Rosemary Curry Pork Chops

When the boys were younger I never really felt that summer slow-down. It felt more hectic because preschool was on hiatus, and the kids needed to be entertained all day, made more difficult by the hot prairie temperatures. They couldn't stay up later without unpleasant consequences for all of us and we found ourselves craving those grownup only/post-bedtime hours even more.

Summer was an excuse to eat more ice cream, but it didn't really change much of our routine.

When school ended in May this year I expected the same thing, especially with a cross-country move looming.

Instead, I've been pleasantly surprised. The boys handle staying up later so much better than they did last year. We can stay out playing in the cooler hours of dusk, and have more leisurely meals without worrying about grumpy early risers the next morning.

We're grilling a lot, and relying on family favorite recipes at dinnertime. That keeps things low-key and all of us more relaxed during the pre-dinner hours. During the school year that was the witching hour for our family. This summer, especially the last few weeks, it's been different. The adults enjoy a glass of wine and catch up about the day and the kids are usually involved in an elaborate Lego Batman/Ninjago mashup.

The hard days are still there, but they aren't all I remember, because the good days are really good.

Recipes like this go so well in this season. The rub comes together in a matter of moments, and can sit on the pork chops for as long as you need it to. As long as you give it at least 15 minutes, you will still get a good flavor. Adults and children both love it, and if you are grilling it would be an easy meal to cook for company. It's the food version of a little black dress-change the accessories and it becomes dinner party ready. Tone things down and it's just as good to eat on paper plates on the patio, while the kids run through the sprinklers.


Rosemary Curry Rubbed Pork Chops
adapted from The Kitchn

4 tbs brown sugar
1 tbsp chopped rosemary
1 tbsp ground curry
2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground pepper
5-6 boneless pork chops

(Optional- 2 tbs olive oil if cooking in a skillet)

Pour all ingredients except pork chops into a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Rub mixture over both sides of the pork chops. Set aside for at least 15 minutes for the rub flavors to start soaking into the meat. If you have the time, feel free to let sit for several hours before cooking.

You can either grill the chops or cook them in a skillet on the stovetop.

To cook in a skillet, warm the oil over medium high heat. Cook chops about 6 minutes each side (add a minute or two each side for thick or well-done chops). Interior temperature for pork should be 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

On the grill: preheat grill to 400 degrees and then cook chops for 5-6 minutes each side, depending on the thickness of the chops. Again, they will be done when the interior temp of the chop is 145.

Spinach and Feta Filo Pie

When I pulled this post out of my draft folder this morning I realized that it will be my 100th post here on Hearth and Homefront. That number kind of snuck up on me! I realized the other day that my 1 year anniversary would be coming up soon, but it never occurred to me to check how many posts I had written or I would be doing something a little more celebratory today!

I'm still amazed that anyone other than my parents and my husband read this little blog of mine. It started as a place to catalog my recipes and books and it's becoming a real thing now. This is the first time since graduate school that I haven't worked and this has helped me keep my identity from getting lost in the shuffle of being a wife and mother. Those are very important pieces of me, but I don't like defining myself by who I am to others. I'm not ready to start introducing myself as a blogger, but it helps me to know that I am creating something all by myself every week. The library and archives field is going to look very different when we eventually move to our next base and then I'll have to see if there is still a place for me in that world. Who knows-maybe these years of blogging will open up a new career path for me. Maybe I'll write that book I've always talked about, or make this little blog itself into a business. I love the different paths that are beginning to form in the distance!

Now to the food-which is why you're all here, right? Years ago my father in law gave us a Jaimie Oliver cookbook, and told us we HAD to make the roast chicken. We were hooked. I stumbled across this recipe that he put together for a newspaper in the UK and filed it away for the future. Between after school appointments and activities and the social whirl that is this time of year around here I realized I needed to start developing easy and fast recipes for the weekdays. While I may still have the occasional day where I can spend 30-40 minutes prepping a recipe most of the time I need something that only takes 30 minutes start to finish. Since my husband and I both adore Spanakopita, I knew that this pie size variation would be right up our alley. It feels light, but is substantial enough to be the main course of your meal. The boys ate a little bit, but since they are highly suspicious of anything green right now we made sure to serve it with heartier sides they enjoy. This will be a great addition to our weeknight dinner rotation for sure!

Spinach and Feta Filo Pie
adapted from Jaimie Oliver

Filo dough (about 12-15 sheets of it)
4 eggs
10 oz feta
1/2 cup parmesan
2 tsp dried oregano
zest of one lemon
1 tbsp butter
14 oz washed baby spinach
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp nutmeg
Olive oil
salt
pepper

Cut a piece of parchment paper that's about 15"x20". Scrunch it a up a little and rub some olive oil into it. Cover with filo dough sheets. Mine took about 4 pieces (one in each corner and they overlapped in the middle slightly). Drizzle with olive oil and gently spread the oil over the filo dough using your hands. Sprinkle with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Repeat this process 2 more times so you have a total of 3 layers. Set aside

Add feta, eggs, oregano, lemon zest, a teaspoon of olive oil, and a pinch of pepper to a mixing bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.

In a ovenproof saucepan (like a cast iron skillet), melt a teaspoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter over medium high heat. Add half the spinach in and stir until it has wilted slightly. Then add the rest of the spinach. Stir and cook gently until it is all wilted and cooked down.

Stir the cooked spinach and nutmeg into the egg mixture. Set aside.

Take the filo dough sheet and gently lay it over the saucepan. Push it into the bottom of the pan with the edges still hanging over the sides of the pan. Pour the spinach and egg mixture into the pan and spread so it covers the bottom. Fold the filo dough that is hanging over the side into the center of the pan to make the top of the crust. Rub a little more olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Pop the saucepan back on the burner for about 2 minutes to get the bottom of the filo cooking, and then transfer to the oven. Cook for 18-20 minutes, or until the top is nice and browned. Serve immediately.

Roasted Chicken with tomatoes and onions

Is it Friday yet? I was thoroughly convinced that they had made this a 4 day weekend and tomorrow was a day off too...until this morning when I double checked calendars. Disappointing start to the day, right? It was followed by an epic disaster of a school drop off (note to self-when the children tell you that they are ready to get dropped off in the car line instead of being walked in, Do Not Believe Them.)

I have high hopes for the rest of the day though, with nothing on the agenda but some laundry, a trip to the library (for myself!), and a promotion party for a dear friend. At least I know the day will be ending on a high note :)

This recipe is one of the mainstays of our dinner rotation. I really have been meaning to post this for months now, but I always forget to take pictures of it. Frankly, it's not terribly photogenic but it's so good that I don't care. It comes together in minutes and kids and grownups alike devour it. Roasting brings out the flavors in each of the ingredients, and when they all blend together it is delicious. It reminds me of something the Barefoot Contessa would make-easy enough for a weeknight, elegant enough for company. All that needs changing is the sides!

Roasted Chicken with Tomatoes and Onion

Adapted from The Naptime Chef

Ingredients: 

8 chicken thighs

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 small onion

1 tsp salt

3 tbs olive oil

1tsp dried thyme

2 tbsp chopped basil

Zest of 1 lemon

Place the chicken thighs into a 9 x13 baking dish. Sprinkle the olive oil and salt over the chicken and mix well so that each piece is coated. Pour the onion and tomatoes over the chicken, pushing as many as possible in between the chicken pieces. Sprinkle thyme, chopped basil and lemon zest over the whole thing so that it is evenly covered.

Bake at 375 for 40 minutes. Serve immediately. 

End of Summer Casserole

This is our last week of no major after school events. (I'm officially a soccer mom now-when did this happen?? ) Next week will have at least two days where getting dinner on the table is going to be a struggle, and since I'm trying to eat slightly less indulgently, I'm going to try to do it without hitting the drive thru. That means I'll be digging through my Pinterest boards and favorite blogs and cookbooks to try to find dinners that get on the table fast or can be prepped ahead of time. It's a little easier as the weather cools down, because so many of our favorite soups or stews can be made earlier in the day and warmed back up when it's time to eat. Summer weather will be sticking around Oklahoma for at least another 6 weeks, which makes the transition to real "weeknight" cooking a bit more tricky. I think our slow cooker will be in heavy rotation, and we may rely on grilling to get things cooked and on the table quickly. Besides, I am totally out of practice with our grill and I need a refresher. Good excuse, right?

When I saw this casserole on Pink Parsley last week, I immediately put it on my menu list. It is the perfect use for all that fabulous summer produce coming out now, and the chicken and brown rice keep it on the healthier side. It comes together quickly, although the chicken does need to be cooked ahead of time and the actual baking time is close to an hour. The actual hands on work is so so so easy though, which makes me think I could throw it together on a Sunday or Monday night when we have a little more time and the leftovers would make fantastic lunches for the next few days. Or I could make in the morning and just bake after school. Nice to have options, right?


Summer Vegetable Casserole
barely adapted from Pink Parsley

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cottage cheese
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 onion, diced
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 zucchini, peeled and shredded
1/2 cup of corn (or kernels from one ear of corn)
1 bell pepper, diced
2 cups cooked and diced chicken
3 tbs chopped basil
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together eggs, salt, pepper, mustard and cottage cheese in a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the cheese and stir together until completely combined.

Pour it all into a casserole dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Sprinkle the cheese on top and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30-35 minutes, remove the foil and then bake for 20 more.
Cool for 10 minutes or so and then serve.

Pasta Bolognese

It's never felt more like the dog days of summer here than it does this week. We're seeing 107 and 108 on the thermometer and I find myself wishing for just one 95 degree day. The craziest thing about this weather? The boys start school in one week! It just doesn't feel right to go back to school when there isn't even a hope of wearing jeans for at least two months.

No getting around it though. School supplies are purchased and the final countdown is on. We're making our last weekday trips to the pool and the wildlife refuge. I'm waffling between giddy excitement at having some time to myself again and abject terror at the idea of my babies in full-time school, away from me all day. The boys are sort of excited, but mostly nonchalant. We will have a morning to go meet the teachers and see the classroom later this week and I think it will suddenly become real for them then.

I'm hoping that I have at least as much courage as they do next Tuesday and make it through the morning without sobbing.

At least in front of them.

All that to get to the point...which is this bolognese. It's adapted from Ina Garten's book The Barefoot Contessa: How Easy Is That? and she calls it a weeknight bolognese. This is one of those lovely meals that will impress company but is quick and easy enough to squeeze in before a weeknight soccer practice. We make this so much during the school year I know the recipe by heart.

A few notes on the ingredients. The wine and the tomatoes matter in this dish. Don't be tempted to use cheap red wine that you wouldn't drink otherwise. It doesn't have to be expensive or fancy, but you should like the taste of it! As for the tomatoes, Ina recommends San Marzano tomatoes and having tried  it both ways I agree with her. The have much more flavor than the regular old can of crushed tomatoes. I made this with speghetti the night I took the picture, but I like it just as well with shells or penne. I switched out the ground beef for turkey, but it tastes fabulous with both.

Enjoy!

Pasta Bolognese
adapted from Barefoot Contessa: How Easy Is That? by Ina Garten

Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (they don't add much heat-don't worry!)
1 1/2 cup red wine
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 tbsp milk (I like to use almond milk in this) or heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan

1 box pasta of your choice


Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Cook the ground turkey over medium/high heat until it's brown and crumbled. Stir in the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes until combined. Pour the wine in and deglaze the pan (scraping up anything stuck to the bottom). Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta per the directions on the box.

Go back to the sauce. Add in the chopped basil and the milk or cream and cook for another 2-3 minutes until thickened slightly. Take off the heat and stir in the parmesan. Serve immediately over the pasta. If you'd like, sprinkle a little more parmesan over each serving.

Gazpacho

This week we have had a blissful interlude of 70-80 degree weather. It RAINED people! Rain! We have been under water restrictions since April...so this week has been downright amazing. The plants (and weeds) in my garden are growing and flowering! I spotted two bell peppers and 3 okra out there this afternoon.

Last week it was over 100 and next week it will be again, but right now Oklahoma is glorious.

In the midst of that 100+ weather last week I made a batch of gazpacho to keep for lunches. I was apprehensive the first time I made this a few years ago because cold soup just sounds a little weird until you try it. Once I finally tried it I was hooked and now every summer I make it anytime the temperatures soar. There really is nothing more refreshing than finally getting a chance to sit down on a hot day and eating something so fresh and flavorful. This is full of summer vegetables at their finest and  it doesn't need many other ingredients to enhance them. It tastes even better as it sits in the fridge over a few days and the flavors mature.

What's your go-to meal during the dog days of summer?


Gazpacho
adapted from The Barefoot Contessa and The Naptime Chef Cookbook

Ingredients:
4 tomatoes
1 cucumber, peeled
2-3 bell peppers
1/2 red onion
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
23 oz tomato juice
salt and pepper to taste (about 1 tsp each)
splash of lime juice

Put tomatoes, peppers, onion and cucumber into food processor one type at a time and finely chop. Combine them all in a large bowl and add garlic, olive oil, vinegar and tomato juice and stir together. Add salt and pepper to taste (I like about 1 teaspoon of each). Refrigerate until cold. Before serving, add a splash of lime juice. Stores in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Spaghetti Pie

I got my wisdom teeth out yesterday. All in all, it's going better than I thought, but the liquid and soft food diet is old ALREADY, and it's only been a day. 

Since I knew that I would be headed into several days of blah eating (and several days of leftovers and/or takeout for the boys with me out of commission), I made one of our favorites the night before I had surgery. 

I've been making this dish since I saw it on The Naptime Chef's blog several years ago. It quickly became a favorite, and over time, I've tweaked it slightly to our preference. It's become one of my standby's when I'm bringing food to a family that's had a baby, especially if they have young children already. It freezes beautifully, and makes a ton of leftovers. It is made of mostly pantry items, and is very easy to change up based on what you have around. 

There is a good chance that this is going to be very first thing I eat when I am finally allowed to chew again. Assuming the boys have left me any, that is...

In the meantime, it's back to smoothies.

Sausage Spaghetti Pie

adapted from The Naptime Chef

Ingredients

1 lb spaghetti

2 tsp olive oil

1 package sweet italian sausage link removed from their casings

2 cups marinara sauce 

1 pinch red pepper flakes

4 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (or parmesan)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour the olive oil into a pot and add the sausage once the oil is warm. Cook the sausage, making sure it's no longer pink, and has crumbled into smaller pieces. Add in the marinara sauce and the red pepper flakes and heat until warmed through. 

Boil the pasta until cooked, and then add to the sauce. Mix together and pour in an 11 x 13 baking pan. 

Beat the eggs quickly, and add in the milk. Pour over pasta mixture and then top with the cheese.

Bake for 25-30 min until heated through.