Five Fast & Fantastic Spring Side Dishes

Wow! My schedule has become super crazy. I am on the board of directors for four nonprofits, am the president of one and the treasurer of another, have my consulting business, my blogs and, since late January, have been creating and filling the position of volunteer coordinator for our local animal shelter. This means that most nights I don't have a moment to breathe much less prepare dinner. So I keep a list of fast and easy side dishes that pair perfectly with a protein. Grill a steak, broil some fish or, even easier, pair with a purchased rotisserie chicken. Dinner is served!

Broccoli Salad
1 head broccoli
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
3/4 cup mayonnaise (or veganaise)
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp agave syrup or honey
1 tsp aglio, olio, peperoncino or red pepper flakes
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1 tbsp Italian parsley

Stem broccoli, break into florets and chop into bite sized pieces. Place in a steamer pot and steam for just a few minutes...until the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender.  (ensure you keep it very crunchy).  Add broccoli, raisins, and onion to a medium sized bowl.  In a small bowl, add the mayo, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, agave syrup or honey, aglio (or red pepper flakes), a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper.  Mix well.  Pour 1/2 of dressing over broccoli mixture and stir to combine.  Taste and add additional dressing as desired. Taste again and adjust seasonings as necessary. Serve as is or, if you have time, Refrigerate for 4 hours.  When ready to serve, garnish with parsley.

Purple Cabbage Slaw
3 cups red cabbage, shredded
1 red delicious apple, cored and diced
2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp honey
pinch sea salt
pinch black pepper
1/4 cup chopped pistachios, optional

Add cabbage and apple to large bowl.  In a jar with tight-fitting lid (I use mason jars for my vinaigrettes) add vinegar, e.v.o.o., honey, salt, and pepper.  Screw on the lid and shake vigorously until combined.  Drizzle half of vinaigrette over cabbage mixture.  Stir to combine.  Add more vinaigrette to your liking.  

This slaw keeps in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

Three more fast and fresh recipes to try:

• italian green beans with tomatoes & pesto
• spicy green beans in asian chili sauce
• white bean and garlic scape dip

It is "Quickest Side Dishes Ever" week at Food Network's Sensational Sides roundup. Do you have a favorite quick recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network.

Feed Me Phoebe: 5-Ingredient Za'atar Beet Toasts
Devour: Beat the Clock with Easy, Under-15-Minute Side Dishes
Healthy Eats: 7 of the Quickest — and Healthiest — Side Dishes Ever
Creative Culinary: Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes (Pasta Ponza)
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Five Fast & Fantastic Spring Side Dishes
TasteBook: Asparagus Ribbons with Lemon Juice and Shaved Parmesan

The Wimpy Vegetarian: Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice (with Coconut)
Taste with the Eyes: Teacher Appreciation Luncheon and Corn with Sweet Chili Butter
FN Dish: Counting Down the 5 Quickest Spring Side Dishes Ever

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

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California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove

napa farmhouse 1885

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Butternut Squash & Eggplant Ratatouille

It is the middle of October, and we are having a beautiful and unusually warm fall here in Taos, New Mexico. We often get our first hard freeze in late September, and that ends the summer produce season. This year the nights have been in the 40's, the days 60's to 70's and my protected garden is still pumping out eggplant, tomatoes, basil, mint, onions, garlic, peppers and all the cold-weather tolerant greens, beets and carrots that are more typical of the middle of fall. I am freezing, giving away and using up all that I can because that first freeze will come at any time.

This ratatouille is the perfect go-to recipe for the seasonal transition because the ingredient combinations are so flexible. I still have tons of tomatoes, so I am using them today but the boxed, chopped version from the Pomi brand yield equally delicious results. Zucchini out of season? Use green beans, either fresh or frozen. No fresh herbs? Dried will do. Making this in summer? Add additional summer squash and skip the butternut. You get the idea. Use what you like. My only rule (for me that is) is that tomatoes, onion, garlic and spices are required.

Ratatouille is delicious as a side dish with your favorite grilled or roasted protein. I like it for brunch served with poached eggs. Top crostini or bruschetta with the ratatouille and add additional cheese for a wonderful appetizer. Please tell me in the comments section your favorite way of serving this wonderful vegetable dish. Enjoy.

Butternut Squash & Eggplant Ratatouille
(inspired from a recipe in the New York Times, 2004)
(serves 6-8)

extra virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, large chop
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, or 1 tsp dried
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, or 1 tsp dried
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 medium Japanese eggplant, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 2-inch dice
1 large zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds (or 1 cup green beans)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 2-inch dice
2 cups in-season heirloom tomatoes, seeded and chopped, or 1 750g box Pomi brand chopped tomatoes
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (optional)
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shredded
chile-infused extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Pour in 2 tablespoons olive oil and add the onions. Saute for 3 minutes. Add the oregano, parsley, pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons sea salt and 1 tsp pepper. Saute for two minutes, or until the onions are very soft. Add the garlic and saute another minute, frequently stirring.

Add another 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet. Stir in the eggplant and butternut squash. Saute for 4-5 minutes. Add the zucchini (or green beans), bell pepper and tomatoes. Stir to combine all ingredients. Reduce heat to simmer, partially cover the pan, and cook for 1-1/2 hours or until your reach the texture you like. Stir in the fresh basil if using. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve topped with the cheese and a drizzle of the chile-infused olive oil if desired. Ratatouille can be served hot, warm or at room temperature.

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It is Squash week at Food Network's Fall Fest roundup. Do you have a favorite squash recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network. 

The Lemon Bowl: Slow Cooker Beef Curry
Creative Culinary: Slow Cooker Butternut Squash, Potato and Roasted Pepper Soup
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Butternut-Apple-Kale Panzanella Salad
Swing Eats: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Taste with the Eyes: Acorn Squash and Korean Pear Salad, Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Butternut Squash & Eggplant Ratatouille
Red or Green: Butternut Squash & Chipotle Frittata
The Mom 100: Butternut Squash, Black Bean and Chicken Enchilada Cups
Healthy Eats: From Soup to Stir-Fry: 6 Healthy Uses for In-Season Squash
FN Dish: 7 Days of In-Season Squash

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green? 

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove
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Italian Green Beans with Tomatoes & Pesto

We are doing holiday side dishes this week at Food Network's Fall Fest and I think this dish fits the bill perfectly. Green Beans. Red Tomatoes. Green Pesto. White Onions. The dish looks like Christmas! And, more importantly, it tastes amazing. I love to serve alongside roasted beef tenderloin or a crown roast of pork and garlic smashed potatoes for an elegant and easy holiday meal.

These green beans are delicious year round. In winter I use best quality organic canned tomatoes. I make fresh basil pesto all summer and keep in the freezer. I also blanch fresh green beans to use throughout the year. Try this recipe in summer with fresh ingredients or use the suggestions I provided for winter. If you can't find local fresh pesto in winter in your area you can use your favorite pesto recipe and substitute spinach, kale or Italian parsley for the basil.

The pesto and tomato sauce is so good that I often serve these beans for lunch with a loaf of toasted sourdough bread made into bruschetta. The beans...the bread dipped into the sauce...wonderful...

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!

Italian Green Beans with Tomatoes & Pesto
1 lb green beans, trimmed
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 white onion
2 cups chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
pinch dried red pepper flakes
1/4 cup fresh basil pesto, your favorite purchased brand or homemade
1 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1 tbsp shredded parmigiano reggiano
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tbsp salt and the beans. Cook until crisp tender, about 6-8 minutes. Drain beans, add back to the pot and cover to keep warm.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and onions. Saute for 3 minutes until onions begin to soften. Add the tomatoes, small pinch each salt and pepper and the red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add the beans to the tomato mixture and stir to combine. Raise heat to medium and cook beans, uncovered,  for 3-4 minutes or until hot. Stir in the pesto. Mound beans on serving platter. Top with pine nuts and cheese and serve immediately.

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It is "Produce Related Holiday Side Dish" week at Food Network's Fall fest. Check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends.  Have a favorite holiday side dish recipe of your own? Please share in the comments section of this post. 
Feed Me Phoebe: Stir-Fried Collard Greens with Ginger and Jalapeno
The Heritage Cook: Sweet & Lightly Spicy Corn Pudding
The Lemon Bowl: Sweet Potato and Corn Hash
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Clean Eating Holiday Side Dish Recipes
Weelicious: Cranberry Apple Chutney
Dishing: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey and Spices
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Cranberry-Pistachio Pilaf
Taste with the Eyes: Fresh Green Beans, Mexican-Style
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Italian Green Beans with Tomatoes and Pesto
Red or Green? Green Chile Pork Stew (v2) and Tamales 
Virtually Homemade: Cheese Ravioli with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate
Domesticate Me: Farro Risotto with Prosciutto, Parmesan and Brussels Sprouts
The Sensitive Epicure: Butter Dipped Radishes with Sea Salt
Daily*Dishin: Best Holiday Dressing
FN Dish: No-Brainer Holiday Sides

best,

diane
napa farmhouse 1885

red or green?
california girl in taos
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I have started sharing my Taos experiences on my newest blog "California Girl in Taos". Please visit and let me know what you think.

do you like green bean casserole??

don't you wonder how some items like the green bean casserole with canned soup and packaged fried onions, or the cranberry gel-in-a-can became traditional foods in so many thanksgiving menus? i mean, at some point, loads of people tried it..decided they liked it..and then chose to serve it year after year... this year during our thanksgiving memories series, a number of guest bloggers have decided to share their secrets for upgrading and refining these holiday staples with fresh, quality ingredients and simple techniques. we have already had a couple of stories tackling the cranberry sauce issue...today's guest post from my twitter friend colleen levine takes on green bean casserole.

colleen's beautiful blog..foodie tots...is full of delicious sounding recipes..and lovely photographs...designed to share her quest for "the pursuit of fresh, local, seasonal and sustainable food for the whole family"...i loved reading about her thanksgiving memories...and her green bean recipe was an unexpected bonus...the addition of blue cheese is just brilliant..salty, tangy..but clean in flavor..a perfect compliment to the rest of a typical thanksgiving menu..this will be on my table this year...

i urge you all to check out the foodie tots blog...you will be very happy...

thanks colleen!

A Green (Bean) Thanksgiving Memory
I grew up in Oregon, while my extended family hailed from the East Coast and rarely traveled west to visit. My grandparents preferred to visit in the summer, and who could blame them when November was without fail cold, damp and rainy. I was always envious of classmates who had big holiday meals with all their relatives, and began learning to cook our own family Thanksgiving dinner at the age of eight. My mother was not a big fan of cooking, so I was determined to do it “properly.” I had a lot of help from the original Betty Crocker cookbook. The one dish I remember my mom always making was green beans with almonds, the nuts an added treat over everyday beans. To this day I never make Thanksgiving dinner without green beans.

Over the years, occasional invites to spend the holidays with friends meant new additions to our family traditions. My brother’s best friend’s family always had ambrosia, so now I make sure to include that whenever my brother is able to spend the holiday with us. There was the year I learned to make pierogies with the Polish friends I stayed with while my dad was having surgery. I have always been the only pumpkin lover in my family, so I have tried various alternatives to pie over the years, settling on a pumpkin cheesecake that my mom loves, and pumpkin-cranberry bread for my in-laws. My mom and aunt religiously made cranberry-orange relish, and I often make a batch along with my own maple cranberry sauce. And yet the requisite canned variety is always on our table as well, to appease my husband and father-in-law. (Really, one can never have too many cranberry sauces!)
When eating Thanksgiving dinner with other families, I always hated that ubiquitous green bean casserole with canned soup and onion straws on top. Sure, the onions were a novelty, but that green, slimy mush tasted nothing like the simple, fresh green beans we had at home. (Okay, so they were often frozen green beans, but that’s still fresher tasting than the canned that seemed to be required in the casserole.) Why mask such a beautiful, simple vegetable? When most traditional holiday dishes are loaded with fat or sugar, surely there’s room for one refreshingly healthy side dish. Of course, over the years I’ve added my own twists, so perhaps these zesty beans will make the obligatory green dish a little more able to hold its own next to your turkey and sweet potatoes.

This year, we are once again traveling to spend Thanksgiving with relatives, so I am resigning myself to not having everything I might include on the table for the sake of the big family meal I most wished for as a child. I just hope they have green beans.

Recipe: Zesty Green Beans Almondine
Ingredients:

2 lbs green beans, trimmed

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

4 tablespoons butter

zest of one lemon

2-4 oz. crumbled blue cheese (I used Bayley Hazen Blue of Jasper Hill Farms, VT)

Instructions: Bring pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat sauté pan over medium heat and toast almonds until just turning golden, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and reduce heat to low. Melt butter in pan, then add shallot and cook, stirring once or twice, until shallots are golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat. Add a pinch of salt to boiling water and blanch green beans for 4 minutes, then drain and add to pan with shallots. Add almonds and lemon zest and toss gently. Top with blue cheese and serve. If you make this ahead of time, reheat in oven just before serving, then top with blue cheese immediately upon removing from oven. Makes 8 servings. Enjoy!

By Colleen Levine, who writes about cooking fresh, local, seasonal and sustainable foods for the whole family at www.FoodieTots.com. She is a farmers market junkie and cheese addict who resides with her husband, two-year-old son, dog and two cats in Alexandria, Virginia.

so..the thanksgiving series is officially back!!!... i have been off-line for a couple of days...comcast, my high speed internet provider, had what they termed a "partial" power outage...meaning my cable t.v. worked... but internet did not....yikes! i run a home based, e-commerce company...it is november people...holiday prep....not the time to go off-line. i have been verrrry unhappy. however...to give credit where credit is due...comcast told me they would have a technician come to my house between 12-4 today...the guy showed up at 12:20!!!...diagnosed and fixed the problem with my modem (caused from the power outage) in about 20 seconds...so....today, i am giving thanks for competent people...and being back on line...not as soul-searching as some of my posts..but hey..works for me today...

best to all..and happy thanksgiving month!!

best,

diane
napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style"™

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"how about cornmeal pancakes with fresh blueberries?"

for the past two sundays we have had friends over for brunch..different people each time..but very good friends nevertheless. both weeks i planned a tentative menu and created my shopping list only to get a phone call from said friends asking what was on the menu..as soon as i told them what i was thinking, there was a brief pause..and then this question.."how about cornmeal pancakes with fresh blueberries?" i mean really..two weeks in a row..i started thinking about favorite recipes..and friends who felt comfortable enough to ask for their favorites..i went from being a bit put out by not being able to try something new..to very happy and pleased that i have a large collection of dishes that people enjoy and request prior to coming to my home. not all the time(sometimes i can do the "new" recipes)..but often enough. to me, my favorite times..and my favorite memories..are those spent with family and friends around the dinner table... eating, laughing, talking, telling stories, continuing traditions or creating new ones...and knowing the food will be thoroughly enjoyed adds to the feeling of contentment..

so, for today's post, i thought i would share this recipe with you. maybe these pancakes will be added to your collection..and shared with your family and friends..i hope they will become a favorite in your home too.

i have made these cornmeal pancakes for years..i like them because they are not too sweet, taste really good..and offer a bit of a difference from more traditional pancakes. they are also really easy which is always a plus for me when having guests for brunch..not tons of work first thing in the morning.

cornmeal pancakes

1/3 c unbleached flour

1 1/4 c cornmeal

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

1 1/4 c buttermilk*

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking soda, sugar and salt in large bowl. add egg, buttermilk and olive oil. stir just until lumps disappear..do not over mix. pour batter onto hot skillet or griddle forming pancakes. **note..this batter is thinner than a more traditional batter so form pancakes carefully. cook until bubbles form and tops of pancakes look a bit dry. flip and cook until second side is golden brown. serve immediately. we serve with butter, maple syrup and fresh blueberries. ** i never have buttermilk on hand..so for spur-of-the-moment pancakes..use milk with 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice**

what are your most requested recipes? do you have "go to" dishes that you use whenever you want to make something delicious..and not experiment with something new? if so, please share the recipes with all of us in the comments section of this post..thanks in advance.

o.k...so i can hear the questions.."what about the weekly food fests?" this week is a recap week as we transition from summer produce to fall produce. be sure to check the everyday food blog and the away to garden blog on thursday for one last look at some of the favorite recipes shared during the past few weeks. i thought we would join in with an overview of the napa farmhouse 1885™ offerings. week one for us was cukes & zukes.

check out this post for roasted zucchini and tomatoes with parmesan and balsamic reduction and zucchini/potato hash browns with cheese. week two brought us green bean week..spicy green beans in asian chili sauce andgreen bean & potato salad with feta. how about roasted green beans, tomatoes & garlic with balsamic drizzle? week three was my favorite fest..because it was fresh tomatoes..i love tomatoes and wait all year for them to be ready..this post covered easy, breezy "non" recipes like fresh tomato sandwiches and roasted tomato pasta..then i shared my heirloom tomato & white bean salad, fresh pico di gallo, and heirloom tomato tapenade with bruschetta..

week four was all about fresh corn... the everyday food blog listed numerous delicious sounding recipes..but i shared my love of corn on the cob..and admitted that i never make any of the delicious sounding recipes..rather i always succumb to corn on the cob..boiled, roasted or grilled..with simple but very flavorful toppings. this post also includes what has been described as the most unusual but amazingly good corn recipe..my family's corny, corny lena (read the post for explanation of the name). corny, corny lena is actually a dark chocolate and pureed corn cake..with chocolate glaze. unusual..yes..and really, really good..

on to week five..which was the thursday leading into labor day weekend. this was open vegetable week..we could use whatever we wanted. i thought a smart strategy would be to post recipes i could also use for all of the holiday get-togethers as we had company coming each day... i chose a few relishes...cucumber and chiles relish, roasted pepper relish, fresh tomato relish..check them out...

last week was end of summer or early fall fruit week... i chose fresh pears..mainly because a friend had brought me 30#s of em..and i needed to start using them immediately...i posted a recipe for fresh pears with romaine & parmesan salad..and another for fresh pear cupcakes with chocolate glaze..best of all..many readers posted comments with additional suggestions and recipes for the pears..and for all the other posts too..note..i never close the comments section of any post..so you still have time to post your favorites..and please remember to share your favorite "go to" recipes in the comments section of this post...

have a terrific week...best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style"™

follow me on twitter