Radish Green Smoothies

This year I've made a vow to use every bit of the vegetables I get from the farm, even if traditionally, I don't really love the taste of them. When it comes to something like radish greens, I've tried sautéing them in the past, and am not a huge fan. Why not hide them in a smoothie instead?

Radish Green Smoothies
1 bunch of radish greens
1/2 c pomegranate juice
1/2 c orange juice
1 c frozen mixed berries

Cilantro Pesto Pasta with Three Cheeses

Summer is here! With summer comes delicious greenery from the farmer's market. Here's what I picked up: a bunch of cilantro, radishes, green garlic and asparagus. I'll be using them in several recipes this week.
I don't know when it happened, but once I figured out that pesto didn't have to be made from basil, I started throwing every herb I could in my Cuisinart to see what I could come up with. Cilantro pesto is a bit spicy, and adds a tasty kick to any pasta dish. I bet it would be quite good in scrambled eggs, too.
Cilantro Pesto

Leaves from a bunch of cilantro
1/3 c shredded romano
1/3 c grated parmesan
A few cloves of garlic (I used green garlic)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

1. Add all ingredients except the olive oil to a food processor and process until smooth well blended.
2. Slowly add enough olive oil to make a creamy paste. Season with salt and pepper.

While you are picking the leaves off the bunch of cilantro, set a pot of salted water to boil. When it's ready, cook about half a package of any pasta you'd like according to package directions. I used Archer Farms Radiatore. This recipe serves 2-3 hungry people but could easily be doubled.

Drain the pasta and toss with the pesto and a handful of fresh baby mozzarella balls and some chopped tomatoes.

Turkey Chili in a Pressure Cooker

As soon as I started reading the instruction manual for my new electric pressure cooker, I knew it was going to change my culinary life. I love the idea of popping a bunch of ingredients into a pot, and letting the pressure cooker do all the work. To my surprise, I preferred the taste and texture of my take on this chili recipe to traditional beef chili - fewer calories was just an added bonus.
Electric Pressure Cooker Turkey Chili
1.25 lbs ground turkey
1 T olive oil
2 onions, chopped; divided
1 red bell pepper chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can black beans (I got cuban style black beans from Trader Joes)
1/2 c chicken stock
2 T chili powder
1 T cumin
2 tsp cayenne
Salt and pepper

1. Turn the pressure cooker on and set it to brown,
2. Brown the turkey in the olive oil for a few minutes until it starts to get crumbly.
3. Add half the onions and the bell pepper, season with salt and pepper, and saute for about 3 minutes.
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the pressure cooker and turn on the stew setting. Set it to cook for 20 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes to get up to pressure before the timer starts.
5. Manually release the pressure and remove the lid carefully.
6. Enjoy with some shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.
Serves 4
Note that the same result could likely be achieved in a big stock pot if you don't have a pressure cooker. I'd let it all simmer for about an hour before serving.

Rainbow Trout with Herbs and Couscous

I love discovering something new from Wisconsin. On a recent trip to a local grocery store, I came across two beautiful fillets and had to cook them up! This is my version of a Friday fish fry.

Herb Rainbow Trout
2 small trout fillets
2 tsp bacon grease
Thyme
Rosemary
Salt and pepper
1. Season the fillets with the herbs, salt and pepper.
2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
3. Add the bacon grease, and when the skillet is nice and hot, add the trout fillets skin side up.
4. Cook for 2-3 minutes and flip, cooking about 2 minutes on the other side.
Serve with couscous, marinated cherry tomatoes, and sauteed zucchini.
Marinated Cherry Tomatoes
1. Halve several cherry tomatoes and place in a small bowl.
2. Finely chop one shallot, and add to the bowl.
2. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
3. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Scrambled Eggs with Goat Cheese, Tomatoes and Chives

If you haven't noticed, I cook with goat cheese a lot. What can I say? I live in the Dairy State, after all. These scrambled eggs are super light and creamy, and are a nice alternative to the typical American cheese or Cheddar cheese scramble. Try substituting the tomatoes and chives with other vegetables and herbs.

Goat Cheese Scrambled Eggs
5 eggs
2 oz goat cheese
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 T chopped chives
Salt and pepper
1/2 T butter
1. In a small bowl, beat the eggs.
2. In another bowl, crumble the goat cheese with a fork and mix in the chives.
3. Heat the butter in a saute pan over medium heat, and when ready, add the eggs and stir with a spatula almost constantly (tip--if you spray the spatula with cooking spray before stirring, the eggs won't stick to it).
4. When the eggs are just about set, add the goat cheese and tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
5. Keep stirring until set. Serve with bacon.
Serves 2-3 people

Baked Bacon
1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil and lay bacon strips on the foil.
3. Immediately transfer the baking sheet to the oven (oven shouldn't be preheated) and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the bacon is crispy.

Blackened Catfish

I've never really cooked with catfish before, but I've been experimenting with more and more types of fish lately. My favorite thing about this recipe is that you don't even really need a recipe, just slap a ton of seasoning on the catfish, and it will taste fantastic.

Blackened Catfish
Catfish fillets
Olive oil
Whatever seasoning you want; I used:
Cajun seasoning
Jerk seasoning
Cayenne pepper
Paprika
Chile powder
Cumin
Salt and pepper
1. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat.
2. Generously (really generously) cover each side of the fish with seasoning.
3. When the pan is really hot, add the catfish fillets and cook 2-3 minutes per side.
While the catfish is cooking, heat up a can of black beans. I also served the fish with an avocado salad (diced avocado, tomato, garlic and onion with a dash of lime juice, salt and pepper and chopped cilantro).

Easy Spicy Pork Chops with Potatoes and Green Beans

This is one of my favorite recipes for those days after work when I don't have tons of time to make dinner. Even my husband, to whom the kitchen is foreign territory, can make these. There's also something about the hot sauce that seals in the juice of the pork chops.
Spicy Pork Chops
Boneless pork chops
Minced garlic
Cholula hot sauce
Salt and pepper
1. On a small plate, season the pork chops with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. Mince several garlic cloves (enough to cover the pork chops).
3. Use a fork to press garlic cloves into both sides of the pork chops.
4. Generously cover each side of the pork chop with hot sauce.
5. Heat a grill pan over medium high heat.
6. Cook pork chops about 4 minutes per side, depending on the thickness.
Meanwhile, make your sides.
Crispy Hash Browns
Shredded potatoes
Garlic olive oil
Seasoned salt
Red pepper flakes
1. Heat garlic olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet.
2. When the oil is hot, drop the potatoes in, add more oil to the top, and season with seasoned salt and red pepper flakes.
3. Cook until crispy and golden brown on the bottom, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Flip and cook on the other side until crispy, about 5 more minutes.
Serve the potatoes with the pork chops and green beans.