Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Greek Panzanella


It was 90 degrees here today and very sunny. Perfect weather in my opinion! After teaching pilates this am I went on a nice walk/run late this afternoon. Unfortunately Tucher could only handle about 20 minutes of the walk before he was really hot so I brought him back to house and then went back out to soak up the nice heat. We are grilling salmon on cedar planks tonight and lounging on our back patio.... can you tell I love summer time?

Anyways, I made this delicious Greek Panzanella. It is hard to quit eating and perfect for summer time grill outs. Light and refreshing definitely describes this dish.

Greek Panzanella
Adapted From Ina Garten

Salad:
2 tbs olive oil
6 cups French bread cubes (cut in 1 inch cubes)
salt
1 cucumber - peeled, seeded, and sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced in chunks
1 yellow bell pepper, diced in chunks
1 pint cherry tomatoes (either left whole or cut in half)
1/2 red onion, sliced thin (I hate raw onions so I left this out)
4 oz crumbed feta cheese
2 oz kalamata olives or black olives, sliced

Vinaigrette:
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
1 1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:
To prepare the salad, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread crumbs and sprinkle with salt. Cook over medium to low heat, frequently tossing for 5-9 minutes. Cook until browned. Remove from the heat.

Combine the cucumber, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onion (if using)

Make the vinaigrette by combining the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil until well emulsified. Pour the vinaigrette over the veggies. Then add the feta, olives, and bread cubes. Mix together lightly. Set aside to allow the flavors to blend and then enjoy

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Quick and Easy Fish


There are those nights when you want a quick, basic meal. Fish is the best thing for us that fits this type of evening. Of course, fish can be fancy or simple, however, this fish is simple and delicious. I started with trout (which has an awesome flavor) with a basic lemon pepper and Garlic Gold olive oil brushed on top. Baked in the oven... Simple and quick as that. For the side we prepared risotto alongside sauteed zucchini with diced tomatoes. Everything was ready in less than 20 minutes. What a great and healthy meal.

Quick and Easy Fish

2 pieces of thin fish, 6-8 ounces pre cooked (I used Trout in this picture, tilapia would also work)
Penzey's Lemon Pepper Seasoning sprinkled on top
Garlic Gold Olive Oil, brushed on top

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place fish on baking sheet (skin side down if there is a skin on your fish). Place baking sheet in oven and bake for 7-10 minutes, until fish is flaky but not dry. Lesson in fish is to not overcook it!!!

Serve this meal with a great bottle of wine and enjoy the ease of cooking when you are cramped for time

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Pioneer Woman is my idol




One of my favorite blogs to read, and one of my first blogs that I ever followed was the Pioneer Woman. I love all of her recipes that I have tried, one of them being Penne a la Betsy. Her Cinnamon Rolls are amazing. These are just two of the many things that I love to make.

A little while ago she came to Atlanta. I was not able to go but my neighbor, Mandi went and got a book signed for the Pearce's Kitchen! This cookbook is a great resource in our kitchen and a great one to add to your own collection.

Note that this cookbook is not "healthy". I could never cook out of this on a daily basis or I would weight 10,000 pounds. It is my go to recipe book for "special occasion dinners" and entertaining feasts.

Pioneer Woman also has great information on Photography. I have used many of her tips while learning how to use my camera. Be sure to follow her blog and try to win one of her many give-aways also!