Turkey & Kale Stuffed Shells

This little guy {yes, it's officially a boy!}above wishes you all a belated Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy New Year, and everything in between.  After all, we've been absent lately....again.  Seems to be a recurring theme here.  But there has been a whole lot of cooking going on, I promise.  I wish I could have snapped pics of the coffee-rubbed roasted pork butt we did a few weeks back.  To die for.  And the homemade chicken noodle soup, the wheat berry salad with zucchini and tomato, the marinara sauce with a bacon base {Holy Cow!!!}.  Or the Spritz cookies and soft, chewy ginger cookies that all disappeared way too quickly than they should have.  It's been happenin' in the kitchen this month!  But I have no pics to prove it.  Sorry for the taunting.

So, that leads me to today's recipe, one that I did have time to snap - turkey and kale stuffed shells.  This was beyond easy and super healthy.  These are definitely going on the dinner rotation in this house.

Kale is, by far, one of the best green veggies you can eat.  It's full of vitamins and minerals, and has one of the highest antioxidant levels - a perfect cancer fighter.  We need all the nutrition we can get these days so there was no doubt that I was adding a healthy dose of kale to this dish {it's also a good way to hide it - in case you have kids or significant others that can't stand the thought of eating it alone}.  Instead of using ground beef I swapped it out for ground turkey and called it a day.  There are a ton of different ways you can tweak this to your own tastes - go all veg and leave out the meat, or use beef or spicy italian sausage instead of turkey.  Your call.

Another thing I did to make this easy?  I used my favorite jarred pasta sauce - Mezzetta Homemade Marinara.  In my opinion, it's the closest thing to the real deal, and there's nothing funny in it - just straight tomatoes, garlic, and red wine.  If you have homemade sauce on hand, go ahead and use it.  The best part about this dish, though, is that it can be made ahead of time and cooked when you're ready.  And - it makes excellent leftovers.

2011 is soon coming to a close - and my blog is going to be turning 1!  I may have a little something sweet planned.  We have goals to establish for the year ahead, and I'm tickled pink {or blue, I guess} with all the change that's about to take place here at the humble abode.  But I'm wishing you health, happiness, and amazingly good food in the coming year.  Love generously, praise loudly, and live fully.  Happy New Year!
Turkey & Kale Stuffed Shells
Recipe by A Toast to Taste
Photos by A Toast to Taste
Ingredients Needed:
1 lb kale, prepared like this
18 jumbo pasta shells
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lb ground turkey
15oz part skim Ricotta cheese
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 large egg
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp dried Italian Seasoning
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 jar of your favorite jarred marinara sauce {or use homemade}
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1.  Cook the shells, kale, and turkey mixture.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add salt and cook shells according to directions on the package.  Drain and remove to a clean kitchen towel to dry and cool.  Prepare the kale according to the link I've provided.  It's my favorite way to prepare kale and adds a little zip to the dish.  Set aside to cool.  In a medium skillet heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until translucent, 4-5 minutes.  Add garlic, stir and cook for about 30 seconds.  Place ground turkey in pan with onion and garlic.  Stirring frequently, brown turkey until there is no more pink color to the meat.  Remove from heat and set aside.  I combined the kale and turkey at this point.  You can keep them separate if you desire.

2.  Make the filling.  In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, egg, herbs, and spices.  Add the kale and turkey mixtures.  Stir until smooth.

3.  Fill and bake.  Place about 1 cup of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.  Place about 2 Tbsp of the filling into each shell.  You want them full - not bursting.  Place stuffed shells on top of sauce.  Top the shells with the rest of the sauce and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella.  Cover with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes {depending on your oven}.  During the last 10 minutes, remove the foil and brown cheese on top.  Serve and Enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

I'm having a little issue with this thing called consistency lately, especially when it comes to this blog.  But I have to be honest, between the full-time job, work travel, and this sudden urge to nest, I really haven't had much time to post, nonetheless cook.

Nest?  Yes, now is probably the time to tell you that my husband and I are expecting our first baby next spring.  We are pretty darn excited......but with that comes a list a mile long of things we'd like to get done to the house before this little beauty arrives.  And this just leads to another reason why the posting has come to a halt - not only did I not have the time, I down right wasn't cooking for a period of about 6-7 weeks.  My diet consisted of cereal, cheese and crackers, and apples {on a good day}.  Nothing worth blogging about, that's for sure.

But, now I'm back to normal {if there is such a thing when you're pregnant} and back to cooking.  Thank goodness because fall is one of my favorite times of year to cook, and this roasted butternut squash risotto is an annual tradition in my kitchen.  Rich, creamy, and just plain 'ol good.  My husband loves it.  I love it.  It doesn't last long when I make a batch.  It's all really quite simple to make, too.   I know many people will disagree with me, but I actually love to make risotto.  It's therapeutic at times, but really it's just amazing to watch the rice transform.  And it's a great arm workout to boot.

I skinned, chopped, and cubed half a butternut squash {I had a huge one, use a whole one if yours is smaller}.  Drizzled the cubes with olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper and roasted at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.  I removed from the oven and set aside to cool.  Then I started the risotto.  My number one piece of advice has always been to use homemade chicken stock when making risotto - it makes such a difference in the taste.  If you don't have any ,the boxed kind will do but you will have to doctor up the flavors a bit.  Once the risotto is finished, I added in the squash, stirred just until incorporated and served.

I promise to be a little more consistent here in the future......so be prepared for more fall goodness.

Happy Eating!

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto
Recipe by A Toast to Taste
Photos by A Toast to Taste

1 small butternut squash {or half a large one} skinned, cubed, and roasted
1.5 cups arborio rice
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp butter, divided
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/3 cup white wine (use one that you would drink)
4.5-5 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
salt and pepper to taste
handful of parmessan cheese

In a medium saucepan, heat chicken stock over low heat.

In a large skillet, heat oil and 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add arborio rice and stir to coat with onion mixture.  Cook until slightly browned, about 2 minutes.  Pour in wine, stirring frequently, and cook until absorbed.  At this point, season with salt and pepper.  Add 1/2 cup of broth, stirring constantly, until absorbed.  Continue to add a 1/2 cup of broth at a time, stirring constantly, and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next.  Rice should be creamy and tender when done (about 20-25 minutes).

Remove from heat, add squash, 2 Tbsp butter, and parmessan.  Stir to combine well.  Serve and enjoy!

Zucchini Fritters

I'm baaaaaack!  It's been a while friends, but as you can guess, things are all sorts of crazy over here.  Crazy but really exciting.  And what the heck!  It's the first day of Fall already.  I remember writing a few months ago that all I hoped for was sunny skies and warm temps....well, now I'm really looking forward to sunny skies and crisp air.  Followed, of course, by lots of warm apple crisp {made by Mom}, oodles of Chili {made by Mom}, and pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting.  Notice a theme here?  Mom, if you're reading - I need your fall recipes!  And fast!

One thing is for sure, we got some beautiful zucchini from our CSA this summer.  The whole roasting routine got old so I thought it would be fun to try out something new - zucchini fritters.  They are kind of like crab cakes but without the crab.  I have to admit I will definitely be making these again.  My husband {not traditionally a lover of zucchini} devoured them.  Served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, these fritters hit the spot.

I shredded 3 small zucchini into a bowl lined with a paper towel, squeezed the shreds to get out as much water from the zuch's as possible, added 2 slightly beaten organic eggs, 1/2 cup organic breadcrumbs, and about 1/3 cup of grated pecorino romano cheese.  Then I seasoned with a dash of kosher salt and pepper, formed small handfuls into patties and then "fried" in a large skillet with olive oil.  So good.  And just because Summer is technically over that doesn't mean you can't still enjoy a good zucchini.....

Happy Eating!

Zucchini Fritters
Recipe inspired by Martha Stewart Living, August 2011
Photos by A Toast to Taste

Ingredients Needed:
3 small Zucchini, shredded and squeezed {to get the water out}
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4-1/3 cup pecorino romano cheese, grated
Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine the shredded zucchini, eggs, breadcrumbs, and cheese.  Stir together until well combined.  Season with salt and pepper.  Once mixture is combined, form into patties about 1/2" thick.  Fry over medium high heat in a large skillet filled with enough olive oil to completely coat the bottom (about 1/4").  Remove fritters to a cookie rack with a paper towel underneath so they can drain.  Sprinkle with a dash more of kosher salt.  Serve and Enjoy!

Stuffed Peppers

I never like being a "debbie downer" but lately I just can't get my mind off loss. Sure, we all lose things, games, jobs, etc. But human life is a whole different story. A few weeks back, I read the story of fellow food blogger Jennie, who shared news that she had suddenly lost her husband to a heart attack. Her story left me in tears for days, literally paralyzed at the thought. The ten year anniversary of 9/11 is coming up. Again, more loss of human life to remember. Then we have earthquakes and hurricanes ransacking the lives of those out east. It's all just a little too much right now - but it's suddenly a big fat reality check that I sure have a lot to be thankful for in my life.   And it's certainly a reminder to hug those we love a little more often.

Despite my haze, I've still been cooking - life must go on after all.  We have been getting some beautiful peppers in the farm share the past couple weeks and I was so excited to use them up.  One of the things I always love to do with them is stuff and bake them off until soft and brown around the edges.  I usually do a stuffing made with meat but this time I went all veg.  I sauteed some onion, summer squash, zucchini, and tomato {all from the farm} in extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and a dash of dried basil.  Then I steamed up some brown rice and added that to the mix.  I then stuffed the peppers, topped with a sprinkling of shredded mozzarella, and baked until the cheese was just golden and peppers were soft.  The key is to cook the peppers for about 10 minutes before stuffing them.  That way the cheese on top doesn't burn and the insides just finish in the oven.

These were excellent - fresh, light, and full of flavor.  My husband and I devoured them for dinner - and ate them for lunch the next day.

Stuffed Peppers
Recipe by A Toast to Taste
Photos by A Toast to Taste

Ingredients Needed:
2 large peppers - any color {I had green and purple}, seeds removed, sliced in half lengthwise
extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 small summer squash, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
1 small tomato, diced
1 cup brown rice, cooked
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with cooking spray.  Place peppers cut side down on foil and bake for 10 minutes.

While peppers are baking, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, squash,  and zucchini.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes, until onions are translucent and the squash and zucchini are just cooked {you don't want them too soft}.  Add garlic, basil, salt and pepper.  Stir and cook for another minute.  At the very last minute, add in tomatoes and brown rice.  Cook on heat for about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Remove peppers from oven and flip them over to stuff {careful, they will be hot}.  Spoon in veggie and rice mixture to each pepper half.  Top with shredded mozzarella.  Return to oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese is just golden on top.

Serve and enjoy!

Farm Fresh Corn Salad with Garbanzo Beans, Tomato, and Feta

The corn has arrived!  Corn, corn, corn....part of me is utterly happy about it, but the other part of me is secretly crying inside because this symbolizes the end of summer.  Tear...

The Back to School section has been set up for weeks now at my local Target.  The air is a bit crisper at night, and my taste buds are yearning for everything pumpkin.  How does this happen?!

I love a good corn on the cob but sometimes it's nice to enjoy it off the cob.  I created this salad as a way to enjoy the oodles of corn we've been getting from the farm the past couple weeks.  It's fabulous - sweet, crunchy, and nummmmy.  This salad is really easy to make, too.  Boil the corn, cut the kernels from the cob, add it to a warm skillet with olive oil, season with Old Bay, add in garbanzo beans, tomatoes, and fresh dill.  Cook for about 3-4 minutes.  Add in feta.  Stir until incorporated and serve!  Easy as that, and a lovely match for dining alfresco on the patio on a mild summer evening.

I will relish in these last few weeks of summer sunshine and warmth.  And eat corn.  Lots of corn.

Enjoy!

Farm Fresh Corn Salad with Garbanzo Beans, Tomato, and Feta
Recipe by A Toast to Taste
Photos by A Toast to Taste

Ingredients Needed:
6 ears of corn, cooked and kernels cut from cobs
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 15oz can garbanzo beans (I used TJ's organic)
2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta
salt and pepper to taste, if needed

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add corn and cook for about 2 minutes.  To the corn add tomatoes, beans, Old Bay, dill, and salt and pepper if needed.  Stir to incorporate and cook for 3-4 minutes.  Remove from heat and add feta.  Stir together and serve!

Summer Squash Ribbon Salad

It's the dog days of summer - and Lily has decided that she will enjoy them inside lounging on the couch in the AC.  This is how our basset hound x springer sleeps.  So odd.....and incredibly un-ladylike.

But let's get to the matter at hand.  Summer squash ribbon salad.  We've been grilling a lot.  I always like to pair grilled food with a nice, simple, fresh side dish of some sort that takes very little effort, and preferably doesn't require an oven.  This dish is it. 

I don't think there's anything more beautiful than ribboned summer squash.  Look at that - so delicate and full of color.  I sliced up these beauties {yes, using my mandoline} and sauteed in some olive oil with crushed garlic.  Threw in some toasted pine nuts and fresh basil, seasoned with a dash of salt and pepper and voila!  Done.  The perfect side dish for any grilled masterpiece.  We ate this right up, including my husband, who is usually not a fan of any type of squash.  In fact he said to me, "I'd make this again."  Two thumbs up!!

The dog days of summer allow us to be a just a little lazy, right?  Right?

Well, whatever.  This salad is well worth the laziness.

Happy Eating!

Summer Squash Ribbon Salad
Recipe by A Toast to Taste
Photos by A Toast to Taste

Ingredients Needed:
2 medium summer squash or 1 large, sliced thin the long way
2 Tbsp oilive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
fresh basil, julienned - as much as you like
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add in crush garlic cloves, cook for about 1 minute or until they start to crackle in the pan.  Remove and set aside.  Add squash ribbons, season with salt and pepper.  Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until they start to soften.  Add pine nuts.  Cook for another minute.  Remove from heat and stir in fresh basil.  Serve and enjoy!

Summer Vegetable Tian

Bambi paid me a visit the other day in the yard.  One of the things I love most about working from home is that I have 24/7 access to all the nature that surrounds us.  We live on a marsh that serves as home to a plethora of wildlife at any given point during the year.  My office is on the second floor of our home, and my desk is within eye shot of our picture windows that overlook all the beauty.  I literally get to watch the seasons go by as I work away.  I feel so lucky.  Lily loves to stare out the windows with me and watch in awe all that passes through on any given day.

In between nature watching and working, I cook.  It keeps me sane, and I'm thankful to have a husband that eats most of what I make.....especially this dish I'm sharing today.

Summer vegetable tian.  What is a tian, you ask?  It's a dish that originated in Provence, France, that features thinly sliced vegetables and herbs that are layered and then baked.  I absolutely love the way this dish looks - the color, the pattern.  It gets me everytime.  But, alas, the masterpiece must get eaten.  And it's quite delicious, not to mention extremely healthy for you as well. 

I used yellow summer squash, zucchini, and eggplant (of course from our CSA) in my tian this time.  I layered them all on a bed of caramelized onion with tarragon.  The taste is amazing - the tarragon just adds this depth of flavor that I can hardly describe in words.  Top everything with some cherry tomatoes and breadcrumbs and bake for about 45 minutes until golden on top.  This is the perfect side dish for any type of grilled fish or chicken.  I used the leftovers in quesadillas the next day.  To die for.

This is a must try this summer.  Happy Eating!

Summer Vegetable Tian
Recipe by A Toast to Taste
Photos by A Toast to Taste

Ingredients Needed:
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 medium onion, sliced
1 Tbsp fresh tarragon, roughly chopped
1 large yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
1 large zucchini, thinly sliced
1 medium eggplant, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp butter, melted
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

I suggest getting everything prepped before assembly.  So, I sliced all my veggies, with the exception of the tomatoes ahead of time.   That way I had everything ready to go and assembly was a cinch.  I used my mandoline to do the slicing this time - highly recommend!

In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions and cook until soft and brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Stir in tarragon.  While the onions are cooking down, I tossed all the other thinly sliced veggies in a big bowl and drizzled with a bit of olive oil and seasoned with a dash of salt and pepper.  Set aside until ready for layering.  When the onions are done, pour the mixture into the bottom of a baking dish of your choice.  I used my 6-inch round. 

Now comes the fun part. Layer the squash, zucchini, and eggplant on top of the onions, making a pattern of your choice. I followed the shape of my baking dish. Top the vegetables with the cherry tomatoes.

In a small bowl, combine melted butter and breadcrumbs. Stir until well incorporated. Pour over vegetables.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown. I did bake mine with the top on for about 20 minutes and then removed for the last half of baking.

Serve and Enjoy!

Grilled Veggie Pasta with Slow Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic Scape Pesto

I welcomed summer with open arms and a simple train of thought - I truly thought I was going to be doing all this fabulous cooking, sipping cocktails on the patio, letting the time just slip by slowly.....well, that clearly hasn't happened.  At all.  I can probably count on two hands how many meals I've actually put together, and can definitely count on one hand {in fact, closer to one finger} the number of times I've sat on the patio with cocktail in hand, lazily sipping as the leaves rustle in the light breeze, and the crickets create their evening music.  Instead we've been doing things - which isn't bad, I'm not complaining.  BUT, I could go for some summer now.  I want to be lazy for a bit.  I want to make popsicles and eat salad for dinner.  I want to eat lunch under the umbrella and maybe have a cold glass of white wine with it, too.  Is this too much to ask? 

CSA season is in full swing and I've got loads of goodies to create a healthy, fresh meal with.  Yahoooo!  Last week I was prepping easy meals for my husband before my work trip this week.  I cooked up a storm and could probably include five recipes just in this post alone.  But I've picked my favorites and will share those today. 

Garlic Scapes

 

Last week we got a lovely bunch of garlic scapes in our CSA box.  The first time I got these I had no clue what to do with them.  This year I decided to make pesto with them and use it in a pasta dish with grilled veggies and slow roasted tomatoes.  I fell in love with this dish.  So much flavor, so fresh, super healthy, and so summery for cripes sake!!

Slow roasted tomatoes.  Ina Garten {my absolute favorite} got me hooked on these.  She has an amazing recipe that I've used numerous times and it never fails me.  It's simple - slice your tomatoes, not too thin - and if you're using roma tomatoes, slice in half and spoon out the centers - drizzle with good olive oil, minced garlic, basil, salt, pepper, and one teaspoon of sugar.  Cook at 250 degrees for 2 hours and voila!  You now have slow roasted tomatoes that you can use for anything.  Use them in omelettes, add to sandwiches, salads, or pasta, eat them plain, whatever you want.  I cannot get enough of these. 

For the rest of the veggies, we grilled up some yellow summer squash and zucchini from our CSA as well.  Are you catching the theme yet?  Ya, I love my CSA.  It's all good.  I tossed all the veggies with some whole wheat penne, spicy Italian chicken sausage, and the garlic scape pesto, then topped with the slow roasted tomatoes and a sprinkle of pecorino.  I simply cannot explain how great this was.  mmm, mmm, mmm.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

I hope you have all had a chance to enjoy the summer!  I'm off to enjoy it now.....there's a cocktail calling my name on the patio....

Grilled Veggie Pasta with Slow Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic Scape Pesto

Recipe by A Toast to Taste

Photos by A Toast to Taste

For the Pesto

1 bunch of garlic scapes, about 15-20 scapes

1 cup fresh basil

1/2 cup fresh parsley

juice of half a lemon

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup parmessan cheese, grated

1/4 cup pine nuts

3/4 cup olive oil

For the Pasta

1 lb whole wheat pasta, short-cut like penne or rigatoni

1 yellow squash, cubed and grilled

1 zucchini, cubed and grilled

6 green onions, grilled

4 spicy Italian chicken sausages, grilled

slow roasted tomatoes, as many as you want, I used 7

pecorino romano cheese, grated

In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add garlic scapes, basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, pine nuts, salt, pepper and parmessan cheese.  Puree.  With the processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until well blended.  Set aside.

Cook pasta according to directions.  Drain and pour into large mixing bowl.  Add grilled squash, zucchini, green onions, sausage, and pesto.  Stir together until pasta is coated with pesto.  Top with tomatoes and a sprinkle of pecorino.  Serve and enjoy.

Grilled Chicken with Tomato, White Bean, and Swiss Chard

I'm feeling as though I have a new lease on life.  We spent last weekend galavanting in Seattle - practically eating Puget Sound out of salmon, and pairing our meals with succulent Washington wines.  It was nothing short of fabulous.  We truly took time to relax, decompress, and just do nothing.  The perfect prelude to the start of a new job for me last week. 

Fresh fruit and vegetables at the farmers market

But, here we are.....four days until July 1, and I have barely had any time to cook.  I love summer - but in these parts we cherish our days that fall between Memorial and Labor Day.....which means that every weekend we have plans....plans that usually keep me out of the kitchen.  We just got our first CSA box last week and I've been itching to get back cooking.

Tonight it was on - grilled chicken, swiss chard and green garlic from the farm, and crusty bread.  It felt good to be back in the kitchen. I find chicken to be somewhat boring, even when it's grilled.  So I came up with this creation as a flavor booster - it's fresh, easy, and adaptable to your own tastes.  Let's start with the chicken - take some skinless, boneless organic breasts and marinate them in your favorite flavorings.  I used a homemade olive oil infused with Italian seasonings.  Grill them up and serve with this tomato, white bean, and swiss chard concoction.  I started with some green garlic and grape tomatoes and sauteed for a few minutes.  Then I added some canned diced tomatoes, Great Northern white beans, green olives, crushed red pepper, and a couple large handfuls of swiss chard.  I let it all cook down for about ten minutes and then topped the chicken with it.  This was so full of flavor.  I even topped some of the crusty bread with the tomato mixture and it was fabulous.  There's nothing better than a "sauce" that can do double duty.  Eat as a side dish if you desire as well.

Let your ideas fly - and use up your CSA veggies!  Top your next salmon fillet, pork tenderloin, chicken breast, or portabello mushroom with this fabulous sauce.

Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken with Tomato, White Bean, and Swiss Chard
Recipe by A Toast to Taste
Photos by A Toast to Taste

Ingredients Needed:
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup favorite marinade
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp green garlic (or regular), finaly chopped
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can Great Northern white beans, drained
1/3 cup green olives
1 tsp crushed red pepper
2 large handfuls swiss chard, ribs removed, roughly chopped
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken breasts and marinade in gallon size plastic bag with seal.  Season with salt and pepper.  Marinate for 1 hour.  Heat grill to medium heat.  Cook breasts for about 5 minutes per side, or until juices run clear. 

While chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce.  Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add green garlic and grape tomatoes.  Cook for about 3-4 minutes.  Add canned tomatoes, white beans, green olives, and crushed red pepper.  Stir and cook for a couple minutes.  Add in swiss chard and season mixture with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for another 8-10 minutes or until swiss chard has wilted.  Remove from heat and top chicken breasts with mixture.  Serve and enjoy!

Mixed Greens Salad with Blackberries, Candied Walnuts, Blue Cheese, and Honey Lime Vinaigrette

There's a buzz in the air lately - the buzz of summer, can you hear it?  A few posts ago I wrote about my need for change, and what I was doing to guide it consciously.  It must be working because this season will definitely usher in some needed change for me and my family.  It will be a summer of endings and beginnings  - for starters, my mom has finally retired from almost 40 years of teaching, a much deserved ending for her.  She's headed to warmer climes when the snow starts piling up this winter.  I'm beyond excited for her.

While she has closed the chapter on her work, I will open another.  Next week I start a new job.  This past year has been quite an adventure - a stressful, unfulfilling struggle to be honest.  I came to a crossroads earlier this year, and decided to do something about it, despite only being in my previous position just shy of a year.  I'm not one to just quit when I don't like something or someone - that will be anywhere you go.  But when it starts to affect my personal and mental well being, that's when I have an issue.  So, I made the decision to move on, for a better life, for a better experience.  I was a pretty crappy wife, daughter, and friend the past year - and I can NEVER get that back.  I cannot have regrets, just learn from it and move on, and hope I never have to be in that situation again in the workplace.  Needless to say, I'm over the moon with excitement to start at this new company.  I'm energized and ready to go!

Before I start this new gig, my husband and I are headed to Seattle for a weekend of relaxation, good food and wine.  Any recommendations on fabulous places to eat and things to see?  I'd love to hear them.

On the food front, this summer buzz has me craving all things salad......they're easy, fresh, and full of flavor this time of year.  I still had some limes leftover after making that cheesecake last week so thought I'd make a vinaigrette with them.  The organic blackberries were calling my name as soon as I stepped foot in the store this week so I added a huge handful along with some crumbled blue cheese and candied walnuts to the greens.  Mmm, mmm, mmm.  It hit the spot!  I will definitely be making this one again.

Happy Summer!

Mixed Greens with Blackberries, Candied Walnuts, Blue Cheese, and Honey Lime Vinaigrette
Recipe by A Toast to Taste
Photos by A Toast to Taste

For the Dressing
2 Tbsp honey
Juice from 1 lime
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

For the Salad
4 handfuls mixed greens
1 cup organic blackberries
1/2 cup candied walnuts {heat 1.5 Tbsp brown sugar in skillet over medium heat, add walnuts just as it starts to melt and stir together to make sure all are coated.  Remove from heat, sprinkle with cinnamon if desired, let cool.}
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese

Whisk together all ingredients for dressing, except oil.  Continue to whisk while slowly adding the oil in a steady stream.  Whisk until well combined.

To a large bowl add greens, blackberries, candied walnuts, and blue cheese.  Pour over dressing, toss everything together.  Serve and enjoy!

Peanut Crusted Salmon

I'm pretty sure the weather gods were smiling on us this weekend.  Pure sun, no clouds, light breeze.  My gosh, do we deserve it or what??!!  Finally! 

A perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon....on the golf course.  I was giddy as a school girl. 

In fact, we hosted a golf tournament this weekend.  You see, my husband started his own business a couple years ago {on top of his full time corporate job, and going to school to earn his MBA}.  We created this annual tradition as a way to bring about awareness for the brand, but also as a sign of appreciation to his loyal retail partners and customers.  This year's event was a major success. 

If you're wondering how he {my husband} does it all, I don't know.   I'm envious of his energy and never-ending passion for what he does.  It's humbling, really.   And I'm so thankful I can witness it and help him figure it all out.

In a nutshell, there's never a dull moment in our home.

Speaking of nuts, let's get to the recipe.  I had one night last week to make dinner {read: I had about 30 minutes in between making centerpieces and shopping for picnic supplies and cutting up watermelon and slicing the celery and making five stops to Target for that other thing I forgot when I was there the day before}.  I had some wild-caught sockeye salmon I wanted to use up, but I wanted to do something different.  I thought making a peanut crust for the top would be fantastic.  I was right. 

I used a combination of unsalted peanuts and cashews, added dijon mustard, some breadcrumbs, a splash of lemon juice, a handful of fresh parsley, and then drizzled in some olive oil.  So fragrant and fresh!  I could hardly wait for this stuff to come out of the oven.

This peanut crust could definitely be used on other fish varieties as well.  But, just a note on buying salmon - please do buy wild-caught when you can.  You really don't want to know what they do to the farmed kind.  Copper River Salmon is in season right now - my local store was out when I went last week, but you better believe I'll be back this week to nab my selection.

Happy Eating!

Peanut Crusted Salmon
Recipe by A Toast to Taste
Photos by A Toaste to Taste

Ingredients Needed:
1.5lbs wild-caught salmon
1/3 cup unsalted peanuts
1/4 cup cashews
2 Tbsp breadcrumbs
1.5 Tbsp dijon mustard
juice of half a lemon
small handful fresh parsley
about 2 Tbsp olive oil plus more for drizzling
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and place baking rack on top with salmon.  Drizzle salmon with olive oil, use your clean fingers to rub it in, and season lightly with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, add the nuts, breadcrumbs, dijon, lemon juice, and parsley.  Pulse a few times until coarse.  Then with the processor on, drizzle in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  You want the mixture to remain somewhat coarse so be careful not to run it too long.  Spoon mixture on top of salmon, pressing it down with your hand. 

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.  Serve and enjoy with your favorite spring veggie.