Picnic Tuna Salad

Music: City Park Jazz - I LOVE Denver

Menu: Tuna Salad w/crackers, cheese, and veggie sticks.

I LOVE this tuna salad. It's tasty without the mayo. So, for anyone who doesn't like the mayo or if you need to transport the tuna salad to, let's say, live free jazz concerts in downtown Denver in a beautiful park, then this is what you should make. It's super easy, quick, and delicious. I made a massive amount of it and met about 10 people at the park and it was devoured in about 5 minutes. I think I even saw some licking their fingers :)

And if you are a Denver-ite and have never been to Sunday evening, City Park Jazz, it's a must! Sundays from 6 - 8pm FREE jazz! Just pack a cooler, join the crowds, and enjoy living in such a great city. Here's a pic from last weeks fun...

Picnic Tuna Salad

Amanda

Ingredients:

• 3 cans of tuna in water, drained well
• 1 can of artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
• 2 ribs of celery, sliced thin
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1/2 cup Kalmata olives, roughly chopped
• 1 TB parsley, chopped
• 1 lemon, juiced
• EVOO
• S & P

Directions:

1. Mix tuna through lemon juice and stir to combine. Add 1-3 TB EVOO to your liking and season to taste with S & P. Chill salad if you have the time. Serve!

Beet and Cucumber Relish with Grilled Asparagus

Music: Dave Brubeck Quartet, "Live in Stockholm" - This year marks the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking release of their song, "Take Five." What was and still remains to be so amazing is that this was not only a jazz song that became a popular success, but that it is in the unique and somewhat awkward time signature of 5/4. For all of you non-musicians out there, this is the equivalent of a 5 legged horse winning the Kentucky Derby and then going on to win the following season of "Dancing with the Stars." NPR highlights the story here.

Menu: Grilled pork loin (not tenderloin, give it a try...it's the spare rib vs. baby back argument and we always side on the loin and spare rib side), and the relish and grilled asparagus


So, my dad HATED beets. I don't think that hate is a strong enough word. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't go near the suckers. Because of this, I have never tasted one. I have been seeing so many yummy recipes popping up everywhere with beets. So, we're trying them! I figured this would be a good intro - roasted beets in a dressing with one of my favorite veggies of all times, grilled asparagus.

The recipe was good. Not great, but good. It needed a little something more...maybe a little feta sprinkled on top. It was definitely enough to spark my interest in beets though. I am going to try some more recipes and figure out how I like 'em. I must admit, the earthy taste, smooth texture, and fantastic color is hard to resist. Anyone have suggestions for beets? What's your fave recipe?

Beet and Cucumber Relish with Grilled Asparagus
from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

• 2 medium red beets, greens removed
• 1 cup english cucumber, diced
• 1 small shallot, chopped
• 2 tspn balsamic vinegar
• 2 tspn EVOO
• S & P
  
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Wrap beets in foil and cook for 45 - 1 hour until a fork comes out easily.
   
2. Once cool, trim beets, and remove skin (a paper towel helps, jut rub skin and it comes off). Dice beets into 1/2 inch pieces and place in medium bowl. Add rest of ingredients, excluding asparagus and stir to combine. Can be made 2 hours in advance and chill in refrigerator.
   
3. Preheat grill until hot and ready. Toss asparagus with EVOO and S & P. Add asparagus to well greased grill and cook, turning once, 4 - 8 minutes, depending on thickness.
   
4. To serve, pile asparagus on plate and top with beet and cucumber relish. Serve immediately.
   

Clemson Risotto (for Joey!)

Music: Corey Smith, "In the Mood" - A southern man for a southern inspired meal
Menu: This is all you need folks! If you need some protein, just add some chopped cooked chicken and you got yourself a one pot meal.


So, I made this months back and just getting around to posting it now. Here's how it went: I had a butternut squash, some Arborio rice and no idea what to do for dinner. There was 3 inches of snow on the ground and hell if I was gonna walk to the grocery store for dinner. We make risotto quite a bit. Risotto with cheese, peas, asparagus, meat, you name it we have made it. Except for butternut squash. I know, I know, this is a popular combo, but I had not made it quite yet. I always start risotto with onion. And when I saw the lone red onion, I thought, "Oh, No." Red onion in risotto...how un-elegant. But it was all I had (and again, damned if I was gonna go to the store). So, I began my butternut squash risotto with red onion. A wonderful creation emerged, just for my brister ;) So, here you go Joey. When you meet that special lady and she doesn't believe your total and utter obsession with Clemson (I don't think that this is a hard concept to get as all she would need to do is be in the room while watching you watch a Clemson sporting event...ANY sporting event...even a gymnastics competition would do...) just make this for her. Actually, scratch that. She might run the other direction when your meals start to resemble Clemson, too. So, Joey, this one is just for you. And maybe, just maybe, one day we'll be in the same state long enough for me to make it for you, bro.

Clemson Risotto
an Amanda original

Ingredients:

• 1 small butternut squash
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• S & P
• 1 tspn, dried thyme
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
  
• 4 - 6 cups chicken stock, simmering (have on the back burner on low heat, don't boil, but just barely simmer)
  
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded, plus more for garnish
• Parsley for garnish
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cut butternut squash lengthwise into two pieces. Scoop and seeds and membrane. Peel (not as easy as it sounds, people, make sure you have a good peeler or you're in for a long peeling). Cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Place squash on baking sheet and drizzle with EVOO and S & P. Roast for about 12 - 15 minutes until lightly browned, turning once or twice. Remove and set aside.
   
3. Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add EVOO and then add onion once you can smell the oil (this means the oil is heated through). Saute onion for 5 - 8 minutes until translucent, but not browned.
4. Add garlic, S &P, and thyme and saute 30 seconds until fragrant.
   
5. Add rice and constantly stir for about 2 minutes, The rice grains will become clear on the outside.
6. Deglaze pan with wine and cook until almost all liquid has evaporated.
   
7. Add about 1 - 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock - enough liquid to come to the top of the rice. Stir and let liquid cook down. Repeat this process: add liquid and stir in. Cook down until liquid is almost gone and add more. Continue this process until rice is done: soft and velvety, not chewy - about 25 - 35 minutes.
   
8. When you add your last batch of liquid or just after, add butternut squash and stir to combine (its okay if you add too early, just be careful to not squish the squash as you stir and if you add to late, no worries!)
   
9. Turn off heat and stir in parmesan.
10. Serve in big bowls with parmesan and parsley to top.
    

Curried Tofu and Avocado Dip

Music: Thievery Corporation, The Richest Man in Babylon
Menu: Curried Tofu and Avocado Dip w/crudites, grilled portobello burgers, corn on the cob, sweet potato fries, and a blackberry, nectarine crisp for dessert


I know, you're thinking, another tofu recipe?!? Well, we had a good friend of ours over for dinner last weekend and we had been talking the last time we saw him about eating vegetarian (even though we obviously are not). He mentioned that the next time we did dinner together we should cook him a veg meal. I always like to try to introduce people who don't eat vegetarian to new foods, meals, and ideas. So, I thought this was a good intro to tofu.



The recipe was good, but I found it need a bit more seasoning - I added another garlic clove and a bit more curry powder and I feel it still could have used more. Other than that, it was a great and light appetizer to a wonderful evening :)

Curried Tofu and Avocado Dip

from Food & Wine

Ingredients:

• 7 ounces of silken tofu
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
• 1 tspn lime zest
• 2 TB fresh lime juice
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 1/2 tspn honey
• 1 tspn curry powder
• 2 TB mint
• Pepper
• Cucumber slices, carrot sticks, pita chips (rosemary, garlic, sea salt)
  

Directions:

1. In a food processor combine all inredients (except cucumber, carrots, and pita chips) and puree until smooth. Season with S & P to taste.
2. Chill dip until ready to serve and serve alongside veggies and pita chips.
   

Cocoa and Chile Rubbed Pork Chops

Music: Sublime, 40 oz. to Freedom...went a little old school on you
Menu: Cocoa and Chile Rubbed Pork Chops, roasted green beans & mushrooms, cheesy grits

Let's talk about spice, baby. Let's talk about you and me. Let's talk about all the sweet and spicy things that make these pork chops...that includes a little S & P. Was that too chessy?!? Maybe...but these pork chops surely are not. The recipe (courtesy of Food & Wine) calls for pure ancho chile powder. Well, I did not have ancho chiles, but I still have a TON of cayenne peppers from a few years back when I tried making my own chile spiked vodka as a Bloody Mary base for X-mas gifts one year...let's just say the vodka is killer...and I mean that literally and not in a "dude" way.

N-E-ways. I grounded up some cayenne pepps, combined some cocoa powder and brown suga' and wall-la! Friggin' amazing! These were spicy, like really spicy. If you don't like spice I recommend a basic mexican chile powder or as the recipe suggests ancho chile powder. Here in Denver, you can find whatever chile your heart desires - fresh or dried - in the regular supermarket. But in case you aren't sure what the h-e-double hockeysticks an ancho chile is, it's actually just a dried poblano pepper. Poblano are the long, wide dark green chiles. Ancho is the dried version and like a poblano they are much milder than a cayenne.

Oh, oh, oh...one of my fave side dishes! Roasted green beans and mushrooms with garlic, shallot amazing-ness! Add some EVOO and S & P and pop in the oven for 12 minutes and literally one of the best side dishes...at least on the Callahan scorecard.

Lastly, I must tell you that grits for dinner is perfectly acceptable. This is coming from the household that goes through a canister of grits in about 1 week (does that qualify as an obsession?!?). I will share my most perfect grits recipe, but later. Time for the spicy sweet pork chops that look oh-so-delish.

Cocoa-and-Chile-Rubbed Pork Chops
from Food & Wine

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts water
• 1 1/2 tspn crushed red pepper
• salt
• Pork chops - 4 thick boneless pork loin chops
• 1 TB unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 TB light brown sugar
• 1 TB pure ancho chile powder
• EVOO
  

Directions:

1. In a large bowl or your regular marinating dish, combine water, red pepper, and 1 1/2 tspn. of salt and stir until salt dissolves. Add pork chops and let brine at room temp. for at least an hour.
   
2. Light a grill (create an indirect heating scenario: if you have a charcoal grill, move all coals to one side or for a gas grill, just light one side).
3. In a bowl, mix cocoa, sugar, and chile powder, with 1 TB salt.
4. Drain pork chops and pat dry. Brush or drizzle with EVOO.
5. Press pork chops into cocoa rub and press to help adhere. Repeat on both sides and with each pork chop.
   
6. Grill over moderate-high heat for 4 minutes, turning once, until lightly browned on each side. Move chops to cool side of grill and cover and let sit for 10 - 15 minutes. Thermometer should read 135 for medium meat. Let chops rest before digging in.
   
7. Serve with veggies, grits, and water to cool down the heat!
   

Spicy Shrimp with Poblano Polenta

Music: Matisyahu, Live at Stubb's
Menu: Chips and salsa; Spicy Shrimp w/poblano polenta; red onion, zucchini, and corn saute (and much later becuase we are total lushes, I made bananas foster!)


If that photo isn't making you drool, then sumthin' is wrong with you...seriously...check your pulse. This meal was FANTASTIC. But I have a confession to make. It's a bad one. I have never done this before, but it was just so hard to resist. This recipe....ready for this one.....???


Came from a product add. Hold your gasping and assumptions. If you read cooking magazines, then you should recognize this recipe. It is like THE add this month in (I'm pretty sure) every major cooking mag. It's from McCormick's. They call the recipe Smoked Paprika Shrimp with Poblano Polenta and Red Pepper Agave Sauce. I have adapted it to make it a bit easier and of course, used my own paprika and seasonings.

As for the music, Matisyahu (pronounced just like it looks, Ma-tis-ya-hu) hit the music scene running a few years back. I never really jumped on the band wagon then, but his Live at Stubb's CD has been in my iTunes library for a while and recently have been playing it quite a bit. It's the perfect for a late sunny Sunday afternoon. His reggae beats and killer songwriting are relaxing, but still make ya wanna swing your hips and sing along.

Spicy Shrimp and Poblano Polenta
from McCormick's Gourmet

Ingredients:

• 1 large red bell pepper
• 2 poblano peppers
• EVOO (in all about 3 - 4 TB, divided)
  
• 1/4 medium red onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 3 TB agave nectar or honey
• 2 1/2 cups of chicken stock, divided
  
• 1 TB tomato paste
• 1/4 tspn cayenne
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup polenta
• 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tspn smoked paprika
• 1 tspn garlic powder
• 1 tspn cumin
• S & P
• Cilantro, for garnish
  

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler.
   
2. Cut tops and bottoms off peppers (red bell and poblanos). Remove seeds and white pith. On a cookie sheet wrapped in foil, place large pieces of pepper and press down to flatten pepper pieces. Place tops and bottoms and lightly drizzle with EVOO. Place under broiler and cook for at least 3 mintues or until skin is black and blistering. If you don't cook peppers enough, they will be a pain to peel, so cook until the skin is blistering and black in large spots.
3. Place peppers in a ziploc bag and set aside for 10 - 15 minutes. Remove and peel. Chop poblano peppers and set aside.
   
4. In a small saucepan, heat EVOO over medium heat. Add onion, saute for 2 - 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds - 1 minute. Add agave nectar and stir until nectar becomes watery and onions and garlic are incorporated. Turn off heat and set aside.
   
5. In a food processor, combine the agave nectar mixture, roasted red pepper, 1/2 cup chicken stock, tomato paste, and cayenne. Puree until smooth or to your desired consistency. Season w/ S &P to taste.
   
6. Place roasted red pepper sauce back into the same saucepan used to cook onion/nectar mixture. Place on law heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally (I cooked this down until the rest of dinner was finished).
7. In a medium stockpot, heat 2 cups of chicken stock and 2 cups of milk until lightly boiling. Whisk polenta into liquid and gently simmer for 15 - 25 minutes. Add chopped poblanos, season with S & P. Keep warm.
8. While polenta cooks, season shrimp with paprika, garlic powder, cumin, and S & P. Mix to make sure each shrimp is coated.
   
9. Heat 1 TB of EVOO in a large skillet over moderately high heat. Add shrimp and saute for 3 - 4 minutes or until shrimp a turn pick and are firm when you poke them.
   
10. To serve, spoon a heap of polenta in the center of the plate. Top with a serving of shrimp and drizzle plate and shrimp with roasted red pepper sauce. Top with cilantro.