Road Trip & Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Mushrooms & Mustard Sauce

The snow birds are back. No, I’m not talking about the swallows and Capistrano or even the loons and Pleasant Lake. I’m talking about our esteemed senior citizens who spend the winter in Florida or Arizona. They are just now finding their way back to New England. Many are devoted golfers who head south for an endless summer on the links. Others have just decided that, after years of cold winters, enough is enough.

For many years my parents were part of the flock of snow birds that heads south every winter for golf and warm sunshine. More often than not, when they returned north, instead of sunshine, they brought the rain. I first noticed this phenomenon when they visited me in Europe. I lived in Switzerland for almost two decades and my parents flew over for a visit every three, maybe four years. They always came in May and their timing was always impeccable. Within twenty-four hours often less, the weather changed for the worse.

The good daughter, I played tour guide and translator and shared many of my favorite places with them. Under cloudy or rainy skies, we hit the road. Not just in Switzerland, we drove through France and Italy and rendezvoused in Austria and Sweden. Umbrellas in hand, we toured the countryside. We wandered through churches, chateaus, museums and farmers’ markets. Rarely in a hurry, we made frequent stops to enjoy the local cuisine and wine.

American tourists have a reputation in Europe, not all positive and not all negative. Many jaded Europeans find our energy, enthusiasm and brilliantly colored golf trousers amusing. They are mystified by our addiction to ice and preference for weak coffee.

Not wanting to appear the yokel, I adopted and adapted many local habits. I more or less gave up ice, started drinking very strong coffee and developed a fondness for black in the winter and beige in the summer. My goal was to develop an air of expatriate sophistication. Did I succeed? Who knows! If it all seems a little foolish; blame it on youth and culture shock.

The bossy daughter, I instructed my parents on packing for their European vacations. No madras, nothing with little embroidered lobsters or palm trees and no shocking, bright colors. They more of less ignored me. On a positive note, I never lost them in a crowd.

You may have heard the Chinese curse, may you live in interesting times. Traveling with Mom and Dad was often interesting and frequently entertaining. Dad is a friendly guy and chats with everyone and anyone; whether they speak English or not. Italians pride themselves on their excellent coffee which my parents promptly and proudly diluted with hot water. Whether it was for a coke or evening cocktails, they pestered waiters for ice again and again and again.

But despite bad weather, their very American habits and my silly attempt at Euro-chic, we always had a great time. Luckily a little wisdom was not beyond my reach and I soon figured out that my parents were just fine as is. By any measure, their preference for bright colors, weak coffee and lots of ice is not really very important. Plus I realized they were incorrigible and not about change. Not once or even twice but with every visit, Dad brought the same house gift – ice cube trays.

Rain or sun, in brilliant colors or beige, at home or abroad, I wish you good fun, good food and good conversation around the table this spring. Bon appétit!

Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Mushrooms & Mustard Sauce
Bring the flavors of France to your table – pork tenderloin and wild mushrooms with pungent mustard from Dijon and fresh rosemary and thyme from Provence. Enjoy!
Serves 6

Olive oil
1 pound morels or Portobello mushrooms or a mix*, cleaned, trimmed and sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 6 thick rounds
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/2 cup half & half
2 tablespoons Cognac (optional)

Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes more. Remove the vegetables from the pan and reserve.

Season the pork with salt and pepper. Add a little more olive oil to the skillet. Brown the pork until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the pork from the pan and reserve.

Add the wine to the pan and cook until reduced by about one-third. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cognac, half & half, mustard, rosemary and thyme. Return the pan to the heat, reduce to low and simmer the sauce for about 5 minutes.

Return the pork to the skillet, top with the mushrooms and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

* If you can’t find wild mushrooms (or like mine – your dad is allergic to wild mushrooms), white or brown button mushrooms will be fine.

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One Year Ago – Crunch Salad with Apples & Grapes
Two Years Ago – Grilled Mustard Pork Chops
Three Years Ago – Rhubarb Crisp
Four Years Ago – Spicy Grilled Steak
Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

Who’s your favorite travel companion(s)? Feel free to share. Let’s get a conversation going.

Want more? I’ve got links to lots more to read, see & cook as well as a day in the life photoblog! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2013

On the Sunny Side of a Desert Island & Lemon-Lime Squares

It’s one of those questions that pops up from time to time. In college, it was asked late at night. Fed up with studying, we’d close our books and mull over a beer and a bowl of popcorn. Today it might get asked over dessert and coffee towards the end of a dinner party. Then and now, it almost always guarantees that no one’s going to bed anytime soon.

Stranded on a desert island, who would you want to have with you? I’m sure that many people would go for one of the hunky carpenters on the do-it-yourself channel. Or a brainy scientist for a flashback to the professor and Gilligan’s Island. Sure I’d be happy to have one or both along but I’d also bring my mom. She would make a great companion on a desert island. Besides with Mothers’ Day on Sunday, I wouldn’t want to spend the day without her.

“Your mother?” You ask incredulously. “Really, your mother?” You ask again. Not wishing to seem rude, you pause, change gear and politely ask, “Does your mom have some kind of special, super hero power?” Well, sort of. My mother’s special power is her undeniable, indefatigable exuberance for life. She won’t go all MacGyver on you but she is the ultimate optimist.

Mom has Alzheimer’s and requires 24×7 care. Last summer, we were forced to realize that it was past time for her to move into assisted living. Our dad was in the hospital, so my sister and I made the arrangements and helped her move. After getting Mom settled in, Brenda and I paused in the parking lot to share a tearful hug. Just because something is inevitable doesn’t mean it won’t make you feel very sad. It somehow made it worse that Mom has always been the one to cheer us up and reassure us that everything would be alright. We hugged again.

If you have ever met my mother, it will not surprise you to learn that Mom has indeed found ways to let us and everyone around her know that everything’s going to be alright. True, her memory has failed her. Language sometimes fails her as well. But her smile never does. Her good heart never does. Her optimism never fails her.

My mother is one of those people who walks on the sunny side of the street. And, whether you want to or not, she’ll gently take your hand and bring you along with her.

So yes, I would bring my mother to that desert island. She doesn’t carry a Swiss Army knife or duct tape. She won’t find a dozen coconuts and some driftwood and turn them into a sturdy, seaworthy raft. Don’t look to Mom’s help when it’s time to build a hut or catch a fish. Or even cook that fish.

Instead, she’ll smile her beautiful smile and tell you that you are the best. Mom knows that she doesn’t need to build anything or catch anything. She has complete and utter confidence in you and your ability to do it.

So watch out, her optimism is infectious. Before you know it, you will be climbing up trees for coconuts and starting fires with two sticks. Plus she’ll have you laughing and singing songs you haven’t thought of in years. Yes, I would want Mom with me. She’d make sure I stayed on the sunny side of the island.

Happy Mothers’ Day Mom and a big hug, kiss and thank you!

Bon appétit!

Lemon-Lime Squares
Mom loves lemons and limes and these tart squares are among her favorites. They’ll make a great dessert after a casual Mothers’ Day lunch. Enjoy!
Makes 24 squares

Shortbread Base
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, cut in small pieces

Lemon-Lime Topping
4 large eggs
3/4 cup 50/50 mix of freshly squeezed lemon and lime juices
1 1/2 cups sugar
Pinch salt
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9×13-inch baking pan.

Make the shortbread base: Put the flour, brown sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and continue to pulse until the dough begins to come together in small lumps. Put the shortbread dough in the prepared baking pan and press evenly into the pan.

Bake the shortbread at 350 degrees in the middle of the oven until golden, about 20 minutes.

Prepare the topping while the shortbread is baking: Put the eggs, citrus juices, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process until well combined. Add the zest and flour and process again until well combined.

Remove the shortbread from the oven and pour the lemon mixture over the hot shortbread. Reduce the temperature to 300 degrees and return the pan to the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the topping has set.

Cool completely in the pan and cut into squares. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the squares before serving.

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One Year Ago – Tarte à l’Oignon (Onion Tart)
Two Years Ago – Honeyed Apricots with Creamy Yogurt
Three Years Ago – Black & White Brownies
Four Years Ago – Rhubarb MuffinsOr Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

What’s your mother’s special super power? Feel free to share. Let’s get a conversation going.

Want more? I’ve got links to lots more to read, see & cook as well as a day in the life photoblog! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2013

Christmas Cookies & Snowy Pecan Balls

Christmas is a wonderful time of year. Sure there is more than a little chaos, madness even, but that’s part of the fun. I love all the different traditions, big and small, old and new. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without our favorite carols, tried and true family rituals and favorite decorations. Not to mention some of those once-a-year sweet treats!

One way or another, pretty much everyone ends up in the kitchen during December. For some, the cooking is nonstop. With cookies by the gross and special holiday cakes and pies, their kitchens are a warm and cozy haven of sugar and spice. Others make one and only one special recipe. Maybe it’s great, great, great Grandpa’s punch, Aunt Millie’s stollen or Mémé’s Bûche de Noël. It doesn’t matter that tastes have changed. So what if you prefer a martini over punch or have sworn off desserts. You continue to make that one special treat year after year. Passed down from generation to generation, it’s tradition!

But what about those people who never bake. People like my mother. Mom was the master of the thirty minute meal. Our birthday cakes came from mixes and cookies were sliced off a roll. Except at Christmas. That’s when she pulled out her box of carefully collected but rarely used recipe cards and baked one of Aunt Anna’s Pecan Pies. It’s also when she dedicated an afternoon to making and decorating cookies, first with my sister, Brenda and me and later with my brother.

We didn’t spend days on end in the kitchen or bake hundreds of cookies. A few warm, wonderful hours were more than enough. We stuck to the basics, a simple batch of sugar cookies. With the little portable radio playing Christmas carols in the background, we mixed and rolled, cut out and baked a couple dozen cookies. When we were little we sprinkled them with red or green sugar and slide them into the oven. Once we reached eight or ten, Mom threw caution to the wind and let us decorate them with brightly colored royal icing. I can’t imagine that Brenda and I didn’t squabble a bit but I don’t remember that part. Without a doubt, we nibbled a cookie or two or three as we worked.

By the time I reached middle school, I was baking one or two special Christmas treats on my own. For several years I baked and decorated a Bûche de Noël for Christmas Eve. When I grew tired of Bûche (it’s very sweet), I switched to cookies, chocolate truffles, caramels and pound after pound of Chocolate Almond Brittle. Some I pack up to give as gifts and others are reserved for family feasts, pot lucks and tea or coffee breaks with friends. But my efforts are paltry compared to my sister. Brenda takes holiday baking to a whole new level.

For years Brenda has made dozens of elaborate cookies. Even better, when her children were little, she helped them built beautiful gingerbread houses. It began with the chance find of a gingerbread house mold at a garage sale and the tradition continued on for more than a decade. It could be the season but there is something magical about a gingerbread house. It doesn’t matter if they were created by a fabulous and famous chef or built by a young, would-be artist. They are all wonderful.

Whether you build an entire village in gingerbread, recreate Nana’s special trifle or bake just one batch of cookies, have fun and bon appétit!

Snowy Pecan Balls
I began making these when I was in high school and they are still my favorite Christmas cookies. No matter how busy I am, I always make sure I find the time to bake a batch (or two) of these buttery cookies. Enjoy!
Makes about 4 dozen cookies

4 ounces pecans
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
About 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line cookies sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats.

Put the nuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg and pulse to combine.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar at low speed until it is smooth. Beat in the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed gradually add the flour-nut mixture and mix until the dough comes together. Cover the bowl and chill until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes.

Using a small cookie scoop or 2 teaspoons, make dollops of batter. Use your hands to roll the dollops into balls. Place the balls onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake at 325 degrees until pale golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Put the remaining confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl. Let the cookies cool for a minute or two and then roll the still warm cookies in the confectioners’ sugar. Cool on wire racks and store in tightly covered tins.

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One Year Ago – Chocolate Truffles
Two Years Ago – Smoked Salmon Mousse
Three Years Ago – Roasted Beans
Four Years Ago – Winter Soup with Pasta, Beans & Greens

Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

Do you have a favorite Christmas cookie? One you bake every year? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going.

Want more? I’ve got links to lots more to read, see & cook as well as a day in the life photoblog! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2012

Oh Christmas Tree & Braised Short Ribs

For many the first weekend of December can only mean one thing. It’s time to deck the halls and put up the tree. Many families will spend next Saturday afternoon wandering through the snow, saw in hand, looking for the perfect specimen to hang their baubles and bows.

The Nye’s were never one of those families. Yes, we did have a tree. Yes, we did spend a wonderful Sunday afternoon decorating it. But we didn’t trudge through the woods or a tree farm with a saw. We took (what should have been) the easy route. We bought our tree at the local garden shop.

One year was particularly memorable. Staying at home with my-then baby brother, my mother sent my dad, my sister Brenda and I to buy the tree. It was not without some trepidation. Convinced that Dad would just grab the first tree he saw, she put her two little girls in charge. As we tumbled into the backseat of the station wagon, she rattled off a list of instructions. We should buy a Douglas fir. Or was it a Blue spruce? Make sure it’s not too tall or too short. It should be plump and full and fit in the bay window in the living room. Mom’s instructions went in one ear and out the other. I was only seven. Brenda could handle it. After all she was in the fifth grade.

Most years we arrived at the garden shop just as the winter sun was fading and the temperature dropping. This one was no exception. We wandered through the rows of trees. Dad pulled out a likely candidate for our inspection. We checked for bare spots and tried to guess if it would pass Mom’s critical eye. Tree after tree was rejected, until finally the most perfect evergreen was found. Or maybe we were just chilled to the bone and ready for our warm house and a cup of hot chocolate.

Our beautiful new Christmas tree was quickly purchased and tied to the roof of the car. Before the motor was turned off, Mom was out the door and in the driveway to inspect our purchase. Hugging her sweater for warmth, she watched it come off the car. In seconds she’d sized up all of the tree’s flaws. First there was the big bare spot half way up one side. Then there was crooked trunk that would make the tree lean like the Tower of Pisa. Plus it was too tall to fit in the living room. Or maybe it was too small. I’m not really sure except that it was proclaimed far from perfect.

The tree was returned to the roof of the car and back we went to Diehl’s. By now, it was probably 4:30, a lot colder and dark. A few bare bulbs feebly lit the stacks of trees. Again, we wandered around, inspecting and rejecting until finally, we were sure. Yes indeed, this time we had really, truly found the perfect tree. Either that or we were really, truly freezing and really, truly in need of a hot chocolate.

Again, Mom heard the car pull up and was out the door in a flash. In less than a minute she was back in the house to grab her coat and bundle the baby into his snowsuit. Dad tied the second tree back onto the car.

Back at Diehl’s we watched the master as she carefully inspected and rejected tree after tree. Too skinny. Too short. Too prickly. Oops, too expensive. Too who-knows-what. Christmas is her favorite of all the holidays and Mom was filled with purpose. The Nye’s would have a beautiful tree. A perfect tree.

And of course, in spite of the cold and the flickering twenty watt bulbs, she found it.

Wishing you and yours a joyful holiday season, filled with wonderful family memories. Bon appétit!

Braised Short Ribs
Whether you spend the afternoon cutting your own or wandering through the garden shop in search of the perfect Christmas tree, these hearty ribs will warm you up! Enjoy!
Serves 6

2 ounces slab or thick cut bacon, roughly chopped
4-5 pounds beef short ribs
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 medium carrots, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
2 cups dry red wine
2 cups chicken stock
Garnish: fresh chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cook the bacon in a heavy casserole over medium heat until crisp and brown. Remove the bacon and reserve. Pour off any excess bacon fat, leaving just enough to lightly coat the pan and reserve.

Season the beef with salt and pepper and, working in batches, brown the beef over medium-high heat. Remove the beef and add to the reserved bacon.

Reduce the heat to medium. Drain any excess fat from the pan, leaving just enough to lightly coat. Add the onion, carrot and celery, season with paprika, salt and pepper and sauté until lightly browned. Add the garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes more.

Stir the vinegar, mustard and tomatoes into the vegetables. Slowly add the wine and chicken stock, stirring to combine. Raise the heat to high, bring to a simmer and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Add the herbs, return the beef and bacon to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook at 350 degrees for 2 – 2 1/2 hours or until the beef is tender. Add more wine and/or stock if needed.

Carefully transfer the beef to a deep serving platter. If necessary, bring the sauce to a boil over high heat to reduce. Ladle the sauce over the beef, garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

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One Year Ago – Mushroom Crostini
Two Years Ago – Chocolate Dipped Orange Caramels
Three Years Ago – Braised Beef with Root Vegetables
Four Years Ago – Macadamia Nut Shortbread
Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

Where do you get your annual tree? In the woods? A tree farm? Or garden shop? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going.

Want more? I’ve got links to lots more to read, see & cook as well as a day in the life photoblog! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2012

Feel Big and Strong – Vote & A Chicken in Every Pot

Is it possible that Election Day is only a week away? It seems like the campaigns have been going on and on forever. Well, maybe that’s because they have, or at least almost. After all New Hampshire is both the first in the nation primary and a swing state. In hopes of capturing our hearts, minds and votes, politicians have spent the last few years trudging through snow, rain, blistering heat and autumn leaves to shake our hands and kiss our babies.

My mother has always taken voting very seriously. She grew up close to Boston, birthplace of four presidents and home of the Tea Party. That’s the original Tea Party. The one in 1773 when patriots threw overtaxed tea into the harbor. She loved history, particularly early American history. For more than a few years she guided tourists and school children through the Massachusetts State House. She loved sharing the buildings’ art and architectural details. Even more she enjoyed sharing some of Boston’s well- and not-so-well known history. Her favorite story was of a patriotic Nye ancestor who took part in the famous harbor tea fest. Family legend says that he pilfered a handful of the precious tea and brought it home to his mother in New Bedford.

When it came to politics my sister, brother and I were encouraged to have opinions and voice them with enthusiasm. But there was a but. If we wanted to take part in the discussion we had to participate in the process. My mother firmly believes that getting out the vote should start at home. As soon as we turned eighteen, she whisked us down to the town hall to register. Why, we barely had time to open our presents and finish our birthday cakes. She didn’t care if we shared her political leanings. It didn’t matter if we registered Republican, Democrat or Independent. We mattered and therefore our votes mattered.

No sooner had I joined the voting rolls than a local election took me inside one of those mysterious voting booths. Voting was held in school gyms throughout town, so I’d seen the red, white and blue mini cabanas many times. Mom waited for the school bus to bring me home that day so we could cast our ballots together. It was not a major election, just a few local statutes or amendments were on the ballot. As far as I could tell they were written is some foreign language which pretended to be English but didn’t wholly succeed. I don’t remember what they were about or how I voted. All I remember is my mother’s pride and excitement as I voted for the first time.

With her voice in my ear, I have managed to vote in most but (sorry Mom!) not all major elections. Even when I lived in Europe, I voted absentee. It was sometimes touch and go but I usually managed to meet the deadline. While many of my expatriate friends let it slide, I always felt quite virtuous for voting. Even if I was an ocean away.

I moved back to the US on the eve of the 2000 election. Unsure that my absentee ballot had been mailed in time, I watched the results late into the night, early the next morning and on and on for days and days. Jetlagged and reverse-culture shocked; I wondered if my one little vote could make a difference. As always, my mother categorically insisted that it did. Given that the election was finally won by only 537 votes in Florida, she was pretty close to right.

2012 promises to be another squeaker so regardless of your political leanings, don’t forget to vote! Bob Schieffer, the moderator in the final presidential debate put it beautifully when he closed the evening with a quote from his mom, “Go vote, it makes you feel big and strong.”

My mother would wholeheartedly agree.

Bon appétit!

A Chicken in Every Pot
In the old days politicians promised a chicken in every pot. Try this flavorful dish while you wait and watch the returns on Election Night. Enjoy!
Serves 6
About 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 – 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts
6 cloves garlic, peeled and trimmed
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons cognac
1/4 cup heavy cream
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine the flour with the paprika and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Pat the chicken dry and dredge it in the flour, shaking off the excess. Heat a little olive oil a large casserole over medium-high heat. Sauté the chicken until golden, 1-2 minutes per each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and reserve.

Add the garlic, carrot, celery and onion to the pan and season with herbs de Provence, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium and sauté until the onion is translucent, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the mustard and then slowly stir in the white wine and chicken stock. Add the bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer on low, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.

Return the chicken to the pan with any juices and wiggle the pieces down into the vegetables. Bring everything to a simmer, cover and simmer on low for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover to keep warm.

Remove the casserole from the heat and stir in the cognac. Whisk in the cream and simmer on low for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

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One Year Ago – Roasted Carrots & Pearl Onions
Two Years Ago – Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto
Three Years Ago – Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pearl Onions
Four Years Ago – Mexican Chicken Soup
Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

How will you spend Election Night? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going.

Want more? I’ve got links to lots more to read, see & cook as well as a day in the life photoblog! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2012

No More Pencils. No More Books. No More Teachers’ Dirty Looks. & Crunchy Slaw with Cilantro, Mint and Peanuts

There was a wonderful sense of urgency in our house on the last day of school.
The final bell rang at 11:15 and the Nye children had strict instructions to come right home. No dilly-dallying. Within minutes of walking in the door we were out again and in the car headed to Pleasant Lake.

My mother was a master of organization and efficiency. She deftly orchestrated the last minute frenzy. Bathing suits, t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops were thrown into duffel bags along with a pile of books. Except for the books, we packed light. There was no need for fancy clothes or shoes at the lake. In no time at all, our bags were lined up by the back door.

Our dogs, Eeyore and Penny, danced nervously around the kitchen. Most mornings, the dogs roamed the neighborhood. They had a regular route with little old ladies to visit and cats to chase. But never on the last day of school. Fearful they would miss out on something or be left behind, they spent the morning close to home. The dogs always knew when something was up.

Finally the duffels along with a few bags of groceries, three kids, two dogs and three turtles were crammed into our big, blue station wagon. After one last check, Mom locked the door and we hit the road, leaving the manicured lawns of suburbia in our wake. If it wasn’t packed, we didn’t need it. If it wasn’t done, it had to wait until September.

In spite of our rush to get to Pleasant Lake, Mom always took us to Ricky’s in Nashua to celebrate the end of school and start of summer. Ricky’s was one of those funky, family-owned roadside drive-ins. At one time prolific throughout New England, most of them, including Ricky’s, have long since disappeared. They were squeezed out by clowns and kings or maybe their owners got tired of the cold and retired to Florida. Instead of golden arches, Ricky’s was decorated with two giant, smiling dachshunds. It wasn’t high art but the hot dogs and onion rings were terrific.

Ricky’s was open year round but we rarely stopped during the ski season. During the winter you had to eat in your car. Mom and Dad didn’t want to mess up the Country Squire Lounge (the inside of our Ford station wagon) with mustard spills or greasy stains. But there were picnic tables for warm weather feasting, perfect for our first day of freedom lunch. Eeyore and Penny snoozed under the picnic table. The turtles, Touché, Daniel Boone and Mingo, hung out in their plastic pool and gave us beseeching looks, hoping for a French fry to nibble.

Satiated and well satisfied we jumped back in the car. Alas, the Nye kids were never great travelers. The station wagon was huge but both dogs and kids managed to stretch and sprawl and get in each other’s way. Eventually Mom would shout above the fray, “Do I need to stop this car? You don’t want me to stop this car!” Except for a few pitiful sniffles, that quieted us down for a good three, maybe five minutes.

Much to Mom’s relief, somehow or other, we always made it to our little house in the woods in one piece. Not wanting to delay another minute, we unloaded the car in a flash, threw on bathing suits and waved good bye to the turtles. Dogs in tow, we were off to the beach for another great start to another great summer in paradise.

Have a wonderful summer and bon appétit!

Crunchy Slaw with Cilantro, Mint and Peanuts

Celebrate the end of school with an easy, breezy cookout. Throw some burgers and dogs on the grill and dish up some slaw. Try my crispy, crunchy version of this old favorite. Enjoy!

Serves 12

.

8 ounces coleslaw mix or cabbage, cut in thin ribbons
8 ounces broccoli slaw
3 carrots, grated
1/2 – 1 cucumber, chopped
1 red or yellow bell pepper or a mix, chopped
4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup roughly chopped mint
About 3/4 cup roughly chopped salted, roasted peanuts

Make the vinaigrette (recipe follows) and let sit for at least 30 minutes to combine the flavors.

Combine the vegetables and herbs and toss to combine. Drizzle with enough spicy vinaigrette to lightly coat and toss. Let the slaw sit in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours to combine the flavors.

To serve: add half of the peanuts to the slaw and toss. Transfer the slaw to a platter and sprinkle with the remaining peanuts.

If you like a sweeter slaw, chop an crisp apple and add it to the veggies.

Spicy Vinaigrette
3-4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon or to taste minced jalapeno
1-2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup or to taste extra-virgin olive oil or peanut oil

Put all the ingredients except the oil in a blender, process to combine. Slowly add the oil and process until well combined.

Store extra vinaigrette in the refrigerator.

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One Year Ago – New Potato Salad with Gorgonzola
Two Years Ago – Spicy Hoisin Wings
Three Years Ago – Grilled Steak & Potato Salad Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

What are your favorite last day of school memories? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going.

Want more? I’ve got links to lots more to read, see & cook as well as a day in the life photoblog! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2012

My Mother’s Gift & Tarte à l’Oignon (Onion Tart)

With Mothers’ Day approaching I’m feeling a little sentimental. I’ve been thinking about some of the gifts my mom has given me. Not the baby dolls or bicycles, the Fair Isle sweaters or even the bright red stew pot I still use today. I could dwell on the fact that she didn’t passed on her very long legs but I won’t.

Looking back, one of the best gifts my mother gave me was her enthusiasm for spirited conversation.

Dinner at our house served two critical purposes. It kept the family from starving and, more important, it brought us together every night. My mother was never particularly interested in cooking. I don’t remember her spending long hours in the kitchen. She gravitated toward quick and easy recipes and didn’t hesitate to throw a can of soup on a piece of chicken or into a pot of stew.

In spite of her indifference towards most things culinary, Mom was very keen about family dinner. For some of our neighbors, family dinner was a rare occasion, reserved for holidays or special occasions. Others raced through the evening meal and fled the table. Not so at my house, most evenings we hung out for a good hour, sometimes longer. The television was never on. Phone calls were only answered to take a message to call back later.

Every night we shared our news, victories, trials and tribulations. We discussed everything and anything. We talked about our day at school, our favorite books, celebrities and stars as well as the Boston Bruins and Red Sox. As we got older, political and social issues became key topics during our nightly conversations.

It was an exciting, turbulent time, a time of great change; kind of like now. We vigorously discussed the virtues and vices of the President and a whole host of politicians, public figures, crusaders and crooks. We deliberated over the war, civil rights, women’s rights and the environment. We shouted, we laughed, we jockeyed for position. We talked all at once, we interrupted each other in our excitement and enthusiasm. Somehow or other we managed to listen to each other (if only barely) and respect each other (if sometimes grudgingly).

Once in a blue moon, a subject was deemed off limits, inappropriate for my little brother’s young ears. Those times were few and far between. For the most part it was no holds barred. My sister and I were free to discuss, rant and rave with the passion and intensity of idealistic teenagers. Mom insisted that we never argued. In her words, we discussed enthusiastically.

Looking back, those dinners were tremendous confidence builders. I don’t ever remember my mother telling me I was wrong. From time to time she cautioned me that a particular opinion could be unpopular. She sometimes warned that a certain stand could put me on the outs with friends or neighbors. Even when she disagreed, she never discouraged my youthful dance with new ideas. Within our protective family circle, I was able to test new insights and changing opinions. I learned to listen and scrutinize an idea before accepting or rejecting it. Those dinners helped me develop the self-confidence to speak up, share my ideas and stories and listen to others. I am forever grateful.

How did I thank her? When we were little, my sister, brother and I took turns serving Mom an English muffin in bed on Mothers’ Day. Later I sent cards and flowers (when I remembered.) Now it’s a plant and I invite the family over for brunch or lunch. All in all, I definitely got the better half of the bargain.

Thank you Mom and Happy Mothers’ Day! Bon appétit!

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Tarte à l’Oignon (Onion Tart)
This earthy French tart is perfect for brunch, lunch or a casual supper. Give it a try on Mothers’ Day and enjoy!
Serves 6-8
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4 slices thick cut bacon (about 1/4 pound), chopped (optional – substitute with olive oil)
About 1 tablespoon butter
2 pounds onions, cut in half lengthwise and sliced in thin wedges
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Savory Flakey Pastry (recipe follows)
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch nutmeg

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove from the skillet, drain on paper towels and reserve.

Add more or less butter to the bacon drippings to coat the skillet and melt. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat and toss the onions with the bacon and thyme. Cool to room temperature.

While the onion is cooking and cooling, roll out the pastry dough on a lightly floured surface. Line a 9 or 10-inch tart pan with the pastry leaving about 1/4-inch for shrinkage; crimp the edges. Cover the pastry and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and arrange the rack in the middle of the oven.

Put the eggs, sour cream, mustard and nutmeg in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Add the onions and bacon and toss to combine. Pour the onion mixture into the tart shell.

Put the tart in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes or until the custard is set and the top is golden brown. Cool for 5-10 minutes and serve.

Savory Flakey Pastry
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) chilled butter, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening, cold, cut into small pieces
2-4 tablespoons ice water

Blend the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and shortening and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Sprinkle with ice water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time and process until the dough comes together in a ball. Remove the dough from the food processor and flatten into a disk. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.

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One Year Ago – Honeyed Apricots with Creamy Yogurt
Two Years Ago – Black & White Brownies
Three Years Ago – Rhubarb Muffins
Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

What’s the best (or worse) place to kick you out?!? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2012

Our Wellesley Season & Bananas Foster

I lived near San Francisco for a couple of years and found the weather a bit disconcerting. As far as I could tell, there were no seasons. Every day was like a sunny day in May, not too hot and with no humidity to speak off. (My curly locks were remarkably well behaved.) My friend Julie is a California native. She insists that it takes a little time to adjust to her home State’s subtle seasonal changes. I admit I never gave it a chance. As soon as I could, I fled the west coast and headed home to New England. There is nothing subtle about New England’s seasons. (My curly locks agree and frequently misbehave).

We are now in what my mother used to call Our Wellesley Season. That’s what she called April and May when we were kids. It sounds a little fancy like we had one of those big rambling cottages in the country and an elegant mansion in the suburbs. In reality we had a little brown house in the New Hampshire woods and a nice but hardly Trump-like home in the suburbs of Boston.

Massachusetts was where we went to school and worked. New Hampshire was where we played. We spent as much time as we possibly could there. The end of the school year bell was still ringing when our station wagon hit the road and headed north to Pleasant Lake. When school started again in September we barely made it back for homeroom the first day. Throughout the fall and winter, all of our weekends and vacations were spent enjoying New Hampshire’s hills.

But here’s our guilty confession. As much as we all loved it, every spring we deserted the Granite State. Forget for better or worse. Fickle flatlanders, we kept our distance when April showers and melting snow turned the hills and fields into a muddy mess and the lake was cold and gray. It’s easy to love New Hampshire when it’s bright green, brilliant red and gold or sparkling white with snow. Even this year, when winter was remarkably short and mild, it’s clear why we stayed away. Spring is very slow in coming. Except for a few brave clumps of bright purple crocuses, everywhere you look, it’s a drab gray or brown.

That’s not to say that Boston’s suburbs were clear and sunny. April showers were commonplace but, unlike New Hampshire, April snowstorms were few and far between. I remember more than a few boring, rainy Saturday afternoons. However, there was a movie theatre in town, the television got more than one fuzzy station and the ice cream parlor was open year-round. Suburban roads were paved and our driveway was not lost in a sea of mud. Long before the snow banks melted in front of our little brown house in the woods, our garden in Wellesley was filled with cheery daffodils and tulips. Furthermore, marauding deer did not plow through those blooms like a pack of starving tourists at an all-you-can-eat Atlantic City buffet.

Now that I live in New Hampshire year-round, I have no Wellesley to escape to during Wellesley Season. (I did spend a few hours in Manchester yesterday but I don’t think that counts.) Truth be told, I don’t miss suburbia. However, a trip to the big city (any big city will do but preferably someplace warm) or a tropical island might be nice right about now!

Bon appétit!

Bananas Foster

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If someplace warm isn’t in your travel plans this spring, a traditional New Orleans dessert will cheer you up after one too many gray days. Enjoy!
Serves 4
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4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 bananas, peeled and cut on the diagonal in 1/2-inch slices
1/4 cup dark rum
Vanilla ice cream
Chopped pecans, toasted

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over low heat. Add the brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and stir until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Add the bananas and cook for 2-3 minutes, carefully spooning the sauce over the bananas.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the rum. Ignite the rum, return the pan to the heat and continue cooking, swirling the sauce, until flame dies out and the sauce is syrupy, 1-3 minutes.

To serve: scoop vanilla cream into individual dessert bowls. Gently spoon the warm bananas and sauce over and around the ice cream, garnish with toasted pecans and serve immediately.

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One Year Ago – Tapenade
Two Year Ago – Lavender Infused White Chocolate Crème
Three Years Ago – Lemon Tart
Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

What do you do in early spring? Flee south or grin (or not) and bear it? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2012

Holiday Feasting & Braised Lamb with Artichokes and Mushrooms & Creamy Polenta

No, a hurricane is not tearing up the coast. A nor’easter is not bearing down. The current whirlwind of frenzied activity is nothing more (and nothing less) than our final preparations for Christmas. Not only is the big guy coming to town but friends and family will be dropping by as well. Our halls are decked, the stocking are hung and you can’t find a double-A battery or heavy-duty extension cord for miles. What’s more, the larder is filled to overflowing.

What wonderful dishes will be on your holiday table? Will you do your best to keep it simple or put on an extravagant Christmas spread? One that puts Martha to shame. How about traditions? Is your great-grandmother’s famous goose on the menu? What about that infamous green bean casserole? If you’re like me you like to switch it up every so often.

Long before I was born, long before my parents were born, the Nye’s served turkey for Christmas dinner. It was Tradition with a capital T. Maybe that’s why I can still remember my mother announcing that she would no longer cook turkey for Christmas. We were just finishing up Thanksgiving dinner. She’d anticipated dissent and waited until everyone was full and happy. The room got quiet, forks full of apple pie stopped in mid-air but Mom plunged ahead. She was brilliant. With great enthusiasm, she shared her plan to cook the biggest, most beautiful rib roast she could find for Christmas. She cheerfully mentioned Mr. McIntyre, the local butcher extraordinaire. She touted the joys of a traditional English feast. Her pitch was so good I began to wonder if she was going to invite Tiny Tim and the rest of the Cratchit family to join us. With her inimitable charm and beautiful smile, she made it clear that this was no proposal and not up for debate.

Even if her decision was unilateral, that Christmas dinner was delicious and enjoyed by all. It also ushered in a new era for our family’s feast. Since then the only constant to our Christmas dinners is that they continue to change. Not necessarily every year but just often enough to keep us from getting set in our ways.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for tradition. My tree is decorated. My stocking is hung. However, a surprise or two is a great way to liven up your holiday table. Nervous? Don’t be. You may face a short-term insurrection when you announce that (after countless decades) you’re not getting up at 4 a.m. to put a turkey in the oven. Don’t worry; any grumbling will stop as soon as everyone takes their first bite of your delicious feast.

Whatever you serve, your holiday meals should be as easy as they are delicious. As far as I’m concerned, Mom was right. (Isn’t she always!?!) Turkey with all the trimmings seems more than a bit nuts with so much going on. Instead try a simple beef tenderloin or roasted salmon filet. It will be as delicious as it is easy. Then again, maybe you’ve got lots of people coming and going, a cousin who’s always late and no idea when everyone will sit down to dinner. If that’s the case, slow cook stews and braises are a great solution.

Whether you stick to the tried and true or experiment with new dishes, I wish you a warm and wonderful holiday and,

Bon appétit!

Braised Lamb with Artichokes and Mushrooms and Creamy Polenta
Everyone coming to your house for the holidays? No need to stress and worry over dinner. Let the lamb bubble in the oven while you enjoy a relaxing evening and each other’s company!
Serves 6

About 3 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil
2 medium carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
3 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped, fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
12 ounces mushrooms, sliced
12 frozen artichoke hearts
Chopped parsley
Creamy Polenta (recipe follows)

Preheat theoven to 350 degrees.

Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Heat a little olive oil in a large casserole or Dutch-oven over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and reserve.

Add a little more olive oil to the pot if necessary; add the carrots, celery and onion and sauté until the onions start to become translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes more. Add the red wine, tomatoes, chicken stock and herbs and bring to a simmer.

Return the lamb to the pot, bring to a simmer, cover and transfer to the oven. Cook, turning the lamb 2 or 3 times, for 1 hour.

Sauté the mushrooms in a little olive oil over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and artichoke hearts to the lamb. Continue cooking until the lamb is very tender; an additional 30-45 minutes. If dinner is delayed for any reason, it’s okay to turn down the heat and let it simmer a little longer.

Remove the lamb from the casserole and cut across the grain in thick slices. Serve with a dollop of Creamy Polenta, a spoonful of vegetables and sauce and a sprinkle of parsley.

The lamb can be made a few days ahead. Cook for 1 hour, add the mushrooms but not the artichokes and cook for 15-20 minutes more. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate. To reheat, bring to a simmer on top of the stove, add the artichokes and transfer to a 350 degree oven. Cook for about 30 minutes or until piping hot.

Creamy Polenta
6 Servings

1 cup instant polenta or grits
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup cream
1 ounce grated Pecorino Romano
1 ounce grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Make the polenta according to package directions. When the polenta is smooth and creamy, add the butter, cream, grated cheeses and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until the butter and cheeses are melted and well combined. Serve immediately.

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One Year Ago – Mixed Greens with Roasted Grapes
Two Years Ago – Savory Bread Pudding
Three Years Ago – Triple Chocolate Parfait
Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

What are you serving at your holiday party? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below.

I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new stories and recipes.

Want more? Feel free to visit my photoblog Susan Nye 365 or click here for more recipes and magazine articles or here to watch me cook!I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good.

© Susan W. Nye, 2011

Back-to-School & Capellini with Grilled Shrimp & Fresh Tomato Sauce

And just like that the swamp maples are sporting their first bright red leaves. At least in my neighborhood, you start to hear Canadian geese honking overhead. (They like to stop and feed at the cornfield down the street.) And the definitive sign that summer has come to an end? A big, yellow school bus rumbles down the hill to pick up the neighborhood kids in front of the post office. To make it doubly tough, the post office just happens to sit right next to the beach.

It’s back-to-school and back to reality. The first day of school, especially that first day of kindergarten, is always an exciting day. Or at least it was for me. I was always one of those hopeless nerds who actually liked school. My older sister Brenda blazed the trail ahead of me. Since she seemed to manage okay, I figured I could do the same. Besides, the first day of school meant new shoes and a special new dress to start the year. Like good luck charms, our shiny, new duds helped bolster our confidence to face new teachers, kids and challenges. Mom took the two of us downtown to Filene’s on a quest for Buster Brown shoes and Polly Flinders dresses. If we behaved ourselves and didn’t take too long, we could usually talk her into a sundae, or at least an ice cream cone, at Bailey’s.

Kindergarten was divided into two sections, morning and afternoon. The mothers in the neighborhood gave a collective sigh of relief when I was assigned to the afternoon session.

I was one of those sleepy headed kids who woke up slowly. I would eventually wander down to the kitchen and dawdle over my breakfast cereal at a leisurely pace. Next I meandered back upstairs. On the way, I might stop and cuddle with one or both dogs, take a detour onto the living room couch to ponder some great philosophical question or check in with Captain Kangaroo and Mr. Greenjeans. Still moving in slow motion, I took forever making my bed and getting dressed.

The mothers were convinced that I’d never make it out the door by 8:00. I think that they were probably right. So while my third grade sister waved goodbye and trudged up the hill to Joseph E. Fiske Elementary School, I hung around in my jammies and spent a few more leisurely mornings with the Captain.

I think I did alright in kindergarten. Although I didn’t set the world on fire with brains and wit, I didn’t weep at the drop of a hat, pick fights on the playground or talk back to the teacher. I was an agreeable little thing, who liked to giggle and was prone to frequent daydreaming. A sweet girl, I was delighted to play with anyone and everyone and just as happy with my own company. Come to think of it, not much has changed over the years.

After all, to paraphrase Robert Fulghum all you really need to know you learn in kindergarten. Nowadays, some schools teach kindergarteners a few reading fundamentals and a little arithmetic. Not my teacher, she focused on the basics and reinforced the good stuff our moms and dads were already trying to teach us. Stuff like:

Share.
Play nice.
Don’t hit.
Pick up your toys.
If you do something wrong, apologize.
Don’t forget to say please and thank you.
Wash your hands.
Cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough.
Buddy up.
Look both ways before you cross the street.

September is a beautiful month to enjoy the change of seasons and celebrate all you learned in kindergarten. Share a favorite bike route, fabulous book or a cup of tea with a friend, practice simple acts of kindness, say thank you like you mean it and do, hold hands and enjoy the Indian summer sunshine.

Bon appétit!

Grilled Shrimp with Pasta & Fresh Tomato Sauce
Fresh local tomatoes combine with grilled shrimp and pasta for a wonderful end of summer meal. Enjoy!
Serves 6-8

About 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1-2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Dash or two (or to taste) hot pepper sauce
About 20 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound capellini (angel hair pasta) or spaghetti
6 to 8 fresh basil leaves, cut in chiffonade*
Grilled Shrimp (recipe follows)

Put the olive oil, vinegar, scallions, garlic and hot pepper sauce in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside while you prep the tomatoes to combine the flavors.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Set up an ice bath in a large bowl. Cut a small X on the bottom of each tomato. A few at a time, dunk the tomatoes in the boiling water for about 15 seconds. Remove them from the pot and plunge immediately into the ice water. Pull the skin off with a paring knife. Cut the tomatoes in half, scoop out the seeds and chop.

Add the chopped tomatoes to the olive oil mixture, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Let the tomatoes sit for 15-20 minutes at room temperature to combine the flavors.

Cook the pasta according to package directions less 1 minute. Drain and return the pasta to the pot. Add the tomatoes to the pasta, toss to combine and cook over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Sprinkle the pasta with half of the basil chiffonade and toss to combine. Transfer the pasta to a serving platter or individual plates, top with the grilled shrimp and remaining basil and serve immediately.

*To chiffonade is to stack the leaves one on top of the other and then cut into thin ribbons.

Grilled Shrimp
2 cloves garlic
1/4 small red onion
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon (or to taste) hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Wooden skewers or a grill basket to cook the shrimp (if using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes)

Put the garlic, onion, thyme, hot pepper sauce, wine and olive oil in a small food processor or blender and season with salt and pepper. Process to combine and finely chop the garlic and onion. Let the marinade sit for 10-15 minutes to combine the flavors.

Put the shrimp and marinade in a bowl, toss to combine and marinate in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes.

Heat the grill to medium-high. Thread the shrimp onto the wooden skewers or toss them in the grill basket. Grill the shrimp, turning once, until just opaque, about 1-2 minutes per side.

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One Year Ago – Roasted Almonds
Two Years Ago – Grilled Swordfish with Caponata
Three Years Ago – Harira (Middle Eastern Soup with Chicken, Chick-Peas and Lentils)  

Do you remember your first day of school? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below.

I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Feel free to visit my other, cleverly named blog, Susan Nye’s Other Blog, or photoblog Susan Nye 365. You can find more than 250 recipes, links to magazine articles and lots more on my website. I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good.©Susan W. Nye, 2010