Lately, I've been planning my days around very limited outdoor exposure. I dress the Frenchies in their winter coats and make a mad dash into the sub-zero air. Coaxing the dogs to do what they have to do as quickly as possible, we then run back inside. After an extremely short trip to visit family in southwest Iowa this past weekend (and to see the Wabash Wine Company's who-done-it mystery, "The More The Murderer" written by our friend Bill Danforth), we left sunny skies and highs temps predicted in the 50's, only to end up driving through white-out blizzard conditions by the time we reached the Minnesota border. Hard to believe that two years ago in January I was out riding my bike in record warmth. It's just crazy... Because of the cold, I'm also limiting trips to the grocery. Many of our meals have not been planned ahead; I just buy anything that looks good and find a use for it once I'm back home. Fortunately, I happened to have all of the ingredients I needed for this Couscous Salad of Roasted Vegetables and Sun-Dried Tomatoes. It was delicious alongside baked salmon. + Couscous Salad of Roasted Vegetables and Sun-Dried Tomatoes adapted recipe from Once Upon a Tart by Frank Mentesana and Jérome Audureau • 1 1/2 cups couscous • 1/4 cup dried currants • 1 1/2 cups boiled, unsalted water for the couscous • 1/4 cup olive oil • 1 small eggplant cut into 1/2-inch cubes • Kosher salt (for sweating the eggplant) and freshly ground pepper (for roasting the vegetables) • 1 zucchini, diced fine • 1 yellow squash, diced fine • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch squares • 1 red onion, diced fine • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar • 10 Marinated Sun-Dried Tomatoes, julienned • 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, then coarsely chopped • 1/2 cup fresh basil, cut into thin strips (or PRESERVED BASIL) 1. Combine the couscous and currants in a large bowl. Pour the boiling water along with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the couscous. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and steam the couscous in the hot liquid for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and fluff the couscous with a fork; set aside. PREHEAT OVEN to 450˚F. 2. In the meantime, place the eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with a thin coating of salt, about 1 tablespoon. Stir the eggplant gently and set aside for 20 minutes to "sweat" its bitterness. 3. Combine the zucchini and yellow squash in a medium bowl along with 1 minced garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a grinding of pepper. Drizzle with 1 table of the olive oil and mix gently. Spread the vegetables onto a non-stick sheet pan and roast on the middle rack of the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes (stirring occasionally) or until just beginning to brown -- Do not overcook the vegetables or they will fall apart when tossed with the couscous. When finished roasting, add to the couscous. 4. Toss the bell pepper and onion, a minced garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a grinding of pepper with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread onto the sheet pan and roast for 10 to 15 minutes (stirring occasionally) or just until the vegetables are beginning to blacken. Scrape vegetables into the bowl of couscous. 5. Over a sink, shake the colander to remove as much liquid as possible from the eggplant. Toss eggplant with remaining minced garlic, a grinding of pepper, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. It is not necessary to add any additional salt to the eggplant. Spread onto the sheet pan and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until eggplant browns and the flesh has softened. Scrape the eggplant mixture into the bowl of couscous and vegetables. 6. Add the balsamic vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, and basil to the couscous and stir very gently to combine. Serve at room temperature. Salad will keep for several days in the refrigerator. TAKE a LOOK:
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We have friend and fellow blogger Stacey of Stacey Snacks to thank for this delicious salad. Following the indulgences of the holiday season, Stacey begins the new year with "Detox" recipes for healthy salads and abstains (at least for now) from posting desserts on her blog. I say, when salads are this good, who needs dessert? I absolutely loved it. I ever-so-slightly changed it out a bit, adding julienned fresh spinach and substituting dried cranberries for the raisins. • Large head of cauliflower, cut into florets • Olive oil, divided • 1 can chickpeas (garbanzos), rinsed and drained • 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted • 1/3 cup dried cranberries • Handful of fresh, baby spinach, thinly sliced • 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Spread cauliflower florets onto a non-stick sheet pan; drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Roast cauliflower for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2. Combine roasted cauliflower in a large bowl with the chickpeas, pine nuts, dried cranberries, and spinach. Add the red wine vinegar and 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature. YUM! TAKE a LOOK: It sounds as though just about everyone in the country is dealing with extreme cold today. All of the public schools in the state of Minnesota are closed and residents are urged not to venture outdoors unless absolutely necessary. Well... it's necessary. The Frenchie that resides in my house still wants to go outside. Getting dressed for the cold takes longer than the time we actually spend in the -21 degrees. Under any other circumstances, Pipi would be embarrassed looking like this, but today, she's good with it. When I'm not bundling up to take my Frenchie outside, I've been repairing a rug that was brought to me a few weeks ago. I put it aside during the holidays, but now have the time to replace the felted, fat, wool, chunky "threads". Apparently, people that repair/restore handmade rugs and manufactured carpeting locally are now a rare commodity. My name has been circulated throughout the Twin Cities as one of those that still works on Oriental piles and flat-weaves and damaged carpeting. I've become rather selective with the jobs I accept but could not refuse this rug made in the Netherlands. The felted wool pieces were ripped out by the owner's German Shepherd puppy. It is unlike any rug I have ever worked on before. I love walking across it with bare feet! And... I've been cooking. I pulled a large ham from the freezer that I never got around to baking during the holidays. I made it last night and served it with a broccoli-cauliflower gratin, roasted fingerling potatoes, and this Orange Salad with Vanilla Bean and Rosemary. Come this time of year, I crave citrus. I devour clementines one after the other, eat grapefruit for breakfast, and guzzle fruit juices. These refreshingly-sweet orange slices with vanilla bean seeds and rosemary are a perfect pairing to a salty ham. Oranges with Vanilla Bean and Rosemary • 8 Cara Cara Oranges (or a mix of Cara Cara and Blood oranges) • a generous 1/8 cup sugar • 1 vanilla bean • 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh rosemary 1. Using a sharp knife, cut the peel from the oranges. Slice the oranges into 1/4-inch thick pieces and place in a large bowl. 2. Place the sugar in a small bowl. Slice the vanilla bean down the length of the pod. Scrape the inside of the vanilla bean with the tip of the knife to remove the seeds; add to the sugar. Using the back of a spoon, press the vanilla seeds into the sugar until they are distributed evenly throughout. Pour the sugar over the orange slices. Add the chopped rosemary; stir gently to combine. 3. Refrigerate for one hour before serving. TAKE a LOOK: New Years Day Brunch is now just a memory. An hour of champagne toasts (of which I no longer partake -- too much of a risk factor in the success of the ensuing meal) were followed by 3 courses and 5 hours at the dining table. It is a tradition that we have celebrated with the same friends for 25+ years. MIMOSAS with PROSECCO SMOKED SALMON with LATKES and HARD-BOILED EGGS POPOVERS BRIOCHE with PROSCIUTTO, GRUYèRE, and EGG CITRUS PAVLOVAS with GRAPEFRUIT and MINT First course was the Smoked Salmon with Latkes and Hard-Boiled Eggs. This was an appetizer I had this past summer at a lodge in Glacier National Park and knew immediately I would be including it in my New Years Day Brunch. I made the latkes ahead and froze them, reheating them directly from the freezer to oven (350˚ for 15 minutes). They were delicious; tender on the inside with a crispy outside. Recipe for the latkes HERE. Salmon balls were made by mincing Norwegian smoked salmon with a chef's knife, then formed by hand into balls (24 ounces for 8 servings). The potato latkes were placed upon a dollop of sour cream with additional sour cream to secure the salmon; another small spoonful on top was sprinkled with chives. Surround with sliced hard-boiled eggs and toss on chopped red onion and capers. Amazing! Second course was Brioche with Prosciutto, Gruyère, and Egg; a recipe by Suzanne Goin. I chose to make my own brioche that was sliced thick, spread with salted European butter and placed under the broiler. The bread was then topped with Gruyère, melted under the broiler and finished off with an arugula salad (frisée was called for but what I found at the grocery was disappointing), prosciutto, and a fried egg -- my kind of salad! With purchased brioche, it would go together quite fast. And for dessert... Citrus Pavlovas with Grapefruit and Mint Just the kind of dessert needed after the rich excesses of the holidays; baked meringues flavored with citrus beneath a cloud of orange marmalade whipped cream, and fresh grapefruit segments. • 4 large egg whites • Pinch of salt • 1 cup sugar • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar • 1 teaspoon orange extract • juice of half a lime • 1 cup fully whipped cream • 1/4 cup orange marmalade • 2 grapefruits, segmented for garnish • mint sprigs, for garnish • honey for drizzling 1. Preheat the oven to 225˚F. Whisk the egg whites and salt together until firm peaks form. Gradually add the sugar while continuing to whip th e egg whites. Add the cream of tartar, orange extract and lime juice. Mix together until well combined. On a piece of parchment paper, use a teacup to trace six circles, each 4 inches in diameter. Spoon the meringue onto the parchment paper, using the circles as a guide. Place in the oven and bake for about 2 hours, until crisp on the outside and soft in the center. 2. Fold the orange marmalade into the whipped cream. Place pavlovas on a serving dish and garnish with a generous dollop of the marmalade cream mixture, a few segments of grapefruit, mint sprigs and a drizzle of honey, if desired. TAKE a LOOK: As is the case every December, I feel like I'm behind. Behind on baking. Behind on shopping. Behind on decorating for the holidays. I've been a little busy with other things... 1. I just finished cutting and sewing the Christmas stockings above. My sister, Antique-of-the-Week Susan, sent me old German grain sacks made of handwoven linen with black printing that she envisioned as Christmas stockings for her five grandchildren. And now they are. Check that off my list of things to do... 2. The drapes I mentioned I'm making for my daughter's new, old house in a previous post are practically completed. The drapery hardware just needs to be installed, allowing me to sew the hems in place.. the last step. Finally! 3. And then... well, there's Midge. Midge visits me for 8 hours each and every weekday. Midge likes to take long walks... even when it's cold. I have yet to even begin everything I plan to do in my kitchen during the month of December. But yesterday, deciding to take some time to relax, I made what I consider to be a perfect winter salad. I poured some wine, called a friend, and had a very nice evening. The greens of the winter salad are topped with wedges of baked, French Brie. It seems as though every grocery store I enter in December has rounds of Brie on sale during the month, and I stock up. Crisp, cold apples are the perfect partner to the creamy cheese. I used organic Gala apples in my salad but any variety will do. Right before the Brie is placed in the oven it's sprinkled with chopped, toasted walnuts. I, fortunately, have a freezer full of black walnuts that my husband gathered this fall on his father's farm. He has spent many a day shelling and picking the nut meat from the large bucket of walnuts he brought back from Iowa. When he finally finishes the black walnuts, there are also English walnuts waiting for him. The only thing I served with the salad was a crusty baguette and glasses of wine, but a little seared steak would be an awfully good follow-up! 6 SERVINGS • 2 organic Gala apples, or other apple of your choice, sliced into thin wedges • Apple cider • 4 slices apple-smoked bacon • 1/4 cup apple cider • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar • 1 tablespoon brown sugar • kosher or sea salt • 1 8-ounce round Brie • 2 tablespoons brown sugar • 1/4 cup black or English walnuts, coarsely chopped and toasted • 5 ounces mixed salad greens 1. Dip apple slices into apple cider to prevent browning; set aside. 2. Dice bacon and cook in a small skillet until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside, reserving 1 tablespoon of the drippings in skillet. Add 1/4 cup apple cider, balsamic vinegar, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar to the drippings; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown sugar dissolves, sprinkle with a little salt and set aside. 3. Preheat oven to 450˚F. Remove top rind from Brie. Cut the cheese into 6 wedges. Place wedges on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar and walnuts. Bake Brie for 3 to 4 minutes or just until soft. 4. Toss the greens with a portion of the reserved apple cider-balsamic vinegar mixture. Arrange lettuce greens, apple slices, and the wedges of walnut-baked Brie on plates. Drizzle with a little more apple cider-balsamic dressing, if needed and sprinkle with bacon. TAKE a LOOK: So what have I been doing lately? In addition to keeping busy in my kitchen, I'm also keeping busy with Midge. Midge is a 15 week old French Bulldog. She is not, however, mine. My Pipi is still doing fine at almost 13 1/2 years of age. Midge belongs to my daughter and her husband. She spends her days with me when her owners are at work -- and when her owners are out of town, which would be this weekend. I've forgotten how busy a puppy can be! YIKES! Welcome, Midge! adapted recipe from RealSimple | November 2013 • 1 cup pearl barley • 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets • 1 tablespoon celery seed • 6 tablespoons olive oil • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1 handful torn radicchio • 4 ounces salami, diced • 2/3 cup chopped Manchego cheese • 3 scallions, sliced (white part only) • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar 1. Cook the barley according to the package directions; drain and set aside. 2. PREHEAT OVEN to 450˚F 3. Toss the cauliflower, celery seed, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper on a baking sheet with 1-inch sides. Roast, tossing the cauliflower one or twice, until golden brown; about 16 to 18 minutes. 4. Combine the barley, roasted cauliflower, radicchio, salami, Manchego, scallions, vinegar, and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 5. Serve either warm, or at room temperature. TAKE a LOOK: I didn't plan to post onto LivingTastefully this month. I've just returned from one out-of-town trip and am leaving on another shortly. But I made this Quinoa Salad with Cherries and Cashews before I left and I also have some photos from Glacier National Park; so why not just combine the two before I leave town again? First off... a little bit about Glacier. It's beautiful. Breathtakingly beautiful. I have never been there before, and after spending a week traveling through the park, I feel photos do it little justice (but I took them anyway, because that's what you do on vacation). You need to be there to fully understand and appreciate the enormity of it all. And because of its size and scope, forget newspapers, wifi, or cell phone use at the historic lodges that lie within the park's boundaries; something I struggled with daily. It's just you and the bears -- something that caused my anxiety level to soar. Here are just a very few photos... 1. Yes, the lakes really are that color (when fed by the silt of a living glacier). We were told that once the glaciers are gone, the water will become a dark blue. 2. My favorite "landscape" photo along Waterton Lakes. (Also the deepest lake in Canada.) 3. Grinnell Glacier, as seen from the Many Glaciers Hotel. I feel bad for my husband. He really wanted to hike the 1600 feet in elevation up to the glacier, but I just couldn't. A grizzly bear was sited that morning at the base of the mountain where we would have started hiking. This is where my bear fear came into play (big time). 4. Hand-painted parchment shades, original to the 1914 lobby of the Lake McDonald Lodge in Montana. 5. Early morning photo taken by my husband from the deck of the Many Glaciers Hotel. (I slept in :) 6. My three favorite photos that have nothing to do with mountains. 7. Twenty yards from a black bear (our rental car was right behind me). We soon discovered, upon entering Glacier National Park, that September is a VERY active time for bears. They are eating massive amounts of berries down in the lower regions to hold them over while hibernating during the winter months... just what I needed to hear :( 8. My daughter asked me why I didn't smile in any of the photos. I told her that in this one (our last day of hiking!), it was because we just walked head-on into a large black bear idling down the trail deep in Canadian back country. When we came around a curve on the path of the dense brush and saw the bear walking towards us... he stopped... we stopped... and slowly stepped backwards while nervously making noise, until we were out of the bear's sight. Try as I may, I could not think of anything to sing but the national anthem. My husband said the bear must have thought he was going to see a baseball game. After five minutes, we again headed down the trail (with bear pepper spray in hand). The bear had disappeared! I ran that last quarter mile to the ranger's outpost, ahead of my husband. I guess we were just lucky not to have come upon a grizzly. My understanding is, you don't stand much of a chance (grizzlies will eat black bears). The morning we caught the train for home we had access to wifi and my husband downloaded the Wall Street Journal for me to read on our 22 hour train ride. One of the first articles I read was "Quinoa Faces a Backlash" that told of bloggers finally admitting they hate this ancient grain. I started using quinoa a little over two years ago when my eldest daughter found she was gluten intolerant. Many times I substitute quinoa for dishes using small pastas (like orzo), and have come to really like it. I guess it's for you to decide... We all like this salad! |
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