Author: Shani Crider

  • Devilish Eggs

    Ingredients:
    Kosher salt
    8 large eggs
    3 tablespoons mayonnaise
    3 tablespoons very finely chopped celery or purple daikon radish
    2 tablespoons finely chopped drained pickle relish
    2 tablespoons very finely chopped scallion
    2 teaspoons yellow mustard
    2 teaspoons very finely chopped parsley(or fennel frond), plus more for garnish
    2 dashes hot sauce (such as Tabasco),
    Freshly ground black pepper

    Directions:
    1. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully add eggs. Bring water to a simmer and cook eggs 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water; let sit until cool enough to handle. Peel.

    This would be an appropriate time for me to mention the difference in cooking techniques for different types of eggs…The longer the eggs sit the more the membrane beneath the shell separates from the shell, making peeling easier.  The egg whites also becomes less dense allowing the yolk to move around thus becoming uncentered. Hmmm it all makes sense now, so, If you bought your eggs from a grocery store follow the directions above because truth be told they are probably at least 3-4 weeks old. If they are fresh off the farm or you personally know the chickens they came from 😉 follow these instructions for HARD BOILED FARM FRESH EGGS... steaming them is your best bet.

    2. Meanwhile, whisk mayonnaise, celery or radish, relish, scallion, mustard, and 2 dashes hot sauce in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper.

    3. Halve eggs lengthwise. Scoop yolks into mayonnaise mixture and place whites on a plate. Gently mash yolks into dressing; season with salt and pepper. Using 2 forks, fill egg halves with yolk mixture.

    4. Top eggs with pepper and some fennel fronds, dill or pretty much any green herb you have.

    P.S. If you have extra filling, save it and add it toast or an english muffin for a great breakfast. YUM

  • Dill Dressing

    A lovely refreshingly light dill dressing perfect for springtime salads. (no caterpillars were harmed in this process)Dill

    For the dressing:
    1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
    1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    1/2 tablespoon minced shallot
    1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

    In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and salt until the salt dissolves. Add dill, mustard and shallot and whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly, until dressing is smooth and emulsified. Pour dressing over salad and toss until all ingredients are evenly coated.

  • Garlic Ginger Bok Choy

    Simple and healthy stir-fry served over rice.

    Ingredients:
    2-3 heads of baby bok choy (separate leaves and wash ribs well, sand tends to hide in there)
    4 garlic cloves, sliced
    1 teaspoon grated ginger root
    1 tablespoon sesame oil
    3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or bragg’s liquid aminos
    sesame seeds for garnish
    salt and pepper to taste

    Optional additional veggies (use any that you have handy)
    1 medium chopped white onion
    1 medium carrot, sliced thin diagonally
    6 tokyo turnips (no greens)
    thinly sliced scallions (small handful)

    Directions:

    • Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger; cook and stir 1 minute. Add sliced onion and cook for another 3 minutes.
    • Add all remaining vegetables and soy sauce. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the greens are wilted and the stalks are tender-crisp.
    • Season to taste with salt and black pepper or red pepper flakes for a bit of spice :).
    • Add over rice or noodles.
    • Garnish with sesame seeds and enjoy!

  • Bacon Vegetable Quiche

    Looking for a way to use up the sad, neglected vegetables in your fridge? Grab some bacon and brie to turn your “scraps” into a Bacon & Brie Vegetable Quiche, perfect for everyone in the family. Serve with a small little green salad and it’s perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner! It’s great as leftovers because the taste holds up when reheated.

    This recipe makes two quiches. You can substitute other types of veggies or cheeses according to what you have handy. You can also bake it without a crust as a frittata in a cast iron skillet or baking dish.

    Ingredients:
    2 prepared pie crusts
    8 strips of bacon, cooked and cut into small chunks
    1 small sweet onion, diced
    1 bunch chopped rainbow chard
    3 oz Mozzarella cubed
    4 or 5 small tokyo turnips sliced
    4-5 baby summer squash sliced
    5 oz. brie, cut into small chunks
    1 dozen eggs
    1/2 cup milk or half-and-half
    1/2 tsp. salt
    1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
    2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine the stems of the chard, onion, squash and turnips, cook for about 10 minutes until they are browned.
    2. Add the greens of the chard and cook until they are wilted, about 6 minutes. Let the veggie mixture cool.
    3. Assemble in pie crust by alternating between layer of the cooked vegetables and the cheeses
    4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and herbs.
      Pour this mixture over the bacon, vegetables and cheeses in the pie crusts.
    5. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

  • Hibiscus “Roselle” Simple Syrup

    Hibiscus Simple Syrup, it’s more concentrated than the tea. This stores easily in the fridge and makes for a delicious sweetener. It also great for adding a little “pop” of color to any beverage with it’s bright pink hue. Add it to club soda, lemonade, or use it as a substitute for cranberry juice in a cosmo. Yum!~

    Ingredients:
    1/2 Pound Roselle Calyces
    2 Cups Water
    2 Cups of Sugar (or swap for Agave or Honey for a healthier alternative)

    Directions:
    1. In a small pot add the 1/2 pound roselle calyces with 2 cups of water, bring to a boil and then turn off. Let the roselle steep for about 20 minutes and then strain out the Calyces.

    2. Typically when you making home made simple syrup there is a 1 to 1 ratio with (hot) water. In this case, you would swap the water with the roselle concentrate and mix with the same amount of sugar. Bring back up to a boil and turn off the heat

    3. Pour into a clean glass jar and seal while hot. Let the liquid cool to room temperature and store in the fridge. It should last for several weeks.