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!

2 for 1 Monday! Summer Panzanella and Cool Cucumber Salad

Today you're getting two recipes for the price of one!  Why, you ask?  Because two is always better than one.  And because I just got back from Vegas and couldn't help myself....all that gambling and heat went straight to my head.  Mostly, because I really have been cooking and need to get through my backlog of recipes.  Who doesn't love two for one anyways?  Especially on a Monday or a happy hour.

Let's start with the Panzanella.  My girl Ina Garten is at it again - she got me hooked on yet another dish of hers.  And this one just screams summer with all the fresh veggies in it.  I love the mixture of textures and flavors in this salad - crunchy, tangy, a bit salty .  I would never think to put bread in a salad but it works here - just make sure you add it right before you serve otherwise it will get soggy.  The colors are amazing - in fact, it was almost too pretty to eat.  I can't say enough good about this salad.  It works as a side or as a meal on it's own - add grilled chicken or better yet, grill all the vegetables.  If I'm ambitious enough, I may just do that next time.....and trust me, there will be a next time with this one.

You can find Ina's recipe here.  I did tweak a couple things - instead of toasting the bread in a skillet on the stove, I baked them in the oven at 375 degrees with a little olive oil and a dash of kosher salt until slightly golden.  Also, I didn't have any Champagne Vinegar on hand so I substituted with White Balsamic.  It worked perfectly.  Enjoy this one freshly made.

Moving on to the Cool Cucumber Salad.  We got a few beautiful cucumbers in our CSA box this last time around.  I'm always stumped as to what to do with them besides using them as crudites.  Going back to our German roots (really I just wanted to use my new mandoline), I made this cucumber salad with thinly sliced cucumbers, white vinegar, fresh dill, onion, sugar, and a bit of water.  I let it all marinate in the fridge for about three hours.  The result?  A perfectly cool, refreshing, not-too-overwhelming vinegar and cucumber salad.  I was amazed.  My husband couldn't get enough of it.  I think the whole container was gone in about two days.  So good!

Just a couple words on cucumbers - it really is best if you can use the organic variety.  Cucumbers are one of the top twelve foods with the highest level of pesticides used in the growing process.  If you are unable find organic, you may want to consider peeling the skin off.  If you're not concerned, go for the whole shabang! 

I also highly recommend using a mandoline to slice the cucumbers thinly, or you can use the slicer disc with your food processor.  Unless you're a master at knife precision, I don't recommend going that route.  I used my new mandoline (which I LOVE) on both the cucumbers and onions.  So slick!

There you have it!  2 recipes for the price of 1 - all on a Monday.  Now that's what I call a great happy hour.

Happy Eating!

Cool Cucumber Salad
Recipe by A Toast to Taste
Photos by A Toast to Taste

Ingredients Needed:
2 large cucumbers (preferably organic), thinly sliced
1 small white onion, thinly sliced
2-3 Tbsp fresh dill, roughly chopped
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup cold water
2 Tbsp sugar
dash of pepper

Place sliced cucumbers in the bottom of a 9x13 dish (glass if you have it).  Top with onion, dill, vinegar, water, sugar and a bit of pepper.  Stir together until well combined and sugar is completely dissolved in liquids.  Cover and refrigerate for about 2-3 hours, stirring once an hour.  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!

Roasted Asparagus & Tomato Salad with Basil-Mint Aioli

I served asparagus this weekend with our Easter feast.  I wanted to do something a little different so decided that aioli would be the perfect complement.  In fact, I was inspired to do this from a salad we had recently while out to dinner at a new joint in downtown St. Paul.  They offered what they called a Farmers Market Salad that changed daily with the market offerings and what was fresh.  The night we went it consisted of roasted fingerling potatoes, asparagus, and arugula in a tarragon aioli topped with feta cheese.  Whoooaa.  Fantastic. I've been thinking about that salad ever since......

So, there I was, Easter on my coattails, and a menu that had yet to be constructed.  I had to do an aioli with the asparagus, just had to.  But instead of tarragon I wanted to test out basil and mint, that combination has always intrigued me.  I made this aioli the traditional way with raw egg - now, I know that freaks people out, but there's really no harm in it.  I used the yolks, not the whole egg.  If you truly can't get over it then use mayo instead.

The aioli with the asparagus was outstanding.  Simple, flavorful, fresh.  It was gobbled up by the crew.  I had some aioli leftover along with an extra bunch of asparagus, and about a cup of baby heirloom tomatoes hanging out in the fridge - what did I do with it all, you ask?  I made this roasted salad - and topped it with feta, just like they did at the restaurant.  A great way to use up ingredients!  And a healthy meatless Monday meal.  I'm afraid to eat asparagus any other way....except if there's a poached egg involved....

Get your spring on!

Roasted Asparagus & Tomato Salad with Basil-Mint Aioli

Recipe by A Toast to Taste

Inspired by Black Sheep Pizza

Ingredients Needed:

1 bunch asparagus

1 cup baby heirloom tomatoes (grape or cherry are fine, too)

2 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

feta cheese, crumbled

1 egg yolk

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

1 tsp salt

juice from half a lemon

1/2 cup basil leaves

1/4 cup mint leaves

1 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and top it with a baking rack.  Rinse asparagus and tomatoes, pat dry, and place on rack.  Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Roast for 15 minutes.

While veggies are roasting, prepare the aioli.  In bowl of food processor, add yolk, garlic, mustard, salt, lemon juice, basil, and mint.  Pulse a few times to combine well.  With the processor on, slowly pour in the olive oil.  Mix until well combined or until your desired thickness.

Toss veggies with aioli, top with feta, and enjoy!

Spring Entertaining: Brunch Recipes and Themes

I hosted a brunch this weekend with a group of my college girlfriends.  We celebrated a recent marriage and an upcoming baby.  The theme:  French Garden, complete with vintage accessories, decorative hens and birds, sunflowers, freesia, and the ubiquitous bird cage.  I love to entertain - and also know that many people don't share those same sentiments about it.....but what they don't know is that it doesn't have to be overwhelming and expensive.  It's all in the preparation and planning.  The more you do ahead of time, the easier it is for you to be an involved host. 

On the Menu:
Prosecco Mimosas with Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
Mini Herbed Frittatas (recipe below)
Maple Roasted Bacon
Ricotta, Cinnamon, and Honey Casserole
Mixed Greens Salad with Grapes, Candied Pecans, and Goat Cheese (recipe below)
Huge fruit platter 
Lemon Cake with Powdered Sugar Glaze and Mixed Berry Sauce (recipe to come)




Mixed Greens with Red Grapes, Candied Pecans, and Goat Cheese

Mini Herbed Frittatas

Freesia

What a fun afternoon!  Good food, good conversation, good company.  It's amazing how we've changed over the years....convos now revolve around kids and the things our mothers never told us.  We talk about house projects, the days of past that we used to sleep in AND take a nap all in the same day, those fun nights we spent on Santorini - oh how we miss them so, and our trials and tribulations of dealing with our newly inherited families (aka the in-laws) that we love.  We cherish these times together - after all, they happen far too infrequently.  And isn't this why we entertain anyways?  To bring our nearest and dearest together and create memories?  I think so.

On to the recipes.  These are simple dishes that can serve double duty as brunch items or just plain 'ol breakfast on Saturday morning.  They are full of flavor and take very little time to prep. 

Happy Brunching!

Mini Herbed Frittatas
Recipe by A Toast to Taste

Ingredients Needed:
10 large eggs
3/4 cup milk (I used skim, whole is best)
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
3 Tbsp finely grated parmessan
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a muffin tin and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, milk, herbs, parmessan, salt and pepper together until well combined.  Fill prepared muffin cups with egg mixture almost to the top.  Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until center is set and tops are lightly golden.  Using a fork, loosen the frittatas from the cups and place on serving platter.  Serve and enjoy!

Mixed Greens with Red Grapes, Candied Pecans, and Goat Cheese
Original Recipe from Bitchincamero
Adapted by A Toast to Taste

For the Pecans
8 oz pecan halves
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon

For the Salad
4 large handfuls mixed greens
15 red grapes, sliced in half
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled

For the Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 small shallot, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Place pecans on foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with sugar, honey, and cinnamon.  Mix together using a spoon and make sure everything is well coated.  Roast for 20-25 minutes.  Let cool.

While pecans are roasting, prep other salad ingredients and make vinegarette by whisking all ingredients together until emulsified.

Dress greens and top with grapes, pecans, goat cheese.

Enjoy!

Greek Couscous Salad

It's usually about this time of the year that I start thinking about spring....why, you ask?

- It's no longer dark by 4:20pm.
- The sun seems to be shining more.
- And stores are already displaying their spring apparel in the windows. Flirty skirts, flip flops and sunglasses - I WANT IT ALL NOW!!!

I'm already thinking about what I want to plant in the flower pots out front - do I want to go red or purple? Or yellow? Or white? And what will I put on the back patio? Decisions, decisions - that clearly I have ample amount of time to contemplate....since it's only mid-February.

It's usually this time of year that I start to get bored with the heavy winter food we've already been eating for 6 months, too. So, this recipe was a breath of fresh air! I'm ready for lemons and melons and berries and fresh herbs. I can't wait for that first CSA box we get - usually fresh greens and garlic scapes early on in the season. Oh the possibilities!



This salad was purely created off the top of my head - "add as you go", I like to call it. I almost always have greek flavors on hand in my pantry and refrigerator - kalamata olives, tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese - so decided these would be perfect with the couscous I had. Add a little celery, greek seasoning, olive oil, and a splash of balsamic vinegar for a lovely tasting salad that works perfectly well as a meal on its own or as a side to grilled chicken, fish, or steak.





Here's to spring, kind of!

Greek Couscous Salad
Recipe and Photos by A Toast to Taste

Ingredients Needed:
1 box all natural couscous
2 stalks celery, chopped
3/4 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp Greek Seasoning (I used McCormick's)
3/4 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
splash of balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

** I did not add any red onion today - but if you have it and like the spicy taste, go ahead and add a half cup or so - it would be a nice complement to the flavors **

Cook couscous according to directions on box. Transfer from pan to large mixing bowl. Add all ingredients except for the feta cheese and stir to incorporate. Once complete, add the feta and give one last stir. Taste and re-season if necessary. Serve and enjoy!