Foodie Fridays: Succotash Salad

 

I have always liked succotash, but instead of the usual combination of corn and lima beans, I prefer to use edamame since lima beans can sometimes be too mushy.  Though succotash is usually cooked and served warm, I wanted to put together a cold salad inspired by this dish since it is too hot right now to even think of eating anything warm.  The recipe I came up with does not require any cooking (thaw the frozen vegetables by placing them in a colander and running hot tap water over them until they are no longer frozen, or just leave them out at room temperature until they are thawed).

My biggest complaint about succotash is that it can be rather bland.  To solve that problem I added lemon juice and tajin seasoning - the latter adds a combination of tartness from the lime flavoring, a slight spiciness from the chiles, and also some salt (add more salt if needed to suit your own taste).  The addition of cucumber adds a nice crunchy texture and lightens up the rather dense consistency of succotash (I prefer to use English cucumbers, which are seedless, less bitter than regular cucumbers, and have a thinner rind that does not need to be removed).  I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious my concoction was, and will be adding this recipe to my rotation of summer salads for the extremely hot days we have been experiencing lately.

Succotash Salad

12 oz. frozen shelled edamame, thawed
12 oz. frozen corn, thawed
1 cucumber, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 jars (4 oz. each) diced pimentos
4 T. olive oil
4 T. mayonnaise
1-2 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. tajin seasoning
1/4 tsp. salt (or to taste)

Combine the first four ingredients in a large bowl.  Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the vegetables.  Toss to mix thoroughly and taste to adjust seasonings as needed. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.  Serves 8.

On the Homefront: My Strawberry Patch

Two years ago I added a 4-foot square raised bed to the small enclosed courtyard at the front of our house and decided to turn it into a strawberry patch.  I purchased nine strawberry plants, of a variety called Quinault which I had never heard of but decided to try anyway.  I had never had much luck growing strawberries in the past and was not even sure they would grow well in New Mexico, but I decided I had nothing to lose by trying - the pandemic had just started and I wanted to do some experimental gardening just to keep myself occupied.

Fast forward to the present day and to my surprise this small strawberry patch is flourishing!  The plants produced some fruit last year, but only enough for me to harvest a handful almost every day in the summer for a small snack.  However, each plant spread numerous runners which also grew quite well, so much so that I have had to pull excess plants out several times so that they don't overrun their raised bed as well as the surrounding area.  The plants overwinter well and come back vigorously in the spring.

This year my strawberry harvest was so abundant that I was able to gather about two pints of small but sweet berries recently.  I decided to macerate the berries in about two tablespoons of coconut sugar and then serve them as strawberry shortcake using a limoncello loaf cake I found on sale at Walmart.  The combination of sweet strawberries, slightly tart lemon cake, and a generous amount of whipped cream is my idea of the perfect dessert.  And since today is National Strawberry Parfait Day, I think I will layer these ingredients in a glass to make a parfait in celebration - what a great dessert for a summer day!  I am so glad I decided on a whim to start a strawberry patch, and look forward to years of harvesting my own sweet strawberries.

I added a generous topping of whipped cream after taking this photo because I wanted to showcase the berries.

Foodie Fridays: Spinach Soup

We had an unusually cool and wet spring this year, which means that my vegetable garden got off to a slow start.  This weather pattern has been great for growing spinach, however, and I have an abundance that needs to be harvested now that it is warming up.  I thought I would try making a creamy spinach soup with some of the harvest, and found this recipe from Ree Drummond on the Food Network website.  I normally do not make many of her recipes as they tend to be too rich for me, but this soup is an exception since it uses milk rather than cream.

I used 2% milk instead of whole milk, which I found worked just fine.  I also added some nutmeg, which I always like to use with cooked spinach.  I substituted chipotle pepper powder for the cayenne as the latter is too hot for me and I like the smokiness of chipotle peppers.  At the very end of cooking I like to stir a bit of vinegar into soups for added flavor (I used a maple balsamic vinegar).  I often find creamy soups to be rather bland, but the seasonings (especially the chili pepper) make this soup quite tasty, so this recipe is definitely a keeper!

Spinach Soup

2 T. olive oil
10 oz. fresh spinach, torn into pieces if large
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, diced
4 T. (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 C. flour
3 C. whole or 2% milk
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt, or more to taste
1/2 tsp. chipotle pepper powder
1 T. balsamic vinegar

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the spinach and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the spinach is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add 1/4 C. water and blend with a stick blender until puréed.  Pour into a bowl and set aside.  Rinse out the pot.

Melt the butter in the soup pot.  Add the onions and cook over medium heat until softened. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir to combine.  Cook for about 2 minutes, then pour in the milk, stirring occasionally.  Add the nutmeg, salt, and chipotle pepper powder and stir to combine.  Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Pour in the pureed spinach, then cook until thickened, another 3 to 5 minutes.  Blend with a stick blender until the onions are puréed.  Stir in the vinegar.

Check the seasonings, adding more salt, nutmeg, and/or chipotle pepper powder as needed, and serve.  Serves 4.

Foodie Fridays: Easy Lemon Ricotta Pasta and Spinach

Looking for an easy recipe to use up some leftover ricotta cheese, I found one for Easy Lemon Ricotta Pasta and Spinach which turned out to be absolutely delicious!  It truly was very easy to make, the only tricky part being not to add more cooking liquid than needed to achieve the ideal creamy texture.  Whole milk ricotta is recommended, but I only had the part skim type and it worked just fine.  I always buy whole wheat pasta because I prefer it, and used whole wheat spaghetti for this recipe.  I loved this pasta dish so much that I look forward to making it again using the spinach that is currently growing in my garden.  Time to buy more ricotta cheese!

Easy Lemon Ricotta Pasta and Spinach

1 C. ricotta cheese
1/3 C. grated Parmesan
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. long or medium pasta (like spaghetti, linguine, penne, fusilli)
8 oz. baby spinach

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir until well combined and taste for seasoning.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.  During the last minute of the pasta's cooking time, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then stir the spinach into the pot.  After 1 minute, drain and return pasta and spinach to the pot.

Add the ricotta sauce and half of the reserved cooking water to the pot.  Stir well to evenly coat the pasta in the sauce, adding more cooking water as needed to reach a smooth and creamy texture.

Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, and lemon wedges if desired.  Serves 2-3.

Note: Add the pasta water gradually, as you might not need all of it (the pasta should be moist but the flavor should not be watered down).  If you need more liquid, add some milk.

Foodie Fridays: Mexican Chicken Soup

New Mexico is the only place I have ever lived where cilantro has thrived in my garden.  This herb loves the warm, dry, and sunny climate, and is so vigorous here that it is a reseeding annual - once planted and allowed to go to seed it will come back year after year.  Recently my neighbor, who has been gardening for decades here, gave me some of his excess cilantro that comes up in his cold frame annually (my cilantro comes back outdoors and is still too small to harvest).  He gave me quite a lot so I looked for a recipe that called for a good bit of cilantro.  This Mexican Chicken Soup was the result, and I love it!  Be forewarned, however, that not everyone is fond of this herb (including my husband) so this soup is for cilantro lovers only.  I am one of those people who likes to double the amount of cilantro in any recipe that calls for it, so it was perfect for me, but I will be finishing this soup on my own.

I made a couple of changes besides doubling the cilantro.  I forgot to get a jalapeno pepper so I substituted a small can of fire roasted green chiles instead, and since I had a container of refrigerated fresh salsa I used that instead of canned tomatoes.  I added a generous amount of tajin seasoning to add more chile and lime flavoring as well as some salt, and also put in a small amount of maple balsamic vinegar to add a touch of sweetness.  Since store-bought chicken stock comes in a 4-cup container, I just added 2 cups of water rather than use half of another box, and the flavor was fine.  For all of you fellow cilantro lovers out there, this soup is for you!

Mexican Chicken Soup

2 T. olive oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, diced*
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes with green chilies**
6 C. chicken stock (or 4 C. broth and 2 C. water)
1 tsp. cumin
1-1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts or tenders
1 lime, juiced
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tsp. tajin seasoning
1 T. maple balsamic vinegar
1 avocado, sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges

Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.  Sauté celery, onion, and jalapeño pepper until tender, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and sauté one minute.

Add the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, cumin, and chicken.  Cook over medium heat until the chicken is tender (I let it cook for about an hour).

Remove the chicken breasts or tenders from the soup, allow to cool slightly, and tear them into chunks or shreds.  Return the chicken to the pot.  Stir in the lime juice, cilantro, tajin seasoning, and maple balsamic vinegar.  Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Serve the soup in large bowls with slices of avocado and lime.  Serves 6.

*I used a small (4 oz.) can of fire roasted chopped green chiles (add to soup with the tomatoes).
**I used one container of fresh refrigerated salsa.

On the Homefront: Two of Our Favorite Places to Visit in Santa Fe

If you ever get to visit downtown Santa Fe, the two places that my husband and I recommend are the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and the nearby restaurant Fiesta Oaxaca.  We have been fans of the museum since it first opened in 1997.  We got to visit the first week it opened, and it was then that I discovered my favorite artwork by O'Keeffe, her painting entitled "Rust Red Hills" (1930).  Exhibits change on a regular basis, and the artist's works from other museums as well as objects from her Abiquiu house are often displayed in addition to the museum's own collection.  We went to see the recent exhibit "Georgia O'Keeffe: Making a Life" and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I just adore the colorful interior! (from the restaurant website)

The restaurant patio open to the outdoors on a lovely warm day.

Just a short walk away from the museum is one of our favorite restaurants, Fiesta Oaxaca, which features moles, one of my husband's favorite foods.  He loves to order their Mole de Oaxaca, a chicken dish smothered in a dark mole sauce which is rich and deeply flavorful.  My favorites include their Enchiladas de Mole de Oaxaca and Chilpachole de Mariscos, a tasty seafood soup that is so satisfying on a cold day.  Be sure to order their mole tasting appetizer, which includes the five different moles they serve.  (I look forward to trying their mole de verde the next time we dine there!)  The restaurant has a wonderfully colorful interior as well as a patio that is completely enclosed and heated during the cold months but open to the outdoors when it warms up.

Across the street from both the restaurant and the museum is the Santa Fe County John Gaw Meem Historic Building,  designed by Santa Fe's most acclaimed architect and recently restored to its original glory.  It is worthwhile stopping by to visit the beautiful courtyard (shown above) and to admire the wonderful southwestern architecture.

"Homage to the Burro" by Charles Southard (1988)

From the restaurant it is an easy walk to the downtown plaza via historic Burro Alley, which is my favorite street of course (I described it previously here).  As you head to the plaza, be sure to stop by my husband's favorite place, Andrea Fisher Fine Pottery, which has an amazing collection of beautiful southwest Native American pottery, including the works of Maria Martinez.

Right now is a lovely time to visit Santa Fe, as we had a relatively wet spring and wildflowers are blooming everywhere.  The landscape is very green and the mild temperatures are so comfortable for exploring the city.  Oh, and one more activity you may enjoy while on the plaza is a visit to the rooftop bar at the famous La Fonda on the Plaza for a drink, appetizers, and a spectacular overview of the city and surrounding mountains.  The rooftop bar is only open during the warmer months, so if this appeals to you plan your trip accordingly!

On the Homefront: Meet Minnie and Pearl!

Minnie the mother donkey is on the left, and Pearl her daughter is on the right.

I have been meaning to introduce the latest addition to our animal family, but I adopted Minnie and Pearl just a week before my dog Ruby's health began to decline so it has taken me a while to get to this post.  I got this mother-daughter bonded pair of spotted donkeys from a donkey rescue called The Longears Safehouse, which is near the small town of Estancia to the east of Albuquerque.  After my horse Nick passed away in December, I knew that I would most likely not be riding any longer because of joint issues, so I had no need for a riding horse.  I had been thinking about getting donkeys but wanted to make sure they would have a place to go if something happened to me, as I am getting on in years.  The donkey rescue will take donkeys back if you can no longer care for them - in fact, it is in the contract you sign when you adopt from them.  Even though Minnie is twenty years old and Pearl is about sixteen, donkeys can live a long time, even into their forties, so it is a relief to me to know they will always have a home even if they outlive me.  I also feel good about the fact that I can provide loving care to two donkeys that have been shuffled around to various owners over the years and really needed a more secure environment where they will hopefully be able to live for most if not all of their lives.

It has been fun getting to know these girls - Minnie, the mother donkey, is the more outgoing of the two and settled in quite quickly.  Pearl is a bit more aloof and it took her a while to get used to me, but she finally seems to trust me and is becoming much easier to approach and handle.  They are both good about being groomed and letting me clean their feet, and did well in the trailer ride over to our property.  They will be getting a visit from my farrier soon, and I was told that they are used to getting their feet trimmed so should be good with the farrier as well.  Other than being a bit pushy at feeding time they are very easy to handle, and I think we will get on well together.

By the way, if you know of anyone in the New Mexico area who would like to adopt donkeys and has adequate facilities to do so, I highly recommend The Longears Safehouse as the place to go.  The donkeys are not adopted out until they receive proper veterinary and hoof care, and have also undergone basic training for handling and any behavior issues.  Maybe the new owners of the HGTV Smart Home 2023 would like to welcome a couple of rescue donkeys into their lives as well (if they are properly zoned, that is)!