Bird's Nest Bites

A Cook & Garden, Together In The Pacific Northwest

Recipe Posts

Zucchini Quiche with Parmesan Panko Crust & Herb Garden Pesto

Quiche is kind of a lost recipe, and I’m not sure exactly why that is.  For sure, it’s a rich indulgence you probably won’t want to eat every day, but there are times when it’s a perfect remedy to right what is wrong in our worlds.  Here’s my attempt to make it summery, and to lighten it up quite a bit.  You will notice the standard piecrust that is traditional in these matters is missing – its just not my thing and makes me feel like too big of a food sinner if I eat it.  In its place is a fairly thin, savory bottom crust made of grated Parmesan cheese and panko breadcrumbs.  The inside is creamy with farm fresh eggs, half&half, and more herbs than you can shake a stick at.  There is also a treasure trove of roasted zucchini and sautéed peppers and green onions. I’ve thrown in enough Jarlsberg and Mozzarella cheese to add that gooey element that is necessary in these matters. Finally, there’s an herb garden pesto you can drizzle on right before you dive in that give just the right amount of fresh, lemony kick to make every element sing at the top of its lungs together. I’m diggin’ it. 

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Zucchini & Lemon Bread with Lemon Sugar Top

 

I recently read that Zucchini Bread was the most frequently made and the most ‘gifted’ away bread of any other variety….it is also the one most likely to be thrown out by the recipient of said ‘gift’.  This is likely due to the fact that zucchini all by itself is seriously lacking in the flavor department.  Zucchini can also contain a whole lot of moisture, and if we don’t address that issue our bread ends up looking, and tasting like a flavorless hunk of sea sponge. I know this from first hand experience while creating this recipe, which was not a good one.  The only person who would eat that first attempt was my mother, who said “Hey, you can’t be Martha Stewart every day – get over yourself”. That comment was enough to get me back to the drawing board, and the result is this Zucchini Lemon Bread is bursting with fresh, citrusy flavor. We squeeze the living daylights out of the grated zucchini, which goes a long way to eliminate that spongy element of my prior attempts, and then top the whole thing off with a generous crackling crust of lemon sugar.  It’s fun to make, it’s easy, and I guarantee nobody will be secretly tossing this out if you can make yourself give it away.

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Grilled Salmon with Tropical Mango Lime Sauce

Hello Readers!!  This has been a crazy summer, packed with lots of traveling.   As a result, it’s kind of hard to settle down and create recipes because unfortunately I am not a multi-tasker.  However, I wanted to share this post from a couple of summers ago.  It reminds me of a perfect summer weekend with family, and made even more memorable with beautiful pieces of salmon, marinated in a Double Mustard Vinaigrette, then grilled over medium-high heat.  The whole works is drizzled with a Tropical Mango & Lime Sauce that will have you licking the plate.  Hope you enjoy.  

Last weekend, Dick and I joined my sister Linda and niece Ari for two days on the Metolius River.  It was one of those perfect moments in life – a time to renew family ties, celebrate a new beginning for my sis, laugh our heads off, sing to oldies at the top of our lungs, attempt some dance moves  (most of the laughing was about our singing and dancing) and, of course, eat.  I concocted this grilled salmon and halibut with Tropical Mango Lime Sauce for supper one night.  First the fish is marinated in a Double Mustard Vinaigrette, then grilled over medium coals until medium rare.  After that, on goes the Mange Lime Sauce.  Piece of cake.

Photo by Ari Eshraghi

Photo by Ari Eshraghi

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Potato Salad For A Crowd

Do you have a crowd to feed this 4th of July?  Me too.  It is tradition in our family that I make the potato salad, and that I make enough for a ton of people so everybody can take some home.  This was also one of my dad’s favorite dishes, and since the 4th of July was his favorite holiday, he has been on my mind a lot lately.

I miss my dad.  Every single day.  He was a prince among men, disguised in a rumpled shirt, reading glasses covered with paint splatters, bits of sawdust and motor oil, and a baseball cap that looked like it had been run over several times.

My dad put training wheels on my first bicycle, and bought me a pony when I was too little for a big horse.  He bought my first car, a three speed, 1965 Mustang that had seen much better days.  Then he took his life into own his hands and taught me how to drive it.  He helped  buy my first house, and spent an entire year fixing it up.  We fought like cats and dogs during that year, since we each had a different perspective on how the place should look.  He favored white, black, and red.  I despised them. One day, I was painting the dining room ceiling a vivid rose color (looking back, it was hideous and I eventually did it over in another color).  Grandpa Bob walked in, saw what I was doing, and had a fit.  Then he stomped out and slammed the door.  Thirty minutes later he came back with two giant ice cream cones. That is how the year progressed.  We went through a lot of ice cream, and he never gave up on me.

Our dad loved every single moment of his life, had an amazing sense of observational humor, and could sell you the Brooklyn Bridge even if you already had one.  He loved to eat, and this Potato Salad was always one of his favorites.  He would always ask for seconds, but would caution, “Just a little spoonful.  I’m delicate, you know”.  Happy 4th of July, Grandpa Bob.  I love you.  …now let’s get going on this recipe!

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Dark Cherry Crumb Cake

I love cake.  I love cherries.  And now, in the height of cherry season, I can often be found lurking around the refrigerator and pulling out several handfuls of those dark red gems to stuff in my mouth when nobody is looking.   The dilemma became this – is there a way to enjoy both cake and cherries without losing any of that fresh cherry goodness?  I think this may just do it.  The cake base resembles a pound cake (we need something heavy duty to hold up all those cherries), and for some added personality there is shredded coconut, vanilla, and almond extract.  This I could eat all on its’ own and be quite happy.  However, we can’t forget the cherries!  The little extra work of pitting and slicing beautiful dark red cherries in half is well worth the effort.  No sugar added to this layer – those berries are sweet enough all on their own.  To top it off, the crumb layer has a generous amount of ground almonds that will keep you coming back for one more bite….at least I do. 

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Hot Smoked Salmon

I’ll let you in on a little secret…of all the tons of appetizers I have made in my day; this is hands down the favorite of everybody.  A lot of other smoked salmon recipes call for both a brine and a rub before smoking, but that just seemed like way too much work, so I just decided to combine the brine and the rub ingredients into one easy step.  And here you have it.  Don’t have a Smoker?  No problem. You can easily turn your charcoal or gas grill into a smoker that will work beautifully, and I’ve included some ‘how-to’ links so you can check it out.  You might want to make twice as much as you think you’ll need.  If your guests are anything like mine, this will be gone within minutes of setting it out – my guests have no shame.

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Asparagus Salad with Sugar Snap Peas, Strawberries & Double Strawberry Vinaigrette

 

They say what grows together goes together, and those words couldn’t be truer than when combining these seasonal flavor powerhouses: fresh asparagus, juicy sugar snap peas, and sweet, ripe strawberries.  The asparagus stalks are peeled into ribbons, and the tips are sautéed until just crisp/tender – the best of both worlds.  I’ve also thrown in some roasted pumpkin seeds for crunch, and slightly sweet Double Strawberry Vinaigrette for dressing.  Oh – and then there’s the blue cheese…. Good stuff, Maynard.  …

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Fresh Strawberry Jam

I cannot bring myself to tell you how many eons I have been making strawberry jam, but it wasn’t until the last three years that I figured out how to make it so that it tastes like fresh strawberries for the entire year. I’m talking about the cooked jam recipes, which I’ve always preferred over the less ‘set’ freezer jams. The secret? First of all, play a little fast and loose with the amount of fruit you use, and secondly – don’t use a canner if you are making cooked jam. Here’s the thing….canning jam does make it ‘shelf stable’, but after a few short months both the color and flavor start to deteriorate in a big way. Freezer jam always tastes like fresh berries, so I figured, “what the heck? Let’s make the best of both worlds”, so that’s what I did. It’s a whole lot less mess and effort, and a whole lot more flavor to boot. Come on along with me and check it out.

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Grilled Southwestern Chicken with Summer Succotash

 

As I sit writing this, I cannot believe that I haven’t shared this recipe with you before.  It’s my absolute favorite marinade for grilling chicken, and I usually triple the recipe and freeze for whenever the mood strikes.  When my niece Ari was little, this was just about the only chicken she would eat (except for chicken strips from what she called ‘Burr-Burr Ville). We made it for her every year during our annual sister’s beach getaway, and it still brings smiles to everyone who tries it. She named it ‘Dick’s Chicken’ because he was in charge of the grill, and the name stuck.  It’s rich and smoky from the dried chilies, with a hint of citrus to brighten it up. It’s just so darned good on the grill with a little char, but is nearly as good baked in the oven.  Let’s make some thyme-infused succotash with colorful peppers, edamame and corn. Starting to sound like summer to me!!

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