Spinach Salad and A Kitchen Note

Simple Spinach Salad

4 cups flat spinach (washed and dried with stems snipped off)
1 2.2 oz. can sliced ripe (black) olives
4 oz. part skim mozzarella cheese

Place one cup of spinach on each of four plates. Shred or cube mozzarella cheese and add 1 oz. of cheese to each salad. Divide ripe olives among the four salads. Drizzle the olive juice onto salads as a dressing and serve.



Kitchen Note:

I hope you've tried and enjoyed this healthy spinach salad!

If you didn't try it merely because you don't like black olives or mozzarella cheese, this might be a good time to tell you that any recipe offered can be altered to your liking. Prefer green olives? Then use them! Don't like onions? Scratch them from the recipe!

Cooking isn't about following recipes to the T so we'll all get the exact same result. It's using a recipe as an guide. Changing it to suit your taste preferences is fine. Feel free to go wild and don't ever be afraid to experiment in the kitchen!

Chicken and Black & Mahogany Rice Soup

Photo:
@ 1:00 Emperors, or black rice (turns royal purple when cooked)
@ 5:00 Bamboo infused rice (a light lime green)
@ 10:00 Black and mahogany rice (nutty, mushroom-like flavor)






Enjoy your rice with this simple recipe:

Chicken and Black & Mahogany Rice Soup
8 c. chicken broth
½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken (diced)
1 c. black and mahogany rice
1 c. carrots (sliced)
1 onion (sliced)

Put chicken broth in stockpot. Bring broth to a boil. Add chicken, rice, carrots and onion. Simmer for 50 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 8 one cup servings.

Pasta with Vegetable and Spinach Sauce

Pasta with Vegetable and Spinach Sauce

1 lb. any pasta of your choice
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 Roma tomatoes (they’re the firm, oval ones)
1 purple onion
2 cups curly spinach (washed and dried with stems snipped off)
2 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp. dried (or ¼ fresh) dark opal basil
Parmesan cheese

Dice Roma tomatoes and onion. Put aside. Pour 2 tbs. olive oil into a large frying pan. Layer the onions, tomatoes and spinach (in no particular order) into the pan with olive oil. Add broth and basil. Simmer on medium, stirring occasionally, while you make the pasta. Cook pasta via directions until al dente. Strain pasta and put into a large serving bowl. Turn off the simmering vegetable sauce. Carefully spoon the sauce over the pasta.
Serve family style. Individuals can add cheese to taste.

Note: For a vegetarian option, replace the chicken broth with 2 cups of water and ½ tsp. each of dried thyme, rosemary and sage. For a vegan option, follow the vegetarian option and skip the cheese.

Planning a Dinner Party

I'm planning a dinner party; an adults only, on the deck, under a tent, with a whole bunch of candles dinner party.

I wanted the menu to be something simple, yet unique and sophisticated. Of course, the party food will revolve around fresh produce grown in our own backyard, starting with a salad of mixed greens and nasturtium leaves (for a peppery flavor). The dressing selection will include, Zesty French, Asiago Caser and French Vinaigrette.



In addition to the two recipes below –which use flowers as their main ingredient (how pretty will that be), we’ll be serving:

Filet Mignon & Shrimp Kabobs
Baby Zucchini (sautéed in olive oil, rosemary, mint leaves and chives)
Cucumber Salad
Fresh Jams w/ toast corners (just made wild black raspberry and rhubarb jams)



A Varity of Breads

For drinks I’ve selected-

Organic Pomegranate Italian Soda
French Berry Lemonade
Iced Tea
A Selection of Wines
Bottled Beer

And for dessert-

Mulberry Custard Pie w/ Vanilla Ice Cream

If my hot peppers are in before the party, I will make hot pepper jelly. A jar of this, whipped up with some cream cheese, makes and excellent sweet/spicy dip.



Stuffed Nasturtiums

3 ounces softened cream cheese
1 tablespoon heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
Salt to taste
30 large nasturtium blossoms

Mix together the cream cheese, heavy cream, chives, and salt until smooth. Spoon about a teaspoonful of the mixture into the center of each flower. Fold the petals up around the stuffing. Chill for up to an hour before serving. Makes 30 appetizers.



Battered Zucchini Flowers•

18 zucchini blossoms

A pint (500 ml) whole milk, or a mixture of beer and milk
3 heaping tablespoons flour
An egg, lightly beaten
Salt
Olive oil for frying

Trim the stems of the zucchini blossoms, remove the pistils, wash them gently and pat them dry just as gently.

Prepare the batter by combining the milk, flour and egg.

Heat the oil.

Lightly salt the zucchini blossoms, dredge them in the batter, fry them until golden, drain them on absorbent paper, and serve them hot.

Firecrackers for the Mouth: Eat ‘em and weep

Whether you’re looking to add a little sparkle to a meal or you want to experience an explosive bang, there’s a pepper to suit your needs.

Though sweet green bell peppers are the most popular garden variety, peppers come in an amazing array of colors, shapes, sizes and flavors. While green peppers have no heat, the intensity of other varieties is measured by the Scoville Heat Unit. The scale measures a substance called capsaicin, the chemical that gives peppers their spice.

Though many think of peppers in relation to Mexican food, peppers are an important ingredient in Asian, Indian and Latin American meals as well.

In addition to their use as a fiery spice, peppers have been long known for their medicinal properties. Hot pepper supplements –mainly cayenne, are useful for circulatory and digestive health, as well for arthritis. Topical warming gel made from pepper heat is great for those suffering from the aches of arthritis or sore muscles.

If you want to experience pyrotechnics long after the fireworks display ends, hot peppers are easy to store and preserve for use throughout the year and can be easily dried, frozen or canned.

But just like the July 4th fireworks, safety precautions need to use used when dealing with hot peppers. Gloves should be worn while preparing peppers to avoid burning your skin and other sensitive mucus membranes that your hands might touch after preparation.

Easy to grow, and fun to eat, hot peppers can make the dog days of July feel cool by comparison.

Enjoy the recipes below and have a safe and fun 4th of July!

Pepper Type and Scoville Unit Heat Rating:
Habanero 200,000-300,000
Red Amazon 75,000
Pequin 75,000
Chiltecepin 70,000-75,000
Tabasco 30,00-50,000
Cayenne 35,000
Arbol 25,000
Japone 25,000
Smoked Jalepeno (Chipotle) 10,000
Serrano 7,000-25,000
Puya 5,000
Guajillo 5,000
Jalepeno 3,500-4,500
Poblano 2,500-3,000
Pasilla 2,500
TAM Mild Jalepeno-1 1,000-1,500
Anaheim 1,000-1,400
New Mexican 1,000
Ancho 1,000
Bell and Pimento 0

Chipotle BBQ Sauce
3 cups

8oz tomato paste
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup blackstrap molasses
1/2 cup ketchup
1/8 cup cider vinegar
juice of 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon ground chipotle
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup tomato puree

Whisk all together in a large bowl. Great with chicken. To grind chipotle you may dried chipotle and use a coffee grinder to grind.

Coconut Cilantro Chutney
2 cups

1 cup freshly grated coconut or 10 tablespoons dried and 8 tablespoons water, soaked for at least one hour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 fresh jalapeño chilies, seeded and chopped
2 medium shallots, chopped
3 cups cilantro leaves, chopped
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons whole brown mustard seeds

Combine coconut, salt, sugar, lemon juice, chilies, shallots, and 4 tablespoons water in blender. Blend to a fine paste.
Add cilantro and ginger. Blend again adding more water if needed. Place oil in a small pan over medium heat. When very hot, add the mustard seeds stirring constantly. Roast until they start to pop. Remove from heat and add to chutney.
This sauce goes very well with seafood, especially scallops. Add to the pan to warm after searing the seafood. Serve with rice.

Recipes are courtesy of Emma's Food for Life restaurant, Selinsgrove, PA

http://www.emmasfoodforlife.com/

Mint Tea & Recipe

The mint tea is finally peeking through. Before long we'll have a large mint garden with a variety of mints- spearmint, chocolate mint.

We enjoy tea free all summer (and all winter, until our dried tea leaves run out).

Though I am offering a simple basic recipe for homebrewed mint tea, we like to spice things up a bit. Replace the black tea with a favorite, use fresh garden grown stevia instead of sugar and lemon balm adds a nice lemony flavor without having to buy lemons! Feel free to change the recipe below to suite your taste.

7 cups water in pot

4 regular black tea bags

1 cup fresh mint leaves (I wrap them in a coffee filter w/ rubberband)

Bring tea to a boil, turn off burner & steep for 3-5 minutes.
Remove tea bags and add sugar (if you're using frsh Stevia, add that befoe boiling).

Pour into one gallon conatiner. Add cold water.

For added fun, put mint tea leaves in an empty ice cube tray, add water & freeze. Serve with homebrewed tea. Add lemon wedge to side of glass. Looks lovely.