Jalapeno, Spinach and Artichoke Twice Baked Potatoes

I'm so excited to share these with you today! These beauties won me $1,000 in the Good Foods “Share the Love Recipe Challenge” by coming out on top in the Best Recipe using a Dairy Dip category. This 6 ingredient, vegetarian and gluten free dish is sure to be your family’s new favorite! Perfect served as an appetizer all on their own or as a side next to a ham or roasted chicken, these twice stuffed potatoes can easily be made ahead if needed. Good Foods Spinach Artichoke Parmesan Dip is the perfect creamy base for these delicious potatoes but if you happen to have any creamy dip leftover from the holidays, that will work perfectly as a sub (hello, French Onion potatoes!)

 Jalapeno, Spinach and Artichoke Twice Baked Potatoes

6 small russet potatoes (1 ½ pounds total)

1 ½ teaspoons olive oil

½ cup Good Foods Spinach Artichoke Parmesan Dip

2 Tablespoons mild pickled jalapenos, diced 

1 teaspoon cajun seasoning

1 Tablespoon minced chives

Heat the oven to 350 F.

Scrub the potatoes under running water to remove dirt and prick each potato in several places with a fork. 

Rub each of the potatoes lightly with olive oil and place the potatoes directly on an oven rack in the center of the oven. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and a fork will easily pierce the largest potato when inserted into the center. Remove the potatoes from the oven and raise the temperature to 400 F.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half lengthwise and scoop the centers out, leaving a small rim around the skins still intact. Mash the scooped potato centers in a small mixing bowl until smooth and then stir in the Good Foods Spinach Artichoke Parmesan Dip, pickled jalapenos and cajun seasoning. Spoon the mixture back into the shells and place on a small baking sheet.

Place the potatoes in the oven for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and warmed all the way through. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately.

Serves 6 as an appetizer, 4 as a side dish

Grilled Charcuterie Panzanella Salad

Charcuterie boards are really having a moment right now and I am so here for it! I always, without fail, have a charcuterie board out when entertaining. It's so easy, can be made ahead and has a little something for everyone! Anything goes when I'm putting together a board - clean out your fridge, pantry and veggie drawer! Cheeses, meats, crackers, bread, olives, pickles, veggies, fruit- it's all delicious and really beautiful when placed together making you look impressive with very little work put into it.

When I saw that Stella Rosa wines was hosting a recipe contest looking for grilled dishes to be paired with their wine I knew what I was doing! Grilled Charcuterie Panzanella Salad - it's all of your favorite items from a fabulous charcuterie platter grilled to give it a little extra crisp and smoke and then mixed into this gorgeous salad that pairs perfectly with wine!

If you're not familiar with Panzanella, don't be scared by the name. It's just a traditional Italian salad made with bread, tomatoes and basil. So instead of going the traditional route, I grilled everything and loaded it with all the best from a charcuterie platter! Whether you use it as a side dish, or the main event, I promise you'll love it! Cheers! 

Grilled Charcuterie Panzanella Salad

2 Tablespoons fig preserves

2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar

4 Tablespoons olive oil

6 ounces ciabatta bread

½ cup jarred marinated artichokes, with 1 Tablespoon of the marinade

2 thick slices (3 ounces total) Italian hard salami

1 (6 ounce) ham steak

½ cup mini mozzarella balls

½ cup cubed manchego cheese (or any other sharp firm cheese)

1 cup mixed olives

½ cup cornichon, cut into ¼ inch pieces

4 Tablespoons golden raisins

½ cup multicolored baby tomatoes

3 Tablespoons fresh chopped basil

 

 Heat a grill to high heat.

 Whisk together the fig preserves, sherry vinegar and olive oil in a large mixing bowl.

Brush both sides of the bread slices with the marinade from the artichokes. Place the bread slices on the hot grill for 2 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning. Flip the bread over and allow the other side to toast and get grill marks. Remove from the heat and cut into ¾ inch cubes.

Place the ham and salami on the grill and allow them to cook and get grill marks on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from the grill and cut into bite sized pieces.

Add the grilled bread, salami and ham chunks to the vinaigrette and toss to evenly coat. Add the artichokes, mozzarella, manchego, olives, cornichon, golden raisins and tomatoes and stir. Pour the mixture onto a serving tray, sprinkle with basil and serve with lots of wine. Cheers!

 4-6 servings

  

Green Beans with Hot Bacon Dressing

  This is my spin on the calssic warm spinach salad with bacon dressing. Blanched green beans take the place of spinach in this insanely delish gluten free side dish and I can't get enough! It might be even better than the original since the green beans don't wilt and get soggy after being tossed in the warm vinaigrette.

I think we should be putting warm bacon vinaigrette on everything! Is there any veggie that wouldn't benefit from a bath in it? I don't think so. Why should the goodness stop with spinach? 

Green Beans with Hot Bacon Dressing

1 Tablespoon plus ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1-pound green beans

6 slices bacon, chopped

1 large shallot, sliced thinly

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 hard-boiled eggs

Fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a boil. Add 1 Tablespoon of the salt and the green beans and allow to cook for 8 minutes. Drain the beans and rinse under very cold water until completely cooled. Set aside and allow to drain.

Place the bacon in a large high sided skillet and cook over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Discard all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the pan.

Add the shallots to the warm bacon grease and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Whisk in the red wine vinegar, sugar, mustard, remaining salt and pepper.

Add the green beans to the dressing and toss to coat. Top with the crumbled bacon and hard-boiled eggs and serve immediately.

Corn and Edamame Salad

A few weeks ago I went to the Winery I am a member of for their quarterly pick up party. After seeing the plates of food being served I did not have high hopes of how it would taste. The chicken, sauce and grits looked questionable at best but on the side there was a fresh salad of edamame, corn, red onion and okra that I could not stop eating! It was so simple but really delicious and I haven't been able to get that combo off my mind. Perfect on it's own as a side, added to a pasta or green salad this dish has loads of potential!

I think it earns bonus points for being gluten free, vegetarian and only 6 ingredients!

Corn and Edamame Salad

1 ½ cups edamame

1 ½ cups fire roasted corn and peppers

2 Tablespoons minced shallot

2 Tablespoons olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl and stir until well mixed. This salad is equally delicious served at room temperature or made ahead and chilled.

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You can find my latest recipe postings and  updates on Beignet and Roux!

Orange Sriracha Green Beans

These green beans are a little sweet, a little spicy and super easy to throw together. Perfect to serve with literally any main dish you have, but don't be upset it they steal the show. With only a handful of ingredients and 10 minutes they'll be ready in no time!

Orange Sriracha Green Beans

1 Tablespoon salt

2 pounds fresh green beans

2/3 cup sweet orange marmalade

1 Tablespoon Sriracha sauce

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and green beans and cook until just tender (about 4-6 minutes). Pour the beans into a colander to drain and immediately run under very cold water.

Add the green beans back to the hot pot, along with the orange marmalade, sriracha, soy sauce and garlic salt and toss to coat. Pour the mixture onto a serving plate, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Are you following me on Instagram yet? If not, please do! 

You can find my latest recipe postings and  updates on Beignet and Roux!

Watermelon Wedge Salads with Mint Pesto

 Look how pretty these are! I was trying to think of a way to use up a ton of watermelon and mint that I had and came up with these gorgeous summer wedges!
The mint pesto is so simple to throw together and can absolutely be made in advance and any leftovers are fabulous on grilled fish or chicken.
The salty feta, fresh mint pesto and juicy sweet watermelon is a match made in summer heaven

Watermelon Wedge Salads with Mint Pesto

1 clove garlic

1 cup mint leaves

½ cup parsley leaves

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup olive oil

5 pounds seedless watermelon wedges

1 cup feta cheese crumbles

¼ cup diced red onion

Place the garlic in a small food processor and pulse until well chopped. Add the mint leaves, parsley, red wine vinegar, salt and olive oil and process until smooth. 

Place the watermelon wedges on a large serving platter and sprinkle with the feta cheese and red onion. Drizzle with mint pesto and serve immediately.

Greek Style Grilled Corn Salad

Grilled corn on the cob just screams summer, doesn't it?!
It's super sweet right now, and since it's in season, it's been super cheap as well.
I'm in love with this simple, fresh and totally gorgeous salad and I hope you love it just as much as I do! It's the perfect side dish for a picnic, potluck or BBQ since it only gets better as it sits and marinates. No wilty greens here!

It's no secret to anyone that knows me how bad I am at growing anything. I'm like hospice for plants; once they come to my house it's just a matter of time before they're withered and brown. But, lucky for me, my awesome neighbors love to garden and love to share. I was gifted some gorgeous tomatoes the other night (Thanks Doris and Tony!) and the combo of the just picked tomatoes and super sweet corn sparked my idea for this salad.
Grilled corn kernels are tossed with fresh tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, briny kalamata olives and a bit of jalapeno (if you're a ninny, just leave that out) - all dressed in a lemon Greek vinaigrette and topped with feta cheese and you're good to go!
Tell me, what's your go-to side dish for all of your summer parties?

Greek Style Grilled Corn Salad

6 ears corn

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 Teaspoon dried Greek seasoning

½ teaspoon minced garlic

3 ounces extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ cup diced cucumber

½ cup halved assorted cherry tomatoes

¼ cup pitted kalamata olives

1 small jalapeno, sliced

½ cup feta cheese crumbles

Pre-heat a grill or grill pan to high heat. Brush the ears of corn with the oil and place on the grill, turning every few minutes for 10-12 minutes total, or until charred on all sides. Remove from the grill, allow to cool slightly and cut the kernels off the cobs.

Place the Greek seasoning, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper in a small mason jar and shake well to combine.

Place the grilled corn kernels and vinaigrette in a large mixing bowl and stir to evenly coat all of the kernels. Gently stir in the cucumber, tomatoes, olives and jalapeno. Pour the mixture onto a large serving plate. Sprinkle with feta cheese and serve.

Pisto Polenta Bowls

My second dish for the "Mahón-Menorca Cheese Holiday Blogger Recipe Challenge" might be the best. Growing up in South Louisiana, grits were always a welcome addition to any meal. As I was researching Spanish dishes to see if I could find inspiration and really make these delicious cheeses shine, I found a traditional dish called Pisto- a Spanish style ratatouille or stewed vegetables. Once I saw it, I knew a quicker cooked version of that dish over cheesy polenta would be a delicious side dish to serve along with grilled meats, roasted chicken or even fried eggs. To top it off and really make the cheese shine, I made crispy cheese chips to give texture to all the creamy cheesy polenta and tender stewed vegetables.

Pisto Polenta Bowls

6 Tablespoons shredded cured hard Mahón-Menorca Cheese

3 Tablespoons butter

3 Tablespoons olive oil

½ cup onion, diced

½ cup zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch cubes

½ cup red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch cubes

½ cup green bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch cubes

½ cup yellow squash, cut into 1/4 inch cubes

¼ cup chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

1 can (15 ounces) fire roasted tomatoes with garlic

2 cups whole milk

2 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup polenta or stone ground grits

8 ounces shredded cured hard Mahón-Menorca Cheese

3 Tablespoons butter

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oven to 375°F and cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the cheese in a thin even layer, creating a 6-inch-long by 5-inch rectangle. Bake until the cheese just begins to color, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool and harden. Once the cheese is completely cooled, break it into large pieces. 

Cook the butter, olive oil, onion, zucchini, red and green bell pepper, squash, broth and salt over medium low heat in a large sauté pan for about 20 minutes, or until softened but not brown. Add the garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes and allow to thicken and simmer, for 10 minutes.

Bring the milk and chicken stock to a low boil over medium-high heat in a large sauce pot. When the liquid is bubbling, slowly whisk in the salt and polenta and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes. Once the polenta is tender and thickened, turn off the fire and stir in the cheese and butter. Cover to keep warm until ready to serve.

To serve, ladle the cheesy polenta into bowls, top with a small spoonful of pisto and top off with crispy cheese chips. Serve immediately. 

Makes 6-8 servings.

#mahón-menorcacheese #cheesefromspain #eruocheeses

Southwest Bean Salad Panzanella

My last entry into the Paisley Farm Holiday Blogger Recipe Challenge is definitely my favorite! I typically go for Southwest flavors anyway, and when I tasted their Southwest Bean Salad it was love at first bite! Mix that together with crispy crunchy cornbread croutons, cheese and cilantro and you've got the perfect potluck side dish for any occasion!

If you've never heard of panzanella before, it's pretty much a bread salad. A salad made of carbs. Hooray!
Traditionally, day old bread is cubed and tossed with whatever was in the garden; tomatoes, cucumbers and a vinaigrette and as it sits, the juices from the veggies soften the bread and make it perfectly delicious. In my version, I used cubed cornbread and added cheese, green onion and cilantro to go along with the black beans, corn, peppers and onion already in the Paisley Farm Southwest Bean Salad

Southwest Bean Salad Panzanella

4 cups cornbread cut into 1-inch cubes

1 ½ Tablespoons marinade from the jar of Paisley Farm Southwest Bean Salad

1 ½ Tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon cumin

1 jar Paisley Farm Southwest Bean Salad, drained

½ cup crumbled queso fresco cheese

¼ cup packed cilantro leaves, chopped

¼ cup sliced green onion

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Lay the cornbread cubes on a small cookie sheet that has been sprayed with olive oil spray, and place in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned and toasted.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the marinade from the Bean Salad, red wine vinegar, olive oil, lime juice and cumin. Add the Bean Salad, cheese, cilantro and green onion and stir until it’s well mixed. Add the toasted cornbread cubes to the bowl and stir gently. Serve immediately.

Makes 6-8 servings

Paisley Farm Foods sent me their delicious line of products to test out and create recipes with for their Holiday Blogger Recipe Challenge. They've been making flavorful bean salads and marinated vegetables since 1945! Find their delicious line of products HERE

#paisleyfarm #paisleyfarmfresh #kroger

Cranberry Jalapeno Cornbread Panzanella Salad

I am so excited to be participating in another Cape Cod Select Premium Cranberry recipe challenge. This year the Cape Cod Select Summer Breeze Recipe Blogger Challenge is looking for creative and delicious recipes that highlight their Non-GMO gorgeous cranberries. Cape Cod Select is a small women-owned family business that has been growing cranberries for more than 75 years. These are literally the prettiest, sweetest cranberries I've ever used, and they generously sent me 2 huge bags to cook with! 

For my first entry, I made a Cranberry Jalapeno Cornbread Panzanella Salad. Sweet and spicy cornbread croutons are tossed with roasted Brussels sprouts, chopped bacon, crisp pistachios and a maple apple cider vinaigrette. The cornbread can be made ahead, it's delicious at room temp, and the flavors really shine the longer it sits. That means it's the perfect dish to serve when entertaining since you won't be worried about serving it hot or as soon as your guests arrive.

Look at those crispy croutons!

Cranberry Jalapeno Cornbread Panzanella Salad

1 (8.5 ounce) box cornbread mix

1 egg

1/3 cup buttermilk

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh jalapenos

1 cup CapeCod Select Premium Cranberries, roughly chopped

1 pound Brussels sprouts

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

6 slices cooked and crumbled bacon

¼ cup chopped pistachios        

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the cornbread mix, egg, buttermilk and chopped jalapenos in a medium mixing bowl and whisk together until smooth. Pour the batter into a well-greased 8-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle the cranberries on top of the batter and, using the back of a spatula, press them down into the batter. Bake for 25 minutes.  

While the cornbread cools, prepare the Brussels sprouts. Raise the temperature of the oven to 425 degrees. Trim the stem ends of the Brussels sprouts, cut in half lengthwise, and then toss them in a very large mixing bowl with 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil, ½ teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Pour them on a large foil-lined cookie sheet and roast for 20 minutes.

In the same large mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining olive oil, salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar and maple syrup.

While the Brussels sprouts are roasting, cut the cornbread into 1-inch cubes. Once the Brussels sprouts are roasted, remove them from the oven and place them back into the mixing bowl with the dressing.  

Lay the cubed cornbread squares onto the same cookie sheet and spray liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Place in the oven and toast for about 10-12 minutes.

Add the crumbled bacon and chopped pistachios to the marinating Brussels sprouts. Gently stir in the toasted cornbread croutons and serve immediately.

If you'd like to order their frozen cranberries for yourself, you can go HERE

To follow along for recipes and ideas you can find Cape Cod Select on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest

#capecodselect #frozencranberries #cranberriesforallseasons

Apple Chipotle Meatballs and Smoked Gouda Grits Bowls

Did everyone have a good Memorial Day Weekend? My kids were off of school Friday and Monday, and we were super busy the whole time. A Crawfish Boil, a pizza party, swimming, we went and saw Solo and lots of sleeping in- it was fabulous. Until this meatball decided to overheat running around in the backyard and nearly gave me a heart attack. 

The meatballs I'm sharing with you today are a lot like Beignet- sweet and spicy, they take a little bit of time but are SO worth it. They were my second entry for the Simply Wholesome Foods Applesauce Contest. Creamy, smoky cheesy Gouda grits piled high with smoky sweet Apple Chipotle Meatballs. My kids went nuts for this meal!

The applesauce make these turkey meatballs so tender and the chipotle sauce gives a smoky kick that make these meatballs irresistible. They'd be fabulous on their own as an appetizer as well, but who doesn't want cheesy grits for every meal?!

 Apple Chipotle Meatballs and Smoked Gouda Grits Bowls

Sauce:

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

¼ cup finely minced shallot

1 ½ cups Simply Wholesome Foods Touch of Honey Applesauce 

½ cup ketchup

4 Tablespoons molasses

2 Tablespoons honey

1 ½ teaspoons chipotle chile powder

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Meatballs:

1 large egg 

1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs  

1 cup Simply Wholesome Foods Touch of Honey Applesauce  

1 large shallot, minced

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon pepper 

2 pounds lean ground turkey

Grits:

2 cups milk

2 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup stone ground grits or polenta

8 ounces shredded smoked gouda cheese

3 Tablespoons butter

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

To make the sauce, place the vegetable oil and minced shallot in a large sauté pan over low heat. Sauté until the shallot has softened, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly. Using a stick blender or food processor, puree until smooth.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and cover a large cookie sheet with foil. Liberally spray the foil with olive oil cooking spray. 

For the meatballs, stir together the egg, breadcrumbs, applesauce, shallot, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Gently fold the seasoning paste into the ground turkey, being careful not to overmix the meat. Using a medium ice cream scoop, make about 24 meatballs and lay them on the prepared cookie sheet. Spray the tops of the meatballs with olive oil cooking spray and bake for 20-25 minutes. 

While the meatballs bake, bring the milk and chicken stock to a low boil over medium-high heat in a large sauce pot. When the liquid is bubbling, slowly whisk in the salt and grits and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes. Once the grits are tender and thickened, turn off the fire and stir in the cheese and butter. Cover to keep warm until ready to serve.

Once the meatballs are fully cooked, place them in the sauté pan with the warm sauce and gently stir to coat evenly. 

To serve, ladle the cheesy grits into shallow bowls. Top with meatballs and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately. 

Makes 6 servings.

Mardi Gras Mambo Fried Green Tomatoes with Duck Confit and Duck Bacon Remoulade

My entry for Maple Leaf Farm's duck contest is up for public voting today to hopefully win the People's Choice award- $350!!

Here's the link to vote if you'd like to help me out. It's a quick and easy vote once a day until Monday the 18th at noon:

Vote Here

This is the first year I tried my hand at this contest and I'm kicking myself that I never entered it before. I was intimidated at first, since although I love duck and will order it at a restaurant, I've never made it at home. Now I am in love with the confit (so easy to use and already fully cooked) and especially the duck bacon (I'd never heard of it before and now I'm in love)! The duck bacon may become a regular freezer staple from now on. The contest called for dishes that highlighted duck for a holiday and naturally, I chose to celebrate Mardi Gras. Fried Green Tomatoes are one of my favorite appetizers and the tangy juicy tomatoes are then topped with the shredded duck confit and a creamy spicy duck bacon remoulade sauce. It's set atop mixed greens, sprinked with chives and even more of the crispy salty crunch crumbled duck bacon. You could serve one as a hearty starter, or give each guest two for a main course.

Mardi Gras Mambo Fried Green Tomatoes with Duck Confit and Duck Bacon Remoulade

 

2 packages Maple Leaf Farms Duck Leg Confit (16 oz each)

5 slices Maple Leaf Farms Duck bacon, chopped finely

4 medium green (unripe) tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

3 teaspoons salt, divided

2 cups yellow cornmeal

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon pepper

2 cups buttermilk

6 cups vegetable oil, for frying

1/3 cup mayo

1/3 cup creole or whole grain mustard

1/3 cup ketchup

2 Tablespoons minced shallot

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

2 Tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

3 cups mixed salad greens

2 Tablespoons chopped chives

 

Prepare the duck confit per package instructions using the oven method. Once the confit is warmed through, shred the meat and discard the bones and skin. 

In a cast iron skillet, over medium high heat, cook the bacon until browned and crisp (about 10 minutes). Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, and allow to drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Line a large cookie sheet with paper towels. Sprinkle the tomato slices evenly with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, lay them on the paper towels and let them stand for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, dry thoroughly with paper towels.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, bread crumbs, flour, pepper, and the remaining salt. Pour the buttermilk in a shallow dish.

In a large Dutch oven fitted with a deep-fry thermometer, over medium heat, bring the oil up to 350° degrees.

Working in batches dredge the tomato slices, first in buttermilk, then the cornmeal mixture, shaking off any excess. Carefully place tomato slices in hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon, and allow to drain on a wire rack.

Place half (about ¼ cup) of the crisped duck bacon into a small mixing bowl. Add the mayo, mustard, ketchup, shallot, lemon juice and parsley to the bacon and whisk to combine.

To serve lay the greens on the bottom of a large platter. Lay the fried green tomatoes on the greens, top evenly with shredded duck confit and drizzle with duck bacon remoulade. Sprinkle with remaining duck bacon and serve immediately.

Serves 6-8

Watermelon Quinoa Tabouli

This Watermelon Quinoa Tabouli salad is a recipe I created for a contest a few weeks ago.
While it didn't win, it was just too good not to share! The watermelon is so juicy and bright with the fresh mint it may be my favorite summer salad. And bonus points for being healthy- you don't need to feel any guilt if you polish off the bowl without sharing!

Watermelon Quinoa Tabouli

¼ cup olive oil

6 Tablespoons lemon juice

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ cup finely minced shallot

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1 cup finely minced flat leaf parsley

1 cup diced English cucumber

4 cups chopped seedless watermelon

1 cup cooked quinoa

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and shallot. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and stir gently to combine. Serve immediately, or place in the fridge to chill before serving. Serves 4.

Jalapeño Cod Hush Puppies with Cilantro Chimichurri

My second entry for the Saltfish Recipe Blogger Challenge puts a Southwest spin on a Southern favorite! Once it was flaked, the salt cod reminded me a little of crabmeat which I knew would be delicious in a sweet corn batter. These hush puppies get a kick from jalapeno and a bright cilantro chimichurri sauce to make them irresistible!

Jalapeño Cod Hush Puppies with Cilantro Chimichurri
Hush Puppies:
8 ounces Cristobal salt cod fish filets
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 large egg
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
½ cup sliced green onion

Cilantro Chimichurri:1 1/2 cups packed cilantro leaves
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley
1 small clove garlic
2 Tablespoons lime juice
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin

6 cups canola oil for frying

Place the salt cod filets in a bowl and cover with cold water. Refrigerate for 8 hours, draining the water and replacing it with fresh water every 2 hours. After 8 hours, rinse the cod in cold water, pat dry and cut into 3-inch sections.

Place the cod into a large sauce pot and cover with cold water. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the cod flakes easily with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. In a separate small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg. Make a well in the dry ingredients and begin to gently stir in the buttermilk mixture. Do not over mix. Gently fold in the cod, jalapeno and green onion until just mixed.

Place the cilantro, parsley, garlic, lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt and cumin in a small food processor and blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a small dip bowl for serving.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or electric fryer to 350 degrees over medium-high heat. Working in batches, using a small cookie scoop, carefully spoon about 1 Tablespoon of the batter into the hot oil. Fry until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined cookie sheet.

Serve immediately with the chimichurri sauce.

Makes 32 hush puppies

You can find Cristobal salt cod fish filets at: Brookshire Brothers, HEB, Fiesta, Food Town, H Mart, Kroger and Los Altos Ranch Market

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