Ratatouille

Some days I want a substantial meal that isn't overly rich or filling. With summer just around the corner, Ratatouille seems great for its seasonal vegetables. I made a full batch to store half in my refrigerator to enjoy for lunch with a salad of mixed greens for a few days this week and stored the other half in the freezer for later use. Ratatouille is considerably versatile. You can always add protein to it in the form of chicken, beans, cheese, or I'm sure even shellfish would be good. I kept it to a simple vegetable makeup this time. It would be delicious served with bread and maybe even a glass of white wine if the occasion calls for it.

Taste in Bloom Original Photo

Difficulty: Easy; Serves: 4-6 Total time: 45 mins - 1 hr (20-30 for prep)

Adapted from Food Network: Emeril Lagasse
Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup or more olive oil

  

  Taste in Bloom Original Photo

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 medium eggplant, diced (leave skin on)
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 medium yellow squash, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and onion and cook until onions are slightly caramelized, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the eggplant and thyme leaves and cook for 5 minutes until the eggplant is slightly cooked, stirring occasionally.

Add the diced peppers, zucchini and yellow squash and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the diced tomatoes, basil, parsley and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cook for 5 more minutes. 

Stir well and serve hot or at room temperature.

Roast Chicken

If you haven't heard of Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman, you should definitely acquaint yourself with her. She has a cooking show on Food Network and her own website that's full of recipes, memoirs and the latest of her favorite things. Oh, but her recipes. This lady knows food. She knows. I can say without a doubt that I would be willing to try everything that she makes. I have have made her Perfect Pot Roast and it was true to her word - it was perfect. And tonight I made her Roast Chicken. The simplicity of the ingredients really makes the chicken delightfully delicious. When making this, use a high quality roaster or fryer chicken such as Bell & Evans. It really makes a big difference in the outcome.

Taste in Bloom Original Photo

Barely Adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Ingredients:

• 1 whole roaster or fryer chicken, rinsed and patted dry
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 lemons, zest them (set aside), then slice the lemons in half
• 3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees on convection or 425 degrees for standard baking.

Line a baking sheet with heavy duty foil. Lay the chicken on the sheet, breast side up.

Pluck the leaves from one rosemary sprig and chop them finely. Add them to the lemon zest. Combine the finely chopped rosemary and lemon zest with the softened butter in a bowl. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Coat the chicken with the butter mixture using your hands, making sure to get under the skin and in the cavity. Squeeze the lemon juice from both lemons all over the chicken, then put the lemon halves into the cavity, or as many that will fit.

Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the skin reaches a deep golden brown.

Pork Sirloin Steaks

I love meals that are plain and simple to make yet still yield delicious results. I have a few of these that I like to rotate through each week. They are favorite menu items that can be tweaked in ways that give refreshment to their flavor so they never get old. For example, using a different cut of meat each time presents a different texture and introducing a new spice or marinade opens a plethora of possibilities. Keeping the intent simple provides ample room for experimentation.

Taste in Bloom Original Photo

Difficulty: Easy; Serves: 4; Total time: 15 mins

Taste in Bloom Original
Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless pork sirloin steaks or pork chops; or 4 bone-in center cut pork chops 
• 1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• salt & fresh ground black pepper

Preparation:

Melt butter over medium heat in a heavy cast iron or nonstick skillet. Allow the butter a few more seconds to get hot.

Meanwhile, pat pork dry with paper towels and generously sprinkle both sides with salt and fresh ground black pepper.

I served these with Fried Apples, 

Place pork chops in the hot skillet and cover, cooking for 3-4 minutes until browned. Turn pork over and repeat for the other side until done. If you are using thinly sliced boneless pork chops, skip the cover and just sear the chops on each side for about 3 minutes. If they are thickly sliced and you prefer them medium rare, skip the cover and sear each side about 4 minutes.

Experiment with different cuts of pork if you like. You can also try rubbing some dried thyme, sage and paprika on the pork for some variety.

Roasted Red Potatoes

Potatoes are an excellent staple to complete almost any meal. They are quite versatile in preparation and flavor. I like to keep a couple of different varieties on hand and add a different type of potato each week to the rotation. Red potatoes are one of my favorites. They absorb flavors nicely and hold up well roasted or boiled. I like to season them to match or complement the flavor of the main course. This recipe includes my go to seasoning for roasted red potatoes as the marinade I most often use for meats feature fresh rosemary sprigs and olive oil.

Taste in Bloom Original Photo

Difficulty: Easy; Serves: 4; Total time: 30 mins

Taste in Bloom Original
Ingredients:

• 1 lb red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 tsp dried rosemary
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Preheat your oven broiler on low. Line a baking sheet with foil, lightly sprayed with cooking oil or a sheet of parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl or gallon sized plastic bag, combine all ingredients and toss to coat potatoes. Spread potatoes evenly on lined baking sheet.

Place baking sheet on top rack of oven and broil on low for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tinged with gold.

Brussels Sprouts

My husband does not like Brussels sprouts, at least he didn't. Actually he really doesn't like any vegetable in the cabbage family unless it's hidden in an egg roll. But I found a couple of ways to make Brussels sprouts that makes him look forward to eating them. I found that the real trick to making them more enjoyable to his palate was to cut them in half before cooking them. This also made their preparation easier as whole sprouts tend to be difficult to manage. So what is it that makes these sprouts so enjoyable to a picky eater? Bacon and heavy cream of course.

Taste in Bloom Original Photo

Difficulty: Easy; Serves: 4; Total time: 30 mins

Adapted from French Farmhouse Cookbook
Ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh Brussels sprouts, sliced in half
• 3 strips of raw bacon, diced
• a little heavy cream or crème fraîche
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Steam the Brussels sprouts in a steamer basket placed over lightly boiling water until tender, about 9 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until just done, about 10 minutes.

Add a small amount of cream to the bacon and stir to combine. Allow to cook for about a minute. 

Add the Brussels sprouts and stir until the sprouts are coated with the cream.

Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Best Banana Bread

My husband loves baked treats and frequently asks me to bake some. Once in a while, I give in and bake a batch of cookies or banana bread. I pack some of it up and send them off to work with him. His coworkers often ask me for recipes. Now, I can send them here.

Like most bakers, I have tried many different recipes for banana bread before finding one that absolutely blew my mind. I asked my husband to taste the bit of dough left in the bowl. He doesn't usually like to, but when he did, he was floored. We knew this was going to be good. The best way to describe this banana bread is to say that the crust, which comes out a nice shade of brown is on the crispy side. But the center is so soft and almost doughy without being underdone. Take great care not to eat too much (this is difficult) because it is very sweet. I might even suggest adjusting the sugar with each new batch. Though my husband would disagree as he thinks it's perfect the way it is. To each his own.

Taste in Bloom Original Photo

Difficulty: Easy; Serves: 1 loaf; Total time: 2 hrs 20 mins

Barely adapted from *Food Network: Flour's Famous Banana Bread
Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3 1/2 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 Tbsp crème fraiche or sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cups walnuts, toasted and chopped (opt. - I left them out)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom of a loaf pan with parchment paper.

Sift dry ingredients together: flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. 

Whisk together sugar and eggs until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Drizzle in oil and add mashed bananas, crème fraiche or sour cream and vanilla extract.

Pour into lined loaf pan and bake about 45-50 minutes, up to one hour.

Chicken Soup

I consider a good steaming bowl of chicken soup one of the best comfort foods out there. I love chicken soup any time of the year and for any meal of the day. My definition of a good chicken soup is one that is packed with flavor and herbs that clear up congestion in your body and soul. With every bite, take a deep breath of the steam wafting from your spoon. I sincerely hope this evokes feelings of wellness and happiness. That is what it does for me. 

Taste in Bloom Original Photo

Difficulty: Intermediate; Serves: 6; Total time: 2 hrs 30 mins

Adapted from *Food Network - Tyler Florence

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• one recipe Mirepoix
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 recipe chicken stock (recipe below)
• shredded chicken from one whole cooked chicken
• salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 8 oz package egg noodles

Preparation: 

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Cook until softened, about 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and stir in chicken pieces. Allow to heat through for a couple of minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley when ready to serve.

In a separate smaller saucepan, cook egg noodles according to package instructions. Serve separately from the soup. Noodles tend to soak up all of the soup broth if they are cooked in the soup.

Chicken Stock Recipe:

• 1 whole chicken, approximately 3 1/2 lbs (free-range preferred), rinsed, giblets discarded
• 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
• 2 white onions, quartered (no need to peel)
• 1 head of garlic, chopped in half (no need to peel)
• 1 turnip, ends removed, halved (no need to peel)
• 1/4 bunch fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• up to 1 tsp whole black peppercorns

Preparation:

Place all ingredients in a large stockpot over medium heat. Cover with cold water (about 3 quarts). Slowly bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover with a lid and allow to simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Skim off any impurities that rise to the surface as necessary as the broth cooks. Also, if necessary, add water to make sure the chicken stays covered, careful not to add too much. (Note: I found I did not need to skim the broth, nor did I need to add any water as it cooked. It came out perfectly).

Carefully remove the chicken to a cutting board and allow to cool before handling. Shred the chicken off of the bone and discard the carcass.

Strain the broth through a fine sieve into another large stock pot and discard the vegetable solids. Use immediately or set the pot into a bath of ice water to cool before storing in the refrigerator. Use within 4 days or freeze for up to several months.