poolside pineapple drink

The summer in the South means you are likely to hear to growl of a lawn mower during the day and the songs of cicadas at night. It means you can smell the sweet honeysuckle on the vine and the grub on the grill. You can see children playing in the sprinkles and old folks rocking on their front porch. But, most of all what you feel is the heat. Seriously, I think it is a million degrees outside right now - and that's without the heat index which makes it a million and four. So, needless to say the carnivore and I are always looking for ways to beat the heat.

Enter the baby pool. That's right the carnivore and I are now the proud owners of a super-sized inflatable baby pool. Laugh all you want. It is wonderful on a hot day filled to the rim with cool hose water. But, what really puts it over the top is when we get to enjoy an adult beverage in our baby pool. Since I am now obsessed with all things pineapple, and I know how to cut one, I came up with this little concoction.

Simply fill your blender with ice cubes. Add in 3-4 slices of fresh pineapple, 2.5 cups of Dole Blends Orange, Peach, Mango Juice, three shots of rum, and one shot of peach liqueur. Blend until the consistency of a slushy. Garnish with more pineapple and drink through a straw. You will have enough to share or have several drinks on your own.

It is a fantastic poolside drink, whether it be a real pool or a little one. Or, even if you don't have a pool it is a nice way to cool off on these incredibly hot days.

hot diggity dog

It is summer and that means a lot of grilling out at our house. We have at least one meal a week the requires the carnivore to man the grill. And, since we are coming up on the 4th of July I thought I would share our latest grilling adventure - fancy hot dogs. I know what you are thinking - how can hot dogs be fancy? Well, as it turns out is is all in the toppings. I came up with this idea after seeing an article in both Bon Appetit and Real Simple on gourmet dogs. (We had also sampled some less than simple hot dogs at a local joint that combines hot dogs and tacos in interesting ways.) So, here is what we came up with...

THE CARNIVORE'S DOGS -

The Bacon Jack Dog - The was far and away the carnivore's favorite, but that's no surprise since bacon is his favorite food. This dog was a combo of colby jack cheese slices and cooked smoked bacon that was then chopped and placed on top. What's not to love?



The Memphis Bar-B-Que Dog - In a similar vein of topping meat with more meat, the carnivore also liked this dog. He got a bar-b-que sandwich from the Memphis institution that is Corky's and used the shredded pork to top his dog. I know the picture isn't much to look at, but he swears it was good. If you don't have a Corky's nearby the now sell their stuff in stores, or any local bar-b-que should work fine.

The Pizza Dog - This fancy hot dog was actually inspired from a suggestion in Bon Appetit. Simply top the dog with a little marinara sauce (something we always have on hand in my house). Then add some mozzarella cheese and crushed red pepper flakes. The carnivore said this was his second favorite. Go figure, 1=bacon, 2=pizza. He really does have the palate of a five year old.




The Trailer Park Dog - Now don't get mad at me for this name, it came from Bon Appetit. Plus, I have lived in a trailer before (many, many years ago) and therefore have leeway in using this term. This dog is a combo of good old American cheese slices and potato chips. The carnivore used salt and vinegar chips despite my urging him to try ruffles. He now thinks plain chips would have made a better dog. In either case the crunchiness should be very reminiscent of when you use to put dorritos in your sandwich at school.

The Double Dog - This is strictly a carnivore creation. Double up the hot dogs and apply ketchup only. This ketchup only things is strange to me and many of his Chicago relatives, one of whom even bought him a book called "Never put Ketchup on a Hot Dog." But, the carnivore loves it nonetheless.




MY VEGGIE DOGS -
The Caprese Dog - This one wins most photogenic hot dog if nothing else. An idea I got from Bon Appetit, this dog is topped with fresh mozzarella, basil leaves, and cherry tomato slices. You then drizzle a bit of olive oil on top. It was suprisingly good, and fresh - like having your salad and your hot dog at the same time.



The Texan Dog - In the running for my favorite for sure. This hot dog was accompanied by cheddar cheese, onions, and bar-b-que sauce. Next time I might try a sweeter onion, like the vadalia, but it was fantastic nonetheless.



The Mexican Dog - By far my favorite, but then again, I love all things Mexican. I added avocado slices, red onions, mexican cheese, a squirt of taco sauce, and some fresh cilantro to this dog. It was like deconstructed guacamole on a hot dog. Fantastic!



The Parisian Dog - Okay, not the most beautiful, but this one wins for most exotic. This concoction which came from Bon Appetit is a hot dog paired with pears (pun intended), brie, and dijon mustard. I am still on the fence about having the sweetness of the pears with the hot dog, but the brie and mustard were divine.




As a word of caution, we did not eat all of these in on sitting! But, the sky really is the limit. There is no need to ever just have a plain hot dog again. So, do you have a gourmet dog you love? What fancy toppings are you dying to try? We'd love to hear some more ideas for our future grilling adventures!

zucchini party tarts

Zucchini is on of the very few green things the carnivore will eat. I usually just make golden zucchini, but I saw a recipe in an old Bon Appetit that I thought I would give a try. It was called mini zucchini and goat cheese tarts. Since making it, I have decided it would be perfect at a party. Of course, if you are like me, it is a great way to sneak in a green veggie as an appetizer on any night.


Here is what you will need:
1 refrigerated pie crust
1-2 zucchini, cut into rounds
1 tsp. salt
1 tbl. of olive oil
2 tsp. of fresh thyme
3 oz. of goat cheese
1.4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

To make these party tarts, start by laying out your working mat and dusting it with a little flour. Then roll out your pie crust. Using a round cookie cutter cut out several rounds. Repeat until you have used up the dough. Place the rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then put them in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Next slice your zucchini and put it in a small bowl. Add in the salt and toss. Let the zucchini sit for about 15 minutes and then pat dry. Rinse the bowl and then put the zucchini, oil, and thyme in it. Stir until coated. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the pie crust rounds from the freezer and cover each with a generous dollop of goat cheese. Place a slice of zucchini on top of each round. Sprinkle all of the tarts with Parmesan and bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Before serving drizzle a bit more olive oil on top.

These little guys are delicious. The carnivore gobbled his up, noting the crust "tasted like a Ritz cracker." (I think that's a good thing.) So, if you are having a special occasion or just looking for another way to get something green on the table, give these tarts a try.

how to cut a pineapple

I have been intimidated by the whole pineapple for years. Just look at it. I love fruit, but it is the fruit equivalent of the porcupine. No matter how sweet it might be inside getting past that prickly exterior looks, frankly, like too much work. After all, they have it in those easily accessible cans. I can pick if I want it sliced, diced, or crushed. So why bother with all that struggle? Well, the answer is simple - because it is so worth it! And, it really isn't that hard. Let me break it down for you.



If you have a manly man in the house, like my carnivore, you may even be able to get them to do the hard work for you. Just tell them it involves using a big knife. That usually works for me. And, this is my second tip - get a big, sharp knife. If you don't have one you are going to a lot more work than you need to. Once you have an appropriate knife, start by removing the top. It is pretty, so you might want to save it for garnish or as part of a centerpiece. Otherwise, it is pretty much useless and you can just toss it.

Next slice off the sides. Go just deep enough to remove the outer layer, careful not to remove too much of the fruit inside. You may have a few spots of the skin you will have to go back and remove. That's fine. Take those off with a smaller knife if needed.






Then lay the pineapple on its side and slice off the ends. Next cut through the fruit all the way through in nice thick slices.






Now that you have the fruit, you can remove the core if you want to as it can be a little tough. You can of course, just eat around it too. If you do decide to core it, use a smaller knife and cut small circles out of the center of each piece. You can also dice it at this time if you are looking for diced pieces. And, look you just cut your own pineapple! See, I told you it wasn't that hard.




There are some many things you can do with fresh pineapple. You can add it to drinks, put it on pizza, or bake it in desserts. This night the carnivore and I decided to grill ours. The heat brings out the sweet juices even more. Remember, since it is fruit it doesn't have to be grilled for very long. So just through it on the grill towards the end of cooking long enough to get some good grill marks on each side. Then enjoy!

menu ideas:
As you know I am all about fruit on the dinner plate, so this pineapple is great with either grilled chicken or a veggie burger. Serve it with some onion rings and you meal is complete! You can also add it to fruit salad for a bikini friendly dessert.

a bounty of basil leads to the perfect pesto

The carnivore and I are really enjoying our herb garden. We went away to Mexico for a week and came back to an abundance of basil. I'm not sure if it was because we weren't home using it in all our Italian dishes or if all the rain caused a growth spurt. In any case it wasn't a problem. I just decided to make some homemade pesto. I got the exact ingredients from SimplyRecipes.



They include:
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste




I didn't have quite enough pine nuts so I actually used a mix of both pine nuts and walnuts. You start by placing the basil leaves, the nuts, and the garlic in a food processor . Pulse till blended well. Then drizzle in the olive oil slowly. Next add the Parmesan cheese a little at a time till combined completely. Top with salt and pepper to taste. And voila! You have beautiful basil pesto. It makes about one cup.



menu ideas:
I tossed the pesto with thin spaghetti as a side dish on this particular night. The carnivore had the pesto pasta with salmon and I had sauteed eggplant. The other side was zucchini and goat cheese tarts. I also like to use the pesto instead of pizza sauce on a simple ricotta pizza. And, it is fine on its own on a toasty piece of bread.

take me out to the ball game

Memphis has its own minor league baseball team and the carnivore and I love going to cheer on the Redbirds. Plus any excuse to have some ballpark food and a few beers in the middle of a hot, humid summer day is a good thing. The carnivore and I always find lots to enjoy there. In fact AutoZone Park was recently named one of PETA's "Top Ten Vegetarian-Friendly Minor League Ballparks."
Our first stop is usually the watering hole. They have a large selection of beers on draft and other adult beverages. My favorite lately is the Blue Moon on tap, complete with an orange slice.Then before we head to our seats we stop for a snack. There are some healthy snacks, like turkey wraps, fruit cups, popcorn or pretzels. We honestly have never tried these, but they look just fine.
And of course there are peanuts and crackerjacks. In fact, there are a variety of hot roasted flavored nuts to choose from. We liked the cinnamon sugar pecans.
Later on, we go back to concessions for more. The carnivore can pick from hot dogs, corn dogs, buffalo chicken fingers, or even pizza. But why choose any of those when there are the world famous Rendezvous bar-b-que nachos, complete with sausage and cheese?
I stick to the cheese fries and veggie dogs myself. My only complaint really is I can't get cheese on my veggie dog. (Note to Redbirds - please change this!) But, all of the other fixins are available. And I have heard rumors of a black bean burger in the season ticket holder section.

Then there is dessert, of course. They have everything from dippin dots to frozen lemonade. For the kid in you there is cotton candy. And, on a hot day there is nothing better than a soft serve ice cream cone.

It is a great way to spend a day. There is certainly plenty for carnivores or vegetarians to eat. And if you are lucky, when it gets dark you can even enjoy the fireworks show.

So, if you are ever in Memphis on a game day come stop by the best minor league stadium around and enjoy some good baseball grub.

mid-day mediterranean

Like many vegetarians I am constantly looking for new lunch ideas. This is the one meal each day that the carnivore and I are on our own, so I indulge in many foods he would never touch. I assume he does the same. So, while he is having fried chicken, I am having chickpeas. I came across this recipe in an old Real Simple. I changed it just a little, but it was amazing! Here is how I made it -

For this wrap you will need:
Flat bread or pita bread
1 can of chickpeas
1 tsp of olive oil
1/4 tomato, chopped
1/8 of a red onion, sliced
1 tblsp of garlic hummus
1 tblsp of sour cream or plain yogurt
1/2 lemon
some fresh parsley
salt and pepper

Begin by toasting the chickpeas in the olive oil over low heat. Add in the copped parsley and squeeze the juice of the lemon half over the peas and toss. Place the peas and all of the other ingredients on the wrap. Top with salt and pepper and enjoy! You can make 4-5 wraps from these chickpeas, but you will need to slice fresh tomatoes and onions each day. I also suggest squeezing fresh lemon and adding a bit more parsley each day too.

This Mediterranean wrap is great mid-day for vegetarians, or adventurous carnivores. It packs in lots of protein, calcium, lycopene, vitamin C, and fiber. Plus, it tastes fantastic! A nice balance of creamy textures with crunchy ones. The sweetness of the lemon next to the spicy garlic was just right. It really was an afternoon delight.

a minty fresh refreshment

As you may know, the carnivore and I planted out own herb garden this year. And, as people warned us our mint has gone crazy. So, I went looking for recipes to use it up. And this is what I found in an old Real Simple - peach and mint iced tea.

For those of you not from the South, iced tea, mostly sweet tea, is a staple here. This is especially true when the temperature reaches in the high 90s, as it has here this past week. And, that's not taking into account the humidity which makes it feel like it is well over 100 degrees. As such, iced tea is required to keep us hydrated and sane.

So I made a big batch of regular iced tea to start. And, as I am a sucker for all things peach and have just found a few that are ripe enough at the market, I picked up a few. I peeled and chopped them up. I also gathered some mint and chopped it up. I placed the mint and peach pieces in the glass. I topped them with ice and a splenda (I am southern girl girl after all and the sweeter the better). I poured the tea on top and stirred.

It was wonderful, but the mint kept getting in my mouth. So, here is what I have learned...keep the mint leaves in tack. Bruise them a little and place them at the bottom of the glass. This seems to work better and the drink is just as refreshing.

So if you too have an abundance of mint, and are in need of a little refreshment, here is one idea at least...

grab-and-go applesauce muffins

I don't know about your house, but at mine we don't have time in the morning to sit down and have breakfast. This is mostly because the carnivore and I are not morning people. We try to squeeze in every last minute of sleep possible. This usually leads to us running around like crazy people to get out of the door on time and no time for anything but a grab-and-go breakfast. I don't however want to stuff my carnivore with processed fruit bars or worse yet have him go without breakfast, so I often make muffins. This is my latest example.

I found this recipe in my 500 cupcakes book. What appealed to me was that it contained lots of good for you ingredients - like whole oats, walnuts, and apples - and I had all the ingredients on hand already!

So here is what you will need for the muffins:
1 stick of softened butter
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce
2 cups of self rising flour
1 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp of ground ginger
1/4 tsp of ground cloves

For the topping you need:
2 tbsp of softened butter
1/4 cup of powdered sugar
3 tsp of chopped walnuts
2 tsp of rolled oats
1/2 tsp of cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line your muffin tin with baking cups. In a bowl combine the butter and brown sugar until pale and creamy. Add in the egg slowly. Then mix in the applesauce thoroughly. Add all of the dry ingredients and spices. Distribute the batter among the 12 cups evenly. To make the topping, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl until they resemble a bread crumb texture. Spoon a bit of the topping on each muffin. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool in the pan for five minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Serve while warm or reheat as needed.

These dense little "cupcakes" are sure to fuel you up at the start of your day, even if you have to grab a couple on your way out the door.

how to get a meat and potatoes person to eat something green

As you know, my carnivore hardly eats anything green. On his very short list of green things he does eat, spinach is not to be found. He is a meat and potatoes man. But, I have seen him eat minced up spinach in things that are surrounded by other things he likes, like ravioli. So, undaunted by his insistence that he does not eat spinach I decided to make this dish I found in an old Real Simple. After all, it also has meat and potatoes in it too.


For this recipe you will need:
1 package of gnocchi
1 bunch of fresh spincah leaves, cleaned, stems removed
1 vidalia onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 lb of regular breakfast style ground sausage
1 lb of vegetarian ground sausage
3/4 cup of parmesan, and more for topping
kosher salt and ground pepper
(Note - this is if you are making both a vegetarian and a carnivore version at the same time)

I started this dish by place a tablespoon or two of olive oil in two pans. I added in 1/2 of a chopped vidalia onion in my pan and let the onions soften. Since the carnivore likes the taste of onions but not the texture, I placed the other half of the onion in a food processor and minced it finely. I then put his onions in the other pan over low heat. I added a minced garlic clove to each pan. Next added vegetarian sausage to my pan and the real deal to his. I cooked the sausage thoroughly. Next I cleaned a bunch of fresh spinach leaves. I divided the bunch in half. I removed the stems from mine and threw it in my pan to wilt. I again minced his spinach in the food processor first before adding it to his pan. I knew he would never touch it otherwise. It did turn his sausage a strange green color, but it was sausage and I knew he would eat it. At the same time I was preparing these toppings I boiled a large pot of salted water and added in the gnocchi for around 3 minutes - until they popped to the top. I drained the gnocchi and added in a tablespoon of olive oil, some kosher salt, freshly ground pepper and 3/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese. I filled each bowl with some gnocchi and then topped with our respective toppings and a bit more parmesan.

It was so good, not only am I counting down the hours till I can have my leftovers, but even the carnivore cleaned his plate! That's right - my carnivore ate spinach! Which is great since it is so rich in so many wonderful nutrients, even if I did have to mince it up. Whatever, I'm not above sneaking in veggies however I can. So, whether your are a vegetarian or a meat and potatoes person, I am sure you will like this. (For those of you who are curious, all of these pics are of the vegetarian version - maybe you can even fool your carnivore into eating a vegetarian spinach dish!)

BLT salad

When I go out to eat I often find myself asking about whether or not there is bacon in something or another. Do those potato skins have bacon? Can you not put the bacon on that spinach salad? Is it possible to get the egg sandwich without the bacon? Maybe it is because I live in Memphis - home of all things pork. Or maybe it is because I live in the South. Or maybe America just has an obsession with bacon.

Our household is not immune to this phenomenon. We own the cookbook, "Everything Tastes Better with Bacon." I got it for the carnivore, because if there is one thing he loves more than anything else it is bacon. (Really, me and the dog might be a a close second.) If there is one thing he hates, its salad. So, while I do like the taste of bacon and regularly enjoy the Morningstar breakfast strips (also known as "facon" in my house), we usually don't have BLTs. That would be too much like a salad, what with all that lettuce and tomato. But, they doesn't mean I don't crave a good BLT or a salad for that matter.

So recently, I decided to turn my craving for a BLT sandwich into a salad. Two birds with one stone. Plus, it is more figure friendly. I used crispy romaine lettuce, fresh tomatoes from my local market, two pieces of fake bacon, and sea salt and pepper croutons. I added in some creamy avocado too. I topped it all off with a rich (and not so figure friendly) buttermilk ranch dressing. It was nothing short of wonderful!

If you are lucky enough to have a carnivore who will eat salads I am sure he would love this. What guy doesn't want to eat more bacon? Plus, you can feel good about the fact that you managed to get them to eat their veggies. And, if you are a vegetarian for once you can have that salad with the "bacon" for a change.

apple of my eye

The carnivore and I each have our own favorite kind of apple. I am a granny smith girl. The carnivore prefers red or yellow apples, usually braeburn. But, what we both agree on is that any type of apple makes a great side dish. That's right, not a snack, not a dessert, but a side dish. I am not sure who decided that fruit needed to be relegated to the between meal bite or a sweet dessert addition, but I refuse to follow that rule. Apples give you great nutrients, like fiber and vitamin C, and there is no reason they can't make an appearance on your dinner plate.



I first got this idea when I made the carnivore pork chops and he wanted to dip them in applesauce. Of course, when he asked for fruit on his own my mouth hit the floor. But, once I regained my composure I decided I could make apples for both of us.



To make these guys I usually peel and slice any combination of 4-5 apples (depending on size). Feel free to mix and match your apple types. I just grab what I have on hand most times, whether it be golden delicious, honey crisp, or fuji. I then places the slices in a sauce pan with about 3 tablspoons of butter, 2 tablspoons of brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of cloves. I cover the pan and simmer them on medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When they are soft, I remove the apples and top with another dash of cinnamon.

menu ideas:
As, I said before I serve these when I make the carnivore pork chops. I usualy have the breaded chicken and guyere patties from Quorn. I also throw in something green, like green beans. These apples would also be great on top of warm oatmeal or pancakes in the morning though.