Moroccan Tomato Soup

Let's all just take a quick minute and think about this scenario: You are sitting outside on a gorgeous early summer day while the sun is shining brightly. Your sunhat is perfectly tilted over your right eye to give you the perfect amount of shade, the breeze is light and has the perfect touch to take the humidity out of the air. The only thing that would be better is if your stomach would just stop growling. Oh dear, what to fill it with?!                                                                                                                                                             Of course, the perfect bowl of fresh, homemade summer soup. And what's that you say? Your allergies are flaring up and you are in need of something spicy to clear out those nostrils? Enter Moroccan Tomato Soup, your new best friend.

Total time: 30 minutes

Prep time: 10 minutes  Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1. 1 can Trader Joe's Diced and Fire Roasted Tomatoes

2. 1 can Trader Joe's Diced and No Salt added Tomatoes

3. 3 cubes Dorat's frozen crushed garlic

4. 1 diced jalapeno

5. 1/2 container Trader Joe's Mirepoix

6. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

7. 1 tablespoon Cumin

8. 1 tablespoon Curry powder

9. 2 teaspoons Turmeric

10. 1 teaspoon nutmeg

11. 2 tablespoons EVOO

12. 1 cup Coconut Milk

13. 1 cup water

Instructions:

1. Heat a soup pot to medium and add EVOO and garlic cubes

2. Add the mirepoix and jalapeno and sauté until soft (about 3 minutes)

3. Add in all spices and sautee until mixed (about 2 minutes)

4. Dump in both cans of tomatoes and water. Cover and simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes

5. Add Coconut milk

6. Using a hand immersion blender, blend soup until smooth. Typically a few minutes depending on how chunky or smooth you like it.

7. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! 

Bumble Bars and Granitas

Saturday mornings at the Farmer's Market in Lincoln are pretty close to heaven on earth. A short 2 block walk from my apartment and I'm surrounded by local musicians rocking out on their banjos and violins, fresh produce and the smell of kettle corn wafting throughout the Haymarket district. This is the place to come for local treats and homemade delights. The Mill Coffeehouse is also the quintessential landing spot for all market attendees. With the perfect patio for people watching and catching up with a gal pal from the week's activities, the granitas are blended to perfection and the snacks are always delicious.

                                                                                                                I literally cannot make a stop at The Mill without enjoying what I used to call a nut and seed bar. Wait, what? Right, not such a cute name. Descriptive, yes. Enticing? Not so much. Well, when I went to the Farmer's Market last Saturday and made it into The Mill for my mandatory stop, I was astounded to find out that my delicious gluten free treat has a real name! And it is absolutely the cutest name ever. The Bumble Bar. Not too sweet, a hint of salt and honey and seeds galore, this little bar packs a succulent, enticing and heavenly taste that starts my weekend off right.

Next time you find yourself in Lincoln between the first weekend in May and the second weekend in October, get yourself to the Farmer's Market and get you a Bumble Bar at The Mill!

Grilled Salmon and Asparagus

Don't you just love when the sun rises earlier, sets later and the buds on the trees start to open? Spring is here, drink it in folks! Last weekend was Easter weekend and my mom was down south in Tennessee visiting my grandparents and aunts so my dad and I were on our own. I was able to leave work a little early on Friday after our director told us all to take off at 3 and enjoy the holiday weekend. Don't you just love surprises like that?

I knew my dad hadn't been eating incredibly well that week since mom was gone. She made a couple pies before she left (dad's favorites - chicken pot pie and steak & kidney...I know, it's an acquired taste, one I don't have) so he could ration that out. But, by the time I got home, he said he just couldn't bring himself to finish the last bit of pie, he was all pied out. Upon hearing that, I immediately put a menu plan into action. The weather was gorgeous and I love my parent's grill. Obvious choice, grilled fresh salmon and asparagus with rice!

I know a lot of people go all out marinading their salmon for hours or putting on a flavorful spice rub, but honestly, I like my salmon best flavored only with cracked fresh pepper, sea salt and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Yep, that's it. That goes for the asparagus and rice, as well. You may be thinking, come on, Sarah, spice up your life a little bit. But let me tell you, by adding only a few added ingredients, the true organic flavor of your fish and veggies can really come through. It's how they were meant to be eaten, you can truly taste what you are eating...and it's oh so good :)

Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 fresh salmon steaks
1 bunch fresh asparagus
Instant brown rice
Extra virgin olive oil
Cracked pepper and sea salt to taste

Instructions
1. Heat your grill to medium low
2. Rinse the asparagus and trim the white ends off
3. Rub the salmon steaks with EVOO, sprinkle salt and pepper on each side
4. Put the asparagus in a large bowl, add about 2 swirls of EVOO around the bowl and salt and pepper to taste
5. Once the grill is heated (about 5-10 min) add the asparagus, but wait on the salmon. Asparagus will take longer to cook. Check on the veggies after 10 minutes, turn them to make sure all sides are being grilled.
6. Put the salmon on the grill. I like my salmon cooked medium rare, which is about 3-4 minutes on each side.
7. Grab everything off the grill and check out all of the awesome colors on your plate - what a balanced and perfect spring meal!


Enjoy!

Arnold Palmer with a Kick

Well, my friends, what better way to jump start this here little blog than with a post centered around an event that is highly anticipated by yours truly all year long....The Masters. In a little less than 2 weeks, eyes will be glued to the TV as we watch the world's best golfers compete for the elusive Green Jacket. Will Rory be able to hold it together? Will he recapture the #1 position after it was just stolen this weekend after Luke Donald's win? Or will reliable old Phil get another green piece to add to his wardrobe?

I, for one, am hopeful for Rory, but I can't deny my underlying loyalty to my fave, Adam Scott. It's your time to shine, Mr. Scott. I propose a toast your future win with this delish drink.

Enjoy!



Ingredients:
Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka
Crystal Light Lemonade packet

Directions:
1. Mix up one packet of Crystal Light Lemonade (makes 1 quart)
2. Add 2 parts Firefly and 1 part lemonade
3. Add ice

Voila. Arnold, we thank you for your enthusiasm, your talent and excitement that you brought to the greatest game every played.

Chicken Pesto Pizza

So as you have probably noticed after reading my blog for awhile, I really love pizza. But not just any pizza.  I don't care much for chain pizza, none of that stuffed crust and I cannot stand grease dripping off of my slice. Give me some fresh veggies, grilled meats and a thin crust and I'm all yours.

This year, I started a small herb garden and had some lush basil I needed to use. I didn't have quite enough to make a traditional pesto, so I improvised with a few other ingredients. Well, my improvisation was magical and the flavor of the pesto was just perfect for this light summer pizza.

Oh - and if you don't have a pizza stone, YOU NEED ONE!

Ingredients:
Pizza crust - I make mine from a dry mix I buy from my local grocery store, it's like .99, so totally worth it
Halved grape tomatoes
Chopped red onion
Grilled chicken
Fresh mozzarella
Red pepper flakes
Pesto sauce (see recipe below)

Pesto Sauce:
Handful of fresh basil
3 tablespoons EVOO
Salt and pepper
chopped red onion
3 halved grape tomatoes

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees
2. Bake crust for about 7 minutes
3. Pull the crust out and add your pesto sauce, pile on your cheese and other yummies
4. Bake for about 20 minutes or until your crust is nice and golden brown

Enjoy!!

Cheese and Melon Crostini

This was the perfect little appetizer to my Tuesday dinner this week. It was so easy and delicious, I am just about ready to head out to the store right now to get some more bread so I can snack all day on this little yummy crostini's of goodness. The herbed goat cheese melted into the toasted bread and the crisp freshness of the cucumber paired with the sweetness of the melon was absolutely to die for. An absolutely wonderful starter for a summer grill-out!

Ingredients:

1 baguette

Herbed goat cheese

1 sliced cucumber

1 cantaloupe cubed/sliced, however you would like it

Instructions:

1. Slice and toast your baguette

2. Spread the goat cheese over the baguette

3. Add the sliced cucumber and cantaloupe

4. I added a little salt to the top of my snacks to really pull the flavor out of the melon

Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken with Mandarin glaze

My Summer Solstice dinner was a success!! So much so that I'm pretty stoked I made extra so I can have the rest tonight. I was planning on doing a little Panko breadcrumb dip and baking the chicken in the oven, but after I got home from my 3 mile run (Yes! Day 1 of marathon training done!) I was hungry and figured grilling on my livesaver George Foreman would be the fastest way to fill my growling stomach.

The picture of my summer celebration cocktail didn't turn out delicious looking, but trust me when I say it was a party in my mouth and pretty much everyone was invited. Looks like I need to bust out my passion fruit vodka a little more often. I'm thinking....vodka granita? Yes, please.

Ingredients:
1. Chicken tenders (I seasoned mine with Weber's Mango Lime seafood seasoning and it was perfect)
2. 1 small can of mandarin oranges
3. 1 tablespoon sweet and hot grainy mustard
4. Less than 1/4 sugar
5. Golden Yukon potatoes
6. Frozen green beans

Instructions:
1. Boil the potatoes over high heat in salted water for about 30 minutes or until you can easily poke them with a fork and they are tender
2. Season your chicken and place it on your in-house grill or if you can, grill it outside!
3. Add the mandarin glaze, see instructions below
4. Plate and enjoy!

Mandarin glaze:
1. In a small pan on medium heat, add half of the mandarin juice from the can, the sugar and mustard.
2. Add 1/4 cup of the oranges and let simmer.
3. Spoon over chicken and green beans for an extra kick!


Mandarin Orange Vodka Cocktail

Ingredients:
1. Shot of mandarin juice from can
2. Shot of passion fruit vodka
3. 3 mandarin slices
4. Hint of lime juice
5. Stir and enjoy!!

Enjoy this delicious summer meal!

Fresh Salsa

Chips and salsa is a complete guilty pleasure that I happen to indulge in quite frequently ;) I absolutely love making my own fresh salsa as an alternative to opening a $4 jar. Using fresh ingredients and however much of what you want, this salsa can become a personal favorite of yours and a request from friends and family!

Ingredients:
6 Roma tomatoes
1 large white onion
2 jalopeno peppers
lime juice
season salt (I like to use Vulcan fire salt, but Cajun is great too!)

Instructions:
1. De-seed jalopenos (I always wear gloves ever since a nasty occurrence including a horrific burning sensation all over my hands...ick)
2. Chop and combine all ingredients
3. Toss with lime juice and season salt