Cool as a Cucumber

While making one of my favorite salads the other day, I realized that I've never shared it with you! It's certainly deserving of its 15 Minutes of Fame (or however long it takes you to read this post).

Cucumber and Tomato Salad has been a favorite of mine since my early childhood, when I would help my mom pick the cucumbers and tomatoes right from our garden. It is such a summer staple, and can be adapted to make a thousand different versions depending on what you have in your fridge or what you're in the mood for.

But the basic recipe is so simple and delicious on its own, I often find myself just sticking with the classic.  I'm sure you've made or eaten something similar...here's the version I grew up with:

Cucumber & Tomato Salad
Dressing:
Whisk together equal parts olive oil & red wine vinegar, garlic salt, pepper, dash of sugar, dried Italian herbs (parsley, oregano, etc). Most dressing recipes call for 1 part acid (vinegar) to 2 or 3 parts oil, but I like mine pretty tart...so adjust to your taste.
Salad:
Toss peeled and sliced cucumbers, sliced tomatoes (grape, cherry, or vine-ripened are the most flavorful), and thinly sliced red onions with dressing. Best when refrigerated for 30 minutes, but I can't always wait that long.

You could add corn, avocado, bread to make a panzanella, or some nice salty olives. As for me, it's usually just the essentials. Cool, crisp, bright...a happy little bowl of summer.

Happy Searching,

I Will Eat Them Anywhere...

Growing up, my family always enjoyed a good, hearty breakfast. And when I say hearty, I mean that it usually included eggs of some sort: fried eggs, scrambled eggs, green eggs and ham (okay, not really). One of my favorite childhood egg dishes is still one of my favorites today: soft-boiled eggs with toast.

They are so easy to make, and feel so luxurious in spite of their simplicity. The trick is to get the time right so that the eggs are perfectly cooked (according to your taste, of course). To me, perfect soft-boiled eggs have runny yolks but whites that are semi-firm.

So here's how it goes: put the eggs into a pot, cover with cool water, and bring to a boil. (This is also the point where I put some bread in the toaster). Set the timer once the water begins to boil; for my "perfect" eggs, the timer is set for three minutes. When time is up, turn the heat off and run cold water over the eggs to stop the cooking. I use the back of a butter knife to give them a good crack, open them up, and scoop out the liquid gold inside.

Sprinkled with a little salt and freshly cracked pepper (and a smidge of butter if you're feeling indulgent), this breakfast warms your belly and your soul. I will eat them here or there, I will eat them anywhere.

Do you have any childhood favorites that you still love today?

Happy Searching!

Three Pizzas

Pizza is my favorite food, hands down. There are numerous close seconds, but I would be lying if I said there was anything else in the top spot.

So the other night when we had shrimp, a few whole wheat tortillas, and nothing else planned for dinner, we ended up with shrimp pizzas! (Three delicious shrimp pizzas, if I do say so myself). We had several topping possibilities in the fridge, and since I really couldn't narrow it down to just one theme, I ended up making three different pizzas.

Spicy Thai Peanut with Cilantro & Carrots

The first thing I did was roast a pound of shell-on, deveined tiger shrimp (that I had tossed with olive oil, S&P, and a crushed clove of garlic) in the oven at 400 degrees. I took them out just before they were fully cooked since they were going back in the oven atop the tortillas (rubbery shrimp=opposite of delicious). Then I peeled them, sliced them in half so they would lay flat, and prepped all the other tasty toppings.

Roasted Pepper, Arugula, & Goat Cheese

Here are the topping deets:

Spicy Thai-julienned carrots, chopped cilantro & scallions, sesame seeds. This sauce totally made it (I tossed half of it with the shrimp and then used the other half to drizzle after it baked): equal parts soy/lime juice, a bit of toasted sesame oil, a smidge of peanut butter and a dash of chili garlic paste. Added some chopped peanuts and a bit more cilantro...Thai heaven.

Roasted Peps-leftover roasted yellow peppers and red onions, crumbled goat cheese, and arugula (tossed in lemon juice, olive oil, S&P and was added right when it came out of the oven). Buonissima!

BBQ Blue Cheese-carmelized red onions, blue cheese & bacon crumbles, and shrimp tossed in BBQ sauce (store-bought...I think the brand is Bull's Eye) before baking. Again, it was all about the sauce: equal parts BBQ sauce/ranch dressing, dash of chili powder, cayenne pepper, and some salt. Ooowwweeee, so yummy.

Blue Cheese Barbecue, Bacon, & Carmelized Onions

After assembling each pizza, I put them back in the oven at 450 for a few minutes until everything was melted and warmed through. I think my fave was the Thai while the hubs favored the blue cheese & bacon. Really, not a bad one in the bunch.

I mean, what's better than a customized pizza? Um, three of them!

Happy Searching!

Thai-spiration: Coconut Chicken Soup

Recently, we had some lemongrass in the fridge (leftover from this meal) that needed to be used. When I discovered that we also had some chiles and mushrooms on hand, I realized we were one can of coconut milk away from this delicious Coconut Chicken Soup.

I made several adaptations based on what we had or didn't have. I used fresh mushrooms instead of canned, fresno chiles instead of Thai, reduced-fat coconut milk instead of regular, lime zest instead of kaffir lime leaves, and boxed stock instead of homemade.

And guess what? It was still amazing! One of the reasons I love Thai food so much is the salty-sweet-sour pucker that hits you right in the cheeks. The zing of the lime and spice of the chiles swirled together with the chicken and mushrooms in the milky broth.

Not too heavy, perfect for the beginning of summer. Try it out!

Happy Searching,

Lovin' Larb

Larb? Yep, larb. It's a strange word to say, but surprisingly, not to eat. It's a Thai dish that is a basically a meat salad (sort of like the lettuce cups you may have tried in various Asian restaurants).

Intrigued? I certainly was the first time I saw Giada whip up this recipe. In trying to build a meal around some ground turkey, I thought it might be a good time to try it out.

Larb might make you step outside your kitchen comfort zone. Back when I first saw Giada introduce this dish, I wasn't completely sold (the fact that I waited several months to test it out is proof). But when I stumbled upon the recipe again, I read through the list of ingredients.

Turkey? Like it. Mint? Love it. Lime juice and lemongrass? Citrusy heaven. So I, myself, expanded my culinary horizons a bit and am so glad I did!

The name might sound a bit odd, the finished product may not be overly alluring, but let me tell you...it tastes incredible! I hope it inspires you try something that stretches your tastebuds a bit.

Eaten anything that has surprised you lately?

Happy Searching,

Wild About Rice

As you may know, I have an unrequited love for carbohydrates (I mean, if they loved me back, I could eat them without recourse, right?). Pasta, potatoes, bread and rice are must-haves in the pantry.

The good news in all my carbohydrate cravings is that I really like whole grains. I love the nutty, chewiness of brown rice and the texture of a multi-grain bread. And I LOVE wild rice. I've enjoyed it since my young carbo-lovin' days, when Mama B would glam it up with some sauteed onions, garlic, mushrooms, & white wine.

So, since she sent us a bag of it in our Easter package (the exact same kind we used to have growing up from Byerly's in Minnesota), I recreated her version.

Mama B's Wild Rice
2 c wild rice
1 TB olive oil
1 TB butter
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced (I like cremini/baby portabellas)
1/2 c white wine (I used a Chardonnay)
1/4 c chopped parsley

Cook the rice according to the package (we use chicken broth instead of water to add even more flavor). Drain the rice, and set aside in a bowl (it takes a really long time to cook--like an hour--so start ahead of time).

Meanwhile, saute the onions, garlic, and mushrooms with the olive oil and butter over medium heat.
When the mushrooms are starting to get soft, add wine and let it reduce and soak into the mushrooms. Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped parsley then add the mixture to the rice.

The hubs had never tried it before, and enjoyed it nearly as much as I did. The chewy texture of the rice, the carmelized onions, the sweetness of the wine...just like Mom used to make. Wildly delicious.

Happy Searching!

Ooey Gooey Ultimate Coffee Cake

How has it been this long? In between delicious meals, I have been grading papers, planning for the end of my first year of teaching (how did that happen?) and finding a few minutes to spend with the hubs. But summer is around the corner, my friends, and although I have discovered first-hand the many challenges of education, I am about to enjoy the biggest perk. Summer vacation will definitely allow for more blogging, so I hope you're hungry.

On to the food! As far as breakfasts go, I am typically more of a savory person (breakfast tacos, eggs benedict, etc.) than sweet. So much so that it took a little convincing from my mother to give this recipe for the Ultimate Coffee Cake a try. "You'll LOVE it!" she kept insisting...

So, when my friend Andi was in town for a visit a few weeks ago, we gave it a whirl and all saltiness aside, this sticky pull-apart is the sweetest breakfast ever. Not just because it is incredibly delicious, but it is the easiest thing I've ever made (including the apology call I had to make to my mother for doubting her recommendation).

Toss some frozen dinner rolls into a bundt pan, sprinkle with brown sugar and butterscotch pudding mix, and drizzle some melted butter over the top (add a few chopped nuts if you're feeling frisky). Rise, bake, eat. And eat. And eat some more (I'm serious, it's hard to stop).

If you have any sort of breakfast function to attend, bring this and you will be a hit, guaranteed. And in case you're wondering, Andi and I were also able to squeeze in a few savory meals. Like breakfast tacos. And mimosas. On a swan. Ultimate fun!

Happy Searching,


p.s. If you're a visual learner (like me) and you'd like to watch Paula make it herself, check that out here.