July 2010 Archives

Green Beans with Pork & Black Bean Sauce

Posted by Stephanie Meyer on Jul 31, 2010 at 12:45pm

Green beans are the first vegetable that I genuinely liked.  My grandparents grew them in their garden, and my Grandma Meyer would pick them fresh, boil them until they were tender, and serve them with lots of butter and salt.  Alongside walleye fried crispy in…butter. What was not to like? I still like them the…

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Tomato Salad with Burrata & Croutons

Posted by Stephanie Meyer on Jul 28, 2010 at 6:16pm

I know, I know.  Another tomato salad.  But bear with me for a minute, because of one special ingredient…burrata cheese.  It’s fresh mozzarella, but with a creamier, tangier twist.  I bought it at Whole Foods, in the cheese section, and haven’t looked back.  Burrata is completely incredible with garden fresh tomatoes, even more so than…

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A Midsummer Night’s Feast

Posted by Stephanie Meyer on Jul 27, 2010 at 7:27am

A huge thank you to our friends Kris (who works with my husband John, above) & Harry (who owns Cheek to Cheek Dance Studio) for preparing another stunning dinner for John and me.  Two summers ago they blew us away with a multi-course, perfectly wine-paired feast from their garden’s bounty. They indulged us again this…

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Raspberry Gratin

Posted by Stephanie Meyer on Jul 25, 2010 at 9:58am

I’ve had my eye on this Sunday Suppers at Lucques dessert for awhile.  It’s really just fruit and custard, keeping the focus firmly where it belongs – on perfectly ripe, juicy, summer-bursting-in-your-mouth berries. (The recipe calls for raspberries; I used both blueberries and raspberries.  It’s worth hitting the farmer’s market for the real deal –…

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Creamy, Fluffy Hummus – The Way It’s Supposed to Be

Posted by Stephanie Meyer on Jul 23, 2010 at 12:32pm

Thanks to reader Michael G. for the following email: Stephanie, I make my own hummus but I can’t get it as creamy as others. I add a good amount of olive oil & lemon juice, but I want it creamier. Thanks, Michael Have you had the same problem – homemade hummus that seems more like…

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I’m Back with…Crash Hot Potatoes

Posted by Stephanie Meyer on Jul 20, 2010 at 6:44pm

It has bothered me that I didn’t snap a pic of The Pioneer Woman Crash Hot Potatoes I made on July 4th.  I know…I’m weird.  But there it is, and here I am, and now I have a pic of the potatoes. Which is good, since I’ve made them three times since July 4th.  What…

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Berry Baking Bonanza! Summer Berry Crumbles

Posted by Stephanie Meyer on Jul 19, 2010 at 9:56am

Every time I go to the farmer’s market, I come home with more berries – yesterday I found strawberries still poking around, and raspberries and blueberries out in force. Man do I love this time of year! If you, like I, get a little carried away and buy far more berries than your family can…

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Summer Appetizer: Smoky Chipotle Guacamole

Posted by Stephanie Meyer on Jul 18, 2010 at 3:12pm

If you’ve eaten at Barrio Tequila Bar lately (and if you haven’t, you should…), you’ll recognize this guacamole presentation, with sliced jalapeños and radishes. I copied it because I’m absolutely smitten with the extra crunch and heat of the raw vegetables – as if I needed yet another reason to love guacamole. Or anything at…

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Summer Appetizer: Bite-Size Tomato Tarts on a Parmesan Crust

Posted by Stephanie Meyer on Jul 16, 2010 at 3:04pm

Here’s a new twist on an old favorite, turning this lovely 101 Cookbooks tomato tart into little tomato tart canapés. Don’t worry, I didn’t mess with that perfectly buttery, cheesy crust. Oh no. I just baked it in a flat rectangle instead of in a tart pan, then cut the still-warm crust into bite-size squares….

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An Ode to Breadcrumbs

Posted by Stephanie Meyer on Jul 14, 2010 at 4:00pm

Bored with broccoli? Tired of tilapia? Sick of scrambled eggs? Add breadcrumbs! A spoonful of buttery, toasty crumbs can make the most ordinary dish sublime.             Like the portabella mushroom, endive gratin, baked eggs, and fried chickpeas, above. What began as potentially bland fare – vegetables, an egg, canned beans…

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