Spring Fever

It's a raw, rainy end to March -- just as it should be in Connecticut.  With unseasonably warm temps for most of the month, heck most of the winter, many people were eager to get out in the garden and start planting. I even warned a couple of folks not to plant anything yet, because it would probably just waste a lot of time and money.  The past week it's dipped down to below freezing several nights in a row -- Small plants are just too vulnerable to conditions like that.

Chicken Cutlets Topped with Bruschetta

I'm sad to report that this dinner marks the end of fresh tomatoes from my garden. Of course, as I noted in earlier posts, I have a freezer full of frozen veggies that will get me through the next couple of months, but fresh is always best, isn't it?

My mom started making chicken this way, and it instantly became a family hit. Everyone loves it, plus it's crazy easy to make. I paired it with some green beans from the garden. For those, I like to boil for just a few minutes until tender, then shock them with cold water. Season with a squeeze of lemon, a touch of olive oil and salt and pepper. Simple and delicious!

Fresh Salsa and Chips

It's a Sunday afternoon in September and that means you will find me cheering on my New York Giants football team. And that also means I'm doing some snacking.

Now obviously, most football snacks aren't that healthy, but this is one chip and dip you can munch on and not feel guilty about.

I got this salsa recipe from my former colleague, Ted Koppy, and I make it all the time!  In addition to enjoying this salsa as part of your traditional Mexican fare, you can also add a spoonful to the top of some chicken cutlets or maybe even add a little to your cheese omelette.

Ingredients:
5 lbs plum tomatoes
2 tbsp kosher salt
a handful of green onion
1 tbsp oregano
3 tbsp parsley
4 cloves fresh garlic
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp fresh ground black pepper
2-3 jalapenos (depending on how hot you like)
Juice of one lemon

Combine all ingredients in cuisinart and pulse. If needed, strain extra juice and serve with nacho chips.

Saving your summer harvest

I've got a ton of tomatoes, a Foodsaver, and an extra freezer, so what's a girl to do? Freeze them, of course!
Many traditional gardeners may say canning is the only way to go, but I came up with the idea of freezing the tomatoes last year. I usually make a large pot of sauce and freeze those off in smaller portions, so why can't I do the same thing with just the tomatoes? So that's exactly what I did (and do).

Warning: I will tell you in advance that this is a messy process. Make sure you have on an old t-shirt and be prepared to wipe down your cabinets and counters when you're done.

I grow mainly plum tomatoes and they're really the best kind to use for my freezing method.

First, you want to bring a large stock pot of water to a boil. In a second large stock pot, put in cold water with a tray of ice cubes. When the water comes to a boil, add your tomatoes and turn off the heat. You only want them in there for about 30 seconds to a minute. We're not cooking the tomatoes, we just want to loosen their skin. Then you want to move the tomatoes from the hot to the cold water.

From there, I set up my Cuisinart and a large pitcher to squeeze the seeds and skin into. Then it's just an assembly line. Take a tomato, pinch off the top, slide the skin off, and squeeze the seeds out. I've got it down to where I know just how many tomatoes it takes to fill the stock pot and subsequently, the Cuisinart.

When the Cuisinart is full, pulse the tomatoes a few times, but not too much! Dump the contents into a Foodsaver and then the freezer. You'll be able to enjoy your harvest in the middle of the winter! Click here for Tomato and Bean Soup recipe.

Chicken and tomatoes over rice

My tomatoes are finally ready and ripening faster than Nick and I can eat. I would say I have about 20 tomato plants in my garden. Most of them are plum tomatoes, which contain less seeds and are good for making sauce. Plus, I find there's less of a chance of bugs and other problems happening with the smaller variety. My mother is growing some tomatoes on her patio, but they're huge and before she can even pick them they are spoiling. What a bummer! I did buy a few other tomato varieties (not sure what kind, sorry!) and they are a little bigger than the plum tomatores, but they're not the huge beefsteak variety.

With all the tomatoes on hand, I'm always trying to figure out how to incorporate them into dinner. For this dish, I also used some onions from my garden, as well as some of my herbs.  The taste of summer!

Ingredients:

12 chicken thighs, skin removed

About 15 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

One small onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 c. white wine or chicken broth

Vegetable oil to coat pan

Flour to dredge the chicken
1 tbsp butter
Parsley, basil and oregano, chopped

Heat the vegetable oil in a deep saute pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, dredge in flour and cook until brown on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan, add a pat of butter with the garlic and onions. Saute for a few minutes and add the wine or chicken broth. Let that simmer for about 2 minutes and then add the tomatoes. Simmer for another minute or two and then add the chicken back into the pan. Cover and simmer on low for about 20 minutes. Remove the cover and let cook for another 10 minutes. Mix in the herbs in the last minute. Serve over a bed of rice.

All about herbs

Aaaaahhhh, herbs. I love their smell, their taste, their beauty. There's nothing better than pinching off a bunch of thyme (left) and inhaling its sweet, lemony fragrance. That's the joy of gardening -- taking time out to reconnect with nature and with your senses: feeling the warm earth between your fingers, listening to the chirping birds, breathing in the wonderful aromas, and then savoring the taste of fresh food.

Herbs are a wonderful addition to your garden, for many reasons. First, they are perennials, which means once you plant that basil, it will continue to come back, year after year, with essentially no work. Two, herbs are a natural insecticide. Their fragrant leaves repel pesks that can eat away at your tomatoes. For that reason, I have several bushes scattered throughout my garden. An oregano here, a rosemary there.

Do you have a small backyard and limited space in your garden? Herbs do wonderful in containers. Even though I have the space, I still love putting a couple of herb planters on my back porch as decoration. I even love to clip a large sprig of herbs and put them in water in a vase in the house. (right) It's decorative, it's fragrant, and it's great to have your herbs on hand when you're cooking.

Which brings me to the best reason for growing herbs in your garden: the wonderful flavor they bring to your food. Parsley and oregano in homemade salsa -- delicious! Basil for your bruschetta -- mouthwatering! Rosemary chicken -- yum! The new motto in my house lately has been 'halt the salt'. Fresh herbs are a wonderful way to help cut your salt intake and add a flavorful punch to any dish.

Tomato and Bean Soup

Campbell's has got nothing on this tomato soup! It's chock full of fiber, protein, vitamins and antioxidants, plus it has at least half the salt. I'm by no means a vegetarian, but I do think it is important for your health, and the health of the planet, to try and eat at least one meat-free dinner a week. This hearty soup would make a great dinner, especially if you have some nice crusty Italian bread to go along with it.

I can't believe that it is the middle of the winter and I'm still enjoying veggies from my garden! Instead of canning my veggies, I've opted to freeze them. It's a great alternative, especially if you have a Food Saver and the freezer space.  I used up the last of the tomatoes and string beans from last season's crop for this recipe. Is it spring yet?

Ingredients:
1/2 onion, diced
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2-3 celery stalks, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups diced tomatoes
2 cups water
Sprinkle of oregano and basil
Pinch of cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 can white beans
1 cup cut green beans

Directions:
In large soup pan, cook onion in oil on low heat for about 5 minutes. Add celery, carrot, pepper, and garlic and cook another 3-4 minutes.

Add tomatoes, water, oregano, basil, cumin, salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat about 10 minutes, or until veggies are tender.

Add string beans and white beans. Add additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Cover and cook additional 10 minutes, or until string beans are tender.