Summer is one of those seasons that we long for all year to recreate and create new memories. We look forward to home grown tomatoes with their wonderful flavor, sweet strawberries from the strawberry fields, and peaches fresh from the orchard. Mmm, the flavors of summer nostalgia and the bounty of goodness!
But nothing speaks of summer like Watermelons! That sweet juice running down your arm at a picnic and don’t forget watermelon seed spittin…ahh the granddaddy of all summer fruits and melons!
But wait before you go all mushy on those memories because the last watermelon you picked was terrible! So far this summer, you haven’t been able to pick a sweet juicy watermelon. Have you thought to yourself…OK I’ll try one more time because one time…you really did pick a sweet juicy one that was the delight of that summer day!
I learned that no matter what size or variety of the watermelon, they all have a “soil spot;” this is the place where they sit on the ground and grow. When you look at a watermelon, you will see a place where it doesn’t have any stripes and it is whiteish in color.
My internet research said in order to pick a ripe one, look for the one that the whiteish was turning yellowish in color and I saw plenty of those at the grocery store. Next, look at the stripes, they should have a little contrast between them. The other clue my research turned up was to tap or thump the watermelon and listen for a hollow sound.
Well…just so you know, I have played an ensemble in the produce dept until I got what I thought was a hollow sound. It just proved to be the sound of a tasteless watermelon and big disappointment!
Well…thanks to Bill…I have the REAL story! Let me share will you Bill’s no fail way to pick the best watermelon ever! He said, “the soil spot should be greenish in color.” This means that watermelon had the chance to stay on the vine longer and ripen more. He then showed me and cut open one for me to try…it was fantastic and sweet with a deep red color, just like the watermelon of my memories!
Next week I will go over how to choose sweet ripe cantaloupe and honeydew.
Simplicity Gourmet brings you “The Newlywed Nest” with Becky G.
Who out there likes to go grocery shopping? The crowds, the lines, the carts that won’t steer straight – no thank you!
I have always been more of a “run in and get what I need and I’ll get the rest later” kind of shopper. And I only carry a basket, I have this strange phobia of pushing a cart. Not my hubby. Oh, no…he likes grocery shopping. No, I take that back…he LOVES grocery shopping.
After a hard day at work, I long to throw on my pj’s, have a glass of wine, and catch up on some reality TV. He would rather go to the store, grab a cart, and peruse up and down each and every aisle looking for great deals. He even goes on his lunch breaks sometimes…just to “get away”…I usually use Calgon for that…
Wonderful for me, though, right? I get the best of both worlds: I don’t have to bargain hunt or grocery shop, yet, we save money and always have a well stocked pantry. Well…most of the time…except for the weekends.
For us, Saturday is the one day where we have no obligations, and can spend the whole day together, doing whatever we want, which usually includes grocery shopping. And yes, it is the long, aisle-by-aisle, item-by-item, walk through. I hate to admit it…but he has definitely gotten me hooked on bargain hunting – there is a certain thrill in finding clearance items that we can stock up on, and pairing an in-store promotion with a newspaper coupon, oh, and I must not forget BOGO deals…can’t get better than buy one, get one FREE!
We have 3 grocery stores that we frequent, and it is not uncommon for us to hit all 3 in a single afternoon, getting only certain items at each store. It’s kind of like a game. And let me tell you, when you see that store receipt, and the money you saved is MORE than the money you spent – it actually feels really good.
So, thank you sweetie, for teaching me the value of “shop your show, save your dough”…I am a changed woman! It is one of the many things you have taught me that I didn’t even know I needed to learn! (But I will NEVER push the cart!!!)
So…I just love to entertain and play hostess. I love to feed people food that makes them feel all ushy-gushy inside and make them justify juuust…oooone…moooore…bite! It’s been the summer of marital bliss for me this summer…two weddings, two floral designs, one song duty, and two bridesmaid duties…still have one more to go, but I’m only singing in that one – whew – sigh of relief!
Two bridesmaid duties means two bridal showers and two lingerie showers have been executed – Katie’s Kitchen has been a cooking up a storm, ya’ll! I’ve gotten to try my hand at several new Hors d’œuvres to wow the masses and have them leaving with full bellies and feelings of wedding bell bliss.
I kept my ears peeled for the crowd pleasers and the winners are: Darn Good Chicken Salad Cups, Chicken Salsa, Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip, and stuffed Cherry Tomatoes. So, next time you have a little gathering, try out these party favs – they are sure to be a BIG hit!
Happy Cooking!
Miss K
DARN GOOD CHICKEN SALAD:
UTENSILS: Small Skillet, Kitchen Shears or Knife, Medium Mixing Bowl, Small Melon Baller
INGREDIENTS: 3 Chicken Breasts, Darn Good Seasoning, 1 Cup Chopped Pink Lady or Gala Apples, 1 Cup quartered Red Grapes, 1 Cup Chopped Mixed Nuts (cashews, almonds, walnuts, & pecans), ¼ Cup Diced Scallions, 1 – ½ Cups Reduced Fat, Olive Oil Mayonnaise, 3-4 Dozen Phyllo Dough Appetizer Cups
INSTRUCTIONS: Heat the skillet on medium heat. Season both sides of the chicken with Darn Good and add to the skillet. Cover, whistle open, and continue to cook on medium heat. When the whistle sounds, uncover and flip. Recover, whistle closed and cook for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through. Using the kitchen shears or a 8” Chef Knife, cut the chicken into tiny pieces and allow to cool. When the chicken is cooled, add all other ingredients, mixing well. Continue to season with Darn Good to taste. Using the melon baller, spoon a bit of chicken salad into each cup. NOTE: do this just before serving, the cup will get soggy if done too far ahead of time.
CHICKEN SALSA:
UTENSILS: Small Skillet, Kitchen Shears & 8” Chef Knife, Medium Mixing Bowl, Cutting Board
INGREDIENTS: 3 Chicken Breasts, Darn Good, 1 TBSP Roasted Minced Garlic, 4 Basil Leaves (chopped), 1 Cup Minced Baby Spinach Leaves, 1/3 Cup Minced Fresh Cilantro, Zest & Juice from ½ lemon and ½ lime, 1 – 1 ½ Cups Salsa (any kind), ½ Cup Diced Tomatoes, ½ Cup Chopped Scallions, 1 Cup Chopped Cucumbers, 1 – ½ Cups Plain Non-Fat Yogurt, 1 Pkg Ranch Dressing Mix, Blue Corn Tortilla Chips
Heat the skillet on medium heat. Season both sides of the chicken with Darn Good and add to the skillet. Cover, whistle open, and continue to cook on medium heat. When the whistle sounds, uncover and flip. Recover, whistle closed and cook for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through. Using the kitchen shears or a 8” Chef Knife, cut the chicken into tiny pieces and allow to cool. Meanwhile, chop all the veggies and add to the mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt and ranch dressing mix, set aside. When the chicken is cooled, add it to the veggie mix and blend well. Add the ranch dressing and the salsa and mix well. This is best when you make it the day before so the flavors can meld together overnight. Serve with Blue Corn Tortilla chips.
HOT SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP:
7 or 8 Large Fresh basil Leaves (chopped), 1 Large Bag Fresh Baby Spinach (chopped), 6 Garlic Cloves (minced), ½ Cup minced Sweet Vidalia Onion, 1/2 cup Mayonnaise, 1 Large Can (14 oz) Artichoke Hearts, 2 Cups Shredded Parmesan & Romano Cheeses, 1 Pkg Cream Cheese (softened), Salt & Pepper to Taste, 2 Cups Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese,
Diced tomatoes, basil, and parmesan for garnish, Serve with Tortilla chips or toasted bread
In the large skillet, saute the onion on medium heat until tender. Add the garlic, basil, and spinach and 4 TBSP water. Cover and cook until the whistle sounds. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients except for pepper jack cheese. When the whistle sounds on spinach, squeeze out excess water and add the spinach mix to the bowl and combine well, allowing the skillet to cool. When cooled, spray the skillet with non stick spray and add the spinach mixture back to the skillet. Cover the top with shredded Pepper Jack and cover, whistle open. Cook on medium heat. When the whistle sounds, close and turn to low. Cook for 5 minutes on low and then turn the burner off. Allow to stand covered for 10-15 minutes to firm up. Garnish with diced tomatoes, chopped basil, and parmesan cheese. Serve with tortilla chips or toasted bread
STUFFED CHERRY TOMATOES
1 Lb Thick Slab Bacon, 1 – ½ Cups Reduced Calorie Olive Oil Mayonnaise, ½ Cup Chopped Scallions, 1 – ½ cups Shredded Parmesan and Romano Cheese Blend, 1 ½ -2 lbs Cherry Tomatoes, Fresh Cracked Black Pepper and Sea Salt, Chopped Parsley for Garnish
Cook all of the bacon until crispy; chop fine and add to a mixing bowl. Combine the mayonnaise, scallions, and cheese with the bacon until well blended. Season to taste with fresh cracked sea salt. Core the Cherry tomatoes and add a dollop of the filling to each. Sprinkle with Fresh Cracked Pepper and garnish with chopped parsley.
Breaking the Diet Doldrums: Sensible Splurge with Simplicity Gourmet
As you all know…I am on a quest to find “the real me” – you know, the sexy hot bod buried deep…deep…deep somewhere within myself…
I know how to eat right, which I do 99.9% of the time (well, this week anyways) – what exercises to do – yada, yada, yada – but quite frankly, sometimes my food routine just gets plain boring! I mean, I am a creature of habit – I can rotate the same foods day in and day out and usually not think anything about it at all. It keeps things nice and easy and I always know what I need to buy at the grocery store.
But sometimes…in the dark of night…food with flare calls out to me – and I must indulge! But then my sensible side pulls back the reigns and says, “Whoa-ho, there, Missy – if you’re going to deviate, make it snazzy, satisfying, AND sensible!” So, I ask myself the question I always ask myself, “How can I do both?”
Well, in the last year, I have widened my range of vegetables to almost boundless distances. So, I’m not afraid to try anything new. I wanted something with eggs, lots of veggies, a smatter of cheese, and some toasted bread. Not too demanding, right? Easy enough – after some research and pulling a little of this and a little of that from several recipes – then converting to waterless cooking – voila! Mediterranean Poached Eggs was born! Add some simple fruit salad and big glass of water for a whole, well balanced meal: protein (egg & sprinkle of parm., veggies, good fat (olive oil), whole grain, & fruit. Bon apetit!
Happy Cooking!
Miss K
Mediterranean Poached Eggs w/ Toasted Whole Wheat French Bread
UTENSILS: Master Kut, 8” Chef Knife, Large Skillet, Griddle, Medium Bowl
INGREDIENTS: 1 cup chopped onion, 1 garlic clove (minced), ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp paprika, 2 ½ cups canned crushed tomatoes, ¼ tsp black pepper, 2 cups Artichoke Hearts, drained and cut in half, 1 ½ Cups Sliced Mushrooms, 4 large eggs, ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, ¼ cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives (optional), 1/2 cup (1 oz.) grated fresh Parmesan, 4 (1 ½ oz) slices Whole Wheat French bread (toasted), olive oil, garlic grater
DIRECTIONS:
Pre heat the large skillet on medium heat. When it’s ready, add the onion, mushrooms, garlic, and a small drizzle of olive oil (for flavor only – may omit altogether) to the skillet; sauté 5-7 minutes or until tender. Add cumin and paprika; sauté 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, black pepper, and artichokes. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Form 4 (3-inch) indentations in vegetable mixture using the back of a spoon or bottom of a large custard cup. Break 1 egg into each indentation. Sprinkle with Paprika. Cover, whistle open, and cook on medium heat. When the whistle sounds, uncover, Sprinkle with parsley, olives, and cheese. Recover, whistle closed, and turn the burner off. Allow to stand 3-5 minutes.
Heat the griddle on medium heat. Slice the French Bread and drizzle both sides with Olive Oil and sprinkle with fresh cracked Garlic. When the griddle is heated, cook both sides until golden brown. Serve ¼ of the vegetable mixture and one egg over each piece of bread.
Yields: 4 servings (serving size: 1 bread slice, 3/4 cup vegetable mixture, and 1 egg)
Simplicity Gourmet’s Quick Tricks to get you through your hectic week….
I gotta admit…I haven’t had much zeal to cook for myself lately. I’ve been away from home a lot, so grocery shopping has been slim. When I am home, my recliner calls out to me like a siren…beckoning me to put down my spatula and fall comatose in its microfiber bliss. My little kitty’s pleas for attention and play time also call me away from the kitchen – he’s not used to me going and going and going and leaving him out of the mix…I’ve neglected our 10 minute daily cuddle time more than I care to admit! In short – I’m just wiped out!
I don’t have a husband or kids to contend with…no piano lessons, soccer practice, karate lessons or schmoozy dinners – just me. If I’m this tired and distracted…how are you feeling? What we do have in common? I’m watching my budget – I’m sure you are too. I’m also watching my weight – which I’m sure you are too. So…what to do for the down time-starved, penny pinching, calorie counter….
This past weekend, I had an epiphany – I should precook some things and have them ready to go so that my dinners are done in a matter of 10-12 minutes rather than 30. The cookware reheats food so that it tastes like you just made it. Just put it in the pan, set to whistle, turn the burner on, and it’s reheated when the pan whistles!
So…that’s what I did. On Sunday, I bought a pack of chicken breasts and 3 pcs of Tilapia. I got a couple of lemons and oranges, some rice, chicken broth, pre sliced mixed squash and onions, and some frozen broccoli. When I got home, I marinated the chicken breasts with some Darn Good, fresh cracked garlic and pepper, and about ½ cup of low sodium Dale’s Sauce in an ultra vac.
Meanwhile, I measured out 2 cups of Basmati Rice, 4 cups of Chicken Broth, added fresh cracked pepper, salt, & garlic into my 3 qt saucepan. Set the lid to whistle and the burner to medium. When it whistled, turned the whistle to “V” for vent and the burner to low.
Once the rice whistled, I preheated a small skillet on medium heat. When it was ready, I added the marinated chicken into the pan and turned the lid to whistle. When it whistled, I flipped the chicken, turned the knob to “C” for closed and turned the burner down to low.
Meanwhile, in my 1 ½ qt saucepan I began to saute the onions for about 5-7 minutes. I added the mixed squash and some pepper and garlic. Covered, whistle open, and cooked on medium until it whistled. Then, just closed the whistle, and turn the burner off and allowed it to stand until I was ready to store it.
With the fish, I squeezed fresh lemon onto each piece and seasoned both sides with Darn Good. I put all three pieces in an ultra vac for the week. When everything was cooked through, I added them into their own ultra vacs to keep for the week.
So…Monday night rolled around…and here’s where my plan was executed perfectly…
I got home, went straight to the fridge and pulled out my chicken, rice, and squash mixture. I got out my 1 ½ quart saucepan. I put about ¼ cup of chicken broth in the bottom. I measured out about ½ cup – ¾ cup of rice, added a chicken breast on top of that and 1/3 of my squash mixture next to that. Covered, whistle open, and cooked on medium heat. Played with the boy. Ten minutes later, the whistle sounded. I went in the kitchen turned it to “C” for closed and the burner off. I grabbed my plate and poured myself a big glass of iced water and served myself…in about 12-13 minutes total including prep and serve time.
The next night, I switched to a fish meal…
I pulled out the tilapia, rice, broccoli, and an orange. I got out my small skillet. I added about ¼ cup of chicken broth to the bottom of the pan. I zested ½ of the orange over the top of the rice. I added a piece of Tilapia on top of one side and about 1/3 of my broccoli on the other. I squeezed the zested half of the orange on top of that and sprinkled some Darn Good over the broccoli. Covered, whistle open, and cooked on medium heat. Played with the boy for 10 minutes. When the whistle sounded, I returned to the kitchen and closed the whistle and turned the burner off. I let it stand for 2-3 minutes to make sure the fish was done and then served myself. All in all…only about 15 minute…which was good for me!
I’ve just alternated that all week and I have felt a reprieve of having to fend for myself these past few days….ahh, deep breath and sigh. I’ll start mixing it up soon but I like the easy and steady pattern I have for right now.
What are your quick tricks to get you through your hectic weeks?
Comments RSS 
PICK OF THE PATCH!!!
Summer is one of those seasons that we long for all year to recreate and create new memories. We look forward to home grown tomatoes with their wonderful flavor, sweet strawberries from the strawberry fields, and peaches fresh from the orchard. Mmm, the flavors of summer nostalgia and the bounty of goodness!
I learned that no matter what size or variety of the watermelon, they all have a “soil spot;” this is the place where they sit on the ground and grow. When you look at a watermelon, you will see a place where it doesn’t have any stripes and it is whiteish in color.
