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Vanessa and Michelle’s Guacamole

Posted on July 11, 2013 by nina in the kitchen

Chopped Jalapeno, Onion and Cilantro

Chopped Jalapeno, Onion and Cilantro


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Mashed Avocado


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Diced Plum/Roma Tomatoes


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Guacamole and Tortilla Chips

This recipe is well liked among my Birch Lake friends. They always request that Michelle make it for her Cuban dinners. I attempted her Cuban dinner, but I need more practice before publishing those recipes. 🙂

Place the following in a large bowl or a mortar:

1 jalapeño, halved and seeds removed, finely chopped

1/3 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped sweet onion, finely chopped

1/2 tsp salt

Combine in another bowl and mash with the potato masher or mash with the pestle in the mortar:

2 large avocados

Add mashed avocado to chopped vegetables

2 plum or Roma tomatoes which have been cut lengthwise and squeezed to remove juice and seeds.  Dice and add to the guacamole. Mix all together with a spoon.

Sprinkle with fresh squeezed lime juice to help prevent from turning brown. Mix in. Also place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the guacamole till ready to serve.

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Lettuce, Almond and Blue Cheese Salad

Posted on July 11, 2013 by nina in the kitchen
An On the Table Fast Salad!

An On the Table Fast Salad!

Another 4th of July favorite from Cooking Light July 2013. Very simple and appreciated by all! I used a spring mix of lettuce for my family and made it again tonight for Dave and I with the “live” bibb lettuce.

We tend to put together our lettuce salads on individual serving plates, which I prefer to bowls. Depending on the size of salad you like, layer the following:

Spring Mix Lettuce

Sliced Blanched Almonds

Blue Cheese (the quality makes all the difference. I used Kings Choice brand, purchased at Meijers. I find you need to use less of the more intense high quality cheese for the best flavor)

In a small bowl whisk together the marinade and then drizzle over about 4 salads:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon FRESH lemon juice or high quality white wine vinegar (I prefer the fresh lemon juice)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

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Watermelon Cucumber Salad

Posted on July 11, 2013 by nina in the kitchen

Watermelon, Cucumber and Red Onion, Layered and Drizzled with a Lemony Marinade

Watermelon, Cucumber and Red Onion, Layered and Drizzled with a Lemony Marinade

This is a recipe I adapted from Cooking Light July 2013. I had plenty of fresh basil growing, but decided not to add it. I also added more red onion. Everyone loved it! Make sure to prepare just before serving. As the watermelon sits in the marinade, the water is drawn out of the watermelon to make a soggy mess, but still tasty 🙂

Because this sweet salad is mixed with a tart marinade and contains salt, I am reminded of my father’s father when I make this, because he salted his watermelon as he ate it 🙂

In a large serving bowl combine or layer:

6 cups watermelon, cut up in 2 inch pieces

2 cups English cucumber, not peeled, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thin

1 or 1 1/2 cups red onion, sliced vertically. Follow the natural pattern of the onion 🙂

In a small bowl whisk together:

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon sea salt

Pour marinade over the salad. Slightly toss with two large spoons at the table at serving time.

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Lemony Brown Rice and Fresh Corn Salad

Posted on July 11, 2013 by nina in the kitchen
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Grand daughter enjoying her first corn on the cob 🙂

This is a recipe I made up this weekend because the fresh corn on the cob we purchased was not very sweet. I did not think it would taste good in the salad I usually make slicing the corn kernels off the cobs of leftover corn on the cob. I love short grained brown rice which I try to keep ready to eat in the frig. You can prepare it in many fashions, but the simpliest is to combine in a saucepan:

2 cups short grain brown rice

5 cups water

Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer 45 minutes or until tender.

To make the Lemony Salad, combine in a large bowl in equal or a larger portion of rice:

3 cups Brown Rice

3 cups Fresh Corn off the Cob that has been blanched ( My method for preparing corn on the cob is to bring a large pot of corn that is 1/2 filled with water, covered, to a boil. Turn off the heat and let set, covered, 10 minutes.) Drain. Cool and use a sharp knife to slice off the cob close to the core.

For the marinade, in a small bowl whisk together:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3-1/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

Fold marinade into rice and corn mix. Serve cold or at room temperature.

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Cucumber, Feta and Olive Salad

Posted on June 23, 2013 by nina in the kitchen

A Cool Refreshing Arab Style Salad

A Cool Refreshing Arab Style Salad

1 English cucumber, not peeled, but you may if you want. The skin is not waxed, so it is edible and colorful

1/2 cup Kalmata olives, pitted and quartered

8 oz package feta cheese, cubed into 1/2 inch pieces

Cut cucumber into quarters and remove seeds. Discard seeds. Cut cucumber into 1/2 inch chunks and place in a medium bowl.

Toss in olives and feta.

In a small bowl whisk together:

1/2 cup olive oil

2 Tablespoons good quality white wine vinegar or something fun like champagne balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 heaping teaspoon dried Mediterranean oregano

Fold marinade gently into cucumber mixture. Serve immediately or within a few hours. The feta cheese falls apart with time and with mixing. If you need to make this salad in advance, cut the feta into larger cubes or add marinade just before serving.

You may add grape or cherry tomatoes if you like. Halve the cherry tomatoes.

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Pork or Chicken Marinated Kebabs

Posted on May 28, 2013 by nina in the kitchen

Marinated BBQ Chicken Thighs

Marinated BBQ Chicken Thighs

This is a recipe adapted from Cooking Light, May 2013. The first time we made it with pork tenderloin, which was delish! Tonight we used boneless chicken thighs which were equally fabulous!

In a large zip-top bag combine:

1/2 cup lower-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon crushed garlic

Add and mix well:

2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut in 2 inch pieces or 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs

Seal bag and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preheat charcoal grill.

Remove pork from bag and discard marinade.

Skewer pork or chicken onto 8 6-inch skewers.

Grill about 3 minutes per side.

Serve with brown rice and grilled vegetables. You could easily add grated fresh ginger and sesame oil for a more Asian flavor.

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Romano High Temperature Fish Fillets

Posted on May 23, 2013 by nina in the kitchen

Grated Romano over Swai Fillets

Grated Romano over Swai Fillets

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Dave found these Swai fillets at Kroger and were they delish! He covered a baking sheet with foil and placed the fillets down and sprinkled them with finely grated Romano cheese. Locatelli is a reliable brand we use. After grinding black pepper over, he gave them a light spray of olive oil.

The secret is in the baking. High temperature for a short time. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees and bake for 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillets. We prefer our fish on the moist side,  not overdone and dry. Serve pronto! Remember the fish continues to cook after it’s out of the oven!

Swai is a mild fish similiar to catfish. It is inexpensive and for more info go to http://news.consumerreports.org/money/2009/01/swai.html

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Chickpea 2 with Olives & Dried Herbes

Posted on May 4, 2013 by nina in the kitchen

Chickpea, Olives & Dried Herbs

Chickpea, Olives & Dried Herbs

Margee Smith introduced this recipe to me through the cookbook by Patricia Wells, Bistro Cooking.It is very similiar to the Chickpea recipe I posted last month. Here I experimented with kalmata olives and oil-cured olives, fines herbes and herbes de Provence, chianti red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar. Each combination tastes great. Fines Herbes is a dried combination of four: parsley, chives, chervil & tarragon. Herbes de Provence is more floral and contains a variety of flavors. Both mixtures are French, so they are delicious! If I had to make the choice I would use the fines herbes, balsamic vinegar and kalmata olives 🙂

In a medium bowl combine:

1 -15-oz can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup finely minced onion

1/2 cup pitted olives cut into 1/4’s or 1/6’s, kalmata or oil-cured

5 cloves garlic, minced

In a small bowl whisk together:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, aged or red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon dried fines herbes or herbes de Provence

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper or more

Pour marinade over chickpea mixture. Mix well, cover and refrigerate 1-2 days before serving. Stir several times.

Serve at room temperature.

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Sangria, Alcohol-Free

Posted on April 17, 2013 by nina in the kitchen
Jim preparing the Sangria

Jim preparing the Sangria

This is an alcohol-free version of sangria which is usually made with red wine and brandy.

2 cups boiling water
2 black tea bags (or 2 teaspoons loose-leaf tea in an infuser)
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups pomegranate juice
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 orange, sliced into thin rounds
1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds
1 lime, sliced into thin rounds
1 apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
3 cups carbonated water

  • Pour boiling water over tea bags and cinnamon sticks and steep for 5 minutes. Discard tea bags and stir in sugar to dissolve.
  • In a large jar or pitcher, combine tea, cinnamon sticks, pomegranate juice, orange juice, orange, lemon, lime, and apple. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and preferably overnight.
  • Just before serving, stir in carbonated water. Serve in glasses over ice.

From TheKitchn.com

Thank you to Mary Ann Anschutz for discovering this recipe!

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Two Pinchos

Posted on April 17, 2013 by nina in the kitchen

Fruit Pinchos & Caprese Salad Pinchos

Fruit Pinchos & Caprese Salad Pinchos

Fruit Skewers:

Use 4-6 in. wooden skewers

Mandarin orange slice

Red grape

Spanish Chorizo ( ¼ in)

Melon of choice

Drizzle with Mercato di O&V Cherry Infused Balsamic and

Mercato di O&V Blood Orange Oil

Caprese Salad Skewers:

Grape Tomato

½ Basil Leaf

Fresh mozzarella piece

½ Basil Leaf

Black Olive

Drizzle with Mercato di O&V Garlic Infused Oil and

Mercato di O&V Cask 18 Aged Balsamic

Peggy Finger: Mercato di O&V, 118 Rodd Sreet, Midland, MI

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