Summer time is Tomato time! Specifically…Heirloom Tomatoes!
I grew up with these kinds of tomatoes as a kid.  Striped tomatoes, odd shaped tomatoes, tomatoes in nearly every color of the rainbow and then somewhere along the way tomatoes became standardized, boring and tasteless.  Thank goodness that Heirloom Produce is making a comeback, because you haven’t tasted a tomato until you’ve tasted a REAL tomato like an Heirloom variety.

I have been making one particular salad with fresh Heirloom Tomatoes now for over a decade.  In fact I feel like stepping back to Summer in the year 2006 just to show you a picture of this salad that has been my Summer signature and how it has remained virtually unchanged after all these years.

There isn’t really a recipe for how I make this salad.  It’s more of a process and a combination of ingredients and you add them all together to make this stunning little tomato stack that explodes with the tastes of Summer all over your tongue.

Now let’s step in to the present day, actually yesterday to be exact.  My guy knows that I am not one for jewelry and that I’d rather have a bottle of Truffle Oil over a bouquet of roses.  So he got me bags of some absolutely beautiful produce to play around with yesterday.  In those bags were gorgeous Heirloom Tomatoes – and this is what I did with them yesterday:

As you can see… not a whole lot has changed over the years, which just goes to show how this recipe has been a favored Summertime staple in our house.

Go check out Pike Place Market or your local Farmer’s Market right now, chances are the first Heirlooms of the season are making an appearance!

I love a condiment that you can use for many different applications.  Such is my Honey Ginger Glaze.  It works beautifully on meat, fish, veggies, fruit and Tofu.  It’s a perfect finish on anything grilled.  It takes an ordinary pork chop and turns it into an extraordinary glossy bite of gingery bliss.

I picked up some gorgeous boneless pork lion chops from the awesome guys over at The Swinery, in West Seattle and combined those with my glaze made with some Chamiso Honey that I ordered from the sweet folks at Grampa’s Honey.

Honey Ginger Glaze

• 1/2 cup Honey
• 1 1/2 Tablespoon Ginger, peeled and freshly grated
• 1/2 teaspoon Aji-Mirin (Sweet Cooking Rice Wine)
• 1/4 teaspoon Sesame Oil
• Juice of half a Lime

Combine everything together in a small bowl and simply whisk to combine.  Makes a little over 1/2 cup, and will keep for up to 1 week covered in the fridge.

Tips:
– Use a pastry brush to brush it on grill foods shortly before it finishes cooking.  If you put it on too early, flames and heat can cause the sugars in the glaze to burn.
– Try it on Fish, Tofu, Beef, Chicken, Pork, Duck, Fruits and Vegetables, it’s very versatile.
– You can use this glaze as a base for marinades and salad dressings.

Local food is delicious!
Everything, except the salt and pepper, in that photo is locally produced food.  Most of it came from my weekly Full Circle Farm CSA Box.

This week Full Circle Farm announced a fun little contest on their Facebook Page, for their members, to see how creative people can be with their CSA Delivery.  What a fun and challenging idea!  Even though I probably won’t officially enter the contest, I thought I’d play along anyway.  So I got inspired to see if I could create a dinner using the ingredients from my box, plus a couple  supplemental ingredients like locally produced Mama Lil’s Peppers, Hempler’s Slab Bacon, Wilcox Farms Organic Eggs, Salt and Pepper.  Opening that box today kind of made me feel like I was on an episode of Chopped.

A big bunch of fresh spinach jumped out at me from inside the box.  Then I spied some fresh herbs, onions and a little brown bag stuffed with crimini mushrooms with tight little caps.  Some bacon, pickled peppers and shaved Red Alder Toma from Mt Townsend Creamery, little salt and pepper from the pantry and I was set!

A while back  I was visiting my dear friend Kate, she fed me a delicious dish of kale and eggs with those Mama Lil’s peppers.   I have been hooked on the combination of greens, eggs and pickled peppers ever since.  So this recipe is my ongoing tribute to her and that humble, beautifully delicious little meal that was shared between friends.  I simply can not get enough of these flavors.  Thanks for sharing that beautiful taste, Kate!

Skillet Eggs

• 1 cup of Bacon, cut into lardons
• 1/2 Red Onion, diced
• 6 ounces of Crimini Mushrooms, cut in half or quarters for larger shrooms
• 3 Springs of Fresh Thyme
• 4 cups Spinach, washed and chopped into large pieces
• 4 Eggs
• 1/4 cup Mama Lil’s Pickled Peppers
• 1/8 cup Mt Townsend Creamery Red Alder Toma (you can sub Parmesan)
• Salt & Pepper to Taste

Get your skillet or fry pan and put it on Medium High heat.  As soon as your pan is hot add in your Bacon and start rendering out the fat.  Once it begins to start crisping up a little and turning golden brown, add in your chopped Red Onion.  Sweat the Red Onion and then add in your mushrooms and fresh Thyme.  Let it cook for about 2-3 minutes and give it a quick stir and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes, stir again.

Turn your heat down to Low, add a little splash (a couple Tablespoons worth) of water or stock to the pan and add in your Spinach, give it a quick toss.  Now make 4 little egg sized “wells” of space in the spinach mixture by simply pushing it aside.  Crack each egg and empty the contents of the shell in to those little wells.

Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, add your Peppers and Cheese to the whole mix.

Cover the pan tightly and let it simmer until the whites are set and the egg yolks reach your desired doneness.  For a firmer yolk let them cook longer, for a softer runnier yolk cook them shorter.

****Vegetarian Option: Omit the Bacon & Cheese and replace with a little Olive Oil.

Support your local Farmer’s, Food Producers and Farmer’s Market!!!

Full disclosure: I have received no compensation from any business or organization mentioned for this article. I’m telling you about them because I like what they are doing.

So how about that Superbowl?  Did you inhale a few too many snacks during the big game and are looking for some dietary redemption?  Fear not, I am here to help you with something sweet, crunchy and delicious.  

I love a good Waldorf Salad, but many of the traditional recipes often are loaded with fatty dressings that drown out the delicious flavors of the ingredients.  It negates the healthful benefits of eating a salad by being overly dressed with fat.  I have my own version of a healthier Waldorf Salad that is really delicious and isn’t going to turn you into a Fatty McFatsauce.

Waldorf Salad

Salad:

• 3 Apples, cored and cut into 1/2″ chunks (I like Gala & Granny Smiths from Full Circle Farms)
• 1 cup Red Grapes, cut in half
• 1/3 cup Walnut pieces
• 1/3 cup Golden Raisins (you can sub Dried Cranberries or Currants)
• 1/2 cup Celery, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice

Dressing:

• 1/4 Plain Yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon Honey
• Juice of Half a Lemon
• Teeny Pinch of Salt

Garnish:

• Butter Lettuce Leaves

Combine the first 6 ingredients and toss well, set aside.  This will be your salad.
In a separate bowl, combine the Yogurt, Honey, Lemon & Salt.  Stir with a fork or a whisk to thoroughly combine.  This will be your dressing.
Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat evenly.

To serve, place a leaf of Butter Lettuce on the plate, then spoon the salad into the lettuce leaf and serve. Enjoy your tasty salad!

Tips:
If you are making this salad ahead of time, do not add the dressing until right before you serve it.  If you dress it too early and it sits around too long your fruits will leak out liquid and you’ll end up with a soupy mess.

Those Butter Lettuce leaves also make a tasty lettuce wrap for eating this healthy salad on the go!

Sometimes the best things in life are the simplest things.  Like this recipe.

On those days when life keeps you running around like crazy, there just does not seem to be enough hours in the day and you want something tasty to snack on but don’t have the energy to fuss around with a complicated recipe.  Well, this is an elegant and simple little recipe that goes together in a snap, keeps well when stored in the fridge and has big flavor that is sure to impress even when you’re pinched for time.

There are a few ingredients that I always keep on hand, because of their versatility and the big flavors they bring to the table.  Goat cheese and Oil Packed Sun Dried Tomatoes are two of those items.  They can be added separately or together from salads, to pastas to appetizers making them a favorite in my kitchen when I’m looking for a little extra punch of flavor.

This recipe is the perfect thing to make when you have unexpected drop-in guests because it goes together in 5 minutes.  Get your ingredients together, add them to a food processor, whip it up, scoop it in to a bowl and throw some crackers or herb toast points on the side.  Done.

Aside from using this as a spread on crackers, it’s also an amazing condiment for burgers and sandwiches too!

Goat Cheese & Sun Dried Tomato Spread

• 1 1/2 cups Goat Cheese
• 1/2 clove of crushed garlic
• 1/2 cup Oil Packed Sun Dried Tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1/2 Teaspoon  Fresh Thyme or Parsley
• Squeeze of Lemon Juice
• Salt to Taste

Put all the ingredients in to a food processor and pulse until smooth and well blended.  Place in a serving bowl and serve with crackers or toast.  Makes about 2 cups and will keep up to 1 week, covered in the fridge.

Additional Serving Suggestions:
– Topping for crackers, pita chips, melba toast, herbed toast
– Condiment for Sandwiches and Burgers
– Quick way to dress up some Penne Pasta by tossing it together.  Great Hot or Cold!

Is it cold enough out there for you?

With the recent Arctic Blast that brought us snow yesterday and the below freezing temperatures I felt like making snowballs.  After going outside to wrap and protect my fruit trees and salvage what crisply frozen Winter greens I could from my garden I decided that it was too cold to stay outside and make snowballs.  So I went inside and made them there instead!

Now this cookie recipe is an age old recipe.  Who knows where it first originated as it goes by sooo many names such as: Mexican Wedding Cakes, Italian Butternuts, Russian Tea Cakes just to name a few.  But I have read that it is a cookie that has a history that dates back as far as the 18th century. I make these little balls of heaven every single year and over the years I have tweaked the standard recipe to create a lovely, nut filled shortbread type cookie that will melt in your mouth.  Mine includes ground almonds, instead of chopped pecans or walnuts and I like to use a Vanilla Bean with a couple little drops of Amaretto to really make the almond flavor sing.

It’s a super easy cookie to make and if you have little ones around they will have fun helping you to shape them into little balls, while keeping snug and warm during this Arctic Blast.  It also keeps really well.

For this recipe I use unsalted butter.  If you are going to use salted butter omit the salt.
Vegan & Lactose Sensitive – If you are vegan or  lactose intolerant, substitute the butter for Margarine. Please note that vegetable oil spreads will make these cookies spread out and flatten a bit.
Gluten Free – If you are gluten intolerant, substitute flour with your favorite GF All Purpose flour and add an additional 2 Tablespoons of water

Snowball Cookies

• 2 Sticks (1/2 Cup) unsalted Butter, softened
• 1/2 Powdered Sugar
• 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 Cup Cake Flour
• 1 Vanilla Bean, seeds scraped out
• 1 teaspoon Amaretto
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Cup Almond Flour, or finely ground Almonds

For Dusting:

• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cornstarch

Dusting Instructions:
Combine in a bowl and set aside

Snowball Cookie Instructions:
Using a mixer or by hand, cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together until they are all well combined.
Divide the dough in half and form two large balls.  Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge to cool for at least 1 hour and as long as overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°, prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
Now go get one of your chilled dough balls out of the refrigerator.  Begin shaping balls by rolling about 2 teaspoons worth of dough at a time into balls using your hands.  They should be just a little smaller than a walnut in the shell.  Place them about 1/2″ apart on a baking sheet (if you are using Margarine – place them 1″ apart).

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom, the tops will be a very pale golden brown.
Let them cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to the Powdered Sugar and Cornstarch that you made earlier.
Give them a gentle roll until they are well coated.
Reserve a little of the Dusting recipe to sift over the tops of the cookies right before serving.

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved
All content, text and images are  ©2010 All Rights Reserved and may not be used or reposted without express written consent.

In the Pacific Northwest there is one fish that is King, and that fish is Salmon.  Whether you get it at your local Farmer’s Market, the Fisherman’s Terminal in Ballard, from the flying fish guys at Pike Place Market or you catch it yourself, Salmon is best here in the Northwest.  Summertime is the perfect time of year for putting our local fishy royalty on the grill.  And there isn’t a recipe that is easier than this.

To take it up another notch without complicating things, you can throw the salmon on to a Cedar Plank (you can find these online and in some local grocery stores like Metropolitan Markets, PCC & Thriftway).

Cedar Planking gives the Salmon a rich, delicious smoky flavor and it really could not be simpler.  A few tips before you get started:

• Make sure that the wood you are using is Food Safe – a Cedar Shingle from the hardware store is loaded with industry chemicals that can make you very sick
• Soak the Cedar Plank for at least 3 hours in salted water before you plan on using it
• Use fresh Salmon – check out your local fish market, the fresher the better
• Keep the skin on the Salmon, it helps make it easier to remove the Salmon from the plank

Cedar Plank Salmon
This recipe can easily be doubled

• 1 Cedar Plank
• 1 lb Salmon, skin on, cut into fillets
• 1 Orange, cut into round slices, then halved
• 1 Red Onion, cut into round slices, then halved
• 5-6 sprigs of fresh Rosemary
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper, coarsely ground
• 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Red Chili Flake or Chili Threads

Soak your Cedar Plank for at least 3 hours in salted water (Just enough salt in the water so that you can taste it, all it really is there to do is help season the fish during grilling).
Pull the Cedar Plank out of the water soak and lay the Salmon, skin side down, on the plank.  Place half a slice of Orange and Red Onion in between each piece of Salmon, followed by a sprig of Rosemary.
Now to season it: Drizzle the Olive Oil over the top, followed by the Black Pepper, Salt and Chili.  Set this aside and get your grill ready.
You will be grilling over a medium high heat setting.  If you have a gas grill simply turn your dial to Medium-High.  For Charcoal, get your coals ready and hold your hand over the center of the flame about 6″ above the actual grill, if you can comfortably leave your hand there for about 7-8 seconds your coals are ready.

Now the simplest part – stick the planks on the grill, put the lid on the grill, wait 20-25 minutes and they are done.
Tip: Do not keep opening up the grill to check on the fish.  You will lose all the delicious smoke that has built up in the grill and your fish won’t get that nice smoky flavor.

I like to use the boards to serve the fish, either put them on a platter, baking sheet or piece of foil to prevent the scorched underside from leaving any marks on tabletops.  Enjoy!

Full disclosure: I have received no compensation from PCC , Metropolitan Market, Thriftway or any other organizations mentioned for this article.

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved
All content, text and images are  ©2010 All Rights Reserved and may not be used or reposted without express written consent.

Every other week we have friends over for a night of playing games and snacks.  On our last gaming night I made up a batch of Herbed Mixed Nuts that were a big hit with everyone, so I thought… Hey, I’ll make another batch of those nuts!

The big running joke ever since then has been “You’re gunna love my nuts” and really… everyone will love your nuts.  These nuts are delicious and easy as pie to prepare.   They are also an awesome portable snack and an extra bonus is that this recipe is gluten free and vegan friendly!! Make a big batch as they go fast!  If you are interested in a drink that celebrates Seafair and the Blue Angels you really have to go check out ThirstQuest’s Seafair LemonBlueaid, so refreshing and a perfect pair with this recipe.  Just in time for your Seafair enjoyment, be safe out there and have a great time Seattle!

Herb Mixed Nuts

• 1 cup Raw Almonds
• 1 cup Raw Pecans
• 1 cup Raw Cashews
• 1 cup Raw Hazelnuts
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons fresh Rosemary, chopped or whole leaves – your preference
• 1/2 Teaspoon Coarse Ground Black Pepper
• 1/4 Teaspoon Red Chili Flake
• 1 Teaspoon Demerara Sugar (sub Light Brown Sugar)
• 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
• Optional Add In: 1 Tablespoon Shaved Black Truffle

Over medium heat add everything into a large frying pan, Toss to coat the nuts completely with the oil and spice mixture.  Stirring constantly for about 7-10 minutes or just until the nuts are toasted. You will want to keep turning and stirring the nuts to prevent scorching or burning the nuts.  Once they are done put them in a bowl or a simple brown paper bag and they are done.  If you want to make them a little extra special you can shave a little Black Truffle over them while they are still warm.

A good indicator that your nuts are ready are the cashews.  Their light color will show you how far along the toasting process is.  Keep in mind that even when you take the nuts off the heat they will continue to keep on toasting, so take them off when you achieve a very light toast.

You will want to use RAW nuts for this recipe.  You can find those at PCC Natural Markets and at other places like Trader Joes.  The reason for the Raw Nuts is already toasted nuts will taste bitter and burnt, Raw Nuts will yield sweet, crunchy and nutty bites that will keep your hands dipping back into the snack bowl or bag.

Full disclosure: I have received no compensation from Trader Joes, Blue Angels,  Seafair or PCC Natural Markets for this article.

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved
All content, text and images are  ©2010 All Rights Reserved and may not be used or reposted without express written consent.

Have you heard of Halloumi? It’s a wonderful semi-hard sheep and/or goat’s milk cheese from Cypress, that has a high melting point. Which means that you can put it right on the grill and grill it or fry it in a fry pan. PERFECT for Summer!

Halloumi is very salty, so a little goes a long way. You can marinate it with olive oil and herbs or purchase it already marinated. It pairs really well with Summer fruits like watermelon, peaches and strawberries.

I put together a little salad combining the tastes of Summer and Halloumi Cheese. This salad is so delicious and the crunchy, salty Halloumi is a perfect briny bite that compliments the sweet Summery melon. It also travels well, you can cook it up ahead of time and take it to one of the many beautiful public picnic parks in Seattle, or anywhere for that matter,  for a delicious, healthy picnic treat. Places around Seattle that carry it are Metropolitan Markets and Big John’s PFI.

Grilled Halloumi Cheese Salad

• 1 8 ounce brick of Halloumi Cheese- Cut into 1/4″ Slices – Marinated (See recipe below)
• 4 Cups Baby Spinach, washed
• 1 Cup Seedless Watermelon, cut into 3/4″ cubes
• 1/2 Teaspoon Chive Flowers or Chopped Chives
• 6 Kalamata Olives, pitted and quartered
• 8-10 Fresh Mint Leaves – cut as Chiffonade or thin strips
• Honey Balsamic Dressing (see recipe below)

If you did not purchase already marinated Halloumi, prepare the marinade as listed int he recipe below and let it rest for 4 hours or overnight.  If you purchased Marinated Halloumi then proceed without waiting.
Make sure that you grill is not too hot.  You may use a fry pan or a BBQ grill.  The heat should be around medium, on a grill, you should be able to hold your hand over the center of the coals for about 7-8 seconds without discomfort and that’s when you know the temperature is right.

Place the Halloumi on the grill, and just toast it until it is golden brown on both sides.  Set aside.

Assemble the rest of the salad ingredients as listed above, give it a toss and put a heap of salad on each plate and top it with one or two slices of your grilled Halloumi Cheese.

You can Garnish with a little additional dressing and mint leaves if you desire.

Marinated Halloumi

• 1 8 ounce brick of Halloumi Cheese- Cut into 1/4″ Slices
• 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 Teaspoon Fresh Oregano, or dried if you don’t have fresh
• 1/8 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
• Optional – Pinch of whole Peppercorns
• Optional – Pinch of Chive Flowers or Chopped Chives

Combine the above ingredients and let it rest covered for 4 hours or overnight.  Very important!!! – DO NOT ADD SALT!  This cheese is very salty and you will not need to add any salt.

Honey Pepper Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 1/4 Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 Tablespoons Honey
• 1/8 teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Water

Put in a small bowl and whisk together and use.

Looking to gain favor with the Easter Bunny this year? Well, I’ve got a little treat in store for you and it is even Gluten Free. Oh yes, my GF friends I have some springtime cookie love that is right up your alley.

This cookie was born out of a need. A need for a cookie. We didn’t have any cookies laying around and the only flour I had was a whole wheat flour. I will just say this now… I was not in the mood for a healthy whole grain cookie, I was in the mood for sweet, chewy, crispy and delectable. I had coconut, I had eggs, I had butter and sugar. Most importantly, I had the desire for a cookie.

So I grabbed a bunch of cookie-ish ingredients, some nuts and dried cherries and some pink food coloring. Why pink? I dunno… I just felt “pink”. I began randomly throwing things into the mixer like a mad scientist (please imagine me wringing my hands and going “Mwahahaha” over the mixer) and from this mad experiment was the discovery of the most delicious coconut cookie I have ever sunk my teeth into.

Crisp edges that are still chewy, an inside that is moist and delectable with strands of coconut, chunks of pecans and sour cherries running through the chewilicious goodness. So get your pink nom on in time for the Easter season. Make ’em for the Easter Bunny, your favorite Hunny Bunny or just for yourself to nom and not share. You won’t want to share… and that is ok. Eat them all with a big, fat pink coconutty grin on your face.

Pink Coconut Cookies

• 1 stick of Butter, softened
• 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 2/3 cup Baker’s Sugar (ultra-fine sugar, but regular will do in a pinch)
• 2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Cream together the Above ingredients on high for about 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar mixture looks creamy and fluffy.

• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking Soda
• 6 Egg Whites – ONE AT A TIME

Add the Salt and Baking Soda, mix for 1 minute. Now add in your Egg Whites one at a time, mixing for 1 full minute after each egg white is added.

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup Almond Flour (ground almonds… more Almond Flour results in a fatter, denser cookie)
• 2 cups sweetened Flaked Coconut
• 1/4 cup Pecans, finely chopped (optional)
• 1/4 cup Dried Cherries, finely chopped (optional)
• Food Coloring – pick whatever color makes you happiest

Dump the rest of the ingredients into the fluffy, eggy mixture and fold it in by hand until the ingredients are well combined.
Preheat your oven to 325º C
***You will need parchment paper or a silicon mat. Don’t try to make these cookies without one of these items. You can find silicon mats at any good online kitchen store and parchment paper is at your grocery store near the aluminum foil and waxed paper. Without this you will need a chisel or a jackhammer to pry the tasty cookies off the cookie sheet. I like to use parchment paper.
On a cookie sheet lined with parchment or silicon mat drop very rounded heaping teaspoons onto the parchment or silicon, bake in the oven for 17-20 minutes or just until the edges are golden brown. Remove and let cool completely before removing from the cookie sheet.

When storing these cookies, cut small squares of parchment paper or wax paper and insert in between each cookie otherwise they will stick together. Keep them in an airtight container and they should keep for about 3-4 days.