Summer citrus all year

If you have citrus fruits that you know you won't be able to make use of before it's past its prime, here is a way to very easily preserve them indefinitely.
I personally love little jars, so that is what I started with. You can use other containers, but just make sure you can leave off the top/lid/cork. Start by zesting each type of fruit. At the moment I have 1 grapefruit, 2 oranges, and four limes. I zest each type separately, but if you wanted to blend them you certainly could. The zest goes into one of my little jars, cork off, with a little salt. I leave them in an open window to dry as much as possible, and the salt helps keep any mold from starting. Once they are completely dried, cork and keep in a cupboard. Now that you have zestless fruits, you can juice them and freeze the juice, or I prefer to freeze the naked fruit in a freezer bag whole. You can then defrost and juice, or even slice a bit off when frozen and toss it down your kitchen drain to make your sink disposal smell amazing. They are also great for margaritas or sangria, because the citrus will break down as it thaws, releasing much more flavor and juice than a fresh citrus. The zest you can use just like fresh in any recipe; just rinse in a little cold water to remove any salt.

Complex Pork Loin that isn't Complicated

I admit-- I've always been intimidated by pork. I can do ribs, and ham, and bacon, but a pork tenderloin is daunting. Not any more!!! :) The grocery store had an unbelievable deal this morning, so I figured  now would be the best time to try it-- even if it failed miserably, at least it would be a cheap lesson. Here's what I did, and it was delicious:
(for 2 servings)
2 small Fuji apples, sliced and put in a bowl with water and either lemon juice or lemonade to keep them from browning. Drain most of the lemonade/lemon/water, but keep about a 1/3-1/2 a cup. Put in a saucepan with brown sugar and some ground ginger. (You hopefully know by now that I'm not big on exact measurements-- just guess, taste, and alter as needed.) Reduce until the apples are soft but not mushy.

One bunch of spargel. It's white asparagus. If you can't find it, substitute something mild like julienned parsnips, wax beans, or very very thin young asparagus. Spargel is best, though. Trim the bottom third, and then put in a saute pan with butter. I adore the Land O'Lakes butter with olive oil and sea salt for this, but if you use regular butter, add some salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Heat on medium until the spargel is softened but not mushy.

Set oven to 350 degrees. Cut enough slices of pork tenderloin for each diner, 1" thick. Salt and pepper, and set aside.

In a bowl, combine 1/2 tsp of fresh minced rosemary, 2 cloves of minced garlic, a tbsp of dijon or spicy brown mustard, 1/4 c balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp of honey or maple syrup.

Sear pork on both sides for one minute. Then put them in a baking dish and cover with sauce. Bake for 8-10 minutes. When done, spoon pan sauce over the pork, and plate with the spargel and apples.

Freeze with Ease

There are some things you probably don't know you can freeze! Here are some of the things I felt lucky to source and learned to freeze correctly: blanched or lightly fried sliced russet potatoes, halved raw sweet onions (to be used in cooked applications, since they won't stay crunchy), tomato and cucumber as long as you want to use them in gazpacho (texture again), broccoli, mire poix, bell peppers, milk or cream, scrambled eggs (I do this and use in fried rice), bread/rolls/buns, and lastly, ramps/green garlic/scallions/leeks (lay flat in a freezer bag, add just enough water to barely cover, and squeeze out the air). Herbs can be dried or frozen, or even both (dry first).

Take advantage of all the great seasonal produce available the next few months and if you're not sure how to use it best, freeze it, research, and experiment!

Spring Rolls

I had some amazing lobster spring rolls the other night, and wanted to try to make some. Tonight was the test, and they passed with delicious flying colors. I made the lobster ones with three lobster tails that were on sale and perfect for this. I also made chicken ones with leftover rotisserie chicken. Aside from the difference in protein, the rest of the recipe is the same for both. (You could also use shrimp, steak, pork, whatever.) You'll need a package of broccoli slaw-- the kind with carrots and cabbage, a package of egg roll or spring roll wrappers, garlic, onion, black pepper, and tempura sauce. If you can't find tempura sauce, you can use soy sauce and a pinch of brown sugar. Heat everything together in a large skillet, except the wrappers. The veggies need to get a little soft, but still have some crispness. After the filling is cooled, fill and fold the wrappers up to make a little roll. I use a deep-fryer, but you could also use a sauce pan with 2-3" of oil. Fry them for 3 minutes each, then drain on paper towel or newspaper.

My Grandmother's Crab Bisque

My Grandma raised 6 kids in Detroit. She wasn't concerned with fancy, just good. And this just happens to be both.
The original recipe could not be simpler. Take a can of cream of potato soup, a can of corn, 12 or so ounces of crab-- canned, seafood counter, or leftover from a crab leg dinner. Add milk. Done!
Tonight I dressed it up a bit. Crab from steamed crab legs, 1 can of new potatoes, chickne stock, seafood stock, canned corn, canned creamed corn, and craime fraiche. Salt, pepper, garlic. I'm serving it with the breadstick recipe listed on the blog, but made it into dinner rolls and covered with salt, garlic, parmesan, and a little mozzarella. Hope you enjoy it!

Quick Pickles

I am a huge fan of pickles. I just made homemade quick-pickles for the first time, and they were delicious! Here's the recipe:
1 english cucumber
1 small white or yellow onion, slivered
a handful of kosher salt
1 Tbsp Paula Dean's silly salt (or black pepper and mustard seed)
1 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp dill seed
2 tsp freeze-dried garlic (i love this stuff! in the produce section)
1/2 cup rice wine/sushi vinegar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water

Cut the cucumber in whatever size/shape you like. I did half-moons about 1/4 inch thick Sprinkle with the handful of salt and put in a colander in the sink for 20 minutes to get out some of the extra moisture. Put everything else in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Keep your face AWAY from the pan-- it will aggravate your sinuses like mad. Once it's boiling, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. In a glass bowl, jar, casserole dish, etc., pour the hot vinegar liquid over the cucumbers, and stash in the fridge for at least an hour. Enjoy!

BLT Pasta Salad

if you like BLTs, but don't feel like having a sandwich for dinner, this recipe is for you. you can also change it up by adding/replacing ingredients. my version calls for one package of cavatelli/cavatappi or other short pasta you like. prepare according to package, drain and then add 3/4 cup mayo and 1/2 cup sour cream. cut 3 tomatoes into pieces about the same size as your pasta. add to pasta. put about half a package of bacon in a saute pan and crisp. when it's crispy, remove from pan and put on a paper towel to absorb any extra grease. when it's cooled, cut or crumble, and add to pasta. slice 4 green onions and add them as well. i like to defrost frozen peas and throw in a 1/2 cup or so, just for sweetness. combine everything with a spatula. add some fresh or dried parsley and/or basil. just before serving, chop about 2 cups' worth of iceberg, romaine, or butter/bibb lettuce. stir, and enjoy! salty from the bacon, sweet from the peas, tangy from the mayo and sour cream, great texture from the pasta and the tomato and lettuce. if you want added crunch, toss in some croutons! i serve this with watermelon for a light summer dinner, or you can serve it alongside other pasta salads for potlucks and bbqs. also goes great with grilled food, especially lean burgers, since it feels indulgent but isn't heavy. enjoy!