Summer Bread Salad

This tasty summer salad not only will satisfy your need for fresh tomatoes, but it wont heat up your kitchen!

Ingredients:
1/2 baguette, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 pound of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 large sprigs of basil, chopped
1/4 of a red onion, chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/8 cup olive oil
8oz fresh mozerella, cubed
10 kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

Directions:
1.) In a large bow, combine baguette, cheese, tomatoes, basil, olives and red onion.
2.) Toss to mix up.
3.) Drizzle salad mix with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
4.) Toss again and your done!

Enjoy!

Yellow Plum Jam

Yesterday the kids and I went to my parents house to glean some of their yellow plum bumper crop. I decided to try out yellow plum jam (I've never tried plum jam so I am excited) and dehydrate the rest.

I used the following recipe and made about 3 pints of jam.


Ingredients:
6 cups of sugar
4 1/2 cups of pitted yellow plums
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup water


Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil and dissolve the sugar. Stir constantly to prevent sticking. Cook for about 20 mins, or until the jam comes off in "sheets" when using an ice cold spoon. Pour, while boiling hot, into sterilized jars leaving about 1/8" head space. Seal and process in a hot water bath canner for 7 mins.

Eat like...the President!

My husband was reading a newspaper insert left in the break room and stumbled upon something he thought would be yummy to try!

Obama's personal chef, Sam Kass, shared his recipe for "Easy Cucumber Avocado Soup".

Here it is!

Ingredients:
5 Cucumbers, seeds removed (we removed the skins as well)
1 avocado (we love avos so I used 4 small ones!)
1 to 2 lemons
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch mint
3 Tbsp plain yogurt (optional...we were out of yogurt so I used a Tbsp of mayo)

Directions:
In blender, combine 4 roughly chopped cucumbers, the avocado, 1 to 2 lemons to taste (I assumed he peeled them), and salt and pepper; blend well. Dice (I threw it all in the food processor) remaining cucumber and mix with chopped mint, salt and pepper; add yogurt if desired. Pour soup into small bowls or glasses and top with the cucumber-mint mixture.

Serves 4-6.

This was absolutely FANTASTIC! It was very hot today here (mid 90's us Washingtonians start to melt) and not having to cook anything was a nice treat. Everyone LOVED it! Kids included! My daughter added some crumbled feta to the top of her soup and was very satisfied with her results! :)

I will definitely be making it again soon. Next time I am going roast and skin a poblano chili to add to the soup. I love their smokey green taste that offers a ton of chili flavor with just enough heat.

How To: Fast Sunday Gravy

Okay, okay, I know its not Sunday...but this dish is too good to wait 5 more days to make (not to mention I want to use my Italian sausages I got at the farmers market)!

Ingredients:

6 gloves garlic, minced

4 Italian sausages, spicy if you dare

1/4 yellow onion chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 can of marinara or spaghetti sauce (I used Trader Joe's Low Fat Tuscano Marinara Sauce)

Romano or Parmesan cheese (optional)


Start by using a deep sided pan on med heat. Saute the garlic and onions in olive oil until partially wilted. Add and brown the Italian sausages. Once your sausages are toasty on both sides (and you are driving everyone batty with their heavenly smell) your onions and garlic should be done and looking wilted/transparent. Add the can of marinara sauce and reduce the heat to low. Cover.

Serve over your favorite pasta, top with grated Romano or Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

*Can be made ahead and kept in an air tight container in your fridge for a few days, or frozen to enjoy at your leisure.

**Add extra seasonal nummies like fresh summer squash, mushrooms, eggplant, fresh basil for an added layer of flavor!

Homemade Butter 101

What is french toast with out butter?!

To grace our breakfast this morning my youngest made butter from Twin Brook Creamery. It is, with out a doubt, the most delicious butter I have ever tasted. So creamy and, well, buttery! The color is an enticing golden yellow, courtesy to the purebred Jersey Cows of Twin Brook who are pastured and do not receive hormones to stimulate their growth or milk production!

To make this wonderful butter we poured 1/3 of a pint of whipping cream into a 1 pint canning jar and shook it for about 10 mins. We strained the butter from the butter milk using a piece of cheese cloth.

We are excited to make garlic butter next!