‘Summerfest 2010’ Articles at Sweetnicks

Summerfest 2010: Bleu Cheese Potato Mashers

September 15, 2010 · Narrative

Just like the stone-fruit a few weeks ago, I wasn’t entirely sure I would be joining in for this week’s Summerfest ingredient, the potato. Don’t get me wrong. I love potatoes. Total.comfort.food, no two ways about it. And with this early Fall weather we’ve been having lately, mashed potatoes totally fits the dinner bill. I just haven’t been eating a lot of carbs lately. But then I found this braised pork recipe that I wanted to make for tonight’s dinner, and the Bleu Cheese Potato Mashers just seemed like the natural fit underneath.

Is it bad that today’s recipe receives lowly second billing to the pork? The pork, which I will tell you about tomorrow, was clearly the star of the night, no two ways about it, but for now, we’ll turn our attention to the taters.

Take some potatoes, mash them up and add bleu cheese. I am there. I headed out for an hour Spinning class tonight just to work off dinner before I actually had it. And it was worth every drop of sweat that stung my eyes. This recipe comes from Better Homes & Gardens (it’s been their week so far, huh?) and I love the sneaky little addition of white wine.

Below you can see the wonderful potato goodness that my fellow Summerfesters are offering up, and be sure to check back tomorrow for deets on the pork. Ten minutes of prep work, three hours of braising, less than ten dollars for dinner, and a meal you won’t want to miss.

Project 365
September 14, 2010, Photo #164

Bringing back the denim jacket one child at a time. Back in high school, I had a great faded denim jacket that was filled with rhinestones and sparkly stuff. And that was before the famed Bedazzler hit the shelves. Although denim is still in, it’s likely that my particular jacket isn’t. Madeline’s jacket comes courtesy of a friend of mine, whose two little girls already went through it, so it’s filled with lots of love and faded glory. As for the pants? Clearly last years’ pants are just not going to work this year.

Round-Up of Potato Possibilities:
Alison at Food2: Boil ‘Em, Mash ‘Em, Stick ‘Em in a Stew

Kirsten at FN Dish: Twice-Baked Potatoes

Sara at Cooking Channel: Duck Fat Roasted Potatoes

Healthy Eats: A Day of Potatoes: Spuds for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Marilyn at Simmer Till Done: Baked potatoes and vintage “junior” cookbooks

Caron at San Diego Foodstuff: Hatch Chile Potato Salad

Nicole at Pinch My Salt: Taquitos de Papa, made with leftover mashed potatoes

Caroline at the Wright Recipes: Indian Spiced Potatoes with Chickpeas (Aloo Chole)

Paige at The Sister Project: French Fries to soothe a burnt-out cook’s soul

Margaret at A Way to Garden: Potato Growing, Curing and Storage Tips

Alana at Eating From the Ground Up: The strange experience of growing potatoes

Food Network UK: We Like Spuds

Gilded Fork: A Round-Up of Favorite Potato Recipes …

Summerfest 2010: Double Dose of Garlic

September 7, 2010 · Narrative

As I smelled the sweet smell of garlic permeating the house, today was one of those days where the planets perfectly aligned. Because it was the kids’ first day of school, I wanted to make a dinner that I knew they’d like. But first, a flashback to last week. I was making a dish and it called for a can of black beans. Nick saw me in the kitchen with them, and asked for a bite. I told him that they were from the can, and not what he thought they were. He shook his head, not caring and grabbed a spoon.

Minutes later … “yuck!” “I told you,” I said. “They’re not the same as the Cuban Black Beans you like.”

He was disappointed, I knew, so I made a mental note to make him the beans he liked for dinner on his first day of school. Although it was one of The Ex’s specialties, I have a tried-and-true recipe that is just as good as his. But what to serve with it? The Ex also makes a wonderful roast pork, something I haven’t attempted to make on my own since he moved out. I happened to find a simple recipe in a recent issue of Maxim magazine, of all places, and by noon, the house smelled insanely delicious, with both the roast pork and black beans doing their thing.

Both recipes called for garlic, so that was the overriding scent of the day, with a flash of my fingers reminding me of what was cooking in the oven and the slow cooker. And this week’s ingredient for Summerfest 2010? Garlic!

As soon as Nick walked in the front door this afternoon, he made a beeline for the kitchen, knowing exactly what smelled so good. It was all he could do to wait for dinner. And the roast pork? Wicked good. For just a few minutes of prep work, you are rewarded with insanely tender meat, full of flavor from the herbs, garlic and wine. Make it. Even if the recipe came from Maxim.

And now for more garlic goodness from my fellow Summerfesters…

Todd and Diane at White on Rice Couple: Garlic Knots

Nicole at Pinch My Salt: Spicy Pickled Garlic

Sara at Food2: Easiest Recipes Ever, Starring Garlic

Michelle on Cooking Channel: Roasted Garlic

Liz at Healthy Eats: 5 Reasons to Eat More Garlic

Kirsten at FN Dish: Garlic Chicken Greats

Margaret at A Way to Garden: Growing and Storing a Year of Garlic

Caroline at the Wright Recipes: Ajo Blanco Soup, and Confit Garlic

The Gilded Fork: Garlic Dossier and Recipes

Food Network UK: Glorious Garlic

Alana at Eating from the Group Up: Pickled Garlic

Caron at San Diego Foodstuff: Italian Marinated Eggplant and Sorrel and Garlic Sauce

Paige at The Sister Project: Spaghetti with Garlic and Zucchini

Project 365
September 7, 2010, Photos #157-162

Both kids switched schools this year, and now no more uniforms and an early start on the bus. I can’t believe they’re second and third graders already!

They barely turned to say good-bye to us. Sniff.

And Madeline joined the school crowd this morning too, starting her first official day of Pre-Pre-K. She really, really, really wanted to go on the bus with the big kids, even though I tried to explain to her that she has a few more years to go.

The Best Damn Pork Butt, Period
Recipe courtesy of Maxim magazine, August 2010

20 sage leaves
3 thyme sprigs, stems removed
3 rosemary sprigs, stems removed
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 T fennel seeds, lightly toasted
1-1/2 tsp medium-coarse sea salt
1-1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
4 lbs boneless pork shoulder, skin on
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry red or white wine

Heat oven to 250. Chop sage, thyme, rosemary and garlic together. Place in a bowl; add fennel, salt and pepper. Stir. Score pork skin in a cross-hatch pattern, making 1/2-1/4 inch deep cuts about an inch apart. Make 10 1/2-inch deep incisions and stuff them with half of herb mixture. Tie pork tightly with twine, brush olive oil over skin and rub with remaining herbs. Set skin side up and roast for two hours. Pour wine over pork and baste with juices. Continue roasting, basting every half hour until skin is well-bowned, 2-1/2-3 hours more. Let rest for 15 minutes. For crispy skin, slice off cap of skin and fat. Broil, skin side up, three to six minutes. Slice roast and skin and serve together on a platter or crusty roll.

Summerfest 2010: Summer Panzanella

August 31, 2010 · Narrative

Summer just isn’t the same without a few rounds of Panzanella, an Italian bread salad, hitting our dinner table. It is one of my favorite go-to recipes during the hot summer months, and it’s such a perfect way celebrate the flavors we enjoy most this time of year … big juicy red tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, fresh basil. It does everything but scream summer.

The Panzanella version that I usually go for is this Tyler Florence one from his Eat This Book cookbook, and it was especially perfect for tonight’s Summerfest 2010 round-up since this week’s magical ingredient is the pepper. Roasted red peppers are a unique (and delicious) addition to this salad, and it seems only fitting that we include this dish in our last full week of summer vacation. You know, for those of us that actually are on summer vacation (yes, I’m talking to you, Nick!).

For more pepper inspiration, do check in on what my fellow Summerfesters are serving up. And oh, in the meantime, good news! Because of the popularity of the Summerfest weekly round-up, there will be a Fall version getting underway on September 22nd (full details here).

Alison at Food2: Making Hot Pepper-Infused Vodka

Michelle at Cooking Channel: A Peck of Perfect Pepper Recipes

Nicole at Pinch My Salt: Pickled Serrano Peppers

Kirsten at the FN Dish: Chiles Rellenos and More Stuffed Peppers

Liz at Healthy Eats: 10 Ways To Eat Sweet Peppers

Margaret at A Way to Garden: Oven-roasted peppers, and freezing how-to

Caroline at The Wright Recipes: Homemade Harissa & Sweet and Spicy Peperonata

The Gilded Fork: Dossier and recipes on peppers spicy and sweet

Paige at The Sister Project: Grilled Tomatillo Salsa with Jalapenos

Caron at San Diego Foodstuff: Consuelo’s Hot Chile Sauce and Hatch Chiles

Alana at Eating from the Ground Up: Homemade hot sauce, and why gloves are a good idea

Food Network, UK: It’s Chili Weather

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Summerfest 2010: Loaded Bowl of Deliciousness

August 25, 2010 · Narrative

Didja miss me today? Sorry about the website issues, folks. The server was giving me a headache, but all is right in the land now. Onto what you *should* have seen here today…

Another gym night, another need for a quick, but healthy, dinner choice. This weeks’ Summerfest 2010 ingredient is the wonderful tomato. My kids adore them, with Madeline snacking on grape tomatoes like they’re candy, but for some reason, the tomatoes at the grocery store lately have seen rather pitiful – thank goodness for farmer’s markets!

When it comes to recipes with tomatoes, unless it’s in a hearty Italian dish, we tend to like our tomatoes in all their naked, unadored glory. Rough chopped for a salad. Thinly sliced for some crostini. A nice even dice for a fresh salsa or bruschetta. Raw and pure. And tonight’s dinner was no exception.

I came up with the idea for this Loaded Bowl of Deliciousness on the fly, at nearly the eleventh hour, as I was rushing out to the gym. I needed something quick, since we weren’t going to eat until I came home. And something that used tomatoes, for tonight’s Summerfest. And something that everyone would eat. That’s a pretty tall order these days. The Loaded Bowl was it. Much like the Open Faced Chef Salad Sandwich I made awhile back, this is a great recipe to use as a guideline to mix and match the end result based on whose bowl it is.

Jamie doesn’t like mushrooms, so I took hers. Nick thinks he doesn’t like spinach, so his was more disguised. Everyone likes avocado, so extra all around. Nick doesn’t care for onions, and neither does Madeline, so more for me and Jamie. You get my drift. You cook what needs to be cooked, line up the bowls and fill them according to who is digging in. I did include a basic outline of how I made our Loaded Bowls of Deliciousness tonight below, but this is one of those things that you need to just use as a guideline and personalize to your own tastebuds … the possibilities are endless, each one more tasty than the next. And seriously, clean eating at its best. We were chowing down within 15 minutes of me walking in the door.

And now for more tomato goodness, do check out my fellow Summerfest food blogging participants and see what they’re dishing up (since all of us are in varying time zones, a few of the posts might not show up until tomorrow, so keep checking):

Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef: Heirloom Tomato Tart with Parmesan Crust

Nicole at Pinch My Salt: What to do with slow-roasted tomatoes

Alison at Food2: Heirloom tomatoes

The FN Dish: Tyler’s Ultimate Tomato Salads

Margaret at A Way to Garden: More than one way to ripen a tomato

Gilded Fork: Celebrating summer lusciousness with a tomato dossier and recipes

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Summerfest 2010: Blueberry Peach Smoothies

August 17, 2010 · Narrative

I’ll be the first to admit that when I saw that this week’s ingredient for Summerfest 2010 was stone-fruit, I was a bit thrown. I should like stone-fruit, right? I barely eat it, although plums and pluots are an exception, let alone cook or bake with it. What’s a girl to do? I almost passed on participating this week, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do that.

The August issue of Better Homes & Gardens has a wonderful feature on peaches, 50 Ways to Eat a Peach, including recipes for Peach and Tomato Pasta, Blueberry-Peach Focaccia and a delicious Panna Cotta with Peaches in Lime Syrup. I toyed with the idea of making something from their offerings, and then I thought about perhaps making some sort of stone-fruit topping to go over ice cream or frozen yogurt. But an email arrived this afternoon from Beth that had this brilliant shade of purple in it, by way of a Blueberry Peach Smoothie. But of course!

For dinner, the kids and I packed up our picnic blankets, frisbee, soccer ball and our cooler of food and headed to the park for a little picnic. Something we haven’t done in awhile, and the perfect end to a summer’s day. And really, WHY IS IT that picnics get relegated to a weekend activity? I think we should work on changing that. Who says we can’t have fun during the workweek too? It was still warm outside, but not too warm. The kids can run around and get their crazies out. No worrying about crumbs or spilled food. Peace and tranquility served up with a big side of ahhhh.

And when we got back home? Blueberry Peach Smoothies all around. This was a new recipe for me, and I’m a little on the fence about it. It features Greek yogurt, and I haven’t made a smoothie with that yet. I’m still mulling over if I actually like it enough on its own, let alone mucking with our favorite protein smoothies. It’s not bad, but you really have to like Greek yogurt for this one.

Need more stone fruit inspiration? Check out the links from my fellow food bloggers below. In the meantime, a few pics from our picnic, and I’m off.

See that yogurt there? Two minutes after this shot, SOMEONE spilled it all over the blanket, just barely missing my phone and keys. What was I just saying about no worries about spills?

When Nick saw Madeline rolling around in the grass, he grabbed the camera, laid down in front of her and started shooting.

While Nick and I were playing soccer, Madeline perched herself on the cooler and played little cheerleader, alternating between cheering for either Nick or I. Then when she got out onto the field, we were ordered (and I do mean ordered) to do the same….

Summerfest 2010: Fresh Green Bean Salad with Crumbled Feta Vinaigrette

August 10, 2010 · Narrative

Say THAT three times fast! When it comes to green beans, I can honestly take them or leave them. In that green bean casserole we made awhile back, I can absolutely take them. Oh man, that was to die for. Outside of that, I’ll take them in an occasional salad, but it’s just not a vegetable I’m going to go looking for anytime soon. But then there was this salad. This Fresh Green Bean Salad with Crumbled Feta Vinaigrette. And we were back to liking green beans again.

First, there was the feta. It’s the only cheese I’m eating right now, and I love a great feta vinaigrette. And then the crunch of the green beans, fresh from the farmer’s market. And then the fact that this week’s Summerfest 2010 ingredients are herbs, greens, and beans. It all came together rather perfectly. In some karmic sense of food balance. This recipe made a great addition as a side to a chicken wrap that we had for lunch (whole grain wrap, spinach leaves, tomatoes, avocado, sprouts), and for dinner, it would be perfect alongside a nicely grilled steak or chicken.

Just a few minutes to whip together, absolutely packed with flavor and a guilt-free dish you can savor with every bite. Sign me up.

For other inspiration on herbs, greens or beans, be sure to check out all the participating blogs below, and we’d love for you to join in on the fun; you can check out the details here.

White on Rice Couple Todd and Diane use fresh mint to make homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Nicole at Pinch My Salt features Green Beans with Balsamic Browned Butter.

Margaret at A Way to Garden stores a year of herbs—and makes one-pot Farinata a polenta dish with greens.

Food Network UK is on the edge with herbs and greens.

Top 6 Herbs from Healthy Eats.

Leftover Herb Solution (Pesto!) from Allison at Food2.

Recipes for The “Other” Summer Greens from the FN Dish.

Caroline at the Wright Recipes is cooking up Wax and Butter Bean Herbed Salad.

Jennifer and Mark at Gilded Fork have a virtual garden of recipes for basil, cilantro, fennel, lavender, lemongrass, rosemary, sage and tarragon. The recipes include Lavender Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze and Rosemary & Honey-Roasted Pears.

Shauna and Danny at Gluten Free Girl and the Chef share great ideas on what to pair with fava beans.

The Best Bean Salads and a French Take on Greens, Beans and Herbs from the Cooking Channel.

Tigress in a Jam has a preserving–book giveaway, and ways to put up greens, beans, herbs.

Caron at San Diego Foodstuff talks about Kale and Feta Empanadas and roasted Romano beans.

Alana at Eating From the Ground Up has shirred eggs with fresh herbs: the affinity between eggs and herbs.

Kelly at Just a Taste with Fresh Herb Ricotta.

Tara at Tea and Cookies.

Judy at Tuscan Diva with a Fresh Herb Rub.

Paige at The Sister Project has Aloha, Presto.

Project 365
August 10, 2010, Photos #142, 143 and 144

Jamie and Madeline 1

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Summerfest 2010: Spinach and Corn Stuffed Portobello Caps

August 3, 2010 · Narrative

When it comes to “clean eating,” there are some (ok, a lot) foods that just don’t make the cut. That being said, there are, however, a lot of foods that normally wouldn’t be ok, but with a little reworking and creativity, they can be. Stuffed Mushrooms are one such beast. Normally stuffed with bread crumbs and butter, it’s hardly clean eating, but tonight I decided to play with the ingredients a bit, using both traditional and non-traditional ones, to see if I could make it a little more “clean eating” friendly. The end result? A deliciously beefy stuffed mushroom that delivered on taste, but not the guilt. Sign me up. As soon as the garlic and onion hit the pan, I knew I was in for a great dinner, and it didn’t hurt that it took less than 5 minutes to make.

This week, the ingredient of choice for our Summerfest 2010 is corn, so I wanted to be sure to find a way to include that in the stuffing as well. (You can find more details on how to join in the Summerfest fun right here). My fellow participants have also been equally busy and creative and are sharing many delicious ways you can enjoy your summer bounty of corn. Here’s what everyone is dishing up this week:

Nicole at Pinch My Salt: Creamed Corn with Bacon and Rosemary

Margaret at A Way to Garden: Vintage corn Americana slideshow, and no-frills creamed corn

The FN Dish: Creamed Corn-Off: Battle of the Southern Cooks

Alison at Food2: Freezing Corn

Toby at Healthy Eats: Candied Corn, and 4 more easy recipes

Michelle at Cooking Channel: Browsing Corn Porn

Judy/Tuscan Diva: Fried Polenta Crostini with Porcini Ragu

Jennifer of Gilded Fork: Corn: Sweet Versatility (history, uses & recipes from cocktails to cornbread)

Chef Mark: Gettin’ Corny! (Musings from childhood, tips & fresh-corn recipes)

Caron of SanDiegoFoodstuff: Chino Corn Risotto with Chanterelles and Burrata

Caroline at The Wright Recipes: Pickled Corn with Summer Onion and Basil

White on Rice Couple: BBQ Chicken and Corn Pizza

Shauna at Gluten Free Girl and the Chef: a sweet corn risotto (and how to make corn stock with husks and mirepoix)

Tigress in a Jam: Cream Corn Scones (the perfect way to use up leftover roasted or boiled corn)

Alana at Eating from the Ground Up: Corn on the Kabob (invented by her artist husband)

Kelly at Just a Taste: Caramel Corn (plus pics of corn in its various popping stages)

The Sister Project: Memories of Corn Pancakes

Tara at Tea and Cookies: Farro Corn Salad with Tomatoes and Fresh Herbs

Project 365
August 3, 2010, Photo #137

I know it’s silly, but I was totally tickled to see my Facebook page updated yesterday.

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Summerfest 2010: Indian Cucumber Wraps

July 27, 2010 · Narrative

When Deb e-mailed me to ask if I wanted to join in on this years’ Summerfest, I was all in. It’s a cross-blog food event that celebrates the very best fruit and vegetable bounty that the Summer season has to offer. This is the third year of Summerfest, but my first time joining in the fun. Every Wednesday, participating blogs will feature the fruit or vegetable of the week (schedule below), so you’ll get a fantastic round-up of what to do with what your CSA or farmer’s market is bringing your way. What better way to get inspired? If you’d like to join in the fun, check out the directions below.

The group of foodies participating in this weekly event is a great Who’s Who of the food blogging and even TV world (hello Food Network and Scripps folks!). Below is the list of who is writing about CukesnZukes this week (posts will appear late tonight/tomorrow, so be sure to stop by and check out what everyone’s cooking, and get some awesome tips on what to do with your produce.

So my contribution? Indian Cucumber Wraps. I first made these babies a few years ago, inspired by something an old neighbor shared with me. They are crazy simple to make, and nearly fall into my clean eating regime. In fact, so close that I allow it every now and again. Easy to make, satisfying and a great unique spin on using your cukes this week (recipe at bottom of post).

Margaret Roach from A Way to Garden
Why size matters (and smaller is better). Pickling tips/tricks, and freezing the excess.

Michelle Buffardi – Cooking Channel’s Devour/The Blog (Scripps):
Ten Things You Didn’t Know You Could Make with Zucchini

Alison SickelkaA/Food2 blog (Scripps)
On Summerfect Appetizers

Michelle Buffardi of Food dish/FN
Paula’s Best Zucchini Bread Plus Five Riffs

Elizabeth Gray
Summerfest Cukes and Zukes

Paige Smith Orloff of The Sister Project
On excess! Why I hate zucchini, plus pickling commentary and Summer Squash Bread Pudding recipe.

Diane and Todd/White on Rice Couple
On Prosciutto, Sour Cream and Feta Stuffed Cucumbers.

Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste
Cucumber + Sesame Salad, along with step-by-step photo illustrations of cucumbers being sliced on a mandoline.

Jennifer Iannolo of Food Philosophy
Cucumber Beauty Treatment

and…
Chef Mark Tafoya
Summerfest 2010 – CukesnZukes
On Summer Squash Dossier
On Mark’s Chilled Cucumber Mint Soup

Caroline at The Wright Recipes
On Cucumber Salad
…and Marinated Summer Squash Salad

Caron Golden of San Diego Food Stuff
Cucumber and Radish Confetti Soup and Zucchini Pancakes

Tigress in a Pickle with Can Jam July Round-Up: Cucurbits

Alana Chernila from Eating from the Ground Up
Cucumber Mint Sorbet with Lime Shortbread

Nicole at Pinch My Salt
Grilled Zucchini with Lemon and Olive Oil

Tara Weaver at Tea and Cookies
Stuffed Zucchini, Zucchini “Noodles” and Zucchini Pickles

Shauna James Ahern of Gluten-Free Girl
Cold Cucumber Soup with Dill and Mint made into Popsicles

Alice at Alice Q Foodie
http://www.aliceqfoodie.blogspot.com/

Judy at Tuscan Diva
Zucchini Blossoms

HOW YOU CAN JOIN IN SUMMER FEST:

Giving back makes the experience even better. Have a recipe or tip that fits any of our weekly themes? Starting with our posts of Wednesday, July 28, for five Wednesdays through 8/25 and possibly longer, you can contribute in various ways, big or small.

Contribute a whole post, or a comment—whatever you wish. It’s meant to be fun, viral, fluid. No pressure, just delicious. The possibilities:

Simply leave your tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below a Summer Fest post on my blog any upcoming Wednesday, and then go visit my collaborators and do the same.

The cross-blog event idea works best when you leave your recipe or favorite links (whether to your own blog or someone else’s) at all the host blogs. That way, they are likely to be seen by the widest audience. Everyone benefits, and some pretty great dialog starts simmering.

Or think bigger: Publish entire posts of your own, if you wish, and grab the juicy Summer Fest 2010 tomato badge (illustrated by Matt of Mattbites).

Upcoming Summerfest 2010 Posting Schedule
7/28: cukesnzukes
8/4: corn
8/11: herbs, greens, and beans
8/18: stone fruit
8/25 tomatoes

Project 365
July 27, 2010, Photo #134

Had this for breakfast. Toasted multi-grain bread, sauteed mushrooms, egg. Delish.

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