Okra Tomato Soup
This soup is super fresh and super yummy! If you don’t want to use beef stock then use a vegetable stock.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Peeled & Chopped Ripe Tomatoes
1 Cup Water
1 Pound Trimmed Fresh Okra
4 Cups Beef Stock or Vegetable Stock
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
In a heavy pot place the tomatoes and water and bring to a boil. Add the trimmed okra. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the okra is nice and tender. Add the beef stock, kosher salt, pepper, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large serving bowl. Serves 4
Summer Orzo Salad
I get tired of the same old side salads so I created this lively Summer Orzo Salad that goes with just about everything.This salad is also great for a picnic or potluck because it doesn't contain mayo.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Cooked Orzo
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
3 Large Chopped Shallots
1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Cup Halved Grape Tomatoes
10 Sliced Radishes
1/2 Cup White Beans
1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Basil
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1/4 Cup Prepared Italian Dressing
Cook the orzo in a large size pot of boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes until al dente. I used a fancy black and white orzo, but you can use any kind that you like or have on hand. Drain the orzo and drizzle on the olive oil. Give a good stir so the olive oil coats all of the orzo. Set aside. In a small size bowl place the chopped shallots and pour the lemon juice over the shallots. Let the shallots sit in the lemon juice for about 10 minutes. In a medium size bowl add the tomatoes, radishes, white beans, kosher salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the vegetables and mix well. In a large size serving bowl add the orzo. Drain the shallots and discard the lemon juice. Add the shallots to the orzo and give a good stir. Now add the vegetable and dressing mixture and combine well. Finally add the chopped basil and give another good stir. Cover with plastic wrap and place into the fridge for 2 to 4 hours. You can make this ahead and let it sit in the fridge overnight. If you need to add more dressing feel free to do so, but you really don’t want this salad to be drenched in dressing as it really should just be moist. When you are ready to serve remove from the fridge and serve immediately. Serves 6
Marinated Cucumber & Onion Salad
I love this salad. It’s easy to make and makes a great side dish. If you plan on marinating the salad overnight make sure to cut the cucumber a tad thicker. This way it will keep more of a crunch. You may use any type of onion that you like, but a sweet onion (like Vidalia) is a good choice. I’ve made this salad with red onions as well.
INGREDIENTS
1/3 Cup Rice Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Mint
2 Tablespoons Honey
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
3 1/2 Cups Sliced Cucumber
1 Cup Sliced Onion
In a large size bowl combine the rice vinegar, chopped mint, honey, sugar, kosher salt and pepper. Wisk until the sugar dissolves. Add the cucumber and onion slices. Toss well and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 4 or more hours. While in the fridge go in and toss a few times to ensure that all of the cucumber and onion slices are getting marinated. Remove from the fridge and serve. Serves 4
Classic Black Beans & Rice
Everyone needs a few easy weekend night meals to pull out of their hat. Here is a wonderful Classic Black Beans & Rice recipe that is truly a faithful friend. If you want to add meat then either add chicken or fish. Shrimp is a good choice for a homespun Cajun night.
INGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3/4 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
1/2 Cup Chopped Green or Red Bell Pepper
3 Minced Garlic Cloves
2 Cups Cooked Black Beans (Undrained)
3/4 Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Oregano
2 Teaspoons Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Vinegar
In a medium size saucepan heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the onions, peppers and garlic. Cook for 8 minutes until they are nice and tender. Stir in the beans, water, oregano, chili powder and vinegar. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve over hot white or brown rice. Serves 4
Red Pepper & Cucumber Salad
Summer is here and I tend to want to eat a bit lighter during these warm months. Here is a good side salad. If you want to make it a main meal then add sautéed chicken, shrimp or tofu.
INGREDIENTS
1 Garlic Clove
1 Diced Large Shallot
1 Seeded and Diced Jalapeno Pepper
4 Tablespoons Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1 Large Seeded and Diced Red Pepper
1 Large Peeled and Diced Cucumber
1/2 Cup Chopped Cilantro
3 Sliced Ripe Avocados
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Pound the garlic clove to a smooth paste. Place the garlic, shallot, jalapeno, kosher salt and lime juice into a small size bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup olive oil and stir to combine. Place the red pepper, cucumber and chopped cilantro into a medium size bowl. Pour half of the garlic vinaigrette into the bowl of red pepper mixture. Stir to combine well. Arrange the sliced avocado on a serving platter and pour the remaining garlic vinaigrette evenly over the top of the avocado. Spoon the red pepper mixture on and around the avocado. Serve immediately. Serves 4 as a side salad or 2 as a main dish.
Tip: When seeding a jalapeno, lay the pepper on its side on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife and cut just to the right of the stem and along one side of the pepper. Remove just the flesh and not the seeds. Rotate the pepper a quarter turn and then slice again. Continue to turn and slice until you have four seedless slices. Throw away the seeds and core.
Spicy Onion Rings
In preparing the onion rings maintain the oil at 350º F during cooking. If the temperature drops below 350º then the onion rings take longer to cook and tend to absorb too much oil. Plus they don’t get crisp like they should. Try and prepare the steak and the onion rings at the same time. If you can’t do that then have the onion rings ready to fry as soon as those delicious steaks come off of the grill.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Unbleached Flour
1/2 Cup Cornstarch
1 Tablespoon Ground Red Chile Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cayenne
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Quart Vegetable Oil (For Deep Frying)
4 Large Thinly Slices Onions (Rings Separated)
In a large size bowl combine the flour, cornstarch, red chile powder, cayenne, cumin, kosher salt and pepper. Pour the oil into a saucepan or deep-fryer and bring the heat to 350º F. Put the onion rings into the flour mixture and coat. Gently shake off any excess. Using tongs carefully put some of the coated onions into the hot oil. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crispy. Remove from the oil and place on paper towels to drain. Do this in 3 or 4 batches until all are fried. Season with additional kosher salt if you like. Serve warm. Serves 4
Rhubarb Peach Jam
Have this jam on my Cherry Scones and you’ll be in heaven.
INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 Pounds Rhubarb
1 Pound Peaches
Juice of 3 Lemons
3 Pounds Sugar
2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Ginger
Wipe and trim the rhubarb. Trim the stalks. Halve them lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces. Wash and slice the peaches. In a large bowl, combine the rhubarb, peaches, sugar, lemon juice and ginger. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next day, put the contents of the bowl into a cooking pot and bring to a boil. Cooking time will vary depending on how much juice the rhubarb releases. Boil rapidly for 30 minutes. Once the rhubarb breaks down turn the heat down to a simmer for 40 more minutes. Keep a close eye on the mixture as it simmers. Remove from the heat and skim any foam off the surface. Cool completely and refrigerate up to 2 weeks or can the jam for longer storage. Makes about 5 pints.
Smoked Okra
If you’re an okra lover then you’re going to love Smoked Okra. The “smoke” comes from the smoked paprika which I am a huge fan of. I love to eat them right out of the jar.
INGREDIENTS
24 Okra
1 Cup White Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons Smoked Paprika
1/2 Teaspoon Whole Mustard Seeds
1/2 Teaspoon Whole Peppercorns
1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
2 Minced Garlic Cloves
3 Whole Dried Chile Peppers
Wash and dry a very large glass jar. Wash the okra and remove any of the prickly parts that are on the okra tops. Place the okra into the jar along with the dried chili peppers. You will probably need to pack the okra into the jar. Set aside. In a medium size pan add the vinegar, kosher salt, smoked paprika, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cayenne pepper and garlic cloves. Whisk the ingredients in the pan to combine well. Bring to a boil and then let the mixture boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully pour the vinegar mixture into the okra filled jar. Add water to fill to the top of the jar. Put the lid on the jar and let sit on the counter until it comes to room temperature. Place into the refrigerator and let sit for 1 week before eating. These tend to be rather spicy so if you want to tone the spice down then leave out the dried chile peppers.
Edamame & Black Bean Salad
A nice summer salad indeed!
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Edamame
1 Cup Black Beans
1/2 Cup Corn
1/2 Cup Diced Zucchini (Yellow or Green)
1/2 Cup Diced Fennel
1/4 Cup Chopped Green Onions
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Dill
1/4 Cup Cider Vinegar
1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Whole Grain Mustard
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
In a large size bowl combine the edamame, black beans, corn, zucchini, fennel, green onions and dill. Set aside. In a small size bowl whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, kosher salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Pour the vinegar mixture over the salad and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 or more hours. Remove when ready to serve and transfer into a serving bowl. Serves 4
Blueberry Salsa
This fruity salsa is a refreshing side to grilled meats and fish.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Coarsely Chopped Fresh Blueberries
1 Cup Whole Fresh Blueberries
1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
3 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Cilantro
2 Seeded & Minced Jalapeno Peppers
1/3 Cup Diced Red Bell Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Add all of the ingredients to a large serving bowl. Toss well and cover and chill for 6 hours. Makes about 3 cups.
