Colcannon

I am such a fan of kale. It is healthy and delicious. Quick and easy to prepare. Inexpensive. Eating it makes me just feel good.

Here is a way to introduce kale to your family: mix it in with a favorite, traditional, comfort food. Colcannon, an Irish tradition, is mashed potatoes with cabbage or kale mixed in. In some recipes, leeks or onions or carrots are added as well, so feel free to improvise.

I like to keep it simple. My favorite method for making kale as a side dish is to saute with garlic and crushed red pepper and top with red wine vinegar. So, when I decided to make Colcannon the first time, I just combined my favorite mashed potatoes with my favorite kale recipe. You can try it by clicking here.

Corn Chowder

I’m resisting the urge to make puns about being corny. Let me just say that we love corn around here. We are lucky to have the best sweet corn farm a couple miles away. The only problem is getting upwards of three dozen ears, when we just aren’t home to eat that much. I can’t bear to throw it away! So, I’ve been freezing it, using the technique of my preserve-savvy mother-in-law.

It couldn’t be easier. Just blanch your extra cobs for about a minute in boiling water. Drop immediately into cold water to stop the cooking process. When cooled, shake off the water, and cut the kernels off the cob. Spread on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer until kernels are frozen. Then put the kernels in a freezer bag so you can enjoy the taste of summer in January! It takes about a quart of frozen kernels to make this recipe, which makes six good-sized bowls of chowder.

Sweet and earthy, this corn chowder takes corn at the peak of the season and just envelopes it in creamy goodness. Click here to try it yourself.

Chicken Souvlaki

Tired of heavy food? Craving something light, but full of flavor? This is your dish! This chicken is full of bright lemon flavor with tomatoes and olives and oregano. It is served with Tzatziki Sauce -  that addictive, creamy yogurt garlic sauce served with Greek food. If you’ve read about the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet, this is the kind of food they are talking about.

It’s also a great way to enjoy tomatoes in the winter. While the regular tomatoes are bland in color and flavor, the little grape tomatoes pop with sweet tomato gooodness.

All the ingredients for Chicken Souvlaki can be found at the average grocery store. It’s really worth trying. If you do, leave us a comment, and let us know what you think.

Thai-style Pork over Rice Noodles

One of our family jokes comes up every time we are choosing where to go out to eat. I say to my husband, “Where would you like to go”? And he answers, “Has that new Thai place opened in town”? It’s a joke because there will NEVER be a Thai place in this town. We struggle to hold on to our pizza joints and the one sports bar.

And so, it is my most recent endeavor to make more “Thai take-out” at home. This pork has that perfect Thai balance between sweet and spicy, salty and sour. To make Thai take-out in your home, click here.

Roasted Broccoli with Lemon

This is more of a technique than a recipe. Quantities are very forgiving, as is cooking time. This can also be done with cauliflower and other vegetables. Roasting broccoli gives it a sweet nuttiness that is very different from steamed broccoli. It’s also quick and easy and you probably have the ingredients on hand. Great recipe to play around with – add crushed red pepper, or try broccoli and cauliflower together. It’s all good.

Roasted broccoli with lemon.

Red Beans and Rice

I love this Red Beans and Rice so much that I don’t want to ever try another recipe. This is Alton Brown’s recipe, and as much as I would like to develop my own, I just can’t top this one. The only change I’ve made is adding the kale. You can leave it out if you like, but I think it adds a nice (and healthy) layer of flavor.

When you make the Pickled Pork, you’ll have enough for two batches of Red Beans and Rice. Just freeze half the pork and when you make this dish the next time, it will be super easy.

Red Beans and Rice Recipe