LOADED Avocado Spread - for avocado toast

I just got my CSA farm box yesterday. Additionally my freezer is packed, as is my 'fridge.
Blessings of riches for sure, but the quantity of food in my house right now is over the top!

The 6 little avocados I bought last week went from rock hard to perfect in a day or two. I like them less ripe than most people, so they went into the 'fridge immediately. . .where they continued to ripen and soften! I decided to use 2 today then saw lots of other vegetables to add to the mix. . .

I often wish I could cook more simply but I doubt it will happen. As much as I admire all aspects of minimalism -so far- my brain just won't go or stay there.

So, for this recipe, it began with these ingredients all rough chopped into my blender jar:

2 stalks celery
2 medium carrots
2 roma tomatoes
6-8 garlic scapes
1/3 large green pepper
1 big garlic clove
1 bunch of basil
1 bunch flat leaf Italian parsley

Use a vegetable peeler to take only the bright yellow layer of the lemon peel and added all the juice. Add 2-3T spicy ranch dressing. Blend that until well combined.

In a medium bowl, finely chop 2 avocados. (yes, I used 2, the second is tucked in between the basil and the bottle of dressing) Add 3oz. of sharp flavored shredded cheese and 3oz. of finely chopped pistachios (or walnuts) Sprinkle with Himalayan pink salt. 

Pour in the blender contents, fold everything together until well combined. Some of the liquid rose to the top so I tilted the bowl and absorbed that with a bunched up paper towel. It was great on toasted sourdough bread but could also be served like salsa or guacamole with tortilla chips. . .Lin

(Another) Quinoa Tabouli with Black Beans

1c quinoa

2c water

2-4T Tuscan or Italian Flavored Olive Oil

zest and juice of 1-2 limes or 1 lg. lemon

fresh ground salt and pepper

(a little chili lime seasoning - optional)

1-1/2c fresh herbs chopped parsley (basil / oregano)

1 or 2 15oz. cans of rinsed-drained black beans

1-1/2c chopped fresh tomatoes

4-6 green onions - sliced-chopped

2 lg. cloves garlic - sliced-chopped very fine

1c chopped celery hearts and leafy tops

3-4 lg. radishes - sliced

3-4 mini English cucumbers - chopped

Cook the quinoa in water, as directed, until little tails sprout and all liquid is absorbed.  Add all the remaining ingredients, toss, chill for an hour or so before serving. . .Lin

Lemon Thyme Ranch Dressing - and A Big Fresh Summer Salad (with bleu cheese crumbles, garbanzos and hearts of palm)

Dressing:

2/3c half & half

2T Balsamic vinegar

2/3c Kraft Cracked Pepper Mayo

1T finely chopped Lemon-Thyme leaves

In a 3-4c measuring container, whisk half & half with the vinegar, creating buttermilk. Stir in the remaining ingredients, blending well. Add a little water if needed to make it pourable.

Store in a Good Seasons Salad Dressing carafe.

Salad:

Combine 2-3 big kale leaves, all the vegetables shown here - sliced-chopped - in a big bowl.

Voila' - a great, busy-day lunch break. . .

But then, while putting the dressing away, I saw the hearts of palm, bleu cheese and thought, oh, garbanzos would be nice!

It quickly evolved to this—>

Happy Monday everyone! . . . Lin

Basil - Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

2c basil - I used Boxwood and Genovese Basil

1-2 sprigs of Lovage or parsley

1 stalk of celery with tops

¼-½c sun-dried tomatoes chopped

4 cloves regular garlic or 1 lg clove elephant garlic

½c chopped walnuts – Toasted a few minutes in a dry pan over medium heat.
      Stay with it so itdoesn't burn. It will toast fast.

½c shredded Parmesan cheese

½ lemon - juice and zest

¾c extra virgin olive oil

1T balsamic vinegar

salt and fresh ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or Mini-Prep. Spoon onto hot angel hair pasta and serve with a salad. This was my first attempt at pesto! I've had some really good ones made with arugila, many I've liked with basil and also some with sun-dried tomatoes. I decided to combine the ingredients I had here which resulted in a more complex pesto, that turned out really well. Happy Cooking! . .Lin

Dill Herb Sour Cream Dressing

1 c light sour cream

½c real mayonnaise

1 t dill weed

½t Rosemary Seasoning

~   posted here earlier

1-2 grinds of fresh black pepper

1 T balsamic vinegar

2 T water

½t± Maple syrup if needed to cut the acidity of the vinegar

¼c± fresh herbs finely minced - shown with chives & Italian flat leaf parsley

Mix all together and let stand a while to hydrate and blend all the flavors. Use as a vegetable dip, salad dressing or on top of baked potatoes. . .Lin

Making Your Own Herb Teas

A lot of people spend big bucks for herbal teas.  Try making your own!  It's fun, inexpensive, easy, and you can combine exactly what you like.  I'm fortunate to live in a little city with two great 'health food' stores and their supply of fresh dried herbs is wonderful!

Today I made lemon grass-rosemary tea.  Another favorite of mine is spearmint-rosemary.  Just put about 3T of crushed herbs on a regular size coffee filter, fold, staple, drop in boiled filtered water and you'll have some really great tea in 5 minutes.  MMmmmm! . . . Lin

Herbed Eggs

2       Free-range eggs

1T     Butter

1/4c  Snipped herbs

Break eggs into a small bowl.  Stir - breaking yolks - but don't over mix.  Melt butter in a pan, pour in eggs, add herbs.  Shown here:  regular chives, garlic chives and Boxwood basil.  Add fresh ground pepper and sea salt to taste.  SLOWLY stir the eggs 'till they're done the way you like them. . . . .Ahhh, I can almost hear the Rooster crowing!  :o) . . .Lin

Rosemary Seasoning

In a big salt or spice shaker mix the following:
4-6 T  ground rosemary
1t-1T  cayenne pepper
6 T  Himalayan pink salt
*1½t crushed-powdered Bouquet Garni
. . .or Italian Seasonings - optional

To me, what distinguishes a truly great spice shop is that they have Ground Rosemary!  Not easy to find, but well worth the search.  This is a blend I love.  The trick of course, as with any herb or spice seasoning, is getting the amounts right for your tastes.  This is especially good with lamb or chicken - even beef - as well as a hot Mediterranean Pasta Casserole or a Mediterranean Pasta Salad.

*To add a little more depth to the flavor of this seasoning, and not just the single note of rosemary, crush, mortar-and-pestal, either of these herb blends.  Then, shake through a strainer into a small bowl to obtain the finished amount of 1½ teaspoons of powder. . .Lin