A few years ago, when we first joined a CSA, we were swimming in zucchini. Taking my inspiration from vegetable quiches I had been making earlier in the season, I topped a savory custard with thinly sliced zucchini and yellow squash.

The result was a hit – it kept well in the fridge, tasted good warm or at room temperature, and was perfect for picnics and polo matches.

Here’s my basic recipe. I’m sure you can imagine many variations. I just use what’s in the fridge – I’ve tried it with many cheeses, herbs, etc. and it’s very adaptable.

P.S. When I saw the Slice it Up recipe contest from OXO, I knew I had to enter. I love my OXO tools – for this recipe I’d use my mandoline (actually, I think my parents bought it for my husband, but I’ve taken it over), and my cheese grater.  I’m also totally enamored with my OXO vegetable peeler. I’m not just saying this for a contest, I really do love these tools!

Last March we stayed at the Venetian in Las Vegas and enjoyed two amazing brunches at Bouchon. One morning, Jeremy ordered the Chicken and Waffles, described on the menu as “roasted chicken, bacon and chive waffle, Tahitian vanilla bean butter, sauce chasseur.” We couldn’t stop talking about it, and after a Google search, I see we’re not alone.

Today I made us Bouchon-inspired chicken and waffles for brunch.  This Chicken and Waffles recipe from The Cookworks was a good basis, but I made a few changes.

For the waffles, I added minced chives and three slices of finely diced crispy bacon to the batter (also, I substituted milk with a squeeze of lemon juice for the buttermilk, simply because I didn’t have any).  Instead of skin-on chicken breast, I used moderately sized leg quarters. Last, I omitted the dijon cream sauce and instead emulated Bouchon’s menu with vanilla butter and something like a sauce Chausseur (I didn’t go crazy with ingredients here – I essentially made a gravy from rich chicken stock with some shallots and wine).

I’d rather eat the Bouchon version, but when I’m over 2000 miles away, this is a pretty good brunch. Next time I make it, I’ll omit the sugar in the waffle recipe. The Bouchon version uses sourdough, so maybe I’ll try a yeast dough as a base…well, before “next time” we have to eat our way through the 10 leftover waffles in the freezer. Not that I’m complaining.

As I mentioned in my last post, I like experimenting with granola ingredients. My favorite lately has been chocolate and peanut butter – even more addictive than the classic honey granola I posted last time, and a great homemade gift for the holidays. You may want to adjust the sugar and salt depending on the type of peanut butter you use. I prefer Teddie Natural Chunky peanut butter, which is unsweetened but salted.

Making your own granola is easy and delicious. Addictively delicious. I can’t tell you how long the shelf life is because we eat it so quickly, especially when there’s a batch of homemade yogurt in the fridge.

Here’s my basic recipe, adapted from others I found.  After the recipe, I’ll give you my favorite add-ins.

1. Preheat the oven to 350.

2. Mix in a large bowl:

• 3 cups rolled oats (NOT quick)
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup nuts (I use almonds)

3. Heat in a small saucepan, stirring a few times, until the sugar dissolves and the  mixture starts bubbling:

• 1/2 cup honey
• 2-3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup neutral oil, such as canola oil
• 1/4 cup water or juice (I like orange juice)

4. Once heated, stir in:

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

5. Now pour the hot honey mixture into the oats and stir - make sure to stir all the way down to the bottom so all the oats get coated.  Spread on a non-stick or sprayed cookie sheet and place in the middle or top of the oven for 7 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven, stir, turn the heat down to 225 and bake for 30 more minutes, checking once in a while to make sure it’s not burning.

That’s it!

Variations:

Optional / swappable add-ins to the oat mix in step 2. You will probably want at least some nuts, but don’t feel like you need this long list of ingredients, you don’t!

• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup flax seeds (for healthy granola)
• 1/4 cup wheat germ (for healthy granola)

Optional flavoring in step 4: almond extract, or why not orange?

Baking method: Depending on your ingredients, your baking time might vary. To test, I put a tiny bit in a dish and cool to see if it’s crunchy enough. You want your granola to be dry.  I’ve experimented with a lot of baking methods, sometimes if I don’t have time to watch it, I will bake for an hour at a lower temperature, or if I notice it’s not dry enough after baking, I’ll leave it in a warm but turned-off oven for an hour or so.  You can also bake it at a higher temperature for a shorter time, but you risk burning if you tend to multitask like me.

Type of Granola: If you want a healthier, less sweet granola, you can use more oats (4 cups instead of 3).  If you want a sweeter granola that holds together in big chunks, decrease the oats relative to the other ingredients.

After a fishing trip to Alaska last year (which I still need to blog about), we have some large pieces of salmon in the freezer. As someone who rarely cooked fish before, this has given me a wonderful opportunity to try new recipes and cooking techniques.

The large pieces sometimes mean several days of salmon.  Crafting a new meal out of leftovers is a creative exercise of which I’m very fond!  Here’s how I got three delicious meals out of one generous piece of salmon.

Day 1
Dinner: White wine-poached salmon topped with Pungent Parsley and Caper Sauce.  Green and yellow beans almondine.

Day 2
Lunch: Salmon sandwiches on 7 Stars Olive Bread spread with leftover Parsley and Caper sauce.

Day 3
Brunch:  Salmon cake benedict on 7 Stars Olive Bread with bearnaise sauce.  The leftover salmon and sauce made 5 salmon cakes when mixed with some onion, egg, old bread, and spices.

Sometimes, leftovers can be quite luxurious.

Pictured above: A salmon sandwich I made on olive bread – albiet a different one

I’m always on the lookout for easy summer lunches that transport well and don’t need to be heated.  This salad was imagined to use up some odds and ends.  I didn’t have high expectations but it came out so well, with pleasing textures and flavors.

This is my first time cooking with tempeh, and I’m honestly unsure what motivated me to buy it.  I had my doubts when I tried a piece raw – it tasted horrible!  But marinated and fried, it adds a good flavor and some protein to the salad.

Most of the other ingredients came from Rhode Island growers: the rye berries from Schartner Farms, the broccoli and garlic scapes from Pak Express.  The broccoli was so good that I ate most of the bag instead of putting it in the salad…even the stems were tender.

Ingredients

• 1 package tempeh (I used an 8oz package of LightLife 3 grain)
• 1 cup dried rye berries
• a handful garlic scapes (scallions would work too)
• 1/2 head broccoli (I also used the leaves)
• orange juice
• soy sauce
• olive oil
• cider vinegar

Directions

1. Chop the tempeh into 1/2 in cubes and marinate in a mixture of soy sauce and orange juice, just enough to cover.  I used about 2 parts OJ to 1 part soy sauce.
2. Prepare the rye berries: rinse with cool water and drain.  Bring 2.5 cups water to a boil, add rye berries, turn down the heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes.  If the rye berries are tender but with a bit of chewiness, they’re done.
3. While the rye berries are cooking, chop the garlic scapes into small (1/8 in) rounds and the broccoli into 1/4 in pieces (or larger if you’d prefer).
4. In a large bowl, prepare about a half cup of vinaigrette with some cider vinegar, olive oil, and pepper to taste.  It can be a bit on the sharp/sour side because we will add some sweetness – and saltiness – later.
5. When the rye berries are finished cooking, drain and toss with the vinaigrette, broccoli and scapes.  The warm rye berries will soak up the dressing nicely.
6. Drain the tempeh, reserving the marinade.  Fry in a skillet with a bit of olive oil, browning on all sides, about 5 minutes.  Pour the reserved marinade into the skillet, allowing it to cook down by about half.   If you used a lot of soy sauce, you might not want to use all the marinade so your salad does not end up too salty.  Mix the tempeh and cooked marinade into your salad, and season to taste if necessary.

I love raw oysters, so I was skeptical the first time I heard of grilled oysters. Then I tried them at the Acme Oyster House in New Orleans, and I was more than willing to change my mind.

Last weekend, we tried grilling our own, following Emeril’s recipe. The oysters are shucked, topped with a compound butter (with garlic, parsley, chives, lemon juice, cayenne, hot sauce), and grilled (we have a special rack to make sure they don’t tilt and lose those delicious juices, which are divine when soaked up with some crusty bread). They were almost perfect – next time we will add an extra sprinkling of Parmesan for that crispy texture.

As J was shucking the oysters he made an interesting discovery – an Oyster Crab! They’re tiny (1/2″ or less) crabs that live inside oysters. I did exactly what you’d expect me to do: I took a picture of it, Googled it, then fried and ate it.

Last month, we bought a grill and entered a whole new world of outdoor cooking.  While searching our chest freezer for grillable items, I came across lamb hot dogs and lamb kielbasa from a family friend with a farm.  It seemed a shame to top lamb sausage with the usual ball-game ketchup and yellow mustard combo, so I sorted through the jars in our fridge and threw together a condiment with a little class.  It went with the sausage so well, I’ve already made it a few times.

Mediterranean Relish

• Black dry-cured olives
• Red onion
• Capers
• Roasted red peppers – I  used jalapenos, but a less spicy alternative might be better
• Squeeze of lemon juice (optional)

Dice the olives, onion, and red peppers into approximately 1/4 inch pieces.  Mix with the capers and add lemon juice to taste if desired.  Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the sausage.

I think mint or basil would make a tasty addition – what would you add?

A poached egg is like a choice piece of jewelry; it has the ability to make a normal dish luxurious. The contrast between ethereal white and thick orange yolk is sensual. (But if you’ve had one, you already know that.)

L: Smoked salmon eggs benedict

R: Fall veggie hash (sweet potatoes, acorn squash, onions, leeks, garlic, sage) topped with an egg

If you enjoy poached eggs but have never made one, try. The first few may not be perfect, but after a bit of practice, you’ll be ready to host a top-notch brunch (maybe for mother’s day?)  Speaking of mothers, mine can poach eggs very well. I’m sure I called her a few times trying to remember her tricks – but now I’m confident enough to make 6-8 at a time.  After coffee.

L: Winter vegetables (romanesco cauliflower, napa cabbage, carrots, garlic, chili) in a lightly seasoned broth, topped with a poached egg.  Inspired by a breakfast at Nick’s on Broadway, a great place for egg-spiration.

R: Fall vegetables (delicata squash, onions, garlic, carrots, mild radishes, peppers, tomato) with sriracha hollandaise

There are step-by-step instructions for egg poaching on Simply Recipes.  My method is similar.  I don’t time my eggs, instead testing the egg with a very timid poke, and I err on the early side when removing the eggs, especially if they are headed for a warmed dish in the oven. I use a large skimmer from Ikea to remove each egg and gently shake off excess water.

Don’t forget that poached eggs can be great for dinner as well: on a hearty salad, bean stew, warm lentil salad… How do you like yours?

I developed a Caesar Salad habit when we first participated in a CSA, as a response to the bounty of lettuce, farm fresh eggs, and my spring salad cravings.

My favorite Caesar recipe is in Arthur Schwartz’s Cooking in a Small Kitchen (a cookbook I love so much, it’s losing pages). I adapt the recipe to use a blender jar – it’s quicker, and extra dressing can simply be stored in the jar.

Caesar Dressing
Adapted from Cooking in a Small Kitchen by Arthur Schwartz

• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce (I use Tabasco brand)
• 1.5 tsp red wine vinegar
• 4 anchovy filets
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 raw egg*

Combine all ingredients in a blender jar. Blend until creamy, about 30 seconds.

Toss dressing with romaine lettuce. Lately I’ve been skipping the croutons and just topping with thick shavings of Parmesan, which I make with my favorite OXO vegetable peeler.

* I don’t, as he does, coddle the egg. If you are wary of raw eggs, you can coddle an egg by boiling water, turning off the heat, and placing the egg – with the shell still on – in the water for a minute.