Recent Hits

Smoked Salmon with Udon Noodles (4.5 stars)
Inspiration: http://wholesome-cook.com/2012/08/30/smoked-salmon-and-soba-noodle-salad/

Oh holy cow. Yum. Yum. Yum. Must do again.

Pork Burritos (3 stars)
Inspiration: http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/08/smothered-chile-colorado-burritos-crock-pot/

We didn't do a great job following the directions. We had leftover pork from a sous vide so we used that as the meat and topped it off with cheese and a red enchilada sauce. Baked and ate. Yummy.

Butternut Squash and Chorizo Tostado (4 stars)
Inspiration: http://www.closetcooking.com/2011/12/butternut-squash-and-chorizo-tostadas.html

We stuck to the recipe for the most part on this one. We did add spinach but we add spinach to most dishes. We even switched to new whole wheat tortillas that you bake at home versus having them already precooked. I don't see us going back to the old kind ever again. This is a keeper!

Asian Chicken Salad (2.5 stars)
Inspiration: http://joyfulhomemaking.com/2012/08/asian-chicken-salad.html

Eh. Okay. This was just ok. Not great for leftovers so next time I need to make it on the weekend when we won't be looking for something to take to work. It's worth making again just not award-winning. 

Tortellini and Vegetable Bake (2.5 stars)
Inspiration: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/poultry/tortellini-and-garden-vegetable-bake/

We added the pork leftover from a sous vide, added spinach and used a frozen veggie mixture. This was a bit time consuming but still yummy. It was a hearty dish but not sold on how or if it is super healthy. Overall, I might make this again in the winter if I am craving comfort food. 

Pan fried chicken with veggies (3 stars)
Inspiration: http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/Chicken-Scallopini-Tomato-Mozzarella-Salad-Michael-Symon?cid=pinterest_thechew

Watching Michael cook this dish was entertaining. I think it is super easy but I really liked his instructions on testing the oil to see if its hot enough, pounding out the chicken (we used thighs) and how long to cook each side. For the seasoning, I used garlic powder, parsley, paprika, and fennel. This will be made several more times for sure.

Sweet potato hash with feta (4 stars)
Inspiration: http://diethood.com/2013/02/17/savory-sundays-sweet-potato-hash-with-onions-and-feta/

A PERFECT side dish. Tons of flavor and super easy. I don't think I can ever eat sweet potatoes without feta ever again. The perfect combination.

Summer Macaroni Salad (2.5 stars)
Inspiration: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/06/summer-macaroni-salad-with-tomatoes-and.html

We made this for lunch but had to leave out the mayo and use whipped cream cheese and greek yogurt as the "sauce." It was easy, tasty and something that I will do again but its not spectacular. 

Weekly Menu for Jan. 21 - 26, 2013

Breakfast
Oatmeal or whole wheat bread; Greek yogurt with fresh strawberries; and Oranges

Lunch
Egg salad sandwich; cucumbers or apples; sliced cheese; and kiwi
Spinach salad with tomatoes, black olives, cucumbers, shredded cheese, and almonds
Leftovers

Dinner
Spicy acorn squash with black beans (2 stars)

I did learn that I can bake an acorn squash whole at 350 degrees Fahrenheit -- much easier than trying to cut it raw and takes up less space when baking. All you do is place the whole squash on a baking sheet or in a glass pyrex with few pokes of a fork and cook till tender (about 45 to 60 minutes.)

I didn't add in the jalapeno, cilantro or lime juice (I didn't have those on hand). The dish overall was simple to make, but not memorable or special. It would work better as a side dish than a main dish.  

Eggplant Parmesan (4 stars)

I loved this dish and it was super easy to throw together. Next time, I will either double the recipe or make it in my smaller pyrex so it is thicker and even more awesome.

Chorizo quesadilla with Fries (4 stars)

I just used the picture as inspiration. I cooked 1 package of soy chorizo, added about 2 cups of frozen corn and wilted in several handfuls of spinach. I chopped black olives and shredded pepper jack, cheddar, and mozzarella cheese. As the quesadillas cooked, I fried three eggs to put on top.  

UPDATE: Brian must have loved this because he requested it for the following week. 

Acorn squash and portobello mushroom pizza with garlic bread and a salad (2 stars)

Eh, this was ok. Our mushrooms were stringy and not a great texture for Cam to chomp on. 

Shrimp pasta with tomatoes, lemon, and spinach (3.5 stars)

On a day that was super busy, this was a quick and yummy meal that I tossed together with no effort. Nothing spectacular but good flavors and little effort.

Disclaimer: Photos are from linked sources; not my own work.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Source: http://www.mangiodasola.com/2009/11/broccoli-cheddar-soup.html


Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1/2 chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup flour
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 cups chicken stock (I used bouillon cubes + boiling water)
1/2 lb fresh broccoli, chopped
1 cup carrot, shredded and chopped
1/4 tsp nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot Sauce (optional)

Directions
Sauté the onion (and garlic) in the butter over medium heat. Remove the onions (you can actually leave the onions in there) and add in the flour, stirring constantly. Add in the half and half, milk, and chicken stock. Bring to almost a boil.

Add the onions back in, along with the broccoli and carrots. Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes.

Season the soup with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the cheese (and you can play around with the amounts; use however much or little you like) and let simmer for 10 minutes longer before serving.

Grape, Mozzarella, and Pinenut Pizza

Rating: 4.75 out of 5
Source: http://honestfare.com/grape-pecoro-romano-pine-nut-flatbread/

Ingredients
1 ball pizza dough (store bought or homemade)
2 tablespoons pine nuts
¾ cup red seedless grapes halved
¾ cup mozzarella
2 sprigs diced fresh rosemary (or a few sprinkles of dried)
¼ cup olive oil
Salt to taste
Light sprinkle red pepper flakes
Sliced deli ham or prosciutto (optional) (we did salami)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Cut your grapes in half. Slice fresh mozzarella into thin pieces. Cut or tear slices of salami. Toast pine nuts on a pan on low heat, tossing frequently, until they’re toasted golden brown. Set aside.
3. Roll out your first fist-sized ball of pizza dough as thin as possible without tearing. Place it on a baking sheet that’s sprinkled with a little flour or semolina so it doesn’t stick. Repeat with remaining dough. (I just sprayed it with cooking spray).
4. Dice rosemary. Combine olive oil, rosemary and a pinch of salt in a small bowl and beat with a fork. Slater top of dough with it using a brush or back of a spoon. Bake until dough begins to puff up and bottom is toasted golden brown. Remove from oven. (I didn't bake at this step)
5. Apply generous layer of cheese(s). Place grapes (cut side down) with about ½ inch space between. Apply ham and black pepper. Bake until grapes blister and crust become firm and crispy.
6. Remove from oven and add toasted pine nuts (and optional red pepper flakes) while flatbread is still piping hot.

Baked Tilapia with Spicy Tomato-Corn Relish

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Source: http://www.joybauer.com/healthy-recipes/baked-tilapia-with-spicy-tomatopineapple-relish.aspx

Ingredients
4 fish, tilapia, (6-ounce) fillets
1/4 teaspoon salt, Kosher
1/2 cup of corn
1 tomato, diced
1 teaspoon chili paste, Oriental, hot, such as siracha (or more to taste)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and coat the foil with oil spray.
2. Place the tilapia fillets on the prepared baking sheet and season them with the salt.
3. In a small bowl, combine the corn, tomato, and chili paste. Divide the topping evenly among the tilapia fillets.
4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the tilapia flakes easily with a fork.

Watermelon Lemonade

 Photo from Oopsey Daisy

Rating: 4.75 out of 5

It is starting to get HOT here in Boise! This drink was incredibly refreshing and only took seconds to mix up. It is a tad heavy on the sugar side, but I am sure you could find a sugar-free lemonade mix. Thank you to Positively Splendid.

Ingredients

2 cups of chopped watermelon
1/3 cup Country Time lemonade powder
1 1/3 cup water
2/3 cup ice

Directions

Put the ingredients in a blender and mix.

This made about 2-3 glasses of lemonade and held up well in the fridge overnight.

Avocado Ranch Sauce

Rating: 4.75 out of 5

I was tired of the same old toppings on my hamburgers, so when I saw this on Rachael Ray I knew I had to give it a try. I changed it up a bit but here is the link to the original post.

Ingredients

1 avocado
Juice of 1 lemon
A few squirts of Ranch dressing
A few squirts of Tabasco sauce (We used Sriracha sauce)
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives

Directions

Mix all the ingredients together and serve on top of a hamburger in place of the ketchup, mayo, and mustard.

Salmon Salad Wraps

Rating: 4.25 out of 5

This was a perfect, light and fast spring dinner and would make an even better lunch. The original recipe from Rachel Ray was intended to be a salad, but I thought it tasted even better in a wrap. In the future, I would add tomatoes and reduce the amount of olive oil (I preferred the lemony seasoning more than the oil taste).

Ingredients
 
3/4 pound skinless salmon fillets
1 large cucumber—peeled, seeded and chopped
1 large red bell pepper—stemmed, seeded and chopped
4 scallions, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Place the salmon in a medium baking dish and bake, covered, until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Let stand until cool.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the cucumber, bell pepper, scallions and lemon with 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.

3. Add the baked salmon, flaking the meat with a fork, and mix until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Avocado Hummus

 Photo is from Kraft

Rating: 3 out of 5

I wanted a healthy snack to eat after my lunch so I decided to make my own hummus. I looked online at a variety of recipes and came up with this combination. It has a great flavor and is super yummy on a pita, but the consistency is slightly different than store-bought hummus.

Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 diced avocado
3 slices of hot peppers (or one finely diced jalapeno)
2 tablespoons of cilantro

Directions

Add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until desired consistency.

Grilled Shrimp with Corn Relish

Rating: 4.25 out of 5 

Throw some shrimp on the barbie! This is option one of two for a tasty shrimp and corn combination. I love the idea of making extra one night and being able to use the leftovers in a completely different way you don't even realize it was the same ingredients. Talk about more bang for your buck. The recipes are courtesy of The Cottage Home.

Ingredients

Shrimp

 

1 lb. raw shrimp, shells on

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Juice of 2 limes

Corn Relish

 

1 bag frozen corn (or several ears fresh with kernels removed if in season)

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 green onions, sliced

1/4 cup cilantro

Juice of 2 limes

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Extras

1 red onion, sliced (we didn't use this)

Pineapple, cubed - fresh or canned chunks (we didn't use this)

Rice, of your choice (we baked garlic bread instead)

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients under "shrimp" to make a marinade/paste for the shrimp.  If you are doing the optional onions, reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade.  Add shrimp to marinade and let sit for 20 minutes before grilling.  You do not want to over marinate shrimp.  The acid from the lime juice will start to cook the shrimp ever so slightly and if you marinate them all day then you can end up with some tough, over cooked shrimp.

2. Drizzle the remaining marinade over your sliced red onions.

 

3. Optional: Cube pineapple or used canned pineapple chunks.  

 

4. Defrost your frozen corn and combine all ingredients under "corn relish".  Allow flavors to come together.  This can be made up to a day ahead of time.

5. Heat up your grill.  Add the onions, then the shrimp and finally the pineapple once the grill is hot.  The shrimp should take approximately 6 minutes (3 minutes on each side), but the onions will take a bit longer.  If you are doing a kabob, just put everything on the grill all together.

 

Fresh Salsa

Rating: Too HOT for you! 
4.5 out of 5

Okay, I am not the salsa maker in the family. However, Brian didn't have time to make the salsa before going on a business trip and the veggies were going to spoil. Not knowing what I was doing, I chopped, tossed, and mixed my way into a HOT salsa. We now have five bags of salsa in our freezer (who needs jarred salsa anyway!).

Ingredients

7 Roma Tomatoes
1 can of petite chopped tomatoes, with juice
1 white onion
5 hot peppers
5 garlic cloves
1 lime

Directions

Roughly chop all the ingredients (except the lime). Toss together and squeeze the lime juice over the salsa. 
Directions

Zesty Italian Pasta

Rating: 4 out of 5

This side dish makes me feel like I am eating the rainbow. All the beautiful colors and the tangy zest from the dressing makes this dish from Mom's Budget a keeper. Not to mention it was super easy to throw together, toss the extras in the freezer, and clean up.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups dry vegetable rotini
1/2 cup Zesty Italian Salad Dressing
1/2 cup Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 red pepper chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 yellow pepper chopped

Directions:

1. Cook rotini until barely cooked al dente. Drain.

2. Toss the ingredients together.

3. Freeze in single portion servings in freezer bags or containers. Great for lunches. Put into the lunchbox frozen, and it will be thawed for lunchtime.

Salmon Pasta

 

Forgive my mid-eating picture

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

This was a perfect Spring time meal - light, fresh and filling. The entire process took less than 30 minutes even when I forgot to thaw my Salmon. Plus, the cleanup is a breeze. Unless you don't like the taste of sour cream, this is a winner. The recipe is from Martha Stewart but I had to adapt it based on the ingredients we had on hand.

Ingredients
 
1 tablespoon fennel seeds (I used Penzy's Tuscan Sunset)
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley (I didn't use)
1 tablespoon light-brown sugar
Salt and pepper
1 one-pound salmon fillet with skin (about 1 inch thick)
1 pound corkscrew or other short pasta
10 ounces spinach, stems trimmed and leaves washed well
1/2 cup sour cream
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions
 
1. Heat the broiler. Put fennel seeds in a small, self-sealing plastic bag, and crush with a rolling pin (or in my case, scoop about 2 tablespoons of Tuscan Sunset into a bowl). Add parsley, brown sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the bag, and shake to mix.

2. Press the mixture onto the skinless side of the salmon (I did both sides because we don't have a skinless side). Broil salmon, skin side down, until it is no longer red in the center, about 8 minutes.

3. Flake the fish with a fork. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente, about 13 minutes. Reserve about 1/2 cup cooking water, and drain pasta. Return it to the warm pot, add spinach, and toss.

4. In a bowl, mix together sour cream, lemon juice to taste, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons pasta water.

5. Simply toss pasta and spinach in the pot with the salmon and the sour-cream mixture, adding pasta water as needed, and serve.

Dill and Basil Grilled Salmon

Rating 4.5 out of 5

Warm weather and a break in the rain clouds means grilling time! Brian found a simple grilled fish recipe on backpacker.com and wanted to try it out. Backpacker admits the recipe is more for car camping than backpacking so I figured it would be perfect at home on the charcoal grill. We served it with a side of sweet potato fries and green beans.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper
2 salmon fillets
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (we used Penzeys Parisien Bonnes Herbes)
1 large lemon, sliced

Directions

1. Start your charcoal.

2. For each fillet, take a sheet of foil and pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil on it.

3. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Lay your salmon fillet on the oil, then pour the other tablespoon of olive oil on the surface and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Squeeze some lemon juice on top. Throw your onion on top of that, along with your garlic and basil. Sprinkle with the dill, then place the sliced lemon on top of everything. Place another piece of foil on top and seal the edges of the top and bottom pieces of foil.

4. Grill over indirect heat for 35 minutes (or over a fire using a backpacker's grill), or until the salmon is cooked to your liking.

Peppery Monterey Jack Pasta Salad

Rating 4 out of 5

I slightly disagree with the rating, but that's what the official rater gave this dish. I enjoyed the simplicity and agree if you use salami (it is on my no-can-do list) and maybe a sharper more flavorful cheese it would be a higher rated dish.  The recipe is courtesy of the Well-Fed Newlyweds.

Ingredients

8 oz. uncooked Israeli couscous or other small pasta shape (we used quinoa)
2 1/4 cups plum tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup capers, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup sliced jarred banana peppers (I didn't care for these)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (you may want to switch with a sharper cheese)
1 oz. salami, chopped (we used canned chicken, I would recommend the salami)
15 oz. can navy beans, rinsed and drained (we used Great Northern beans)
1 clove garlic, minced (or more to taste)
2 T. cider vinegar
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. salt (use 1/4 tsp. if using kosher salt or sea salt)
 
Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine all of the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.

3. Gently stir in the pasta until well combined. (A rubber spatula works well for this.)

4. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.  

Avocado and Shrimp Salad

Rating 4.25 out of 5

Food on the Table had a very simple "salad" that I wanted to try out as a topping on crostinis and a salad topping.  This was super quick, healthy, and uses fresh veggies. Unfortunately, I gobbled it down before I could take a picture (I was STARVING), but I'm sure you can picture what it looked like.

Ingredients
 
2 avocados - peeled, pitted, and cubed
2 tomatoes, diced
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 (pound) small shrimp, peeled, deveined and halved
salt and pepper, to taste
2 (tablespoon) lime juice
1 baguette (for the crostinis) or handful of spinach (for a salad) 


Directions

1. In a medium pan, saute shrimp and onion (if you don't like raw onions) in a small amout of olive oil until opaque, about 3 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

2. Stir together avocadoes, tomatoes, onion, and shrimp in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in lime juice.

3. If serving on bread, put the sliced bread on a cookie sheet and brush with a little olive oil. Broil on low for a few minutes until toasted.

4. Serve cold on crostinis or on a bed of spinach.

Portobello, Broccoli and Red Pepper Melts

Rating 4.25 out of 5

This is a veggie dinner but you could easily add grilled chicken if you are a "must have meat" person. I loved the easy clean up and little prep work that went into this dish. We served the melts with a side of garlic mashed potatoes. The recipe and photo above are from Annies Eats.

Ingredients

1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets (we used half a bag of frozen broccoli thawed)
1 tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 portobello mushrooms (stems removed), sliced ½-inch thick (we only used 2)
2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced ½-inch thick (we only used 1)
¼ cup light mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
4 thick slices country bread
2-4 oz. provolone cheese, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Preheat a broiler with a rack placed 4 inches from the heat source.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place the broccoli on the baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Toss to combine.  Broil until the broccoli begins to brown, tossing once or twice, about 4-6 minutes.

2. Add the sliced mushrooms and peppers to the pan with the broccoli and toss to combine.  Broil, tossing once or twice, until the vegetables are tender, 8-10 minutes more.  Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise and garlic in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper.  Place the slices of bread on a work surface.  Spread each slice of bread with 1 tablespoon of the garlic-mayo mixture.

4. Top with the cooked vegetables, then the cheese.  Line the baking sheet with a new piece of foil. Transfer the assembled sandwiches to the baking sheet.  Broil until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, 2-4 minutes.

French Peasant Bread

Rating 4 out of 5 stars

This is a simple recipe (no kneading) for homemade bread. It is perfect for soaking up pasta sauce and tomato soups! The recipe makes two loaves so I froze one after baking and hopefully it tastes as yummy as the first loaf. I found the recipe on the Recipe Shoebox.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. dry, quick rising yeast
2 cups warm water
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
Olive oil or PAM spray (for greasing the pan)
Corn meal (for pan)
1/4 cup butter, melted (for brushing over top before and after baking)

Instructions

1. Place yeast, water, sugar, and salt in warm bowl and stir until dissolved.

2. Add flour and stir until blended, but do NOT knead.

3. Cover and let rise one hour or until double in size.  (NOTE: It only took about 30-40 mins for mine to double in size)

4. Flour hands, remove dough from the bowl and place in 2 roughly equal rounds on an oiled cookie sheet sprinkled with corn meal.  Let rise an additional hour.

5. Brush the tops and sides of the rounds with melted butter and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and cook an additional 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

6. Remove from oven and brush tops and sides of rounds again with melted butter. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Crispy Chicken Nuggets served with Avocado and Tomato Salad

Rating (Crispy Chicken Nuggets): 4.75 out of 5 stars
Rating (Avocado and Tomato Salad): 4 out of 5 stars

The recipes for dinner tonight came from a variety of sources. First, the Crispy Chicken Nugget recipe is a combination of my own creation and Hannah's baked chicken nuggets. In the past, I have made the breading mixture and then fried the chicken in oil (not healthy, but surely tasty). Once Hannah shared her baking recipe with me, I knew I had to try it. I found the second recipe, Avocado and Tomato Salad, while browsing the latest issue of Rachel Ray, but it is originally from the Amazing Avocado.  

Crispy Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients
 
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
A few tablespooons of seasoning (Old Bay is what we used tonight, but we have tried salt, pepper, and Penzey's Italian Herb Mix in the past)
4 Chicken breasts (cubed or sliced)
1 egg (beaten)
A splash of milk

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Make breading mixture by combining Panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and seasoning.

3. Cube or slice chicken as desired.

4. Beat egg in a shallow bowl (big enough to fit the sliced chicken) and add a splash of milk.

5. Dip chicken pieces in the milk and egg mixture, then in breading mixture.

6. Place on lightly greased baking sheet.

7. Cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping half way through.

8. While the chicken is baking, make the Avocado and Tomato Salad.

Update: I made a large batch of chicken nuggets, put them in the freezer for a few minutes while still on the tray, and then tossed them in a freezer-sealed bag. To serve, just microwave for 45 - 60 seconds (or there about). 

Avocado and Tomato Salad
 

Ingredients

2 fully ripened Avocados, halved, pitted, and sliced
2 ripe plum tomatoes, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (We used 1/4 teaspoon Penzey's Tuscan Sunset)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper (Omitted)
1/2 teaspoon of Penzey's Zatar seasoning

Instructions

1. In serving bowl, gently toss avocados and tomatoes.

2. In small cup, combine olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper. Drizzle over avocados and tomatoes.

Gazpacho with Avocado

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

To kickoff my new blog, I tried my first recipe from The Amazing Avocado. It was incredibly fast (under 30 mins to chop) and tasted absolutely fresh--it had the consistency and taste of homemade salsa. Overall, it was a great teaser to Spring/Summer, but next time we will serve it as an appetizer before a BBQ dinner.

The original recipe is below with my notes/changes in Italics.

Ingredients
Soup
1 1/2 LB tomatoes, cored (but not peeled)
1 medium cucumber, peeled and seeded
1/2 red onion
1/2 red pepper *I forgot to add!
2 radishes (medium sized)
1 stalk celery *Yuck, I omitted
1/4 cup picked parsley leaves
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sherry vinegar
1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 dashes of Sriracha sauce

Mousse
1 Hass Avocado from Mexico
1 shallot, grated *Omitted
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 teaspoon of chopped cilantro *Omitted
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Soup

1. Prep the vegetables - core out the tomatoes, peel and seed the cucumber, top and tail the radishes, etc.

2. Cut them in to medium sized chunks that will fit through the feed tube of a meat grinder. *I used a food processor.

3. Set up your meat grinder with the medium sized disk (if you have used it for meat, be sure that the parts have been thoroughly washed and sanitized). *Omitted

4. Slowly feed the vegetables through the grinder to a bowl below (it might splash out the side a bit – so have a towel handy!)

5. Season the puree with the salt, vinegar, olive oil, and black pepper.

6. Taste, and adjust if necessary. Chill until cold.

7. Best used the same day that it’s made.

Mousse (see my notes below)

1. Peel the Hass Avocado and place in a small bowl and mash it with a fork.

2. Add the grated shallot, sour cream and cilantro and whisk to combine. Season with a pinch of salt.

3. To serve: ladle cold Gazpacho into chilled bowls. Garnish with the Avocado mousse.

I didn't make the mousse. I sliced the avocado and placed them around the rim of my bowl and topped the gazpacho with a dollop of sour cream.