How to Make: Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Bring the flavor back to out-of-season tomatoes by roasting them.

The summer bounty of tomatoes is officially over. And well, it has been for quite awhile.

I know if I were to truly eat local–or seasonally, at the very least–I would eschew tomatoes until next summer. However, sometimes a girl just wants to buy some fresh tomatoes, even if they did have to travel a far piece to get to my local grocery store.

And okay, more often than not, the taste of those out-of-season tomatoes is terrible given the long journey they had to make.

The best way to rejuvenate and concentrate that tomato taste? Roast them in the oven. I love how a little olive oil, salt, and pepper renders nearly-tasteless tomatoes into delicious candy-like treats. (Okay, that may be overstating it slightly, but a caramelized tomatoes is truly tasty.)

I like to add these tomatoes to a simple pasta dish tossed with olive oil and fresh mozzarella. Or they are delicious on their own as a savory-sweet snack, too.

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes (printer-friendly version)
makes about one cup

1 pint cherry tomatoes, rinsed and dried
olive oil
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the tomatoes on a rimmed sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Shake the pan gently to evenly coat the tomatoes in oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
3. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes in the oven, until the tomatoes are soft.
4. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to one week.

(lightly adapted from this Barefoot Contessa recipe)

How to Make: Quinoa

Quinoa packs a nutritional punch, it's a cinch to make, and it can be used in a variety of ways.

I've been trying to make sure the fridge is packed with healthy food options of late, so I've gotten into the habit of making a big batch of quinoa on Sunday that lasts all week long.

I'm a huge quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) fan – it's a great source of vegetarian protein (over 5 grams per serving) and also contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. 

Though there are over 120 varieties of quinoa, the most common types you'll see in the market are white, red, and black. I don't really have a preference for one type over the other; this tricolor variety provides the best of all worlds.

Though often categorized as a grain, quinoa is actually a seed and is most closely related to spinach, beets, and chard. The seeds have a bitter coating, so unless the packaging says that it is pre-washed, always rinse your quinoa in cold water before using.

You can cook quinoa in water, but for more flavor, I tend to cook mine in vegetable broth or homemade chicken stock. While quinoa is perfectly fine on its own, it also pairs quite well with the addition of other ingredients, such as beans, roasted or sauteed vegetables, or your favorite fresh herbs.

What is your favorite way to prepare quinoa?

Quinoa (printer-friendly version)
makes 3 cups

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups chicken stock, vegetable broth, or water

1. Add the quinoa and broth to a medium sauce pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until nearly all of the liquid has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.

Made From Scratch: Everything Bagel Spice Blend

Everything Bagel Spice Blend is a savory, crunchy, and salty flavoring that has uses way beyond flavoring a plain bagel. And you probably already have all of the necessary ingredients in your own pantry!

When I need a super-hearty breakfast in the morning, one of my favorite things to make is an Egg'l Bagel™ (trademarked in my dreams). Basically, it's a toasted bagel with smashed avocado and a runny fried egg, seasoned with salt and pepper and a little sriracha if I'm feeling particularly wild and crazy. Yum! My go-to bagel for a savory Egg'l Bagel is an everything bagel. I love all the extra flavor the "everything" (typically onion, garlic, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and salt) provides.

The last time I was at the store to pick up an everything bagel for my morning breakfast, I was dismayed to find all that was left were plain and whole wheat bagels. Boring with a capital B. I figured there must be a way to make my own everything bagel, and voila, this spice blend saved the day. (To make a plain bagel into an everything bagel, simply lightly moisten the top of the bagel with water and sprinkle away!)

It's quite likely you already have all the necessary ingredients in your pantry to make this simple spice blend. You can play with the ratios a bit to suit your tastebuds, but I like my everything bagel heavy on the onion and a little lighter on the garlic.

And don't think this spice blend is for bagels only! It also makes a great seasoning for chicken, avocado toast, and hummus (recipe to come!).

Everything Bagel Spice Blend
makes about 1/2 cup

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 tablespoon dried garlic
2 tablespoons dried onion
1 teaspoon coarse salt

1. Toast the sesame seeds in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a small jar.
2. Add the poppy seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, and coarse salt. Place the lid on the jar and shake to combine.
3. Keep in an airtight container at room temperature away from sunlight for up to three months. 

How to Make: Wild Rice

Here in the Wisconsin Northwoods we are lucky enough to harvest our own wild rice in the late summer. This year we missed the golden window, and alas, didn't get a chance to go ricing. However, last year we ended up harvesting wild rice with a group of friends, and after combining our canoefuls of rice kernels and going in together on the processing, Dustin and I ended up with a rather large bag of finished rice of our own. Long story short, it'll be a while before we make our way through the entire supply. Not a bad problem to have!



Did you know that most of the "wild rice" you find for sale in grocery stores is actually cultivated rice that is grown in rice paddies? Signs that what you're purchasing may not be truly "wild" rice include a dark black color (naturally-grown wild rice tends to vary in color, from light brown to black) and a uniform shape (naturally-grown wild rice tends to come in a variety of sizes). Another sign is a low price. If the cost is less than $5/pound, there's a good chance it was not hand-harvested from the wild. Due to the intensive labor required to hand harvest and finish naturally-grown wild rice, it is typically much more expensive. (But oh so worth it.)

Wild rice is a little more fussy to make than white or jasmine rice. It takes about 45 minute to cook, so you'll need a little patience (and some extra time if you're planning to serve it with your dinner). The typical ratio to cook wild rice is 3:1. However, to prevent scorching you can cook it in a little extra water, and drain the rice at the end to remove any excess moisture. (Even if you do use the 3:1 ratio, check the rice for tenderness around 40 minutes, and if it's good to go, just drain off the extra water rather than cooking it down until all the water is absorbed.)

Wild rice has a delightful nutty flavor and lends itself well to both savory and sweet preparations. If you're planning to use the rice in a savory recipe, you can add a bit more flavor by cooking it in vegetable or chicken stock rather than water.

Wild Rice

makes 4 servings

1 cup wild rice

3 cups water

1. Place the wild rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse with cold water. Gently tap to drain.

2. Add the water to a medium sauce pot. Bring to a boil.

3. Add the rice to the boiling water and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40-45 minutes, or until the kernels have puffed open and the rice is tender. Remove the cover and continue simmering for 5 more minutes.

4. Remove from the heat, and gently pour the rice into a strainer to drain off any remaining liquid. 

5. Fluff with a fork and serve.