Chipotle Deviled Eggs---Yum

Who doesn't love deviled eggs?  I am so lucky to have fresh eggs every day even when it's zero degrees outside and am always looking for new ways to use them.  A couple of weeks ago I taught a cookbook class on the Instant Pot at Williams-Sonoma and one of the recipes was for Srirachi deviled eggs. They were delicious.  So I decided to give this recipe a try with really fresh eggs.

Fresh eggs are hard to peel once they are hard boiled.  The Instant Pot corrects this problem by cooking them under the pressure cooker mode- 5 minutes.  But honestly I don't have an Instant Pot and thanks to the research of Cooks Illustrated I have resolved that problem without one.   Solution: steam the eggs for 11 minutes.  This allows both the yolks and the whites to cook evenly and release the tight bond from the white to the shell.  Then plunge them into an ice bath and they are simple to peel.

Chipotle deviled eggs

Here's the recipe for Srirachi deviled eggs - actually Chipotle since that's what I had

Ingredients:

• 12 eggs
• 1/2 cup (4 oz./125 g) mayonnaise
• 5 tsp. sriracha sauce (or chipotle hot sauce)
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. white wine vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

For the bread crumbs:

• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups (6 oz./185 g) fresh bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
• 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Peel and half lengthwise each hard boiled egg

Use a spoon to scoop the yolks into a bowl

Set the egg white halves on a serving platter

******** the one in the picture is from Target, Magnolia farms spring https://www.target.com/p/egg-tray-cream-hearth-hand-153-with-magnolia/-/A-52935264

To the yolks, add mayonnaise, hot sauce, mustard, and vinegar and whisk until no limps remain.

Season with salt and pepper

Bread crumbs:

In a frying pan over medium heat, warm the oil

Add the bread crumbs, garlic, paprika, cayenne, and parsley and cook, stirring constantly until the crumbs are well toasted - about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool.

Either with a spoon or in a pastry bag ( this puts a professional touch on these beauties) with a large star tip pipe about 1 heaping tablespoon into each egg white half.  

Top with bread crumbs and a sprinkle of parsley and serve.

Bon appetit!!

Deviled eggs are so perfect at Easter after the Easter egg hunt is over and you have plenty of eggs to eat.  They are also great for a summer picnic.  It is almost a luxury to have a platter just for deviled eggs but when I saw this one at Target for a reasonable price I brought it home.  Williams-Sonoma also has a pretty good affordable one and also one with a place to put ice in the lower bowl to keep the eggs cool on a summer picnic.

https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/open-kitchen-deviled-egg-platter/?pkey=e%7Cdeviled%2Begg%2Bplatter%7C149%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C24%7C%7C1&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH

                

Two favorite salads

Happy New Year!!! Time to think about nutritious and low calorie salads:  Here are two of my favorites:
Purple cabbage slaw:

purple cabbage slaw

This is perfect for adding to a yummy taco or a stand alone salad.  One of these great salads that doesn't wilt the next day.  Choose purple cabbage over green, red bell peppers over green.....yellow or orange would be good too. Choose red onion over white.  The more colorful the vegetable the more antioxidants they provide.  Purple=anthocyanin and resveratrol.  The red bell pepper=beta carotene!!! Even the cilantro has quercetin.

Here's the recipe:

purple cabbage - 1/2 head- sliced thin - by hand is better than by a food processor

red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin

red onion, about 1/4 or two slices, then chopped

cilantro, 5-6 sprigs chopped fine

your favorite vinaigrette*  here's mine:

                                           1/3 cup lemon juice

                                           2/3 cup good olive oil

                                           2 cloves garlic minced

                                           1 tsp Dijon mustard

Toss the vegetables with the dressing lightly. You can always add more later

mise en place

Salad #2  Carrot salad - sometimes I just call this my orange salad because of the color.

The only dressing is the citrus juice flavored by fresh ginger.  Absolutely no fat or salt in this recipe.  January is a great month for California citrus: oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, blood and cara cara oranges, kumquats.  Use any of these that you have or like.  The grocery stores have a great selection.  Or if you're lucky enough to live in California you can go outside and pick your own.   SOOOOO jealous right now. (It's 17 degrees outside in Denver)

If everything is perfect I choose rainbow carrots, tangerine juice, fresh blood and cara cara orange segments, fresh ginger,  dried blueberries and crystallized ginger.

Antioxidants: anthocyanin, beta carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, gingerol, lycopene!!!

carrot salad

mise en place

try adding dried apricots ( another orange ingredient) or Trader Joe's dried mandarins

orange segments, crystallized ginger pieces and dried berries

Segments of one blood orange and one cara cara orange, about 4 pieces of crystallized ginger cut bite size and a small handful of dried berries

Here's the recipe:

The only essentials are carrots, citrus juice and ginger

rainbow carrots - pound grated...use your food processor

oranges- 2 segmented ( tangerine, blood orange or cara cara) 

orange juice - 1/2 cup
fresh ginger, about 1 inch grated on a fine rasp or grater

crystallized ginger- 4-5 pieces, cut bite size

dried berries - 1/2 cup 

Toss all together...add more juice if too dry.  The juice helps to reconstitute the dried fruit.

This salad will keep about a week

carrot salad serving

I made both of these salads today.  They will last me all week both lunch and dinner.

Tonight I'll add the slaw to my short rib tacos

I'm sure I'll be healthier by the end of the day!!!

Thanksgiving muffins

Thanksgiving Muffins

These muffins have ALL the flavors of Thanksgiving and are great for breakfast or a dessert.  Yes those are white chocolate chips in the inside along with cranberries and crystallized ginger.  I have made these with all the original ingredients from the King Arthur Flour recipe and I have also made them gluten free, dairy free and rice free.....all are fabulous.  I hope you try some version for your Thanksgiving celebration:

mise en place

Winter squash harvest

Recipe:  Thanksgiving muffins

1 cup pumpkin puree - you can see I have a supply to last all year

2 large eggs

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3 Tbs vegetable oil

1 Tbs molasses

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup milk

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup crystallized ginger- cut into small pieces- use kitchen shears

3/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 Tbs sparkling sugar

                Substitutions:

for a gluten free muffin I substitute equal amounts of "cup 4 cup" flour or oat flour

for dairy free muffins I substitute 1/2 cup apple juice or cider for the milk and omit the white chocolate chips or find a dairy free white or cinnamon chip

Directions

Grease 12 wells of a standard muffin pan; or line with papers, and grease the papers.

In a large bowl whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, oil, molasses, salt, spices, milk, and white chocolate chips.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl

Whisk the four, baking powder, and baking soda together.  Stir in the dried cranberries and crystallized ginger.  Add all at once to the wet ingredients and mix until all ingredients are well combined.

Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for 30 minutes while you preheat your oven to 400 deg.F

Use a 1/3 cup  measuring cup and scoop batter into each well or paper lined well.  Sprinkle the top of each muffin with about 1/2 tsp sparkling sugar.

Bake the muffins for 20-21 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean

Remove muffins from the oven, and tilt them in their individual wells to cool; this prevents their bottoms from steaming and becoming tough.

Serve warm or at room temp.

cinnamon chips, sparkling sugar and great flours (including gluten free varieties) can be purchased from King Arthur Flour.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

ready to eat

Cauliflower "rice"

Cauliflower rice pilaf

mise en place


Ingredients:
Cauliflower head
spring onions
olive oil
herbs: parsley and thyme

cut cauliflower into smaller florets

then into the food processor until the size of rice

In a frypan place about 3 Tbs olive oil

Saute the sliced onions until translucent

Then add the "rice and cook about 5 minutes

Add the herbs- I used parsley and thyme

Oh and I threw in some pine nuts for some extra flavor and crunch

Try a purple cauliflower with extra antioxidant: anthocyanin

or some broccoli Romanesco
now these are pretty vegetables!

Dill Pickles - in the refrigerator

Who doesn't love a cold crispy dill pickle in the summertime with a burger or a sandwich? These are ready in 24 hours and gone in just about the same time.  I have very little in my garden this year but I do have cilantro that has gone to seed which is then called coriander and dill.  I had to buy the pickling cucumbers from Whole Foods but they should be at the Farmers' markets too.

pickles in a pretty jar - no canning process necessary

mise en place

Refrigerator dill pickles:
Servings: About 24 spears, or two 1-quart jars 
Ingredients
1-1/4 cups distilled white vinegar 
3 Tbs kosher salt
2 Tbs sugar
2 cups cold water
1-3/4 to 2 pounds pickling cucumbers (about 6), cut into spears
2 Tbs coriander seeds- my cilantro is going to seed-perfect 
6 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
16 dill sprigs- fresh from the garden or farmers’ market

Instructions
Combine the vinegar, salt and sugar in a small non-reactive saucepan over high heat. Whisk until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Transfer the liquid into a bowl and whisk in the cold water. Refrigerate brine until ready to use.
Stuff the cucumbers into two clean 1-quart jars. Add the coriander seeds, garlic cloves, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, dill sprigs, and chilled brine into jars, dividing evenly. If necessary, add a bit of cold water to the jars until the brine covers the cucumbers. Cover and refrigerate about 24 hours, then serve. Cucumbers will keep in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Complements of http://www.onceuponachef.com 

Garlic scape pesto!!

Garlic scapes

Garlic scapes are the soft lime green colored stems and the unopened flower buds of hard necked garlic.  The scapes have a mild garlic flavor and a slight sweetness.  My garden is pathetic this year because of all of the hail storms but I do have some scapes that I have turned into a delicious pesto:

Ingredients:
10 large garlic scapes
1/3 cup pistachios
1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese
salt and pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

In a food processor combine chopped scapes, pistachios, cheese, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  With the motor running add the olive oil through the feed tube until the last drop.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  If you use salted pistachios you'll need less salt of course

scape pesto

Finished pasta with about a tablespoon of pesto per serving

Pesto will keep fresh for a week.  Freeze in an ice cube tray and use as needed past that.
Bona Appetito!!!!

Black bean hummus

black bean hummus

Ingredients: Tahini, garlic, black beans, lemon juice, spices ( smoky sweet paprika, cumin, cayenne) salt and olives
Enough of the goat babies for a while.  Let's get back to some good food:  Black Bean Hummus:  a nice Latin twist to hummus.  Try it.  It takes about 5 minutes to make in your Cuisinart.  I use the smoky sweet paprika from Williams-Sonoma

1 can black beans, drained and reserve 2 Tbs of liquid
1 clove garlic
2 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs Tahini (sesame seed butter)
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp paprika
10 Greek olives

1. Mince garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Add black beans, 2 tablespoons reserved liquid, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, tahini, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper; process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add additional seasoning and liquid to taste. Garnish with paprika and Greek olives.    from Allrecipes.com

Health food salad!

I love healthy food and I love cooking- but you probably know that already.  It is nothing but brown, black, gray and blue in Denver with not a thing growing in anyone's garden but who says there aren't beautiful fruits and vegetables to eat!  This beautiful colorful- full of antioxidants salad is delicious.  I started with raw beets- red, orange and chioggia and carrots and shredded them in my $15 slicer from Williams-Sonoma.  Then I found blood oranges, naval oranges and mangoes.  I did have some little limes growing indoors so added lime juice, blood orange juice and pomegranate vinegar- oh and a little olive oil for dressing- oh and a little orange zest.  As if it weren't pretty and healthy enough already I added some dried cranberries.  Try it!

Pretty January salad

beets and carrots

Blood oranges, mango, key limes and navel oranges

What do you do with frozen tomatoes?

Make tomato soup
Man, it's been cold here in Denver.  I returned from Seattle late Sunday, woke up to a 54 deg morning and by 10 am it had dropped to below freezing and it has been there for a week now.  I still had some tomatoes on the vine ripening but couldn't see them until Thursday because it was dark when I was home.  So out I went to the garden to see what was in the deep freeze:  Enough tomatoes and peppers to cry about.

tomatoes on ice

So what's a gardener and cook supposed to do ?   Make tomatoes soup:

Cream of tomato soup

one onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

frozen or really fresh or canned tomatoes- about 4 lbs

chicken stock, 2 cups

1 TBs pesto- or basil

salt, pepper

1 cup fresh goat's milk

Saute the tomato, then add the garlic, fresh basil or a frozen cube of pesto

Add the tomatoes 

Add the chicken stock

Cook on low heat for about 20 minutes

Puree in batches in a blender

Return to the stove and 

Add milk

Stir until the right temperature

cream of tomato soup with a dollop of goat yogurt and parsley

Add a grilled cheese sandwich on the side.  This lunch will warm you up when it is cold outside

Jack 

Next dish:  Green chili

Yes the peppers and tomatoes will be used for this dish.  Then the garden is officially closed for the 2014 season:

Poblano chilis

Rose petal ice cream- with goats' milk

Last week I was tapping in to my creative side.  Besides the marigold encrusted goat cheese I also made some rose petal ice cream.  I have an organic garden so even my flowers can be used in food.  Violets, nasturtiums, of course lavender and herbs, but even rose petals.

I start with Abraham Darby roses and fresh raw mild from Sunflower and CoCO

Bring the milk to just shy of a boil and add rose petals.  Steep until milk is cool

Ready to eat 

Use a basic custard ice cream recipe.  Here's mine:

4 cups milk ( cream or goat's milk)

Bring 1 cup to just shy of boiling on stovetop with a vanilla bean (cut open)

     steep the vanilla in milk off heat until milk cools- at least 10 minutes

4 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

Whisk egg yolks and sugar until the color of lemons

Add the 1 cup of steeped milk slowly to the eggs and sugar and stir until homogenous.

Return to the stove and cook slowly until that "back of the spoon" test has been reached

Place the remaining 3 cups of milk in a bain Marie of ice water

Add hot custard mixture to the cold milk through a sieve.

Cool for 6 hours

Use your favorite ice cream maker

Bon Appetit!

If you don't have fresh goat milk, fresh eggs and organic rose petal, improvise to whatever you like!

Kate and her chocolate honey almond tart

Kate and her chocolate tart, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Gluten-free. Does this look like her world has been compromised? Not at all. Kate has celiac disease which makes her body very sick if she has gluten in her diet. So we, like many families, have figured out some solutions.
This chocolate tart is really delicious. It is an offtake of Giada de Laurentes' recipe. It is simple: a chocolate cookie and almond crust baked in a springform pan with a honey sweetened ganache filling.
With or without gluten you should try this one:
Chocolate honey almond tart:

Preheat oven to 350deg

chocolate cookies, Pamela's gluten free (or chocolate graham crackers) 5 1/2 oz.
2Tbs almond flour Or almonds
1/2 cup butter, room temp, cut into 1/2 inch squares
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup honey
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a food processor crush and mix chocolate cookies and almonds
Add room temp chunks of butter
Press into buttered springform pan
Bake for 12 minutes
Cool for 20 minutes
Meanwhile:
Heat cream and honey on stove until honey is melted and mixture is smooth and hot
Pour over bowl holding chocolate chips
Stir and whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth
Pour over crust
Place in fridge to cool- at least 5 hrs.

Bon Appetit gluten free friends!

Chilled corn soup

chilled corn soup with shrimp salad, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

with shrimp salad
Cold soups are interesting. I always think of soups as a warming dish on a cold day but this summer the opposite works too. Last week I made gazpacho from my garden harvest....excellent burst of flavors.
I found this recipe in the Bon Appetit magazine August and thought I'd try it. The recipe called for lobster but I couldn't find it in Denver..certainly not live so I substituted Key West wild shrimp.
Although the soup looks really creamy it is dairy free. All of the flavors are extremely subtle and for a guest to try to detect the ingredients is a mystery to the senses. Try this with your summer corn. It is worth it:

Chilled corn soup with shrimp salad:
corn soup:
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
6 cups of corn kernels (6 ears)
2 sprigs thyme
salt, pepper

Shrimp Salad:
2 cups gently cooked shrimp, cut bite size
1/2 small shallot, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp good olive oil plus more for drizzling
fresh ground pepper
3 Tbsp celery LEAVES, coarsely chopped plus more for garnish
1 Tbsp fresh tarragon, coarsely chopped plus more for garnish
Sea salt

Saute onions and garlic in butter and oil until soft, about 5 minutes
Add corn and season with salt and pepper, cook until soft and almost brown, about 8 minutes
Add thyme sprigs and 5 cups of water, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until corn is very soft (6-8 mins).
Discard thyme sprigs
Transfer to blender and work in batches until all pureed
Force through sieve or strainer, separating the solids.
Chill liquid for 2 hours

Salad:

Whisk shallot, lemon juice and mustard in a bowl,
Whisk in olive oil
Season with salt and pepper
Add shrimp, celery leaves and tarragon
Chill for 2 hours

Assemble:
Pour soup into bowls
Add salad to soup
Sprinkle with celery leaves and tarragon
Drizzle with olive oil
Season with salt and pepper

Bon Appetit Froid!

Caesar kale, radish and fennel salad

Caesar kale, radish and fennel salad, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

This salad was inspired by our fabulous chefs at Mabel Dodge Luhan House where I stayed last week. I promised my fellow art retreaters as well as my teachers I would figure this salad out and post it. This is one of the FRESHEST salads I have had in a while and it uses some fabulous vegetable. I am posting this with an authentic Caesar dressing but in a pinch use a bottle of dressing or a good garlic lemon vinaigrette. I can't believe I just wrote that.

Caesar kale, radish and fennel salad:

Good wooden salad bowl

5 cups finely chopped kale..demo on how to remove the rib follows
6-8 radishes, thinly sliced...I used amethyst
1/2 bulb fennel..also thinly sliced
pinch of salt
1 lemon, zest and juice (3 TBS)
1/4 cup olive oil
Toss and put aside

In your wooden salad bowl place

pinch of course salt
1 garlic clove, cut and rubbed into the bowl letting the salt break up the garlic
anchovy paste, about 1/4-1/2 tsp
1 egg yolk...Henny Penny donated to the cause....I'll have the white with breakfast tomorrow
1 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp agave or honey
Whisk the contents of the bowl, then add the kale salad,
Toss well
Serve on plate
Parmesan cheese, grated over top.

If you are not going to make this dressing this way just toss an alternative dressing over the kale, radishes and fennel. I wouldn't forget the fresh Parm on top

Rhubarb Spring

strawberry rhubarb crisp, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Do you love rhubarb? Only with strawberries? In a crisp? Jam on toast or ice cream?
I love rhubarb. It is one of the signs of Spring along with asparagus and peas.
When I was a young girl my uncle next door had a rhubarb patch. I once tried a stalk raw....don't do that. Throw some sugar on it. Mix it with strawberries and make a pie:

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp:

4 cups rhubarb, chopped (4 large stalks)
4 cups strawberries (3 dry pints), hulled and halved
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp orange zest
1 Tbs cornstarch
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup oatmeal
12 Tbs (1 1/2 stick) butter

Preheat oven to 350deg
Toss rhubarb, strawberries, orange zest and 3/4 cup granulated sugar together in a large bowl. In a cup mix the cornstarch and orange juice until the cornstarch dissolves. Then mix into the fruit. Pour into 8" by 11" baking dish.
Combine the remaining sugars, oatmeal, flour, butter and salt into a crumble and sprinkle over the fruit. Bake for 1 hour. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Bon Appetit!

Thanks to Ina Gartin's recipe

Rhubarb jams

Rhubarb jams, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

I chose 2 different recipes for rhubarb jam. The classic is the same ingredients as for the strawberry rhubarb pie. The second one was flavored with vanilla and Earl Grey tea. Both of the recipes come from Marisa McClellan's "Food in Jars"

If you love rhubarb and have some time to preserving some for later try these recipes:
Rhubarb jam, with strawberries and oranges:
6 cups chopped rhubarb (2.5 lbs)
4 cups chopped strawberries(2 dry pints)
Zest and juice of 2 oranges
5 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 (3oz) packets liquid pectin
Bring all ingredients except pectin to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer 15-20 minutes until the rhubarb breaks down. Add the pectin and bring to high heat letting the jam boil for 5 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars and process in boiling water bath 10 minutes

Vanilla-rhubarb jam- with Earl Grey (bergamot)

8 cups chopped rhubarb (3 lbs)
4 cups sugar
1 cup Earl Grey tea (double strength)
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
juice of 1 lemon
pinch of salt
1 (3oz) packet liquid pectin
Bring rhubarb, sugar and tea to boil.
Add vanilla bean and seeds, lemon juice and salt and let bubble 15-20 minutes.
Add the liquid pectin and bring to boil. Let boil 3-4 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars. Process in boiling water bath 10 minutes

Rhubarb jam on ice cream

Rhubarb jam on ice cream, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Quinoa and kale salad

quinoa and kale salad, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

A super food salad perfect for a spring day meal.
Have you used quinoa in the kitchen yet? You should. It is a tiny grain (really a seed) originating from South America in Andes cooking. It is very low in the glycemic index unlike rice and wheat and very high in fiber and antioxidants. It doesn't taste like too much alone but mix it with other flavorful foods and your good.
Add kale-another super food. I love kale. I had plenty in my garden last year through Christmas and now my new kale is starting to grow. Use full size kale, ribbed and chopped fine for this salad or simply use baby kale from the salad section in the markets.
Cranberries- enough said, another super food. I use the cranberries dried in apple juice (instead of sugar) from Whole Foods.
Walnuts-I'm tempted to try pistachios but love the combination of walnuts, cranberries and citrus. Yes they are super too.
Tangerines (who doesn't love Cuties?), orange zest and orange juice

Here's the recipe:
quinoa-1 cup cooked in 2 cups water-yields about 4 cups cooked
kale-4 cups chopped or baby kale
cranberries, dried, about 3/4 cups
walnuts, chopped about 3/4 cups
tangerines, 5-6 peeled and cut up
orange zest- from one orange

vinaigrette:
juice of one orange
olive oil
balsalmic vinegar to taste

Toss all together and enjoy your super salad
Bon Appetit!

layering the torte, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

1st layer: omelet
2nd layer: kale (spinich, or Swiss chard)
3rd layer: 1/4 lb sliced ham
4th layer: 1/4 lb Swiss cheese
5th layer: red peppers, roasted and peeled
6th layer: 1/4 lb Swiss cheese
7th layer: 1/4 lbs sliced ham
8th layer: sauteed kale
9th layer: herbed omelet

Line an 8 inch springform pan with 2/3 pastry. layer away, top with the remaining 1/3 pastry dough and make an extra design on top.
Brush with a mixture of 1 egg yolk and 2 Tbs cream.
Bake at 375 deg for 1 hour 10 minutes
Serve hot or room temp

Gazpacho

Gazpacho, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

What do you do when the snow falls before the garden is harvested? Make gazpacho!
Today was a cold day in Denver but with the quick harvesting I did a few days ago it was absolutely what I had to make for lunch. Gazpacho is a wonderful "fresh" soup made from the summer harvest of tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. It is served cold and rarely can you stop with one serving.
Last week with the freeze I picked about 15 cucumbers 20 peppers and pounds and pounds of tomatoes. Instead of pouring tomato juice out of a can I used my food mill to extract the juice of my extra grape and cherry tomatoes. I used Ina Gartin's recipe (click here)
I hope you can make this on the last of your warm "summer" days.
Bon Appetit!

Cherry salsa

Cherry salsa, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Cherries are in season and so delicious. I made this cherry salsa. Here are the ingredients:

cherries, pitted and cut in quarters
shallot, 1/2 cup cut fine
cilantro, 1/2 cup chopped
jalapeno pepper, seeded and cut fine
lime juice, 2-3 Tbs
olive oil, 1 Tbs

Mix together and let sit for at least 30 minutes. Serve over a pork loin or tenderloin roast.