More...wait for it...work pics

I've been trying to get ahead on work recipes and pics for the time I'll be out on maternity leave. Therefore, all I really have time to do, blogging-wise, is post work pictures. I'm including a must-make recipe this time...soooo good! If you'd like the recipe for something else listed below, let me know!

Zucchini Noodles with Marinara (in Nanny's raspberry bowl)

Kale & Orzo Salad with Strawberries, Feta and Pecans

The BEST Strawberry Shortcake with From-Scratch Biscuits 

Grilled Corn & Lime Salsa with Fish Tacos (recipe follows)

Grilled Corn & Lime Salsa

Roasting the corn makes all the difference in this dish; it brings out a flavor you can’t match any other way. Serve this with chips as a dip or use it as an additional topping for fish tacos or grilled salmon. Delicious! Makes about 5 cups.

Ingredients:

·         4 ears corn, shucked

·         About 2 Tbsp Persian Lime Olive Oil, divided (ask me where you can order some)

·         Salt and pepper, to taste

·         1/4 cup diced shallot or onion

·         1 ½ cups diced tomatoes (about 2 to 3 medium tomatoes)

·         2 Tbsp minced jalapeno (include the seeds if you’re looking for a little heat)

·         3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

·         1 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Directions: Preheat a grill over high.

Rub the ears of corn with about 1 tablespoon of the Persian lime oil, season with salt and pepper. Place the ears on the hot grill and cook, turning a quarter about every 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cover with foil for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the shallot/onion, tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, remaining 1 tablespoon Persian lime olive oil and lime juice. When cool enough to handle, slice the corn kernels from the cob. Stir the corn into the other ingredients and let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Fish Tacos with Cabbage-Jalapeño Slaw

Taco recipe adapted from Food Network. Serves 4.

Fish:

·         1 pound mahi mahi, halibut or white seabass

·         1 lime, zested and juiced

·         1/2 tsp

·         2 cloves garlic, smashed

·         1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

·         Kosher salt

Slaw:

·         1/2 head green cabbage, shredded

·         1/2 cup shredded carrots

·         3 green onions, sliced thinly on the bias

·         1 jalapeño, minced, optional

·         1/4 to 1/2 cup white vinegar

·         2 Tbsp honey

·         1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

·         Kosher salt

For serving:

·         8 flour or corn tortillas

·         1 avocado, halved, pitted and flesh sliced

·         Grilled Corn & Lime Salsa (recipe above)

Fish: Cut the fish into strips. Combine the fish with the lime zest and juice, paprika, garlic, oil and salt, to taste, in a medium bowl. Let sit at least 20 minutes. This can be done a day ahead, covered and refrigerated.

Cabbage: Combine the cabbage, carrots, green onions, and jalapeño, if using, in a medium bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, honey and oil. Add to the cabbage mixture and toss until well dressed. Season with salt, to taste. If using within a couple of hours let it sit at room temperature, if making this ahead, refrigerate until ready to use.

To cook and assemble: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap the tortillas in foil.

Put the fish strips on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Put the fish and tortillas in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

While the fish is in the oven, taste the cabbage for seasoning and adjust, if needed.

Remove the fish and tortillas from the oven. Put some fish in the center of a tortilla, top with a couple of avocado slices and finish with some of the cabbage slaw and a bit of the grilled corn & lime salsa. Repeat with remaining ingredients and serve.

More work pictures

Here are a few of my recent photos for work. Every two weeks or so we feature another local, fresh ingredient or something made by a local vendor, and I get to experiment with the recipes, test them and take pictures. If you're interested in any of the recipes, infused oils or balsamics, let me know!

Honey BBQ Chicken Wings

Swiss Chard Rolls Stuffed with Brown Rice, Herbs & Bell Peppers 

Hash Brown & Zucchini Nests with Baked Pastured Eggs, Prosciutto & Chives

Shaved Asparagus Salad with Poached Eggs & Walnuts

Broccolini with Honey-Ginger Vinaigrette

All-Choked-Up Pizza with Feta & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Pan-Roasted Baby Artichokes with Garlic & Meyer-Lemon Olive Oil

Herb-Stuffed Artichokes with Lemon & Tarragon Olive Oil

Steamed Artichokes with a Trio of Dipping Sauces

Spice-Roasted Organic Cauliflower Salad with California Medjool Dates and Lentils

Winter Salad with Seedless Satsuma Mandarins and Pomegranates

Roasted Organic Rainbow Carrots & Winter Vegetable Medley with Wild Mushroom and Sage Olive Oil

Mango, Walnut & Cranberry Energy Bites

I made a new energy bite/ball for work using some dried fruit and quinoa. We also used almond butter; it works better with the fruit than peanut butter would. You can still use peanut butter, it'd just be more nutty.

The quinoa makes these quite crunchy...well, maybe the right word is textured. Plus, it adds a little more protein to the bite to keep your hunger better satisfied.

I loved having these little bites made and waiting for me in the fridge when Rolin was first born. An energy bite or string cheese was sometimes all I had time to grab and shove down my gullet on my way to nurture a screaming bairn.

While this recipe calls for a few more ingredients than the original energy bite recipe, I'm glad to have another recipe in my arsenal, in case I feel like switching it up.

Mango, Walnut & Cranberry Energy Bites with Quinoa and Almond Butter

Makes about 24 balls.

Ingredients:

•         1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, uncooked
•          3/4 cup quinoa, uncooked
•          1/2 cup creamy almond butter, preferably unsalted 
•          1/2 cup raw walnuts, chopped well
•          1/2 cup small diced dried mango, about 2.25 oz. (use scissors to cut the strips into small bits)
•          1/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries, coarsely chopped
•          1/3 cup flaked coconut, preferably unsweetened
•          6 Tbsp honey
•          2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
•          About 1 oz. mini chocolate chips (about 2 ½ Tbsp) or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
•          A pinch of salt, optional

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spread oats and quinoa on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.

Mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl; chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

After the mixture has chilled, roll it into (very) compact balls between the size of a walnut and a Ping-Pong ball. Keep refrigerated in an air-tight container; they’ll store for up to 5 days. 

Food Photos

Here are a few of the dishes I've made and photoed recently. Bossman prefers pics a certain way (usually close-ups so you can see the ingredients well), so that's why they all have a similar feel. 

Happy to pass along recipes if you're interested!

Prosciutto & Potato Hash Pizza with Pastured Eggs on a Corn Meal Crust

(The crust is actually gluten-free and organic, too. Made by Vicolo Pizza in San Francisco...sold at our market and also available at some Whole Foods in the frozen section.)

Spring Pizza with Asparagus and Herbed Cheese on a Corn Meal Crust

(The crust is actually gluten-free and organic, too. Made by Vicolo Pizza in San Francisco...sold at our market and also available at some Whole Foods in the frozen section.)

 Spring Risotto with Asparagus, Peas and Chives

Big Game Chili

(Thank you, Drew!) 

Pink Lady Apple and Fresh Cranberry Crumb Cake

Ruby Bay Keta Smoked Salmon with Lemon, Dill & Capers

 Simple Margherita-Style Portobello Pizza

(The pizza is made with a Portobello mushroom acting as the crust)

Sweet Red Pepper Relish and Goat Cheese Truffles 

(Confession: I used cream cheese vs. goat cheese...I really cannot stand goat cheese)

Classic Lasagna

Grilled Veggie Kebabs with Herbes de Provence and Meyer Lemon

Spooky Eats

For the Halloween-timed e-newsletter I got to finally put together some Halloween-ish recipes! They're all inspired by Pinterest, but I made my own tweaks and edits to change them up a bit. I had fun making these!

Do you make anything special for Halloween?

Candy Corn Fruit Cocktail

Pineapple, Cantaloupe and Cottage Cheese Salad

(you could also use whipped cream, but the boss prefers something a little more healthy)

Inspired by this Pinterest post

Green Goblin Grins

Granny Smith Apples with Peanut Butter, Sliced Almonds and a Drizzle of Honey

Inspired by this Pinterest post

Mini Pumpkin Patch

Parsley-topped Carrots on a Bed of Spinach-Avocado Hummus

Inspired by this Pinterest post

Spicy Spider Eggs

Olive-topped Deviled Eggs with a Kick

Inspired by this Pinterest Post

Stuffed Jack-O-Peppers

Beef & Wild Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers

Inspired by Pinterest, adapted from CitronLimette.com.

Cooking pics

I've started doing most of the photography for the recipes I make for work. Justin was a good photography teacher! I've still got a long way to go to understand the camera...I usually just mess around with the settings until the picture looks good vs. adjusting the settings to a known good setting and then taking the picture.

I took a little break when we moved, but here are some of my latest creations:

Pappardelle Pasta with Sauteed Maitake Mushrooms, Chives and Parmigiano-Reggiano

Justin thought this one was really good. I really love pasta dishes that incorporate veggies (or mushrooms) that are sauteed and softened in a white wine until it's reduced. It makes for a nice light flavor.

Grilled Pear & Blue Cheese Crostini with Bacon and a Cranberry Pear Vinaigrette

Who doesn't like bacon on things? I'm glad I decided to sprinkle a bit on top -- it went really well with the blue cheese and pear. 

Crisp Asian Pear, Daikon & Avocado Salad with a Sicilian Lemon Vinaigrette

Someone had something similar at a restaurant in Vegas so we decided to see if I could recreate it at home. I was not excited to make or even try this dish, but it was surprisingly ok (mostly because of the lemon vinaigrette) and I got to use my mandoline slicer. I don't know that I'd make it on my own, but it turned out better than I anticipated.

Mixed Medley Tomato Bruschetta on Cheesy Garlic Crostinis

I have always enjoyed bruschetta, but every time I have bruschetta I can't help but think how much better it would be with cheese. So for this one I added some cheese. I do what I want! I also rubbed the toasts with garlic. I made and photoed this dish early in the morning...I'm not ashamed to say I ate it for breakfast.

Portobello Mushroom and Fresh Basil Pesto Pizza on Cornmeal Crust 

I used Red Fresno peppers instead of bell peppers (allergic!)...it gave the pizza a nice kick and helped the rest of the flavors stand up to the pesto, which I personally think can overpower a dish sometimes.

Spice-rubbed Pork Chops with a Pear-Ginger Chutney

Wooooeeee was this good! I adapted it from Cooking Light, with the biggest tweak being that I swapped apples for pears. I thought the cumin in the pork played nicely with the ginger in the chutney, and the rest of the ingredients were all well represented too. I like when you can taste all the flavors in a dish without one overpowering the other. 

Food pics

Some of my latest creations for work. Plus, one FAIL. We had the kabobs for Father's Day - they were delicious after marinating for 24 hours! Rolin also really enjoyed the smoothie - he quickly became a straw-drinking pro. Let me know if you'd like the recipes.

Pan-Seared Peaches Topped with Honey Mascarpone and a Thyme & Lavender Balsamic Reduction

Before baking.

Fresh Peach & Mozzarella Pizza with a Lavender Balsamic Reduction

After-baking FAIL. This is one ugly baked pizza...we didn't use this pic at all. However, this pizza is delicious!

Heirloom Tomato & Fresh Mozzarella Caprese Salad Drizzled with Summertime Peach Balsamic and Meyer Lemon Oil

Fresh Summer Fruit Salad with a Summertime Peach Balsamic Reduction

Grilled Pork & Nectarine Kabobs with a Summertime Peach Balsamic Marinade

Nectarine, Radish & Jalapeno Salsa (use as a dip or as a crostini topper)

Seared Chicken Salad with Green Beans, Pistachios and Fresh Bing Cherries

Nectarine-Banana-Mango Smoothie

Popped corn

I haven't watched an episode in a while, but with "The Office" series finale coming up, I'm feeling reminiscent. I remember watching the pilot in college, and I remember subsequent episodes getting funnier and wittier (until they got weirder...). While living in Seattle, I'd meet up with Linsley to watch "The Office" -- Thursdays were my favorite day of the week. Once Justin moved to Seattle, he joined our Thursday night TV night.

If we had still lived in Seattle when Jim and Pam got married, I'm sure Lins and I would have made a cake to celebrate (like some others I know).

Anyway, one night we were watching at Linsley's when Justin decided to make some popcorn. The following is an account of what happened. You probably had to be there to really appreciate this:

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There's nothing quite like the smell of burnt popcorn, right? Ohhhhh, good times.