Look at those colors. I loved the way this looked when I was measuring out ingredients, so I had to snap a picture. It was these same colors that seduced me into buying too many peppers at the farmer’s market a few weeks ago. Fresh. Tasty. Just picked.

At first, I thought I would just cut up all the peppers and use them for stir-fries and salads and maybe just snacking . . . But then I got an idea. And when I get an idea like that, I have to do it. What was it? Relish. A fresh relish for burgers.

Of course, I have never made relish before. So I consulted Preserving Summer’s Bounty for method guidance. When I bought that book, I wasn’t so enthused. At the time, I was simply looking for jams, jellies and preserves to make and can. But these days, my aspirations have expanded. And with the rising costs of food, home heating, and more, canning as much as possible this summer is simply a must.

Think I’ve lost it? Believe it or not, making relish is really easy. Just chop, mix and cook. If you use a food processor for the chopping, it’s even easier. In fact, I made a second batch of this while holding Paige. Anything that you can make one-armed is definitely easy. Read the rest of this entry…

Sliding my teeth into the smooth, creamy flesh of a perfectly ripe avocado reminds me of summer vacations by the beach with my grandmother. I can feel the engulfing sunshine on my arms, and the familiar give of the striped fabric pulled over the beach chairs while sand squished between my toes.
It also reminds me of family trips to Florida over Thanksgiving that we used to take every year. We would go to Mack’s Groves in Lauderdale by the Sea, drink delicious fruit smoothies and order oranges sent to our house. Before leaving, my grandmother would spy the fresh fruits and veggies by the exit, picking up a few oranges, grapefruits and an avocado or two . . . (Sadly, while writing this, I learned that the Lauderdale by the Sea location has been closed. I can’t tell you how sad that makes me. Not because it was a great store, but because I feel like I am losing parts of my childhood one by one these days . . . and it stinks.) Read the rest of this entry…

I love pesto. I make a million different variations of pesto. Pesto is my friend. Unfortunately, my husband isn’t as fond of it though. Too bad for him. But, that means more for me (and Will).

Pestos are great to use on sandwiches, in pastas, on toasted breads, on vegetables … oh, there are a million great applications. This particular pesto is as simple as it comes, but it was fantastic on a sandwich I made the other day (more on that later this week).

Truth be told, this isn’t really a pesto though. Read the rest of this entry…

1 cup baby spinach, packed
½ cup walnuts
½ cup shredded romano
2 tbsp olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process to a paste.

Cucina Bella notes:

This recipe was born out of necessity. My husband tolerates pesto, but hates the garlic in it. I, on the other hand, love pesto for the garlic. Nonetheless I wanted to find a compromise of sorts – a garlic-free pesto that could be spread onto sandwiches, mixed into pastas or spread across meats or fish.

This recipe did not disappoint. It’s a very tasty spread that I used to make some very tasty appetizers. I also used it inside a special chicken dish that I will write about tomorrow.

If you want to use this with pasta, add two tbsp of cold water to the recipe when processing. That will give it a consistency that is better for the application.

I was jonesing to make a new recipe recently, and it had to include olives (don’t ask me why, it just did, ok?). So I hunted around, considering tapenades, pestos, hummus’ and other delights, when it came to me – why not combine them all into one mega nutritious dip?

This dip has beans, good fats, and packs a punch in the flavor department. I took it to my mother’s birthday party recently where it received rave reviews — even from those who don’t normally like hummus or olives. We ate it with tortilla chips, but it could easily be eaten with cut up veggies as well.

This dip can also double as a sandwich spread or can be mixed together with pasta.

Since it contains garlic – a great source for antioxidants – it’s a perfect entry for ARF/5-A-Day Tuesdays over at Sweetnicks. Check out her site for a round up Tuesday night.

1 can (16 oz.) garbanzo beans, rinsed
3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
3 tbsp lemon juice
5 cloves garlic
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup grated romano cheese
1 cup fresh parsley
1/2 tsp cayenne powder
1/4 cup fat free buttermilk
1 cup olives, chopped

Combine all ingredients except olives in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth.

Stir in olives (don’t process).

Serve with cut up vegetables or tortilla chips.

As promised, here is my recipe for salsa cruda. It’s got that fresh taste that goes so well with dishes that have clean tastes. It was fantastic with my black beans.

I think it would also be delicious with a fresh taco salad, grilled chicken or a firm fish (like swordfish), seared. That will be my next application, I think.

Salsa Cruda
yields about 2 cups

3 medium tomatoes, diced
2 small mild peppers, finely chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 small red onion, finely chopped

Combine all the ingredients in a sealed container and shake well. For best flavor, let sit at least 30 minutes before serving.