Fried Green Tomatoes with Cheesy Grits

This kitchen adventure was inspired by a dish at one of our favorite restaurants in Asheville, the Tupelo Honey Cafe. If you ever find yourself in the area, you must eat at this place. The best way to describe THC's menu is southern comfort food with a gourmet twist. Very delicious and very affordable, 2 of my favorite things!

One of my favorite dishes there is the fried green tomatoes on top of goat cheese grits...I mean, what's not to love? (Also of note is the grilled cheese and homemade tomato soup. You can choose 2 from a whole list of cheeses for the sandwich. My fav combo is the Havarti and goat cheese. Yum!) This is my first attempt to recreate the dish, and Peter and I voted it to be about on par with THC's. However, I think this was mostly due to the delicious, fresh green tomatoes I scored at the Yorktown Farmer's Market. Fresh tomatoes is a must to get the perfect tangy, juicy flavor here. I got a recipe for the batter for the tomatoes on allrecipes.com and just kind of flew by the seat of my pants for the grits...

***Tip #1: I made the mistake of preparing the grits too early. I would put this off until you're just about done with the tomatoes. The tomatoes can sit and cool for a bit, but the longer the grits sit and cool, the lumpier they get. Also, if the grits are getting too thick as you're cooking them, just add a little water until you get the consistency you like.***

P.S. I realize that fried foods are not exactly on the top of the healthy list these days, but this dish is truly a treat. Although it might not be low calorie exactly, it's still healthy in the sense that everything is fresh and not completely processed. Plus, good tomatoes are only around for a short time...gotta take advantage of them while they're here!

Fried Green Tomatoes

4 large green tomatoes
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tsp coarse kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 qt. vegetable oil
~16 fresh basil leaves, shredded (I usually roll about 4/5 of these together at a time and slice thinly with a very sharp knife)

1. Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. ***Tip #2: It's important not to slice too thin here because you want the slices to be firm enough to hold up through the frying process. Also, unlike a lot of fried foods, the insides are the delicious part here...you definitely want to have enough tomato to taste it!***

2. Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium bowl. Scoop flour into a shallow dish. Mix cornmeal, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper in another shallow dish. ***Tip #3: Best to use a shallow dish with sides here if you have one. A flat plate will leave you with a huge mess!*** Dip tomatoes into flour to coat. Then, dip tomatoes into milk and egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumbs to coat.

3. In a large skillet (I used a 10 inch cast iron skillet), pour vegetable oil (enough so there is about 1/2 inch of oil in the pan) and heat over medium heat. ***Tip #4: Your skillet will heat up as you go so play the unit temp. by ear. If the tomatoes are cooking too quickly, you may need to adjust as you go.*** Place tomatoes into the skillet. Don't let the tomatoes touch each other or the coating will come off! When the tomatoes are browned, flip them and fry the other side. Let rest on a plate covered with paper towels. ***Tip #5: There will be quite a few tomatoes, so I layered them with a paper towel between each single layer. The coating is delicate so be careful not to scrape it off.***

Goat Cheese Grits

6 cups water
1 tsp salt
2 cups corn grits or polenta
4 oz goat cheese ***Add more to taste
1/2 cup shredded pecorino romano cheese (or parmesan)

1. Bring water and salt to a boil in a deep Dutch oven. Gradually add the grits and lower the temp. to a simmer. ***As soon as the grits/polenta absorb the water, they pop and spray everywhere, so I covered the pot once I added the grits.***

2. Keep stirring the grits so they don't stick to the bottom. Mine cooked quite quickly (about 5 minutes), so keep an eye on them and take them off the heat immediately after you get them to the consistency you like. Add a little milk or water here if they are too thick.

3. Add the cheese and more salt, to taste. Fresh ground black pepper is also a nice addition. Stir to combine and melt the cheese. Top with fried green tomatoes and fresh shredded basil. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Farmer's Market Pizza

Crust:
1 package dry active yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp)
1 cup warm water
1 1/4 cups cold water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
~ 5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I use a mixture, about 50/50 of unbleached white and whole-wheat)

*Makes 2 crusts

1. Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Combine cold water, oil, sugar, and salt in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk.
2. Place flour in bowl of a stand mixer (fitted with a dough hook) and add the yeast mixture and cold water mixture. Mix on low for 6-8 minutes or until dough forms and becomes smooth. Turn dough onto a lightly floured mixture and knead for about 2 minutes. You may need to cover hands in flour to keep the dough from sticking.
3. Place dough in a large bowl coated in olive oil. Place a clean, wet towel over the bowl and allow the dough to rise in warm spot for about 8 hours.
4. Once risen, punch the pizza dough and deflate. Divide the dough into 2 balls and place each ball in a Ziplock bag coated in olive oil. Place dough in the refrigerator overnight or for up to 2 weeks.
5. When ready to use, place dough on counter and allow to reach room temperature. Form dough into a ball and roll out onto a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin.

Sauce:
2 lbs tomatoes
2 cans tomato paste
1 tsp salt (to taste)
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning (to taste)
2 heads garlic
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

* Makes enough sauce for about 2 pizzas

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Pulse tomatoes and tomato paste in blender until liquefied, but still slightly chunky. Transfer tomato mixture to sauce pan and heat, covered, on low.
3. Add salt and Italian seasoning.
4. Cut the tops off of the garlic and remove the papery skins. Place in tin foil packet and top with olive oil. Close the foil packet and place in the oven for 40 minutes.
5. When garlic is done roasting, remove from foil and cool. Once garlic is cool to the touch, squeeze the garlic out of the casings and mash on a cutting board. Add to the warming tomato sauce and mix well.

Toppings:
1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, sliced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1 lb fresh heirloom tomatoes, sliced
3/4 cup fresh basil, shredded (I usually take about 4-5 basil leaves at a time, roll them up, and slice them thinly)
1 tsp corn meal
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

* Toppings for one pizza. Double the recipe if you want 2 of the same pizza or add your own toppings on the second. I really love goat cheese and roasted red peppers as another topping idea. Or save the sauce and second crust to use later in the week!

Putting it all together:

1. Brush your pizza stone with olive oil and place the stone into the preheated oven (you can do this during the last 2o minutes of the roasting garlic) and heat for 20 minutes.
2. Allow the stone to cool for about 5 minutes. Brush with enough olive oil to cover the stone and sprinkle with corn meal. Place the pizza dough on the stone and quickly roll up the edges (careful! it will be hot!), forming the crust.
3. Use a ladle to apply the desired amount of sauce to the crust. Top with shredded mozzarella, sliced mozzarella, and tomatoes. Brush exposed crust with olive oil. Combine garlic salt and Italian seasoning and sprinkle over the whole pizza, concentrating on the exposed oiled crust. Bake in the oven for about 25-28 minutes (keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn!).
4. Remove pizza from oven and sprinkle with fresh basil. Enjoy!

This is a perfect recipe for these summer months when many of us grow lots of our own tomatoes or inherit some from friends. The fresh tomatoes make a delicious sauce and also make a great topping for pizza! The crust gives a nice crunch and the basil and mozzarella add to the delicious, fresh taste of summer. The crust does take a bit of patience, but don't give up! It's worth it once you master it. And it's a big time saver to make the dough ahead of time, on a Saturday or Sunday, to be used later in the week.

Aunt Neet's Famous Pound Cake

Pound Cake
1 stick margarine (softened)
1 stick butter (softened)
1/2 cup Crisco
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. vanilla flavoring
1 1/8 cup canned milk

**Don't be too freaked out when you see all the butter, shortening, and eggs here. This is a huge cake!

Strawberry Topping
2 lbs. strawberries
1/4 cup sugar (or to taste)

Almond Whipped Cream
2 cups whipping cream
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. almond extract (to taste)

1. Cream margarine, butter, Crisco, and sugar with mixer on high. Beat for a long time...seriously, longer than you think. Wait until the texture becomes really fluffy and creamy. 2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating all the while. Beat together for a long time again, waiting before adding each egg.
3. In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients with a whisk. Turn mixer to low. Alternating, add the dry mixer and milk.
4. Add vanilla flavoring.
5. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
6. Pulse 1 lb. of strawberries and sugar in food processor to desired consistency. Slice the other 1 lb. and combine.
7. Whip cream, sugar, and flavoring together until soft peaks form.

This recipe is from my great-aunt Neet who is a truly fabulous cook. Basically everything she touches in the kitchen turns to gold. This recipe is for her famous pound cake which is renowned in our family for its perfection. It's true that it is not the healthiest cake ever, but who is eating cake for the nutrition factor, really? Plus, I'm a big believer in portion control and that you should treat yourself when you can. Trust me, this cake is definitely a treat! It has a light, fluffy, moist texture, but it is also dense and full of buttery goodness.

I have added some strawberries and almond whipped cream to spice it up a bit for my mom's birthday, but it's quite good on its own, too.

WARNING: A good stand mixer is a requirement for this cake. It just won't come out right without it. My aunt has been telling me this for years and I just got a Kitchen Aid mixer for Christmas (thanks Peter!). I had been wanting a good mixer forever, mostly so I could try and master this cake. This was the first thing I made with it. Like everything, it takes some practice. I'm not quite up to par with Aunt Neet...

Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Almonds, Goat Cheese, and Pan-Seared Chicken

Spinach Salad
1-2 handfuls baby spinach per serving
~ 5 sliced strawberries per serving
1/2 cup toasted almonds
crumbled goat cheese (to taste)

White Wine Vinaigrette
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt

1. Mix above ingredients together and drizzle over spinach salad.

Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (fat trimmed)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp black pepper

* Makes 4 salads

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 275 F. Poke thickest half of each breast 5-6 times with a fork and sprinkle with kosher salt. Place chicken, skinned side down, in a large baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake until thickest part registers 145 to 150 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 30 to 40 minutes.
2. Remove chicken from oven and transfer, skinned side up, to paper towel-lined plate and pat dry with paper towels. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. While pan is heating, whisk butter, flour, cornstarch, and pepper together in small bowl. Lightly brush top side of chicken with half of butter mixture. Place chicken in skillet, coated side down, and cook until browned. While chicken browns, brush with remaining butter mixture. Using tongs, flip chicken, reduce heat to medium, and cook until second side is browned and thickest part of breast registers 160 to 165 degrees.

This is a perfect dish for a hot summer evening. It's light and easy to put together and you can prepare the salads while the chicken is in the oven. The strawberries and goat cheese can be swapped for your favorite fruit/cheese combo. I've tried raspberries with goat cheese before, and that was also really good. I'm thinking pear and Gorgonzola would be tasty, or strawberries and sliced brie. The vinaigrette is just something quickly thrown together, so be sure to taste-test it before putting it on the salad. My future father-in-law recently gave me a tip for toasting nuts: instead of putting them in the oven (where I usually forget about them until they are scorched and smoking), try toasting them in a skillet with olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until browned. They are super tasty, and you can use the leftover oil to add flavor in the vinaigrette.
I got the recipe for the pan-seared chicken breast from Cooks Illustrated, which is a great magazine with lots of great tips. Their website has a bunch of pan sauces that go great with this chicken, if you would like to try something different with it. They do charge a small fee to join, but I definitely recommend it.

Thai Ginger Rubbed Grilled Salmon with Green Curry Sauce

Thai Ginger Rubbed Salmon

2.5-3 lbs boneless salmon fillet
2 tsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp ground ginger
1tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground red cayenne pepper

1. Preheat grill to high heat. Make a tray out of tin foil by folding a long piece in half and folding up all 4 sides, dull side up.
2. Grease foil tray with olive oil. Place foil tray on platter (a long cutting board works well) to transport to the grill.
3. Mix together ginger, basil, paprika, cumin, coriander, tumeric, salt, and cayenne pepper. Place salmon on foil tray, skin side down. Squeeze lime juice over salmon and rub the spice blend into the fillet.
4. Transfer the foil tray to the grill and cook, covered, for 10 minutes per inch thickness of the fish fillet. If you can't use a grill, bake at 475 F in your oven (but still use the foil tray).

Green Curry Sauce

1.5 tbsp green curry paste
1/2 tbsp curry powder
2 cups coconut milk (I use canned light coconut milk from TJ's)
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp basil leaves
4 tsp fresh lime juice
1.5 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

1. Whisk together green curry paste, curry powder, coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce, sugar and basil leaves in a sauce pan. Simmer for 5 minutes and spoon over salmon fillets.
2. Top with lime juice and fresh basil.

This recipe was created by Cat Cora for the McCormick Gourmet Collection. Needless to say, it uses a lot of spices. However, if you enjoy Thai and Indian cooking, you will definitely use these again. Same goes for the fish sauce, which you can find at almost any Asian foods market. Caution: avoid smelling fish sauce, as this may turn your appetite....I solemnly swear, it blends well with the curry sauce. Another tip that I recently learned about Thai cooking, is that the sugar counteracts the spiciness. So, if you would like to make this dish a little spicier, I would suggest also adding a bit more sugar. I typically serve this with jasmine rice.
As the name suggests, this salmon is great on the grill. However, if you don't have a grill, or if you forget to start the grill in time for dinner (as is my habit), it also turns out well in the oven. It doesn't require loads of prep time or clean up, so it is a great healthy option, even on a weeknight.