Warmin' up from the inside out (Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup)

My birthday and Christmas are in the rearview mirror and I'm so ready to be done with fancy holiday fare. 

It's Soup!

Don't get me wrong. We had some amazing meals and delicious treats with friends and family over the past two weeks. But all I wanted on this chilly December day was a big bowl of soup. 

I had a package of cubed butternut squash in the fridge and a can of light coconut milk in the pantry. Perfect inspiration for a silky smooth coconut curry butternut squash soup!

We like all things spicy, so this version uses hot Madras curry powder. Feel free to swap it out for a milder "regular" curry powder if heat is not your thing. I also use light coconut milk, but can only imagine how decadent it would be with the full-fat variety. Maybe we'll try that after the holiday food hangover has subsided!

Here's how I did it:

Pretty simple ingredients -
keeping' it clean

Ingredients:

• 1 package pre-cut butternut squash (about 6 cups, or 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed)
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 can unsweetened light coconut milk 
• 1 cup onion, rough chopped
• 1 medium carrot, rough chopped
• 1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic, rough chopped
• 1 TBS coconut oil
• 1 TBS + 1/2 tsp hot Madras curry powder (or regular curry if you don’t like heat)
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• Roasted, salted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) for garnish (optional)

Method:

1. Heat the coconut oil a large pot over a medium/high heat, then add the onion, garlic and carrot until the onion is translucent. Season with the salt and sprinkle in the curry powder, string to combine and warm the spices through.
2. Add the butternut squash and broth, bring to a boil and then cover the pot and lower the heat to low. Simmer for 7-8 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender. Then turn off the heat and cool for 10 minutes.
3. Time to puree.  I use a stick blender, but you can also puree in batches until smooth in a food processor or high powered blender. If you used a blender or food processor, add the puree back to the pot when done.



Leftovers!

4. Now shake the can of coconut milk to mix the contents and pour into the puree. Stir well to combine, add a bit more salt if needed. Warm over a low heat and serve with a scattering of pipits and crusty bread.

Enjoy!

Summertime Summertime (BLT Crostini and Summer Squash Crostini)

Ready for the dinner party: two summertime apps inspired
by two of our favorite local haunts, Merrit's and Picnic

Summer in North Carolina means two things:   Bacon Lettuce & Tomato sandwiches and Barbecue. So when I was asked to bring a appetizer to a Saturday evening dinner party this weekend, I decided to create a couple of crostini recipes using inspiration from two of our favorite local recipes — Merrit’s in Chapel Hill, home of the a simple and straightforward BLT that defines that iconic summertime sammy; and Picnic, an up and coming Durham BBQ restaurant that is co-owned by a local heritage pig farmer and raising the bar for succulent whole hog Q.

The Merrit’s BLT rift was pretty simple. Crusty bread, a touch of mayo, and bright red juicy tomato slices topped with crisp applewood smoked bacon and shredded lettuce.  I jazzed the mayo up a tad by adding chives from the garden and a touch of garlic, salt and pepper. The beauty of a Merrit’s BLT is its simplicity, no need to guild that lily too much.

The Picnic influenced crostini was a bit more of a challenge. I didn’t want go the smoked and pulled piggy route.  Way too filling for a pre-dinner app. Instead, I took inspiration from a refreshing squash side salad you often find on the Picnic menu when the prolific veggies are in season.

BLT Crostini

Following are the ingredients and methods for these tasty treats.  I hope they inspire you to come up your own new favorite start to a summertime meal.

BLT Crostini

(makes 8 pieces, two per person)

Ingredients

• 8, 1/2 inch slices of a crusty baguette.  (I used ciabatta baguette from Trader Joes)
• 1/2 cup of Dukes or Best Foods Mayonnaise
• 1 small clove of garlic, worked into a paste on a cutting board, with a bit of coarse salt and the side blade of a chef’s knife
• 1 Tablespoon of finely chopped chives (optional)
• 4 slices of thick sliced bacon (I used uncured applewood smoked bacon from Trader Joes), cooked crisp, blotted dry with a paper towel and broken into 1 inch pieces
• 8 pieces of sliced tomato, about the same size as the bread, drained on a paper towel. Pick the best and brightest red tomatoes you can find. 
• 1/2 cup of shredded romain lettuce - make it as thin as you can, and moisten slightly with a bit of oil and vinegar
• Kosher salt and course ground pepper to taste
• Olive oil spray, or a bit of olive oil and a brush

Method

1. Spray or brush the bread slices with olive oil and grill on a grill pan until slightly crispy. 
2. Mix the mayo, garlic and chives in a small bowl and set aside - it’s nice to do this a bit ahead of time so the flavors can come together 
3. To assemble, use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread a bit of the mayo on each piece of bread, top with a slice of tomato, then dab two or three pieces of bacon with a dot of the mayo (like glue) and press them atop the tomato, then put a bit of the lettuce atop the bacon.
4. Enjoy.

Summer Squash, Zucchini and Corn Crostini
(makes 8 pieces, two per person)

Summer Squash, Zucchini &
Fresh Corn Crostini

Ingredients:

• 8, 1/2 inch slices of a crusty baguette.  (I used ciabatta baguette from Trader Joes)
• 1/2 zucchini, sliced into ribbons, using a vegetable peeler
• 1 large summer squash, sliced into ribbons using a vegetable peeler
• 1/2 corn cob, kernels removed with a chef’s knife
• 1 Tablespoon walnut oil (you could substitute another mild oil, like canola or grape seed)
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped tarragon
• 1/2 cup creamy goat cheese (I used a log of herbed goat cheese from Trader Joes)
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons milk or half and half
• 2 Tablespoons roasted, salted sunflower seeds
• Kosher salt and course ground pepper to taste
• Olive oil spray, or a bit of olive oil and a brush

Method

1. Spray or brush the bread slices with olive oil and grill on a grill pan until slightly crispy. 
2. Use a fork to mix the goat cheese and milk / half & half until smooth and spreadable. 
3. Combine the squash ribbons, corn, oil, vinegar, basil, tarragon, salt and pepper in a small bowl and set aside. It’s nice to do this a bit early so the flavors can meld and the squash can soften
4. To assemble, use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread a bit of the goat cheese on each piece of bread; then top each piece with a few kernel of corn, two to three squash ribbons and a sprinkle of sunflower seeds, salt and pepper.
5. Enjoy.

Indoor Easter Picnic (Cole Slaw and a lesson that we don't care for sweet tea brined fried chicken)

One of the things a SoCal Ex-Pat needs to learn when they move  to North Carolina is to remember to order your iced tea “unsweetened.” Unless you want something closer to a soda than the iced tea you grew up drinking, that is. 

Sweet tea brined fried chicken: Picture perfect, but
not blog-worthy.  Sweet potato biscuits don't rise
like normal ones but are amazing!

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not judging. But I’m not a sweet lover, so I learned this one quickly. 

Sugar aside, the iced tea in the South is the very best. Amber brown and clear as the Pasadena sky on New Year’s Day (which is when thousands of people freezing their tails off in the midwest and northeast watch the Rose Parade, pack their bags and add to the LA traffic just in time for the winds to shift and the smog to settle back into the valley).  Wow, I am full of rants today!

This crisp and refreshing Coleslaw
never fails me

Why the tea discussion?  Well, today is Easter and we are just the two of us for dinner.  So I thought I’d make a little indoor picnic complete with Sweet Tea Brined Fried Chicken (a first for me) served with my go to side, a crunchy cole slaw made with mayo, Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar and celery seeds. Oh.  And biscuits.  Sweet potato biscuits. Because we can.

But here's the deal.  The chicken was good, but you know, I really don't think the sweet tea brining is up my alley.  Not blog worthy.  So, I'll post the pretty pictures, but skip the recipe.  

I will share my cole slaw recipe and a link to  Bobby Flay’s sweet potato biscuits.  They are absolutely relish. So VERY tender.  They don't rise quite as high as a normal biscuit, because of the moisture in the sweet potatoes but, dang, they are good. 

Holly's Cole Slaw Method

I love love love to dice. And this 
method makes it super easy.

This is a staple in the Barnett household.  I change it up lots of ways - lemon or lime juice rather than the vinegar, chopped cilantro or parsley, green onions or chives in place of the diced onion. And often I go straight mayo rather than mayo and yogurt.  Any way you do it, it’s refreshing and a great accompaniment to meat, fish, poultry, burgers, lamb… or with canned tuna mixed in for lunch.

Make the dressing - to a large bowl add:

• 1/4 diced onion - I like a sweet onion like the Visalia onions we get in here NC and the Maui onions we got in SoCal.  
• 1/4 cup Best Foods/Helmans or Duke’s Mayonnaise 
• 1/4 cup plain, fat free Fage Greek Yogurt
• 1 TBS apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp celery seeds
• pinch salt 
• a bunch of grinds of black pepper
• Mix thoroughly and taste.  Adjust the vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.

Quick & Easy Cole Slaw -
fresh makes it best

Add the crunchy stuff:

• Toss in1/4 of a large head of cabbage, sliced thin and then cropped.  You can also use a bag of pre-shredded cabbage.
• Stir and check the seasoning again, and add salt and pepper if needed.  If it is too dry, add some more mayo and/or yogurt.  

Cover with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly.  Stir and serve. 

Enjoy!

Rainy Girls Night In (Roasted Grapes with Rosemary, Thyme & Garlic)

One of my fondest memories from my friendship with my bestie Sheryl was an afternoon that we spent with our friend Julie at the Bower’s Museum in Santa Ana.  

It was supposed to be a cultural affair. We’d have a bite of lunch under the olive trees at the al fresco restaurant at the Bowers, then tour the museum --  which had some sort of mummy exhibit that was all the rage.  Maybe we’d hit the museum store afterward.  Who knows?

Done in 15 minutes and crazy good.
Pretty, too, on my grandmother's peacock plate.

Well.  Let’s just say we never made it to the museum. 

Nope.  Sheryl ordered a “wunnnndaful” Spanish Pinot Grigio, and as I recall we all spotted the roasted grapes and manchego cheese appetizer, and agreed that we had to have it.  A bottle or two later, we said to heck with the mummies, did some tipsy shopping in the museum store and called it an afternoon.

That day and that dish was my inspiration when my friend Norma stopped by this evening with a bottle of a yummy white.  Our men are in California for golf and a car race (playing and watching the former, and just watching the latter - thank you, Lord).  It’s been raining here all day – perfect chance to try my hand at roasting some grapes.

Oh yes.  They were as good as I remembered.  And this would be a perfect appetizer if you are having folks over.  I know it was the perfect light dinner for the two of us to catch up.

Here’s how you do it.

Roasted Grapes with Rosemary, Thyme & Garlic

Heat the oven to 375 degrees – I used my convection roast setting, but it’s not necessary

Ingredients

• 1  big bunch of grapes, removed from the stems, washed and dried. We used a mixture of seedless red and green.  We preferred the red, but the green were awesome, too. 
• 1 stem fresh rosemary
• 1or two large stem fresh thyme
• 1 clove of garlic
• A couple glugs of olive oil - seriously, I don't know how much.  Just coat the grapes and be done with it. 
• Big pinch of kosher salt
• Bunch of grinds of pepper – I used a pepper mix I got in Barcelona last winter.  Red, black, green and even some allspice thrown in.  But plain black pepper would be just fine.

Optional:  

• Cheese to serve with the grapes. I'd go with Manchego or other firm, mild cheese.  I didn’t have manchego, so I used a firm queso fresco (also sometimes called queso blanco).  A nice hard goat cheese – like Drunken Goat (you'll find it at Whole Foods and many cheese stores)– would be great too.
• I'm sure crusty bread would be nice.  We started to have crackers and then decided that the grapes and cheese were perfect on their own.

Method

• Remove the rosemary and thyme leaves from their stems, and peel the garlic.
• Mince the rosemary, thyme and garlic to a very very fine dice. 
• Toss all of the ingredients in a big bowl.
• Scatter the grapes on a baking sheet, so they are in an even row.
• Put in the oven. 
• Set the timer for 15 minutes.

Open a bottle of nice, crisp white wine. Go ahead, have a sip.  Or two.

•  After 15 minutes, check the grapes.  
• They should be just about to pop, and some of them will shrink a tad.
• Remove from the oven.  Let them cool a bit and then enjoy with cheese or as they are.

Yummmmmmmm

I Love Summer! (Summer Farmers Market Salad with Walnut Honey Mustard Vinaigrette) 2 WW ppts

I never thought I'd acclimate, but I'm here to proclaim that I,  Holly Billings Barnett, Southern California Native - where the heat is a dry heat and the summer nights are cool - have grown to appreciate a sultry summer day in the South.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not abandoning my SoCal roots. But there is something special about stepping outdoors, feeling your body and soul slow down, and hearing those cicadas in the trees scream out that summer is here!

Summer in North Carolina also means amazing produce.  Yesterday I scored a garden fresh cucumber from a friend, and then hit the Farmers Market for tomatoes, corn, basil and sweet sweet vadelia  onions.   Together with a bit of watermelon and a yummy vinaigrette made with one of my secret ingredients, walnut oil, this baby is a winner.

I can't wait to get back from the pool this afternoon and dig into a big ol' helping served along side grilled chicken.  Yeah Summer!

Here's how I did it:

Prep and combine the salad ingredients:

Cut the corn off of the cob:

• On a paper towel or tea towl:  Hold the corn cob horizontally, run a sharp knife along the cob to shave off the kernals.  Pull the sides up on the side of the towel and pour into the bowl.  

Cut into about 1 inch dice:

• 1 cup of peeled cucumber
• 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 cup watermelon

Cut into very very small dice

• about 2 Tbs of valdalia onion (Maui onion or any other sweet onion from your region will do)

Chop finely

• 3 or four fresh basil leaves

Mix it all together gently, add a pinch of Kosher salt, cover and stash in the 'fridge.

Make the vinaigrette
Put the following in a jar and shake shake shake - then taste and adjust.  Maybe a little more honey, maybe a tad more salt.... make it your own.

• 2 or 3 TBS grated valdalia onion
• 1 TBS grainy mustard
• 1 TBS honey
• 1/4 cup walnut oil (keep this in the fridge between uses to keep fresh)
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• Pinch of Kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper

To serve - toss the salad with the dressing and dig in.

Enjoy. 

Ding Dong Winter is Dead (Tiny Potatoes with Green Beans & Cilantro - 4 or 5 WW points)

To say the folks on the East Coast are sick and tired of Winter is an understatement.  

Green beans, potatoes and cilantro
take me back to lunches with one
of my very best friends.

I celebrated yesterday's Carolina Blue Skies and warmer temps with a walk with friends, a crazy good tennis clinic, a quick trip to the Farmer's Market and a tennis lesson.  By the time evening came, I was wiped out and ready for Steve to fire up the grill and cook a steak. 

Tiny Tiny Potatoes - Quarter added
for scale (-;

Steve is a fantastic griller.  Simplicity reins supreme.  Just a nice steak (not too big or thick, but a good quality piece of meat with just enough marbling for flavor), salt, pepper and a tad of olive oil and a screaming hot grill.  Cook one side long enough for some nice grill marks, flip, sear and remove to continue cooking as it rests to a perfect medium rare.

I had no idea what to make for the side, but we had some wonderful tiny potatoes, cilantro and farm fresh green beans.  It reminded me of the saltados my friend Jennifer and I used to get at Inka Grill when we worked at Telelogic in Orange County, California.  There they mixed green beans, french fries and chicken (weird but good).  Why not do something similar with the tiny little potatoes that we had on hand???

Well, I'm here to tell you that the result is going to become a standard side dish around the Barnett household.  I may tweak it here or there, but feel good about it to share.  

Add a crust to the cut side of the potatoes

Nothing like a cast iron skillet!

The finished product alongside a
WW friendly portion of steak
(yes, you need to cut that fat off!)

Tiny Potatoes with Green Beans & Cilantro - (4 or 5 WW points)
Makes two servings

Note:  The potatoes and green beans can be made way in advance, and kept cold until you are ready to assemble and serve.  Perfect for a day when you'd rather be outside playing than inside cooking.

Ingredients

• 2 handfuls of tiny tiny potatoes cut in half, or 2 1/12  new or red potatoes cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 handfuls of fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic, peeled but not chopped
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 2 green onions, white and green chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 scant Tablespoon of olive oil.  Just enough to coat the skillet lightly
• 1 tsp whole cumin seeds (you can use a little more if you like cumin - I really just throw some in a pan.  No measuring)
• 1 tsp ground coriander (ditto comment above about not measuring)
• 1/4 tsp chili powder (ditto)
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Method

• Prepare an ice bath:  fill a large bowl with ice and cold water.  Set aside
• Place the potatoes and the whole cloves of garlic into a pot of cold water, add a bunch of salt and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are just tender.  Pull the potatoes and garlic out of the water with a slotted spoon or "spider" and place in the ice bath to stop the cooking.  Slice the 
• Now add the green beans to the boiling water. Cook until just tender and still slightly crisp.  Pull out of the water with a slotted spoon or "spider" and place in the ice bath to stop the cooking.
• Put the cumin, coriander and chili powder into a dry cast iron skillet or other pan and toast until fragrant over a medium high heat. Stir them around a bit and don't let them burn.  
• Now add olive oil and a pinch of salt to the pan, and add the onion and the garlic (pull from the ice bath, dry and chop the garlic first).  Saute until the onions are becoming soft.  
• Then add to potatoes, plus a good pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Toss them around in the oil and spices and then arrange them cut side down and cook on a medium high heat until they are just getting browned, stir to cook the other side.  
• After about a minute or two, remove the greenbeans from the ice bath and pat them dry with a paper towel.  Add them to the potato mixture along with 3/4 of the cilantro and 3/4 of the sliced green onions.
• Cook until heated through.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste.  

Serve topped with the remaining cilantro and green onion.

Enjoy.

Rescued From Take-Out (Layered Vegetable Casserole)

Hot and bubbly from the oven...
waiting is the hardest part

Like Mother Hubbard,  I went to the cupboard this evening and by golly it was bare.  

The thought did cross my mind to make a quick call to Sal’s Pizza or run over to Alan & Son for some BBQ.  Not exactly healthy moves. 

So instead I took another inventory of the ‘fridge and pantry.  Here’s what I came up with:

• 1 small striped zucchini from last weekend’s trip to the Farmers Market
• 1 medium summer squash from the same farmer
• A good-sized handful of baby spinach
• 6 large mushrooms
• ½ pint of whole milk ricotta (the inspiration for this dish.  I couldn't bear to toss it)
• About ¼ cup of shredded and ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese
• 1 slice provolone cheese (like you’d use in a sandwich) this is probably optional but sounded like a good thing to do
• Some fresh basil
• Some fresh parsley
• About a cup of dried rigatoni (any shape or style would do)
• 1 medium can of Cento San Marzano tomato sauce
• Staples of salt, pepper, olive oil, fennel seed and fresh garlic

Put it all together and what do you get? 

Layered Vegetable Casserole (or lasagna without lasagna pasta), that’s what.

Method

Here’s the game plan:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degree
• In small sauce pan, sauté two chopped cloves of garlic and a teaspoon or so of fennel seeds in about a Tbs of the olive oil; then add the tomato sauce and a handful of the basil that you’ve rough chopped
• Simmer as you prepare the rest of the recipe
• In a large pot, boil some salted water and cook the pasta until al dente.  When done remove the pasta and add to the simmering sauce
• Slice the squash into ¼ inch lengthwise slices. 
• Mix the ricotta cheese with the grated parmesan cheese, a handful of chopped parsley, about a teaspoon of olive oil and a scant pinch of salt and about six grinds of pepper.
• Slice and sauté the mushrooms in a tsp of the olive oil

Now to assemble:

• Put some sauce in the bottom of a small casserole dish; smear it around
• Add a single layer of zucchini
• Dot the zucchini with ½ of the ricotta mixture
• Add a layer of the spinach
• Scoop out the pasta from the sauce and layer on top of the ricotta
• Add the mushrooms
• Add the summer squash in a single layer
• Top with rest of the ricotta mixture
• Pour on the rest of the sauce
• Slice the provolone into thin strips and put them as the final layer
• Sprinkle the shredded parmesan cheese on top’
• Cover lightly with foil

Time to cook it

• Bake for 40 minutes covered
• Remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes or until the cheese starts to turn golden

Cool for 15 minutes

Slice and serve

Enjoy