Bruschetta Salad

Bruschetta is pure magic. We can all agree on it. If you’re at some sort of Italian restaurant, and they don’t offer some sort of bruschetta or bruschetta-based appetizer, you end up feeling slightly cheated, because Bruschetta Is Magic.

But what if we started deconstructing these dishes that we love so much? What if we replaced the grilled bread with wonderful, glorious mozzarella cheese?

Then you would have this amazing side dish, which blew the heck out of my mind and went like gangbusters alongside those fabulous little stuffed mushroom sliders from a few days back. (DW)

4 medium sized tomatoes, diced
1 handful of basil, chopped (based on preference)
¼ cup yellow onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pkg of fresh mozzarella cheese, drained, and thinly sliced
Salt, to taste
Balsamic vinegar



In a medium bowl, add tomatoes, basil, onion, garlic, and olive oil. Mix until combined. Refrigerate for 1 hour, to allow all flavors to marinate together.



On a flat serving tray, lay the mozzarella cheese slices in rows (overlapping slightly) until the serving tray is covered. Sprinkle a small amount of salt, to taste, over mozzarella cheese. Spoon the tomato mixture over the mozzarella cheese. Drizzle Balsamic Vinegar over the cheese and tomatoes. Serve immediately. (AW)

Spring Soup with Ham & Cabbage

OK, people, let’s talk about soup.

Soup is a weird subject for me, because I love it, but I don’t ever seek it out. At times, it doesn’t seem like real food to me, which is crazy, because it fills me up like regular food. There’s just something about it that doesn’t seem...substantial. I would never order it at a restaurant. Compared to honest to goodness food that you can sink your teeth into, soup just seems...like something less-than, if that makes sense.

There have been times in my life, like the great Pho Disaster of February ’10, that I have a bowl of soup for a meal, and I eat it too fast (this will be a theme with me, believe it), and I find myself clutching my stomach and groaning like a sick toddler, because the Eternal Truth is this: Soup is meant to be savored, enjoyed, relished.

I am not good at relishing food. I approach food like a battle, and I want to win it, and win it quickly.

So this is the paradigm into which this amazing soup was introduced. I can’t say I ate it slowly, but there was enough substance (ham, orzo pasta, cabbage) there that made it feel like an honest-to-God meal, and a hearty one at that. I ate three bowlfuls, in quick succession, but was still good for a quick walk-around-the-block a half-hour later. This is a Soup Record for me. (DW)

When I set out to make this soup, I had no real direction on where I was going with it. All I knew was that I had chicken broth and cabbage that I needed to use. I have to say that, being that it was created without any direction, this soup turned out great. It is a light and satisfying soup with lots of flavor. I couldn't decide whether I wanted to use potatoes, rice or orzo pasta in my soup. I ended up using the orzo because it cooks quickly, but I think potatoes or rice would taste just as good in this soup.

12 cups chicken broth
Olive oil
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped leeks or yellow onion
1 ham steak, cut into small cubes
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
3 cups cabbage, chopped
salt & pepper, to taste

In a stock pot, heat some olive oil. Add carrots, celery, garlic, onion, and ham steak until cooked thoroughly. Add chicken broth and diced tomatoes. Boil for 30 minutes. Add orzo and cabbage to pot. Cook 10 minutes or until orzo is cooked. Add salt & pepper. Serve with rosemary focaccia bread. (AW)

Fresh Homemade Salsa

I know what you’re asking. “Why in the world would you guys make your own salsa? Isn’t just as easy, if not easier, to buy your own? Do you have to make everything, you dumb hippies?”

Well, let me tell you, if canned/jarred salsa came out as vibrant and delicious as this fresh salsa recipe, I would buy it in a heart beat. But it doesn’t.

Our dear friend Nancy Johnson had the idea for this salsa, after eating the delicious salsa they serve at Casa Orozco and deciding she wanted to create the same thing at home. I would venture my opinion that this salsa is some of the best stuff I’ve ever tasted. Make a bunch of it today and see if you disagree. (DW)

I make two different types of salsa, one with canned tomatoes and one with fresh tomatoes. This is the recipe that I make using canned tomatoes. I usually make this salsa in the winter months, when we don’t have fresh tomatoes or jalapenos from our garden. Once summertime arrives, I will post my recipe for fresh tomato salsa, which is more like a pico de gallo.

1- 28 oz can diced tomatoes, with most of the liquid drained
1 handful of fresh parsley (about ¼ cup)
¼ yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
½ lime, juiced

Add the tomatoes, parsley and onion to food processor. Using the pulse button, quickly pulse the ingredients 5-7 times to blend all ingredients. (Try not to pulse too many times, otherwise you will end up with tomato soup instead of salsa!) Pour salsa out of food processor into a bowl.

Add the salt, Tabasco sauce, and lime juice to the salsa. Mix all ingredients thoroughly.

Refrigerate until cooled (at least 4 hours) to let all of the flavors develop. After the salsa has cooled, see if you need to add more salt (for flavor) or Tabasco sauce (for heat).

*This recipe was inspired by one of our favorite Mexican restaurants in town, and created by our good friend Nancy. (AW)

Tortellini Pasta Salad

I fricking love this pasta salad. It's seriously the Best Thing Ever.

In fact, pasta salad in general is the Best Thing Ever.

I recommend making this in the morning, refrigerating it all day, and serving it cold at night. Everyone will think you're awesome. You'll be the talk of the town, and everyone will clamor to invite you to their barbecues and potlucks.

Here's what I'm saying: This recipe will make you popular. It will help you win friends and influence people. And don't skip the green bell pepper, because that's the secret weapon this thing packs. (DW)

Here is the recipe for one of our favorite summer salads. I always try to keep a package or two of tortellini in freezer, so I can make this in a hurry. I'll give you the ingredients I use in the salad, but, really, you can put just about anything in it. It's very versatile.

1 package of tortellini, cooked & cooled
Olives
Canned artichoke hearts, cut into small pieces
Green bell pepper (sometimes I use broccoli), chopped
Tomatoes, chopped
Parmesan cheese
Italian salad dressing (you can use which ever brand is your favorite)

Put tortellini, olives, artichokes, bell pepper, tomatoes, and parmesan cheese in a large glass bowl. Pour Italian dressing over salad, to your liking. Serve cold. (AW)

Chipotle Beef with Potatoes

Let me tell you about Crock-Pots, all right? Crock-Pots are BOSS. They make your house smell amazing, and they’re really not a lot of work, both pre- and post-meal. If I hear anyone ever talk bad about it, I’m going to fight them. In front of everyone.

This is one of those meals that if Amy tells me is on the docket, I get excited and kind of giddy. Crock-Pot meals have been a staple of our Saturday nights. You see, I work most Saturday nights, and Amy is often with me as well (I’m an airline pilot; she’s a stewardess), and there is, seriously, nothing better than putting my key in the front door, stepping into my house after a long night of forgetting lyrics, and immediately smelling something like this recipe.

The things that makes this dish so phenomenal isn’t just the combination beef and potatoes; although that alone will rock your face off. It’s the plethora of things you can have it, which, when I think about it, is what I love about most Mexican or Mexican-themed dishes. You got cheese, you got sour cream, you got avocado, maybe some green onions. You can improve, too – like throw in some lettuce or cilantro on top. I don’t care what you do – it’s your dinner.

This dish is messy, too, but it just doesn’t matter. Go nuts, people. I would get some good tortilla chips to go with this, because that’s what’s going to make it a party. (DW)

3-4 lbs. chuck roast, fat trimmed
1 lb. baby red potatoes
1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 can (4 oz) mild green chilies
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons The Art of Chipotle Gourmet Paste*
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder

Cut chuck roast into 1 inch cubes. Mix all ingredients in a 5-quart Crock-Pot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.



Serve with flour tortillas, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream.








*The only store in the Livermore area that I have found the Art of Chipotle Gourmet Paste at is Nob Hill/Raleys. (AW)