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.

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.

Quesadillas… a couple tortillas filled with goodies and grilled until the insides are all ooey gooey melted goodness.  Not only are Quesadillas delicious, they are incredibly easy to make.  My quick recipe is also a snap to change up by adding different fillings to please the palates of any hungry snacker.   Be sure to check my suggestions below for ideas!

For this recipe I have decided to go healthy and make these Veggie Quesadillas.  Now before you start rolling your eyes and running for the nearest burger joint, in my kitchen healthy does not mean bland and tasteless.  I have combined hearty black beans, sweet corn and sharp cheddar for a deliciously satisfying bite.  Try some of the Northwests own Tillamook Cheddar, it’s a perfect fit for this dish.

And just to take it to the edge of insanity, I’ve topped it all off with a homemade spicy Pineapple Salsa.  This salsa packs a mouth watering spicy, sweet punch.  It is also a versatile condiment with a myriad of uses beyond the old Chips & Salsa routine.  Try using it to dress up a boring old Chicken Breast or Oven Roasted Pork Chop or even as a Pizza Topping!

Veggie Quesadillas
Yield: 1 Quesadilla

• 2 Large Flour Tortillas
• 2 Tablespoons Black Beans, canned or rehydrated
• 2 Tablespoons Sweet Corn Kernels, frozen or cut fresh from the cob
• 1 Tablespoon Sweet Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Red Bell Pepper, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, finely shredded
• Salt & Pepper to Taste
• Splash of Olive Oil

On the stove top heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add a very small splash of olive oil and swirl it around in the pan to coat the bottom evenly.  Take the first Flour Tortilla and place it into the hot pan.  Working quickly, evenly spread the remaining ingredients on top of the warming Tortilla with a 1/2 inch margin to the edge of the Tortilla.  Place the remaining Tortilla on top of the filling and let it toast.

Once the tortilla is toasted, generally 3-4 minutes, give it a quick flip with a spatula and toast off the other side.  When it is ready, cut it as if you were cutting a pie, making 6 wedges.  Top with Salsa and serve immediately.

Party Tip: You can make these ahead and reheat for 10 minutes in a 375 oven.

Pineapple Salsa
Yield: 2 cups

• 1 Cup Pineapple, in chunks, canned or fresh
• 1/2 Cup Yellow Bell Pepper, roughly chopped
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Tomatoes, seeds removed, roughly chopped
• 1/2 Cup Cilantro, chopped
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste

Combine the ingredients, let it sit for at least 20 minutes to allow the Crushed Red Pepper to add its fire.  Keep in mind that as the Salsa sits the Crushed Red Pepper heat will intensify, so go lightly as it is easier to add heat than it is to remove it.

Additional Quesadilla Filling Ideas:

• Jalapeno
• Sliced Chicken or Turkey Breast
• Sliced Lean Beef
• Seitan
• Shrimp
• Halibut
• Crab
• Mushrooms
• Bell Peppers
• Mama Lil’s Kick Butt Peppers
• Ham
• Spinach
• Bacon
• Sausage
• Asparagus
• Cheese, other than Cheddar – Monterey Jack, Swiss, Racelette,  Feta, Brie, Goat Cheese

Full disclosure: I have received no compensation from any business or organization mentioned in 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.

Hummus is one of those dishes that carnivores and vegans can agree is a little chunk of heaven… in a dippable and spreadable form. I’ve been known to make a pretty mean and delicious Hummus (aka houmous, hommus, or humus). Everytime I get asked for the recipe people freak out that it is so easy to make. Around these parts to buy a small 10 oz. tub of Hummus dip will run you about $4.00 – $7.00 depending on who you get it from and how fancy shmancy the label is. This is bad for an addict of Hummus, like myself, so years ago I set out to find a recipe. I searched and searched and finally I found one, but after making it I was sorely disappointed in the results. So after having tweaked and twisted the recipe I came up with something that makes my eyes roll back in my head everytime I eat it while I literally sit here and go NOM NOM NOM.

Now aside from the control you have of making your own Hummus and flavoring it the way you like, the other advantage is that it only costs you about $2.00 to make about 2 1/2 cups worth of this delicious dip, even LESS if you do it from dried beans. It’s really good too if you make one of the variations like the Roasted Garlic or the Sun Dried Tomato and use it as a veggie dip for your crudites.

Hummus

• 3-4 Cloves Raw Garlic
• 1 1/2 cups of rehydrated, cooked Dry Garbanzo Beans or 1 15 oz. Can of Garbanzo Beans
• ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive
• 4 tablespoons Tahini Paste
• ¼ teaspoon
• Sea Salt
• Juice of Half a Lemon
• 1 to 2 tablespoons Water (add more or less until desired consistency)
• Pinch of Cumin

Time to whip out your handy dandy food processor. Throw your garlic cloves in there and pulse them until they are minced up good. Now just throw the rest of the ingredients in and pulse it until everything is blended smooth. Make sure to dip in there and give it a taste and adjust to your liking Garnish it off with a sprinkle of Paprika or Parsley.  Serve it with a drizzle of Olive Oil, little squeeze of Lemon and Pita Wedges.

Roasted Garlic Variation: Replace the Garlic with about 8 cloves of Roasted Garlic.
Sun Dried Tomato Variation: Replace the Garlic with 1/8 cup oil cured Sun Dried Tomatoes.
Kalamata Olive Variation: Add 1/8 cup pitted Kalamata Olives.
Low Fat Variation: Cut the Oil back to 2 Tablespoons and increase the Water to 1/4 cup.
This stuff is awesome with pita wedges, falafel or even use it as a spread on a sandwich like you would Mayonaise. It is really delicious. Enjoy!

I’m going to share with you a secret little imported food haven that a friend of mine shared with me last year. Down by Safeco Field is a little hidden gem of a place called Big John’s PFI. It’s tucked away in the bottom of a brick building on 6th Avenue and it is the place to go for imported foods like tahini paste, pomegranate molasses, exquisite olive oils, halloumi, big pearl cous cous, pastas… I could just go on and on with the selection of items they have here for great prices that you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else. They have a selection of bulk dried peas and legumes, as well as an impressive selection of bulk spices, which make it the perfect go to spot for this recipe, you can pick up your tahini, olive oil, cumin and chick peas all in one stop! Don’t forget to sample their extensive selection of cow, sheep and goat’s milk cheese from around the world. It’s a specialty food lover’s delight in there!

Oooh this Summer has been a busy one, and now we are already in to Fall.  Good thing we preserved some of Summer’s gorgeous basil.  So what to do with all that lovely Basil Paste we just made a few weeks back? I’ve got a little something up my sleeve that puts an answer to that very question.  This time we are going for a bit of an unconventional twist on the classic Gremolata. 

Usually a classic Gremolata is a dry or sometimes wet combination of chopped parsley with citrus, garlic and salt.  Ours will be a little different thanks to the basil and a little wet thanks to the Olive Oil our Basil Paste base, but that’s okay because the flavor is sensational either way.  You certainly could use fresh Basil if you have some handy.  So what we will be creating here is Emerald Summer Sunshine on a spoon, my friends.

Basil Gremolata

• 2 Tablespoons Basil Paste or 1/2 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves, finely chopped
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic, finely minced
• Zest of 1/2 Lemon
• Twist or two of Fresh Cracked Pepper
• Pinch of Sea Salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix together thoroughly.

It just doesn’t get any easier than this.  This is amazing on fish, chicken, tofu, toasted baguettes, mixed into a vinaigrette or any other creative way you want to put it to use.

This is about simplicity.  Perfect, fresh ingredients combined together to make a perfectly delicious snack.
This quick & simple little bite works well for a party appetizer, a snack or as a home cooking project with the kids.
Savor delicious simplicity.

Brie & Apple Melts

• 1 Baguette – sliced to 1/2″ thick
• 3-4 Tablspoons Unsalted Butter
• 8 oz Brie, rind removed, thinly sliced
• 2 Green Apples, cored, halved and thinly sliced
• Sprigs of Arugula
• Pinch of Black Pepper, freshly cracked

Cooking temperatures & times will vary depending on the oven or grill being used.
Lightly butter one side of the baguette slices.  You can either place them under a preheated 400º broiler or on a grill, either way you are going to let them toast on one side, until just golden brown.  Once toasted, remove them from the heat and top each slice with the apples.  Now you are going to take your brie and place it in the middle on top of the apple slices.  Return to the broiler (for the grill – protect the bottoms) for just enough time that the brie begins to droop a bit.  Once it starts to melt and droop remove from the heat, transfer the whole lot to a plate and top with springs of arugula and black pepper.

***Cook’s Note:  You can also add crisped pancetta or bacon bits to this recipe for a little added extra sumpthin’ sumpthin’