In the mood for shrimp this July 4th?

Tags

Central Virginia, Charlottesville, food, home, lifestyle, quick recipes, recipies, summer, Virginia

With July fourth around the corner and summer heat and humidity present, I decided to pull out the stops and shop for festive seafood. Landlocked here in central Virginia, most of the ingredients for this recipe came from either Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. Since I do not live in Maine, lobster is out of the question, although langostino is a fine substitute for lobster OR shrimp. Please enjoy this quick recipe inspired by the famous Lobster Roll…ah LaSauce.

This past winter I ate my weight in TJ’s Argentinian wild caught shrimp. Discovered in the frozen food section, I hoarded pounds at a time and feasted regularly. Meaty and tender and ready in four minutes, what could be better? Following a few month’s break from the binge, these beauties called out to me again today.

Are you ready for a simple, simple recipe?

At Trader Joe’s pick up a package of butter croissants, a pound of Argentinian Wild Caught shrimp, some organic bread & butter pickles, a bag of organic celery hearts, and a bag of organic blue corn chips…see photos below.

At Whole Foods, collect a jar of 365 organic mayo, a lemon, and Old Bay seasoning.

OK here is the simple:

Bring water to a rapid boil and add one pound frozen shrimp. Bring back to the boil ( this takes about four minutes) stirring occasionally then drain once water returns to a boil…do not overcook and do not rinse!

wash and finely slice organic celery…about two cups

Trader Joe’s biggest secret…tender butter croissants…I do warm these babies for a few minutes in a toaster oven…slice first ~ never a microwave please!

The label says it all…tender, plump, and they cook in four minutes

What could be a better snack food? Organic, multi-grain, gluten free.

Mix in a few simple ingredients: shrimp, mayo, lemon, celery, Old Bay to taste, and everyone is happy. The Milk Stout happens to be my fav adult beverage and I find it at WF.

The presentation…in minutes this tasty treat will impress; just remember your favorite beverage. The pickles did not make this shot, as I snacked them.

Happy Independence Day to all Americans, and may peace prevail. Be safe.

PS: I do not receive any compensation for mentioning these products…just wanted to share my findings with my readers. Bon Appetit!

Copyright © 2016 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

why not kale…pesto?

Tags

Charlottesville City Market, chive flowers, easy recipes, farmer's market, fast food, food, Home Depot, kale, pesto, stretch gardening, vegetarian

Readers who follow my blog know I adore kale.

an earlier pasta dish with blanched kale and chive flowers

Truly, I eat kale every day—fall and winter—steamed for four minutes, drizzled with olive oil and often topped with two farm raised eggs, easy over. Adding variety to this superfood, I decided to make one of my favorite dishes—pesto.
Why not kale pesto?
Indeed, this dish will knock your socks off.

Diane’s Recipe for Fresh Kale Pesto

Find a large bunch of fresh curly kale, either from your garden or from a local farmer. Strip the leaves off the vein and tear leaves into pieces. Rinse kale, while bringing a pot of water to a boil. In a large bowl, add cold water and a few scoops of ice cubes. Set this bowl near the pot of boiling water. When water is boiling, add kale in batches and blanch for 30-45 seconds, or until kale is bright green. Using a spider, lift blanched kale out and plunge into the bowl of ice water. Repeat process until all kale is blanched and iced.

fresh from the local grower, Whisper Hill Farm ~ 9 stems

ice bath

blanching kale until bright green ~ 30-45 seconds

icing kale to stop cooking

squeeze water out of kale using hands

almond and pecan stash ~ always store nuts either in the fridge or freezer

Squeeze iced kale with hands and place all kale into the bowl of a food processor. Add 3/4 C sliced almonds, 1/2 C pecans, 1 t. fine sea salt, black pepper to taste, 1/2 C virgin olive oil, juice from a whole fresh lime (I use a citrus press), and pulse entire contents, scraping sides of bowl a few times during processing. Add additional olive oil until smooth consistency is achieved.

kale pesto fully processed

Meanwhile, boil your favorite pasta, reusing the blanching water. In this instance I used a combination of organic Casarecce and linguine. When pasta is al dente, remove it from the water using the spider. DO NOT RINSE. SAVE hot pasta water.

al dente Casarecce and linguine

Mix pesto into pasta, adding additional olive oil and a few tablespoons of pasta water to dish until desired consistency is reached. Add a large knob (20g) of room temperature sweet butter and gently toss adding freshly grated Parmesan just before serving.

cooked pasta, knob of butter, kale pesto, toss adding additional pasta water and olive oil as needed

I promise this recipe will make a believer out of you. A real tasty dish that will have your friends talking. Serve with your favorite beverage, crusty bread, and sexy tomatoes if in season. Serves 6. Also nice cold as a left over…

completed dish doused with fresh Parmesan

PS I adore pesto and make three signature pestos from home-grown herbs: French tarragon with pecans, chive artichoke with walnuts in the early spring, and classic basil with walnuts during the summer months. This new kale pesto rounds out my repertoire and I hope you will enjoy them all. There is more to life than basil pesto!

Bon Appetit!

Copyright © 2013 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

asparagus and strawberries ~ the true harbingers of spring

Tags

asparagus, asparagus spears, buffet party, dinner, food, grape hyacinths, healthy recipes, healty food, organic strawberries, party food, sheet pan, spireas, strawberries, vegetarian, virgin olive oil, whipped cream

Without asparagus and strawberries, there would be no spring in my book.

Sure, cheeses are good, yet spring headliners are asparagus and strawberries!

The month of April brings a flush of color to many gardens around the world. Despite Mother Nature’s mood this month, my garden is filled with blooms of the mighty daffodils, grape hyacinths, bluebells, primroses, tulips, dogwood, spireas, hellebore, laurels, spurge, willow, bleeding heart, blueberries, barberries, and rhododendrons. Yet while this show explodes in the home garden, my kitchen is another story—it is abundant with asparagus and strawberries!

Last week I created food for a buffet party of thirty-five. As the beef tenderloins dry-cured in the fridge, the hunt was on for perfect asparagus and strawberries. The food gods were with me, as I brought home eleven pounds of pencil-thin asparagus and a case of organic strawberries. The berries were the size of a Fiat so I planned to serve them with obscene amounts of organic whipped cream.

The asparagus were just the size I prefer and rather than do the blanching/ice bath technique, I decided to roast them instead. My recipe follows:

First determine the break point with one spear, then using the stack and cut method, process all stems.

Step two: Rinse all spears, catching the water in a basin for the garden.

Next, place spears on a large kitchen towel and blot with another removing as much water as possible.

In batches, toss dried spears with virgin olive oil.

Place oiled spears on a sheet pan, one layer thick. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste.

Roast asparagus spears for three minutes at 500F. Then open oven carefully, shake pan to roll spears, then roast another two minutes.

Cooling delectable edibles. For pleasant visual appeal, alternate layers. When completely cooled, cover with cling film and refrigerate. One hour before consuming, bring to room temperature. Squeeze half a fresh lemon over is nice per platter.

The orgasmic fruit ~ the strawberry. Always choose organic.

Leave strawberries unwashed in refrigerator until three hours before eating. Then carefully remove the stem, leave small berries whole, while slicing larger berries into thirds or quarters. Rinse as asparagus, placing on towel and blotting. Store washed berries in refrigerator, covered with a damp paper towel, until one hour before serving. Then sprinkle 1/2 cup of granulated sugar over all (this amount for eight pounds of berries). Gently toss with hands and leave at room temperature. Serve with a generous dollop of freshly whipped cream that is sweetened with a 1/2 cup of sugar (this amount added to four cups of heavy cream).

Giant bowl of these sensuous berries and cream compliment tender madelines and rich, lush brownies cut in one-inch pieces. The guests went wild…

Surely the beef and chicken, local country ham with cream biscuits, cheese boards, artichoke dips, sweet & spicy pecans, and generous full bar filled everyone to a happy place, yet the asparagus and strawberries left them wanting more.

Ah, what a beautiful life.

This is a great time of year to support your local farmer’s markets, grow your own, and generally celebrate another fine season of food. Bon Appetit!

Copyright © 2013 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

tgif

Tags

container planting, food, garden, home, life, nature, plants, spring, Virgina

slow snow slide…try saying this fast

Yesterday marked the official end of winter in my landscape, so said I. The droopy snow slide of last week is now merely a memory. Today, with the sun blazing in all her glory, I headed out into the garden to complete yet another task on my spring checklist.

This planter, and her sister, survived many years of neglect, continuing to flourish season to season. However, during the winter, both planters collapsed, or the contents did, forcing me to pay attention.

sunken in the center

This sedum is bullet proof and flowed for years, simulating water, as the centerpiece of my restored herb bed—now it needed surgery.

with my trusty Rambo knife, surgery was successful

When I planted this container years ago, I placed onion bags filled with  packing peanuts into the bottom. This provides great drainage, reduces the amount of fill dirt, and will biodegrade in a thousand years, making this process very sustainable!

a good use for those non-biodegradable peanuts

notice the peanut filled onion bags tucked into the bottom of the container

landscape cloth and good earth await

operation successful thanks to a good knife

The old flat sheet provided a great catch-all for any wandering bits…

A few fresh peanuts were added

then all were covered with a bit of landscape cloth. This prevents dirt from clogging the engineered drainage

I just adore the color of these Angelina Stonecrop ‘Sedum rupestre’ ‘Angelina’ PPAF or trailing perennial.

In no time this plant will spill over the edges of this container creating a fountain effect

meanwhile the mower charges

I repeated this surgery on the second container, then proceeded to the lower garden where the eight sections of retired sedum were re-purposed. They should do well in this hot, sunny lower area.

Virginia soil is full of clay, therefore this mortar pan is handy when adding amendments like Pro-Mix.

slave girl at work–moi!

tools of the day

time for a late lunch–butternut squash ravioli

with brown butter and sage

a tasty reward following a good afternoon’s work

So fare-thee-well winter storms and heavy snow.
This gardener is out in her domain, making a small difference in her spring landscape on a highly productive Friday afternoon.

Copyright © 2013 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

when pie sales reached 2000 …

Tags

"Best Key Lime Pie on the Planet", Charlottesville, Citizen Burger Bar Charlottesville, food, home renovation, key lime pie, one woman operation, restaurants, Virginia

I quit counting. Yes! At last annual count, two-thousand of the best key lime pies on the planet have left my inspected kitchen, made by moi, a one-woman operation since 2000— the pie was introduced in 2005!

Now mind you, I never planned this occupation. However a love of memorable food is what I exploited — in order to manage contractors during a long, and often painful 6.5 year home renovation — and delivered me to this point in life. Presently, a growing, discerning following quietly blooms in my hometown, while these pies have traveled as far north as Maine and as far south as Georgia, lovingly tucked into coolers by guardians of my KLPie.

named by locals as The Best Key Lime Pie on the Planet…made one at a time, every time.

It seems to be the crust that hooks them first, then customers order repeatedly, and then tell their friends. Then their friends become customers.
As a humble one-woman operation, I do not advertise, yet I am the first hit on Google when key lime pie Charlottesville — is searched. Ahem, awesome!

Last July one local restaurant (Citizen Burger Bar) began carrying these pies, and they continue to be the only dessert on their menu. As of last week, weekly orders increased, taunting me with the fantasy that perhaps I can stash enough pie money to 1) take a real vacation, or 2) replace my 13 YO MPV, or 3) really retire, or 4) hire garden help.

This same restaurateur plans to open a sister eatery in Clarendon (Arlington) in 2014, and already inquired if I could keep up with demand. YES! Until my final breath.

So folks,  if you are reading this for the first time, and crave some of the best key lime pie on the planet, you are close. Stop by the restaurant in Charlottesville, or contact me (info on Facebook page) and order your very own. My inspected kitchen is open year round and folks come from all over the state with coolers to fill.

the crusts hook them

Those of you who follow my blog might like to see photos of the completed kitchen countertop renewal. Nice huh?

completed countertop restoration

oh so sleek and baby bottom smooth

my reward for all my effort, grilled Irish cheddar cheese with Irish butter. Yum!
Where is the Guinness???

Life in the foothills of central Virginia is blissfully peaceful, allowing creativity to flow.
My mission is sustainable, my food goal memorable.

 

Copyright © 2013 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

baby it’s cold outside

Tags

buttered noodles, cayenne pepper, fast food, food, healthy food, pumpkin pulp, quick meals, quick recipes, spicy pumpkin, sustainable living, vegetarian

Remember those containers tucked away in my freezer, filled with pumpkin pulp? Well, if I inspired you to roast and freeze your pumpkin back in November, NOW is the time to reap your reward—spicy pumpkin soup in just minutes. Defrost and add one container (2 cups) of pulp to a lightly sautéed sliced onion in a small soup pot. Add a heaping teaspoon of ground ginger and a healthy pinch of cayenne pepper to the pulp. Add enough organic vegetable broth to dilute and simmer 10 minutes. In batches, puree this mixture in a blender until smooth, adding one-quarter cup of heavy cream (or full fat coconut milk if you are dairy free) to each batch. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and black pepper and your winter warmer is complete. This makes about one quart of soup. Serve with crusty bread or buttered noodles. Just the healthy meal to warm both body and spirit! Try it—simple, wholesome, and oh so delicious.

If this soup is not consumed in one sitting, simply store in the fridge, up to one week, and re-heat on low heat. Thin with veggie broth to desired consistency.

To see the entire pumpkin roasting topic, visit my thank a pumpkin blog found listed in the left column of this page. Bon Appetit!

Ready Set Go or when NOT to proof the dough in the oven!

Tags

bread dough, cooking, Daily Prompt, food, humor, proof, The Daily Post

Oh, so clever I thought…

proof the bread dough overnight in the oven.

The joke’s on me—forgot the dough—heated the oven for crusts!

Voila!

Copyright © 2013 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

when it rains go wine tasting

Tags

food, photography, travel, Virginia is for lovers, Virginia polo, Virginia winery, wine tasting

It is grape harvest time in Virginia. The vineyards are lush with grapes—the scent nearing heaven. One of our local winerys hosts seasonal polo every Sunday afternoon when weather permits—a clever marketing ploy as well as a good day out. Yesterday rained, yet this did not prevent tasters from filling the room. This weather condition also provided a few photo ops I thought I would share.

Virginia is for lovers including wine lovers!

To celebrate this harvest season, for breakfast I made a cream cheese omelet with cannellini beans and green olives with a healthy splash of olive oil—all organic please! Enjoy your Monday. 😉

Remember to double click on the images to enlarge.

Copyright © 2012 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

a day away

Tags

battles of the civil war, Colonial Beach, Fat Freda's, food, Fredericksburg, fredericksburg city, frozen custard, Potomac, restaurants, The Fredericksburg City Cemetery, travel, Virginia, Wilkerson's Seafood Restaurant

I fantasize about getting away. I envy those who live on the road—exploring, tasting, living large. For the most part I stay close to home as daily chores consume my waking hours—the gardens, birds, and monarchs wait for no one.

In a desperate attempt to change gears, I found another who could take a few hours off for a day away. The trip involved a two-hour drive east and ended up in a small village called Colonial Beach. It was neither colonial nor a beach. Despite the blazing hot sun, the town and shoreline were deserted. And it is still August.

The beach was the shore of the murky, dank, smelly Potomac. A brief stroll to the end of the fishing pier satisfied my curiosity. There was one family on the beach and one person was actually bobbing in the filth. A storm drain from the streets empties directly into the Potomac, only yards from this swimmer. I say, WHAT is wrong with this scenario?

The antique/junk store was closed, so we began looking for lunch. We stopped at a small dive named Fat Freda’s where the menu offered panini sandwiches of little merit. What sent us out the door was the fried bologna—the way your Mom used to make. Hardly!

Further out-of-town, another restaurant perched on the mighty Potomac. Wilkerson’s Seafood Restaurant, family owned since 1946 offered a nice view, clean tables, and a pleasant ambiance. The broiled crab cake and fried hush puppies were memorable, yet pricy.

I knew what I wanted for dessert, so we headed to Carl’s frozen custard over in Fredericksburg. Carl’s opened in 1947 and the machines were built in 1940. They gleamed from behind the glass, as the sullen dipper and cashier passed their day. The custard was smooth and eggy, and did not disappoint, although the unknown ingredients is shipped in from the mid-west.

The Fredericksburg City Cemetery, ca. 1844, rests behind high brick walls, providing a final resting place for over 3400 community members, including 300 Confederate soldiers who died during the 1862 battles of the Civil War. Some of the larger civilian monuments bear the names Ficklen, Toppitzer, Brulle, and Crookshanks.

During all my years residing in Virginia, this part of the state eluded me until this day. Other than for the frozen custard, I shall not return. Decades ago, this place was quite the holiday spot for DC residents, yet those days are gone and merely ghosts remain.

PS Double click on any photo to enlarge for detail.

Copyright © 2012 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

the humorous tomato

Tags

food, garden, heathy fruit, mother nature, photography, sense of humor, tomato

This blog features the humorous tomato found in my garden.

Mother Nature has quite a sense of humor when she is not busy tearing up or drying out the nation.

I hope that everyone has a splendid Sunday.

Copyright © 2012 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved