A Trip to Fenway Park & Confetti Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

April means many things. Spring arrives and we put away our skis and snowshoes. There are April showers or rather downpours. The roads are a sea of mud or an obstacle course of pot holes and frost heaves or both. And of course, baseball season begins. Yesterday was opening day and next week Fenway Park will throw open its doors for the first home game.

Growing up outside of Boston, I was raised on the Boston Red Sox. However, I was not exactly a diehard fan. Not like my seventh grade math teacher. She was the one who struggled with new math but taught it anyway. On game days, she stopped class every ten minutes or so to turn on the radio for an update. I was more of the nothing-else-is-going-on type of fan. I was more than happy to watch the Red Sox play as long as the game didn’t interfere with something important … like a trip to the beach or the mall. Still and all, I read the sports page once or twice a week, understood the rules of the game and some of the strategies and followed all the players (particularly the handsome ones).

Although I was never quite so devastated as my math teacher, like most of the population in and around Boston, the Red Sox broke my heart countless times. They even lost the first time I watched a game live and in person in Fenway Park.

Back in the days before retirees put on reflective vests and held up stop signs, sixth graders manned the crosswalks. Or at least they did in my quiet suburban town west of Boston. An invitation to join the Safety Patrol was supposed to be some kind of honor or recognition of the town’s future leaders. Our teachers liked to pretend it was a role reserved for the best of the best.

It was a myth that only the top students were invited to guard the safety of their classmates. At eleven, I was not a brilliant student. As far as I know, I did not show great promise as a future leader of industry, government or academics. I was a sweet little girl who turned in her homework on time and got along with both her classmates and teachers. In other words, I was a bit of nerd, cheerful and well behaved with decent if not spectacular grades. Evidently, that was enough to qualify for the prestigious mantle of Safety Patrol. By year’s end, about half of the sixth grade had put in their time keeping younger siblings and neighbors from harm’s way.

The reward for the onerous duties of Safety Patrol was a trip to Fenway Park. Not opening day mind you but we did get to play hooky. Sometime before school let out at the end of June, yellow school buses circulated through the town picking up a couple hundred sixth graders and then headed into Boston. As field trips go, it was better than Benson’s Wild Animal Farm, much better.

It was all very exciting. The day was perfect, bright and sunny. One of the announcers proclaimed it Safety Patrol Day or some such thing and welcomed us over the loud speakers. We sat in the bleachers, stared at the regulars, ate popcorn for lunch, drank cokes and felt very grown up. There’s nothing like a ball game under sunny skies. Especially on a school day and even when the Red Sox break your heart.

Enjoy the start of baseball season and bon appétit!

Confetti Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
Win or lose, enjoy a festive salad after the game!
Serves 4

6 ounces baby mixed greens
1/2 small head radicchio, thinly sliced
4 radishes, chopped
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 avocado, diced
1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 carrot, cut in curls with a vegetable peeler
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped
Citrus Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Put the vegetables and herbs in a large bowl and toss to combine. (If preparing ahead, prepare and add the avocado just before serving.)

Drizzle the salad with enough Citrus Vinaigrette to lightly coat and toss to combine. Put the salad on a serving platter, top with crumbled feta and serve.

Citrus Vinaigrette
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic
1/4-inch slice red onion, chopped
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1-2 teaspoons honey
1-2 teaspoon anchovy paste
Pinch cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Extra virgin olive oil

Put all of the ingredients, except the olive oil, in a blender and process until smooth. With the motor running on low, slowly add olive oil to taste and process until smooth.

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One Year Ago – Magret de Canard Provencal
Two Years Ago – Strawberry & White Chocolate Fool Parfaits
Three Years Ago – Grilled Lamb & Lemon Roasted Potatoes
Four Years Ago – Spicy Olives
Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

What’s your favorite spring sport? 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

The January Thaw & Red & Green Salad

As I sit at my keyboard, I hear loud thumps and bumps around me. It started last night just as I was drifting off to sleep. It’s a bit discombobulating since my father is upstairs in bed recovering from surgery. With each crash and boom, I listen intently for a cry or moan for help. At least so far, it’s not been him. It’s only snow sliding from the roof.

Last summer we put a new roof on the old family homestead. Okay, as homesteads go, it’s not that old. More or less forty-six years to the day, we spent our first weekend in our little house in the woods. For my sister, brother and me, it doesn’t matter that we all have houses of our own; it is still a place we call home. This house, the lake and town witnessed so many of our firsts. First swim, first sail, first ski, first kiss, first beer and more, much more.

But back to the thumps and bumps. After the third, yes third, thirty-year roof called it quits after all of ten maybe fifteen years, we decided to take a different approach. The house now sports a slick metal roof. Yesterday morning, six or eight inches of snow were resting picturesquely on the peak. Then the annual January Thaw arrived. Warm air has turned the sheet metal into a Slip ‘n Slide. Great slabs of snow keep plummeting to the ground. I guess I will remain on edge until the roof is clean and clear.

But what is this thing called the January Thaw? Is it fact or fiction; another sign of global warming or some sinister extraterrestrial plot? Maybe it’s all a myth; an old wives’ or old skiers’ tale. According to meteorological scholars the January Thaw is real although not necessarily understood. That be-all, know-all source of the New England weather, the Old Farmer’s Almanac, agrees. These weather wizards call it a phenomenon or, better yet, a calendaricity. In other words, although we can observe it, we can’t really explain it. By all rights and reason it should be cold but it isn’t.

Year after year, usually in late January, a waft of warm air settles over New England. It stays for about a week and then leaves us back in the cold. It’s glorious when the Thaw is soaked in sunshine. Hiking trails are filled with smiling snowshoe and cross-country ski enthusiasts. They are joined by overjoyed dogs; absolutely delighted to have a sunny romp in the snow. Up on the mountain, skiers dump heavy parkas and helmets in favor of baseball caps and sweatshirts. Lunch hours are extended as most everyone finds an excuse to spend at least an hour or two outside.

Unfortunately, it’s not so glorious when the Thaw is soaked in rain. Basements flood. Ice dams form. No one wants to walk the dog. Once beautiful ski and hiking trails become obstacle courses of mud, rocks and ice. Cooped up inside to stay dry, cabin fever generally strikes within a day or two. It’s funny how wonderful 40 degrees and sunny feels but how horrible 40 degrees and rainy is. Okay, maybe not funny at all.

But then, just like that, an arctic blast comes down from Canada. Slushy snow and puddles freeze hard and fast. Black ice abounds. And any lingering question of why January is called the coldest month is put to rest.

Stay dry and bon appétit!

Red & Green Salad
Thaw or no Thaw – try this great winter salad. Roasting gives the garlic and shallot a sweetness which is nicely balanced with the bitter radicchio, salty cheese and crunchy nuts. Enjoy!
Serves 12

About 12 ounces mixed baby lettuces in red and green
1 head radicchio, thinly sliced
Roasted Garlic & Shallot Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
4 ounces feta or gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup pine nuts, chopped walnuts or sunflower seeds, toasted

In a large bowl, combine the lettuces and radicchio. Drizzle with enough Roasted Garlic & Shallot Vinaigrette to lightly coat and toss to combine.

Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with cheese and nuts. Serve immediately.

Roasted Garlic & Shallot Vinaigrette
Makes about 1 cup

3-4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 -1 shallot, peeled and quartered
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
About 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon anchovy paste

Preheat the oven* to 350 degrees. Place the garlic and shallot in a small oven proof baking dish (I use a custard cup), sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper, drizzle with a little olive oil and toss to coat.

Place the baking dish in the oven and roast until the garlic and shallot are very soft, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Put the roasted garlic and shallot, vinegars, mustard and anchovy paste in a blender, season with salt and pepper and process until smooth. With the motor running on low, slowly add olive oil to taste.

* If I don’t have anything else in the oven, I usually roast the garlic and shallots in the toaster oven.

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One Year Ago – Spanakopita Triangles
Two Years Ago – Braised Red Cabbage
Three Years Ago – Apple Bread Pudding
Four Years Ago – Root ‘n’ Tooty Good ‘n’ Fruity Oatmeal CookiesOr Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

What are you cooking this winter? 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

A Trip to the Farmers’ Market & Salade de Crevettes Nicoise (Shrimp Salad Niçoise)

Many years ago I moved to Lausanne, Switzerland to work on a one year research project at an international business school. Apartments were in short supply but I managed to find a tiny, overpriced studio at the top of the town, high above the Lake of Geneva. The studio was furnished with a Murphy bed, a shabby table and chair and the world’s most uncomfortable sofa. But a picture window on the back wall framed a magnificent view of Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Alps. The studio might have been pricey but the view was priceless.

My office was down by the lake. Early every morning I headed down the steep, cobblestone streets past the train station and on to the wide, tree lined avenues of Ouchy. (That’s pronounced ooh-she not ouch-ee.) Within a day or two, I discovered a small farmers’ market. Once a week a handful of farmers set up shop on a narrow street above the station. Makeshift tables were loaded high with beautiful, just-picked fruits and vegetables.

I was tempted but if I shopped in the market I would need to speak French. French was a dim high school memory, barely spoken in almost ten years. Was I up for the challenge?

I plunged in. Behind one table a nice farmer lady smiled and asked if she could help me. I smiled back, gathered up a tomato or two, a head of lettuce, a zucchini and looked around for beans. I searched the back of my brain for the French word for beans and hit on légume. In English a legume is a dried bean. It stood to reason that légume could be the French word for bean. I frantically composed my request, took a deep breath and asked in fractured French, “Do you have légumes?” The nice lady replied politely and in perfect French. Yes, of course she had légumes but what kind of légumes did I want? Again I wracked my brain and remembered vert was green. “Légumes verts,” I replied.

That’s when she took pity on me and switched to English. Légumes was the French word for vegetables. Since she had lots of green vegetables, could I be more specific? I blushed and tried again, this time in English. She was delighted to sell me haricots verts.

Throughout the year I visited her table many times to buy vegetables and practice speaking French. I frequently fumbled and she just as frequently bailed me out. I soon learned she was a California native. She’d fallen in love with a Swiss farmer and was living happily ever after in a small village outside of Lausanne. When she wasn’t giving mini French lessons to befuddled expatriates, she helped him grow and sell vegetables.

The one year project in Lausanne ended but somehow or other I forgot to come home. After staying in Switzerland for almost two decades, I finally found my way back to Pleasant Lake. I still love a trip to the Farmers’ Market. Even if I don’t need a translator, our local markets have a unique charm found only in New England towns.

Enjoy a trip to the farmers’ market and celebrate summer’s bounty around the table with family and friends,

Bon appétit!

Salade de Crevettes Nicoise (Shrimp Salad Niçoise)
This colorful salade composée (composed salad) will make a beautiful centerpiece on your summer table and tastes wonderful. Enjoy!
Serves 6
1 pound new potatoes, cut in bite size pieces
Vinaigrette Niçoise (recipe follows)
1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut in half
1 pound assorted cherry and grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 European cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 pounds cooked large shrimp*
1/2 cup dry-pack, oil-cured black olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1-2 tablespoons capers, drained
Fresh, chopped parsley

Put the potatoes in a large pot of cold, salted water, set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes well and transfer to a bowl. Combine the potatoes with just enough vinaigrette to coat and toss to combine. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate.

Meanwhile, bring salted water to a rapid boil in a large skillet. Add the beans and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring a few times to cook the beans evenly. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Drain again and put the beans in a bowl with enough vinaigrette to lightly coat and toss. Store in the refrigerator.

Put the tomatoes, cucumber, onion and pepper in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with enough vinaigrette to lightly coat and toss. Store in the refrigerator.

Remove the vegetables and shrimp from the refrigerator about 20-30 minutes before serving.

To serve: arrange the beans around the edges of a large deep platter or on individual plates. Spoon the potatoes into the center. Artfully sprinkle the tomatoes, cucumber, onion and pepper over the beans and potatoes. Top with shrimp, sprinkle with chopped olives, capers and parsley and serve.

* My Mediterranean Shrimp are perfect in this salad. Make ahead and store in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can buy cooked shrimp and toss them in a little vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette Niçoise
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3-4 cloves garlic
1-inch chunk red onion
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Dash hot sauce
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup or to taste extra-virgin olive oil

Put the vinegar, mustard, garlic, onion, thyme and hot sauce in a blender or small food processor, season with salt and pepper and pulse to combine and chop the garlic and onion. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil and process until incorporated.

Store extra vinaigrette in the refrigerator.

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One Year Ago – Insalata Caprese
Two Year Ago – Mojito Melons
Three Years Ago – Grilled Antipasto
Four Years Ago – Nana Nye’s Fish Chowder Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

Do you have a favorite Farmers’ Market? 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

Farmers’ Market Photograph by Natalie Maynor. All other photographs by Susan Nye.

 

Dog Daze & Grilled Chicken Salad Provencal

If there was ever a summer for dog days, this is it. Yes, it’s been one of those summers. It happens from time to time. The heat waves roll in one after another and another. The air gets thick and heavy and the hot hot sun is merciless. I guess it was to be expected this year. After all, our first day of summer was back in mid-March. In New England we make much of our endless winter. We joke that summer is a warm day in July. But for a balmy ides of March? We got nothing.

On these hot, humid days, most of us want nothing more than to laze around under a tree or float in the lake. As far as I can figure, there is no better place when the temperature skyrockets than Pleasant Lake. As is fitting for the dog days of summer, when we were kids we brought our dogs to the beach. No one wanted to leave their pooch in the house all day, hot or lonely or both. It was their vacation too!

Our four-legged friends happily trotted along to the lake to swim, retrieve sticks and keep us company. The water patrol did not accept dogs as spotters for water skiing but many were invited onto Sunfishes for leisurely afternoon sails. They were generally agreeable as long as they could abandon ship and swim back to shore when the fickle winds on Pleasant Lake inevitably died.

Eventually after one too many territorial disputes, dogs were banned from the beach. Our dog Eeyore was a lot like his namesake, the donkey in the Winnie the Pooh books. A loveable black Labrador retriever, he was born old; a little cantankerous, a little melancholy. As he did with most things, Eeyore accepted his exile to the house with dignity.

Forced indoors, he searched out cool places to snooze away the long afternoons until his family returned. On hot days, Eeyore wrapped his big, old, Labrador body around the toilet to stay cool. On really hot days he climbed into the bathtub. As he got older and more arthritic it became one of life’s unsolved mysteries as to how he got up and into the tub. How he got out was not a mystery. It took at least three of us to wrestle seventy-five pounds of awkward dog out of the bathtub.

While he never managed to turn on the faucet for a cool shower, Eeyore was probably more comfortable lolling in the tub than his humans down on the beach. On sweltering days, the tennis courts were empty by noon and boats stayed on the shore. We kids wanted nothing more than to flop down under the trees. We barely moved; except to complain. When we couldn’t take a minute more, we summoned our courage, dashed across the blistering sand and dove into the water for a leisurely swim to the raft.

That worked for maybe a day. Maybe two. Too hot days always made our mothers nervous. It wasn’t the heat or the humidity. It was the lying around and doing nothing. They lived to see us busy. We were constantly pushed onto the tennis courts, into sailboats or into doing good deeds. But when the mercury hit ninety and then ninety-five or more, we refused to pick up a racket or aimlessly drift off shore in the sweltering sun. Alas our moms were formidable opponents and would not be outdone by the heat and our sloth. They put us to work washing cars to raise money for Hospital Day. Or insisted the life guards organize a swim to Blueberry Island. Anything to keep us busy. None of us were particularly bad kids but our moms were convinced that too much free time would lead to mischief.

They were probably right.

Enjoy all that summer has to offer and bon appétit!

Grilled Chicken Salad Provencal
This colorful salad is as beautiful as it is delicious, perfect for a hot summer night on the deck or on the beach. Enjoy!
Serves 4-6

1 – 1 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Sun-dried tomato marinade (recipe follows)
1-2 romaine hearts, torn into bite sized pieces
8-12 cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
8-12 Greek or Niçoise olives, pitted and roughly chopped
3-4 radishes, chopped
3-4 scallions, white and light green parts only or 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 – 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh, chopped basil
2 tablespoons fresh, chopped parsley
Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Put the chicken in a large, heavy-duty plastic re-sealable bag. Add the marinade and seal the bag, pressing out any excess air. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator, turning every few hours, for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat the grill to medium high. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Arrange the chicken on the grill. Reduce the heat to medium and grill, turning once, until cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the romaine, tomatoes, olives, radishes, onions, cucumber and pepper in a large bowl and toss to combine. Sprinkle with half the herbs and toss again. Just before serving, add enough vinaigrette to lightly coat and toss to combine.

To serve: arrange the salad on a large platter. Thinly slice the chicken and arrange on top of the salad. Drizzle a little vinaigrette over the chicken, sprinkle with the remaining herbs and serve.

Sun-Dried Tomato Marinade
2 cloves garlic
1/2 shallot
2 halves oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1-2 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon or to taste sea salt
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
1 cup dry white wine

Put all the ingredients except the wine in a blender and process to combine. With the motor running, slowly add the wine and process until smooth.

Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette
2 halves oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil to taste

Put all the ingredients except the olive oil in a blender and pulse a few times to mince and combine. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil and process until smooth and combined.

Makes about 1 cup, store extra vinaigrette in the refrigerator.

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One Year Ago – Lobster with Corn, Tomato & Arugula Salad
Two Year Ago – Greek Green Beans
Three Years Ago – Blueberry Pie
Four Years Ago – Grilled Lamb Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

How do you keep cool when temperatures soar? 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

How to Celebrate the Fourth of July & Watermelon & Feta Salad

It ought to be celebrated by pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other.

… John Adams, 2nd President of the United States

Hip hip hooray! It’s Independence Day! How will you spend it? Stretched out on the beach? Waving a flag along a parade route? Or wandering through an historic site? A few ambitious souls will probably read or reread the Declaration of Independence.

If you still haven’t figured out what to do with yourself, well here are a few ideas:

1. While my favorite beach is just around the corner on Pleasant Lake, you could take a trip to the ocean. Take a long walk in the sand, feel the wind in your hair and body surf the waves. Before you head home, stop for a lobster roll or some fried clams.

2. If you don’t want to lie around a beach all day, how about a small town Fourth? Any small town will probably do but Andover, New Hampshire really knows how to throw a party. The flea market is famous and there is a festive parade (beware of politicians – it’s an election year). Don’t forget the chicken barbeque and fireworks explode after dark.

3. Or you could head into Boston and walk the Freedom Trail, maybe share a little history with a child or grandchild. Chances are good, it’s been years since you visited the Old State House, Faneuil Hall or the Bunker Hill monument.

4. If you are down in Boston, stay over for the Boston Pops Concert and Fireworks on the Esplanade. If you have never been, it is a lot of fun and the fireworks are spectacular.

5. Maybe it’s been awhile since you gathered family and friends together. If that is the case, stay close to home and host a cookout. Make an afternoon and/or evening of it. Depending on the size of your yard, organize a game of soccer or softball, croquet or volleyball … any or all! Keep it simple and traditional with hotdogs and hamburgers and lots of fresh salads. You can bake a happy birthday America cake or take it easy and serve thick slices of watermelon for dessert.

6. If you are hosting a cookout, I suppose you might consider a hotdog eating contest. Nathan’s infamous contest began in 1916 at Coney Island in Brooklyn. The first contest may or may not have been devised to settle the score between a small group of immigrants. When each claimed to be the most patriotic, overindulgence of the all-American hotdog was deemed a reliable proof. Or so the legend goes.

7. Take a long bike ride and see how everyone else in the neighborhood and beyond is celebrating. Red, white and blue handlebar streamers are encouraged but not required.

8. Take in a game of America’s favorite pastime. The Red Sox are on the west coast but the Fisher Cats are playing in Manchester.

9. Be happy you have the day off! Stay put, spend time with people you love and do close to absolutely nothing!

Have a wonderful holiday and bon appétit!

Watermelon & Feta Salad
The perfect salad for a red hot 4th of July! Enjoy!
Serves 8-10

1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Balsamic vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
About 8 ounces baby arugula
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
About 8 cups 3/4-inch cubes seedless watermelon, cold
About 8 ounces feta cheese, cut in 3/4 inch-cubes
4 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Soak the red onion in ice water for at least 30 minutes.

Put the arugula in a large bowl, using a ratio of 1:2 or 1:3, drizzle the arugula with enough vinegar and oil to lightly coat, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Transfer the arugula to a large platter.

Drain the onion and pat dry. Scatter the watermelon, onion and feta over the arugula, drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with mint and freshly ground pepper.

Balsamic Glaze
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring the vinegar to a boil in small, heavy saucepan over medium heat and simmer until it is thick and reduced by half.

Transfer the vinegar to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Add the mustard and garlic and whisk to combine. Add the oil and whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and whisk to combine.

Cover and store any extra glaze in the refrigerator.

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One Year Ago – Grilled Salmon with Lemon-Basil Aioli
One Year Ago – Mediterranean Shrimp
Two Years Ago – Grilled Hoisin Pork
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

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

Commencement & Asian Noodle Salad

Commencement, it has a lovely ring to it doesn’t it? It suggests a new and exciting start. I was in Massachusetts over the weekend to watch my niece Kaela graduate from high school. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why her school didn’t ask me to deliver the Commencement Address. Now Kaela hardly needs advice from me but I’m sure I would have done a bang up job.

Here is a little bit of the message I could share …

Smart is good. Smart and focused is better. Smart, focused and open to change is even better. Smart is good but it doesn’t take a genius to succeed in school and beyond. Willing yourself to stay focused on the task at hand will serve you well. Everyone loves to multitask. Or at least everyone loves to brag about how great they are it. However, doing two or three or more things at once almost always takes longer than concentrating on one thing, getting it done (and done well) and then moving on to the next.

Unfortunately staying focused means hunkering down in the library instead of a coffee shop to study. And just as unfortunately, you need to turn off your phone and ignore your favorite social networking sites. Don’t worry, the earth will continue to spin when you are off-line and it only takes a few minutes to catch up.

The danger of focus is not missing a minute of a friend’s latest mini-melodrama. The danger of focus is losing sight of other possibilities. It could be other theories or answers to a problem you are trying to solve. It could be barreling full speed ahead in a major that bores you instead of taking a minute to stop and think about what you want and what you love. Stay open to new ideas and possibilities.

Do what you love. Life is a lot more fun and interesting when you love what you do. Don’t expect to love every course, every project and every minute of every day. Life is not a Disney cartoon. Be prepared to take a little bad or boring with the good. Just make sure the love-to-do column outweighs the do-I-have-to column. If you hate math, don’t major in it. If you don’t like to write, don’t study journalism. And by all means if you can’t stand the heat, forget culinary school.

Finding what you love requires some experimentation and exploration. You should definitely count on some bumbling and fumbling. Finding what you love can be confusing and a little scary. Overcoming scary is part of the adventure. What’s more, it builds courage and character.

Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. You never know when, where or how a new opportunity will pop up. My minimum wage job as a graduate assistant led me to Switzerland and a more than interesting career and life.

Most grad assistants got stuck in the library with tedious fact checking. Because I could write, I received the plum assignments; interesting research, writing and editing. What’s that got to do with Switzerland? When one of my professors took a sabbatical there, my grad assistant experience made me a natural choice to join him as a research associate. (And it wasn’t minimum wage!)

How I managed to turn a twelve month assignment into seventeen years is another story. One loaded with countless examples of preparation meeting opportunity.

Happy Graduation and Bon Appétit!
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Asian Noodle Salad
This salad will be a welcomed addition to the buffet table at a graduation party or your next picnic on the beach. Enjoy!
Serves 6-8

Asian Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
8 ounces thin (vermicelli) rice noodles
4 ounces Chinese pea pods, trimmed
6 ounces asparagus, trimmed
1 cup bean sprouts
1 carrot, cut into curls (use a peeler)
1/2 European cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut in julienne
1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut in julienne
2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garnish: sesame seeds

Make the Asian Vinaigrette and let it sit for at least 30 minutes to combine the flavors.

In a medium bowl, cover the noodles with hot water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water and drain well. Return to the bowl, drizzle with a little Asian Vinaigrette, sprinkle with about 2/3^rd of the herbs and scallions and toss. Let the noodles sit for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and cook for 1 minute. Add the pea pods and cook 30 seconds more. Drain and immediately plunge the vegetables into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, drain the vegetables and pat dry. Slice the asparagus on the diagonal in 1/2-inch pieces and the pea pods in julienne. Put all of the vegetables in a bowl, drizzle with a little Asian Vinaigrette, sprinkle with remaining herbs and scallions and toss to combine.

Transfer the noodles to a large platter, top with the vegetables, sprinkle sesame seeds and serve.

Asian Vinaigrette
1/4 cup canola or peanut oil
1/4 cup sesame oil
Juice of 2 limes or 1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece ginger, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
Dash honey
1 tablespoon or to taste Thai or other chili sauce (optional)
Sea salt and freshly black pepper to taste

Put the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Store any leftover vinaigrette in the refrigerator.

Watch me make the Salad on ABC affiliate WMUR’s Cook Corner.

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One Year Ago – Asparagus Goat Cheese Tart
Two Year Ago – Not Your Ordinary Burger
Three Years Ago – Strawberry Rhubarb Soup
Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

Will you be celebrating a commencement this June? 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? 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

Memorial Day on Pleasant Lake & Couscous Salad with Grilled Vegetables

Memorial Day is just around the corner.
In New Hampshire where winter comes early and stays late, the last Monday in May, Memorial Day, marks the beginning of summer. Kids are happy to get a day off from school. Many, but not all, businesses close. The notable exceptions are any and all retailers. From Main Street to the mall, they’ll fly balloons and banners and run three-day sales extravaganzas. The highways and by-ways will be bumper-to-bumper as Americans flock to the mountains or beach or attempt to shop-‘til-they-drop.

I grew up in the suburbs west of Boston. Unless a three-day downpour was not in the forecast, my family always headed north for the long Memorial Day Weekend. Any weekend was a good weekend if it was spent on Pleasant Lake. Saturday morning was for chores. We ran the vacuum cleaner upstairs and down, checked the ceilings for cobwebs and leaks and the cupboards, nooks and crannies for trespassers. One year my sister Brenda discovered a pile of seeds and nuts in her bed. We figured that mice had taken our absence during Mud Season as an invitation to move in.

We three kids always whipped through whatever boring tasks our parents assigned. What we lacked in care we made up in speed and escaped to the beach as quickly as possible. Brenda and I would get the jump on our summer tans while John went in search of frogs and tadpoles. Before too long, a toe was tentatively put in the lake. Dares and double dares soon followed. Then, as often as not, one or all of us plunged, shrieking, into the still freezing water.

In the coming days, all along the shores of Pleasant Lake, and lakes everywhere, empty cottages will fill up. The summer people will be back, if only for the weekend. Windows will be thrown open to clear the stale and musty air. The water will be turned back on. Floors and decks will be swept clean. Stray squirrels and mice will be chased out the door. Beaches and yards will be raked free of winter’s debris. Dusty lawn chairs will get hosed off. Barbeque grills will be found and put to work. Before you know it, everything will be shipshape and ready for summer.

With a little luck, a couple of hours will be found for some fun. Favorite hiking trails will be rediscovered. Games of golf and tennis matches will be played. Boats, large and small, will be launched. Kayaks and canoes will tour the shore. Sailors will hope for breeze and settle for a snooze on the calm lake. Fishermen will pray that dinner will bite their hooks and settle for burgers on the grill. I’m sure that at least a few kids will plunge, shrieking, into the ice cold lake.

My part-time neighbors won’t stay long. Late Monday afternoon they will put away their brooms and rakes. They will stow their toys, close up their cottages and head back to the city. They’ll return to work and school on Tuesday with sore muscles, a few black fly bites and a sunburn or two.

Except for the loons’ call, the lake will again be still.

If only for a weekend, enjoy the first delightful days of summer. However you spend the holiday, take a moment to relive a few fond memories with family and friends. And maybe, just maybe, take a mad dash in and out of a still frigid lake.

Have fun and bon appétit!

Couscous Salad with Grilled Vegetables 

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Versatile and full of flavor, serve this salad at your holiday cookout. Enjoy!

Serves 8

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Juice of 1/2-1 lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1-2 zucchinis, sliced lengthwise about 1/2 inch thick
1 small eggplant, sliced about 1/2 inch thick
1 red onion, cut in 1/2 inch rounds
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1/2 red bell pepper
2 cups Israeli couscous
2-3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1-2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Combine the juice of 1/2 lemon and the garlic in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Let the vinaigrette sit for 10-15 minutes to combine the flavors.

While the vinaigrette mixes and mingles, prepare the couscous according to package directions.

Drain the couscous and transfer to the bowl with the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Cool the couscous to almost room temperature, add the herbs, season with salt and pepper to taste and toss again.

Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium-high. Brush or toss the vegetables in a little olive oil to lightly coat and season with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables until tender or tender-crisp, 2-3 minutes per side for the eggplant and 1-2 minutes per side for everything else. You might like to cook the onions in a grill pan as the small rings are apt to fall through the grate.

When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, roughly chop and add the vegetables and pine nuts to the couscous and toss to combine. If the couscous seems dry, add more lemon juice and/or olive oil to taste.

Serve immediately or cover and store in the refrigerator. The salad is best at room temperature so remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.

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One Year Ago – Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
 Two Years Ago – Feta Walnut Spread
Three Years Ago – Bruschetta with Grilled Vegetables & Gorgonzola
Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

How will you spend the long Memorial Day weekend? 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

T-Ball Magic & Crunchy Salad with Apples & Grapes

I’ve never been good at games with balls. It’s the eye-hand-coordination-thing. Tennis, softball, field hockey and golf, they are all beyond me. Flying through the air or lying on the ground, I am hopeless when it comes to hitting a ball. To make matters worse, if by chance I need to throw a ball, well, I admit it; I throw like a girl.

You can imagine my surprise when I was recruited to coach T-Ball. The recruiter was an old boyfriend who was either oblivious, lacked fundamental common sense or, most likely, was desperate for any warm body to coach the itty-bitties. Anyway, he’d already convinced our friend Leanne to coach. She had played softball in high school and college and was quite enthusiastic.

However, she needed a sidekick and for some unfathomable reason I found myself nominated. Even more mysterious, I accepted the challenge. All of the other teams were coached by a duo of dads. Of course both actually knew how to play baseball; had probably played for years, decades even. Our poor team had to accept the indignity of being the only one with girl coaches. We didn’t mention my incompetence. Why add insult to injury?

Boy and girls, our team was a delightful group of first and second graders. Most were Americans. Did I mention that this all happened when I was living in Geneva? Among our would-be sluggers was one young man who was more or less a coach’s dream. He’d already played on a T-Ball team, could hold a bat and hit the ball about half the time. He could throw much better than me (although that’s not saying much) and liked to run. Before the end of the first practice he knew he was the team star. Since I wasn’t good for much else, I took it upon myself to make sure his head did not become too big for his cap. Luckily, his parents were grateful. So much so they attempted to hire me as a personal trainer for their son. Thinking it odd that a seven year old needed his own coach, I respectfully declined.

The second standout on our team was a little redheaded Belgian girl. She was adorable in a redheaded sort of way, spoke no English and knew nothing about baseball. In between our star and our beginner-beginner was your typical motley crew of six and seven year olds.

Wednesday evenings were for practice and Saturday mornings we played a game. There was only one other peewee group so we played them every week. Under Leanne’s guidance and my nervous assistance we held drills and taught the fundamentals of baseball. The children were very agreeable, did a few pushups, ran around and played catch. Batting practice was a challenge. Leanne diligently encouraged them to keep their eye on the ball but most missed it time after time. It did not look good for our first game. And indeed, we lost. I don’t remember the score but it wasn’t pretty.

That’s when I found my calling as the T-Ball whisperer. Most coaches shout a lot, they need to if they have any hope of being heard out on the field. But shouting didn’t seem to help our little ones. In spite of our noisy encouragement, they continued to pick up the bat with a mix of confusion and terror.

Squatting down, head-to-head, one at a time, I calmly whispered into each player’s ear, “Keep your eye on the ball. Don’t look at the bat; don’t look at the field or your friends on the bench. Look at the ball and only the ball. Take your time. When you’re ready, keep your eye on the ball and just swing the bat. Don’t worry you’ll hit the ball. It’s like magic.” Then I stood up, moved away and, like magic, they hit the ball. Every time.

We were undefeated for the rest of the season.

Have fun on and off the field and bon appétit!

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Crunchy Salad with Apples & Grapes
After a ball game or at a beach picnic, try this refreshing salad on a warm spring day or evening! Enjoy!
Serves 6-8
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2 hearts of romaine, chopped
Grated zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 tablespoon roughly chopped parsley
1 apple, cut in julienne
12-16 red seedless grapes, halved
1-2 ounces gorgonzola, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Put the romaine in a large bowl, sprinkle with the orange zest and herbs and toss to combine. Add the apple, grapes and enough vinaigrette to lightly coat and toss again.

Transfer the salad to a serving platter or individual plates, sprinkle with crumbled gorgonzola and toasted pecans and serve.

Citrus Vinaigrette
Juice of 1/2 orange
1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1-2 tablespoons chopped red onion
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
About 1/2 cup or to taste extra-virgin olive oil

Put the orange juice, vinegar, mustard and onion in a small food processor or blender, season with salt and pepper and process to combine.

Add the olive oil and process until smooth.

T-Ball Photo credit: Flikr /slinky789

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

What’s your favorite summer sports story?!? 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

When the Going Gets Rough … The Tough Throw a Party & Mixed Greens with Roasted Beets & Lentils

It’s a world gone mad or at the very least a very strange winter. It gets warm and rains. Then the temperature plummets. When I wrote about this odd phenomenon a week or so ago, I figured (make that hoped) that a blizzard would hit New Hampshire as soon as the story hit the blogosphere. Even if I looked a little silly, I’d be grinning all the way down the mountain. I guess the law of opposites can’t be summoned on demand.

Living in Switzerland for a lot of years spoiled me.

The Alps are a skier’s paradise. Droughts are few and far between. Snow falls early and continues through April.

However, I do remember one winter when it refused to snow. No, it was not unseasonably warm, it didn’t rain either. The New Year came and went. Dejected skiers shared stories and pictures of holiday hikes and picnics on brown slopes under bright blue skies. January passed into February, still no snow.

Geneva is surrounded by mountains and during the drought a temperature inversion created a layer of fog. With each passing day, the fog grew thicker and thicker. There was no snow, no rain or even wind to clear the air. Just day after day of dreary, damp fog. Pollution levels skyrocketed and city health officials sounded the alarm. No one sounded an official Cranky Alert but they should have. Both then and now, I have a tendency to get cranky when winter does not act like winter. Same goes for summer and the rest of year

Anyway, it was my fourth, maybe fifth, year in Switzerland. I was young, single and had happily embraced the habit of skiing most (okay every) weekend. The exercise and fresh air was great and it was a fun way to meet people. Without snow, I was at loose ends and didn’t know what to do with myself.

I wasn’t alone. Everyone I knew was grumbling. Yes indeed, the going had gotten rough. But what to do about it? Take up skateboarding? Or hang gliding? Camp out at the movies? The perfect solution hit me around 11:30 on a Friday morning. The tough (that would be me) throw a party. There was no reason to delay; the next night was not too soon. I dubbed it my There’s-Still-No-Snow-&-I’m-Cranky Party. It was last minute so I figured I’d probably round up a handful of people. I thought wrong.

Two were tied up for dinner but promised to be there by 10:00. Everyone else accepted enthusiastically. Delighted for any distraction from the dreary weather, about a dozen queued up in less than an hour. My boss got very little work out of me that afternoon. Voicemails were returned and a few more calls were made. Word got out and not just a few extras asked to tag along. By the end of the day at least twenty people were looking forward to cramming into my little apartment.

All were commanded and promised to bring good cheer. Most brought a bottle of wine, an hors d’oeurvre, salad or desert as well. It was great fun, a welcome respite from too many grey days. The food and wine were good, the company and dancing better. The party lasted far into the wee hours. Around dawn, I threw the last few stragglers out. Now you’re probably thinking (maybe hoping) that this impromptu get-together generated some kind of kismet or good karma and broke the drought. You’re picturing those last few guests stumbling out the door into a winter wonderland. Sounds like a Hollywood movie, doesn’t it? …… I could write that, it would make a nice story, but it wouldn’t be true.

Think snow, have fun and bon appétit!

Mixed Greens with Roasted Beets & Lentils
I discovered lentil salad when I lived in Switzerland. This recipe is my latest rendition of the classic French favorite. Enjoy!
Serves 8 as an appetizer and 4 as a main course

4 medium beets, red or gold or a mix, peeled and cut into wedges
1 medium red onion, roughly chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Sherry vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
About 8 ounces mixed greens
Sherry Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
3-4 ounces feta, crumbled
1/2 cup pumpkins seeds or chopped and toasted walnuts

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Put the beets and onion on separate sheet pans. Drizzle each with just enough equal parts olive oil and vinegar to lightly coat, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.

Tossing once or twice, roast the beets for 30 minutes or until lightly caramelized and tender and the onions for about 15 minutes or until tender-crisp. Cool slightly.

To serve: Toss the greens with enough sherry vinaigrette to lightly coat. Put the greens on individual plates or a large platter. Spoon lentils on the greens, top with beets and onion and sprinkle with crumbled feta and walnuts.

Serve the lentils and beets warm but not hot or at room temperature. Both can be made ahead, cooled to room temperature and refrigerated. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.

Lentils
Extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces thick-cut bacon, diced
1 cup dry lentils
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1⁄2 cups chicken stock
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Drizzle a little olive oil in a medium saucepan, add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion start to become translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Add the lentils, chicken stock, thyme and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Remove the thyme twigs and bay leaf and drain any excess liquid. Add the vinegar and bacon to the lentils and season to taste.

Sherry Vinaigrette
Makes about 1 cup

1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons chopped shallot
1/4 teaspoon or to taste hot pepper sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
About 3/4 cup or to taste extra virgin olive oil

Put the vinegar, mustard, garlic, shallot and pepper sauce in a blender. Season with salt and pepper and process until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and process until smooth.

Transfer the vinaigrette to a storage container with a tight fitting lid. Let the vinaigrette sit for 30 minutes or more to let the flavors combine. Give the vinaigrette a vigorous shake before using.

Store extra vinaigrette in the refrigerator.

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One Year Ago – Chicken Niçoise
Two Year Ago – Greek Pizza
Three Years Ago – Triple Threat Brownies
Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

Are you a skier? How are you coping with this year’s snow drought? 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