Chimichurri Sauce

If your herb garden is out of control blossoming beautifully you may be like me and desperate for ways to consume herbs in everything imaginable before the dreaded first frost of fall, summer is way too short lived. Time to slather herbs on EVERYTHING!!! 

CSA Cooking {Community Supported Agriculture} Week 2

Week two of Sweet Beet Farm's CSA bushel is here and boy, oh, boy is it abundant! Even as I find myself in my third year participating as a CSA member I'm feeling a leeeeetle overwhelmed I've learned to battle vegetable abundance into submission! So, come close, let me talk us all off the ledge because, look... as I type these words my kids are about finished polishing off two pounds of strawberries in a matter of 39 seconds. Other plans for vegetable abundance: Summer Herb Salad for friends of the co-op (tomorrow night - come see me!). And if becoming more svelte is a side-effect of eating 4 heads of lettuce for the next 6 days (until next week's harvest), I'm game! Today I've got some outstanding recipes you'll want to use for your own CSA cooking and some quick tips to keep produce fresher longer. 

Korean Beef

Hello! Are you enjoying summer? Isn't it grand? Besides soaking sunshine up at the lake, usually with family, basking in lazy, long evenings summer brings salad on the grill, iced coffee that will buzz you up, kale in a cocktail, and (most hopefully) easy weeknight meals, like this Korean Beef. This meal is super economical, was on the table in under 30 minutes, and (shhhhhh) the kids. asked. for. seconds. That was pretty cool. Leftovers are going to be dreamy inside of a (CSA Time!) lettuce leaf tomorrow for lunch. Bookmark this recipe now - 'tis a keeper.

Mary Jane's Grilled Lettuce Salad with Buttermilk Herb Dressing

It's CSA time and that means heavenly, buttery, fresher than any grocer could ever provide lettuce will be on our plates for the next several weeks [super loud cheering, jumping up and down, shouting & joy]! Lots and lots and lots and lots of greens will force our inner creative to emerge because I suspect some may be tossing greens to the gerbils, me included. This salad was inspired by chef Mary Jane Miller who provided an excellent outdoor cooking demo for a Sustainable Farmer's Association Spring Picnic (I heart farmer's). She was the Star of the Outdoor BBQ and I learned so much that day! 

CSA Cooking {Community Supported Agriculture} Week 1

Week one of Sweet Beet Farm's Community Supported Agriculture bushel has arrived! You may remember how I documented last year's harvest. If you are newly participating as a CSA Members: 

1) From this point forward save all bread bags, apple bags, lemon bags, bags of all kinds and reuse them for the loose produce, which will be mostly loose. You'll want refrigeration organization because we know being prepped and organized leads to easier weeknight meal-planning. 

2) Be ready to eat a lot of greens. Did I say a lot? 

3) Bookmark interesting recipes you always wanted to try but never really had a reason to prepare - because now you will need that random recipe for let's say, pea shoots and get ready to be adventurous in the kitchen! 

4) Prepare yourself for the possibility of finding a green caterpillar or other bug in your produce. Don't worry, this is organic produce - bugs mean no pesticides - a symbiotic relationship of sorts. Just toss into the garbage and continue on. 

Strong Iced Coffee + {Driven Coffee Giveaway}

Come. Come close. Closer. Look…it's coffee. Hail the ever sacred coffee. How can a morning ever be started without? It simply cannot. And I have coffee to share! A local coffee roaster, Driven Coffee from Buffalo, MN is sponsoring a giveaway! Beyond exciting! My blog's first ever give away! All you need to do is head to my Facebook page, 'like' my page, and leave a comment answering this question: Where in the world was your most delicious cup of coffee? Now, back to coffee! Making iced coffee takes a little bit of effort, but really is quite simple and because your fridge will possess a jug of black magic for the next 3 weeks AND you'll save time not running into the coffee shop because whipping up iced coffees at home is faster AND you'll save money because no more temptation while waiting in line considering that pack of shortbread cookies I'm wondering why you aren't brewing up some coffee right now!?

Spicy Kale Rum Punch

Ah, Summer! Hello! I'm so glad you're here. Why don't we sit on the deck with a Spicy Kale Rum Punch and catch up? This cocktail is herbaceous, spicy, and refreshing, it's a stomach primer for a big meal, spicy, did I say spicy? But after about the first three sips spiciness turns into a mellow, green grassy herb flavor that has you pleasantly sipping. You should've heard Liam poke Christian and whisper dramatically "Mom is… drinking… GREEN... juice" as I was pleasantly sipping mine. Ahhh. 

Fresh Spinach with Blueberry Vinaigrette {Local Roots Food Co-op Feature}

I want to eat simply and clean a majority of the time, yes there are those times when I chose carbs in between puffs of cream, but I want to spend most meals consuming a gargantuan plate of fruit or vegetables next to a clean protein. I also want my food choices to provide me with the highest nutrient density available and to achieve that I want to chose foods grown locally or in season because every second that passes from harvest to consumption nutrient content diminishes. Don't ask me how I know these things, but I can attest to watching a lot of Frontline and that may have something to do with it. 

Charred Sesame Broccoli & Asparagus

If you happen to be counting how many recipes containing asparagus posted on this blog in the last month Charred Sesame Broccoli & Asparagus happens to be my third, after Beer Battered Asparagus with Yogurt Tarragon Dipping Sauce followed by Quick Asparagus Sauté with Caramelized Garlic and if these recipes were anything like children I could never pick a favorite.

Banana Oat Waffles

Ahhhh, waffles. How could I ever suspected the power of the humble waffle wielding hold over myself whom is passionate about being in the kitchen always creating something with newer, unique ingredients, upping the ante to be more creative than the last recipe, a fun recipe to top all other recipes ever created! But the power of enjoying a meal with two school age children eating a waffle hypnotizes me into cooking meals my kids will actually enjoy eating.  I'll save the gourmet  ingredients for my next adult-tastes dinner party. For now, let's eat waffles full of nutrition. I can't deny enthusiastically eating two huge waffles smothered in whip cream for lunch. Yes. I did.

Hamburger Broccoli Pie

I'm obsessed! Apparently, I cannot stop baking inside of this artisan receptacle I picked up from Donovan at Local Roots because, I mean, who wouldn't be obsessed with thinking up more ways to fill a pie plate that not only is super practical but so extremely beautiful I leave it on my counter so that I can gaze at it all day long?! As if I have nothing else to do than gaze at a pie plate — who says that!? 

Foraging 101 {How to Hunt for Morel Mushrooms}

• Morels are in Season When: 
• Lilacs and cherry blossom trees are blooming.
• Nighttime temperatures stay above 55ºF-60ºF. 
• Abundant rainfall creating a humid atmosphere -- you can bet the forest is growing mushrooms!
• Look for Morels Here:
• Gaze into the treetops to decipher dead trees from the leafed out trees. Go to the base of dead trees in search of mushrooms.
• On mossy slopes below dead trees — some say Elm trees, but I think any dead wood is a place to look.
• Where ramps, jack in the pulpit, & other wild flowers grow.
• In low lying, moist areas — You should see the ground covered in moss and 3"- 4" of grassy, patchy undergrowth.

Quick Asparagus Sauté with Caramelized Garlic + acoupla shots of Twin Cities Live

My whirlwind of a week is over and the diarrhea has mostly subsided my nerves have finally calmed to a place where I can begin processing that I cooked/spoke/appeared/didn't fall flat on my face on live television! Credit goes to wedge shoes and prayer and people I can count on, but I still find myself short on sufficient enough words to describe how amazing the experience felt. Adrenaline is one word I can think of, or, if I had the guts to skydive I would imagine jumping out of a plane to feel the same way I did on Tuesday. I confessed to my girlfriends it had to be the next best day of my life after the birth of my two children and the day I married the man of my dreams (no small thing!).

Beer Battered Asparagus with Greek Yogurt Tarragon Dipping Sauce

Tomorrow's the big day Steve and Elizabeth at Twin Cities Live will be helping me cook up my Finnegan's Beer Battered Asparagus with Greek Yogurt Tarragon Dipping Sauce for a chance to win a trip to Ireland! Do I have the cooking chops? Do I have the passion? Do I have the cutest hair best recipe!? The producers want to know why I love to cook and what gets me in the kitchen, I think both questions were answered when I revealed the news to you, showing you my adventurous, experimental kitchen recipes and my love of gathering people around the table!

Spaghetti Pie + acoupla shots of Florida Beaches

Today I'm unapologetically sharing another recipe similar to a recent recipe using the same ingredients of pasta, ground meat and cheese, but replaced lasagna noodles with spaghetti noodles, amped up the vegetable quotient in hopes of tricking little people's palates into submission adoring vegetables, and baked the lot into crispity, crunchity edges that not even the pickiest eater can deny as delicious. There are no apologies here, baby!

Grilled Yellowtail Snapper with Mango Salsa + NEWS

NEWS - that's right - N E W S. And an uncomplicated, fresh and fast recipe for Grilled Whole Yellowtail Snapper with Mango Salsa that you'll definitely want to try next time you run into fish that has been caught within 4 hours of purchase. 

Breakfast Pie {featuring Donovan's Pottery}

It's Easter Weekend. Things are happening in my kitchen. There are times when I get these bursts of inspiration to turn ingredients that might stump you into allowing them to turn rancid otherwise go unused, like a gigantic box of no-name cornflakes I thought were a good idea at Aldi or the Cost-co sized jar of roasted peanuts that may or may not have been sitting in my pantry for a minimum of 36 months. Now the cornflakes are atop a buttery bed of eggy hash browns and the peanuts ground into my own homemade peanut butter - have you ever done that? Genius! 

Skillet Lasagna

If this family ever eats anything closely resembling Hamburger Helper my Skillet Lasagna is as close as my children's childhood memories will venture to a meal that starts in a box. Believe me, for the sake of sanity I've tried the meals in a box, but they are seriously gross and I just can. not. 

Banana Caramel Layer Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

So, cake! Yea. The best ever. My usual cake baking escapades have been of the 9x13 variety (all the Midwestern cooks out there catch my drift there, don't cha?) until I recently picked up these cake rounds which I'm loving because my cake baking is instantly elevated to another level of elegance!

Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

When my cupboards are becoming barer by the day (which actually I feel great satisfaction into a good self-directed challenge of Operation Bare Cupboard) with no hope for what the children will consume after a long day of school/playing Xbox/tagging along with mom, I can always rely on my talent to turn flour into something quasi-nutritious. 

Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes + Secrets and Discovery of Raw Milk

I have really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really exciting news, but I can't tell. Not yet. I'm absolutely, downright horrible at keeping secrets, the suspense kills me! Never give me your secrets unless you want the secret no longer to be a secret because my excitement over secrets always wins, I'll spill the beans to the very next person I converse with no matter who they are I cannot contain joy! So why am I showing you a picture of a cow? Because this secret I can tell - whew! I thought I would explode at the thought of keeping all my secrets. Here it is: I've converted my family to raw milk and IT. IS. SO. FANTASTIC! Oh, yeah - and I roasted some potatoes that were kinda really fabulously delicious and I want you to have the recipe because it was really ridiculously easy. 

Kids in the Kitchen {Community Education Class}

Did you know inviting your kids into the kitchen will help them make healthier eating choices? Involving your child in mealtime prep allows them to feel pride and accomplishment in the task at hand - like chopping broccoli. Take a peek into my latest community education class, Kids in the Kitchen. We had a blast making Homemade BBQ Sauce, Broccoli Medallions, Honey Mustard Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Tenderloins and Coconut Date Balls. The kids had SO much fun, and I think the adults did, too! The recipes for all the "kid-tested and approved" items are at the end of the post - you don't want to miss 'um - maybe dinner tonight?

Beef Yakitori {Paleo, Gluten-Free, Quick & Easy Dinner}

Isn't this exciting?! I'm grilling! It's sunny! Grilling! Sunny! In a blink of an eye Minnesotans forget the snow for all the joys of sunshine and the deliciousness of Spring. My newest recipe is simple, uses only five ingredients that should surely be stocked in your pantry, it's drop-dead fast from prep to done, and it. is. so. so. so. yummy. 

Winter Salad {Local Greens from Local Roots Food Co-op}

Daylight savings time is on Sunday. The calendar says March. And green (edible) things are growing within a 10 mile radius of my being (your being, too) because of a stupendous green house that producers from the Local Roots Food Co-op are tending day and night. It's really fantastic. Today for lunch I created a Winter Salad with a mix of beet greens, tat soi, radish greens, red sail lettuce, young spinach and young kale all freshly harvested by Dan who owns the Farm of Minnesota. Read on for the recipe and a fun shot from inside the greenhouse.  Would you leave me a comment on what you'd like to see grown inside the greenhouse? The producers want to know! 

On My Bookshelf Now February 20th, 2015

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is an astounding, all-consuming, MUST READ novel. If you are a lover of the written word please pick this book up and leave yourself nothing to do but read for about four and a half days. What I think I love most about this book is the way the story is a mirror image of our post-9/11 society. But beware, there is such deep sadness in the characters of this book your thoughts will be consumed by them.