I didn't really get the opportunity to be creative this past week. Actually, things were so busy that my husband and I were barely home together for dinner. And, it has been so hot and humid lately that I can barely stand to turn on the oven. A cool, refreshing, no-cook gazpacho soup seemed like the perfect remedy for a hot day. While, I enjoy standard gazpacho made with red tomatoes (Ina Garten has an excellent Gazpacho recipe), after a while I start to feel like I am eating a bowl of salsa without the chips. Last summer I discovered a recipe for Tangy Green Zebra Gazpacho in Food & Wine Magazine and it instantly became my favorite summer soup. Since green zebra tomatoes can be hard to find, I like to use a mixture of unripe red tomatoes and tomatillos. Throw in an extra jalapeno if you like, and add a few dashes of green Tabasco. To keep it a truly no-cook meal, pick up some crusty bread from a bakery, some thinly sliced prosciutto, and some of your favorite cheeses and olives to serve on the side. I suggest eating it on the patio with a glass of white wine.
One of the most requested recipes I make is called Chicken & Corn Tostada Salad. In fact, three people have asked for it the past week. Since I have been getting lots of corn and tomatoes from the CSA in recent weeks, I decided it would be fitting to go ahead and share the recipe here. My mom got this recipe from a friend, and we assume it was originally came from Kraft foods, but I couldn't locate the exact recipe online. The recipe calls for frozen corn, but I like to substitute fresh when corn is in season. Amber, this post is for you!
Chicken & Corn Tostada Salad
-16 oz fresh or frozen corn kernels
-1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
-1 red bell pepper, chopped
-3 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
-1 greenish black avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
-1 cup chopped Roma tomatoes
-2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
-3 cups torn romaine lettuce
-2 to 3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store and you don't even have to cook!)
-1/4 cup vinegar
-3 tablespoons honey
-1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-fresh ground pepper
-tortilla chips, sour cream, and salsa for serving
To make the dressing, whisk together vinegar, honey, cumin, and salt in a small bowl. Season with pepper. Set aside.
Combine remaining ingredients in a LARGE bowl. Toss with dressing. Serve over tortilla chips, top with sour cream and salsa.
Because I was hardly home last week, I failed to post my CSA items for the week. This is what I received:
-1 lb ground Italian sausage
-8 oz grass fed Gouda cheese
-1 bunch of leeks
-1 pint of cherry tomatoes
-1 quart hot Hungarian peppers
-2 patty pan squash
-1.5 lbs slicing tomatoes
-1 pint blueberries
-1.5 lbs peaches
-1 bunch of Swiss chard
-1/4 lb basil
-2 lbs Roma tomatoes
-6 ears sweet corn
-1 package of chicken sausage links
It seems I have already burned through most of my items. A last minute cookout with my in-laws used the chicken sausage, corn, and slicing tomatoes, and as usual, the peaches and blueberries seemed to evaporate into thin air (peaches are currently my 3-year-old's food obsession). Even the cherry tomatoes are gone due to my son's new ability to climb onto the counter to sneak a treat now and then. The goal of this week's meal plan is to use everything in our refrigerator before we leave for vacation. I'll be cooking on the fly this week (no recipes), so I hopefully I will have a new recipe or two to share before we go:
Sunday: Grilled Salmon, Veggie Skewers, Couscous
Monday: Leek & Chard Frittata
Tuesday: Whole Wheat Penne with Tomatoes & Pesto
Wednesday: Sausage-Stuffed Patty Pan Squash & Hot Peppers
Thursday: Leftover night
Friday: Grilled Chicken with any veggies & fruits left in the house
Saturday: VACATION
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