Caprese Salad

The essence of a caprese salad is pretty simple: mozzarella cheese, tomato, and basil. So what makes this such a delicious side dish? I think it's all about the quality of the ingredients. If your home is anything like our farm, you're enjoying the last of the summer's bounty. We have fawns playing in our yard. The basil is in full bloom, and the tomatoes are starting to pack up for the season. It's the perfect time to savor the richness of summer one last time. Soak it up and let it keep until next year.

Caprese Salad
Cut the tops off of your fresh tomatoes. Slice each tomato vertically approximately 3/4 of the way down. Place fresh, soft mozzarella cheese slices and 1/2 of a fresh basil leaf between each tomato slice. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Lightly drizzle the salads with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Serve chilled.

 Photos by Jenn Ballard

Southern Girl

Written by:  Jaren Johnston, Rodney Clawson, and Lee Thomas Miller
Performed by: Tim McGraw

Now I ain't sayin' them LA ladies don't know what they doin'

And I've been in love with New York City a time or two

I had some Seattle coffee, some Chicago wind

Some Kansas wheat fields I'd love to see again

But the fireflies play where the cattails grow

And them southern girls, they talk nice and slow with

Kisses sweeter than Tupelo honey

Little bit crazy like New Orleans

Memphis blue and Daytona sunny

Soft as cotton in some cut-off jeans

Don't you know,

Ain't nothing in the whole wide world

Like a southern girl

Southern girl rock my world

Hazel eyes and golden curls

Put on a country song, we'll dance all night long

A southern girl's mama probably taught her how a lady should act

But a southern girl's probably got a barn somewhere out back

She'll get a little hay in her hair, her tires in the mud

She's been caught in the rain and washed in the blood

Likes cherries in her coke, takes a little sip,

Comes over to me with them sunburned lips and them

Kisses sweeter than Tupelo honey

Little bit crazy like New Orleans

Memphis blue and Daytona sunny

Soft as cotton in some cut-off jeans

Don't you know,

Ain't nothing in the whole wide world

Like a southern girl

Southern girl rock my world

Hazel eyes and golden curls

Put on a country song, we'll dance all night long

If you've ever seen Savannah heat up when the stars come out

Well, then, fellas, come on, you know what I'm talkin' about

Kisses sweeter than Tupelo honey

Little bit crazy like New Orleans

Memphis blue and Daytona sunny

Soft as cotton in some cut-off jeans

Don't you know,

Ain't nothing in the whole wide world

Like a southern girl

Southern girl rock my world

Put on a country song

Southern girl rock my world

Hazel eyes and golden curls

We'll dance all night long

Southern girl rock my world

Hazel eyes and golden curls

Put on a country song, we'll dance all night long

Squash: Take Two

Dear Readers! I want to thank everyone who has helped make my June 2012 squash blog such a huge success. I've had over 700 views on that page, and I'm so excited to think that someone out there is enjoying my recipes. The stuffed squash recipe on that post continues to be my very favorite thing to do with yellow squash, but I have a few more suggestions to mix it up. Much like last year, my husband and I have had a huge squash harvest from our garden, but we were smart enough to plant both yellow and zucchini squash this time. Here are three more squash recipes to help you make the most of the summer's bounty:

Crunchy, pan fried squash
2-3 small yellow squash
1 medium zucchini squash
1/4-1/2 small yellow onion
2-3 table spoons all purpose flour
kosher salt and black pepper
canola oil

Quarter the squash longitudinally, scrape out the softest part of the seed core. Pat dry with a paper towel, and cube the remaining squash into 1/2 inch pieces. Chop the yellow onion. Toss the squash and onion in flour until everything is LIGHTLY coated. Heat the canola oil in a sauté pan on the stove top over medium to medium-high heat. (I don't give an exact amount here because it will depend on the amount of vegetables you have prepared and the size of your pan. But remember, you just want a light coating of oil over the pan.) When the pan is very hot, add the vegetables. Allow the vegetables to brown on all sides, but turn them as few times as possible to get maximum crisp in the breading. Salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.

A lot of squash recipes are mushy, and this one is very crispy if done right. The secret is getting rid of the softest part (seed core), using a very hot pan, and stirring as little as possible. It's a great way to use the vegetable if you have texture aversions or have just eaten a lot of squash this year.

Fried squash blossoms
4-6 fresh squash flowers
2 cups of ricotta cheese
1 tsp oregano (dried)
1 tsp basil (dried)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 eggs
all purpose flower
canola oil



Very gently, rinse the squash flowers and remove all of the parts from the middle of the blossom. Lightly pat dry with a paper towel. Mix the ricotta cheese with all of the herbs and spices. Place the cheese mixture in a zip-top bag and cut a small notch out of one corner. Pipe the cheese mixture into each of the blossoms until they are full but not distended. Twist the top of the petals together to close. Roll each stuffed blossom in a whisked egg wash. Dredge lightly in flour and drop immediately into a hot oil bath (4-5 inches deep). Remove the blossoms when they are crispy and lightly browned (less than 2 minutes). Lay them out on paper towels to cool and drain. Serve warm.

This is a very delicate and tasty way to do something very different with your squash plants. The blossoms don't keep well so pick them when you're ready to use them, and make sure your oil is nice and hot, otherwise they will be greasy.

Zucchini Bread
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3 cups white sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 tsp baking soda
4 eggs (beaten)
1/3 cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups grated zucchini (squeeze well in a clean kitchen towel before using)
1 tsp lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine the dry ingredients (except the nuts). In a separate bowl, combine the oil, eggs, water, zucchini, and lemon juice. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry. Fold in the nuts. Spray two standard bread pans with nonstick cooking spray, and divide the mixture evenly between them. Bake for 1 hour or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

I like to make these loaves in disposable bread pans. That way I can freeze them or give them as gifts. The other day I was making this recipe and had an over-ripe banana in the fruit basket. I added it to the recipe and cut back a bit on the water. It made a really delicious flavor.

Thank you again for sharing my first post about squash, and I hope everyone enjoys this encore just as much!

Photo Credit: Jenn Ballard

Nova Scotia 2013

John's Island, Nova Scotia

I made my second annual excursion to Nova Scotia last month. It was cool and rainy compared to last year, but I enjoyed catching up with friends and colleagues. Like last year, I arrived via Halifax and traveled immediately to the Annapolis Valley. From there I made multiple excursions to the Eastern Shore and the southern coast. I had the chance to try several new food items (including moose sausage). I also revisited some favorites from last year (fiddleheads and salt fish) and tried a number of new restaurants. Here are a few that I would recommend to anyone traveling in the area:

1. Henley House Pub - Sheet Harbor, NS
This is a cute little spot on the coast that I've visited three times. The first two times I came wondering in very late...dirty, cold, and tired. The kitchen was all but closed. Nonetheless, the staff was very friendly and provided a nice selection of bar foods. It wasn't until I made a regular meal-time trip that I realized what a gem this place really is. It was packed with locals (always a good sign), and the service was great. The menu is a mix of traditional Maritime favorites and British pub fare. I had a house specialty, the Maple Curry Chicken Penne. It was so good that my colleague threatened to lick her bowl and mine (don't worry we stopped her). I would highly suggest this place if you're traveling along the Eastern Shore. http://www.thehenleyhousepub.ca/

2. Library Pub - Wolfville, NS
Wolfville lies near the heart of the agricultural region of Nova Scotia and houses Acadia University. There are several pubs around town, but the Library Pub is probably the most "grown up." I don't mean that it's stuffy, but you won't get trampled by undergraduates on the way to your table. More importantly, the menu is a step above the usual chicken fingers. There's an eclectic vibe, a good selection of beer and wine, and a tasty menu. My friend and I each had the pesto pizza, and I'd order it again if I had the chance. The Library Pub is right downtown and easy walking distance from
campus.

3. Troy -  Wolfville, NS
This was a brand new restaurant when I visited. I usually hesitate to review restaurants that are too new because I don't want to send people to a place that might not be there long term. This isn't a commentary on the restaurants themselves so much as an industry that is frankly brutal to beginners. In this case, however, I'm going to be optimistic. Troy seems to be a very traditional Greek/Mediterranean restaurant with a variety of spicy and delicious foods. I'm not experienced with this type of cuisine, and for that reason, I really appreciated the number of sampler options they provided for folks like me. These allow new visitors to try a variety of things and learn what they like. This is just the sort of approach that is needed to introduce a new community to ethnic cuisine. I wish them luck in the coming year!

4. Dobbit Bakehouse - Musquodoboit Harbour, NS
Because I work on the Eastern Shore quite a bit, I travel through Musquodoboit Harbour fairly often. On the main drag through town, there is a bakery with the most delicious food. A friend tipped me off about this place before I arrived last year. I didn't think I would see it, but when I did, I was so surprised that I had to pull over and turn around. I'm really glad I did. Just grab a cinnamon roll or cookie and a cup of tea on a cool spring day, and you'll know what a trip up the coast is supposed to feel like.

5. Naked Crepe - Wolfville, NS
There's nothing particularly regional about this restaurant, but it's still a great way to start your day. They have an extremely diverse selection of sweet and savory crepes that extend way beyond the usual breakfast applications. I had a smoked salmon crepe with a poached egg to start and a banana nutella crepe to finish....The only thing I couldn't find on the menu was the stretcher I needed to wheel me out. Again, this restaurant is right on Main Street in Wolfville, an easy walk from campus. http://www.thenakedcrepebistro.ca/

If you want to know more about my experiences in Nova Scotia, please visit my two posts from June 2012. Before I conclude, I need to send out a huge thanks to the wonderful people who invited me into their homes and their lives over the last two years. It's a been an amazing journey, and although my research there has ended, I'm sure this is not really good-bye. See ya soon, eh!

Photos by Jenn Ballard

 

National Cheeseburger Month

May is National Cheeseburger Month. In honor of that occasion, I thought I would share my favorite way to enjoy this American icon.

 

The first step to a great cheeseburger is preparing a nice thick patty out of high-quality ground beef. I like it cooked over a charcoal grill until it's just a little pink on the inside. In my opinion, the next most important ingredient is a great bread. I like Hawaiian sweet rolls or onion rolls toasted over the grill. In place of sliced cheese, I really like a melting dollop of pimento cheese. My favorite recipe for pimento cheese is Paula Deen's version called "Bobby's Pimento Cheese." (Just a little hint: you can leave out the cream cheese and add a little extra mayo. It's still good and saves a couple of calories. I also add a little hot sauce.) After these key ingredients, I typically add avocado, lettuce, spinach, or bacon as the mood strikes. You won't need mayo if you let the cheese spread melt.

Whether you make your burgers at home or have a favorite place to buy one, be sure you celebrate the cheeseburger this month!

Photo by Jenn Ballard