Ginger Tuna Steak Salad

Summer is here y'all. And for me one of the best thing about summer is fresh salads of all types. I have been experimenting with flavors, and this has become one of my recent favorites.  Since our dietary cleanse in April, at my office we have been taking turns bringing in lunch. We have really done a great job providing nutritious lunches that save us all a lot of time, money and calories. This is one of the entrees that I have come up with. It has been requested multiple times and is always a hit.  I plan on taking this to pool parties, picnics and even the beach this summer. Enjoy!

Beets and Sweets

Beets and Sweets- Right out of the oven

Since my life has been hectic and most of my bakeware is in boxes till my move next weekend, I wanted to post something thing that is super simple and that I have found to be incredibly delicious. I made these last night for dinner and quite truthfully try to eat them at least 2-3 times per week for thier wholistic effect.

Of course there is a story behind this recipe. About 2 months ago, I did a 21 day Standard Process cleanse, one of the suggestions for increased cleansing and improved gallbladder funciton is to eat 1/2 a beet per day. I had a definate problem with this at first, because I hated beets. I always thought they had a "dirt" taste. Through some experimentation and some researching, I found some recipes that I really enjoy. And when they are baked they lose that dirt taste and really become quite sweet. This is the most simple and tasty recipe of all the ones I tried.

Overall, the cleanse was a great expereince in my life that really allowed me to see what I was eating and in what quantity. Although I do have the occasional piece of cake or cookie it is not my everyday vice, I am a very healthy eater. The cleanse further enforced that and really make me realize how clean eating can better your mood, energy level and overall health.  It allowed me to slow down concentrate on me and my health and really heal from within. The first few days were exceptionally hard due to extra food prep and organization to get lunches planned before work. Also the first 3 days are really when your body detoxes from sugar, preservatives and toxins. This process leaves you a a little fatigued. But it only lasts 3 days. I came out of the cleanse 7 lbs lighter and feeling like I had a spring in my step.  I can not wait till fall when I repeat the process....

Chocolate Dopplebock Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Chocolate Dopplebock Cupcake- Yum!

In all the packing, sorting craziness that is my life right now I decided that today needed to be a day for me. OK! I did not allow myself the whole day (I had a few appointments) but I did allow half!  I woke up this morning needing some "kitchen therapy." If you have followed this blog at all you know that typically means there is STRESS in my life. (If we go too much into that, this could become a whole other blog.)  I started to look through my cabinets and fridge to see what ingredients I had to work with. After looking through my iPad recipe book where I stash interesting things I find online, I ran across this recipe. I think it is from one of those St Patty's day festive recipes sites that I found at some point and then quickly forgot about but today was it's day to shine.

OK for those that really know me you know that I am a craft beer enthusiast. I enjoy trying new beer and love pairing different beers with different foods. Here in Greenville, SC there has been great opportunity for the beer culture to really grow. There is a good number of restaurants that have great beer selections including high gravity choices. We have quite a few craft beer stores that specialize in growlers, tasting events and general beer knowledge. Of course I have my fav and have to mention them here. The guys at  The Community Tap  are always knowledgeable, friendly and if you call ahead they will even put your favorite beer in the fridge so you can pick it up on the way home from work. Guilty!

We also have an excellent brewery in town that has a great following of which I am part of.  Thomas Creek Brewery has quite a few great brews but my personal favorite is the Deep Water Dopplebock Lager. When I rediscovered this recipe this morning, I knew that I had a six pack of this dark beer in the fridge. From previous tastings, I knew that it went wonderfully with chocolate so I thought this recipe was a perfect match.  The original recipe called for a stout, preferably Guiness, but as you know I love local and I love this Dopplebock!

I will mention that as these cupcakes bake the beer smell is heavenly! And in the finished product the underlying beer flavor really comes through complimenting the chocolate.

Thomas Creek Dopplebock and other less important ingredients.

Southwest Quinoa Salad

This is a recipe that I have come up with after our 21 day cleanse that we did about a month ago. It is great as a side dish or as a meatless lunch entree. I had not really experimented with quinoa much  but now I am hooked. As my garden comes in this summer, I see many ways that I can change this recipe using the vegetable that is ripe at the time, and that makes me very happy! There is nothing better than eating local and in season both for taste and the environment. Stay tuned for some upcoming variations...

Nutella Chocolate Cheesecake

Nutella Chocolate Cheescake- Enjoy!

It has been a crazy few weeks. I received a last minute offer on my house and that has put me into a kind of frenzy.  I have been packing, sorting, tossing and stressing!  If you have read my "About" section, you already know when times get tough I head to the kitchen! It is in my blood, I can't help it. So here I am in "kitchen therapy" mode making something delicious for no other reason than to clear my mind and loose myself in the process.  Not only does stress make me bake, it also makes me want chocolate. So what better than a Nutella Chocolate Cheesecake. This recipe has been on my "To Do List" for some time and I pulled it out this week, got the ingredients, turned on some Florence and the Machine, Arctic Monkeys and the National and got to work. The steps of a recipe to me combined with the hum of the mixer and the upbeat music lifts my spirits. And as always I am accompanied by my best friend, and kitchen helper, Charlie.

My ever-present best friend

I guess in the back of my mind I have always known, but this year I have really identified that fact that I love making and doing things with my hands; baking, gardening, knitting and even my everyday job requires using my hands to make a difference. And that is exactly what I have done for myself this year, I have made a difference.

What was I worried about again??


The Ultimate Coconut Cake

One of my favorite places to vacation here in the southeast is Charleston, SC. It is a quick ride from my home and it is the one place in SC that I really feel my spirit soar. I have always loved being near water and the ocean and Charleston offers this escape to me. As I drive over the bridges into Isle of Palms (my favorite local beach), I can feel all the tension leave me and I am truly happy!  During the day, I enjoy sitting on the beach at IOP for hours, shelling, and just enjoying the sun.  At night there is alway somewhere to listen to live music or sit outside and enjoy a cocktail under the stars. The Charleston area is also known for its southern heritage and historic downtown. I love walking Charleston; usually camera in hand and a spring in my step.  I get lost in the wrought iron gated gardens, the majestic oaks trees, the old buildings and the history. I have walked the streets of downtown Charleston so many times I can almost visit them in my sleep. I have to say that it is my Happy Place!

My favorite beach. You can't see but I am smiling!

Aside from all the natural beauty that Charleston has to offer, it is also a foodie's paradise. You can dine on fresh seafood, handmade pasta and of course good 'ole southern cuisine.  There is literally a food establishment every few feet in some of the downtown areas and the experiences range from casual dining all the way up to fine dining. I have frequented a lot of the restaurants in the downtown area as well as in Mount Pleasant and Isle of Palms and I definitely have my favorites depending on the occasion. Unfortunately, I tend to be a  creature of habit at times and when I get to visit my favorite city, I like the nostalgic feeling of visiting my favorite restaurants, Magnolias for shrimp and grits, Poe's Tavern for a great beach side burger, The Rooftop at Vendue Range for a late night cocktail, and Hominy Grill for just about anything on the menu  (don't forget the goat cheese and hot pepper jelly.) And this is just to name a few.  But after visiting all my favorites, the long weekend is usually over and once again I have forgotten to visit new places. The restaurant that I have always wanted to visit and have heard so much about is the Peninsula Grill. It is a great little restaurant tucked away beside The Market in Peninsular Charleston and  it is famous for it's Ultimate Coconut Cake. I have watched Food Network specials on this cake and every time I go to Charleston I am set on going to get a piece; but never quite make it. So when I saw this recipe online on Martha Stewart's web page,  I thought why not make this "cake masterpiece" myself and share the experience with all my friends.

So here began a rather large task...

Salted Chocolate- Caramel Turtle Ice Cream Sandwiches

Salted Chocolate- Caramel Turtle Ice Cream Sandwiches

This past fall, I was looking for a recipe to make some cookies for a friend.  I wanted something with that salty /sweet combo that is so popular right now and it definitely had to include chocolate. After looking, I stumbled upon this recipe on one of my favorite blogs: How Sweet It Is. I made the cookies and they were amazing. The night that I made them, was before a long trip.  After I had packed and prepared, I sat down with a bowl of vanilla ice cream and two of these cookies. They had a little chewiness due to the caramel, crunch from the pecan and every once in a while you would bite into a salt crystal. Delish! It dawned on me at that time that these cookies would make great ice creams sandwiches with a caramel ice cream that I had made before. The cookies needed to be a little bigger for sandwiches and why not add more caramel to balance the strong chocolate cookie. My wheels were turning......... this little gem is what I came up with!

Mom's Tomato Sauce

Mom's Tomato Sauce

Since we are just putting tomatoes in the ground this week,  I know that this is not the typical time to make tomato sauce from homegrown tomatoes, but I kind of have a trick here. As I have said before, my garden is not huge and to make this sauce you need a 1/2 bushel of tomatoes for Step 1 and then you need 3 dozen Paste or Roma tomatoes for Step 2. That is a lot of tomatoes to produce in a few days just for this sauce (and have enough to eat daily. I don't know about you but when my tomatoes come in, I am tomato obsessed! I eat them at every meal.)

As per my mom's suggestion, I have always frozen whole tomatoes. I just cut out the stem and then freeze them whole in Ziploc bags. Then when a recipe called for canned tomatoes for soup or chili in the winter, I just pull out some of my frozen and run them under really hot tap water. The skin peels right off in your hand (this is a great tip.)  I was freezing tomatoes as they were harvested and I began to wonder if I could use the frozen tomatoes after I had the specified 1/2 a bushel and make this sauce?? So here begins my experiment! 

Before starting, I thought I would ask my resources, my parents both thought it would work and unfortunately Grandma Ethel was no longer with us but I knew that she was cheering for me. I began freezing Ziploc bags of tomatoes as I picked them.  I would weigh the bags and write the weight on the outside of the bag. Then I would put them in the bottom shelf of my deep freeze freezer. I would bag the paste tomatoes separately in 1 dozen bags. When I got the designated amount of tomatoes, I was ready to go. So at this point, I proceeded with the recipe that is below and it was a huge success. I have been making it this way for years. So if this method works for you, Great!  Another alternative would be to visit your local farmer and buy tomatoes from him/her. They will be happy to have your business and you will know exactly where your tomatoes came from.

Grandma Ethel's Fruit Salad

Grandma's Fruit Salad

This is another one of those recipes that I must have on a holiday for it to really be special- my Grandma Ethel's fruit salad. This salad in not hard to make and it is the perfect sweet accompaniment to any dinner.  We  always ate it as a side dish not dessert. It allows for a little bit of sweetness in an otherwise savory meal. As a child, this was the special dish that I waited for on special occasions and one of the main reasons was it's "cherry factor."  I told you I love cherries. My Grandma always knew this and would add just a few extra (a whole jar) for my sister and me.
One of the special memories that I have of my Grandma Ethel was the numerous family dinners that she had for holidays. At her house,she had this huge dining table stuck in this little room. There would be 12 or more people around the table, but once everyone got seated no one could get up or out of the room. We were in there tight.  My sister and I would have special seats; one on either side of Grandma. Everyone would sit, eat and talk; passing the dishes along, person to person, family style. Once everyone got their share, the fruit salad would always end up back in front of my Grandma. She would then proceed to pick cherries out of the remaining salad and give them to my sister and me. Our parents would give us a disapproving look and protest mildly but Grandma always won and so did we!

Hollywood Squares

Hollywood Square

At my high school, there was always a special dessert that we all loved. It was the Hollywood Square! I am not sure where the crazy name came from other than that Game Show that was on in the 80's but I do know that this dessert would be enough to get the majority of the student body standing in the lunch line. And that was no small feat! After my high school years, I still talked about this dessert and on occasion when I was home for a break from college, my Mom who still worked as a teacher in the school district, would bring one home for me . After I had moved to South Carolina, she called one day and said she had emailed me a surprise. It was the Hollywood Square recipe. The lady who brought the recipe into our high school lives was retiring and since she knew it was every one's favorite, she decided to share the recipe as her farewell gift. We are all very appreciative!