Cinco de Guacamole

Unless you live under a rock, you know that this coming Sunday is Cinco de Mayo. What most people who live both under and above rocks don't know is that Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence day, but "originated with Mexican-American communities in the American West as a way to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American Civil War. Today the date is observed in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride."

Cinco is truly a foodie holiday. Is there a better way to celebrate a country's pride and heritage than through food? Food brings people together on all holidays and occasions, and this holiday is no exception. So this week I plan to share some of my favorite Mexican- and Southwestern-inspired favorites, starting with everyone's all-time favorite: guacamole!

By the way, this is shaping up to be a great year for avacado lovers. According to Whole Foods, 200 million more pounds of avocado will be produced or imported into the United States this year than in 2012 (up from 1.5 billion pounds).  That's 13% more avocados for everyone! Guac lovers unite!

Guacamole is like a lasagna - everyone has their favorite version. How does one actually make the "best-ever" guac? Creamy or chunky? Spicy or mild? In my opinion, it has to be chunky and slightly spicy to be named the "best."

For this chunky homemade guacamole, we used a mixture of yellow onion, serrano chile, jalepeno pepper, cherry tomatoes, garlic, fresh cilantro, and lime juice. The onion and tomato break up the creaminess of the guacmole nicely, and when you use two different kinds of hot peppers in modest amounts, you get a slight kick that doesn't leave your lips burning and you reaching for the milk.

We used two ripe avocados. Picking out avacados can be hard for me, but the experts say to buy them a few days before you need them, and that you'll know when they're ripe because they have a slight give when pressed.

Once you've cut your avacados, removed the pit, and mash them in a big bowl with a fork or potato masher, add your chopped ingredients and season with the lemon and lime juice, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Add in the peppers last to reach your desired level of hotness. You can always add, but you can't remove!

Mix well and enjoy :) If you think you have a great recipe for guacamole, a different variation or even a secret ingredient, let me know! Never stop to rest until the good is better and the better best...

---

Chunky Guacamole

• 2-3 ripe avacados
• ¼ cup quartered grape or cherry tomatoes
• ¼ cup yellow onion
• ½ of 1 jalapeño and 1 serrano pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped 
• Coarsely chopped cilantro, to taste (I like about a teaspoon and a half)  
• 1 clove minced garlic
• Juice of two limes
• Splash of lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon each cumin and cayenne pepper (or to taste) 

• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cut avocados in half. Remove the pit. Scoop out avacado from the peel, put in a mixing bowl.

2. Using a fork or potato masher, roughly mash the avocado. (Don't overdo it! The guacamole should be a little chunky.) Immediately add the chopped onion, cilantro, garlic, and tomatoes. Season with the juice of two limes (about 2 teaspoons), a splash of lemon juice, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and pepper and mash some more.

3. Chili peppers vary individually in their hotness. Start with a half of each pepper (jalepeno and serrano) and add to the guacamole to your desired degree of hotness.

4. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation from the air reaching it. Refrigerate until ready or serve immediately.

Turkey and Rice Stuffed Peppers

Is anyone else majorly suffering from allergies? As I write this, I'm sniffling, sneezing, aching all over - I know, I just painted such a pretty picture for you. Sometimes I miss the concrete jungle air of NYC where there's no living or breathing plant life to bother me.

I'm being selfish though. Who am I kidding, I love the Earth - trees, grass, flowers, dirt (in small amounts, and preferably not on my dog). I also love peppers that the Earth continues to give us. I haven't made stuffed peppers in a long time, over a year, so when contemplating something different for dinner recently, they "popped" into my head.

In addition to ground lean turkey and brown rice, I used tomatoes and cheese for this meal. Here's a tip for helping your wallet and the environment: stretch your favorite supper into leftovers for lunch or for the next dinner! Lots of things, including these peppers, taste even better the next day.

Start by removing the top of the pepper. I'm a pro at this because I used to be second shift during my waitressing days and my side work happened to be cutting peppers. Fun.times. Remove the seeds and the little white membranes that are stuck to the sides and rinse the peppers under cold water.

Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the peppers. Heat to boiling and then carefully add peppers. Cook about 2 minutes and drain. Set those aside for a little while.

Meanwhile, saute chopped yellow onion and chopped garlic in about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat for a couple minutes. Add the ground turkey on top of that, and cook until that's browned. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs. Turkey can be bland, especially when ground, so the herbs are important!

Start out by stirring in a cup of the tomato sauce and the diced tomatoes to the meat mixture. Cook until hot, reducing heat to medium or medium-low. 

Add in cooked rice and stir together. You may want to add more tomato sauce if you like it more liquid-y. For this recipe, I ended up using almost the whole can of sauce, and definitely the whole can of diced tomatoes. 

Oh, don't tell anyone I cheated, but I definitely used Uncle Ben's 90-second brown rice pack instead of cooking my own. It was a weeknight. Worth it!

After two minutes, add in the cheeses and mix well until its melted and well blended. I used a combo of white cheddar and Parmesean and it was fab-u-lous.

Now the fun part :o) Heat your oven to 375 degrees, we're almost ready. Since I had two peppers, I used a small baking pan with a quarter inch of water in the bottom so that the peppers wouldn't burn.  on the bottom.

Stuff stuff stuff away. Then placed them carefully into the pan. 

Bake for 30 minutes or until tops become browned. Yum. 

Remove them from the oven and top with optional (but recommended) provolone cheese. Bake again for 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

For a meatless meal, nix the turkey and add in quinoa, kale, or other veggies. I love the versatility of this dish. I mean, just Google "stuffed peppers" and I'm sure you'll have a hard time picking a recipe (hint: pick this one!) I'm thinking the next theme I want to try is either Southwestern style (ground beef, black beans, corn, cumin, paprika) or Greek style (feta, lamb, whole wheat cous cous, red onion).

---

Turkey and Rice Stuffed Peppers
makes 2-3 stuffed peppers

• ½ pound ground turkey
• 2-3 large red or green bell peppers
• ½ cup chopped yellow onion 
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 
• 1½ cups cooked brown rice
• 1 can (15 ounces) organic tomato sauce 
• 1 small can (8 ounces) diced tomatoes 
• ¼ cup each of shredded cheddar and Parmesean cheeses
• 1 slice of provolone cheese
• Salt, pepper, and Italian herbs seasoning to taste

 

1. Cut thin slice from stem end of each bell pepper to remove top of pepper. Remove seeds and membranes; rinse peppers. If necessary, cut thin slice from bottom of each pepper so they stand up straight. In 4-quart Dutch oven, or large pot, add enough water to cover peppers. Heat to boiling; add peppers. Cook about 2 minutes; drain.

 

2. In a large skillet, cook onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil for 2 minutes over medium-high heat. Add turkey and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs. Cook over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. 

 

3. Stir in 1 cup of the tomato sauce and the diced tomatoes. Stir and cook until hot, reducing heat to medium or medium-low.

 

4. Add in cooked rice and stir together. You may want to add more tomato sauce if you like it more liquid-y. After two minutes, add in the cheeses and mix well.

5. Line a small baking pan with a quarter inch of water and heat oven to 375 degrees. Stuff the peppers with the mixture and place carefully into the pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until tops become browned; remove and top with optional provolone cheese. Bake again for 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Earth Day Eats: Zucchini Pomodoro

To celebrate our beautiful Earth, this week I'll be sharing recipes that feature the best of what Mother Nature has to offer. For starters, I'm going to show y'all how I make one of my favorite side dishes - Zucchini Pomodoro. Zucchini is easy to grow in temperate climates, and if I had any sort of backyard with a space for a garden I'd be harvesting it in overwhelming amounts.

The inspiration for this recipe came from the side dish of a chain restaurant. I prefer to eat at and support local restaurants when I can, but sometimes you can't avoid it - like when I need to satisfy an intense craving for a spicy Chik-Fil-A sandwich and waffle fries. Or when I'm now a part of Brian's family tradition of going to Carraba's for Christmas Eve dinner. He knows I was a little wary of this tradition at first (love you) but I actually do enjoy Carraba's - they have a great lobster ravioli, tomato basil soup, and side of zucchini.

Its random, but its the most perfect side to ever exist. Zucchini, tomato sauce, basil, onion, and Parmesean cheese. That actually sounds a lot like pasta...which is I guess why I like it so much!

Here's the breakdown. I usually purchase three medium sized zucchinis, which allows plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day. You'll also need a hunk of basil, half a medium sized yellow onion, canned tomato sauce, a form of Parmesan cheese (pecorino romano below is also fabulous), olive oil, and S&P. Oh, and some garlic; I always forget that little guy.

Slice your three medium sized zucchinis lengthwise into strips. I've also made this dish by slicing them into circles. It all tastes the same -- just depends on if you're in the mood for lines or circles.

Add your zucchini, minced garlic and chopped onion to a pan over medium-high heat and season it with salt, pepper, and an Italian seasonings if you have them.

Saute for about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes,  until it starts to get tender. Add one small can of tomato sauce and chopped basil to the pan. I also add in a heavy sprinkle of Parmesan cheese for flavor.

Mix that all up and simmer for another 5-7 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Serve it immediately - it pairs well with a nice grilled steak, or in honor of Earth Day, you could serve it on top of some quinoa for a totally meatless meal. Enjoy!

---

Zucchini al Pomodoro 

• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 medium sized zucchini, sliced lengthwise
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 small can (15 ounce) tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons basil, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
• Italian herbs to taste (purchase an Italian Herb Grinder)

1. In medium sized pan, saute diced onion with olive oil and garlic over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.

2. Slice zucchini into strips or circles and add to pan.  Season with Italian seasonings, salt, and pepper.  Saute for 10 minutes.

3. Add tomato sauce and basil to pan.  Simmer for another 5-7 minutes until bubbling.  Serve immediately, topped with Parmesan Reggiano cheese.

Double Header: Basil and Lemon Chicken & Roasted Broccoli

Is it Thursday? Because I feel like I'm doing a #tbt here with this double header post - the original two-recipe-one-post was my first recipe I ever shared on here.

Wait, it is Thursday - this has just been a really long week. 

In the spirit of spring and all things fresh, here we have the most simple chicken recipe you could possibly ask for. To make Basil and Lemon Chicken, all you need is two chicken breasts, basil, green onions (scallions), and a lemon. Its easy to throw together for your own dinner or if you're having guests.

This baked chicken takes about 45 minutes from start to finish and is great for a warm spring night. Or a hot spring night if you live here. Especially when you pair it with the best roasted broccoli you'll ever have. I have no doubt in my mind I could eat an entire bag of it if it was cooked this way and staring up at me all warm, slightly browned, and parmesean-y.

To make the chicken, chop up your scallions and basil and mix it together in a bowl. Add the juice of a lemon, as well as salt and pepper to taste.

I like to line a baking pan with aluminum foil for easy clean up when baking chicken. Once the foil is lined, spread about a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil down to cover the pan. Place in the chicken breasts, lightly season with salt and pepper, and then mix and rub the scallion/lemon/basil mixture on. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil.

So all that takes about...10 minutes or less. Then the chicken bakes for about 30 minutes at 350, depending on the size. A delicious main course in under 40 minutes - way to go!

But wait - there's more. The broccoli.

When cooking for Brian and I, we will typically buy a bag of fresh broccoli and spread half of it out onto another foil lined baking sheet while simultaneously turning the oven onto 425. I know, it's a lot to handle. But if you're buying fresh broccoli, you'll want to cut them from the stalks, leaving about an inch, before laying out on the pan.

Once on the pan, season with chopped garlic (or garlic powder if you're feeling lazy), salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Its important that each floret gets some olive oil so it has the opportunity to get nice and crispy.

Roast this for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned. Ugh I'm craving some right now. While it's roasting, assemble the army: about 1 teaspoon lemon zest, pine nuts, shredded or grated Parmesean, and lemon juice.

Once the broccoli is removed from the oven, immediately toss with all these ingredients. Serve hot.

sodarngood.



 

---

Basil and Lemon Chicken 

• 6 boneless chicken breasts 
• ½ cup scallions, chopped
• ½ cup basil, chopped
• 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Extra basil and lemon for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In large bowl, mix together onion and basil.  Add juice of one lemon.  Salt and pepper to taste.

2.  Place chicken in foil-lined, oiled baking pan. Mix and rub the scallion/lemon/basil mixture onto chicken breasts. Drizzle with more olive oil.

3. Bake, uncovered, for about 30-35 minutes, depending on size of the chicken.

4. Garnish with more basil and lemon slices, if desired.  Can be served hot or cold.
 

---

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

• 1 pounds fresh broccoli, rinsed and trimmed
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• Extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted or plain
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, enough to sprinkle over broccoli
• 2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks.  Place on a sheet pan in a single layer.

2. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with olive oil, ensuring each floret has olive oil.

3.  Sprinkle with the and pepper.  Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

4. Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with additional drizzle of olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.

Caprese Salad

Caprese (salad in the style of Capri) is a simple yet magical salad, made of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil leaves, Italian spices, vinegar, and olive oil. Its a great summer salad, and can't love it enough. I love it as a side to a nice steak dinner, as an appetizer, or as a 6 p.m.-home-from-work-and-starving snack.

...but you didn't need me to tell you why I love it, did you? Just look at it - it speaks for itself. I'm sure everyone has their favorite way of making Caprese Salad - but here's mine!

To make this easy salad, you need a hunk of fresh, soft mozzarella, one large or two medium beefsteak tomatoes, lots of fresh basil, olive oil, salt and pepper, an Italian seasonings grinder, and balsamic vinegar.

^^ a delicious blend of textures and flavors ^^

I like to slice the tomatoes rather thick, then chop them into quarters. It's less work at the table if you do the cutting step before sitting down - and I need as minimal amount of time as possible between Caprese on the plate and Caprese in my mouth.

Then, top each tomato with a quartered cheese chunk (and throw in some more if you want) and of course, lots of fresh basil. I season with an Italian herb grinder, which you can find at any grocery store, salt, and some pepper before drizzling with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

---

Caprese Salad

• 1 large beefsteak tomato, sliced thick and quartered
• 1 log fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thick and halved or quarted 
• Fresh torn basil 
• Ground pepper, salt, and Italian seasonings to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar

1. Layer slices of tomatoes and mozzarella on a shallow plate, adding a piece of torn basil leaf on each.

2. Sprinkle with Italian seasonings, salt, and pepper to taste.

3. Drizzle the salad with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste.

Picnic in Libby Hill Park

As much as I love lazy indoor Sundays complete with coffee, slow breakfasts, puppy cuddles, and a good binge-watching of a Netflix show (Parenthood is my current obsession), sometimes it's nice to plan outdoor activities.

Yesterday, Brian and I got to soak up some serious Vitamin D while sipping wine and nibbling cheese. Sunshine, wine, and cheese - life can't get better than that. After a stop at Trader Joe's the day before, Sunday afternoon rolled around and we loaded up the cooler and grabbed our most comfortable blanket for some fun in Church Hill's Libby Hill Park.

Not pictured: Vouvray and Nutella-dipped strawberries (I had to get rid of the leftover Nutella used for the cinnamon rolls).

Libby Hill Park has great skyline views of Richmond; some of the best. We laid down our blanket in a spot with a direct view down Main Street, and behind us was a statue of an unknown Confederate soldier perched high above a tall marble column. Below us, Main Street would have quickly taken us to Millie's Diner or Poe's Pub. The park has a few benches and a couple fountains, but was relatively quiet on this beautiful Sunday. We just listened to our music (Iron & Wine's new album due out tomorrow, perfect for a calm and relaxing picnic) while enjoying being surrounded by gorgeous tall old houses and historic charm.

 ^ Who doesn't love when a selfie turns out decent? This is decent, right? ^

We walked to the other side of the statue to see Rockett's Landing and a great view of the James River. Fun Fact: it was from this spot where William Byrd looked down at the curve of the James River and was reminded of the River Thames in a royal village west of London called Richmond upon Thames. Since Byrd traveled to Richmond upon Thames several times, it was believed that this view "named the city."

A five-star Sunday.

One Happy Island

This warm weather we're enjoying is giving me flashbacks and violent withdrawals. After our wedding in October 2011, Brian and I were lucky enough to honeymoon for a week in Aruba. I don't think we were supposed to leave.  In fact...I think we have to go back.

Since Aruba is a popular destination for many East Coasters, I thought I'd share some of my favorite pictures and thoughts about some of the fabulous food we ate and adventures we encountered. We had originally wanted to go to Hawaii, but as cost-conscious newlyweds we realized that round trip tickets for both of us to Aruba was less expensive than a one-way ticket to Hawaii for just one of us. Something to keep in mind for honeymooners (or just globetrotters) on a budget!

Here's one of the best pictures I took - loved the emerald and turquoise color of the water!



Um...after looking at that picture I need some motivation to get through this post without booking tickets for Round 2.

Brian and I stayed at Eagle Beach's Bucuti & Tara Resort, which was exclusively for honeymooners and folks on an anniversary celebration. Aruba's only "adult-only" resort, and it was spectacular. There will be plenty of time to deal with kids screaming about sand in their bathing suits in the future.

We started things off right with a couple's massage the morning after we arrived, followed by a full day on the beach - no better way to kick off a relaxing week after the chaos that had been months of wedding planning.

Here's a picture of the resort from our sunset cruise, and some of the views from our balcony.









Dining

Our honeymoon package at Bucuti included a dinner on the beach at The Pirate's Nest, a replica of a 16th century Dutch galleon, which was part of our hotel and is also one of Aruba's top rated restaurants. We could not get over how picturesque the scenery was from our hut on the beach, perhaps the most romantic meal I've ever had (don't worry I won't go into all the honeymoon romance). The staff were very attentive and so friendly. Since this restaurant was at our home base, every morning we enjoyed a breakfast buffet here, too. Omelets anyone?

My team at my old job in New York gave us a gift certificate to a wonderful restaurant called El Gaucho, an Argentinian Steakhouse. It was some of the best steaks we've eaten, and we had the pleasure to be serenaded by mariachi band as we dined!

We also enjoyed a lovely contemporary dining experience sitting outside by the pond at Ruinas Del Mar at the Hyatt hotel. The open-air concept was great and we loved watching coi fish and a bevy (heh) of black swans swimming in the pond as we ate!

El Gaucho


The Pirate's Nest


Ruinas Del Mar


Activities

Besides its beaches, Aruba has other fun activities for tourists. We took a Jeep tour to the island's natural bridge, hiked around in some old ruins, and toured the desert side of the island. We snorkeled in a natural pool by the ocean and through an old shipwreck. On our snorkel tour, which started at 8 in the morning and was an open bar, we fell in love with these drinks called Green Iguanas (aptly named since we saw probably hundreds of iguanas roaming the island and our resort all week). Needless to say, it was a sleepy afternoon on the beach. I need to find this drink recipe. Need to.

We took the popular Kukoo Kunuku party bus one evening, which started off with a champagne toast at sunset, followed by dinner at Residencia Sylvia and drinks at several local pubs. This was a wild time. Our last activity was horseback riding, which was our least favorite thing. A fun, different activity to do, but we were hot (and Brian really never got the hang of it).







Yep. We have maracas.

Have any of you been to Aruba? What were some of your favorite memories?