SUMMER LIGHT RECIPES ~ PART TWO

(Image from www.gardenphotos.com)

Even as a child, I never enjoyed the heat and humidity of Summer.  I found it uncomfortable and oppressive.  As an adult, the tradition continues, including hating using my oven during the Summer months.  I’ll do whatever is necessary to avoid using it.  Most main entrees, for example, are done stovetop, which also eliminates doing any baking.  I try to reserve using my oven for temperatures that are cool to cold, and enjoy cooking and baking during my all time favorite seasons of Fall and Winter. 

Following are a few of my lighter recipes that are perfect for the heat and humidity; the dishes are lighter fare, which is cooling to the palette, and easy on the digestion.  The thought of eating something heavy during the Summer is uncomfortable; besides, eating something that’s on the heavy side is just too taxing on the digestive system. 

You’ll also notice a common theme throughout my recipes, and that is frugality.  I grew up poor, so using what we had on-hand and not wasting any food was ingrained in all of us kids, which has continued on into adulthood; we were also raised to believe that it was a sin to waste food.

In “Part One”, it’s all about “salads”.  In “Part Two”, I’ll be introducing “miscellaneous” and “dessert” recipes.  Lastly, I’m including a “Brand Resources” section for the various brand specified ingredients used in some of these receipts; the list also includes web links for each of the brand’s addresses.  Enjoy!

~ Mains ~

Mushroom, Asparagus & Chive Quiche

(Photo by T. Herman)

…going to try my hand making these two varieties…the egg filling will have a base of Greek yogurt and shredded Swiss cheese…I just finished steaming the asparagus, cleaning the mushrooms, and rinsing the chives…letting the eggs come to room temperature, and the asparagus drain and cool…I should be all set in a about an hour, after everything comes to room temperature…I’ll definitely have enough filler for each of the two premade pie crusts (which I’ll take out of the fridge to slightly cool down)…I’ll first scramble the eggs, and then add the yogurt, and after it’s thoroughly incorporate, using my electric mixer to achieve a smooth and creamy texture…I’ll then add the grated cheese and mix thoroughly…I’ll then add some dehydrated parsley, Himalayan pink salt, and ground black pepper to finish seasoning the egg  and cheese mix…next, I’ll add the vegetables to the bottom of the pie crust, and then pour over the egg, yogurt, cheese, and seasoning mixture not quite full (to allow for expansion during the baking process…these will bake on a foil lined pan in a preheated 375 deg F oven for thirty to forty-five minutes, or until the egg mixture sets and the crusts have browned…one is in the oven baking...once that’s fully cooked, I'll place it on a cooling rack, and then bake the second one...another delicious and simple recipe…

Red Pepper Yogurt Sauce

(Photo by T. Herman)

…decided to cook some premade (frozen) crab cakes I had on-hand…while they were cooking in the oven, I decided to make a tasty sauce to complement the delicate flavor of the crab cakes…you’ll need plain non-fat yogurt, sautéed garlic-infused EVOO (my recipe from Feb. 16th), Alessi White Balsamic Vinegar, dehydrated parsley, onion powder, Himalayan pink salt, black ground pepper, and Trader Joe’s Red Pepper Spread…mix all ingredients…serve generous-sized dollops over the crab cakes…this sauce would also work well on salmon, or chicken…fresh and delicious tasting…great as a veggie dip, too…

Gussied Up Sunday Pancakes

(Photo by T. Herman)

…these upscale pancakes are great any day of the week, but somehow Sunday, the newspaper, and strong coffee, seems the best day to enjoy these…I used an all-in-one pancake mix (Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake Mix)…to the serving size, I added my homemade “Baking Spice Blend”, and vanilla extract (Rodelle Pure Vanilla Extract)…I preheated a fry pan over medium heat and added real butter…once the butter was melted, I added the batter…as the batter cooked, I added slices of banana and chopped walnuts…the heat slightly melted the banana slices to a creamy texture…once both sides were cooked, I placed in a dish and added a bit more butter, and then topped the pancakes with pure maple syrup (BLiS Gourmet Bourbon Maple Syrup)…these dressed up pancakes were delicious…

~ Treats ~

Blueberry Cranberry Citrus Compote

(Photo by T. Herman)

…I continue being frugal by using what I have on hand to make this recipe…place one large bag of thawed and drained whole blueberries in a Dutch oven…add the zest of one orange, the juice of the orange, a splash of lemon juice, ½ cup cranberry concentrate, and ¾ C granulated sugar…mix well and taste the liquid for balance of flavorings…then, begin cooking on low flame, stirring frequently…

continue cooking until the mixture begins to thicken…once cooked, cool completely before putting small amounts into cleaned glass containers, and then refrigerate…this will be delicious spread on toast, or rolls, or slathered over pancakes, waffles, French toast, or mixed in yogurt…delicious…

Lavender Honeyed Dragon Fruit Cups

(Photo by T. Herman)

…this was my first time ever eating White Dragon Fruit (from Frieda’s Specialty Produce)…since it was ripe, I cut the fruit lengthwise and scooped out the beautiful white seeded pulp, and placed each spoon-sized scoop into a separate bowl…I then added two heaping tablespoons of Honey Ridge Farms Honey Crème Lavender…the addition of the honey brought out the natural juices of the Dragon Fruit…the result was a subtly sweet and exotic fresh fruit dessert…to add eye appeal, I served the sweetened fruit in the shells of the scooped out fruit…Dragon Fruit is a nutrient dense fruit, rich in Vitamins A, B  and C, plus polyunsaturated fatty acids…it’s also delicious…can be added to fruit salads, yogurt, etc….

No-Bake Tropical Fruit Cheesecake

(Photo by T. Herman)

…another frugal inspiration using stuff that’s on-hand…this was a throw together and seemed the perfect dessert for a hot muggy summer’s day…ingredients included a premade graham cracker crust, canned and drained crushed pineapple, desiccated coconut, Red Dragon Fruit (Frieda's Specialty Produce), Raw Clover Honey Crème Raspberry (Honey Ridge Farms), plain yogurt, Neufchatel cream cheese, juice and zest from a Meyer Lemon juice (Frieda’s Specialty Produce), canned and drained Mandarin orange segments, pure vanilla extract, and pure lemon extract…in a large bowl, I creamed the yogurt and cream cheese…in a separate bow, I pureed by hand the Red Dragon Fruit pulp, and then added to the yogurt cream cheese mixture…I then added the vanilla and lemon extracts to this mixture…to blend better, I used a hand mixer until there was a smooth consistency…to this, I then added the pineapple and coconut…I lined the bottom of the graham cracker crust with the orange segments, reserving a few for the top of the cheesecake…I then added the yogurt cream cheese mixture and topped the middle of the cheesecake with the remaining orange segments…to get a little more creative, I took whole graham crackers and smashed them by hand and added to a wine/parfait glass, alternating with the smashed graham crackers, the yogurt cream cheese mixture, and topped it of with a few dollops of yogurt and sprinkled on some of my homemade “Sugar and Baking Spice Blend”…both the cheese cake and parfait are now chilling in the fridge for at least two to three hours…the overall taste is fruity, with a subtle tang and sweetness, and the color is stunning…perfect for a summer’s day…

Red Dragon Fruit & Yogurt Parfait

(Photo by T. Herman)

… this was my first time ever eating Red Dragon Fruit (Frieda’s Specialty Produce)…I cut the fruit lengthwise and scooped out the beautiful intense ruby-red seeded pulp…I placed spoon-sized scoops in a wine glass…in layers, I alternated with the Red Dragon Fruit, Greek yogurt, and walnut pieces…I then topped off the final layer with a bit more of the yogurt and nuts, and then drizzled Aunt Sue’s Raw Wild Honey (Sue Bee Honey)…the addition of the honey brought out the natural juices of the Red Dragon Fruit, and added just the right amount of subtle sweetness to this exotic fresh fruit dessert…Dragon Fruit is a nutrient dense fruit, rich in Vitamins A, B  and C, plus polyunsaturated fatty acids…it’s also delicious…can be added to fruit salads, granola, etc….

Rose, Hibiscus & Strawberry Cream

(Photo by T. Herman)

…this simple throw together dessert turned out better than expected…I cleaned, cored and quartered fresh strawberries…in a separate bowl, I added about one cup of Whole Milk Chobani Greek Yogurt and five drops of Wild Hibiscus Flower Extract and mixed thoroughly…in a wine glass, I placed some of the sliced strawberries and then added a layer of the flavored yogurt…I then added more sliced strawberries and topped those with more of the flavored yogurt…to this top layer, I added three tablespoons of Wild Hibiscus Flowers In Rose Syrup…I then added a Hibiscus Flower to the top…beautiful flavors, beautiful colors, beautiful taste…

Sugar Spiced Apples

(Photo by T. Herman)

...that frugal them hit me again…I had six medium-sized Granny Smith apples staring at me…so, I decided to make “Sugar Spiced Apples”...I peeled, cored, and chopped the apples into slices…to a small pan, I added the sliced apples, and doused them with lemon juice to keep them from turning brown…I then added a half-cup of sugar that I had mixed in a few tablespoons of my delicious “Baking Spice Blend”**…after thoroughly mixing the apples with this sugar spice blend, I then added about one-quarter cup of water, stirred well, and then cooked over a low flame…I kept the lid on, slightly ajar, to create a steam environment to further along the cooking process…I’ll periodically check the apples for doneness…these will be delicious on their own, but also perfect when added to yogurt, as a topper to pancakes, or French toast, etc.…

Baking Spice Blend

**(It’s simple to create your own spice blends, and more economical than buying a store bought version…for this one, I used cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice…I used more cinnamon than the other spices in the blend…I don’t measure…I just used my nose and eyeballs to gauge the perfect blend desired…I use this regularly in recipes that call for plain cinnamon…the additional spices intensify the flavor profile…this blend is great sprinkled on French toast or pancakes as they’re cooking)…

Tropical Breeze

(Photo by T. Herman)

…I pulled together some of my favorite ingredients to create this delicious and refreshing treat…this is easy to assemble…to a bowl, add two peeled and cut kiwis, two segmented clementine’s, and one sliced medium banana…add ½ C plain non-fat yogurt, 1 T non-fat desiccated coconut, and 1 T of rose syrup from Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Rose Syrup…mix well and chill in refrigerator for about an hour…divide the mix and place in two parfait or wine glasses…for presentation, top with a drizzle of additional rose syrup, and one of the Hibiscus flowers…this is the perfect treat any time of the day…it’s beautiful, light, and refreshing…

~ Brand Resources ~

(Image from www.uvic.ca)

Aldi’s https://www.aldi.us

Alessi Foods https://alessifoods.com

BLiS Gourmet https://blisgourmet.com

Chobani Yogurt http://www.chobani.com

Fage Yogurt http://usa.fage

Frieda’s Specialty Produce http://www.friedas.com

Honey Ridge Farms https://honeyridgefarms.com

Honey Smoked Fish Co. https://honeysmokedfish.com

Krusteaz http://www.krusteaz.com

Nielsen-Massey Vanillas http://nielsenmassey.com

Rodelle Kitchen http://rodellekitchen.com

Trader Joe’s https://www.traderjoes.com

Wild Hibiscus Flower Co. https://www.wildhibiscus.com

~In Closing ~

(Image from www.hisgo.com)

Summer is a great time to create lighter food-fare, especially when using ingredients that are locally grown or purchased at a farmer’s market.  Your culinary creations needn’t be elaborate, since simpler is generally much better than a complicated and intricate recipe.  Enjoy the season and stay out of the hot kitchen. 

That’s it for this edition.  Until the next one, remember to always celebrate yourself and your culinary curiosity.  Happy creating…happy cooking…happy eating!

By Terry Herman

TERRY HERMAN continues perfecting her passion for food and wine.  She has been covering culinary related for many years as it relates to wellness and a healthy lifestyle.  Her popular blog, Terry's Spa, Beauty and Wellness Go-To has featured formidable reviews of cookbooks, restaurants, wine and food, food prep and tools, chef interviews, and coverage of prestigious events such as International Home+Housewares Show, National Restaurant Show, Sweets and Snacks Expo, United Fresh, and Food Marketing Institute.  She has served as a food judge at the Bellavita Italian Expo Excellence Awards (Chicago).  She has been published since the mid-1990s in both consumer and trade publications, and is regarded as an expert in spa, beauty, wellness, travel and lifestyle, and is frequently interviewed by publications for her expert content.  She has also presented at major industry conferences, and has served with distinction on numerous governing and advisory boards.  She has a background in strategic and qualitative management, consulting, and motivational speaking.  In addition to her blogs, her social media outreach also includes Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.  Don’t forget to “Like” her Facebook Page, Terry’s Second Helpings.  Please note that the “Comment Section” has been disabled.  For additional information, email her at terry.herman@gmail.com.

ALL MATERIALS COPYRIGHT PROTECTED

(Photo credits as indicated, or as represented by the specific brand.)

LATEST TASTINGS ~ PART FOUR ~ MICHAEL JORDAN'S RESTAURANT

(Image from www.artofeating.com)

[The English poet and hymnodist William Cowper (1731-1800) said it best in his poem “The Task” (1785): “…Variety is the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavor...” For me, everything I approach, I try to do so openly, and with a curiosity to learn from that new experience, and then apply it often.] 

Today’s edition focuses on the newest restaurant to open its doors in the Chicago-area…Michael Jordan’s Restaurant (Oak Brook, IL). This new restaurant is Michael Jordan’s second signature restaurant in the Chicago-area.  The eponymous name celebrates one of the elites of the NBA, a much-loved member of sport’s royalty and one of Chicago’s sport’s greats.  You’ll definitely love his new restaurant.  Enjoy!

~ The Legend ~

(Image from www.si.com)

Although I’m not a diehard Chicago sport’s fan, I’ll admit that out of all of the pro sport’s team games I’ve attended, I’ve never had the pleasure of attending a Bull’s game.  Michael Jordan had a fourteen-year tenure as a Chicago Bull 1984-1998 (except for a brief departure from basketball to pursue baseball); he is credited with helping to deliver his team to multiple NBA Championships.  For a native-Chicagoan, like myself (or for anyone else for that matter) to not get caught up with the frenzy and delirium of Michael Jordan’s greatness, the team, their heart-stopping playing, and the “fever” that captivated the city, a person would have to be on life-support.  In the early 1990s, I began to respect the game of basketball and especially Michael Jordan’s sport’s prowess.  He made the game magic!   Michael Jordan will forever remain a sport’s legend, and consummate sport’s figure; and, whether it was in basketball, baseball, or golf, no matter what he became involved in, he always excelled at it, and was successful. 

Today, he has also proven himself to be a successful restaurateur.  His first signature restaurant, Michael Jordan’s Steak House Restaurant, located in the Hotel InterContinental on Chicago’s tony Mag Mile, has been serving up excellent food fare since 2011. And with his latest signature restaurant in Oak Brook, Michael Jordan’s Restaurant will no doubt also prove to be a huge success.

~ The Restaurant ~

(Photo by T. Herman)

“Dine like a legend.  Greatness is the game at Michael Jordan’s Restaurant.  Combining a vibrant environment that brings classic entrees to the floor, and an all-star roster of craft beers, wines, and spirits, this is a dining experience worthy of the greatness of all time.  Game on.”

Michael Jordan’s Restaurant is conveniently located off of Interstate 88 and across the street from the upscale Oak Brook Mall.  Living in the area, I’m quite familiar with the Mall and its large concentration of restaurants, many of which I’ve dined at.  Michael Jordan’s Restaurant is definitely a cut above.

The Restaurant is huge and will appeal to sport’s enthusiasts with an upscale bar area, where they can get their game fix by watching the latest on jumbo televisions, while dining and quaffing a few.  It’ll also appeal to those who want to distance themselves from the bar area in the upscale dining area, where they can leisurely enjoy delicious food fare and beverages.  The extensive menu features specialty wines, craft beers, cocktails, and spirits; for Openers, there are appetizers, soups, salads, and a raw bar; for the Mains, there are sandwiches, entrees, steaks, sides, and add-ons.  The building where the sprawling Restaurant is located also offers a lobby Coffee Bar & Market that offers coffee, pastries, salads, sandwiches, and snacks for those in a hurry or looking for an exceptional breakfast or lunch repast on-the-go. 

~ The Dining Experience ~

Although we arrived a bit early for our dinner appointment, we were seated within a few minutes and given ample time to peruse the extensive dinner menu, and separate beverage menu.  Leo, our waiter, introduced himself and happily answered our questions about menu items, how they were prepared, and what to expect.  Quick note ~ the Restaurant uses seasonal fresh ingredients sourced from local farms in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan and delivered daily.

First Pour ~ Two beautiful Rosé wines were enjoyed. One pour was Guggenheim (Argentina); this sparkling Rosé had a lovely pastel rouge to it; tasting notes were fresh, crisp, fruity, and quite dry; overall, it reminded me of a Prosecco.  The other pour was Liquid Geography (Spain); this Rosé had a very pale blush to it, noticeably paler in color than the other wine; the tasting notes were fresh, crisp, fruity, and slightly sweet.

(Photo by T. Herman)

Appetizer ~ The Signature Garlic Bread was grilled crispy ciabatta bread enrobed in a rich and creamy Roth Käse buttermilk blue cheese fondue; the blue cheese fondue added a nice counterpoint to the garlic ciabatta; a detractor to this otherwise delicious appetizer was that the ciabatta was grilled too crispy and too hard.

(Photo by T. Herman)

Salad ~ The 23 Ingredient Chopped Salad was prepared tableside by Omar.  The number of ingredients in this delicious salad is an homage to Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bull’s jersey number, which was officially retired by the team after he left.  This is a Chopped Salad on steroids with all of the fresh ingredients used, like Romaine, Arugula, and Iceberg lettuces, avocado, egg, Nueske bacon, chives, Kalamata olives, asparagus, radishes, grated cheese, pickled red and yellow onions, roasted red bell pepper, sweet corn, parsley, MightyVine grape tomatoes, croutons, etc.; this delicious fresh and crispy Salad was dressed with a grapeseed and red wine vinaigrette.

(Photo by T. Herman)

(Photo by T. Herman)

Main Entrées ~  For my guest:  Lake Superior Whitefish sautéed with capers, preserved lemon, Marcona almonds, and brown butter.  I was able to taste some of this; this delicious dish was beautifully prepared to preserve the delicate and sweet flavor of the fish; the preparation items added to the overall flavor profile.  For myself:  Slagel Farm’s Chicken that was oven roasted using a citrus marinade, and served over a MightyVine tomato panzanella salad and drizzled with a balsamic reduction.  The Chicken was the star of this dish; it was moist, juicy, and sweet, and could’ve stood alone without the salad.  For my taste, I thought the panzanella salad’s vinaigrette was too pungent and over-powered the sweet and delicate flavor of the chicken; the balsamic reduction also was too tart for the chicken, and the croutons were grilled to crispy.

(Photo by T. Herman)

Sides ~ Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes prepared with heavy cream and brown butter; these were decadently rich and fabulous.  Asparagus steamed and dressed with lemon and Grana Padano; the asparagus was wilted and over cooked; both the lemon and cheese flavors were hard to taste.

(Photo by T. Herman)

Dessert ~ My guest celebrated her birthday and was presented with a beautiful chocolaty dessert plate; she was also presented with a signed Michael Jordan Birthday Card (classy touch!).  For me, I went off menu and had a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream that was served with their rich and buttery in-house baked shortbread cookies; this simple dessert was delicious. 

Coffee ~ We enjoyed rich and bold Metric Coffee; it was delicious; this Chicago-based company offers small batches of artisanal roasted coffee.

~ Chef Chatter ~

I was able to briefly chat with the Restaurant’s Sous Chef, James Henry.  What motivates Chef Henry is the bounty of fresh, locally sourced ingredients that allows he and the other Chefs to create traditional recipes at the peak of their flavor, with modern twists to the recipe, making each selection all the more uniquely flavorful.  The Restaurant Menu offers traditionally delicious comfort food selections, as well as healthy options, so carnivore, vegetarian, or vegan hasn’t any excuse not to find something to tantalize their taste buds.  In addition to locally sourced items capturing peak flavors, it also makes sense to support local economies that benefit the farmer; utilizing locally sourced items also contributes to reducing freight costs.  Chef Henry is excited about all of the culinary possibilities the new Restaurant offers.  At Michael Jordan’s Restaurant, culinary creativity is on display, and the results are impressive.

~ Resources ~

Michael Jordan’s Restaurant uses the following locally sourced signature brands in their menu preparations and offerings. 

Hop Butcher Beer http://www.hopbutcher.com

Linz Heritage Beef http://www.linzheritageangus.com

Metric Coffee https://metriccoffee.com

MightyVine Tomatoes http://www.mightyvine.com

Nueske’s https://www.nueskes.com

Roth Käse Cheese http://www.rothcheese.com

Salemville Cheese http://www.salemville.com

Slagel Farm’s http://www.slagelfamilyfarm.com

~ Why the Difference…In His Own Words ~

(Image from www.theclio.com)

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career.  I’ve lost 300 games.  26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed.  I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.  And that is why I succeed.”

This commitment to excellence is what the new Michael Jordan’s Restaurant exemplifies, and it doesn’t disappoint.  For more information on this outstanding dining experience that’s based on the Legendary Michael Jordan, visit https://michaeljordansrestaurant.com

EDITOR'S NOTE:  From 1993 until 1999, there was a previous Michael Jordan's Restaurant, located at 500 North La Salle Street in Chicago; although not owned by Michael Jordan, it was named after him; in 1990, the previous restaurant owners, Joe and Gene Silverberg, had obtained naming rights for using Michael Jordan's name on the restaurant; in 1999, the ownership of the restaurant, and the right to use Michael Jordan's name dissolved; in 2000, there was a legal settlement that gave Michael Jordan exclusive rights to use his name on any Chicago restaurants.  

~ In Closing ~

(Image from www.hopespeak.com)

Take the time to be culinary-curious…discover new tastes…go out and explore your surrounding area for some new experiences…make it an adventure…claim your new culinary finds as your own.

That’s it for this edition.  Until the next one, remember to always celebrate yourself and your culinary curiosity.  Happy creating…happy cooking…happy eating!

By Terry Herman

TERRY HERMAN continues perfecting her passion for food and wine.  She has been covering culinary related for many years as it relates to wellness and a healthy lifestyle.  Her popular blog, Terry's Spa, Beauty and Wellness Go-To has featured formidable reviews of cookbooks, restaurants, wine and food, food prep and tools, chef interviews, and coverage of prestigious events such as International Home+Housewares Show, National Restaurant Show, Sweets and Snacks Expo, United Fresh, and Food Marketing Institute.  She has served as a food judge at the Bellavita Italian Expo Excellence Awards (Chicago).  She has been published since the mid-1990s in both consumer and trade publications, and is regarded as an expert in spa, beauty, wellness, travel and lifestyle, and is frequently interviewed by publications for her expert content.  She has also presented at major industry conferences, and has served with distinction on numerous governing and advisory boards.  She has a background in strategic and qualitative management, consulting, and motivational speaking.  In addition to her blogs, her social media outreach also includes Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.  Don’t forget to “Like” her Facebook Page, Terry’s Second Helpings.  Please note that the “Comment Section” has been disabled.  For additional information, email her at terry.herman@gmail.com.

ALL MATERIALS COPYRIGHT PROTECTED

(Photo credits as indicated, or as represented by the specific brand.)

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