more stock, if desired. Ladle into bowls. Top each with Greek yogurt and grated carrot.

 COST: $5.43           COST PER SERVING (4 bowls): $1.36

Nutritional Information
calories 220   •    total fat 12.5 g    •    fiber 5.4g    •    sugars 8.8g   •    protein 6g
(Click here for full nutritional analysis)