hot hot heat

so it is H-O-T hot hot red hot here.
i mean HOTTTT.

this red hot heat used to just mean pain and suffering. but this year i have taken this heat head on as a challenge - a challenge to make the most delicious, most refreshing, most sweat-stopping, de-wiltifying, cool to the core, food possible. food so cool it could make us all beg for just one more week of summer…we’ll see about that. but this food is pretty damned refreshing, so hope for a hot day and eat up!

and if you are looking for fresh ingredients to make all these recipes and happen to live in kc, i would highly recommend the following amazing sources of fresh delicious produce (or support your own local farmers where you live):

new roots for refugees– at the brookside farmer's market (63rd & brookside) each and every Saturday morning
kccua – also at the brookside farmer's market every Saturday morning
bad seed farmer’s market – at bad seed (19th and McGee) every Friday evening

fresh pickles
Apple cider vinegar (enough to completely cover your veggies)
Sugar (to taste - you would be surprised how much you can add)
Salt (to taste)
Fresh chopped garlic
Chopped Onions
Fresh dill chopped
Thinly sliced cucumbers - fresh from the garden or farmers market
Thinly sliced carrots (or any other veggie you feel like)

mix. stick covered in the fridge for at least a day or two before starting to eat. enjoy all summer long!

fresh fizzy mint limeade
1 liter club soda
1/2 cup lime juice (plus a little extra - to taste)
1/2 cup sugar (plus a little extra - to taste)
Handful fresh mint leaves (beat the leaves up a little to release their flavor)
Sliced limes in the pitcher for looks
Ice (extra if you are living in a crazy hot unairconditioned house)

mix. serve immediately.

fresh tomato basil pasta
chopped fresh tomatoes (got to be from the garden or farmer’s market or its just not worth making)
LOTS of chopped fresh basil
LOTS of chopped fresh garlic (raw)
olive oil - a good amount (enough to coat pasta)
splash of balsamic vinegar
parmesan cheese
kosher salt (a good amount)
pepper
cooked pasta

chop garlic and mix with olive oil. Let sit for a bit to let oil soak up garlic flavor. then add all other ingredients but the pasta. Mix and adjust spices to taste. Toss mixture with cooked pasta so it coats pasta fully. serve immediately.

roasted beet salad
cubed fresh beets
chopped onions (big hunks)
fresh rosemary – coarsely chopped
olive oil
kosher salt
walnuts
goat cheese
fresh spinach greens
balsamic vinaigrette (vinegar, oil, salt, chopped garlic)

toss chopped beets and onions and rosemary in olive oil. spread on cookie sheet. sprinkle with kosher salt. roast for about 20 minutes at 400degrees. turn beets. cook for around another 20 minutes - or until soft and a little crispy on the edges. let cool some. put on top of bed of spinach. add chopped walnuts, goat cheese, and dressing. serve.

Tied Thai Bean Salad
(got this amazing recipe from bad seed)
1 lb "noodle" beans
1 med zucchini, grated coarsely
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1-2 serrano, Thai bird or other hot chili
1/4 c fresh lime juice
1/4 c fish sauce
2 T brown sugar or palm sugar
1 T kaffir lime leaves or grated lime zest
2-4 cloves garlic, muddled or minced
cilantro, torn or roughly chopped to taste (optional)

steam long beans for 5 minutes, then shock in ice water
tie knots in beans (as many as flexibility of the beans allow)*
cut between knots, forming bite-size pieces with a knot to 'trap' sauce*
lightly toss beans, zucchini, tomatoes and chilis
mix sauce ingredients well and pour over vegetables
lightly toss again and let flavors marry at room temp
*if you haven't time or patience for this, just cut into bite-sized pieces

lemon raspberry meltdown
2 layer white cake (from a mix is fine)
1 pint raspberry sorbet
fresh or frozen raspberries
lemon butter cream frosting (see next recipe)

make frosting (see next recipe). make cakes. let cool. frost first layer. take sorbet completely out of container. slice into 1/2 inch thick rings. place all over cake. can use butter knife to smooth pieces together. top with second cake. frost entire cake. top with fresh or frozen raspberries. place in freezer until time to serve.

lemon butter cream frosting
1 lb. confectioners' sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
3 tbsp. milk

In large bowl, beat together sugar, butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk until smooth. If necessary add more milk until frosting is spreading consistency.

Hummus...as promised!! SOoooo good.

1 oz can chickpeas
2 garlic cloves, coarsely crushed
6 Tbs lemon juice
4 Tbs tahini (apparently you can do without this??)
5 Tbs olive oil, plus estra to serve
1 tsp ground cumin

**Drain chickpeas reserving the liquid from the can and put them in a food processor or blender. Blend to a smooth paste, adding a small amount of the reserved liquid, if necessary.

**Mix the garlic, lemon juice and tahini together and add to the blender or food processor. process until smooth. With the machine running, gradually add 3 Tbs of the olive oil through the feeder tube or lid and allow to mix in.

**Add the cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Process to mix, scrape into bowl, cover, chill and eat later with tortilla chips, pita or whatevah!!

Cinnamon and Lime Chicken Fajitas

Somewhat of a variation on Black bean Sweet Potato Burritos actually, here's the recipe. I really enjoyed it...the lime and cinnamon!! MMmmmm

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 Tbs ground cinnamon (or more)
salt and pepper to taste
2 large potatoes, chopped
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large spanish onion, chopped (or yellow works)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs chopped jalapeno peppers
1 lime, juiced
Tortillas for 6
(I also included about 3/4 of a sliced red bell pepper in the saute pan!!)

**Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish. Season chicken with cinnamon, salt and pepper. Arrange in the baking dish and bake 30 minutes until no longer pink and juices run clear. Cool and shred.

**Arrange potatoes in a separate medium baking dish. Rub with about 1/2 the oil and season with salt. Bake 30-40 minutes until tender.

**Heat remaining oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, and saute onion and garlic until tender. Mix in shredded chicken, jalapeno, and lime juice. Cook until heated through.

**Warm tortillas, fill 'em up and enjoy!!!

doesn't compare...BUT

sushi from Vons, dark chocolate, whiskey and 7up, rice/butter/salt/pepper and bluegrass. I know it's not India-Indian food but it's gooooooood.

no forks please

i'm officially in food heaven (surprise surprise - i know)
otherwise known as south india
indian food three times a day
dinner
lunch
AND breakfast (!)

i knew i was off to a good start when the very first dish i ordered (navratan korma - a savory/sweet dinner dish made up of an unlikely but awe inspiring mix of fruits, vegetables, and nuts)
came complete with a few whole tart cherries in the mix (pits and all - my current fruit obsession) – how did they know?!
since then it has been a non-stop hit food parade – complete with amazing dhal after delicious dosa after terrific naan after tasty chutney. you get the picture. all sandwiched between honking cars, and beautiful sari after beautiful sari, and HOT hot heat, and a string white jasmine flowers pinned in my hair walking barefoot through a breezy temple watching elephants bless heads in exchange for coins…

and to top it all off. all this delicious food is eaten with no utensils. so finally after all these years of suppressing my – i’d much rather just pick at this dish with my fingers – urges. i can pick away at every last dish of food set in front of me. every last delicious dish.

more to come, i’m sure. hope all is well.

Homemade Hummus

So delicious!
Recipe coming soon...

how many oatmeal pancakes can you eat this morning??

oatmeal pancake dance attack

4 is faster than 1 and we were hungry!

Strawberry Rhubarb

So, it's strawberry season...and pie making time!! I made my first ever strawberry rhubarb pie!! 4 stalks of rhubarb, about 1 lb of strawberries about a cup or so of sugar, probably more... the most delicious crust . Judging from people's responses to it, I think it was my best pie to date. Uh-mazing. Perfect consistency and tartness and sweetness. I'm being encouarged to find a place that needs a famous pie to sell :) Like the new beer garden/bed and breakfast in town. Also, recent concoctions: stuffed bell peppers, corn chowder, dahl and biscuits and of course the famous oatmeal pancakes!! I think I'm going to try coffee cake this weekend... Mmmm! What about you??

It's What's for Breakfast

Oatmeal Pancakes*

1 1/8 c. milk
1 c. rolled oats
2 T oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 T. brown sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt

optional delicious extras (the more the better):
chopped apples (lots)
chopped walnuts
cinnamon
craisins

take it over the top toppers:
peanut butter
cinnamon
syrup
plain yogurt
cherry preserves

Combine the milk and rolled oats in a bowl and let them stand at least 5 minutes.
Add the oil and beaten eggs, mixing well. Then stir in the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
Bake on a hot, lightly oiled griddle, using 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Turn them when the top is bubbly and the edges are slightly dry.
Makes 10 to 12 four-inch pancakes.

*be warned - these pancakes will make you stop and wonder how you ever managed to make it through a saturday morning without them - or life for that matter. they will creep into your thoughts during the week. they will ruin otherwise perfectly good bisquick pancake breakfasts with friends. they are a cross between a hike in the mountains and hug. a little pancake revolution in every bite. plus they make really great leftovers.

picture this...

20 people around a big long table, reaching over one other to grab handfuls of Injera and all the delicious, explode in your mouth, spices, meats, lentils, split peas and vegetables that go with it off of 5 large round trays spread between the tables. It was my "how many people can I see at once while I'm in San Diego for 48 hours" dinner at the Red Sea Restaurant...hands down, my all time down favorite restaurant in the world. Check out the link above for a little explanation and recipe :)

My other favorite restaurant that I like to visit when I'm in San Diego is Mama's Bakery and Lebanese Deli. I always have the manakeesh ultimate. It BURSTS with the tart flavor of lebni (their yogurt cream cheese), the fresh surprise of mint leaves, the nutty taste of sesame seeds and smooth mixture of olives and olive oil and so much more wrapped in their fresh flat bread. It impresses me every time how simple and satisfying it is.

banana nut chocolate chip cinnamon whole wheat bread

2.5 cups whole wheat flour
1.5 cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 - 4 medium)
1.25 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup chocolate chips
.5 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 tbs cinnamon (the more the better)

heat oven to 350.
grease bottoms only of two 8x4 loaf pans or one 9x5 pan.
stir together all ingredients until blended.
bake 8-inch pans 50-60 minutes (9-inch pan 1 to 1 hr 15 min).