Lemony Orzo with Grilled Summer Squash... a Guest Post

Don't you just love a wedding??  Admittedly, I haven't been to one in years and years...  I'm sort of in that in between stage where all my friends are already married and my kids are too young yet.  But did you know that Raven of RavieNomNoms is getting married??  As with any bride-to-be, she's sorta busy with wedding plans (and cake tasting!) and we've stepped in on her blog today to give her a little more planning time.

Earlier this week I mentioned one of the benefits of food blogging is the friends I've made across the globe, and Raven is actually one of my very first blog friends from way back in the Foodbuzz days (oh, how I miss Foodbuzz!).  And not only is she a blogger, but she's a dancer!  Liv and I have watched her videos and one day we hope to see her dance in person.

So won't you take a moment to pop over to RavieNomNoms to give Raven a little congratulations?  We're sharing this fabulous Lemony Orzo Salad with her today and we are so thankful she is part of our blogoverse.

Raven and Patrick

 

Peach Bourbon BBQ Sauce #BourbonBBQ

Summer... it's here!!  And that means grilling season is upon us.  Well, here in San Diego grilling season is pretty much an all year round affair, but with May deemed National BBQ Month we are right now all about food over the open fire.  When grilling, whether it be chicken, salmon, vegetables or even pizza (yes, we grill our pizza!), condiments become a key ingredient to success.

And what's speaks more to grilling or BBQing than a good, sweet and tangy BBQ Sauce?  Different parts of the country will have very strong opinions as to what a "good" and "proper" BBQ Sauce is.  For example... dining in Memphis?  The sauce served will most likely be a thinner, tomato based sauce with a heavy tang of vinegar.  Or how about the Carolina's?  Here BBQ means pork, and only pork, and usually a mustard based sauce often with some sort of slaw on the side.  Kansas City?  Perhaps the most recognizable BBQ Sauce type, this sauce tends to be sweeter, heavy on the tomato and with only a slight vinegar tang and perhaps a trace of smoke.

But what about California?  Here just about anything goes, and today we bring you a sweet yet tangy Peach Bourbon BBQ Sauce.  Inspired by Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, this sauce includes caramelized sauteed onions enhanced with the rich bourbon flavors and then combined with sweet, fresh peaches.  Going  California style, our sauce is perfect with grilled salmon or chicken, but also a wonderful addition to pulled pork.

Having spent three years of my life living in Louisville, Kentucky, bourbon has a special place in my heart.  To be a true Bourbon, the product must be distilled only in the US.  While it may be distilled anywhere in the US, you will find most Bourbons are distilled in Kentucky.  Bourbons must be aged in new, charred oak barrels and must be distilled from at least 51% corn.  Different distillers use varying combinations of other grains including rye, barley, and wheat, but the corn must stay at 51%.

When bottled, all Bourbons must be at least 80 proof, though many will exceed this requirement.  However unlike many other distilled spirits, Bourbon may not contain any artificial colorings or additives, hence, the caramel color of bourbon comes only from the barrel it was aged in.

Four Roses, like most other bourbons, hails from Kentucky with its distillery located in Lawrenceburg.  It's said that Four Roses founder, Paul Jones Jr. became smitten by the beauty of a southern belle.  After proposing to the belle, she replied that if the answer was "Yes", she would wear a corsage of roses to the upcoming grand ball.  Arriving in a beautiful gown also she wore a corsage of 4 red roses, and Mr. Jones named his Bourbon "Four Roses" as a symbol of his passion for his lovely belle.

Thank you to Four Roses for sending us samples of their single barrel bourbon whiskey and for bringing a little bit of Kentucky to our California home.  Whether you live in the East, South, North or West, Peach Bourbon BBQ Sauce is sure to enhance your meal for National BBQ Month.  #BourbonBBQ  Definitely a reason to get outside and grill!

Summer Grilled Veggie Salad with Couscous and Rhubarb Peach Chutney

When people ask me about my job and I reply "I'm a food blogger!", I'm frequently met with confused looks and comments of "Really?  Do you like it?"

Do I like it?  Absolutely, yes!  Food blogging has opened my world bringing me friends from countries across the globe (I have a special BFF in Paris!! ;)  ) and as close as down the street.  I've discovered new foods and preparation techniques, mastered exciting gadgets, and learned that our kitchen is far more fun when it isn't totally clean.

Food blogging also occasionally brings me fabulous surprises in the mail, the latest being a special box from Melissa's Produce along with a challenge to me and my fellow San Diego Food Bloggers to create a dish using 3-4 of the treats in the box.

On the cutting edge of the impending summer season, a box filled with organic peaches and nectarines, brilliant stalks of rhubarb, an incredibly sweet Korean Melon, fresh fava beans, a fresh young coconut and a zesty Hatch Chili salsa was met with a shout of glee from Liv and and exclamation of "Can I have the peaches now??".  Sharing just one of the fragrant peaches with my girl, I repacked the rest waiting for inspiration.

With peach being a particular family favorite, a recipe including the perfectly ripe peaches and nectarines was a must.  And then there was the rhubarb.  Something I've never actually used, but that I remember my grandmother making into a pie that I actually didn't like.  Hmmm.  Yes, I felt the need to conquer the rhubarb.  As such I set out to the back yard with the fresh young coconut in hand (complete with pink cocktail umbrella for effect) along with a bag of chips and Melissa's Hatch Chili Salsa to ponder said ingredients.

The result??  This sweet yet ever so slightly spicy Rhubarb-Peach Chutney.  Chutney, also something my grandmother always had on hand that I never touched, is new to me.  Kind of a strange word, and many times made with ingredients that aren't always at the top of my list, I've just not taken the time to explore what it's all about.

Rhubarb Peach Chutney... and unexpected fabulous pleasure!

A little vinegary as it simmered, I wasn't sure about this recipe (a conglomerate of some 4 different versions I found online), but I picked and chose the ingredients that most appealed to me and when mixed with couscous and grilled veggies I have a meal to be proud of.

With fresh corn hitting the store shelves about the same time as my precious box arrived, it seemed fitting to bring on the summer ingredients.  Grilled zucchini and peppers, met up with the fresh fava beans and of course a fresh California Avocado over a bed of couscous and the Rhubarb Peach Chutney completed the salad.  Simply divine even if I do say so myself!!

A big thank you to Melissa's, a company with some of the freshest ideas in produce!  While I feel particularly lucky to live within a few hours of Melissa's 280,000 sq ft warehouse in Los Angeles, this country is lucky to have their produce nationwide.  As the largest distributor of specialty produce in the US, we can all enjoy quality global ingredients thanks to their efforts.

Now won't you join me as we visit some of my fellow San Diego food bloggers to see what Melissa's Produce Box inspired them to make?

Grilled Tomato Pasta Salad with Corn and California Avocado

As we've seen time and again, life can change in a mere moment.  Last week a leisurely beach walk left my husband and I wondering where we should head to lunch.  Then my phone exploded with texts from my kids at school showing photos of billowing smoke along with a query if our house was OK.  Little did we know the last 10 minutes had brought an eruption of flames less than a mile from our house.  Peering out the back window smoke clouded the sky and adrenaline kicked in.

Luckily for us, the westerly Santa Ana winds blew the fast moving fire away from us, but what we viewed as luck turned to devastation for others.  Hot and extremely dry conditions exasperated by the strong winds whipped the fire into a true fire storm in minutes and displaced thousands of residents as evacuation orders were sent by local authorities.  Homes, businesses and schools had people fleeing the flames as fire crews fought valiantly to control the fire.

Fire behind, fire in front...

While any loss is devastating, our incredible fire fighters saved hundreds of homes and businesses as well as a local school with no loss of life.  Stories of flames licking back fences have been common, but the fire crews in combined efforts with water dropping helicopters stopped the flames in their tracks for nearly all buildings.  Losses do include 18 apartment units and 3 single family homes, and the outpouring of support from our community continues to this day.

Evacuations lasted up to 24 hours for most residents, and families did what they could to grab pets and valuables before leaving their homes.  With panic to regroup, parents did what they could to gather kids from schools and reunite at a safe place, and our home became just such a meeting place.

Instructing my son to bring home Liv and a close girlfriend of hers they also stopped at another school to gather her friend's sister while the mom struggled through traffic to find her other daughter evacuating from the school in the fire's path.  Bringing their two pups and bunnies to our house they weathered the storm here and we made the best of it while keeping a close eye on the smoke direction as well as the constant fire news on the tv.

As my plans to head to Trader Joe's evaporated with the events of the day, a rummage through the kitchen found fresh tomatoes, avocados, and corn.  Running low on pasta, I don't think I've ever been so thankful for my job as a food blogger as I remembered a gift box from one of my favorite grain companies, Hodgson Mill.

Just a week or so earlier, Hodgson Mill had sent me a few packages of a new whole grain pasta to try.  Pulling out the bag of Ultragrain Penne with Quinoa, evacuation time and a captive audience seemed to be the perfect occasion.

Bringing our veggies outside to the grill we grilled the tomatoes and corn as the pasta simmered.  Fresh basil from the garden brought a freshness to the salad, and watermelon and a quickly tossed together focaccia rounded out our meal.

Grilled tomatoes... they are done when the skins wrinkle and pull off when touched

The verdict??  Absolutely fabulous!!  None of us had had good luck with whole grain pastas in the past, but this version brought a perfect al dente bite and a rich pasta flavor that had everyone, including the kids digging in for seconds.  As our friends returned to their home safe and sound later that evening, compliments abound for our tossed together dinner.

A big thank you to Hodgson Mill for feeding us during the fires!  You truly have a few new Multigrain Quinoa Pasta fans, and you can bet I'll be stocking up on pasta on my next trip to the store.

Sugared Walnuts and a Walnut Roundup in Honor of National Walnut Day

I have this distant memory of chilly evenings sitting in front of a blazing fire watching as my dad carefully cracked and shelled bags of walnuts.  I loved playing with the nuts before he cracked them, fun little balls to roll around or to toss, but even more fun was turning the crank on the little hand grinder after he pried the nut out of its shell.  So many fun walnut memories, but I don't actually remember eating them.

It wasn't until I began cooking on my own that I truly discovered how much I loved nuts, and walnuts quickly rose to become one of my favorites.  And that was before I understood the incredible health benefits they bring along with their buttery taste.

As with all nuts, walnuts are high in fat and must be consumed in moderation, however, just a few nuts a day (recommendations sit at 6-7 nuts a day) can bring health benefits including high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, reduction of bad cholesterol and an increase in good cholesterol, a good source of protein and generous amounts of anti-oxidants.  Their anti-inflammatory properties aid the cardiovascular system, may inhibit the growth of cancer cells, improve memory and benefit the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes.  Super Nut??  I'd think yes!

The oldest tree food known to man, walnuts have a history dating back to 7,000 BC.  Often referred to as "Persian Walnuts", the English Walnut is said to come from Ancient Persia where they were reserved for royalty.  Traded along the Silk Route between Asia and the Middle East, caravans carried the precious nuts to far off lands and eventually sea trade brought walnuts around the world.  While never actually commercially grown in England, it was the English Merchant Marines who transported the nuts from port to port, thereby gaining the nut the name "The English Walnut".

Today, 99% of the US and three quarters of the world walnut supply comes from the fabulous state of California.  First cultivated by the Franciscan Fathers in the early 1700's, the first nuts were known as "Mission Walnuts".  Trees flourished in the Mediterranean-like climates of California and by the 1870's commercial walnut production had begun near Santa Barbara.  Over the next 70 years walnut plantings moved to the central valleys and northern California locations with many of today's trees being descendants of these early plantings.  See California Walnuts for more detailed information.

Liv's favorite Baklava

So what do you say... will you join me today, May 17th, in celebrating National Walnut Day??  Receiving a pound of California walnuts from Lester Farms out of Winters, CA, (Thank you Farmwater.org for organising!) visions of our favorite Baklava flitted through my head, quickly followed by banana nut breads and toffees topped with ground nuts.  However Mother Nature took a hand in our recipe decision, and with the local fires here in San Diego (we were within 1 mile of the Poinsettia Fire at one point) my baking plans went up in smoke.  Easy enough to remedy though with a simple recipe that I should have thought to share in the first place.

Sugared Walnuts... a must have recipe for anyone who is a walnut fan.  Perfect for tossing into a salad or topping a freshly baked sweet potato, but more importantly, ideal for simply eating out of hand.  We've made these sweet nuts for years and have even packaged them in jars and wrapped up for gift giving over the holidays.  Bring a cute little jar of these beauties as a hostess gift and you'll definitely be invited back!

Our Sugared Walnut recipe appears at this bottom of this post, but in honor of National Walnut Day, I couldn't help but bring you more wonderful recipes I've come across in my walnut research.  Have a favorite among the bunch?  Have one to add?  We'd love to see your recipes in the comments below!

National Walnut Day Round Up

May 17, 2014

Sweet Recipes

• Nectarine Parfaits with Walnut Crumble and Lemon Cashew Cream (Raw, Vegan, Paleo) from Gourmande in the Kitchen

• Cinnamon Walnut Biscotti from Everyday Maven

• Dark Cocoa Superfood Granola from Cupcakes and Kale Chips

• Homemade Larabars from 52 Kitchen Adventures

• Date Nut Bread from Donuts, Dresses and Dirt (a must read post... she touched my heart with this one!)

• Carrot Oatmeal Cookies from Yummy, Healthy, Easy

• English Walnut Toffee from A View From Great Island

• Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies from Recipe Renovator

• Chocolate Walnut Babka from Karen's Kitchen Stories

• Caramel Walnut Squares from The Kitchen is My Playground 

• Wild Violet Granola from Farm Fresh Feasts

• Double Chocolate Protein Bars from Ravie Nom Noms

• Baklava from Liv Life

• Banana Ice Cream with Toasted Walnuts and Chocolate Swirl from Seasonal and Savory

• Cocoa Dusted Glazed Walnuts from Gourmande in the Kitchen

• Healthy Apple Cobbler Muffins from Two Healthy Kitchens

• Maple Walnut Scones from A View From Great Island

• Quinoa Coconut Walnut Crunch from Jeanette's Healthy Living

• Dark Chocolate Chunk Walnut Cookies from Flavor Mosaic

• Picnic Cake from Baking Love

Savory Recipes

• Sweet Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Caramelized Walnuts from Taking on Magazines

• Bulger Wheat Salad with Pomegranates and Walnuts from An Edible Mosaic

• Swiss Chard with Raw Walnut Taco "Meat" from Tasty Yummies

• Fresh Green Bean Walnut and Feta Salad from The Kitchen is My Playground

• Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip from Seasonal and Savory

• Celery Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette from The View From Great Island

• Lightened Walnut Salad from Yummy, Healthy, Easy

• Raspberry Brie and Goat Cheese Pizza from Because I Like Chocolate

• Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Toasted Walnuts from EA Stewart

• Maple Walnut and Sweet Potato Hummus from Cupcakes and Kale Chips

• Apple Walnut Rainbow Chard Salad from An Edible Mosaic

• Rosemary Roasted Honey Walnuts from The Cafe Sucre Farine

• Apple Walnut Cranberry Salad from Flover Mosaic

• Ancient Power Oatmeal with Chia, Flax and Walnut from Liv Life

San Diego Fires... #cocosfire #poinsettiafire

 

One of 9 fires burning in San Diego.  This one, the San Marcos (Cocos Fire) is still burning as of May 16, 2014 - 3PM along with another fire the behind me in this shot in Oceanside.

Thank you to the numerous friends and family who called, emailed and texted to check up on us during these last few days of the raging San Diego Fires.  While the Carlsbad Fires came within a little over a mile from us, we did not need to evacuate, though our bags were indeed packed.

Our radio and tv have been tuned to nearly 24-hour fire news coverage, and my heart goes out to those who have lost so much.  Driving around today the devastation is incredible, yet other areas have so much that has been saved.  The fire crews have worked tirelessly and here in our Carlsbad fire, they kept the losses to a minimum.  We have friends who have scorch marks right up to their back yards, yet their homes remain safe.  The Aviara School incurred very little damage and though the fire did its best to claim it, our firefighters were stronger.

Just as I began to relax about our Carlsbad fire another erupted just 10 miles away in the San Marcos area bringing new fears for my parents.  Thankfully the fires never came closer than 4 miles or so, and they are now in the clear.  Mom texted at 2 AM the other night saying she couldn't sleep and spent a few hours on the porch watching the brilliant fire lines, all the time tears streaming down her face.

Emotions have run high in our county over the last few days, but my heart has been consistently warmed by the generosity of humanity.  Story after story has emerged showing neighbors helping neighbors, strangers saving animals, and volunteers caring for the now homeless.  I'm proud to be a part of this community.

Here we have a few images that have stuck with me over the last few days... Most are not mine as we have stayed away from the fire areas unless they came close to us.

Mom's view of the Cocos Fire (found on Redit - no photo credit available)

Fires burned right up to the homes in Carlsbad (pc. america.aljezeera.com)

Even the firefighters were impressed with the DC-10 Super Tanker (pc. NBCNewsSanDiego) See NBC10 Video here: Super Tanker)

Fires from Carlsbad Coastline (pc. carlsbadistan.com)

Evacuation of Aviara Oaks School (pc. Balletpointers Instagram)

Traffic at a near standstill as I tried to get gas... fire behind me, fire in front of me.  (pc. Kim Kelly | Liv Life)

"Dramatic image of 72-year-old fighting #CocosFire with garden hose by @RickLoomis via @latpix http://lat.ms/RURL8T pic.twitter.com/pdpUnPIOCX"

Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

A huge fireball erupts as a structure burns on Coronado Hills Drive in San Marcos.

Apartment Complex burned in Carlsbad... 22 units lost (pc.Sean M. Haffey - UT San Diego)

A San Diego Fire Department Helicopter drops water on flames as they spread behind Aviara Oaks Middle and Elementary School in Carlsbad. — John Gibbins / UT San Diego

Click here: this video shows what may have been the start of the Poinsettia Fire...

With a thousands of evacuations still in effect, road closures and numerous fires still burning, San Diego is still fighting.  The weather today has turned and the 100º+ temperatures are some 15 degrees lower and the strong Santa Ana winds have shifted back to our normal on-shore breezes.

Our thoughts and prayers remain with those affected and with the firefighters on the line.  Hundreds of firefighters from all over the state are here helping with these blazes.  San Diego thanks you.

Smoky skies bring brilliant orange hues and stunning sunsets giving the appearance of peace and calm as the fires rage on. (pc. Kim Kelly | Liv Life)

Smoky Moon... (pc.  Kim Kelly | Liv Life)

Blueberry Chia Jam

Life changing moments are few and far between.  Hence, when even a small thing moves you, it must be embraced.  And as of last week?  I'm embracing Blueberry Chia Jam.

Can jam actually be life changing you ask??  In this case... yes.  You see, for some 35+ years I've eaten my beloved PBJ with apricot jam multiple times a week.  This luscious combo has stood the test of time and has become something I truly crave.  Until, this happened.

A visit to a local organic U-Pick Blueberry Farm (Fairfield Farms - Pauma Valley) found me with some 20 pounds of fresh, perfectly ripe, pop in your mouth blueberries.  Our successful (and most heavenly) Blueberry Maple Syrup had my daughter eating the syrup with a spoon and musing how the syrup would taste perfectly fabulous on a PBJ.  Hmmm... why not turn the syrup into jam?

With the well known health benefits of the antioxidant-rich, deeply hued berries, my goal with this jam became keeping the fabulous taste without filling my jam with granulated sugars or boxed pectin powders.  An easy answer brought rich maple syrup (containing polyphenols, zinc and maganese) as a sweetener and protein-packed, calcium-filled chia seed to thicken.

Simmering the ingredients for a mere 20 minutes, the berries softened, then popped and the chia swelled into a fabulously thick jam.  Aromas of summer wafted through our kitchen as we jarred our jam to chill.

The next day I took a chance.  Forgoing my usual store bought apricot jam, I slathered almond butter and the fresh blueberry chia version on top of my freshly baked, warm pita and after one bite, my life has been forever changed.

Bursting with a rich blueberry flavor, this jam doesn't bring the cloying sweetness of store-bought versions, but instead the satisfying flavors of real fruit.  The maple syrup sweetens gently while giving the jam a rich layer of depth, and the chia brings a lovely texture along with its multiple health benefits.  I'm sorry apricot, it's been a wonderful 35 years, but there's a new jam in town.  Blueberry Chia is here to stay.