Red, White & Blueberry Salad (Watermelon, Blueberry, Feta)

Posted: July 3, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Fruit Dishes, Salads, Sides, Uncategorized, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Red, White & Blueberry Salad

(From Becky, the Butter Lovin’ Mama)

I’m going to post this recipe early– for  tonight and in the morning, again, to give everyone time to scoot to the store — if needed — and haul back the ingredients for this simple, amazing, knock-out Red, White and Blueberry Watermelon Salad. Because if you put it together for your 4th of July Celebration, you will be crowned the Queen Cook of Independence Day.  And I would not want you to miss that honor.

Last week I had a little minor surgery (although  it is only really “minor” when if it is happening to someone else)  and to my delight, my friend Lindsey O’Connor brought over a feast so good I’d almost go under the knife again to repeat the meal. It included grilled chicken, humus, homemade tzatziki sauce,  pita chips, Naan bread and a gorgeous watermelon-mint-feta salad.  I’m sharing my 4th of July version of her watermelon salad today, but she promises me the original recipes for the rest of the meal soon! (Which I will share with you.)

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
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The Title: Red, White & Blueberry Salad
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

I love to bring meals to my friends who have been ill or had a new baby. Truly pure joy.  As opposed to,  say, helping someone move or dog sit for them.  When I plan to bring a meal to someone, I usually start cooking in the mid-afternoon and just double whatever Greg and I are having for dinner.  I have a cabinet where I save disposable containers for this purpose, and a system where I wrap the hot stuff in a big towel and put it in one box, the cold stuff (with a bag of ice if needed) in another box and off Greg and I go to deliver some love disguised as a good meal.

I am so rarely sick, and my youngest baby is in his mid-twenties; so I had forgotten what a pampered, soothing experience it is to enjoy a great meal that has been lovingly home-made and delivered.  Somewhere around midnight I got up, padded to the fridge, and finished every last bite of Lindsey’s cold crisp sweet-salty watermelon salad before going back to bed. With each bite, I thought of Lindsey with gratitude.  It is true that  food, made with love, somehow tastes better.

So if you don’t make this salad for July 4,  save it in your recipe file under “Great Dish to Bring to a Friend in Need.”  It’s easy,  nutritious, beautiful and delicious.

Becky’s Red, White and Blueberry Salad

Red, White & Blueberry Salad (Watermelon, Feta and Blueberry)

Ingredients

2 cups diced watermelon (about the size of dice)

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

2 T. crumbled feta cheese

1 T. fresh lime juice

Dash sea salt

2 t. chopped fresh mint

2 t. honey or agave nectar

Directions

In a glass bowl, layer the watermelon, blueberries and feta, in that order.  Just before serving add the rest of the ingredients and toss very gently again. Serve.  Note:  If you are using frozen blueberries this dish is best served just a few minutes after the berries start to thaw, so they are still a little bit icy and hold their shape. In fact, I would just toss the frozen blueberries in last, and they should be ready for eating by the time people serve themselves and sit down to eat.

Sippable Sweet Pea Soup (Hot or Chilled)

Posted: July 3, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Main Dishes, Soups, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

This sippable soup is such an easy lunch to serve up on a hot day. It’s great for parties, no spoon needed and it can be enjoyed while walking around mingling with guests.

Last week, the island where Jared and I were planning to vacation this week was covered in water. There was no power, and our relatives (who arrived a week before us)  had to be rescued off of the island during the middle of a tropical storm. I delayed our visit by a day and set my expectations low for sun and sand.

When we arrived on Thursday afternoon, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. To my pleasant surprise, it was sunshine, all sunshine! We spent one night on the mainland while repairs were being made on the island. By Friday, we hopped on the ferry and made our way to our tropical paradise, just as beautiful as I always remembered.

Jared and I married on this very island, exactly five years ago this Sunday. On our wedding day, there was a torrential downpour all afternoon and into the early evening. I had to go to the mainland to get my hair done up at the JCPenney hair salon in the local mall, the only salon opened on a Sunday in this small town. Before I realized what she was doing, the stylist, a tiny little woman with a thick  German accent, had teased my hair into an “old lady” beehive updo. Apparently, they don’t get many young brides in Retirement-Ville. Instructing my strong-willed German stylist on what I wanted was no easy task, but we finally tamed my wildly teased and over-sprayed hair into something presentable. As it turned out, it really didn’t matter. On the ferry back to the island, it was so rainy and windy, I was drenched by the time we docked. (Though my mom and I made a valiant attempt to salvage my do on the ferry boat back to the island, all captured on film by the wedding photographer.  That’s mom’s hand there in the picture on the left, holding the bag.  Lovely.)  Thankfully, once in our condo,  mom was able to fix my sagging upsweep just in time for the wedding.

             

No one thought we were going to be able to have the wedding outside,  but like my iron-willed stylist, I had a plan and we were going with it! The beach wedding will happen, I insisted. Everyone get dressed, there will be a wedding on the beach at 7:00pm. Be there!

At 6:30 pm, the rain stopped, the clouds parted and the sun shined on our little island. In a frenzy, every guest in our group, including the groom, ran down to the beach, raked the sand, set up the music and our ceremony site, then tied ribbons on the boardwalk. I learned later that Jared hopped in the shower at 6:50pm.

At 7:00, I walked down the boardwalk, arm in arm with my dad, to a perfectly beautiful ceremony with all of my favorite people, including my most favorite person in the whole world, Jared Randolph, my soon-to-be husband. Two dolphins swam back and forth right in front of us the entire time that the preacher shared God’s words about marriage to us and we spoke our vows to one another. It was more beautiful than I could have dreamed.

We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful wedding night.

Our marriage has been full of these “almosts”…not only did our wedding almost get rained out, but a month before our wedding Jared could have almost died from a fall on a construction site.  (Thankfully he was okay, just a bad concussion, after a couple of scary days in the hospital.) Jared  almost didn’t have a job when we returned from our honeymoon, we almost didn’t have a house to move into when he took his latest job… But in every “almost” instance, God orchestrated something so perfect, so beyond what we could have hoped for, that in every blessing of ours, we know to point to Him and give him the praise.

This sweet pea soup is one of those great meals to have on hand when you just don’t know what life is going to throw at you. If it’s cool and rainy or you’re in need of comfort, serve it in a big mug with a warm of hunk of bread. If it’s hot outside and the sun is shining down on you, serve it chilled in a tall glass with a garnish of fresh tomatoes. If you’re on the road, on the run, at the pool, put it in a cup or to-go mug and sip it as you go about your day.

And whatever storm you may be in, may you feel God’s presence in the storm and know the sun will soon shine again. It always does.

Sweet Pea Soup served chilled with Kickin’ Melon Cucumber Salad (https://welaughwecrywecook.com/2012/06/28/kickin-melon-cucumber-salad/)

Rachel’s
Sippable Spring Pea Soup (Hot or Chilled)

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 leek, dark green section removed, chopped into thin half moons & rinsed well
1 onion, diced
1 t. salt
4 cups veggie broth
4 cups of peas (frozen or fresh)
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper

Garnish options: Sprig of mint, chopped green onions, diced tomatoes, swirl of heavy cream (not for vegans)

Directions

In a medium sauce pan, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add leeks, onions, and 1 t. salt. Saute for ~ 8 minutes until onions are translucent. Add veggie broth, bring to boil, cover and reduce heat to med-low. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add peas and simmer for 4 more minutes. Remove from heat. Either transfer to a blender (in halves) or use an immersion blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Serve warm in a mug or refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled and serve in tall shooter glasses. Garnish as desired.

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The Title: Sippable Sweet Pea Soup (Hot or Chilled)
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Orange Glazed Carrots

Posted: July 2, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Sides, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Orange Glazed Carrots

Is anyone old enough or blessed enough to remember going to a grandma’s house after church on Sunday for a roast chicken or roast beef, usually served with glazed carrots,  mashed potatoes and gravy, her homemade rolls, sliced tomatoes from the garden,  and cold cucumbers served in a sweet-sour vinegar?  Perhaps a little relish tray with olives or miniature sweet pickles.  Maybe followed up with nana puddin’ or peach cobbler. (Or is this just a figment of our collective nostalgic imaginations?)

As tired as I am after church on Sunday, I feel like Super Woman if I can just get some sandwiches on a plate for the two of us before I lapse into a nap. I am amazed that there were women who used to pull this big dinner feat off, and some of them did it weekly!

In Glen Rose, Texas there was a wonderful place called Two Grannies.  I wish we had one here in Colorado.  When you walked into the old-time dining room,  you were greeted by two grandmotherly sisters in flower print dresses who owned the restaurant. Nobody got in or out of the place without a hug.  And you didn’t say “no” because one of the grannies was a big as a middle linebacker.  Someone was always at the piano playing old show tunes or hymns.  And there was one old fellow who would come in now and again, dressed in striped overalls, who would astound the kids by whistling exactly like an old train. The whole place was just like going to grandmas house on Sunday, families greeting each other and chatting from table to table.  I believe  one of the grannies finally moved on to Glory,  but  the two of them left a lot of love and sweet memories — living out their golden years giving people hugs and a good home-cooked meal.  Can’t get much better than that.

I have discovered, on those rare Sundays when I feel my “Inner Granny” coming on and invite family or company over after church,  that a roast chicken and roast beef are the two easiest things to make for a crowd. (Recipe for my garlic roast chicken coming up later this week.) Nothing simpler than plopping an easily seasoned roast or chicken in the oven, then heading off to church and returning to your main dish already cooked and scenting the air as you walk in the door.  One of my favorite side dishes to serve with a savory juicy roast chicken is sweet, buttery orange glazed carrots.  Just carrots plus three ingredients, but it is so good you may decide to skip the nana puddin’ and eat a bowl of carrots for dessert instead.

Orange Glazed Carrots

Becky’s Orange Glazed Carrots

Ingredients

2 c. diced or mini carrots plus 1 T. water

1/2 c. orange juice

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 T. butter (vegans use Earth Balance)

sea salt to taste

Directions

Put the carrots and a tablespoon of water in a tightly covered microwave proof dish and nuke for about 12 minutes or until just tender.  (You can also steam them if you prefer.)

While the carrots are cooking, put orange juice, brown sugar and butter into a pan on the stove top.  Turn burner on high until it reaches a boil, then turn down to a simmer and simmer for about six minutes or until the mixture  reduces and starts to get syrupy. Add the cooked carrots to the orange syrup and simmer just a minute or two more until carrots are coated with thick buttery syrup, and taste like heaven.

Cook until syrupy and tender carrots are well coated.

Sprinkle with a little sea salt and serve.

Glazed carrots: a colorful, sweet-savory side dish fit for any Granny Meal.

Kickin’ Melon Cucumber Salad

Posted: June 28, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Fruit Dishes, Salads, Sides, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Melon, agave, and a tiny hint of cayenne take this ordinary tomato and cucumber salad to extraordinary with a burst of flavor. It’s sweet, spicy, and refreshing. Surprise your friends with this unique summer salad at the next barbeque.

Whatever it is that makes pregnant women crave weird things, I’m pretty sure I have it all the time. As I’m trying to eat everything in my refrigerator before vacation (this is counteracting my plan to get in shape for the beach, by the way), I keep finding myself pairing the oddest things.

Oreo cookies, cream filling removed and replaced with peanut butter and banana.

A baked sweet potato doused in hot sauce for breakfast.

Crackers dipped in tomato paste and hummus.

Sometimes I question my authority to co-write a food blog. I mean seriously, how can you trust the palate of someone who removes the filling from their Oreos?

However, sometimes my weird cravings create something truly delicious. When I took a bite of this salad with crisp cucumbers, bright tomatoes, sweet cantaloupe, red onion, and an agave and cayenne vinaigrette, I was in love. It’s an odd combination of fruits and veggies, of spicy and sweet, but it works I tell ya, it really works.

It would brighten up and bring a perfect balance of acidity and flavor to grilled tofu or chicken for a healthy summer dinner. It would also be a great side dish for Fourth of July parties, no refrigeration needed for at least a few hours.

Just be prepared to answer the questions, “How did you come up with this combination? Are you pregnant?”

Rachel’s Kickin’ Melon Cucumber Salad

Serves 6-8 side portions

Ingredients

2 c. cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 c. cucumber, chopped
1 . red onion, diced
2 c. canteloupe or other melon (watermelon and honeydew would both work), chopped

Vinaigrette
3 T. rice vinegar
3 T. agave
3 t. salt
3 t. crushed black pepper
1 t. cayenne

Directions

Mix vinaigrette ingredients and toss with chopped fruit and veggies. Serve.

It’s that easy!

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Kickin’ Melon Cucumber Salad
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Stewed Summer Veggies

Posted: June 26, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Main Dishes, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Stewed garden vegetables with white beans. Great for curling up with a good book and a blanket on a rainy day.

I’m packing up my suitcase (or three) for a tropical island vacation south of Tampa, but it looks like the most tropical thing about the trip may be Tropical Storm Debby. Our family that’s already there spent last night without water or power and hasn’t seen the sun in days. Much of the island is covered in water. Getting three suitcases, a diaper bag, groceries, and a one-year old onto the ferry (no cars on this island) and down the 1/4 mile rocky path to the condos without Jared, who will be joining us two days later, is going to be harder than I expected if this doesn’t clear up soon.

I had a menu in mind for the week, including lots of fresh, crisp fruits and veggies to cool us down as we came in from the hot sandy beach. But, this summer stew might be a better fit if it turns out to be a rainy vacation. Actually, curling up on the lanai (that’s a fancy word Floridians use for a screened in porch) with a good book and a bowl of these warm summer veggies, while the rain falls around me and and waves crash against the shell-lined beach, sounds like paradise to me.

Fresh potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and squash from our uncle’s garden were the base of this savory satisfying stew, finished off with white beans for a mild-flavored protein, and kale of course. No dish is complete without it! Smoked paprika, one of my favorite spices to add depth of flavor to beans and vegetables, makes it taste almost like it was cooked with a hunk of ham.

Rain or shine, cool salads or warm stews, I’ll be enjoying our little tropical paradise very soon. And I’ll finally be reuniting with my husband when he gets done with his week long out of state baseball tournament…just in time to celebrate our anniversary on the same island where we said “I Do” five years ago!

Rachel’s Stewed Summer Veggies

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

~1 T. extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
1 large onion, diced
4 small potatoes, chopped into bite size chunks
1 yellow squash (or zucchini)
3 cups of tomatoes (I used a combo of whole cherry tomatoes & chopped larger tomatoes)
1 T. white wine vinegar
3 stalks of kale, torn off the rib and into pieces
1 cup of water or veggie broth
1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
salt & pepper
seasoning salt
smoked paprika

Directions

Pour evoo into a large tall-sided skillet or sauce pan and heat on medium heat. Add onions & a dash of salt and saute for about five minutes. Add potatoes, squash, tomatoes, water or broth, and vinegar. Reduce heat to med-low, cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in kale and gently mash the tomatoes so they release their juices. If it needs more liquid, you can add another cup of water or broth. Gently stir in the beans and season to taste with seasoning salt (like Lawry’s or Tony’s), smoked paprika (use just a pinch for a nice smokey flavor) and a little salt and pepper if it needs it.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Stewed Summer Veggies
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Avocado Mango Salad “Cocktail” in Jicama Nests

Posted: June 25, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Appetizers, Gluten Free, Mexican Dishes, Salads, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Avocado Mango Jicama “Cocktail” Salad

What would you do if given the gift of one uninterrupted day, a day where your kids, your husband, your friends and your boss gave your their blessing to walk away and create your own perfect 12 hours?  A day to refill your soul?

Some seasons of my life are busier than others and the last two months has been filled to overflowing with people, appointments and a list of “to-dos” that seemed endless.  Seeing his wife was in a state of overwhelm,  Greg hugged me on Friday night and said, “Honey, tomorrow I want you to take the whole Saturday  just do anything you want at any given minute, all day long. Don’t worry about a thing.  I’ll even make my own meals.”

It may have been the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard anyone say.  (True to his word, Greg made his own lunch: two pieces of leftover corn on the cob, a piece of leftover blueberry pie and some leftover salad.  Yes, he missed the protein food group, but it was a great improvement over his usual “bachelor diet” when I am away: potato chips, chocolate chip cookies and cereal.)

Saturday dawned with the song “Saturday in the Park” playing in my mind, and the line, “I’ve been waiting such a long time, for Sat-ur-day” echoing again and again.  The feeling of unencumbered space stretched out for the next 12 hours left me near euphoric.

I spent the day writing on our new book in uninterrupted bliss at Denver’s famous Tattered Cover Bookstore, then lunched and wrote some more at The Corner Bakery, over-looking a gorgeous outline of the Rocky Mountains.  When I walked in the house that evening there was a vase of sunny yellow flowers and a loving card from Greg, “Just because.”  I wrote in my Facebook status:  I feel like a wilted flower that has been put in the fresh water of creative work, healing solitude, and the benevolent blessing of a good man who wants little in this life but for me to be happy.  I may yet live!

After I opened the card, Greg and I went to the back porch for our Summertime Happy Hour, a ritual we started in early June to make sure we have a little time to connect before dinner.  One of the things that centenarians the world over have in common is “joyful rituals.” This has become one of our favorites.  I made us clementine mojitos using the mint from my herb garden,  perfectly refreshing.

The day of rest and writing left me infused with creative energy as I cooked supper a little later.   I grabbed a crisp jicama, a vine-ripe tomato, an avocado and a mango out of the crisper.  In my mind’s eye I saw this recipe appear: a pretty salad of orange, green and red nestled in a bed of white grated jicama, drizzled with a fresh lime dressing and served in margarita glasses.  It would be  our “salad course.”   Let me tell you, it  was every bit as tasty as it is beautiful! So cold and refreshing after a 100 degree summer day.

I am delighted to share this recipe  with you,  along with encouragement to take time out for “Fill the Well Day” for your body, mind and soul as soon as you can!

Becky’s Avocado Mango Jicima “Cocktail” Salad

Avocado Mango Salad “Cocktail” in Jicama Nests

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups peeled, grated fresh jicama

1 avocado

1 fresh tomato

1 fresh mango

1 T. chopped cilantro or parsley or mint

2 T. chopped green onion

Juice of 2 limes

1/2 t. salt

4 t. honey

4 T. crushed corn or tortilla chips

Cajun seasoning or Tajin chili-lime seasoning to sprinkle on top

Lime slices for garnish

Tajin seasoning: a delightful blend of lime, salt, and chili pepper. Wonderful on this dish!

The flavors of jicama, tomato, mango, green onion and lime blend beautifully

Directions:

Place 1/2 cup grated jicama in each of 4 margarita glasses or pretty glass bowls to create a white “nest.”   Mix avocado, tomato, mango, herb of your choice and green onion together in a bowl and gently toss.  Place this mixture on top of the grated jicama, dividing evenly in to the four glasses.  In a small bowl mix the dressing of lime juice, salt and honey.  Drizzle evenly over each of the salads.  Top each salad with 1 T. crushed chips and a nice sprinkling of Cajun or Tajin seasoning.  Serve with long teaspoons if you have them and put a slice of lime on each rim.  Have guests stir and toss their salads once they are served to make sure everything gets coated with the lime dressing.

Roasted Okra & Green Beans

Posted: June 21, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Sides, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Roasted okra and green beans. A healthy alternative to fried okra or french fries, and so much easier to make.

(Rachel – The Vegan-Eatin’ Daughter)

In our huge haul of garden veggies from Uncle, we had a small batch of fresh okra. I’ve been planning to fry them up, as any good southerner would do, but I’m not really the frying kind of gal. It’s just so messy.

There you have it. The secret to eating  healthy is to be too lazy to clean up greasy pots and pans.

While waiting on me to get over my anal retentiveness, some of my okra and a handful of green beans started to wither away. Still not ready to conquer the mess of slicing, coating, and deep frying the okra, I decided to try out a cooking method I know and love for green beans, roasting, on the okra, too.

I may not be a traditional Southern gal in many ways, but this plate of roasted green beans and okra is my kind of southern treat. In less than 30 minutes, these are prepped, cooked and on your plate. You could serve them as a healthy afternoon snack for kids (almost 11-month old Jackson loved them), a party appetizer, or a side dish to any southern cuisine.

Rachel’s Roasted Okra & Green Beans

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 c. fresh okra (not frozen)
1 cup fresh green beans
3 t. olive oil
1 t. salt
1/2 t. of cayenne

Directions

Preheat oven to 450. Put okra and green beans on a baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, salt, and cayenne. Pour the oil over the veggies and rub into them to make sure they are all evenly coated.

Bake for 20 minutes, flipping the veggies after 10 minutes. Sprinkle with a tad more salt as they come out of the oven.

I dipped them in Muir Glen’s organic ketchup (my fave), because I’m a ketchup-aholic, but they really didn’t need anything. Feel free to play with different spices, too.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

Blueberry Pie with a Lemon Twist

Posted: June 20, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Desserts, Fruit Dishes, Vegan, Vegan Options, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Becky’s Blueberry Pie with a Lemon Twist

(Becky, the Butter Lovin’ Mama)

“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.”  Tenneva Jordan

I’ve always loved the above quote with its sentimental statement about the selfless love of mothers.  But, to be perfectly honest, I am the type of mother who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly bakes another pie so she can have at least two pieces for herself.

I’m not proud of this, but it is sadly true.  In fact, I did it yesterday.

Let me explain. I made a beautiful blueberry pie, Greg’s favorite, for Father’s Day dinner.  I honestly thought the family had eaten the whole thing.

But yesterday while my husband was away on errands, I woke from a nap feeling suddenly famished. Scrounging around in the fridge I discovered – a ha! – one leftover piece of blueberry pie!  I immediately said to myself, “Now, that is Greg’s favorite pie.  Don’t you want to save that one last piece for your him?”  But my Self completely ignored “I” and ate the pie.  It was delicious.

Then the guilt set in. Thankfully, I had exactly four cups of blueberries left, and an extra two rolls of Pillsbury pie crust.  Before Greg returned, a new pie was in the oven and I looked like a culinary hero, making him TWO pies in two days. That is, until he pressed the issue asking, “So there wasn’t even a single slice of pie leftover from Father’s day, eh?”  I started to lie, but could not do it.  I ‘fessed up, and he gave me a pious “just as I thought” look before taking a bite of warm blueberries wrapped in flaky pastry.

Alas, we humans like to think we are better people than we are.  But I would not trust even the likes of Mother Teresa to avoid the temptation of the last piece of this sumptuous blueberry pie with just the right twist of lemon. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and I doubt even the Pope could resist.

Let me just add this: if you have to make a pie in a hurry to assuage any sort of guilt, I know of no pie as fast and easy to throw together as blueberry pie.  No fruit to cut, you just toss those berries in a bowl, add a few ingredients, dump it into the crust.  Feel free to make your own crust, but if you only have a few minutes to cover your tracks, I’d reach for the Pillsbury refrigerated versions!

Becky’s Blueberry Pie with a Lemon Twist

Serves Six

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

4 c. fresh blueberries  (frozen will work as well but fresh tastes better to me if they are in season, as they are right now)
1 1/4 c. sugar

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1 t. fresh lemon zest

1/4 t. salt

4 T. cornstarch

1 T. butter, cut in tiny pieces

Two unbaked pie crusts

Directions:

In a large bowl, gently toss the blueberries with the next five ingredients until thoroughly mixed.  Line a 9 inch Pyrex pie pan (I prefer the simple Pyrex pans with about 1/2 inch lip) with bottom unbaked pastry shell.  Fill with blueberry mixture.  Dot with butter. Top with other pie crust, fluting the edges. Using a sharp paring knife cut a pattern.  I always like flowers!

Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown.  If edges begin to brown before pie is cooked, carefully and lightly crimp strips of aluminum foil around edges to keep it from getting too dark.  I double test for “done-ness” by sticking a fork into an open slit.  If it comes out coated, as if with syrup, it is probably ready.  If the fork emerges dripping thin juice, it probably needs a few more minutes for the cornstarch and blueberry juice to combine and thicken.
Variation: If you are making a deep dish pie, add another cup of blueberries, another 1/4 cup sugar and another tablespoon cornstarch. You can substitute a teaspoon of cinnamon or vanilla for the lemon if you prefer. Vegans will want to use a pie crust that does not use lard or butter.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
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The Title: Blueberry Pie with a Lemon Twist
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© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved


Stuffed Garden Zucchini with Spinach & Walnut Pesto

Posted: June 19, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Main Dishes, Sides, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies | Tags: , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

(Rachel – The Vegan-Eatin’ Daughter)

I have this dramatic little plant on my kitchen table. When she get’s a little parched (it’s most definitely a she), she goes from her perky upright position to draping her long thin limbs all the way over the side of the pot as if she’s fainted. I give her a little sip of water and within minutes the color returns to her cheeks, she brushes the dirt off her skirt, and gets back to work brightening up my kitchen.

As much as I would love to have a green thumb and to have the time, desire, and talent to have a garden, I’m just not there yet. My plants have to literally bend over backwards to get me to notice them. Every attempt at an herb garden has been a miserable failure. One day, when I grow up, I hope I find my inner plant whisperer. Until then, I’ll stick to dramatic plants that practically scream for my attention.

On the bright side, Jared’s Uncle Philip, we just call him Uncle, has an organic garden. Once or twice a year, when his harvest overfloweth, he spreads around the veggie love. This week, he sent us squash, zucchini, cucumbers, a big bag full of beautiful cherry tomatoes, okra, and green beans. Fresh, local, organic, free veggies make my heart go pitter patter!

Some of the zucchini and squash had grown a little too much. When it comes to produce, bigger is usually not better. I hate to waste any vegetable, so I decided to use the zucchini as a pretty vessel for a cherry tomato stuffing.

The zucchini was still a little bit bitter and took longer to bake than a smaller variety, but the stuffing of sweet cherry tomatoes and garlicky croutons was insanely delicious. Smaller zucchini would be perfect and tender enough that you could eat the whole thing, skin and all. If you’re looking for a way to make use of any summer squash that got a little too much time on the vine, though, this is a clever way to use them up.

I have more veggies from Uncle’s garden coming tomorrow and I’ve hardly made a dent in the first round. What’s your favorite way to use up garden veggies?

Rachel’s Stuffed Garden Zucchini with Spinach & Walnut Pesto

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 large zucchini or 4 normal sized zucchini, cut in half lengthwise & seeds scooped out
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
course ground pepper

2 slices of whole grain bread, cut into small cubes
1 t. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. garlic powder

1/2 small onion, diced
1 leek, dark green section removed, chopped into thin half moons & rinsed well
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
2 cups baby spinach

Pesto
1/2 c. spinach
1 T. walnuts
1 clove of garlic
1 t. extra virgin olive oil
3-4 t. water
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Look at all those pretty cherry tomatoes. That’s only about half of what we got from Uncle’s garden!

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Place zucchini cut side up in a baking dish, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and course ground black pepper. Bake until fork tender. 20-35 minutes depending on the size of the zucchini.

Toss bread cubes with olive oil and garlic powder.  Pour onto a baking sheet and bake in the same oven as zucchini until crispy, about 10 minutes.

In a skillet, heat a little olive oil on medium heat. Add onion and leeks and saute until transclucent, add garlic and tomatoes, continue sauteing for about five more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in spinach.

When the zucchini are fork tender, remove from the oven, stuff generously with the filling and put back in the oven for 15 more minutes.

Blend all of the pesto ingredients together, starting with 3 t. of water and adding more until the pesto is thin enough to drizzle easily.

Serve the stuffed squash on a big family platter, drizzled with pesto on top. Can be served as a main meatless dish or as a side.

The skin on the larger squash is too tough to eat, but the flesh did get tender while baking.

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: Stuffed Garden Zucchini with Spinach & Walnut Pesto
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-qP
© Copyright 2012 – All Rights Reserved

No Stress Sangrias

Posted: June 18, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Cocktails, Fruit Dishes, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , , , | 6 Comments

Instant sangria! Two ingredients plus citrus slices

(Becky, the Butter Lovin’ Mama)

For the past two weeks I’ve been keeping my 5 year old grandson. This has been humbling for a person with ADD who spends a crazy amount of time finding and losing her own purse/keys/phone/sunglasses.  Add to this routine, keeping up with a five year old’s needs: shoes, sunscreen, snacks, water bottles, favorite toys and books.  At one point, sleep deprived and on my 7th trip from car to house to retrieve a lost item, I tearfully told my husband, “A person who cannot keep up with her keys should not be trusted to care for a small child!”  But I somehow got my Temporary Mom Groove on, with a few routines and the help of my husband and family.

Last week my son Gabe invited me and my grandson over for lunch.  It was so nice not to have to cook or eat out of a box or bucket.  In addition to a yummy salad, roast potatoes and steak, Gabe served the most refreshing Sangrias to the adults.  They were perfectly balanced, not too sweet.

“How did you make this?” I asked. He told me that at the restaurant where he and his girlfriend wait tables, there is a man who always orders the same drink:  Merlot and Sprite over ice, with a lime.   An “instant sangria,” of sorts.  The wait staff finally tried it themselves, and loved it.

Gabe gave me the recipe along with some steak and roast potatoes to take home and share with Greg.  Greg found the steak and potatoes under my car seat today, six days old and beyond redemption.  Thankfully I had the ingredients on hand to make him a sangria to help soothe the loss.

No Stress Sangria

No Stress Sangria

Ingredients

1 part chilled lemon-lime or grapefruit soda

1 part chilled Merlot or Cabernet

Slices of citrus

Ice

Directions

In a glass or pitcher, mix equal parts soda and red wine.  Mix with ice and any  slices of citrus you like. That’s it!  Now find a nice place to sit and sip it, preferably to celebrate the kids having gone to bed! (Or off to college.)

This was printed from: We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook
The site URL: http://welaughwecrywecook.com
The Title: No Stress Sangrias
The URL: http://wp.me/p1UwM9-qr

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