Kalyn Denny's blog

Weekend Menu Planning: Make Some Red, White and Blue Food for the Fourth of July

2009-07-02T12:41:39-05:00

It's a big holiday weekend in the U.S. and everywhere you look you see red, white, and blue, even in the kitchen. If you're planning a holiday party or family dinner, why not put some red, white, and blue food on the menu?

Since it's a holiday, I'm starting with desserts, but if you'd like some other options for Fourth of July Food, check the list after the photos!

Photo of Red, White, and Yum Berries and Cream with Cinnamon
from Joyful Abode.
Joyful Abode calls this easy holiday dessert, Red, White, and Yum Berries and Cream with Cinnamon, and this has to be one of the easiest holiday desserts you could find.

Photo of Blueberry and Strawberry Buttermilk Cake
from Pinch My Salt.
Blueberries and Strawberries are definitely the winning combination for Fourth of July desserts, and the Blueberry and Strawberry Buttermilk Cake from Pinch My Salt is a creative new take on how to combine them. There are great step-by-step photos here to entice you to make the cake.

Photo of Patriotic Pie
from Dianne's Dishes.
Another dessert combining strawberries and blueberries is the Patriotic Pie from Dianne's Dishes. You can make this with a purchased pie crust if you have a busy schedule for the holiday weekend.

Photo of Red, White, and Blue Dessert
from Just Hungry.
More red strawberries and blueberries, and if you have time to make it, this Red, White, and Blue Dessert from Just Hungry will really wow your guests. I love the star-shaped cookies on top, something Maki says can be made in advance.

Photo of Fourth of July Cupcake Flag
from Baking Bites.
Finally, if you have enough guests or kids, you might have fun making a Fourth of July Cupcake Flag, like the one above from Baking Bites. This strikes me as a project where kids could help with the icing of cupcakes and assembling the flag, and cupcakes are always a hit!

More Fourth of July Food:
~Potato Salad for the Fourth of July from BlogHer
~Assert Your Independence Day Menu with a New Take on Coleslaw from BlogHer
~Rachel Ray Fourth of July Menus from Everything Rachel Ray
~Red, White, and Blue Cupcakes from Cupcakes Take the Cake
~Red, White, and Blue Desserts for July 4th from Baking Bites
~Red, White, and Blue Dessert Recipes Edible Antics
~Red, White, and Blue Finger Jello from Recipe Girl
~Red, White, and Blue Potato Salad from Recipe Girl
~Red, White, and Blue Tie-Dye Cookies from Phe.MOM.enon
~Red, White, and Blue Recipes from Hugging the Coast

(Every Thursday on BlogHer, we spotlight five recipes with a common theme for a feature called Weekend Menu Planning, hoping one of them might make it onto the menu at your house. You can find previous recipes shared by clicking the tag Weekend Menu Planning.)

What's going to be on your menu for this year's holiday celebrating? If you have good ideas for Fourth of July themed food, please share in the comments!

Kalyn Denny also blogs at Kalyn's Kitchen, where she's focused on low-glycemic recipes using fresh ingredients. Kalyn always grills on July 4th, and she's posted her favorite Grilling Ideas for the Fourth of July 2007, and Grilling Ideas for the Fourth of July 2008.

How to Make Fried Rice at Home

2009-06-28T12:17:51-05:00

If you like rice, you probably like fried rice, the side-dish standby of Chinese American restaurants, and a great way to use up leftovers if you make it at home. Variations of fried rice are are found in many countries, but certain steps in the recipe are universal. Learn the basics of making fried rice, and you can create endless variations by using whatever ingredients you'd like. I'm certainly not a fried rice expert like some of the Asian bloggers whose recipes I'm featuring in this post, but here are a few things I've learned from making it many times.

Always Start with Cold Cooked Rice
You can find recipes for fried rice all over the internet, as well as in cookbooks from many cuisines, but be suspicious of a recipe that doesn't specify to start with cold rice. If the rice isn't cold, the rice grains will stick together and you'll get clumpy fried rice. By the way, this requirement to start with cold rice is one reason many people make fried rice with leftover rice from Chinese take-out, but you can use any type of cold brown or white rice.

Preheat the Pan
By all means, use a wok to make your fried rice if you have one. If you don't have a wok, use the biggest and heaviest frying pan you have, and preheat the pan so it's very hot when you add the oil. This will help keep the temperature of the pan constant when you add various ingredients.

Choose a Neutral Flavored Oil
I like to use peanut oil for stir-frying, but any type of mild, neutral flavored vegetable oil or canola oil will work for fried rice. Don't use olive oil or other strong-flavored oils. For stir-fry cooking, I like to "season the oil" by frying a few pieces of garlic or ginger for about 30 seconds, and then removing them from the wok, a trick I learned when I took Chinese cooking classes many years ago.

Cook with High Heat
For all types of stir-fry cooking, the food should be cooked quickly using high heat.

Cook Raw Ingredients Separately
If you're using raw meat, seafood, eggs, or vegetables, stir-fry each one quickly until it's not-quite fully cooked and remove from the pan; then combine the ingredients at the end with the cooked rice, before adding flavorings such as soy sauce.

Don't Over-Stir
When she writes about fried rice at Simply Recipes, Jaden from Steamy Kitchen shares the advice from her mom that the rice will not get enough "wok time" if you stir too much during the cooking process. Let the rice cook for a minute or two on one side before you turn it over.

Add Flavorings at the End
I was quite surprised when I went to China that most of the fried rice I ate didn't seem to have soy sauce added, but if you're adding flavorings like soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, or sesame oil, these things should be added toward the end of the cooking process

Photo of Chinese Fried Rice
from Rasa Malaysia
Fried rice is inexpensive, easy to adapt to any diet, and quick to make. Whether you're ready to try making fried rice for the first time, or have made it many times at home, here are some recipes that might inspire you.

Fried Rice with Vegetables
~How to Make Vegetable Fried Rice (video) from Show Me the Curry
~Vegetable Fried Rice from Appetite for China
~Onion Fried Rice with Peas from Frugal Cuisine
~Pea and Egg Fried Rice from Greedy Gourmet
~Brown Rice Vegetable Fried Rice from The Perfect Pantry
~Basil Fried Rice from Nook and Pantry

Photo of Shrimp Fried Rice
from Jaden at Simply Recipes
Fried Rice with Seafood
~Shrimp Fried Rice from Jaden at Simply Recipes
~Salmon Fried Rice from Christine's Recipes
~Prawn Fried Rice with Cardamom from The Perfect Pantry
~Thai Pineapple Fried Rice from Closet Cooking
~Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice) from The Perfect Pantry

Fried Rice with Tofu or Tempeh
~Fried Rice with Glazed Tofu from One Hot Stove
~Natto or Tempeh Fried Rice from Just Bento
~Fried Rice with Scallions, Edamame, and Tofu from Eat Me, Delicious
~Fried Rice with Peas and Tofu from Culinary in the Country

Photo of Fried Rice with Chinese Sausage and Vegetables
from Nook and Pantry
Fried Rice with Meat or Poultry
~Chinese Fried Rice from Rasa Malaysia
~Fried Rice with Chinese Sausage and Vegetables from Nook and Pantry
~House Fried Rice from Andrea's Recipes
~Fried Rice Yang Chow Style from Wandering Chopsticks

Gluten-Free Fried Rice (use wheat-free Tamari)
~Gluten-Free Fried Brown Rice from Gluten-Free Cooking School
~Vegetarian Gluten-Free Soy-Free Chinese Fried Rice from Book of Yum
~Gluten-Free Shrimp Fried Rice from Karina's Kitchen

Have you made fried rice? If you have tips or a good recipe to share, please chime in with a comment!

Kalyn Denny also blogs at Kalyn's Kitchen, with a focus on low-glycemic recipes using fresh ingredients.

Weekend Menu Planning: Why Not Try Making Granola?

2009-06-25T16:56:28-05:00

Granola is such a common food to grab on the cereal aisle at the grocery store, many people probably haven't ever thought of making it at home. There are good reasons to try it though. Not only is homemade granola much cheaper than store-bought varieties, but when you make your own, you can control what goes in and make sure the granola you're eating doesn't have extra sugar, trans-fats, or high-fructose-corn-syrup.

Plus making granola is easy. Start with rolled oats (oatmeal) and then add things like nuts, raisins, dried fruits, coconut, and some kind of sweetener like honey, brown sugar, or agave nectar. There's usually a bit of oil, and sometimes some added ingredients to bump up the nutrition. Everything is combined, and then the granola is baked to crisp and brown it. You need to stir a few times while it's baking, and watch so it doesn't get too brown, but otherwise it's pretty much a no-brainer.

I think making granola with kids could be a lot of fun, and it might be a good way to get them to choose something more nutritious for a breakfast cereal. Here are some granola ideas from food bloggers to get you started.

Photo of Homemade Granola
from Half-Assed Kitchen.

Half-Assed Kitchen has a version of Homemade Granola that sounds about right to me. I especially like the idea of using flax seeds in granola, which is one of the optional ingredients in this recipe.

Photo of Homemade Granola
from Nami Nami.
Another idea I found interesting was the addition of malt extract to Homemade Granola, which Pille from Nami Nami got from the Moosewood granola recipe. She also added a mixture of dried cranberries, raisins, and dried apricots to make this version extra good.

Photo of Cherry Berry Granola
from Eat Real.
Sandy at Eat Real asked for suggestions on Twitter, and then combined ideas she got to come up with Cherry Berry Granola. This recipe has a lot of good suggestions for variations if you're a cook who likes to experiment.

Photo of Chloe's Pecan Cranberry Granola
from Inn Cuisine.
I'm a huge fan of pecans, so the Chloe's Pecan Cranberry Granola from a guest blogger on Inn Cuisine sounded like a version of granola I'd really like to make. This is another granola that has flax seeds, one more thing I like about it.

Photo of Coconut Almond Granola
from Baking Bites.
Finally, the Coconut Almond Granola from Baking Bites adds puffed rice cereal, which I'm guessing would really be a hit when you're making granola with kids. This version also has some applesauce in the granola, an ingredient that sounds like it would deliver a lot of flavor.

More Granola:
~Rolling in the Granola at BlogHer
~A Granola Recipe from My Mom's Hippie Youth from Marisa at Slashfood
~Gluten-Free and Grain-Free "Live" Granola from Elana's Pantry
~Banana-Strawberry Granola from Michael Ruhlman
~My Granola from An Obsession with Food and Wine

Have you ever made granola? If you have a granola recipe we might like to try, please share the recipe or your link in the comments.

(Every Thursday night on BlogHer, we spotlight five recipes with a common theme for a feature called Weekend Menu Planning, hoping one of them might make it onto the menu at your house. You can find previous recipes shared by clicking the tag Weekend Menu Planning.)

Kalyn Denny writes about her passion for low-glycemic cooking at Kalyn's Kitchen where she makes lots of Peanut Butter Oatmeal, but so far has only thought about making granola.

Weekend Menu Planning: Grill Something on a Stick for Dad this Father's Day

2009-06-18T17:13:10-05:00

This weekend is Father's Day in the U.S., and lots of families will be cooking on the grill in honor of dad. Maybe your family already has a dad-tested grilling specialty that's mandatory for holidays like this, but if your dad likes to try new things, here are five delicious variations on grilled kabobs that could be perfect for your Father's Day menu.

Photo of Lemongrass Beef
from Adaptations
I drooled over the photo, and Madeline from Adaptations says this Lemongrass Beef was so good she made it two nights in a row! Lots of dads love beef, and this recipes uses a very inexpensive cut that's marinated overnight, so it's a budget-friendly recipe too.

Photo of Grilled Shrimp and Scallop Kabobs
from This Mama Cooks.

If you have a dad who likes seafood, Grilled Shrimp and Scallop Kabobs from This Mama Cooks would probably be a hit. Not only that, this dish is diet-friendly for any dads who are watching their waistline.

Photo of Teriyaki Salmon, Shrimp, and Vegetable Kabobs
From The Cookmobile
Another seafood option is the mouthwatering Teriyaki Salmon, Shrimp, and Vegetable Kabobs I found at The Cookmobile. The fish in this dish is marinated for only a few minutes and then very lightly basted with teriyaki to let the flavor of the seafood shine through.

Photo of Tamarind Seitan Kabobs
from Vegan Yum Yum
If you're cooking for a dad who's a vegetarian or vegan, the Tamarind Seitan Kabobs from Vegan Yum Yum would be a perfect option. These look so delicious, I'm guessing they'd be a hit with anyone who tasted them.

Photo of Chicken Shish Kabob
from The Perfect Pantry.
Finally, don't overlook the idea of doing something new with chicken for dad's special day, like the Chicken Shish Kabob from The Perfect Pantry, seasoned with a special Syrian spice mix. Lydia guides you to the recipe for the spice mix, as well as a wonderful sounding tahini sauce to serve with the kabobs.

What's on the manu for Father's Day at your house? If you have a father-friendly recipe to share, please leave the link or your recipe in the comments.

Kalyn Denny shares her passion for low-glycemic cooking at Kalyn's Kitchen, and again this year she's making her dad's favorite Shrimp Salad for the Denny family Father's Day party.

Make a BLT from Scratch: Are You Up to the Challenge?

2009-06-14T13:15:07-05:00

From cookbook author, blogger, and reportedly all-around nice guy Michael Ruhlman comes the ultimate summer challenge for serious cooks: make a BLT sandwich from scratch. Now if you're thinking to yourself, no big deal, I make BLT sandwiches all the time, read on to see why this challenge is for truly serious cooks.

The idea for thie challenge started when Michael wrote about Home Cured Pancetta, and a commenter started talking about being obsessed with making a BLT from scratch. When he announced the challenge, Michael clarified that

"From scratch means: You grow your tomato, you grow your lettuce, you cure your own bacon or pancetta, you bake your own bread (wild yeast preferred and gets higher marks but is not required), you make your own mayo. All other embellishments, creative interpretations of the BLT welcome."

Later he added to the post to say that vegetarian or vegan interpretations of a BLT from scratch are welcome, and they might even get their own category if there are enough entries. You can get more details about specific rules and deadlines from Michael's post on BLT From Scratch - Summertime Challenge, but here are some bloggers who can help you with the individual ingredients.

Photo of Not From Scratch Bacon and Tomato Sandwich
from Kalyn's Kitchen.
Make Your Own Bacon:
~Adventures in Homemade Bacon from The Paupered Chef
~How to Cure Your Own Bacon from Caroline at Serious Eats
~Have You Ever Made Your Own Bacon from The Kitchn
~Homemade Bacon from Menu in Progress

Make Your Own Sandwich Bread:
~Sandwich Loaf Bread Recipes from A Year in Bread
~Honey Wheat Whole Grain Sandwich Bread from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
~Gluten-Free Multi-Grain Sandwich Bread from Karina's Kitchen
~Buttermilk Sandwich Bread from Cookography
~Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread from Elana's Pantry
~Oatnut Sandwich Bread from Baking Bites

Grow Your Own Tomatoes:
~Growing Tomatoes and How Many Plants Do You Need from In My Kitchen Garden
~Growing Tomatoes in the Greenhouse from The Cottage Smallholder
~It's Time to Start Thinking About Heirloom Tomatoes from Blogher
~Gardening 101: Planting Tomatoes from Blogher

Make Your Own Mayo:
~Mayonnaise: Because I Can't Help Myself from Ruhlman.com
~Homemade Mayonnaise without Tears from Just Hungry
~How to Make Mayonnaise from Cooking Up a Storm
~Homemade Mayonnaise and Egg Salad from The Perfect Pantry
~Homemade Mayonnaise from The Nourishing Gourmet

Hopefully those links will help BlogHer readers who are up for this challenge. However, if you're not quite ready to invest the time for making an entire BLT from scratch, but you've made or bookmarked a good recipe for making bacon, sandwich bread, or mayonnaise, or have tips to share about growing tomatoes, please leave those links in the comments.

Kalyn Denny also writes about food at Kalyn's Kitchen. Kalyn freely confesses she's probably not up to the BLT from scratch challenge since she has never made bacon or mayonnaise and has barely learned to make 100% Whole Wheat Bread in the bread machine, but she does know a thing or two about growing tomatoes.

Weekend Menu Planning: Is it Cherry Season Yet Where You Live?

2009-06-11T21:51:20-05:00

Cherries are one of those magical tasting fruits that define summer. I still remember eating them by the handfuls as a kid, with mother warning us not to eat too many. In North America cherry season usually starts sometime in June, so keep your eyes out for those beautiful cherries at the farmers market or grocery store. When you find some here are a few ideas for dishes with cherries, that is if you can keep them around long enough to try a recipe!

Photo of Fresh Cherry Crisp
from My Baking Addiction.

Jamie from My Baking Addiciton confesses that she buys fresh cherries and sometimes eats them in the car on the way home from the store, spitting the seeds out the window! My mother would never have approved of that, but she would have loved the Fresh Cherry Crisp Jamie made with the few cherries that made it home with her. I especially like the way Jamie made individual cherry crisps with this recipe.

Photo of Cherry Clafouti
from Simply Recipes.
Elise from Simply Recipes is lucky enough to have a neighbor with a cherry tree and her friend Garrett from Vanilla Garlic used some of those freshly-picked cherries to make this gorgeous Cherry Clafouti. If you're not familiar with clafoutis (pronounced cla-foo-tee) Garrett says they have "just the right texture between custard and cake."

Photo of Mesclun, Cherry, and Goat Cheese Salad
from Food Blogga.
Cherries go well with savory foods, and this Mesclun, Cherry, and Goat Cheese Salad from Food Blogga is a lovely reminder of another way to use them. Susan's post also has a lot of interesting related information about cherries.

Photo of Gluten-Free Cherry Crisp
from Gluten Free Mommy.
Natalie at Gluten Free Mommy says this recipe signals the end of her maternity leave. (What, you didn't know that bloggers get maternity leave?) Besides a recipe for delicious-sounding Gluten-Free Cherry Crisp, there is also another sweet photo in the post that you won't want to miss.

Photo of Cherry Cornmeal Cobbler
from Baking Bites,
Finally, a classic cherry dessert with a slightly different twist is this Cherry Cornmeal Cobbler from Baking Bites. Nicole says you can make this with canned, fresh, or frozen cherries, so if it's not quite cherry season where you are, this may be the one to try.

Have fresh cherries come into season yet where you live, and if so, what have you been making with them? If you have good ideas for enjoying cherries, please share your favorite cherry recipe or a link to the recipe post in the comments.

Kalyn Denny shares her passion for low-glycemic cooking at Kalyn's Kitchen.

The Sauces of Summer: Greek Tzatziki Sauce

2009-06-07T20:36:29-05:00

Next up in my series of posts on The Sauces of Summer is a sauce that you've probably had if you've gone to a Greek restaurant and ordered a Gyro or the Greek-style kabob called Souvlaki. Tzatziki is a yogurt and cucumber based sauce with herbs that's almost always served with both those dishes, and it's also served as a Meze or appetizer in Greece. Some Greek-American restaurants call this simply "white sauce" but whatever you call it, lots of people love Tzatziki sauce.

I learned to make Tzatziki sauce from my Greek friend Georgette. Different Greek cooks make Tzatziki sauce in slightly different ways, but traditional Tzatziki sauce usually has Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cucumbers, and dill. Some recipes substitute mint for dill, and there are a few variations that use both herbs. Of course Greek restaurants make Tzatziki year-round with dried herbs, but it really becomes something special in the summer when you can make it with fresh dill or mint.

Most Tzatziki recipes start with finely chopping or grating and then salting the cucumbers to draw the water out. After the cucumber sits with the salt on it, the cucumber mixture is pressed or squeezed to remove the water, and this also rinses away most of the salt. Don't skip this step or your sauce will be too watery. If you don't live in a city, you may have a hard time finding the Greek yogurt that's used in this sauce, but if you can't find Greek yogurt you can strain regular plain yogurt for a few hours to get some thing that's similar (coffee filters are great for this.)

Besides its traditional use with Greek dishes, Tzatziki is also great on salmon or other grilled meats. Here are some recipes for making Tzatziki and also many creative suggestions from food bloggers for ways to use it.

Photo of Tzatziki Sauce from Pinch My Salt.
Tzatziki Sauce Recipes and Tzatziki Variations:
~Talkin' About Tzatziki from Pinch My Salt (pictured above)
~Tzatziki Recipe from Cooking by the Seat of My Pants
~Tzatziki with Parsley from The Perfect Pantry
~Tzatziki Sauce (with strained yogurt) from Recipe Girl
~Avocado Tzatziki from More Than Burnt Toast
~Tzatziki (with a splash of Ouzo) from Kalofagas
~Avocado Tzatziki from Anne's Food

Photo of Greek Meatballs in Pita with Tzatziki Sauce from Closet Cooking,
Tzatziki Sauce with Meat:
~Greek Meatballs in Pita with Tzatziki Sauce from Closet Cooking (pictured above)
~Souvlakia with Tzatziki Sauce from More Than Burnt Toast
~Greek Steak Pita with Tzatziki Sauce from For the Love of Cooking
~Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce from The Barefoot Kitchen Wench
~Gyros with Roasted Veggies and Tzatziki from Love and Olive Oil
~Greek Burgers with Tzatziki from Seriously Good

Photo of Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki from Cafe Johnsonia.
Tzatziki Sauce with Chicken or Fish:
~Chicken Gyros from Cafe Johnsonia (pictured above)
~Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce from Sugar Rush
~Falafel Crab Cakes from Lucy at Serious Eats
~Chicken Curry Burgers from Vanilla Sugar
~Tzatziki Chicken Salad from Poor Girl Eats Well
~Salmon with Cucumber-Dill Sauce from Fresh Approach Cooking

Photo of Falafel and Homemade Tzatziki from Vintage Mixer.
Tzatziki Sauce with Beans or Vegetables
~Falafel and Homemade Tzatziki from Vintage Mixer (pictured above)
~Zucchini Fritters (Kolokithokeftedes) from Kalofagas
~Greek Style Zucchini Fritters with Tzatziki from Closet Cooking
~Greek Style Tzatziki Pizza from What's Gaby Cooking

If you have more interesting recipe variations or ideas for using Tzatziki Sauce, we'd love to hear about them in the comments!

(This is the second in a series of posts on herb-based sauces. You can find previous recipes shared by clicking the tag The Sauces of Summer.)

Kalyn Denny writes about low-glycemic cooking at Kalyn's Kitchen, where Georgette's recipe for World's Greatest Tzatziki Sauce is not only one of the most popular posts, there's even been a poem written about the Tzatziki recipe!

Weekend Menu Planning: It's Time to Make Ice Cream!

2009-06-04T21:12:20-05:00

The school year has ended or is ending soon all over the U.S., and for many families making ice cream goes hand-in-hand with the arrival of summer. Making ice cream with your kids is one sure way to get them to eat your cooking, and there aren't many adults who'd turn down homemade ice cream either. Every year at this time I'm amazed at the creative ice cream recipes that start showing up from food bloggers, so here are a few new ideas for Ice Cream Summer 2009.

Photo of Em's Favorite Lemon Ice Cream
from The Repressed Pastry Chef
I think lemon is one of the best flavors any time of year, and Em's Favorite Lemon Ice Cream from The Repressed Pastry Chef sounds fantastic. Most kids like lemonade, so I bet they'd like this ice cream too.

Photo of Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
from Dianne's Dishes.
Dianne from Dianne's Dishes takes advantage of the fresh strawberry season to make some Strawberry Frozen Yogurt in her ice cream maker. I'm guessing this would be a hit with the kids, who probably wouldn't realize it's lighter than regular ice cream.

Photo of Strawberry-Rhubarb Ice Cream with Agave
from Mrs. W's Kitchen
Another ice cream with kid-friendly strawberries, but this Strawberry-Rhubarb Ice Cream with Agave from Mrs. W's Kitchen may be a more healthful choice for adults who want to avoid sugar.

Photo of Orange Ice Cream with Dates
from Vanilla Garlic.
At Vanilla Garlic Garrett makes Orange Ice Cream with Dates, which sounds to me like it would appeal to both kids and adults. I'm intrigued by the idea of dates in ice cream, and I bet it's a great addition.

Photo of Pichet Ong's Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream
from Fresh From the Oven
Finally, kids can't have all the ice cream, so Pichet Ong's Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream from Fresh From the Oven is an adult ice cream variation that I bet would get rave reviews at any dinner party.

More Ice Cream Flavors from Food Bloggers
~Summer Means Ice Cream (more unusual ice cream flavors from last summer at BlogHer)
~Maple Pecan Ice Cream from Chocolate and Zucchini
~99% Fat Free Strawberry Vegan Ice Cream from The Happy Herbivore
~Brown Butter Ice Cream from The Traveler's Lunchbox
~Double Thin Mint Ice Cream from Erin Cooks
~Avocado Ice Cream from Baking Bites

Have you made any ice cream yet this summer? If you have a great ice cream recipe to share, please leave the recipe or a link in the comments. If you haven't made ice cream yet, it would be fun to hear which of these ice cream variations really catches your eye.

Kalyn Denny shares her passion for low-glycemic cooking at Kalyn's Kitchen where she's never made ice cream (yet!) but loves to eat Greek Yogurt with Agave Nectar and Pecans in the summer.

It's Not Too Late to Plant Some Herbs!

2009-05-31T21:12:11-05:00

I've been Cooking with Fresh Herbs for about 20 years now, and last year on BlogHer I wrote a series of posts with growing tips and recipe ideas for twelve different herbs. I hadn't thought of writing about herbs again this year until someone told me on Twitter that I should write a post about starting an herb garden for people who want to try growing herbs for the first time. Truly, most herbs are so easy to grow that everyone should be doing it, so if you've never grown your own herbs, or haven't planted any yet this year, this post is my reminder for you to plant some herbs while there is still time.

Many herbs can be easily grown from seed, but if you're a first-time gardener I'd recommend a trip to the garden center where you can find a large variety of herb seedlings that are ready to put in the ground. Before you buy those herb plants though, here are a few tips to consider.

Photo of Tarragon from Kalyn's Kitchen,
Tip #1 for Growing Herbs: Location, Location, Location
Most herbs and vegetables prefer a location that gets sun for the major part of the day, so think about that when deciding where to plant your herbs. In my experience basil, rosemary, parsley, oregano, sage, and thyme prefer sun, while mint, dill, cilantro, chives, and tarragon will tolerate some shade. You may find different opionions about herbs that will grow in the shade because it partly depends on the climate in your area.

Tip #2 for Growing Herbs: Start with Good Soil
Plants grow best in soil that's naturally rich from decomposed plant matter mixed with the soil. Most herbs don't need much added fertilizer if you start with good soil. Farmers use manure or composted plants to add richness to the soil, but if you're a city dweller, any garden center will sell products designed to mix into the soil. (This is the most labor intensive part of planting a garden if you're doing it by hand, but well worth the effort.)

Photo of Mint from Kalyn's Kitchen.
Tip #3 for Growing Herbs: Plants Need Water to Survive
Maybe the hardest thing about gardening is developing a sense about how often to water, but in general most plants will tolerate letting the soil dry out between waterings, as long as it doesn't stay dry for too long. I water my herbs and other garden plants about every 2 days at the beginning of the season, and cut back to every third or fourth day by midsummer, but how often you need to water will depend on where you live. Ask at the garden center for advice about watering in your area.

Tip #4 for Growing Herbs: Know What Type of Plant You Want
If you're planting your herbs into a permanent garden, be aware that herbs can be perennial plants that come back every year, biennial plants that have a 2-year growing season, or annual plants that only grow for one season and have to be planted again each year. This piece on Herbs for Beginners has a pretty good list of herbs telling what kind of plant each one is. Be careful about mint, which is not only a perennial but will spread out and overtake other plants if it's not contained in a pot or by using a plastic barrier.

Photo of Italian Oregano from Kalyn's Kitchen.
Tip #5 for Growing Herbs: Start with Herbs You Love to Eat
It's ironic that I'd give that tip, because my very favorite herb is one that I've never been able to grow successfully in the hot summers of Utah. Still I think it makes sense to concentrate your efforts on growing the herbs you use most in cooking. If I had to speculate, I'd guess the most popular herbs for home gardeners are basil, rosemary, mint, dill, and thyme, but I could be missing the one you love the most.

More Tips on Growing Herbs from Other Bloggers:
~How to Grow Culinary Herbs and Plants without a Yard (in containers) from Baking and Books
~Never Buy Fresh Herbs Again from A Veggie Venture
~Victory Garden Herbs from White on Rice Couple
~How to Grow Herbs Indoors from Chow
~Window Box Herb Gardening from The Cooking Adventures of Chef Paz, guest post by Lydia from The Perfect Pantry

Some Recipes Where Fresh Herbs Play a Starring Role:
~Chive and Goat Cheese Biscuits from A Mingling of Tastes
~Kay's Chicken Soup (with oregano) from Kayotic Kitchen
~Peas with Proscuitto and Mint from Mele Cotte
~Rice Salad (with dill) from Kalofagas
~Basil Pesto from The Perfect Pantry
~Perfect on Steak - Lemon Parsley Sauce from Sarah's Cucina Bella

More Ideas for Cooking with Herbs
~You can find recipes for twelve different herbs in my series of posts about Cooking with Fresh Herbs.

What's your favorite herb, and have you ever tried growing it? If you have tips about growing herbs or cooking with them, please share in the comments.

Kalyn Denny also writes about food at Kalyn's Kitchen, where she loves to use herbs in dishes like Chicken with Tarragon-Mustard Pan Sauce and Cannellini Beans with Mint Marinade.

Weekend Menu Planning: More Ideas for Strawberry Season

2009-05-28T21:54:57-05:00

There's no doubt it's strawberry season in the U.S. Every time I check my feed reader to see what fellow bloggers have been cooking, I see bright red strawberries being used in interesting ways. Alanna has already given us ideas for Fabulous Strawberry Desserts, but if you're lucky enough to have plenty of strawberries where you live, here are suggestions for other strawberry dishes you might want to add to the menu for this weekend.

Photo of Strawberry Asparagus Salad from Dianne's Dishes.
I like fruit but rarely make dessert, so if I had some juicy strawberries, something like this Strawberry Asparagus Salad from Dianne's Dishes would be just the way I'd love to use them.

Photo of Strawberry and Orange Juice from The Greedy Gourmet.
It's a combination I don't think I've ever seen before, and the Strawberry and Orange Juice from The Greedy Gourmet sounds like it would be very refreshing.

Photo of Strawberry Rhubarb Scones from Foodie Reflections.
Strawberry Rhubarb Scones from Foodie Reflections combine two seasonal ingredients to create a scone that looks perfect for breakfast.

Photo of Strawberry Risotto from Lucullian Delights.
Another idea I haven't seen before is the Strawberry Risotto with Balsamic Vinegar from Lucullian Delights, which sounds like it would make a very interesting side dish.

Photo of Strawberry Brunch Tart from The Hungry Mouse.
Finally, Strawberry Brunch Tart from The Hungry Mouse might sound like a dessert, but seasoned with thyme and cardamom and with a puff pastry crust, this is more like a danish.

More Strawberry Ideas:
~Spotlight on Strawberry Recipes from Mighty Foods
~Pork Tenderloin with Strawberry Mango Salsa from Food Blogga
~Strawberry Lemonade from Novel Eats
~Goat Cheese Omelet with Strawberry Balsamic Sauce from Mele Cotte
~Strawberry Gazpacho with Jicama Salad from Seduction Meals

I'm sure BlogHer readers must have even more interesting and unusual ideas for things to do with strawberries, so please share your links or recipes with us in the comments!

Kalyn Denny shares her passion for low-glycemic cooking at Kalyn's Kitchen.

Lentil Salad is Perfect for Summer!

2009-05-24T13:00:05-05:00

People have different ways of defining the arrival of summer, but for me it's when the weather is warm enough to eat outside. I think there's something about fresh air that makes food taste better, which may be why barbecues and picnics are so popular. You probably have some favorite summer recipes, but if you're up for trying something new, I think lentil salad is a perfect dish for outdoor eating.

There are a couple of reasons I love lentil salads, (aside from the obvious one that I love lentils!) Lentils are inexpensive, don't need to be soaked before cooking, and they combine well with many savory ingredients. Salads with lentils are perfect to make ahead, and actually often taste better when the flavors have had a chance to hang out together for a while. Lentils salads are often dressed with oil-based dressing, which means they'll keep without refrigeration much longer than salads with mayonnaise or dairy-based dressings. Lentils are low-fat, gluten-free, low-glycemic, and meat-free, making them perfect for just about anyone. Finally, lentils are one of the world's healthiest foods!

If I've convinced you to try a salad with lentils, be advised that there are a different types of lentils, and not all are recommended for salad. You want a lentil variety that keeps its shape when cooked. Good choices (although sometimes hard to find) are black Beluga lentils or green French Lentils de Puy. You can also use the common brown lentils found in every grocery store. Especially with brown lentils, it's important not to overcook lentils that you're using for salad, so check them often after about 15 minutes cooking time. Some cooks add a bit of olive oil to the cooking water too, which keeps the lentils separated.

Ready to try a salad with lentils this summer? Here are some that sound good to me.

Photo of Puy Lentil Salad with Roasted Beets from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.
Vegan or Vegetarian Lentil Salads
~Puy Lentil Salad with Roasted Beets from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen (pictured above)
~Beluga Lentil Salad from Kirby von Scrumptious
~French Lentil Salad with Roasted Garlic Lavender Vinaigrette from Feeding Maybelle
~Lentil Salad with Radicchio, Lentils, Celery, and Capers from Lucullian Delights
~French-Style Warm Lentil Salad from Orangette

Lentil Salads with Meat or Eggs:
~Mark Bittman raves about Lentil Salad with Bacon and Mustard
~Tangy Lentil Salad from Phoo-D
~Warm Lentil Salad with Braised Greens and Sunny Side Up Eggs from Inspired Bites
~Warm French Lentil Salad with Smoked Sausage from House of Annie
~Regina Schrambling's Lentil and Duck Salad from The Wednesday Chef

Photo of Lentil, Spinach, and Goat Cheese Salad from Serious Eats.
Lentil Salads with Cheese
~Green Lentil Salad with Baby Spinach and Goat Cheese from Blake at Serious Eats (pictured above)
~Lentils and Feta Salad from Dhangitt's Kitchen
~Lentil Salad with Halloumi and Asparagus from Green Gourmet Giraffe
~Moroccan Lentil Salad from Eliza Domestica
~Moody Blue Lentil Salad from Hot Potato

My Own Favorite Lentil Salads:
~Joanne Weir's Green Lentil and Red Pepper Salad with Red Onion, Mint, and Feta
~Black Bean and Lentil Salad with Red Bell Pepper, Cumin, and Cilantro
~Lentil Salad with Green Olives, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion, and Greek Oregano

Have ever made a salad with lentils? Please share the recipe or link in the comments if you have a good variation on lentil salad.

Kalyn Denny also writes about food at Kalyn's Kitchen.

Weekend Menu Planning: Something on the Grill for Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-21T21:42:19-05:00

Since it's Memorial Day weekend and that means the start of grilling season in lots of families, it seems only fitting that I give you some new or improved ideas for things to cook on the grill for this edition of Weekend Menu Planning. Whether you're grilling with charcoal, gas, an electric grill, or using a stove-top grill pan, here are some grilling menu suggestions that will make your guests drool.

Photo of Burgers on the Grill from Kitchen Parade.
Let's start with burgers, one of the first thing many people think of when grilling season comes around. From Kitchen Parade, how about Ten Tips for Better Burgers. My favorite is Tip #2, so simple it makes me wonder why I never thought of it.

Photo of Grilled Chicken from Michael Ruhlman, taken by Donna Ruhlman.
Grilled chicken is another classic dish that signifies summer for many people, including chef Michael Ruhlman, who says grilled chicken like the one above is one of his staple meals. Michael bastes the chicken with Rip's Grilled Chicken Baste, a combination that sounds like it would be a winner on chicken.

Photo of Grilled Brined Pork Chops from What We're Eating.
At What We're Eating, Tyler and Amanda are ready for summer, as evidenced by the fact that they're already regularly cooking grilled meats and veggies. Pictured above is Grilled Brined Pork Chops, a great way to kick start summer at your house.

Photo of Ridiculously Easy Grilled Romaine Salad from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.
If you're not a meat-eater, there are still plenty of grilling options, and personally I think nearly every kind of vegetable tastes wonderful cooked on the grill. I'm always looking for new grilled vegetable ideas to try, so I'm intrigued by this Ridiculously Easy Grilled Romaine Salad from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.

Photo of Grilled Octopus with Lemon Garlic Olive Oil from Spork or Foon.
Finally, if you'd like something *really* unusual to throw on the grill, how about Grilled Octopus with Lemon Garlic Olive Oil and Fried Capers, which I found at Spork and Foon. The photos of the raw octopus will show you why Teanna ran screaming around the apartment before she got this ready to cook, but I've eaten grilled octopus in a restaurant and found it to be delicious!

Any grilling plans at your house for Memorial Day Weekend? If so, what's your best idea for something fabulous to throw on the grill. If you have a great grilling recipe or link, please do share in the comments!

Kalyn Denny also writes about food at Kalyn's Kitchen. Kalyn is mourning the fact that her gas grill is currently in the garage due to house renovations, but someday the house will be finished and she can resume cooking Juicy Grilled Chicken Breasts!

The Sauces of Summer: Chimichurri Sauce

2009-05-17T20:54:18-05:00

Mention the word sauce, and people probably think of tomato sauce or something creamy like Alfredo sauce. Those types of sauces are wonderful for winter comfort food, but when the weather gets warmer, it's time for light and flavorful sauces featuring fresh herbs. Most of these summertime sauces are simple to make, so I thought it would be fun to do a series of posts about them on BlogHer.com. I'm starting with chimichurri sauce, the perfect light summer sauce to go with steak, since Memorial Day is coming and lots of people will be grilling.

Chimichurri is an herb sauce from Argentina, meant to be served with grilled meat. As the use of it has expanded, it's now sometimes served with chicken and fish as well. The sauce is a bit like salsa in that there are many variations, with the essential ingredients being parsley, garlic, vinegar, oil, and spicy peppers or pepper flakes. Other ingredients sometimes added often include cilantro, cumin, paprika, and oregano. Chimichurri sauce will keep in the refrigerator for several days, so it's great to make a batch in the food processor and experiment to see what kinds of things you can find to eat it on. There are as many ways to eat it as there are sauce variations, but here are a few ideas to get you started.

The Expatriate's Kitchen added chopped radish, making it Radish Chimichurri. This version had parsley, cilantro, and mint, and was served with flank steak.

Photo of Cowboy Steak with Chimichurri Sauce from Simply Recipes.
The Cowboy Steak with Chimichurri Sauce from Simply Recipes is an example of the classic way to serve this sauce, as an accompaniment for grilled beef.

At Everybody Loves Sandwiches, Kickpleat made Chimichurri Sauce to go on steak, and when she had sauce left over, she turned it into Chimichurri Chickpea Salad.

Photo of Steak with Chimichurri Sauce from Closet Cooking.
The version of Chimichurri Sauce at Closet Cooking adds carrot and lime juice, two ingredients that aren't traditional but sound interesting.

Another non-traditional but interesting version of this sauce comes from Laylita's Recipes, where she adds balsamic vinegar and uses more oregano than parsley to make Balsamic Chimichurri Sauce.

Photo of Salt-Tenderized Steak with Chimichurri Sauce from Blue Kitchen
At Blue Kitchen, Terry has received some salt from Brazil, and after some thought he uses it to make Salt-Tenderized Steak with Chimichurri Sauce.

The sauce is bumped up a bit with some serrano chiles and bay leaves at Busy Nothings, and the resulting Pan Seared Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce looks delicious.

Photo of Beef Kabobs with Chimichurri Sauce Sauce from The Parsley Thief.
It does seem fitting that you'd find Chimichurri Sauce at a blog called The Parsley Thief, and there are step-by-step directions showing how to make Beef Kabobs with Chimichurri Sauce.

I found a fairly traditional sauce used in a non-traditional way at A Gluten-Free Guide where she's serving Red Snapper with Chimichurri Sauce.

Finally, another non-traditional but delicious sounding use of the sauce is Grilled Chicken with Chimichurri at My Feasts.

Have you ever made Chimichurri Sauce, and if so, what did you serve it with? Please share ideas or your recipe links in the comments.

(This is the first in a series of posts about The Sauces of Summer. You can see later posts by clicking the tag The Sauces of Summer.)

Kalyn Denny also writes about food at Kalyn's Kitchen where Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Chimichurri Sauce was the dish that introduced her to Chimichurri Sauce.

Weekend Menu Planning: Real Men and Women Should Be Eating Quiche

2009-05-14T19:21:16-05:00

What's your take on quiche? Hopefully no one falls for that old line about how "real men" don't eat it, because quiche is a versatile dish the whole family can enjoy for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It can be rich and decadent for a special occasion, or you can lighten it up if you prefer. You can even make vegan quiche without eggs, or lower-glycemic quiche with whole wheat flour, depending on what you want. And rather than being just a dish, quiche is really a category, because the choices for fillings are endless.

If you've never tried making quiche at home, you might be surprised how easy it is to turn out seriously delicious results. Here are some quiche ideas from a few of the BlogHer Food Network blogs that might make a great menu option for the weekend.

Photo of Salmon and Goat Cheese Quiche from Simply Recipes.
This Salmon, Dill, and Goat Cheese Quiche from Simply Recipes is the one that got me thinking about quiche. This post also has links to some quiche ideas from other blogs, as well as a few delicious-sounding quiche ideas in the comments from Simply Recipes' readers.

Photo of Crustless Spinach, Onion, and Feta Quiche from Baking Bites.
If you're not sure about the idea of making pie crust, this Crustless Spinach, Onion, and Feta Quiche from Baking Bites might be something you'd like. The quiche does have a crust of sorts, but it's formed when the flour mixed into the egg mixture settles on the bottom and creates a crust, so this is an easy option.

Photo of Crustless Quiche with Tomatoes, Zucchini, and Salami from Modern Beet.
A slightly different take on crustless quiche is the Crustless Quiche with Tomatoes, Zucchini, and Salami from Modern Beet. Inspired by quiche from Tartine restaurant in San Francisco, the addition of creme fraiche makes this creamy and delicious.

Photo of Whole Grain Zucchini and Mushroom Quiche from Dianne's Dishes.
Dianne from Dianne's Dishes discovered you can make tasty quiche using a pie crust made from whole grain flour when she used White Whole Wheat Flour to make this Whole Grain Zucchini and Mushroom Quiche. This quiche also uses lower-fat cheese to make it a lighter option.

Photo of Mini Crustless Tofu Quiche from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.
Finally, for a vegan quiche option, these Mini Crustless Tofu Quiches from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen look delicious. The filling is flavored with garlic, bell pepper, mushroom, chives, and rosemary with silken and tofu standing in for the eggs.

Have you ever made quiche? If you have a tasty quiche recipe to share, please post your recipe or the recipe link in the comments.

Kalyn Denny shares her passion for low-glycemic cooking at Kalyn's Kitchen where she hasn't posted a recipe for quiche but often makes quiche-like dishes such as Egg and Green Chile Breakfast Casserole.

Rhubarb and Mother's Day

2009-05-10T12:54:09-05:00

I have to confess that last week when I picked the topic of Rhubarb for today's post, I didn't really think about it being Mother's Day, but after I realized the timing I also decided it was perfect, at least for me. That's because my mother loved rhubarb with a passion that she rarely expressed when it came to food. Personally I never quite came to see the appeal of this vegetable that's classified as a fruit, but I did love seeing my mother enjoy her rhubarb pie.

We had rhubarb growing along the fence in the back of the yard, "growing wild" as we called it in those days. Nowdays I realize that rhubarb is a perennial vegetable, which is why it kept coming back every year. Rhubarb is somewhat unique in that the leaves are toxic, but the sour stems are highly prized as an ingredient for pies, crumbles, and lots of other desserts, at least by some people!

I'm dedicating this ode to rhubarb to my rhubarb-loving and wonderful mother who died in 1998, and I think she might be pleased to see how many other bloggers I found who also associate rhubarb with their mothers. Maybe one of these rhubarb dishes can inspire other mothers to make some rhubarb memories for their kids.

Photo of Strawberry Rhubarb Pie from Christine Cooks.
~At Christine Cooks, Christine says she is sure she can feel her mother, the pie-maker extraordinnaire, looking over her shoulder as she makes Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.

~The gorgeous Rhubarb Pie at Andrea's Recipes comes from a recipes from her husband Michael's mom.

~Antonia at Food Glorious Food called her mother to get her recipe for Rhubarb Fool, only to discover that there wasn't actually a recipe. Luckily Antonia has created a recipe for you from her mom's instructions.

Photo of Spiced Rhubarb Chutney from Cookin' Canuck.
~When Cookin' Canuck makes Spiced Rhubarb Chutney and Pork Tenderloin, she knows it will be a hit with her husband because he grew up eating stewed rhubarb made by his grandmother.

~In Sweden, Anne from Anne's Food Makes Rhubarb Elderflower Crumble with rhubarb she gets from her Mother-in-Law.

Photo of Rhubarb from Seasonal Spotlight Rhubarb at The Kitchn,

~Pille from Nami Nami makes Moominmamma's Rhubarb and Ginger Jam with a recipe inspired by Moomin's mother in a children's book.

~Bibliophile at Icelandic Cooking says her mother used to make Icelandic Rhubarb Compote at least a couple of times a month until her brother decided he didn't like it.

More Rhubarb Ideas:
~Farmer's Market Finds: It's Rhubarb Season from BlogHer
~Rhubarb Recipes to Help You Get Your Rhubarb Mojo Going from BlogHer
~Spring Vegetables: Rhubarb at The Daily Tiffin
~A Rhubarb Revelation at Tea and Cookies
~Rhubarb Sorbet at Simply Recipes
~Rhubarb Pie with Lattice Crust at Michael Ruhlman
~Cooking School: Rhubarb Compote at What's For Lunch Honey

Kalyn Denny also writes about food at Kalyn's Kitchen, where there's a recipe for Peach and Berry Cobbler, but no rhubarb in sight.