New Favorite · Rheumatoid Arthritis · Vegan · Vegetarian

Summer Quinoa Vegetable Salad

cathysmaha1 Comment

Quinoa salad can be found in my refrigerator about 50% of the time.  Quinoa is full of protein and a great substitute for pasta or rice and great if you are trying to avoid gluten.

The combinations with quinoa are endless. I select vegetables that are in season toss with Gazebo Room Greek salad dressing (or your favorite vinaigrette) and you have a wonderful salad.

This salad has become a favorite at our book club, potluck gatherings made by different people with their own wonderful variations.  What variations have you tried?

SUMMER QUINOA VEGETABLE SALAD

2 cups water (or your favorite stock)
1 cup dry quinoa

  • Bring water to boil.  Add quinoa, cover and return to boil.  Lower heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for another 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool.
  • Chop your favorite vegetables (broccoli, tomatoes, celery, carrots, corn, onions, peppers, etc.).  I also add a can of drained garbanzo beans.
  • Dress with your favorite vinaigrette (I used Gazebo Room Greek Salad Dressing). This great dressing was introduced to me by friend, Chris (aka Grandson Evan’s other grandma).  Since Gazebo Room is not available (yet?) in Colorado, we order from their website.  Still working on King Soopers to carry this great product!

Chill and serve.  The salad keeps well in the refrigerator for several days.

Also reference my recipe for Quinoa Salad with Strawberries and Chicken

New Favorite · Nicaragua

Iced Vanilla Latte, please

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Remember when we used to have a plain cup of coffee brewed in our Mr. Coffee machine or percolator?  Coffee was typically Folgers, always hot, and if it cooled, you nuked it in the microwave. God forbid, I would EVER drink iced coffee, or so I thought.

I clearly remember when my perception of coffee changed…twice.  In the 1980-1990s I traveled on business to Seattle quite frequently and small, gourmet coffee shops and trucks were everywhere.  Seattle was the hot-bed of gourmet coffee yet to hit my home in the Mile-High City.  (Thinking back…why didn’t I invest in Starbucks?)

Ordering a coffee was far beyond the typical ‘I’ll have a cup of coffee, black to go’. Now there were terms like tall, grande, venti, Americano, espresso, skinny, Macchiato, half-caf, blends, etc., etc., etc..  It was an anxious moment when I tried to figure out what to order without embarrassing myself. I can still imagine the people in line behind me rolling their eyes at this out-of-state novice.  Despite my initial fumbling, I started experimenting with difference blends, flavors, iced coffees and loved it!

My second perception occurred when I traveled to Finca Esperanza Verde, a coffee plantation in Nicaragua, in 2012.  My ‘cup of Joe’ would never be the same as documented in my 6/12/12 Fork-Lore post. My daily iced latte is simple:  One packet of Starbuck’s Via, a packet of Stevia with 1/2 cup of boiling water.  Stir.  Add cold water to the cup, stir.  Pour contents over a large glass full of ice.  Top with about 1/4 cup of Almond Milk and stir again.  Add a splash of vanilla or cinnamon to taste. My easy version of an Iced Latte!

When my daughter and fellow blogger, Megan, asked me to join her to make Iced Vanilla Latte I jumped at the chance to 1) spend time with my daughter and 2) make (and drink!) my favorite summer morning picker-upper. Our recipe follows and I’ve enjoyed our creation for the past two days. Megan’s blog, Lifeloveandgarlic, also features the Iced Vanilla Latte AND includes a Seattle’s Best give-away.  Check it out!

Screenshot 2021-09-26 144825

EASY PEASY ICED VANILLA LATTE

2 tbsp. vanilla simple syrup (see recipe below)
1/3 cup whole milk coffee ice cubes (see directions below)
Seattle’s Best Level 4, Medium-Roast Coffee brewed (we used 3.5 scoops for a pot)

  • Fill your cup (or fancy tumbler) with coffee ice cubes.
  • Pour simple syrup and whole milk into the bottom of the cup
  • Fill the rest of the cup with your coffee of choice. Stir!
  • Voila! Enjoy a delicious, easy and perfect drink for summer mornings. *This is the simple syrup, which actually looks like coffee. The brown sugar + vanilla give it the darker hue. 

Vanilla Simple Syrup

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
Pinch of cinnamon
4 tbsp. vanilla extract

  • Put both sugars, water and pinch of cinnamon in a pot over medium heat. Bring to boil.
  • Pull the pot off the stove and pour the vanilla into the syrup. Allow to cool. You’re done!
  • Note: Don’t be alarmed that your syrup is quite dark in hue (almost coffee colored). The brown sugar/vanilla have that effect – it’s perfectly normal.

Coffee Ice Cubes

  • Take your left over coffee and pour it in your ice cube tray and freeze! They’re perfect for cooling down your coffee without watering it down!

Family · Family Favorites · My Roots

Tenderloin Sandwiches…just the way Mom used to make

cathysmaha2 Comments

Saturday night dinner at the Smaha Farm often consisted of tenderloin sandwiches, still one of my all-time favorites.  My girls have joined the fan club.  Tenderloin sandwiches are easy to find in restaurants in Iowa but I haven’t seen one on the menu, yet, in Colorado.  In Iowa, the tenderloin is typically twice the size of the bun.  I prefer to keep mine bun size.

Mmmm….sweet Saturday night memories around the kitchen table.

PORK TENDERLOIN SANDWICHES

Boneless pork chops, thin
Beaten Egg
Fine bread crumbs (or cracker crumbs)
Canola Oil
Salt & Pepper

  • Remove fat from pork chops.  Pound chops with meat tenderizer until thin (tenderloin).
  • Beat egg(s) and place in separate bowl.  Pour fine bread crumbs, salt and pepper into second bowl.
  • Heat oil in large skillet.
  • Dip each pork tenderloin in egg wash and then in bread crumbs.
  • Place tenderloin in hot oil and brown well on both sides.  When cooked through, remove to plate with paper towels until ready to serve.

 

Serve on bun with traditional mayonnaise, lettuce and dill pickle slices (or whatever suits your taste).

 

 

New Favorite

Mixed Green Salad with Fresh Peaches, Avocado and Pecans

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A potluck to go to and what to fix?  I had beautiful fresh peaches, greens from my garden and avocados.  Why not a salad mixing these ingredients topped with nuts?  After reviewing several recipes, I combined a few to make this my own and it is now on my favorite summer salads list.  Can’t wait for Colorado peach season later this summer!

MIXED GREEN SALAD WITH FRESH PEACHES, AVOCADO & PECANS

1/2 pound mixed greens
1 cup sliced peaches
1 avocado, diced
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Dressing:

1/4 cup champagne or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons minced green onions
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and fresh ground black pepper

  • In a blender, combine the vinegar, honey, onions, mustard and garlic.  Puree until smooth, 10-15 seconds.
  • Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the blender until the dressing is smooth.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Refrigerate until ready to use (up to a week).

In a bowl combine the greens, peaches, and avocado.  Drizzle with 1/2 of the dressing. Add more to taste.  Toss the salad and serve immediately.

Adapted from:  Food Network

Holidays

4th of July Cake…God Bless America!

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The Fourth of July, Independence Day, is a day of family gatherings, neighborhood parades and parties, and fireworks.  Hopefully we all take a moment to remember the true meaning of the holiday, celebrating our countries independence from Great Britain in 1776.

This year I was invited celebrate the 4th of July with a Barbeque on July 2 and decided to try this Flag Cake I have seen many times, but have never made.  It is easy, although not on my diet, beautiful and delicious.  Perhaps a new tradition for our family?

4th of July Cake

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix (Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box
1 box strawberry-flavored gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
1 box (4 serving size) white chocolate instant pudding and pie filling mix
1/3 cup cold milk
1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 9×13″ cake.  Cool completely in the pan for about an hour.
Pierce cooled cake with rok at 1/2 inch intervals.  In a medium bowl, stir gelatin and boiling water until dissolved.  Stir in cold water.  Carefully pour mixture over entire surface of the cake.  Refrigerate at least 3 hours until serving time.
In a large bowl, mix pudding mix and milk until well blended.  Gently stir in whipped topping.  Spread over cake.  Arrange strawberries and blueberries on top of cake to look like a flag.  Serve in immediate future.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator, loosely covered.
Recipe from: Betty Crocker 
New Favorite

Gooseberry Tart

cathysmaha3 Comments

Gooseberry bushes are prickly and the berries are tedious to clean but gooseberries lovers are willing to sacrifice for the greater good of a delicious, seasonal tart, pie, or cobbler.   My gooseberry picking buddy, Joe the Golden Retriever, was anxious to eat these sour gems again this year.  I decided to try giving a raw gooseberry to my grand-dogs as well with an equally positive response.  Who knew that gooseberries were a treat of choice for the canine crowd?

I love the slight sweetness of this crust and the creamy custard surrounding the cooked gooseberries.  My kids and their spouses, however, turned up their noses at my creation since they cannot fathom eating gooseberries.  Oh well…more for the rest of us.  Someday…they’ll wish they had a piece, right?

GOOSEBERRY TART

1 pound cleaned gooseberries
3 eggs
3.5 ounces of sugar
10 ounces heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pastry:

1.2 cups flour (or more to reach desired consistency)
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup very cold, unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
a little ice cold water

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Make the pastry by processing the flour and sugar together.  Chop the cold butter into small pieces and add to the flour and sugar.  Pulse (or blend by hand) until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.  Mix the egg yolk with a little ice-cold water.  Add to the flour mixture and pulse until the pastry forms a soft ball.  Add ice-cold water if needed to achieve desired consistency.  Chill the dough for a minimum of 30 minutes.
  • Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and place on floured surface.  Roll to fit the tart pan and place in pan.  Pierce the bottom and sides of the pastry with a fork. Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and cool slightly.
  • Combine eggs, sugar, cream and vanilla extract.  Place gooseberries in bottom of tart pastry and pour egg mixture over the top.  Bake for 30 minutes until the center is firm.

Servings:  6-8

Family Favorites · New Favorite

Sangria, Mock and Not

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Sangria reminds me of summer, tapas, and good times with friends.  It’s refreshing, light, fruity and delicious.  History states that Sangria was first served at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York.  While interesting, I truly expected Sangria to be the drink of Spanish Royalty (or something equally impressive).

Mock Sangria

Nonetheless, it’s delicioso!  This time, I made a mock Sangria (without alcohol) as well as the real deal.  I enjoyed them both.

 

SANGRIA

1.5L of chilled red wine
3 cups prepared lemonade
1 cup orange juice
4 tablespoons brandy
2 cups chilled club soda
sliced oranges, limes, lemons, apples

In a large pitcher, combine the wine, brandy, lemonade, and orange juice.  Add the fruit slices and refrigerate until chilled.

When ready to serve, add the club soda.  Garnish glass with slice of lime (or other citrus)

MOCK SANGRIA

2 cups orange juice
1 cup white grape juice
1 cup cranberry juice
1 liter bottle lemon-lime carbonated beverage
ice cubes
sliced lemons, oranges, limes

  • In a large pitcher, stir the juices together.  Chill.
  • When ready to serve, add the lemon-lime beverage and stir gently. Fill glasses with ice, then sangria then slices of fruit.  Enjoy!

Mock Sangria adapted from BHG.com

DIY · Garden · Home

Yellow Jackets…my BBQ Nemesis!

cathysmaha2 Comments
English: a yellow jacket wasp
English: a yellow jacket wasp (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There is nothing more annoying than pesky yellow jackets when you’re trying to eat outside in the summer.  In Colorado, we are fortunate to not have many bugs allowing us to leave our doors open without much concern of flying insects invading our homes. Growing up in Iowa, it was a race to get inside and shut the door before the flies, mosquitos, June bugs, moths, etc. dive bombed toward the door.

For each of the 24 years we’ve lived in our home, the yellow jackets smell food/BBQ when we’re on the patio and the panic is on.  The girls freeze, run and scream into the house, slamming the door.  What a waste of perfect Colorado summer outdoor dining.

Each year I purchase every type of yellow jacket trap and bait without catching a single yellow jacket. GRRRRR!

This year, I decided to try a DIY yellowjacket trap made from a 1 liter soda bottle. After 10 minutes of creating this gem of a trap, I started watching the clock to see if it worked.  I used bits of turkey to lure the protein-seeking pests into my lair.  Tick, Tock! Tick, Tock!  No luck.

A week later, 2 flies…that’s it.  Now I’ve added sugar water and we’ll see what happens Tick, Tock!

I have a hunch that the secret is in the bait.  If you have a special yellow jacket concoction that works for you, please share!  In the meantime, I’m proud of my homemade trap.

DIY YELLOW JACKET TRAP

1 empty 1 liter soda bottle
Knife or scissors
Stapler and Staples
Wire
Paper Hole Punch
Hook, washer or anything that allows you to secure the twister wire to something you can use to hang the trap.  (I used an old picture hanger that had a hole in the middle.)
Bait (bits of meat, or sugar water)
Pam or cooking oil

  • Cut the top off of the soda bottle.  Put top of bottle, upside down into the bottom of the bottle, creating a funnel/entrance for the yellow jackets.
  • Staple the two pieces of bottle together.

IMG_2436

  • Punch 3 holes equal distance apart in the top of the trap.
  • Cut 3 pieces of wire, about 10-12″ long.  Lace a piece of wire into each of the three holes and twists the end around the bottom of the wire to secure to the bottle.IMG_2437
  • Bring the three wires together at the top and twist all together.IMG_2439
  • Spray PAM in top of trap to create a slippery entrance to the trap.
  • Bait the trap with bits of meat or sugar water.
  • Hang in your yard (away from where children and pets may be)
  • Empty (or discard) when full.
  • Make a new trap!

Inspired by http://www.prairiestory.com/2010/09/homemade-wasp-trap.html

Family Favorites · My Roots

Old Fashioned Potato Salad…just like Mom used to make

cathysmaha4 Comments

Potato Salad was a must-have side dish for every picnic and barbecue.  My Mother made THE BEST potato salad ever and I can replicate it pretty well. There are no measurements, just a ‘pinch of this and a pinch of that’ type of preparation. When my Mother made it, she used onions from the garden and eggs from our farm.

My Potato Salad is pretty darn good, but you can never top what Mom could do!

POTATO SALAD

SALAD:
Boiled, peeled and cubed potatoes
Boiled, peeled and chopped eggs
chopped green onions (or sweet white onion)
celery seed (or chopped celery)

DRESSING:
mayonnaise
milk
prepared mustard
sugar
salt

  • Mix together potatoes, eggs, onions (and celery if desired).  Sprinkle with celery seed.
  • In separate bowl, mix mayonnaise with enough milk to thin to consistency of salad dressing. Add sugar and salt to taste.
  • Refrigerate for several hours before serving. The flavor is best the next day.
Family Favorites

Salsa Chicken ala Crockpot

cathysmaha1 Comment

Salsa Chicken in the crockpot is a simple, hearty dish and perfect to serve for a crowd. You can easily modify the recipe to match your taste, adding more vegetables, hotter chiles, etc.

I’m trying to avoid simple carbs so I served over quinoa with sliced fresh tomatoes. It would be fun to serve the chicken in a buffet with a variety of serving options (outlined below) to allow the guest to make their own finished product.

SALSA CHICKEN IN THE CROCKPOT

2 pounds chicken breasts (if large, cut in half)
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained
7 oz. can diced green chiles
16 ounce jar of salsa
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
salt and pepper

  • Place chicken breasts in bottom of crock pot and season with salt and pepper.
  • Add corn, beans, chiles and salsa.  Sprinkle with cilantro.
  • Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or 8 hours on low.
  • About an hour before serving, shred the chicken in the crockpot and let simmer until ready to serve.

  • Serve with fresh tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, shredded cheese, or salsa as you like.
  • Serving options:  Use as filling in burritos or tacos.  Serve over quinoa, baked potato, rice or noodles.