Peanut Butter Granola

This is what we eat every day for breakfast.  I get complaints if we're out and there are only Cheerios.

The recipe is super flexible-- just about the only element that is non-negotiable is oats.  Don't like honey?  Use maple syrup!  Omit the peanut butter altogether!  Use any kind of nuts (just not salted).  When I'm feeling virtuous, I sometimes add a half cup of flaxseed meal to the honey mixture so I get in some Omega-3's.  When I'm not, I sprinkle a handful of chocolate chips over the baked granola. 

Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Cream of Tomato Soup

Possibly the perfect meal when it's been raining all weekend.

A childhood favorite, but made with cheddar and asiago cheese on homemade bread instead of Kraft Singles on Wonder Bread.  Also:  my new favorite tomato soup.  Of all time. 

Roasted Broccoli

Surprisingly delicious.  Roasting gives broccoli a nutty flavor, and with the salt reminded me a little bit of the flavor of wasabi peas or some other bar snack.

Very simple; makes a great side dish for pretty much anything.

From the Well-Fed Newlyweds.

Ingredients:
5 c. broccoli florets (2 medium heads), rinsed and dried
2 T olive oil
1/4-1/2 tsp. kosher (or other coarse) salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400.  Toss everything in a bowl to combine.

2.  Spread broccoli out on a cookie sheet or pan in a single layer; roast for 5 minues, then flip and continue roasting for another 10.

That's it!  Try not to finish off until you actually can get it onto plates. 

Vegetable Pot Pie

This is an amazing side dish for Thanksgiving; there's no reason pie has to be restricted to dessert!  Also works as a vegetarian centerpiece dish.

I was extremely pleased with myself for coming up with this; it's very, very loosely based on a chicken pot pie recipe.  Also only goes to prove, once again, that while vegetables are delicious, add about a pound of butter and they're AMAZING.

Caprese salad

One of the great things about summer...

Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil.

Chilled cucumber melon soup

I think I need a better name... there's something similar called Fire and Ice soup. But that sounds like a figure skating routine. This is basically a fruit gazpacho, but with cantaloupe instead of tomatoes, no bread, and with ginger as the major seasoning. Or, really, it's a smoothie in a bowl.

This was SO GOOD... it's kind of a weird color in the pictures, but it was delicious (and less odd-looking in person.) It could be a dessert (maybe?) or first course (definitely.) It was very easy... once again, just throw stuff in a blender and then chill for a couple of hours. To make two bowls of this soup, I blended:

1/2 peeled cucumber
1/2 cantaloupe, seeded and cut into chunks
1-2 inch piece of ginger, peeled (and I used ginger shavings for garnish)
1 T honey
1 T sour cream
dash of red pepper flakes (use sparingly-- it gives a nice little kick, but I went a little overboard)

The cantaloupe has enough water that you don't need additional liquid. The sour cream adds a little tanginess; plain yogurt would be good, too.

Gazpacho

Have I mentioned how much I love recipes where the entire directions consist of:

1. Throw stuff in the blender

2. Blend


There were tomatoes in the scratch-and-dent section at the farmers' market yesterday for $.99/lb. When they're going in a blender, it doesn't matter if they're pretty! This recipe courtesy of my friend Jason, who made us a delicious dinner on Saturday.

Gazpacho
In a blender or food processor, blend:
1 slice bread, crust removed
2 cloves garlic
2 t salt
2 T sherry vinegar
1 t sugar
1/2 t ground cumin
1 red onion, skin removed
1 red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed
1 jalapeno, stem and seeds removed
1 skinned cucumber
2.5 lbs tomatoes
1 c. water
1/4 c. olive oil

chill until cold (about 3 hours)


Pour into bowls; garnish with a drizzle of olive oil.

I modified it a little, using what I had in the fridge, substituting a pita for the slice of bread and some red pepper flakes for the jalapeno. It was still delicious.

Huevos Rancheros and Wipeout!

A grand tradition was started last summer... my husband and I got addicted to both Wipeout and eggs with rice and beans and salsa. I'm not quite sure why, but nothing goes better with watching people fall in mud from great heights than huevos rancheros. Probably a Corona or two helps.


Huevos rancheros
Rice
Black beans (canned is fine, dried and cooked is better and cheaper-- I cook a pot at a time and freeze two-person portions)
Eggs with runny centers (I fry mine since I'm incompetent at poaching)
Salsa from a jar, or make your own-- chop and combine the following to taste:

• tomatoes
• onion
• a clove or two of garlic
• cilantro (if you are one of the many people to whom cilantro tastes like soap, use parsley)
• freshly squeezed lime juice
  

Optional, but completely recommended:
shredded cheese
avocado slices
sour cream
Corona with lime wedge

Layer everything in a bowl and dig in!