You Look Good {a giveaway}

You look good.

Really.

You look good.

This is my protest to all of those bikini body/detox/deprivation/desperation/beat-yourself-up things that float around the internet when spring rolls around.

You look good.

Seriously.

We could all stand to add a few more vegetables to our diet. We could all use a brisk walk around the block. But, that doesn't matter.

You look good.

Cellulite dimpled thighs. Puffy tummies. Lines. Wrinkles. Gray hairs. Whatever.

You look good.

You do.

Believe it.

Repeat it.

Seriously.

Comment on this post with "I look good." and be entered to win this fun bath mat from Urban Outfitters.

That's it.

Just confirm that you look good.

Protest all that beat-yourself-up hype.

You look good.

And, you probably should eat a salad. (You know, that get more vegetables thing.)

But, a Cheese Burger Salad.

Of course. 

Cheese Burger Salad 
(adapted from Cooking Light)

1 pound lean ground beef
2 teaspoons minced dried onions
1 teaspoon parsley flakes

3/4 teaspoon seasoning salt

1 large red onion, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices 

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 (10-ounce) package chopped romaine hearts

2 Roma tomatoes, sliced

dill pickle chips

3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons water

optional: potato chips and/or bacon

Heat cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Mix together the beef, dried onion, parsley and salt.
Divide into 16 portions.
Shape each portion into a ball and flatten to a 1/2 inch thick patty about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
Place patties in hot skillet; cook 2-3 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink in the middle.

Remove burgers from pan and keep warm.

Add sliced onion to the pan and season with salt and pepper; cook 5-6 minutes on each side.

Meanwhile, divide lettuce, tomato, pickle chips, burgers, and cheese between 4 plates.

Combine mayonnaise, ketchup and water and drizzle over salads. 

If desired, top with crushed potato chips or crumbled bacon. (Serves 4)

***GIVEAWAY NOTE***

I plan to keep the giveaway open for comments for a week or so, depending on response. I have a lot on my plate right now (pun intended), and will get back to all of you lovelies as soon as I can. 

Also, this giveaway is entirely my own promotion and in no way connected to Urban Outfitters. I just want you to know that YOU LOOK GOOD.

Keep It Simple

Last week at South Dakota Magazine, I shared my mantra for summer entertaining: "Keep It Simple". Get-togethers with friends are about the friendship, and as I say in that article, nobody is giving bonus points for knocking yourself out. That doesn't mean that simple food can't still be delicious. You can find the super simple recipe for Smoked Salmon Pizza online with South Dakota Magazine. It is a fabulous combination of creamy, crisp, fresh, and salty. Excellent for sharing with friends and pairing with a cold summer beverage.

I believe that simple and delicious can be carried over into all of summer, even (or especially) camping. Recently, some old friends (old as in I have known them since elementary school...not that WE are old) and I made time in our busy summer schedules for a short camping trip. I packed up some staples for quick meals that were so simple, we hardly had to think about them. In fact, the biggest challenge we faced was when I realized I forgot to pack kindling, etc. for our camp/cook fire. (By the way, if you have an old atlas hanging around in your car, it does work well for kindling.)

Once our fire was roaring, I set a couple cast iron pans over the flames. Those pans heated up while I sliced a few vegetables as we continued our conversations. Shrimp was tossed into simmering salsa. Zucchini was sauteed with some other vegetables. A loaf of buttered French bread was heated. Dinner was done and was delicious.

I frequently repeat this menu at home in the summer, sometimes on the grill, and sometimes simply on the stove top. Shrimp, fresh vegetables, and salsa pair together so well. We love to dip the warm, crusty bread in the sauce of the salsa and leftovers can all be stirred together and served inside flour tortillas as burritos, or with corn chips as a hearty dip. Salsa Shrimp and Sauteed Summer Vegetables are the perfect way to Keep It Simple On My Plate.

Salsa Shrimp

2-4 tablespoons butter

1 pint salsa (I use my home canned Basic Salsa, but use whatever is your favorite.)

1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Melt butter in a heavy skillet (cast iron, if you are cooking over a campfire).

Add the salsa and bring to a simmer.

Add shrimp and simmer 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through.

Sauteed Summer Vegetables

olive oil

diced onion

diced peppers (red, green, jalapeno, whatever strikes your fancy)

1 clove of garlic, minced

kernels of corn cut from cob of one ear of corn

small zucchini, sliced

cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)

salt and pepper (or Montreal Steak Seasoning, or whatever grill seasoning you love)

Heat oil in a heavy skillet (cast iron, if you are cooking over a campfire).

Saute the onions and peppers until tender.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.

Add the corn and cook until warmed through.

Add the zucchini and saute until tender.

Season with salt and pepper (or seasoning of your choice).

Add the tomatoes, if using, and cook just until warm. 

Friendship

This summer, my garden wasn't the best. My tomato plants didn't produce a lot and wanted to wither and die regardless of any pampering. But, it really didn't matter. I had friends who made trips to an area Hutterite Colony and purchased bushels of tomatoes for me, and other friends who gathered their extras and left them on my porch like magic fairies. Thanks to my awesome friends, I had plenty of tomatoes for canning up the pasta sauce that we all love around here.

I have been promising to blog this recipe for years, but one thing after another always seems to get in the way. I am sure most have given up on me. I am not an awesome friend...until now. Here it is. Finally. Thank you for your patience with me.

(BTW...I like to think of myself as anti-gadget, but I did pick up a spiral slicer. Game changer for making zucchini noodles. Truly.)

Home Canned Pasta Sauce

(If you are unsure of the canning process, there are many informative sites online. I am not a canning authority.)

20-22 pounds of tomatoes 

2 medium onions

2 heads of garlic

3 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoon dried basil

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

1/2-3/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional, but I always have it and use it)

Peel (if you wish, I don't...a few random pieces of skin don't bother me in our sauce) and roughly chop the tomatoes.
Combine the tomatoes with diced onions and minced garlic in a large, heavy pot. (I use my enamel coated cast iron.)
Season with salt, dried basil and oregano, sugar, and balsamic vinegar.
Bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered for at least 30 minutes on medium to low heat, stirring occassionally.
When the tomatoes have cooked down and started to form a sauce, remove from heat and press about half of the tomato mixture through a sieve or food mill to remove most of the seeds and tomato skins and to create a smoother sauce with just a few chunks.
Return to the heavy pot and add the lemon juice, can of tomato paste (if you simmer longer, you may not need this to add a thicker texture), and fresh herbs.
Bring back to a boil and simmer for another 20-30 minutes while prepping the jars and hot water canner for canning.
Ladle into quart jars and seal.
Process in hot water bath for 20 minutes. (Yield: approx 8 quarts)

(If you are unsure of the canning process, there are many informative sites online. I am not a canning authority.)

Eat Every Bean and Pea on Your Plate

"Eat every bean, and pee on your plate."

That's my husband's twisted sense of humor.

I try not to talk about pee here, but peas are a different matter.

Especially fresh peas just picked from the garden and shelled in the shade of a tree on the patio.

Peas tossed with lemon juice, mayo, red onion, capers, and parsley to create a fresh salad bursting with flavor.

I am going to eat every bean and PEA on my plate.

Fresh Pea Salad

2-3 cups fresh peas

2-3 tablespoons finely diced red onion

2 tablespoons capers

2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley

zest of one lemon

juice of one lemon

2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the peas and blanch for 1-2 minutes. (No more or the peas will lose their fresh green and turn murky.)
Drain the peas and immerse in an ice water bath to stop the cooking.  
Drain the peas again after cooled completely.
Whisk together zest and juice of the lemon with mayonnaise; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Toss together the peas, onion, capers, and parsley with the dressing.
Chill before serving. (Serves 4-6)