First attempt at Bread

Chocolate-Banana Bread

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup of sugar
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 tsp walnuts chopped coarse (optional)
• 3 very ripe bananas mashed well
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt
• 2 large eggs, beaten lightly
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven 350 degrees and grease and flour a regular loaf pan.  Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and walnuts together and set aside.  Mix mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter and vanilla with a wooden spoon in medium bowl.  Lightly fold banana mixture into dry ingredients until just combined.  Add chocolate chips and walnuts and stir to combine. Scrape batter into loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.

Zucchini Soup

Zucchini Soup

• 4-6 small zucchini, cubed
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 4 cups of chicken stock
• 3-5 medium size red potatoes, cubed 
• salt + pepper

Add the onion to a large stockpot on medium heat.  Saute, stirring regularly until the onion begins to caramelize (about 20 min).  Add salt + pepper and garlic and continue to cook for 3 minutes.  Add the white wine, stirring to pick up any burnt bits of onion and cook for 3 minutes.  Add zucchini, potatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer and cover, cooking until potatoes are soft (about 15-20 min).  Using a hand blender, blend soup until smooth. 

Fire Roasted Salsa

It has been such a flurry of activity around here lately.  The weather has been gorgeous which was great as we have had several visits with family and friends.  We have also been going to farmer's markets on the weekend which is always so inspiring.  Tonight I made a salsa based on a recipe I found here. 

Fire Roasted Heirloom Salsa

Makes 4 cups

2 pounds assorted heirloom tomatoes
1 medium red onion, cut into quarters
1 bell pepper, seeded + cut in half
4 jalapeno peppers, or to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 large cloves of garlic, roasted2 large cloves of garlic, pressed
2 lime
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven 375 degrees.
Cut half of the tomatoes into large pieces, and arrange on a rimmed baking sheet lined with wax paper. To the pan, also add the quartered red onion, bell pepper halves, 3 large garlic cloves and the jalapeno peppers. Toss together with the olive oil, salt, and black pepper, until evenly coated. Arrange all of the veggies on the baking sheet and roast until tender and beginning to char on the edges (about 35-40 min). Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Once cool enough to handle, add all roasted vegetables to a bowl and blend with a hand blender.  Add the raw tomato, garlic, lime juice and cilantro and blend to combine.  I also added the oil/tomato juice that had collected on the bottom of the baking sheet to thin out the salsa a bit.
Note: the original recipe calls for chopping all roasted vegetables and adding to the fresh tomatoes which I may try next time for a thicker salsa

Summer Salad

Last weekend we went to Sauvie Island to go berry picking and to get produce from The Pumpkin Patch.  Ever since, I have been dying to make a summer salad.

Summer Salad

• half a cucumber chopped
• 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes (dad & V brought from their garden)
• 4 ears of corn (cooked and removed from husk)
• 1 cup of quinoa (cooked according to package directions)
• 1/4 cup of cilantro
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Mix all vegetables and cooled quinoa in a bowl.  Add cilantro, salt and pepper.  Whisk lemon juice and olive oil and toss to coat.  Serve.

Last day before Sugar Vili went home