Happy Fourth of July

Tuna Salad in Avocado Shells

Since the temperatures are now in the high 90's and expected to climb into the 100's this coming week, I haven't wanted to venture near the stove. This tuna salad stuffed in avocado shells is the perfect meal for a hot summer day. Seems everybody has their favorite way of preparing tuna salad. Mine has celery for texture, some dill for flavor and a few capers for tartness. You could definitely substitute the tuna for chicken if you are not a tuna salad fan.

Tuna Salad:

1 5 oz. canned Albacore tuna packed in olive oil

2 celery stalks, diced

2 green onions, diced

2 tablespoons parsley, diced

1 tablespoon dried or fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon capers

salt and pepper 

 1 heaping tablespoon of mayonnaise

1 large avocado 

To prepare, drain tuna and place in a large bowl. Combine the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Cut the avocado in half, remove pit and peel. Spoon the salad in the avocado shells. 

Enjoy!

Roasted Poblano Soup

Today I'm so excited to be guest posting on Wendy's fantastic food blog The Weekend Gourmet. It has been a pleasure following her blog and getting to know her. The recipe I'm sharing today is Roasted Poblano Soup. The first time I had this soup was at a neighborhood soup and salad place. I was hooked immediately. It is creamy, with a hint of heat from the peppers. The grilled corn and cherry tomato garnish gives it some texture and makes the flavors pop. We tend to like our food HOT down here in Texas, so you may want to check the level of heat in the peppers before you add them to the soup. Usually I will make a generous portion of this soup and then have it for lunch during the week. It pairs nicely with some quesadillas or a nice green salad.

Roasted Poblano Soup:

2 medium poblano peppers 

2 russet potatoes, peeled, diced and boiled until fork tender

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 small onion, chopped

1 small head of fresh spinach, washed and well drained 

 ( you could also 1 cup of frozen spinach, thawed and well drained)

1 cup of cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup half-and-half

4 small fresh corn cobs, grilled and kernels removed from the cob

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon of salt and pepper

Fresh cherry tomatoes, roasted corn and Queso Panella for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash poblano peppers and rub them with olive oil. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately place them in a brown paper bag. Let them sit for 10-15 minutes. Once peppers have cooled, remove skins and set aside. 

In a large soup pot, add onions and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes. Add in spinach and cook until wilted. Add cooked potatoes, roasted poblano peppers, cilantro, half-and-half and puree in a food processor or with a hand held mixer. Season with salt and pepper. 


Garnish soup with fresh grilled corn kernels, cherry tomatoes and cheese.

Enjoy!

Cherry Mojitos

I love when cherries are in season. They are perfect in a pie, drink or just all by themselves. After working in the garden in this blazing Texas heat, I need something to cool me down. These Cherry Mojitos are just the ticket. Mojitos are typically made with mint, lime, sugar and rum. I had a ton of mint in the garden that was getting out of hand, so I picked it with this drink in mind. A cocktail in the middle of the afternoon? Hey, it's 5 o'clock somewhere! 

Cherry Mojitos:

1/2 bag of fresh cherries, pitted and stems removed

1/2 cup fresh mint, stems removed

4 tablespoons sugar

juice of 4 limes

4 ounces rum (I used coconut)

1/2 bottle of sparkling water or tonic water

In a large glass or pitcher, add fresh mint leaves, cherries, sugar and lime juice. Use a muddler or the back of a spoon, to mash cherries and mint leaves together. Pour liquid through a strainer into a glass. Add rum and sparking water. Garnish with lime, mint leaves and cherries.

Enjoy!

This recipe will make approximately 2 drinks.

Cookbook Wish List

I read cookbooks like most people read novels. I just really enjoy picking up a cookbook and looking at it over and over again. Of course, I have my favorites. Some are just more loved and worn out than others. For me, relaxing means curling up on the couch with a stack of my favorite cookbooks and dreaming about what I'm going to make next.

My Cookbook Wish List:

This book hasn't even been released yet, but I know I want to read it. I've followed the Smitten Kitchen blog for a while now. Always amazed at the photography.

The release date for this book is October 30, 2012. I have almost all of Ina Garten's cookbooks. I swear if I had to pick just ONE chef on Food Network to cook for me, it would be Ina. She is my Julia Child.

I know this is a little far fetched since this cookbook retails at $450, however if money was no object, I would definitely buy this set. It looks like a piece of art just sitting on a shelf.

If this cookbook is anything like their spaghetti sauce, then it will be fabulous. Italian food on the grill seems interesting.

What cookbooks have you picked up recently? Have any favorites?

Tuscan White Bean Dip

A favorite Italian restaurant of mine called Paesanos serves this dip as a starter before your meal along with bread and olives. I'm usually so busy gorging myself on the dip that by the time my meal comes I'm not even hungry. I have no idea what their recipe is so I had to invent my own. I have to say it comes pretty darn close. It is luscious, creamy and delicious.


Tuscan White Bean Dip:
1 15 oz Cannellini white beans
1/4 cup garlic, rosemary and red chili infused olive oil 
(you can make this by following the recipe here or buy an infused oil at the store)
1 tablespoon sundried tomatoes
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Drain beans and place them in a food processor. Add in the sundried tomatoes,infused olive oil, salt & pepper and puree. 


*** I served this with Naan bread, which I cut into 1 inch strips, brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with smoked paprika, black sesame seeds, cumin seeds, caraway seeds and broiled in the oven until golden brown. For a gluten free alternative, you could serve it with sliced veggies. ***

Note: I use generous amount of olive oil to get a smooth consistency in my dip. If you like your dip to be bit more chunky, just scale back on the oil.


Enjoy!

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

I recently picked up a fabulous Italian cookbook at the used bookstore the other day that had a recipe for homemade ricotta cheese or as Giada likes to call it, "Ree-Coat-ah". My husband and I were intrigued with the idea of making cheese and were curious how it would taste compared to a store bought one. Well...I can tell you...it was delicious! The texture is creamy and it taste fresher than store bought. The best part is it doesn't take that long to make. The homemade ricotta was a great accompaniment for this salad which included sundried tomatoes, capers, red onion and romaine lettuce. 

For more cheese making posts, check out Maggie's blog Notes from Maggie's farm. For those of you who are lucky enough to live close to Austin, Maggie is offering cheese making classes this fall. For a preview, click here.

 

Homemade Ricotta:

4 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed, strained lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

**cheesecloth for straining**

Directions:

Pour milk, cream, lemon juice, and salt in a small heavy-bottomed stainless steel saucepan. Do not stir and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, set the saucepan aside until mixture has cooled (about 5 -10 minutes). Line a strainer or colander  with cheesecloth and place it in the sink. Gently scoop up the curds out of the saucepan and place in the strainer to drain. You can use the ricotta while it is still warm or you can place the cheesecloth filled with cheese over a bowl to drain and store in the fridge for 2 days. 

Makes approx. 8 ounces. 

Adapted recipe from a fabulous used Italian cookbook.

Note: I would double or triple the recipe. Our cheese went pretty fast!

Enjoy!