Appetizers

Simple Arugula Salad

/ andreah94 / 2 Comments

In addition to being one of the more dainty dark greens, peppery Arugula is wonderful in a large variety of preparations. This simple salad is perfect for pepper lovers in the summer (or all year) when its flavor is the most robust. It is also quite wonderful in the spring and fall when the spiciness subsides a bit. Think of this salad as a base – on its own it is delicious, or it can be added to sandwiches, top a pizza off, or thrown into a blender with additional ingredients to make pesto. It can also serve as the base for a larger, more substantial salad with the introduction of additional ingredients.  Arugula is also known as ‘rocket’ should you see a recipe calling for that ingredient. One tip, should you choose to grow your own arugula – plant it in a contained space. Arugula takes over a garden (or yard) like I have never seen, whether or not this is a bad thing I suppose depends on how much your love arugula versus how much you love your existing landscaping.

Simple Arugula Salad

Two cups Arugula leaves
Juice of one lemon (adjust according to preference)
Small pinch of Salt
A couple good cracks of black pepper
About a half-cup of shaved Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano Cheese

Combine all ingredients in a bowl (preferably one that can seal easily) and mix gently.  Yep, you are done.

Cucumber Avocado Soup

/ andreah94 / Leave a comment

D and I spent the weekend at my parent’s house in the Hill Country. They have thermometer that is located on an outside deck in the shade. Around 2:00 pm Sunday afternoon, it read 102 degrees. IN THE SHADE. Needless to say, the heat of Texas summers pleads for refreshing, cold, light meals and snacks. Short of sucking on a Popsicle incessantly, this can be tough to do as most people like their food hot. Texans understand the need for cold food – we know that it is almost as important as queso. We had about 6 avocados leftover from fourth of July that had finally softened enough to be eaten (and that needed to be eaten by Sunday). I had no desire to make guacamole or enchiladas or anything that required eating luke-warm to hot meals. This led me to think about a lovely avocado soup I had had on holiday in Mexico back in 2008. In this same meal, I thoroughly enjoyed a cucumber martini which was the best drink I have ever had to date. I could feel myself begin to pine for these two flavors, so I decided to combine them in a chilled soup to ease the pain of the hot day. The soup was a lovely lunch and shortly after enjoying it, a small storm came across the lake and the temperature dropped about twenty degrees! Maybe I should call this magic, rain dance soup?

Note: I added spinach for extra nutrition, feel free to omit it if you do not have any – the flavor is not affected as the mild spinach flavor will play second fiddle to the avocado and cucumber flavors. Secondly, had I had any, I would have added fresh cilantro to brighten the flavors even further. I left this out and used fresh basil instead, which was just fine, and probably made my vehemently anti-cilantro father very happy. Feel free to use either or both depending on your taste preference.

Serves 4-6 as a appetizer portion

Two Cucumbers, washed and roughly chopped (seeded)
Five avocados, seeded and skinned
One to two cups of baby Spinach
Five Green onion stalks, including white parts
One tablespoon Ground Coriander
Salt and Pepper to taste
Juice of One Lemon, plus more to taste
One bunch fresh basil, with a few leaves set aside to chiffonade for garnish
1/2 Jalapeno, seeded and minced
Five garlic cloves
Cayenne Pepper to taste
1/2 to 3/4 cup plain yogurt
One to 1.5 cups chicken stock or cold water (depending on thinness desired)

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and mix well. Adjust seasoning as desired, then transfer to the fridge and allow to chill for at least  half hour, preferably longer. Serve garnish with fresh basil.

Pico de Gallo

/ andreah94 / 2 Comments

Pico is one of the easiest things to make. I am not sure why anyone buys the store bought stuff – I guess there is an argument for time-savings, but the flavor, cost, and satisfaction is just so much better with homemade (and buying store bought really only saves you about ten minutes). Pico – at its best in the summer with the amazing summer tomatoes – is fast, fresh, healthy, and versatile.

Serves 8

Four large tomatoes, seeded and diced
3/4 to one whole white onion (to taste); small dice
Salt
Pepper
Juice of one to two limes depending on taste
Two Jalapenos, seeded and finely diced
1.5 cups fresh cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix gently. Flavors will develop more over time or serve immediately. That simple.

No-Butter Garlic Bread

/ andreah94 / Leave a comment

I am aware that most people know how to make garlic bread. I am also aware that this is a fairly boring version of garlic bread. However, mixing garlic with cheese is not “garlic bread,” it is cheesy garlic bread (and it is fabulous). There are loads of variations for this, but this particular garlic bread is incredible when floated into  soups or brothy dishes because it is toasted longer than normal and individually sliced instead of toasted as a loaf. It is also fantastic when thrown into a food processor and made into homemade bread crumbs – I promise that you will not get the same crunch from the canned kind. This version is also healthier than the garlic bread that most people typically think about – it is not dripping with butter (not that things dripping with butter are in any way appetite suppressing, they just simply add too much jiggle to my thighs) and it still has a great deal of flavor. That said, man do I love cheesy garlic bread…Advice for cutting your bread if you do not elect to have your baker do it for you – use a serrated knife. You will make your life easier.

Half loaf of Ciabatta bread (or similar), sliced
Five cloves garlic, finely mined
Favorite Oil (I use garlic or basil oil usually), put into a small container
Small handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Paprika
Cayenne (optional)
Fresh Black Pepper, to taste

Brush each side of the bread with a bit of oil, place on a baking rack or tray that has holes or slats. Sprinkle each piece of bread with Cayenne, Paprika, and Pepper. Top with an ample amount of garlic and parsley. Bake for about five to seven minutes at 375. Serve with Soup or baked tomatoes or turn into homemade bread crumbs.


Bruschetta

/ andreah94 / Leave a comment

Bruschetta makes me so wonderfully happy! It is one of those super simple meals that great ingredients just make amazing. I love making a big batch of this to use as appetizers, chicken toppers, pasta mix-ins and a healthy snack with pita chips. It is awesome for lake weekends and large groups. I like it cold and warmed up – will provide both methods below.

Cold Bruschetta

  • 1.5 pounds ripe, plum tomatoes – drained, seeded, chopped *some people remove skins – I skip this step
  • 4-7 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups julienned basil
  • .5 – 1 tbsp good quality balsamic vinaigrette to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • A small dash of Gerrard’s Champagne Light Dressing *optional
  • One french baguette or ciabatta loaf (I prefer ciabatta but the baguette is much easier to make appetizer portions with
  • High quality olive oil

In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix well, adjusting amounts to taste. Set aside.

Slice bread into slices (between a centimeter and half inch thick depending on preference), brush with olive oil and place on a greased baking dish. Bake on 450 for 5 minutes (longer if more doneness is desired, shorter if using smaller slices than half-inch). Remove and top with tomato mixture. Serve immediately.

Warm Bruschetta

  • All the same ingredients, plus Fresh Mozzarella or Burrata, diced

In a large bowl combine all ingredients, plus mozzarella, and mix well, adjusting amounts to taste. Set aside.

Slice bread into slices (half inch thick depending on preference), brush with olive oil and place on a greased baking dish. Bake on 450 for 3 minutes. Remove, top with the tomato mixture and return to the oven for 3-4 minutes – until cheese is melty. Serve immediately.

Black Bean-Corn Salsa

/ andreah94 / 1 Comment

This is a versatile dip. You can add this to seven layer bean dip, use as a regular dip along side salsa, queso or guac, add it into tacos or enchiladas, etc. When I make enchiladas I serve them with a huge helping of this on the side – I am not sure why I do not put it inside the actual enchilada as it inevitably get mixed in and eaten with the enchilada. I suppose it is enchilada nostalgia.If you want to make shrimp enchiladas leave out the black beans and tomatoes. This is also the ONLY thing that I will eat bell pepper in. All of the ingredients listed below should be added in quantities according to taste preferences.

Black Bean-Corn Salsa

Black Beans
Red onion – small dice
minced garlic formed into paste (no more than 2 cloves is necessary)
Red Bell Pepper – small dice
Sweet Corn
Tomato – seeded, juiced, and diced
Lime Juice
Avocado
Red wine vinegar
Spices: powdered garlic, cumin, cayenne, adobo, salt
Cilantro to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add seasoning as desired.

Ahi Poke with Coconut Ginger Rice and Crispy Shallots

/ andreah94 / 1 Comment

This came about on a night that I really wanted Tuna Tartar but did not want to pay and arm and a leg for it. Central Market (where I buy my fish almost exclusively because I like it better than Whole Paycheck) had some gorgeous tuna so I got a little bit and smiled at the price tag. A big, whole hunk of tuna all for me and all for under the normal $13 price tag. I mixed it pretty much with stuff I had at home with the addition of avocado and green onion for the poke. I love coconut-ginger rice (like I will eat it with eel sauce and call it breakfast), so I usually make extra – it is great if you have a stomach ache as well (ginger ale/ginger …get it?)

Add everything to taste and enjoy! Oh also, when I say eel sauce, Sometimes I mean actual eel sauce and sometimes I mean something with a Japanese name that I buy at Asahi (I purchase both at my Japanese store). I am not sure of the name but it is like a thick soy/eel sauce. Also great to marinate beef in if you can find it! The beauty of this is plentiful…It is a way to get tuna for much cheaper than in a restaurant, you can customize it to exactly how you want it by adding ingredients or taking them away, it takes about ten minutes, it is relatively low calorie, easy clean up, and YUMMY!

Ahi Poke with Coconut Ginger Rice (for one)


Quarter pound of fresh blue/yellow/big eye tuna from Central Market (alternate fish Nairagi)
Avocado – diced
Green onions – large dice
Sesame seeds – black or white – to taste (I use about two tablespoons)
Sesame seed oil (can sub hot chili oil or olive oil if preferred)
Sriracha – to taste – I use about a tablespoon and a half
Soy sauce – to taste about a tablespoon
Fresh Lime juice – to taste – I normally use half a lime
Eel sauce – optional but if not using you may need more soy
Ginger Lime marinade/sauce – to taste
Salt and pepper
One Coconut-Ginger Rice recipe

Cook the rice in half water/half coconut milk – once nearly done add in minced ginger (I use about three tablespoon but do it to taste)

Using a very sharp knife cut the tuna into dice. Dice avocado and green onion. Combine all ingredients in a bowl with sesame seeds. Begin adding additional ingredients to taste, testing and adding as desired.

On a small plate or bowl place rice down on bottom and top with poke. Top with crispy shallots (store bought or homemade) or Just Onions (dried onion brand from Central Market/whole foods).

Variations – Some people like mango with their tuna – go for it if you like. You can also top with cucumber for crunch. You can leave the rice out if you like or add wasabi into the rice or sear the tuna with a wasabi crust, place over the rice and then top with a similar sauce as would have gone into the poke. You could also make rice mixed with wasabi butter (wasabi paste, butter, lime juice and shallot sautéed until mellow) or pour wasabi butter over the top.