by Kimberly | Nov 22, 2013 | food
Ask my husband and he will readily tell you that my favorite condiment might just be pesto. I seldom make it, but I love it on sandwiches, in soups, as pasta sauces. No doubt amazing goodness from the oil, basil, and pine nuts. So simple yet completely flavorable!
I started with a recipe from Tracy over at Shutterbean (I love her photography and her recipes, so go check her out if you haven’t). I knew I had some pesto in the fridge that I needed to use and I know my husband loves soups but needs protein to make it more filling. That is how I made the soup my own.
Pesto Tortellini Soup
Olive Oil (just swirl in your pan)
1 onion, chopped
1 lb ground turkey (or Italian sausage which would make it better but is not as healthy)
1 1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
s/p to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 box low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup pesto (I used Kroger Private Selection brand)
1 can chickpeas, drained (more protein)
1 Bertolli pkg cheese tortellini (or your favorite tortellini or mini ravioli)
1 bag fresh baby spinach
Cook onions, garlic, and turkey together until done. Let drain. Add the seasonings, broth, pesto, chickpeas and bring to a simmer. Add back in the turkey and onions and garlic. Add the tortellini and cook until done. Then at the very end add your spinach.
Serve with croutons, toasted bread, or parmesan cheese (or all three).
by Kimberly | Oct 12, 2013 | food, Uncategorized
When the husband is gone, its a good idea to tantalize him to come back home if you send him delicious pictures of pumpkin French toast. Really – I did send him a picture and he said I was mean. I’ll make these again for him.
But, these are perfect with a topping of real maple syrup and whipped cream.
Pumpkin French Toast
Serves 2-3 (depending on how hungry you are)
6 slices of day old bread (I used Panera’s Honey Wheat)
3 eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1 1/2 T sugar
1 T light brown sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
cinnamon and allspice to taste
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
butter to cook with (gives it much more flavor than Pam or others sprays)
syrup, butter, whipped cream for topping
by Kimberly | Sep 10, 2013 | creatives, food, Vegetables, vegetarian, Women
I love sweet friends. This girl has been a friend since high school – our cheerleading days – and we got reconnected on FB (that is the blessing of Facebook), then when I went to Denver a few years back we got to hang out and take some beautiful photos, now she is loving her garden and seeing all the beautiful things she can create from it.
What I learned this week about being Creative: I’m not a gardener. It takes a lot of time. There are many other interests in my life that take up that time. But, I can and do enjoy goodies from other people’s gardens. I talked with Jayme last week and she agreed to come up with a new recipe, show us some of her garden, answer some questions – and hopefully inspire you to live a fresh, local life! Another way I love this story – is because it started when J was growing up. Moms/Dads – you have a huge influence on your children in many way. Don’t neglect the non-spiritual ways you influence your children!
1. How did you begin your creatives lifestyle?
Growing up, every Tuesday night, my mom would conduct “Home Together Nights.” We would select recipes to reproduce, as a family, and we would laugh, create, and bond together. My sister and I still make recipes from those memorable evenings, and we are much more adventurous and creative in the kitchen, and in other areas, as a result. A creative upbringing definitely made it easier to embrace a similar lifestyle as an adult, but having a garden, working within the hospitality and restaurant industries, training as a sommelier, and traveling to different parts of the world have greatly shaped the way that I view my place in the world, as well.
2. What drives you to continue (especially in a time of convenience)?
As I answer this question, I am up late, tending some stock. It would be so easy to simply throw away the day’s carrot greens, chicken bones, and onion skins and conveniently purchase stock at the grocery for my next batch of soup. However, I feel a strong sense of responsibility with the bounty we have been given and the talents we possess; I feel a deep pull to squeeze every gift to the very last drop, reuse it, repurpose it, and share it. It is intensely rewarding. Almost always, I save money by doing and making things, myself, and the more adept I become, the more beneficial and far-reaching my deeds become. I take immense pride knowing that I am capable and knowledgeable to provide for myself and my family. Creativity applies not only to the artistic realm, but it also applies to the practical realm.
3. What is the thing you’ve learned most about yourself in this creative journey?
The mess-ups and mistakes are usually the most memorable, educational, and exciting. I do not always operate on this precept, but I really try to learn from my perceived mishaps. For example, I try to sketch or write about something I am creating each day. A lot of times, those messy sketches or scribbled words become foundations for a future project. If I were to discard them because of their imperfections, I would limit my creative potential. I tend to be very good at limiting myself and comparing myself and my progress to others. That aspect of my personality is challenging. I am trying to let go, unleash what holds me back, and get my blank canvas absolutely messy, both literally and figuratively.
4. What is your favorite recipe?
My favorite recipe to make is zucchini cake. You can find my recipe here (link:
http://hollyandflora.com/2012/08/26/theres-no-such-thing-as-too-much-zucchini/). However, this gardening season, I have had an abundance of eggplant, herbs, and tomatoes, which prompted me to create this recipe for my version of an eggplant tapenade/caponata. Being in the midst of a kitchen remodel, I have not had access to a stove, dishwasher, proper storage options, or even a sink, which is why I have had to create new recipes, using either a grill or crockpot.
5. What has been your greatest joy in this creatives process?
I am very much inspired by my garden. I feel that it feeds almost every area of my life right now. I am inspired by its color, its movement, its inconsistencies, its demands, its continual state of flux. I find inspiration from its parallels to our daily lives. So many of life’s lessons can be likened to a garden. The seasonal change of a garden mirrors the growth of an individual, but gardening is not just about an individual effort. I have found deep satisfaction involving myself with the gardening community here in Denver.
Grilled Eggplant “Caponade”
Ingredients:
20 small fairytale eggplants, halved, stems removed (or substitute 2 medium regular eggplants, quartered)
8 medium to large heirloom tomatoes, quartered
1 head of garlic
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped, whites and greens together
1/2 cup olives, chopped (mostly Kalamatas, with some mixed green olives)
1/8 cup capers
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
1/8 cup freshly chopped basil
1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
dried chili flakes, to taste
Steps:
1. In a deep saucepan, simmer the tomatoes in 1/2 cup olive oil, over low to medium heat, for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until most of the liquid is gone, and it starts to thicken. The longer you can draw this process out, the better and more concentrated the taste will be.
2. In another pan, add the peeled and separated garlic cloves to 1/4 cup olive oil. Simmer over low heat for about 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned and caramelized. Remove from heat, set aside to cool, and then chop coarsely. Do not discard the oil!
3. Pre-heat the grill on high heat, and then turn down to low heat. Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil and lightly salt. Grill the fairytale eggplants for two minutes on each side. If you are using regular eggplants, grill four to five minutes on each side. Remove from the grill, set aside to cool, and then dice into 1/4 inch pieces.
4. Once each component has cooled, mix the tomatoes, garlic, and eggplant in a large bowl. Add the last quarter cup of olive oil, as well as the oil that you reserved from simmering the garlic.
5. Add the lemon juice, vinegar, onions, olives, capers, and herbs to the mixture. Stir to integrate.
6. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes to taste (I used about 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of chili flakes).
This recipe tastes great the first day, but even better the next, so feel free to prepare in advance. This recipe yields about four cups and keeps, refrigerated, for a week. Serve with crostini or grilled bread. What are some other uses for this recipe? Serve alongside hummus or crumble in feta or serve on top of baked or grilled salmon and pork tenderloin.
Be on the lookout for spice rubs, spice blends, and notecards all inspired by Jayme’s garden! And Be Creative!
by Kimberly | Aug 6, 2013 | food
The other day I was watching The Chew, the foodie talk show that comes on right during the lunch hour – making this pregnant girl even hungrier! One of the chefs was making blondies – I thought, hmmm, blondies. I knew I was going to the store later and just had to pick up a couple of things to make this. So good – we were inhaling the crumbs (and gave some away to friends here in town).
Adapted from Hersheys, a book that sweet Louisville friends gave me a while back:
Makes 9-12 bars depending on how big you cut the bars (a 9×9 pan)
3/4 cup creamy pb (not all natural)
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 T milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 tsp salt
1 bag reeces mini cups
Preheat oven to 350 and grease pan. Cream ingredients peanut butter through vanilla. Add in dry ingredients. Fold in the reeces mini cups (wrapper-less, how kind are they)!
Bake for about 25-30 minutes until done. Serve and enjoy!
by Kimberly | Jul 6, 2013 | food, Uncategorized
The taste of summer. Bright fresh citrus in the form of red grapefruits. Pretty pinkish color throughout these delicate, sponge-like cookies. Perfectly shaped into sea shells – which is another favorite of mine in the summer – the beach. These cookies are perfect!
I borrowed a madeleine pan a few weeks ago from a friend at church. Then I realized today that I had accidently not juiced a red grapefruit – then I hopped off the couch and ran to the kitchen to make these. Glad I always have butter and eggs.
As long as you follow the directions and spray the pan – these are really fool-proof cookies and the entire plate will disappear shortly!
4 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
3/4 of a grapefruit – zested
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
Glaze:
powderered sugar
fresh squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice
In a mixer, mix together eggs, sugar, and salt for about 8 minutes on low-medium speed until thickened. Then add the vanilla and zest. Then the flour until well-combined. Finally, add in the melted butter.
Well grease your madeleine pan (I used pam). Use a cookie scoop to get the batter in the molds. Bake at 375 for about 9 minutes, depending on your oven. Let cool slightly, pop out of pan.
Mix glaze until you get your desired consistency. Drizzle over warm cookies. Enjoy!
by Kimberly | Jun 12, 2013 | food
I love trying new recipes, especially with in-season ingredients, and having them be winners. I started with a recipe off of BrownEyedBaker – you guys need to go check her out if you already don’t get her blogs!
I made a few changes, and hubs said he wouldn’t change a thing!
1/2 vidalia onion, chopped
1 EACH red and green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 chipotle in adobe sauce, chopped (just one pepper)
EVOO
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp EACH oregano and french thyme
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 cup half and half
6 red potatoes, diced finely
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups diced chooked chicken
3 ears of corn (just kernels)
1 can cream corn
1/2 tsp adobe sauce (from chili)
Saute first ingredients and spices in evoo. Then add up through cheese and let simmer until potatoes are done (about 15 minutes). Then add the rest. Serve until warmed through.
Serve with tortilla chips and a squeeze of lime!
