I am trying to stretch summer out as long as possible before I break down, get out my pumpkin spice candle and start cooking mashed potatoes and gravy. That is why when I went to the grocery store on Sunday I happened to pick up what seemed about every kind of fresh tomato they had. I bought grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, regular vine ripened tomatoes and some very lovely, sweet campari tomatoes. It was the first time that I purchased campari tomatoes but it won’t be the last especially if I keep stuffing them with toasted bread crumbs and a little arugula walnut pesto.

Campari tomatoes are bigger than cherry tomatoes but smaller than your standard tomato. They are perfect for little bite size appetizers such as these. And they couldn’t be any easier. Simply remove the insides and stuff them with a little toasted bread crumbs, garlic, olive oil and arugula walnut pesto. The result is a sweet burst of summer flavor.

You will need:

• 6 campari tomatoes
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 tablespoon arugula walnut pesto
• 1 tablespoon parmesan or romano cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Cut the tops off the tomatoes. Gently remove the flesh and seeds inside and reserve 1 tablespoon. Season the cavity of the tomatoes lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Place olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and bread crumbs. Cook until bread crumbs are toasted. About 2 minutes.
4. In a bowl combine bread crumbs, reserved tomato juices, and pesto. Mix well.
5. Spoon mixture into tomatoes. Sprinkle cheese on top. Place in preheated oven and cook for 15 – 20 minutes or until the top has browned slightly and the tomatoes have softened.
6. Transfer to serving platter. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Enjoy!

Happy Monday all! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Ryan and I did. Quite wonderful actually as we spent the last week in sunny San Diego. We had a blast. We attempted to get tan at the beach and we got knocked around by some waves. We ate good food and enjoyed even better company. All in all it was a great vacation that came to an end all to quickly. And sometime between when the plane landed yesterday and I the time I got up this morning I had to go grocery shopping and make dinner. Needless to say it was a light supper for us that all started with this arugula walnut pesto.

Most of you have probably tried basil pesto and this is essentially the same concept only a couple of differences. Instead of basil I use arugula and instead of pine nuts I use walnuts. Other than that the ingredients and process for making this pesto is exactly the same but the taste will be quite a bit different. Where basil is sweet, arugula is peppery and it brings a nice bite to this classic.

Makes about 1 cup

You will need:

• 2 cups baby arugula
• 1/2 cup shelled walnuts
• 1/2 cup romano cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil

1. Combine arugula, walnuts, cheese and kosher salt in the food processor. Turn processor on.
2. With the processor, running slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Process until smooth, about 1 minute.
3. Serve.

Store in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap. Press the plastic wrap down on the top to prevent the pesto from oxidizing. Use within a few days.

Enjoy!

So I threw a bridal shower this weekend. Yes, one week after I moved into my new house, I invited people I didn’t know and a few that I did into my very quickly put together home. And not only did I have to put together my home, I also had to whip up some food. Although, I shouldn’t really say “had” because the truth of the matter is I enjoyed cooking it. And from the response these chips got, I think my guests enjoyed eating it.

These chips are like crack. I even toyed with the idea of calling them crack chips but figured that would turn some people off. So I figured I would just stick with garlic chips. It gets the point across very nicely dontcha think?

These chips are based on these garlic fries so really they were bound to be addictive. But the wonderful thing about these chips is that someone else does the frying for you all you have to do is cook the garlic for about 30 seconds then pour it over some thick cut potato chips and voilà!

You will need:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 10 cloves garlic, minced fine
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 large bag of thick cut potato chips

1. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and parsley, cook 30 seconds or just until garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat.
2. Place chips in a bowl. Pour garlic and parsley over the top, toss to coat.
3. Serve.

One of my friends at the shower said “I don’t eat potato chips. Like ever. But I love these.” I hope you do too. Enjoy!

Hi everyone! I’m back!

What a week this has been. It’s been tiring. It’s been draining. But we’re finally all moved into our new home. Moved in however, doesn’t mean unpacked and if you read my last post you know how I feel about packing. My lovely mama did come to help me unpack my kitchen while she was here, yet I am still too busy setting up the rest of our house to do too much cooking. Blasphemy I know. Over the last few days I could feel the effects of kitchen withdrawal starting to set in so I decided to make this quick, flavorful appetizer to get my kitchen fix.

Have you looked at the calendar? I just did. It’s the 4th. of August. The 8th month of the year. I have never really been a fan of August. The weather gets a little too hot. It marks the end of summer and means that the days of sunshine are going to become fewer and fewer here in Seattle. However one thing that is great about August, besides my mom’s birthday, is the beautiful glorious tomatoes that reach their peak this month. They are sweet, tender, juicy and pair perfectly with sweet basil and creamy mozzarella. Place it all atop crusty garlic laced french bread and you have one heck of a summer snack.

Serves 4

You will need:

• 1 large heirloom tomato, diced
• 2/3 cup pearl size mozzarella
• 10 basil leaves chopped
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 12 baguette slices
• 1 clove garlic

1. Combine diced tomato, mozzarella, basil leaves, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven broiler. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet. Broil for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Rub garlic clove over the top of toasted bread.
3. Spoon chilled tomato mixture over the top of the bread. Serve.

Enjoy!

I have mentioned before that I plan out my menus so that way I know what I’m going to make during the week. Its great. It takes a lot of the guess work out of making dinner. That is until I decide that I don’t want to make what I had planned. That is what happened to me yesterday, I originally planned to make some kind of turkey burgers but they just didn’t sound good yesterday. I was in more of a meatball kind of mood. A spicy meatball mood to be more exact.

Ever go to a Thai restaurant and have the server ask you how spicy you want your Pad Thai on a scale of 1 – 4? Well is it just me or are these rarely accurate? If you give me a scale of 1 – 4  and I order 4 I am thinking 4 is “I can’t feel my face hot” not “oooh this has a nice kick to it hot” which is what I tend to get. Then again I like spicy. With that in mind, on my scale of 1 – 4 I give these a 3 as in “my tongue is a little tingly and my throat is a little hot but I can’t stop eating”. If that sounds too hot for you cut back the sriracha to a tablespoon.

Makes about 20 meatballs

You will need:

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/3 cup dry plain bread crumbs
• 1/2 yellow onion, minced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons sriracha
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all ingredients except peanut oil in a bowl. Mix well to combine. Roll into 20 meatballs.
3. Heat peanut oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Cook meatballs until browned. Transfer to a baking dish.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 more minutes or until cooked through.
5. Transfer to a serving platter sprinkle with more sesame seeds and chopped green onions if desired.
6. Serve

Enjoy!

Happy Monday all! How was your weekend? Mine was full of trips to home depot, looking at paint swatches, sanding hardwood floors and a day full of furniture shopping. Just typing it makes me tired. So needless to say, by the time last night rolled around I was ready for a hearty, rustic sunday supper. It was just what I needed and it all started with this lovely appetizer.

I served this dish as an appetizer along side some oven roasted chicken, sauteed spinach and rosemary potatoes. However, I think that this would make a fantastic light summer supper for two as well. If I was making it for Ryan and I, I’d serve it along side some fresh greens with a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette and extra virgin olive oil and a cool glass of pinot grigio.

Serves 2 – 4

You will need:

• 10 slices rustic baguette
• extra virgin olive oil
• 5 slices thinly sliced prosciutto cut in half
• 10 small basil leaves
• fresh cracked black pepper

1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
2. Brush baguette slices with olive oil. Place, oiled side down, in the skillet and cook just until toasted, about 3 minutes. You can also do this step by placing the baguette slices on a baking sheet and placing them under the broiler for a couple of minutes.
3. Transfer to a serving plate. Place sliced prosciutto and basil leaves on top. Drizzle with more extra virgin olive oil and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Serve.

Enjoy!

This dip is awesome. Like a game winning grand slam in the bottom of the 9th awesome. Or for you non-baseball fans, really really really good. Unlike traditional hummus, this hummus is made with black beans to give it a Latin flare. It’s also got some other yummy stuff like garlic, olive oil, cilantro, cumin, tahini and some cayenne pepper for a little kick.

I read an article the other day about how non-traditional hummus is increasing in popularity here in the U.S. I have to say that after looking at 10 different kinds of hummus available at my local grocery store, I must agree. I however don’t think its a bad thing. I love all varieties of hummus from roasted garlic to edamame, its all good. And hummus is so easy to make at home, its really fun to experiment with all different varieties. Have you ever experimented with your own hummus?

You will need:

• 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cilantro

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth.
2. Transfer to a bowl and serve.

These are easy peasy. But despite being easy peasy, I think they can bring a touch of class to any BBQ or outdoor party. Sure you’ve probably had shrimp skewers before but these shrimp aren’t just placed on any normal wood skewers. No that will not do. These shrimp are skewered on to fresh rosemary sprigs. What is so cool about that you ask? Well it gives you a pretty presentation as well as a wonderful taste of fresh rosemary in each shrimp bite.

These can be a little tricky so you want pretty sturdy rosemary sprigs. I also found that if I remove a few of the rosemary leaves it is easier to get the prawns on. Don’t worry you will still get a plenty of rosemary flavor.

Serves 2

You will need:

• 4 rosemary sprigs
• 12 medium prawns, peeled and deveined
• 2 gloves garlic, minced
• pinch kosher salt
• squirt of lemon juice

1. Soak the rosemary sprigs in water for 20 minutes.
2. While the rosemary is soaking, place the prawns, garlic and kosher salt in a bowl and toss to coat.
3. Skewer the prawns on the rosemary sprigs. Refrigerate until ready to grill.
4. Preheat grill.
5. Grill prawns for 3 – 5 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through. Transfer to a plate and squirt with lemon juice.
6. Serve.

Enjoy!

As you can see I’ve been on a bit of a dill kick lately. There is just something about it that reminds me of summer. The taste is so fresh and bright. Dill pairs very nicely with both garlic and chicken so I’m surprised I never thought of these chicken tenders before. They are crispy, golden, full of flavor and sure to please all the adults and kids at your dinner table.

When I  post chicken tender recipes on the blog I often get the question “What is a chicken tender?” Chicken tenders are basically pieces of chicken without bones or skin. The chicken tenders that I buy are chicken breast tenders. My grocery store often carries them right next to the regular chicken breasts. If your grocery store does not, simply buy boneless skinless chicken breasts and slice them into strips.

Serves 4

You will need:

• 1 1/2 pound chicken tenders
• kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons dried dill
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 – 2 teaspoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a cooling rack with non-stick spray and place cooling rack on top of a baking sheet.
2. Season both sides of the chicken tenders with salt and pepper.
3. In a bowl beat egg. In another bowl combine bread crumbs, panko bread crumbs, dill and garlic. Dip each chicken tender in the egg then press into the bread mixture to coat completely. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all chicken tenders are coated. Drizzle olive oil over the top.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 minutes or until chicken is browned.
5. Serve.

Enjoy!

I’m not gonna lie, when I first spotted these on the menu of the restaurant I used to work at, I was not intrigued. I simply did not like coconut. That however did not stop me from using them in my spiel whenever I visited a table. They were hot sellers. People liked them. People really liked them. People liked them so much that I eventually caved and ordered some on my break. I took my first bite hesitantly as I was fully expecting my mouth to taste like I squirted some Hawaiian Tropic Suntan lotion on my tongue. But alas, that was not the case. They were good. They were crunchy. They were salty. They were sweet. They were everything I was expecting them not to be… including quite addicting.

Despite them being so scrumptious, I didn’t make them at home until recently. But they are surprisingly easy to make. All you need is shrimp, some seasoned flour, egg whites a little coconut, panko and a little oil for frying and you’re good to go. You can serve them as an appetizer or as an entrée whichever you like. They can be ready in about half an hour. Not bad eh?

Serves 2 – 4

You will need

• 15 (26 – 30 count) prawns, peeled, deveined, tail-on if possible
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 egg whites, beaten
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• oil for frying

1. Using a small knife cut the prawns down the back, but do not cut through. This will butterfly the prawns so that they lay flat.
2. Combine flour, garlic and kosher salt in a bowl. Place egg whites in another bowl. In a third bowl combine panko bread crumbs and coconut.
3. Press prawns into flour to coat. Dip in egg batter and then press into coconut/panko mixture. Repeat until all prawns are breaded. At this point you can refrigerate the prawns for up to two hours until you are ready to cook.
4. Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle some panko bread crumbs into the oil, if they sizzle the oil is hot enough. Begin frying the prawns in batches until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Allow to cool slightly.
5. Serve.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. I like a little orange marmalade or sweet Thai chili sauce. Enjoy!