Nicoise Salad

I AM NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE unrelenting heat wave that has us in its grip. I am not going to talk about living in an older, un-air conditioned home in the mountains. I am not going to talk about my love of summer.

What I will mention is that this is the first summer Pritchard Parker is not working in an air conditioned office all day but rather from home. And he is not enjoying it. He does not love summer. Even when he is not saying anything, he is saying plenty, if you know what I mean. The heat will break soon and he will be back to his usual good humor.

Meanwhile, I have been serving only cold food. If I need to do any cooking at all, like I did here with cooking the beets, potatoes, and eggs, I do it early in the morning before the afternoon sun beats down on our west facing kitchen.

By dinner time, the ingredients for this delicious and satisfying Nicoise salad will be cold and we will dine a little later. I made a simple lemony vinaigrette and chilled that as well.

Nicoise Salad
Washed, torn, and chilled lettuce
Oil packed tuna
Boiled eggs
Sliced Vidalia (or other sweet) onions
New potatoes, simmered until tender
Beets, simmered until tender
Tomato slices
Anchovy fillets
Calamata olives

Lemony Vinaigrette Dressing
2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place lettuce on individual plates. Top with tuna, eggs, onions, potatoes, beets, and tomato. Garnish with anchovies and olives. Drizzle with lemony dressing.

Fork Tender Oven Braised Corned Beef

THE TRADITIONAL ST. PATRICK'S DAY Corned Beef and Cabbage is my husband's favorite meal of the year! This year I took a different approach. Since the day was on a Sunday this year, my thoughts turned to brunch and home fries. I had made Irish Soda Bread, which we had toasted and smeared with sweet Irish butter.

Rather than Mimosas, we made Black Velvet Cocktails. I recently learned of this libation from the excellent blog, Kitchen Riffs. It is made from Guinness stout and Champagne. Very different, delicious, and celebratory. Thanks, John.

I also cooked the corned beef differently than my usual. I normally braise it on the stove top or on working days, the crock pot. This year, I oven braised it in beer--I used Guinness Stout, because I had it on hand. Use any beer you like. The brisket was moist, juicy, and so very tender. I'm pretty sure I will always cook it this way.

Oven Braised Corned Beef in Beer
4 lb. flat cut corned beef
12 ounce bottle beer
Water as needed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Open corned beef in your clean sink. Save the spice packet. Rinse the brisket and pat dry with paper towels. Dispose of the liquid from the package. Trim off any excess fat.

Place the corned beef into a large, heavy Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid, fat side up. Sprinkle with spices from the packet. Add the beer. Use water, if needed, to bring the liquid barely to the top of the corned beef.

Cover and place in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Turn oven to 300 degrees and continue cooking for another 2 1/2 hours.

If desired, add vegetables about 1 hour before the end of cooking time.

Sauerkraut Salad

SAUERKRAUT SALAD IS A FAIRLY NEW DISH in our family. I first experienced it when a friend asked me to go with her to visit her aunt.  Auntie served us a meal of "soup beans" (pinto beans), cornbread, sauerkraut salad, and iced tea. I swooned from the deliciousness.

The salad reminded me of chow-chow, which I love with beans and with a summer vegetable plate. But this salad is much, much easier to make with sauerkraut than with fresh cabbage. And sauerkraut has surprising health benefits.

This salad can also be served as a relish for hot dogs, as a topping for a pulled pork sandwich, as part of a cold salad plate. What other ways can you think of serving this?

I have experimented with the recipe I was given. The first thing I did was cut way back on the sugar. The next thing was add heat by way of fresh jalapenos. Other things I think about are ginger, turmeric, mustard seed, celery seed.

I'm sure I will continue to tweak. Here is a recipe to get you started.

Sauerkraut Salad
3 cups sauerkraut
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 (2 oz.) jar sliced pimiento
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Drain before serving or serve with a slotted spoon.

Celery Salad with Dates and Roasted Pecans

THIS SUPER SIMPLE SALAD MADE with only a few ingredients is surprisingly delicious. I got the recipe from my long-time blogging buddy, Rosie Hawthorne of Kitchens are Monkey Business. At her blog she speaks of her discovery of Medjool dates and shares some date history. Check it out!

I have found that most good produce departments have Medjool dates but sometimes you have to ask because they are not always obvious.   I have posted a few date recipes before, always using Medjool dates, though not specifying. Here is a lovely summer dessert, Stuffed Dates. Here is another stuffed date recipe; one of my favorites and one of my favorite photographs

Celery Salad with Dates and Roasted Pecans
4 stalks celery, sliced on a diagonal
1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
3/4 cup roasted pecans
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon joice
2 -3 Tbsp. good extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (approx.) shaved Parmesan cheese

Combine celery, dates, pecans, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil. Stir well. Garnish with Parmesan.

Peach and Orzo Salad with Mango Viniagrette

OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, I HAVE made several pasta salads. Loaded with fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, they seem to be perfect for a light supper on a hot summer evening. The combinations are endless with the varieties of pasta shapes available as well as the abundance of summer produce.

This was one of our favorites. Our Southern peaches from South Carolina and Georgia have been outstanding this year--perfectly juicy with intense peach flavor. This salad uses those flavorful peaches along with small mozzarella balls and toasted pecans as well as other vegetables. The mango dressing really ties everything together.

Peach and Orzo Salad with Mango Viniagrette
8 ounces orzo, cooked according to package directions, drained
2 large peaches, peeled and chopped
4 scallions, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
8 ounces small fresh mozzarella balls
1 cup pecan halves, toasted
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup mango chutney
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large serving bowl, combine cooled orzo, peaches, scallions, celery, bell pepper, cheese, pecans, and parsley.

Add mango chutney, olive oil, and red wine vinegar to a mason jar and shake vigorously to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste and shake again.

Pour the dressing over the salad and combine well. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt, pepper, or vinegar if needed.

Creamy High Protein Chicken Salad (No Mayo)

THIS DELICIOUS CHICKEN SALAD IS MADE WITH NO mayonnaise. It doesn't use yogurt either as I find it too unstable for a salad with planned leftovers. The dressing is made with low fat cottage cheese which is blended with lemon juice, honey, garlic, onion, salt and pepper, paprika, and cayenne. The salad consists of tender chunks of moist chicken, sliced celery, cubed granny smith apples, and pistachios.

I bought  a whole chicken, about 2 1/2 pounds, and poached it with aromatics. It is easy to do and results in the juiciest, most flavorful, and tender chicken. As an added bonus, you are making chicken broth, for later use, at the same time.

The delicious cottage cheese dressing is clearly superior nutrition-wise. One cup of 2% cottage cheese contains 194 calories, 5.5 g of fat and 26.7 g of protein (almost half your daily value). One cup of mayo (and yes people do put that much in salads) has 1500 calories, 160 g of fat, and only a trace of protein.

Everyone loved this chicken salad and no one missed the mayonnaise.

Creamy High Protein Chicken Salad
3 cups cooked chicken
1 cup sliced celery
1 granny smith apple, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup roasted pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
1 cup 2% cottage cheese
1 clove garlic
1/2 large sweet onion (I used Vidalia) roughly chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. cayenne
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine chicken, celery, apple, and nuts in a large bowl.

Add cottage cheese, garlic, onion, lemon juice, honey, paprika, cayenne, and salt and pepper to a blender or processor. Process until smooth and creamy. If you want it a little thinner, add some milk.

Stir into the chicken mixture until blended well. Best if chilled for at least an hour before serving. Even better the next day.

Egg Salad

EGG SALAD IS NOT ON A REGULAR ROTATION in our home. Why? It has just never been part of our repertoire. I don't remember my mother ever making it at home. I don't remember it being served at school or anywhere else for that matter. My husband doesn't especially like it so we never think about it. Except at Easter--to make use of some of those Easter Eggs.

There are so many ways to make this simple spread, the most basic being chopped hard boiled eggs mixed with mayonnaise. All kinds of add-ins can help up the flavor. Pickles, dill or sweet, are popular, onion, scallion, or shallot are good, celery, peppers, cheese, bacon, anchovies, and more.

Mustard is often used and I pondered the various types I had in the kitchen--stone ground, Dijon, honey mustard, and yellow ballpark mustard. Ultimately, I decided to use some mustard powder and I'm so happy that I did. I loved the flavor it imparted and the inner warmth reminded me of wasabi. In fact, next time I think I will try using wasabi.

I served the egg salad on sour dough bread with alfalfa sprouts. Delicious!

Egg Salad
6 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 rib celery, with leaves, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
2 - 3 Tbsp. finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. mustard powder
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. paprika
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 - 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise (more to taste)

Mix all ingredients together to desired consistency. Chill before serving.

Mandarin Chicken Salad with Fresh Cranberries and Pecans

AFTER ROASTING A CHICKEN AND EATING IT for a couple of days, I decided to pick off the rest of the meat for a chicken salad. I knew I wanted fruit in it--maybe apples or grapes or both, neither of which I had on hand. Then I spotted the bowl of Clementines and thought, sure, why not.

I decided to add celery and scallions, and I knew I had some pecan halves leftover from Christmas baking. I also thought I would add some blue cheese and further thought I had some in the fridge, only to discover a little mouse (my husband) had eaten it. I did find a chunk of smoked Gouda so I used that.

After I got the ingredients together and dressed, I was stirring it and thinking how dull and colorless it looked. I was thinking, if I had some dried cranberries, I would add some for color as well as flavor. Then I remembered I had some homemade whole cranberry sauce in the refrigerator. Lovely. Perfect.

For serving, I garnished with additional tangerine sections and a dollop of cranberry sauce.


Mandarin Chicken Salad with Fresh Cranberries and Pecans
2 cups shredded or chopped cooked chicken
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup roasted pecan halves
2 Clementines/tangerines/cuties/satsumas (whatever the grower calls them, they are all Mandarin oranges) peeled, sectioned, and halved
3 oz. smoked Gouda, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup fresh whole cranberry sauce

Dressing
1/2 cup mayo
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. sugar or honey
1 clove garlic, minced

Mix the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and chill while preparing the rest of the ingredients.

Stir together the shredded chicken, celery slices, scallion slices, pecans, tangerines, cheese, and cranberry sauce. Pour over the chilled dressing and toss until evenly distributed. Chill before serving.

BLT Salad - as a meal

AUGUST MUST SURELY BE MY FAVORITE MONTH. Summer fruits and vegetables are at their peak of ripeness, abundance, and affordability. Brilliant pink crepe myrtle and golden black-eyed Susan on every corner cheer me. The scent of lavender fills the air.

Our back yard is alive with butterflies and hummingbirds. Not to mention all the other critters--birds, bunnies, squirrels, chipmunks, an occasional raccoon and snake, even a bear. I have seen foxes and deer around town, but so far not in our yard.

Suppers are casual and relaxed and we often dine by fireflies.

Our next door neighbor gave me a bowl full of cherry tomatoes which inspired a BLT salad. I roasted the tomatoes and also made croutons with some leftover chiabatta bread. I cooked the bacon until crisp, thinly sliced some red onion, chopped an avocado, and served it all atop a bed of freshly washed and dried, crisp lettuce, and topped it with homemade blue cheese dressing.

BLT Salad
Freshly washed and dried lettuce
Thinly sliced red onion
Crisp bacon
Diced avocado
Roasted cherry tomatoes
Croutons
Homemade blue cheese dressing (Recipe)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place cherry tomatoes on a rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss lightly and spread into a single layer. Roast for 15 - 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft.

Cube day old French bread or ciabatta into bite sized pieces. Place on a rimmed sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss lightly and spread into a single layer. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

Arrange the onions, bacon, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and croutons on top of a bed of crisp lettuce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with blue cheese dressing.

Freekeh Tabouli

NOT TOO LONG AGO, I WAS SHOPPING at a lovely locally owned natural foods store. I had a list but I was also browsing, for inspiration and ideas, at some of the other beautiful and well selected foods offered.

I love shopping in small specialty food stores. The prices are often very good and the service is usually excellent. Not to mention they sell food. Only food. I am so weary of giant stores. If I have a small list of fresh produce, brown rice, olive oil, yogurt, and feta cheese, I really don't want to wade through lawn chairs, market umbrellas, stack after stack of soft drinks, a pharmacy, stinky scented candles that make me sneeze.

I shop for food almost everyday. That way, my food is always fresh and I don't waste. I typically shop for household supplies--dish soap, laundry detergent, bathroom tissue, etc. monthly. So I don't appreciate my food having to share space with all that merchandise.

I know the concept--everything you need in one "convenient" location. Between the huge store, the huge parking lot, the long lines at checkout, it takes seemingly forever to shop at those places.

Back to the lovely food store. . .

A small bag of freekeh, roasted, cracked green wheat, caught my attention and into the shopping basket it went. I had no idea what I would use it for, but I love designing recipes around newly discovered and healthful ingredients.

Several weeks later, I was staring out my kitchen window while washing dishes. I was admiring the beautiful stand of parsley growing in the border garden and thought to myself that tabouli would be a delicious way to enjoy it. I remember the freekah in the pantry and, click, this recipe came together.

Normally I make tabouli with bulghur which is traditional. The taste of this tabouli was not that different but the grain, freekah, had a different and pleasant, slightly chewy texture. It was so, so, very refreshing on the hot day I made it, and we both loved it very much.

Freekeh Tabouli
1 cup freekeh (roasted green wheat)
2 1/2 cups water
2 bunches parsley (about 6 - 8 cups)
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, sliced (about 1 cup)
2 - 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
1 - 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded. and diced
1/4 - 1/2 cup olive
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Place freekeh and water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer about 25 - 30 minutes, until water is absorbed and freekeh is tender. Let cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, wash and chop the parsley and mint,  slice the scallions, dice the cucumbers and tomatoes, and squeeze the lemons.

Add the cooled freekeh to a large salad bowl. Stir in the parsley, scallions, mint, cucumber, tomatoes, olive oil, and lemon juice. Let sit for 30 minutes or more, then stir, taste, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Two Potato Salads

BOTH IMAGES ARE FROM MY PHOTO ARCHIVES. I have been in a Blog Fog lately.

I have been cooking and we have been eating, of course. I just haven't been inspired to photograph or post. Otherwise, I am loving life and trying to live in the moment. I have enjoyed many beautiful experiences in the past several weeks.

I have mentioned before that we live in a gorgeous small city in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Tourism has always been a vital part of the city's economy.

Saturday, we went to the theatre to see a ballet--A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was a wonderful and impressive performance. Afterwards, we walked through the busiest part of the city to a fun and funky restaurant for dinner.

Along the way, we passed through crowds of tourists (they can always be spotted), hippies, freaks, musicians, artists, panhandlers, vendors, dogs (some dirty and skinny and some pampered and riding in a baby stroller), jugglers and every manner of busker, chic hipsters, sophisticates, you name it. I loved it!

Before I utter these next words I want to acknowledge that I am fully aware I'm of a different generation. Although I love technology as much as the next person and I am  thankful for cell phones, they don't rule my life. I was so amazed by the people walking around in a beautiful and vibrant city, so many great restaurants, aromas, entertainment everywhere, brilliant architecture, art galleries galore, fascinating shops and boutiques, not to mention the glorious mountains, with their heads down and fiddling with their phones. One woman even rammed right into me because she wasn't watching where she was going.

If you want to live a virtual life, can't you do that from home?

Meanwhile, here are a couple of delicious potato salad recipes for you..

Warm German Potato Salad
4 medium red potatoes (1 1/2 lb.)
4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Wash and scrub potatoes; place into a saucepan and barely cover with water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and cook until fork tender, Drain and let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut potatoes into 1/4 inch slices.

Cook bacon, in a large skillet, over medium heat until crisp. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.

Cook onion in bacon fat until tender. Stir in flour, honey, celery seed and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly. Stir in water and vinegar. Heat to boiling and stir 1 minute.

Stir in potatoes and bacon. Heat over medium heat, stirring gently to coat potato slices, until hot and bubbly.

Serve warm.

American Potato Salad
2 lb. russet potatoes
Salt
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 Tbsp. sweet onions, diced
3 Tbsp. pickle relish
1/2 cup mayonanaise
1 tsp, mustard powder
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/4 cup fresh, chopped parsley
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Wash and scrub potatoes. Place into a pan and barely cover with water. Bring to a boil and add 1 Tbsp. salt. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are fork tender. Drain.

As soon as potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and cube. Placce into a salad bowl; sprinkle with the vinegar and toss lightly.

In a small mixing bowl, combine celery, onions, pickle relish mayo, mustard powder, celery seed, parsley, and eggs. Stir well then pour over the potatoes. Gently fold dressing into potatoes.

Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1 hour.

Baby Kale and Black-Eyed Peas Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

EARLIER TODAY, WE HAD A POWER OUTAGE. I have no idea why--the weather is beautiful and perfect.

I thought of the day when Alice was pregnant and needed to have a 3-hour glucose tolerance test. I went along with her to keep her company (and calm; she hates needles) while the time passed. While we were there, the medical office had a power outage. One worker said to another, "Someone must'a hit a pole".  We couldn't stop giggling! And to this day every time we loose electricity, that's what we say. It is what I thought this morning.

Meanwhile, I was working on this post and now I'm back at it. I got this lovely recipe from my Mother. She had enjoyed it at a ladies luncheon and I'm pretty sure the recipe came from Southern Living Magazine.

Baby Kale and Black-Eyed Peas Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette
10 slices thick smoked bacon
1 (16 oz.) package frozen black-eyed peas
3 cups water or broth
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 spring thyme
1 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1 cup thinly sliced sweet yellow onion
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
5 oz. baby kale
8 oz. mini sweet peppers, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place bacon in a single layer on a wire rack in a rimmed baking pan. Bake 20 minutes or until crisp,. Reserve 3 Tbsp. plus tsp. drippings.

Stir together peas, water or broth, black pepper, garlic, thyme, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 2 tsp. bacon drippings in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes or until peas are tender. Drain peas and discard thyme and garlic.

Saute onion in remaining 3 Tbsp. hot drippings in a large skillet over medium heat 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, and 1 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds or until smooth and slightly thickened. Gradually add oil, stirring constantly. Stir in peas. and cook until thoroughly heated.

Toss together the parsley and kale in a large bowl. Top with peppers and warm peas mixture. Sprinkle with chopped bacon and parsley. Serve immediately.

Tuna Salad with Cucumber, Cranberries, and Pecans

THE GOOD THING ABOUT LIVING in a tourist town is that we get to live like we are on vacation all the time. The down side is there are entirely too many people in our town. From now until the end of October, we will have trouble finding a place to park in order to dine at our favorite restaurants. We will have to be extra vigilant when driving through town because the tourists, as they gaze around at the beauty and magnificence are apt to blissfully wander into the road.

Today it has rained all day. It is very chilly and foggy. I have a pot of beans simmering and cupcakes baking. As I work in my kitchen, I love staring out the window. The trees are verdant, the mountains are shrouded in mist, and the dogwood blossoms are practically glowing.

Yesterday it was dry and quite warm and I prepared salad for supper.

Ahh, my beautiful life in the mountains. . .

Tuna Salad with Cucumber, Cranberries, and Pecans
(adapted from The Daily Meal)
2 cans (or 10 ounces) tuna
1/2 cup diced cucumber
2 scallions, sliced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup pecans, roasted and chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Serve as a sandwich spread or on lettuce, garnishing as desired.

Muffuletta Sandwich for a Fall Picnic

THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY is scenic highway which runs from the boundary between The Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Cherokee Indian Reservation in North Carolina to The Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.

The Parkway is a product of the New Deal's efforts to provide jobs to the unemployed during the Great Depression of the 1930's. Construction began in September, 1935, took 52 years to complete, and runs for 469 miles.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is my favorite part of living where we do. While driving the parkway, you encounter 26 mostly hand dug tunnels which were designed to reduce excessive landscape scarring. They are so beautiful! You will encounter old farmsteads, an old grist mill, hiking trails, waterfalls, scenic overlooks to park and take in the beauty. You might see a bear, fox, coyote, skunk or another animal. What you will not see are power lines, traffic lights, billboards, or any other sign of commercialism. It is a two-lane highway and the speed limit is never more than 45 mph.

Lucky for us, there is an entrance to the Parkway just about 5 miles from our home. We have taken a few drives in the past couple of weeks to enjoy the glorious fall colors. This has been an especially brilliant fall.

I am not equipped to photograph the sweeping and breath-takingly beautiful mountain vistas, but I recently packed a picnic and shot some photos around a picnic area where we lunched. It was a glorious day. The skies were brilliant blue with fluffy white clouds floating about. The air was crisp but quite warm in the sun.

I made Muffuletta sandwiches because they are delicious and travel well.

Muffuletta Sandwich
1 round loaf Italian bread
1/4 pound each thinly sliced:
   Genoa salami
   Cooked ham
   Mortadella
   Mozzarella cheese
   Provolone cheese
Olive Salad:
   1 jar Giadeniera, chopped
   1 1/2 cups pimiento stuffed olives, chopped
   3 - 4 cloves garlic, crushed
   1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
   1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
   Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
   1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil

Combine the olive salad ingredients and stir well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Stir well again before applying to the sandwich.

Cut the bread in half around the horizon. Tear away some of the fluffy interior to hollow out the bread a bit. (Save to use for bread crumbs later).

Generously spread olive salad on each half of the sandwich. Layer the meats and cheese. Close the sandwich and press down. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until later or serve right away, cut into wedges.

Leftover sandwich wedges and leftover olive salad keep well.

Composed Salads, Grain Bowls, and Organizing Photo Files

IF YOU LOVE COOKING AND YOU LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY (a match made in heaven) you will most likely end up with a backlog of photo files to sort through.

My files had gotten so big, they were bogging down my computer. It was time to stop procrastinating and get to work. I have deleted hundreds on photos and transferred others to an external drive.

I do photograph many things other than food and this process has taken me down a memory lane of the past couple of years. There are so many cute pictures of the children--they grow and change so fast. There were pictures of my head, bald from chemo, to growing out, to my first haircut last week. There are many photos of beautiful flowers, birds, bunnies, butterflies, and bugs from our yard. Scenic photos from the gorgeous, vibrant, and hip place I am blessed to live--Asheville, North Carolina.

Mandarin Chicken Salad

As I culled photographs, I decided to share some of the things I have made, we ate, but never made it to my blog. Mainly because I wasn't pleased with the photos. But also because I wasn't thrilled with the taste of the food. I only blog about things I think are delicious.

For example, the Mandarin Chicken Salad. Ho-hum.

Shrimp, Brown Rice, and Vegetable Salad

I can see the salad has a dressing but I don't remember what it was. Which is another danger of letting my photo files back up. I can't remember what I did.






































I remember loving the brown rice and tofu bowl--I would happily eat it right now. I suppose I could fake some recipes. . .

Many things I love, tuna, cheese, boiled eggs, radishes, cornichons, sprouts (!) with baby lettuces.

Waldorf Quinoa Salad

I was really happy with this meal, but I didn't get any photos I loved. Quinoa, grapes, celery, apples, lettuce, candied pecans, and crumbled blue cheese. (Some kind of dressing). Mmmm, I think I'll try this again.

I was also happy about this meal, but again did not get shots of it that I loved. It was an awesome combination of flavors, quinoa, black beans, roasted Japanese sweet potatoes, pineapple, cheddar cheese, and spinach. I dressed this one with a Honey Lime Vinaigrette.

Honey Lime Vinaigrette
1 small sweet onion, preferably Vidalia, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 large tomato, washed and peeled
1 lime, washed, roughly chopped and seeded
2 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil

Put all ingredients into blender and process until smooth.