Tag: Fiesta Friday (Page 35 of 40)

Refreshing Tabbouleh

September 3, 2015 / Jenny / 14 Comments

Tabbouleh is one of the most refreshing salads I have ever tasted. With lots of mint, cucumber, lemon juice, parsley, and ripe, juicy tomatoes, it not only quenches my thirst and naturally cools me down, but it is also full of nutrients and tastes delicious. The grain in tabbouleh is bulgur wheat, which tastes similar to couscous. I really like bulgur because it is a hundred percent whole wheat and full of fiber, iron, protein, and vitamin B-6. Bulgur is also a relatively low glycemic index food, so it causes less fluctuations in blood glucose levels than many other carbohydrates. Plus, it is filling without giving one that stuffed feeling.

With the heat wave we have been experiencing this week, it is the perfect dish to satisfy a body in need of nutrients with a light touch. It is also a perfect dish to take to potlucks and picnics, since this salad does not wilt easily.

I can’t believe I forgot about this dish all summer until now, since my whole family loves it, and I made it numerous times last summer. We have some of the ingredients growing in our very own garden right now, including parsley, tomatoes ripening on the vine, and mint growing rampant. That makes it even better, because the freshness of the vegetables is key to the wonderful flavor. Luckily, I am now back on track again with the tabbouleh, and there is still time to make more, with the tomatoes still rolling in! After eating a big bowlful during dinner tonight, my son said that he likes tabbouleh so much, he would rather eat a bowl of it than eat an Oreo (!), and with him, that is saying something. With that kind of endorsement, I am going to make another batch tomorrow! In fact, I plan to double the recipe so it will last for more than one meal.

The recipe I am sharing below reflects the balance of traditional tabbouleh ingredients we like best in my family. Feel free to adjust the levels to your personal tastes. It only takes about a half hour to whip up a batch, though it tastes best after it has chilled at least an hour.

Until the next time, stay cool, and savor what remains of the beautiful summer! The mornings have been so misty and lovely here lately, before the day starts to really heat up. The insects are humming and there is a golden hue to the light. I hope you have a great Labor Day weekend! I am off to visit Angie’s Fiesta Friday, co-hosted today by Effie @ Food Daydreaming and Steffi @ Ginger & Bread.

Refreshing Tabbouleh

Servings: 4
Time: approximately 35 minutes
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Ingredients:

1/2 cup of bulgur
1 cup of tomatoes, chopped
1 cup of cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup of green onions, finely sliced
1/2 cup of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup of mint leaves, chopped
1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Wash the bulgur in a bowl, changing the water a few times. Then cover the bulgur with boiling water. Set aside and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, wash and finely chop the vegetables and herbs, and place them in a medium bowl. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. When the bulgur is done, drain it through a fine strainer. Take the bulgur by handfuls and squeeze the excess water out of it, then add it to the bowl with the salad mixture. Stir gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate the tabbouleh for at least one hour. Serve cold. Enjoy!

My Favorite Pico de Gallo

August 14, 2015 / Jenny / 29 Comments

Luscious, juicy tomatoes, bright, distinctive cilantro, slightly spicy onion and chili pepper, and tangy lime juice with salt combine to create a fresh salsa just bursting with summer flavor. Pico de gallo, also known as Salsa Mexicana, is a beloved condiment in Mexico. It has become a summer staple in my home, and it goes great with tortilla chips, in tacos, or as a topping for chicken, among many other uses. I am not an expert in Mexican food, but I am definitely an enthusiast. And with tomatoes ripening on the vine in our garden (finally!), it is easier than ever to mix up a batch of this pico de gallo and capitalize on the freshness of the tomatoes.

My son fell in love with pico de gallo at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants earlier this summer, and I have been trying to recreate it at home ever since. There are countless recipes out there, and variations as well, though most pico de gallo recipes seem to consist of tomatoes, onions, cilantro, chili peppers, lime juice, and salt. Some add cucumbers, avocado, or radishes–all versions I would like to eventually try. But first I wanted to get the basic version down, since the varying amounts of each ingredient can change the taste. I finally hit upon a version that my family and I just love! I will share it below, in case you are still searching for a pico de gallo recipe that you’d like to try. The amounts of the ingredients can be adjusted to suit personal tastes, but one thing is ultra-important: the freshness of the tomatoes is key. Roma tomatoes are typically used, but since we are not growing those in our garden this year, I used our tomatoes and just cut out the seeds (the seeds would make the salsa too watery). I like things only mildly spicy, so I cut out the seeds of the jalapeño pepper before dicing it. If you want to add more heat, add some pepper seeds. And if you have a variation of pico de gallo you love, I would love to hear about it!

It has been awhile since I have been in this space, and I have missed it. I have missed posting, and I have missed keeping up on what my fellow bloggers are up to. But it was for a good cause–I was on a lovely vacation with my extended family, and was “unplugged” for a few days. It was very relaxing and inspirational to be around so much nature and water. I fell in love with paddle boarding on a small, quiet lake, and we saw loons and a bald eagle as we were paddling. We also spent time at Lake Michigan, which is one of my favorite lakes on earth, and got a chance to go for a long sail on my brother’s boat. My mother coordinated the vacation in order to have time to spend with each other and to celebrate the memory of my dear father. It would have been their 50th wedding anniversary this summer. It is not easy to get everyone all together in this busy world, and we dearly missed one of my brothers, who was unable to come. But my other two brothers and their families came, as well as my husband and children. We rotated dinner-making duty, and had some delicious, simple dinners, enjoyed outside on picnic tables, with a view of the lake. The kids had lots of cousin time, which is mostly loud, crazy fun, making memories they will keep forever.

I hope you are all enjoying the summer, and savoring all the fresh fruits and vegetables available this month. August is one of my favorite months with its mellowing sun and humming insect noises at night. And with all the blooming around here, it is easy to find a bouquet of fresh flowers to brighten up any room. Have a great weekend! Fiesta Friday is beckoning, with lots of intriguing recipes and photos!

My Favorite Pico de Gallo

Servings: makes about 2 cups
Time: 15 minutes, plus at least one hour to chill
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Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups ripe tomato (about 2 medium-sized tomatoes), diced and seeded
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped (and seeded, unless you want lots of heat)
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of lime juice (about 1 lime-worth of juice)
salt to taste

Directions:

Wash and chop tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and cilantro. Combine in a medium-sized bowl. Squeeze the lime juice into the bowl, and add salt to taste. Feel free to adjust amounts of ingredients to taste. Stir gently, cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour. Serve with tortilla chips or use in tacos, or as a topping for many other dishes. Pico de gallo will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days, but is best when used within the first day. Enjoy!

Lavender Whipped Cream

July 8, 2015 / Jenny / 17 Comments

This luxurious whipped cream is infused with a subtle hint of lavender. It turns a serving of fresh fruit into a wonderfully indulgent treat. Lavender seems to be all the rage this summer, so I have been inspired to make something with it too. We have lots of lavender flourishing in our garden, and I like to pick the flowers and put them in vases to make the house smell good, but I had never used it in food until I made this whipped cream. I am so happy I tried this recipe, because I absolutely love it. Sometimes it feels so good to make something special and delicious, even if (or especially if) it is impractical and not completely necessary. I often get bogged down in the necessary duties of life, and need to be reminded to lighten up! Making this whipped cream did that–it was just for fun and pleasure. I felt like I was stepping back in time a bit to make this, back to when people took the time to soak the lavender flowers in whipping cream overnight, and then whipped the cream by hand until it fluffed up into delicate peaks of sweetness.

The lavender makes this a special whipped cream, and I was happy my making of this coincided with a visit from some special friends I don’t get to see very often. A very dear college friend (and former cross country teammate) and her sister visited our house yesterday. One of them lives in Spain and the other lives in Senegal, so it was such a treat to have them and one of their daughters at our table, taste-testing the whipped cream for me (they liked it a lot). I loved visiting with them, talking about old times, and hearing about the different cultures and food traditions in the countries they now call home.

I stumbled upon this recipe for lavender whipped cream in a wonderful cookbook, called Cranbrook Reflections: A Culinary Collection. I say stumbled upon because my kids and I happened to be at a library that was having a used book sale, and because I love collecting cookbooks, I gravitated to the cookbook section and found it. In any case, I will be making this whipped cream again, since we have a great supply of lavender and I want to try it with all the upcoming seasonal fruits.

It tasted delicious with watermelon chunks and blueberries, though the watermelon made it a little watery at the bottom of the jar. It also tasted wonderful with just blueberries, and as they are not as full of liquid, there was no water at the bottom. I can imagine it would also be great with raspberries, peaches, and of course strawberries. As long as you plan ahead a few hours to make time for the cream to absorb the flavor of the lavender flowers, this whipped cream is really easy and fun to make. I am sharing this post over at Angie’s Fiesta Friday site with a bunch of inspiring bloggers.

Lavender Whipped Cream

Servings: about 2 cups of whipped cream
Time: about 8 hours for soaking and about 10-15 minutes of hands-on time
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Ingredients:

1 cup of heavy cream
3 tablespoons of fresh lavender flowers, without the stems (or 1 tablespoon of dried lavender flowers)
1 tablespoon of sugar

Directions:

Pour the cup of heavy cream into a small bowl. Add the lavender flowers. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours so the cream absorbs the flavor of the lavender flowers. Then pour through a wire mesh strainer (or if you don’t have one, you can also use a colander with small holes) to carefully remove the flowers from the cream. Beat the cream in a bowl until it is almost stiff, and then add the sugar gradually. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-beat. The first couple of times I made whipped cream by hand, I pretty much made butter because I beat it too much. Keep an eye on the texture and stop when the peaks form. Garnish with fresh lavender flowers if you wish. Use this whipped cream to top any kind of fruit. Enjoy!

This recipe is adapted from Cranbrook Reflections: A Culinary Collection.