Kale Salad with Apples, Hazelnuts and Acorn Squash

If I was allowed to write about toenails on a food blog, I would have a good story to tell. But sadly, my kids have ruled this topic off limits.  

They are convinced that writing about finding toenails in weird random places in your home might get people nauseated, or turn them off from your recipes. 

Or that they might make people think you have a dysfunctional family. I mean, who finds toenails in random places? 

So I won't. Write about toenails, I mean. I'll just jump right to this very appealing not at all nauseating kale salad. Without further ado.  

Kale Salad with Apples, Hazelnuts and Acorn Squash
This recipe is adapted slightly from Food52. 

1 acorn squash
1 bunch kale, cut in ribbons
2 scallions, sliced thin
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
kosher salt to tast
1 green apple, peeled, cored and sliced thin
1/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped and toasted

Preheat the oven to 350*. Wash and dry the squash and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil.

Bake the squash for about ½ hour, more or less, till it 'gives' a little when you squeeze it. You want it slightly softened so the cutting is easier, but not baked through.

Remove the squash from the oven and turn the oven up to 400*.

Use a large knife to cut the squash from stem to pole, making two symmetrical halves. Let them sit on the counter, cut side up, for about ten minutes so they are cool enough to handle.

Use a metal spoon to scoop out the seeds and wet pulp. Discard them.Peel the squash with a paring knife. Cut the squash into wedges or chunks. 

Spread 1 tablespoon olive oil on a baking sheet and spread the squash in one layer. Brush some more oil on the squash and sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 20 minutes, mixing here and there, till browning. Remove from the oven and cool. 

Meanwhile, put the kale and scallions in a large bowl. Add the oil, vinegar, and salt. 

Use your hands (wear gloves if you like) to massage the dressing into the kale until it's well coated and you can feel the kale softening and wilting a bit. This will take 2-3 minutes. Set the salad aside. 

Immediately before serving, add the apples, hazelnuts and squash to the salad and toss to combine. 

Lemony Summer Squash Bean Soup

I know there's never a good time to get sick. But it's especially un-just when it happens on the weekend. Timed just perfectly with my days off, my only days to chill and catch some time for myself. 

Don't get me wrong. My family came through for me 100%. The kids pitched in with babysitting and cleanup. My husband ordered dinner. But it pained me to sleep through the weekend. All of my plans for catching up on reading, cooking, and shopping went by the wayside. It was lousy. 

I'm feeling a little better now, and aside from my wonderful family, I also have this soup to thank. It was nourishing and filling. Warm and satisfying. Just the thing for my burning throat and cranky body. 

Lemony Summer Squash Bean Soup 
This soup serves 6-8. It reheats well, and will last in the fridge for a few days. The beans need to be cooked before you start. For best results, use dried beans, soaked overnight and cooked till tender. 

½ lb. dried small white beans (I used these.)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon thyme
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium-large yellow summer squashes, scrubbed but not peeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3-4 cups water or vegetable stock (make your own if you like)
1 lemon 

Put the beans in a large pot and cover with water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn off the heat and let the beans sit, covered, for an hour. 

Meanwhile, warm the olive oil over medium heat, in a large frying pan. Add the onion and thyme, and sauté for about 10 minutes, until softened. 

Add the garlic and squash and cook for another 15 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, till the squash is warmed through but still firm. 

Cook the beans, in their soaking water, for about 60-90 minutes, depending on the age of the beans. (Taste the beans to make sure they are done and that the texture is just right.) Don't drain them! That liquid is TASTY (and good for you!). 

Pour the vegetables and salt into the beans. Add enough water or vegetable stock to cover the vegetables - you'll need 3-4 cups, more or less, depending how thick you like it and how much liquid is left with your beans.

Cook for about 20 minutes, just to heat the vegetables through. You want them to retain their color and firmness. 

Turn off the flame and squeeze the lemon into the soup. (Use a strainer if you want to avoid pits.) Stir well. 

Taste and correct seasoning, if needed. Serve right away.  

Stuffed Peppers

What a whirlwind of a week.  What a lot of adjustments. My oldest daughters (twins) are starting high school. My baby is starting 'big girl school.' And my husband is starting his first job as a Physician Assistant after five years of school.

I'm just doing the same-old, same-old. Trying to keep up with my marathon of a life. Full time pressure-cooker job. Four kids. Workouts. Groceries. Laundry. 

But somehow it all feels new. New school uniforms. New bus schedules. New friends and teachers. No more baby girl in daycare. 

But there is one constant. The peppers. They just don't stop. Our CSA just keeps 'em coming. And coming. 

Which is actually ok, because I really do like peppers. Do you? 

Stuffed Peppers (Vegan)
This recipe makes six half-peppers, enough to serve 3-6 people depending how much they like peppers and how much other food you're giving them. Confession: I ate three halves. It takes about an hour from start to finish, with about 20 minutes of active prep. 

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 onion
2 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for brushing
4 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ancho chili powder (use less if your chili is hot or you like things less spicy)

a few sprigs of oregano (or substitute ½ t dried)

a few sprigs of parsley

1 large tomato, or 2 plum tomatoes

½ cup cashews

3 large bell peppers (if yours are small, use 4)

Preheat the oven to 375*. Brush a large glass dish with olive oil.

Get your quinoa started. Measure the quinoa into a strainer and rinse well. Pour it into a small saucepan and add the water plus ½ a teaspoon of salt. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil on a high flame. Reduce the flame to low and simmer for 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat, in a frying pan. Chop your onions pretty fine and sauté them for about 10 minutes, till translucent. Chop your garlic coarsely. Add the garlic, spices, and herbs, plus the extra ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes longer just till your kitchen smells amazing.  

Chop the tomato into smallish dice and add it to the onions. Mix it up and let it cook for another minute or two. Coarsely chop the cashews and add those too. 

Pour the cooked quinoa into the onions and mix well. Taste and correct seasoning if necessary.  

Now, wash and dry the peppers. Cut off the tops and cut each pepper in half. Clean them out, removing the ribs and seeds. Brush the insides and outsides with olive oil and lay the peppers in your prepared pan. 

Put a few spoonfuls of the quinoa mix into each pepper half. 

Cover the dish with foil and bake for about ½ hour until the peppers are warmed through. (The pan should let out lots of steam when you remove the foil.) Let them sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. These are also lovely served cold. 

Linking this up to Wednesday Roundup at Savory Experiments. 

Kale Nectarine Salad

Well, this is awkward. I've abandoned this space for close to three years. Three crazy packed years with increased responsibilities at work and at home. But things have quieted down and I have that extra space back in my life. To breathe. To workout on a somewhat-regular-basis. To cook. And to blog.

So, I'm back. And I hope you will come visit and comment once again. It feels good to open up my kitchen to you and to share my recipes and photos. Thanks for stopping by!

I will introduce this recipe with a disclaimer. I am a self-proclaimed kale addict. Raw kale especially. And with kale season in full swing, there's no stopping me. I usually prepare it 101 Cookbooks style,  but lately I've been branching out. Sometimes even way out.

If you don't like kale, there's nothing for you here. Except maybe a few short words of support and encouragement: I won't hold this against you. Come back next week for something less green and less raw. In the meantime, could I convince you to give it a shot? Would it help if I admitted that I ate more than half this salad (yes, it is supposed to serve six) on my very own?

Kale Nectarine Salad 
Serves 6 normal people, but if you're having me over, count me in for at least 3 portions

Like most raw kale recipes, this one enjoys a few minutes of massaging and relaxation. Who doesn't, really? 

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
pepper, to taste
a couple of dashes each of cinnamon, ginger, allspice
1 small bunch kale
¼ cup walnuts
3 nectarines
¼ of a red onion
few tablespoons white vinegar
¼ cup parmesan or pecorino romano cheese, grated fresh
¼ cup bread crumbs, preferably homemade

In a large salad bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and spices. Use a fork to whisk well.

Use a chef's knife to cut the kale into ribbons. Put them in the bowl with the dressing. Use your hands (wear gloves if you like) to massage the dressing into the kale until it's well coated and you can feel the kale softening and wilting a bit. This will take 2-3 minutes. Don't skimp.

Let the kale rest. Preheat the oven to 350 and toast the walnuts for about 7 minutes, till fragrant. When they are cool, chop them coarsely and put that on top of the kale.

Meanwhile, slice your nectarines thin and put them on top of the kale as well.

Cut the onion into thin slices and put them in a bowl or cup with enough vinegar to cover them. (This takes the bite out of the onion.) Once they've been resting for about ten minutes, drain and discard the vinegar. Put the onions on top of the kale.

Last, put the cheese and bread crumbs into the bowl and give it a good toss. Eat fresh. If you have any left, it'll keep nicely for a day or two in the fridge.

Corn Tabouleh

I am under strict orders. Here is what I have been instructed to say. This salad is lovely. It is pretty and colorful. It looks like summer itself.

It is not, however, Kid Friendly. In fact, it is decidedly Kid Unfriendly. Children, for example, who do not like pepper will NOT like this dish. Neither will children who do not like bulgur. Or children who don't like olive oil, lime juice, or corn (is there really anyone who doesn't like corn?).

But I ask you. Should I refrain from posting this lovely recipe just because a certain almost-twelve-year-old Miss Particular doesn't happen to like any of the ingredients therein?

Wouldn't that be a shame?

So my instructions to you are as follows. Make this recipe. Soon. Before the local corn is gone. Savor it. Enjoy it. But don't serve it to your particular children. They might not be so nice about it.

Corn Tabouleh
Makes 4-6 generous servings

1/2 cup bulgur wheat
4 ears of corn, husks removed, cooked and cooled
2 peppers (I used one green and one red)
3 scallions
a handful of basil, parsley or cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons olive oil

Cook the bulgur according to the package instructions. Or, if you don't have the package, do what I did: bring some water to a boil and pour it over the bulgur so it covers it and then some. Cover and let soak for about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool.

Cut the corn off the cobs. Chop the peppers, dice the scallions, and mince the herbs. Combine the vegetables in a large bowl, and then add the salt, lime juice, and oil.

Add the cooled bulgur and then refrigerate for at least an hour (overnight is fine too) to let the flavors meld.

Serve within a day or two.

Lemon Mint Zucchini Pancakes

This is my last resort. I tried Godiva chocolate. I tried homemade bread dipped in super fine olive oil. I even tried a fresh hot sugar cookie followed by two Advils.

My last hope for getting my mind off of my aches and pains is to sit down and write this here post. See, I had a root canal - my fifth one (!) - last week and am going through some serious after effects right about now.

We're talking a throbbing jaw. Aching gums. A completely mauled tongue. Not pretty. Not fun. 

Nothing seems to be cheering me up right now, and sadly, writing this post doesn't seem to be helping either. Thinking back to the day I made these Zucchini Pancakes, just over a week ago, before I had lost a piece of my tongue to the dentist's drill (ok, slight exaggeration there), makes me sad. Nostalgic. And maybe just a little hopeful that I might feel better sometime soon. 

Maybe, just maybe, my mouth will heal and I might one day enjoy a dinner of something other than fruit smoothies, cottage cheese, and soft bread. I'm not sure that day will ever come, but it's nice to dream. 

Lemon Mint Zucchini Pancakes, adapted from Love and Olive Oil

makes 8 large pancakes 

My adaptation of this recipe calls for 1/4 cup of fresh herbs. I used a combination of lemon verbena, mint, and chives. The result was lemony and minty - just perfect with the zucchini. Other herbs would work well (oregano or dill). But if you don't have lemon verbena, try adding some lemon zest instead. The original recipe calls for that, and I think it would do a lot to brighten the flavors in the absence of lemon verbena. 

4 small zucchini (try to get the bright orange/yellow variety)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small shallot, chopped
1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1/4 cup mixed fresh herbs (I used a combination of lemon balm, chives, and mint)
salt to taste
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
1/8 cup olive oil
Optional: Greek yogurt or sour cream, for serving

If you're using yellow or bright orange zucchini, just wash the zucchini and then grate them coarsely. If you're using green, you may want to peel it before grating. The green color of the peel can turn a little 'muddy.'

In a large bowl, combine the grated zucchini, garlic, shallot, ricotta, eggs, herbs, salt and bread crumbs. Stir well.

In a large, preferably cast iron, skillet, heat the olive oil. When it's nice and hot, add the zucchini batter in about 8 mounds. Each pancake should be 4-5 inches in diameter. Fry over medium heat, turning once, until browned and crisp. This will take about 10 minutes per side. Serve the pancakes right away, with yogurt or sour cream if desired.

Linking this up to Weekend Bloggy Reading and Ultimate Recipe Swap. 

The Simplest Potato Dish EVER

Am I the only one around here who reads cookbooks at the beach? At the poolside? In bed at night? Please tell me there are others out there like me. Perhaps another eccentric soul who owns nearly 100 cookbooks (at the last count). Who reads cookbooks like novels.

Maybe we can form a support group or something.

What's ironic is that with all the cookbooks I own, I rarely cook from cookbooks. I like to make up my own - mostly pretty simple - recipes. Sure, they're very much inspired by all the cookbooks I've read. And I certainly reference my cookbooks for ideas. But I almost always just 'wing it.'

This recipe is the simplest potato dish ever. Use the best ingredients you can find. Local freshly harvested potatoes if possible. Herbs from your garden or a local farm. And the finest olive oil you can afford.

Simple Roasted Potatoes
serves 6

8 medium red potatoes, scrubbed clean and dried
2 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
Leaves from 10 sprigs of thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon paprika, optional
Sour cream, optional

Preheat the oven to 425*. Chop the potatoes evenly into 1-inch pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes with the olive oil, garlic, thyme, salt and paprika. Mix well.

Spread the potatoes evenly in a large heavy non-disposable baking sheet. Make sure the potatoes are spread in ONE layer. If you need to, use two baking sheets so the potatoes are not in the least bit crowded. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, more of less, stirring occasionally to be sure the potatoes are browning evenly.

Serve hot, with sour cream if desired.

Linking this up to Melt in Your Mouth Monday and Real Food Wednesday. 

Creamy Baby Collards

I know you're thinking it. So just say it. What does a nice Jewish girl from Brooklyn know about collard greens? They're as Southern as you get. They just seem out of place on this blog, in her kitchen.

You're right. I don't know much about collards.

But when they showed up on my front porch this morning (in my CSA box), I knew I was in for a good Southern meal.

And I enjoyed every minute of it.

Creamy Baby Collards
Serves 2; about 15 minutes prep
I used baby collards but I think the dish would work well with more mature greens too. Just increase the cooking time by a couple of minutes to get them nice and soft. 

1 large bunch baby collards
2 tablespoons olive oil, butter, or a combination
2 scallions or spring onions, sliced thin
a handful of chives, snipped
2 tablespoons cream
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Clean the collards and remove any stems. Cook the greens for about 2 minutes (longer if you're using more mature greens). Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oil or butter in a large, preferably cast iron, frying pan. Saute the scallions and chives for a minute or two, over medium heat.

Add the drained collards and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring from time to time, till all the water has cooked out.

Add the cream and continue cooking, stirring, for about 5 minutes till the cream is thickened and no longer watery.

Serve immediately.

Linking this up to Pennywise Platter Thursday and Weekend Herb Blogging.