I planted olive trees in pots on my back patio about 5 years ago and this is the first time that they've produced any fruit. I'm over the moon excited (and overwhelmed) about this inaugural crop. I having flashbacks to being a new mom with my first born child. I'm overwhelmingly proud of these baby olives but I have no idea how to take care of them.😅 If I'm being honest, I really never expected my trees to produce fruit, I just thought they were pretty plants in to put in my flower pots. 🪴😂  Now I need to learn all about growing and curing olives. I'm not even sure what kind of olive trees these are. I think they're black olives but I'm not positive so send me all of your tips and tricks for curing black and green olives. I will gladly take all the advice that you can give me. I don't expect to be an expert with my first crop but I would like to know how to make them edible. I don't know why I've grouped olives and beer in the same food categories but I feel like their complimentary.🍺🫒 I'm hoping that some of you beer lovers out there will also be able to offer me some advice about curing olives.😉 I'll share a delicious Beer Brined Roast Chicken recipe and you can share your olive recipes - Deal? All olives aside - this is an amazing chicken recipe and I do not drink beer. The beer really acts as a great brine to keep the chicken juicy and moist... and it doesn't taste like beer. 😂 I used a lager beer but I feel like any beer will work. If you try a different type - let me know how it turns out.  Beer Brined Roast Chicken 3 cups lager beer 1/4 cup salt 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 onion, peeled and quartered 4 garlic cloves, smashed 1 Tablespoon coriander seeds 1 Tablespoon peppercorn 8 bay leaves 8 sprigs fresh thyme 4 strips lemon zest (or lime) 1 whole chicken 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Roast chicken in the oven 50 minutes to an hour at 425 or cook on the Big Green Egg until breast temperature reaches 165.   Ciao!
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 If the words "meal train" insight stress and anxiety in your soul - this blog post is for you.😅 I'm not sure if meal trains are growing in popularity everywhere or if it's just a Southern thing, but it's rare these days that I make it through a week without getting an email inviting me to sign up for a meal train. They're intended to ease stress by providing nourishment for our family or friends who are experiencing challenging circumstances but it often ends up being a increased stress and anxiety for those on the other end of the train - the engine - the pour souls tasked with preparing the food.😬 Trust me when I tell you that you are not alone if the thought of providing a meal to another family is stress inducing. There are days when I struggle to feed myself, let alone prepare copious amounts of my very best food, deliver it with a smile to a needy family and all before 5:00 and then come home and feed myself. If it's any consolation - just know that it's stressful for EVERYONE - even people who work in the food service industry. Meal trains aren't for everyone. If the thought of delivering a meal to someone in need gives you anxiety - please don't feel any guilt about not signing up. There are lots of other ways that you can serve people in crisis. I can't stress this enough. Let go of the feeling that people are judging you for not participating in a meal train. It's not for everyone.  If you do choose to take food to someone in need, let me encourage you that you don't have to put forth a herculean effort to prepare a gourmet 6 course meal. Even simple meals can be very much appreciated. I usually cater my meal train meals to the specific needs or tastes of the recipient. If it's a meal for a family with kids - I usually make a pasta dish or a fun breakfast for dinner option. In the cooler months, soups and hearty casseroles are my go-to. But in Spring and Summer - a delicious quiche is always a good choice. It sounds fancy dancy but it's really a quick and easy dish to throw together with ingredients that I usually keep on hand. Pair it with a green salad, some crusty bread and a sweet treat and dinner is done. Amy's pro tip: Make 2 at once so you have one to eat after you deliver one.  Sweet Potato Quiche 1 unbaked pie crust, store bought or homemade 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 large sweet potato, diced into 1/4" cubes 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced 4 large eggs 2/3 cup milk 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
 Bake 45-55 minutes at 375.  Add bacon or sausage if you like too.
Ciao!  Happy Memorial Day!!🇺🇸 I'm not sure how remembering fallen soldiers ever got translated into weekend barbecues and family cookouts and please understand that even though I'm sharing a barbecue recipe today, I certainly don't want to diminish the significance of this important holiday. I am forever grateful for our military and those who paid the ultimate price for my freedom and today is the perfect day for me to reflect on that. So while you scroll through this delicious recipe, I hope that you'll take a moment to reflect on the significance of this important day as well.🇺🇸  With that being said - the fact is that there are a lot of cookout that happen on Memorial Day weekend so I will put forth one of my favorite barbecue recipes - barbecue chicken drumsticks. In case you're wondering - this recipe works with any cuts of chicken - thighs, breasts, wings, drumsticks. Pick out favorite and fire up the grill. Oh and, this white barbecue sauce is lick your fingers scrumptious but if you're not a fan - swap it out for your favorite red sauce.  Barbecue Chicken Drumsticks White Barbecue Sauce 3/4 cup mayonnaise 2 Tablespoons cider vinegar 2 teaspoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon horseradish 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper Chicken 1 Tablespoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper 1 1 /4 teaspoons coriander 1 1/4 teaspoons cumin 1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder 1 1/4 teaspoons onion powder 1 /2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon warm water 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil 2 1/2 pounds chicken drumsticks
 Ciao!
 Leave it to me to turn a perfectly good beef meatball recipe into a turkey or chicken recipe.😅 It's no secret that I don't love to eat beef or pork but that doesn't stop me from making new beef recipes. Meatloaf, burgers, sloppy joes and meatballs - all good candidates for a good ground turkey swap in my book.  Meatballs are great if you're a meat lover but turkey balls are more my style and honestly, after years of serving them to my family - they've actually learned to like them too.😉 I don't want to speak for my husband but based on his consumption, I feel like he's gone from tolerating them to actually liking them.😋 In my opinion, turkey has a less intense flavor than beef so when I take a bite of a turkey-ball, I feel like I can actually taste all the flavors of the meatball instead of biting into something where all I can taste is meat. (Spoken like a true turkey lover.🍗🤣). If you've never tried a turkey meatball - here is your chance. This meatball and orzo combination is amazing. It might just convince you to join the turkey swap club too.😉  Skillet Orzo with Turkey Meatballs 1 shallot, chopped 1/4 cup panko 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey 1/4 cup milk 2 Tablespoons butter, melted 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil 4 cups chicken broth 2 cups orzo pasta 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest + 1Tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/3 cup fresh parsley
 Spoon oil sauce over orzo.
This recipe, like many others featured on my blog, was inspired by an America's Test Kitchen recipe. ATK continue to serve as my biggest source of culinary inspiration. Thank you Cook's Illustrated for your recipe. My hat is off to you.
Ciao!  Since I posted a Mediterranean recipe on Monday that was inspired by our trip to Greece a few years ago, I figured I'd continue with the Greek theme today.😀 Halloumi is a Mediterranean goats or sheep milk cheese. It's distinctive quality is the rubbery squeak it makes when eaten raw! You read that right - it's squeaky cheese. It's weird but you know that as soon as I heard this - I had to try it for myself.😂 Fun fact: It really does squeak!! 🧀 I'm more sensitive to chewing noises than most people so squeaky cheese wasn't necessarily a positive quality in a cheese for me BUT... I will say that the flavor, makes up for the squeaky quality. And pro tip: if you don't want your cheese to squeak - grill it.  One of the cool qualities of halloumi cheese is that it stands up to grilling and frying remarkably well. So while raw halloumi wasn't my thing - grilled halloumi is definitely one of my favorites. When marinated in basil and olive oil, grilled and then drizzled with a honey balsamic - these are delicious. The perfect appetizer or salad option for a summer cookout.  Grilled Halloumi Kebabs 1/4 cup olive oil 6 fresh basil leaves 8 ounces Halloumi cheese, cut into 3/4" cubes 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 2 Tablespoons honey 20 cherry tomatoes
 Grill about 6 minutes.  Drizzle with vinegar mixture and serve with more fresh basil. I served these little tomato Halloumi kebabs at a party and this was the first tray to be empty. They were a big hit.
Ciao! |
