We’re nearing the end of peach season in the south, a bittersweet time of year for peach lovers like myself. Bitter because I dread the peach-less months of the year that loom ahead, but sweet because I try to fit peaches into nearly every meal of the day in order to savor the peak of their juicy freshness.

Here is a delicious way to add some fresh peaches into your dinner menu. The grilled swordfish pairs perfectly with this sweet and tangy salsa. Add some fresh diced jalapeno if you are looking for some heat with your sweet!

Grilled Swordfish with Fresh Peach Salsa

2 swordfish steaks
Salt and pepper to taste

1 large fresh peach, peeled and diced
1 large tomato, cored, seeded, and diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 large clove of garlic, finely chopped
4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of one fresh lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat your indoor or outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. Grill on both sides until the fish reaches your desired done-ness. Don’t be afraid of using a meat thermometer if you don’t have experience cooking this type of fish!

Combine the peach, tomato, onion, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss to combine. Cover and allow the flavors to meld for at least 10-15 minutes before serving.

Top your swordfish with the salsa and serve immediately.

Every year, we grow vegetables in our garden over the summer. It feels so good to get out there and dig in the dirt every spring, and it is so rewarding when you are able to make dinner entirely of vegetables picked from your own garden! Recent years have been difficult for our garden, as Georgia underwent a severe drought. Luckily, the drought is over (for now), and this summer has been one of the wettest we have had in many years! What did this mean for our garden? An abundance of veggies!

The first budding tomatoes of the season - May 2010

I grew two cherry tomato plants this year, and they produced like CRAZY! Most of them became ripe at the same time, so I was challenged to find dishes that would use these sweet and juicy tomatoes up at their peak of flavor. We love to eat them as a salad, sliced in half tossed with feta, basil, and balsamic vinegar. But they are also great to cook with. This is a recipe that I have tweaked over the years, originally inspired by Cooking Light. It is also great if you add in some diced and sauteed onions….mmmm!

Cherry Tomato Pine Nut Spaghetti
Inspired by a recipe in an issue of Cooking Light magazine

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
3 cups fresh cherry tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1/3 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
3-4 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and toss together lightly. Toast the mixture for about 2 minutes, until the breadcrumbs turn a light golden brown. Remove the toasted mixture from the pan and set aside.

Return the pan to the stove and heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the cherry tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes, or until the tomatoes turn wrinkly and begin to soften and release some juices.

Add the remaining garlic powder, the sliced garlic, and the Italian seasoning. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for another 1-2 minutes over medium heat; then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let the mixture simmer while you cook the pasta.

Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions, and drain. Add the hot spaghetti, the toasted pine nuts, the breadcrumb mixture, the fresh basil, and the feta and parmesan cheeses to the tomato mixture. Toss lightly to combine, and serve immediately.

Okay, so I know I didn’t manage to snap a very good photo of this dish, but it was one of the BEST meals hubby and I have made in a long time!!  So I just had to share it with you.  The flavors and techniques are so simple and straightforward, but the results are extraordinary.  I hope you’ll give it a try!

The leftovers made for some wonderful sandwiches with dijon mustard . . .

Garlic and Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

1 tablespoon olive oil
4-6 large garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pork tenderloin, about 1 lb., well-trimmed

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Grease a large baking sheet or a roasting pan and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper.  Rub the mixture all over the pork tenderloin and place it on the prepared pan.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the tenderloin reaches 140 degrees.  Allow the meat to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.  Enjoy!

So it’s that time of year again.  Despite the snow that is falling here in North Georgia today, spring is just around the corner. Soon we’ll be doffing our sweaters and opting for tank tops and flip flops.  So maybe it’s time to watch what we’re eating so that we can be fit and trim for the warm months!

Here is a healthy meal that doesn’t feel, taste, or look healthy at all.  It’s colorful and meaty and full of flavor.  The spicy heat of the fish contrasts perfectly with the cool, creamy avocado salad.  And the leftovers make great fixings for a taco night!

Spicy Grilled Mahi Mahi with Avocado Salad

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
4 4-ounce fillets of mahi mahi
2 large, ripe avocados, peeled and diced
1 cup corn kernels, cooked (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1 16-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your grill or grill-pan to medium-high heat. Brush the fillets with the olive oil and sprinkle both sides with the cajun seasoning. Grill for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until the fish is cooked to your desired doneness and nicely browned.

Meanwhile, combine in a bowl the avocado, corn, black beans, red onion, tomato, bell pepper, cilantro, and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss to combine.

Top each fillet with a serving of the avocado salad, and serve immediately.

So when I went out in search of the perfect recipe for boeuf bourguignon, I knew right where I would start:  Julia Child.  After perusing her flawless recipe, I knew I’d found The One.  I made very few changes to the original recipe, mainly altering a few ingredients for the sake of convenience.

The result?  Boeuf Bliss!!!  Even the husband remarked that it was one of the best dishes I have ever made for him.  The sauce is so rich, each layer of flavor reveals itself to you in turn as you make your way through the dish.  This is no ordinary beef stew.

Boeuf Bourguignon
adapted from Julia Child’s amazing recipe

6 ounces of bacon, cut into 1″ pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 lbs. stew beef cut into 2-inch cubes
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups of full-bodied red wine (I used a nice Chianti)
2-3 cups of beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf, crumbled

18-24 pearl onions, peeled
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup beef stock
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in an oven-proof, stove-proof casserole (I used a small dutch oven) over medium heat on the stove. Brown the bacon pieces in the oil for 2-3 minutes. Remove them to a large plate using a slotted spoon.

Next, pat dry your beef and sautee the pieces, a few at a time, until well browned on all sides. Remove the meat to the plate with the bacon.

Finally, sautee the carrot and onion in the same pan, cooking them until slightly soft. Remove these to the same plate as the meat.

Pour off any fat remaining in the bottom of the casserole. Return the bacon, meat, and veggies to the casserole, tossing them together with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the top of the mixture, and place the casserole, uncovered, in the oven for 4 minutes. Remove from the oven, toss the mixture again, and return to the oven for another 4 minutes. This step is important because the cooked flour will help to thicken your sauce – yum!

Add the wine to the casserole. Then add enough of the broth to barely cover the top of the meat mixture. Stir in the tomato paste, the garlic, the thyme, and the parsley. Bring the entire mixture to a boil on the stovetop.

Lower the oven temperature to 325. Cover the casserole and bake so that the mixture slowly simmers – you can adjust the oven temperature if necessary. Allow to cook for 3-4 hours, or until the meat is easily pierced with a fork.

When the meat is almost finished cooking, you can prepare the onions and the mushrooms.

For the onions, combine the butter and the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, and sautee for about 10 minutes, so that they brown evenly without the layers coming apart. Pour in the stock, add the pepper and herbs, and cover the skillet. Simmer the onions over low heat for 40-50 minutes. The onions will be very tender, and almost all of the liquid will be gone. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.

For the mushrooms, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. As soon as the foamy part of the butter begins to disappear, add the mushrooms. Stir the pan frequently as the mushrooms brown lightly – this should take about 5 minutes. Then remove them from the heat.

To finish off the stew, remove the casserole from the oven. Place a sieve over a saucepan on the stove, and pour the contents of the casserole through the sieve. Wash out the casserole so that you can start with a clean slate. Remove the beef and the bacon from the sieve into the clean casserole. Set the onion and carrot aside (Julia says to throw this part away, but it makes a nice snack for later!!!). Place the mushrooms and the onions on top of the meat in the casserole.

Simmer the sauce for 2-3 minutes, skimming the fat off the top as necessary. The sauce should lightly coat the back of a spoon. If the sauce is thin, then simmer it until it boils down and thickens. If it is too thick, then add some extra beef stock. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.

Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. Simmer the mixture for about 2-3 minutes before serving. Serve in the casserole or on a warm platter surrounded by noodles, potatoes or rice and garnished with fresh parsley. We had ours with buttered egg noodles, and it was divine. Enjoy!

Here is a delicious, figure-friendly soup that will satisfy and comfort you – without breaking any of those New Year’s resolutions!

Veggie-Noodle Soup

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 13-ounce can of sweet corn, drained and rinsed
3 cups low-sodium vegetable (or chicken) stock
1 cup of bowtie pasta
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot,  heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, the carrot, and the celery.  Cook the vegetables for about 10 minutes, until they are nice and soft.  Next, add the sweet potato, the corn kernels, and the vegetable stock.  Bring the mixture to a boil, and then lower the heat to a simmer for 20 minutes – or until the sweet potato is tender.

Add the pasta, and return to a boil.  Lower the heat to a simmer for another 10 minutes, until the pasta is tender.  Adjust the seasoning of the soup with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

You may remember my post about my cousin, the Meat Lady.  She is the one who introduced me to this up-and-coming new cut of meat: the flat iron steak.  You can read all the details here, but basically meat scientists like my cousin are finding new ways to cut meat so that you can get a really tender steak without having to pay $15 per pound.  I got the steak here for about $4, and it was more than enough to feed both me and the husband (right around 16 ounces).  The best part, though, is that this steak has the texture, flavor, and irresistible melt-in-your-mouth tenderness of filet mignon.  Pretty good deal, huh?

Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Onions and Peppers

1-2 flat iron steaks
Montreal Steak Seasoning (or other steak rub of your choice)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sweet onion, cut into 1/2″ slices
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons butter

Preheat your grill to medium heat.  Generously season both sides of the steak(s) with your chosen rub.  Grill the steak(s) on both sides to your desired done-ness.  As I’ve mentioned before, I highly recommend using a meat thermometer for these sorts of tasks.  You don’t want to over-cook your steak!  When it is done, remove the steak to a platter to rest for at least 10 minutes.  This will ensure that your steak maintains its juiciness instead of leaking all the goodness all over the plate.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet.  Add the onion and the bell pepper slices.  Sautee until the onions are trannslucent and the peppers are tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spread the butter over the steak before slicing, against the grain.  Top with the sauteed peppers and onions, and serve immediately.

Happy Thanksgiving, dear readers!! What a wonderful day to be surrounded by family, friends, and FOOD!

Even on those years when my parents don’t host Thanksgiving dinner at their house (our families alternate years), they still roast a whole turkey.  Why go to all the trouble?  Well, for the leftovers, of course!

I think there are two really unique things that my family does when we roast a turkey.  The first is the stuffing.  My grandmother, Nanny, makes the stuffing every year.  She will tell you that it’s very simple – just some breadcrumbs (made from plain white hamburger buns!), melted butter, chicken broth, and some poultry seasoning.  But I’m telling you . . . . it’s simply magical.  I can’t even look at recipes for stuffing that include a lot of *stuff* – the simple classic has spoiled me.  I don’t want cranberries, mushrooms, lentils, oysters, carrots, celery, onion, raisins, or even cornbread in my stuffing!  Give me Nanny’s, or I’ll just pass on this dish altogether!!!

The second unique touch in our family turkey recipe is the sausage.  (And NO, the sausage does NOT go in the dressing!)  About mid-way through the roasting process, we place traditional link sausages (usually Bob Evans or Jimmy Dean brand) all around the base of the turkey.  They roast to perfection, all the while basting the turkey with their wonderfully flavorful juices!  Everyone takes a link to have on their plate next to all the delicious veggies.

We have a few other turkey-day tricks up our sleeve in my family, but I have to save some of those for the years to come!

In the meantime, best wishes to all of my dear readers for a wonderful holiday season for you and your precious families!

The four cheeses in my lasagna are not the most traditional cheeses . . . but they sure are tasty!  I like to use turkey for the meat in this one – there are so many wonderful flavors going on that most people who taste this dish don’t even notice that it’s not beef! Plus, I think the turkey makes it seem lighter, which is a nice balance to the richness of the cheese.

Ellie’s Four-Cheese Lasagna

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. mild italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 lb. ground turkey breast (ground beef works, too!)
1/2 cup diced onion
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 24-ounce jar of your favorite tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
1 8-ounce package of cream cheese
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 eggs
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley OR dry Italian seasoning
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 9-ounce package of no-boil lasagna noodles
1/4 cup grated parmigiano regiano cheese

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 9×13″ baking dish and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium to medium-high heat.  Add the sausage and the ground turkey.  Brown the meat, stirring occasionally, until completely cooked through.  Remove the meat from the pan and add the onion.  Cook until slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the minced garlic, stirring until fragrant.  Next, add the meat back to the pan, and stir in the tomato sauce and the water.  Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to your taste.  Lower the heat and simmer for about 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, soften the cream cheese in a microwaveable bowl for about 20-30 seconds.  Stir in the ricotta cheese until combined.  Add the eggs, the parsley or Italian seasoning, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, folding the mixture together.

To assemble the lasagna, spoon 1/4 of the tomato mixture into the bottom of the prepared dish.  Next, layer the no-boil noodles on top.  Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles.  Spoon over the next 1/4 of the tomato mixture.  Then the noodles again.  Then the next 1/3 of the ricotta.  Then another 1/4 of the tomato mixture.  One more layer of noodles, and one more layer of ricotta.  Spoon the remaining tomato sauce over the top.  Finally, sprinkle with the remaining cup of mozzarella, topping it all off with the parmigiano regiano cheese.

** Note that at this point, you can either continue, **
** or cover tightly and store in the fridge for up to 3 days **
** or the freezer for up to 3 months. **

Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until all cheese is melted and the lasagna is nice and bubbly.  Allow to set for about 5 minutes before serving.

This is a hearty one-dish dinner that I dreamed up on a cool and rainy fall evening.  The blend of flavors is wonderful, without being too overpowering.  For a lighter version, try using light soup and brown rice.  You are going to love this dish!

Cheddar-Bacon-Ranch Chicken & Rice Bake

1 1/2 cups uncooked rice (white or brown)
1 10.5-ounce can of condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can of water
1 can of milk
1 1-ounce packet of ranch seasoning mix
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
4 medium-sized chicken breasts
2 cups cheddar cheese
6-8 slices of bacon, cut into 1″ pieces

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a 9×13 inch baking dish, combine the rice, the soup, the water, the milk, the ranch seasoning, and the diced peppers.  Stir until well combined.  Place the chicken breasts on top of the rice mixture.  Cover the dish with tin foil and wrap tightly.

Bake for 45 minutes.  In the meantime, lightly brown the bacon pieces over medium heat in a small frying pan.  When you remove the chicken and rice from the oven, check the chicken to make sure it is cooked through (I like to use a meat thermometer for this).  Then, sprinkle with the shredded cheese and the browned bacon pieces.  Return to the oven for about 5-7 minutes so that the cheese melts and bubbles.  Serve hot.  Yield 4-6 servings