Lobster Salad...the Long Island way

Summers on the North Fork of Long Island are idyllic. In the depths of winter I dream of the breeze off the bay, sitting with the water in sight and my friends and family close by. Living down here in VA, I am constantly yearning for the peace of a Long Island summer. This year due to my Hawaiian adventure I had to cut my Long Island vacation into a short three day weekend. My beautiful, long time friend, Alyssa was celebrating her marriage to Meyer. The wedding was something you see in the movies, set on a wildflower farm and officiated by the head speech writer of Unicef. It was as perfect as they come. Their romantic love story was told and the love was palpable. A tear or two may have been shed as I looked on and saw the happiness in my friends eyes. Some of my closest friends from my childhood were there and we made the most of it. Lots of dancing, amazing food, good drinks, and most of all great company.

We continued the fun the next day with trip to the beach, a great new winery Kontokosta, and an outdoor feast at my parents house! As we passed the dishes around, drank wine, and shared delicious food I was overwhelmed by the love I felt for the people around me.

The feast was a team effort and I can tell you this will be a meal I will crave for years to come. The menu included fresh green salad with homemade champagne blood orange vinaigrette, grilled zucchini, tomato mozzarella pesto salad, quinoa spinach goat cheese salad, homemade BBQ grilled chicken, and lobster salad rolls. To top it off was last years favorite grilled peaches with mascarpone and pistachios (you can find the recipe here: Grilled Honeyed Peaches with Pistachios). My sister is killer at making salad dressings and marinades. The one featured in this meal was fantastic! She layered the flavors and transformed a fresh salad into something truly memorable. My good friend Kym, brought her boyfriend Sean along for this trip, and boy am I glad he was around. Sean was the featured chef on the BBQ grilled chicken and I think I would do just about anything to get the recipe. The chicken was cooked to perfection with just the right amount of kick to the sauce. I was in charge of the lobster salad. This is what I came up with:

Lobster Salad Rolls
2 lbs. lobster meat
1 cup greek yogurt, nonfat
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. dried dill (fresh is better, but I forgot it on my grocery run!)
Salt and Pepper to taste
8 potato hot dog rolls brushed with melted butter and toasted on the grill

In a small bowl, combine yogurt, mayo, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth. In a large bowl, combine lobster meat and dressing. Let sit for about 20 minutes in the fridge to let the flavors meld together. I do this first then make the other sides. Serve in warm toasted rolls.

I'm already dreaming about summer next year! I hope you are all enjoying the last weekend of summer. Happy Labor Day!

Grilled Ono and Veggies with a Mango Salsa

Hi my friends...it has been much too long since I have shared with you my cooking adventures. To be honest they have been few and far between because I have been taking my adventures in travel form. My trip to Hawaii is everything you dream a Hawaiian vacation should be. It was filled with relaxation, sunny weather, tropical drinks, great company, and many outdoor adventure filled days. I was able to add a check mark to my bucket list with my surfing lesson. Yes, I stood up! I can't tell you the joy that making that little check mark brought to me.

 I'll share a few pictures with you just because I can't resist. One of the most magical moments was atop the volcano Haleakala, which I still have trouble pronouncing, watching the sunrise behind the clouds overlooking the crater. I felt as if I were on top of the world and I was completely one with nature (and the hundred or so other tourists watching the same site). The 26 mile bike ride down the mountain with my dad and sister was pretty memorable too.

There were so many adventures on the trip, I would be writing all day if I shared each and every one. So, here are just a few highlights. Hiking through the Ioa Valley State park and finding a trail to the river and rock scrambling was breathtaking. The views of the plush Hawaiian forest/jungle was a site I had never seen. Hiking to the base of Twin Falls waterfall and swimming in the small pool to the falls was another memory not soon to be forgotten. But mostly sharing these experiences with Mom, Dad, Tara, Aunt Toni, Jilly, and Shelly is what I will take away most. I feel so lucky to have a family that shares the same adventurous spirit I possess. 

                                                   

                               

Maui is a gorgeous island filled with these little towns that each have their own little personalities. Pa'ia might be my favorite situated at the bottom of Haleakala. If I ever move half way across the world, this would be where you would find me. The people in Hawaii were so welcoming and warm it was hard for me to say goodbye and get on the plane home.

Now onto the food! While in Hawaii I had one good night of cooking. Since we were in condos it was nice to be able to go to the poolside grills, overlooking the ocean, and enjoy one of my daily passions. And cooking for a crowd is so much better then for one. On the menu: Grilled Ono with mango salsa, grilled veggies, and salad. Ono is a local fish reminiscent of a cross between swordfish and mahi mahi. 

Food Styling Courtesy of Tara Goldsmith 

Grilled Ono and Vegetables with Mango Salsa

5 ono steaks rinsed and patted dry 

1 bottle Ginger Sesame Marinade (I used Safeway Select Brand) 

2 ripe mangos, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed, diced

1 small bunch cilantro, chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

Juice of one lime 

Salt and Pepper 

3 sweet potatoes, washed peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

1 baby eggplant, sliced lengthwise 

2 medium zucchinis, sliced length wise

                                             

Marinade steaks in a shallow dish while dicing/assembling mango salsa. In a medium bowl, combine mango, jalapeno, cilantro, and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper and top with juice of one lime. Give it a nice toss, then allow the flavors to meld while grilling the ono and vegetables. Toss the sweet potato slices, eggplant, and zucchini in olive and season with salt and pepper (I didn't have olive oil so I used the grill spray to keep the veggies moist). 

Grill vegetables for about 5-7 minutes on each side or until soft and cooked through. Grill the ono for approximately 5 minutes each side depending on the how thick the steaks are. Nothing quite like enjoying a delicious meal with a gorgeous view of the ocean. Aloha my friends! 

Hawaiian BBQ Pizza

It has been a quiet weekend in this Goldsmith household. It is exactly six days out until the big Hawaiian vacation. Needless to say, I wanted to lay low and enjoy some peace and quiet. It was a weekend of preparations, picking up last minute items (everyone needs that one extra summer dress), making lists (lots and lots of lists), and beginning the long task of packing for a seven day vacation. Seriously, no one can prep you for having to pack for the unknown. I'm trying my best to go with the flow and not worry about plans, excursions, picking the perfect restaurant, or having every detail planned. I like spreadsheets, even on my vacations. The more organized I am, the more choices I have once there, the more I can relax, right? What you don't do that too?! My family on the other hand, is not quite as keen on the idea of planning every aspect of a tropical vacation. They say, go with the flow. How bad can it be when you're in Maui? I am going to attempt to go with this approach instead of my standard spreadsheet method. But you better believe, I will have my Maui guidebook on hand, and at least a list of a few restaurants that have rave reviews from fellow foodie travelers. 

As I start this week, I have a funny feeling that my mind will already be on the beach. Since my mind is already there, I decided to cook up a semi-homemade pizza with some of my favorite ingredients and a Hawaiian flare. 

Hawaiian BBQ Pizza

2 mini pre-made pizza crusts (I used Bobli original)

3/4 cup pizza sauce

1.5 oz. grated pepper jack cheese

1.5 oz. grated mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup jalapeno slices (or to taste)

1/2 cup diced pineapple

1/2 cup diced cooked chicken 

2 Tbsp. BBQ sauce 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread sauce over each pizza crust and sprinkle with pepper jack cheese. Place jalapeno slices and pineapple over cheese. In a small bowl, coat chicken with BBQ sauce. Place coated chicken on each crust. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake pizza's on a pizza stone or directly on the oven rack for a crispy crust for 12 minutes (I like mine a little more well done so adjust time to your preference). 

I love the mix of spicy and sweet that this pizza delivers. It has something for everyone. I don't order the typical Hawaiian pizza when at restaurants because it includes ham or prosciutto, which I don't eat. Instead, I usually substitute with jalapenos. My second favorite pizza is the BBQ chicken pizza with cilantro and red onions. This is the love child of the two combined. 

If you have any recommendations for a fun time in Maui, leave a comment below. All ideas are welcome, I can be quite the adventurer when given free reign :) 

Summer Berry Crisp with a Twist

This week started out rough. I'm convinced the full moon has affected my normally sunny disposition and turned me into a raving mad lunatic. There is a lot of transition going on in my life right now, and when there is a time of change I struggle with staying calm, cool, and collected. But I have some wonderful friends who talked me down from the cliff and put a smile on my face. My sister gave me some great advice and suggested cooking therapy. Why didn't I think of that?! So with that, I rolled up my sleeves opened my refrigerator and checked out what I could come up with. Zucchini fritters were on the menu, as well as my summer berry crisp with a twist. The inspiration for the crisp came from this lovely recipe: Joy the Baker- Strawberry Raspberry Crisp. I had blackberries on hand and I wanted to add my own twist to the mix. And I'm glad I went slightly astray because the resulting confection was something I could groove with.

Summer Berry Crisp with a Twist
1 quart strawberries, rinsed, stemmed and quartered
2 pints blackberries, rinsed (I cut mine in half because they were huge!)
juice of half a lime
zest of one lime
3/4 cup rolled old fashioned oats
3 Tbsp. whole wheat all purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
2 Tbsp. sliced almonds
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 8x8 pan mix the strawberries, blackberries, juice of lime, and lime zest. In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, sugar, spices, and butter. Combine until the butter turns into small pea sized shapes. Take a small handful of the crisp topping and mix with the fruit. Then top the fruit with the rest of the crisp mixture. Sprinkle almonds on top of crisp mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until fruit is bubbling and crisp topping is golden brown.

This has the taste of summer with a twist of lime! It makes me excited for my upcoming tropical vacation to Hawaii! It definitely helped to turn my mood around and put me back on track. Be on the look out for a Hawaiian inspired recipe and reader requested recipes. Thanks for stopping by, I hope you all are having a cool summer filled with rest and relaxation.

Great-Grandma's Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

I've said this before, Sunday's are family day. Sunday's are also the day I find myself searching for a favorite old recipe. That recipe usually elicits a stream of memories from my childhood. This recipe is no different. My childhood memories of Sunday's include church with my grandparents followed by Entemann's coffee cake, Ball Park hot dogs on the stove top, a glass of coke, and playing on my great-grandfather's farm with my cousins (it was the 80's and 90's we didn't know about processed foods back then). I remember the flowering mimosa tree by the back tractor barn and knowing that as soon as the flowers came to full bloom, a trip from my cousins Tim, Chris, and Stephen was not far off. They would travel from upstate NY to the island each summer for a visit.  Stephen could be found in my great-grandfather's blueberry patch just sitting for hours eating the juicy berries. As kids, we would sell the excess strawberries in a make shift farm stand on the small farm road, praying a tourist would stop and purchase our goods. My sister and I would even result to doing gymnastics to catch their attention. Summer's on Long Island will forever be a part of me and I look forward to my visits each year.

Beautiful surprise along the trail--Mimosa Tree 

This Sunday was no different for me. I had a wonderful weekend soaking up the beautiful weather. First, with a run around Roosevelt Island and pool time with my amazing friend Sarah. Second, dinner and mini-golf with my great friends Kristen, Steve, and Jay. And lastly, spending Sunday morning hiking the Billy Goat trail in Great Falls, MD again with my girl Sarah. Bless her for listening to me ramble on about my newest obsession and providing me with countless hours of advice. If I haven't told you lately, I have the best friends in the world! And after a long hike, followed by a rather large lunch from the Italian Store (yes, they make authentic chicken parmigiana subs thank the lord!), I decided it was time to break out the family cookbook and put my oven to use. My great-granmother's blueberry crumb coffee cake was the perfect solution to my recipe finding quest. 

Family cookbook hand written by my mother

Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

2 cups sifted all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt 

1/4 cup softened butter

1/2 cup milk

1 egg (room temperature)

3/4 cup white sugar 

2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and stems removed 

For crumb topping:

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup softened butter

1 tsp. cinnamon 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl combine sifted flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In another medium bowl, cream sugar and butter. Add egg and milk to combine. Slowing fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Carefully fold in blueberries. Fill an 8x8 or 9x9 prepared pan (cooking spray OR greased/floured) with batter. 

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for crumb topping. Use a fork or your hands, work the butter into the flour and sugar. Small crumbs should form. Crumble topping over batter. Cook for 30-35 minutes at 375 or until a toothpick comes out clean (if you're using an 8x8 pan it will take a little longer to cook through since it will be a thicker cake, this is what I used and it took about 40 minutes). Allow to cool for at least a half an hour or as long as your will power holds out. 

This is the perfect coffee cake to serve warm for breakfast or as an afternoon treat with a cup of tea. My mother would make this as soon as blueberries came into season each year. The smell brings me back to those summer Sunday's at home with my family.  

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

So I'm sitting in my apartment and it is Day 1 of a three day detox juice cleanse, compliments of Dr. Oz. Let me tell you, it.is.not.easy! I'm hungry and I'm day dreaming of real food. Now to be honest this is a pretty hefty cleanse. It consists of four substantial smoothies chock full of veggies, fruits, and healthy fats. But for me this is an extreme decrease in my normal caloric intake. I mean I work out for a living, so I eat a substantial amount during the week. What do I decide to do in my light headed, slightly crazed state? I blog about the most amazing pie I've ever made. No seriously, I think it is the best pie I have ever baked from scratch in my entire 27 1/2 years on this planet. Thank god I had somewhere to bring it (shout out to the Crandall's for hosting yet another awesome cook out) or else I may have consumed the entire thing in one sitting!!!! As it was, I sliced myself a handsome sized piece served up with melt in your mouth vanilla ice cream. I think I'm doing this to torture myself, because the memories are making my stomach growl (it couldn't be the fact that I've only had smoothies and water all day, no definitely not).

In late spring, early summer dreaming of rhubarb is a weekly occurrence. Add strawberries into the mix and my day has been made. There is nothing better then the sweet of the strawberries and the savory of the rhubarb coming together to make something magnificent. Then add in a homemade buttermilk crust and coconut crumble, for real?! Yes, for real. I'm not sure any description of this pie will bring full justice to its outcome.

The recipe was found on one of my favorite cooking blogs Joy The Baker. Her instructions are spot on and I don't even want to try and replicate them for fear I will mess it up! Check out the recipe here: Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Pie

I will continue to dream about strawberry and rhubarb and this heavenly pie will be what I picture. Give it a try, but only if you want something tasty and completely satisfying!

Warm Mediterranean Salad

I reached a goal this past weekend, that just a few years ago I would have thought impossible. I finished my very first half marathon! That's right 13.1 miles were left in my dust! Well, OK I wasn't really stirring up dust with my pace but I was trekking along for sure. I ran the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon in Fredericksburg, VA. And can I tell you, I have never been so happy to see a finish line in my short racing history. It was an amazing experience, and already I am planning my next one. The long training runs were worth every minute because they helped me find that finish line. I still remember the days when a 5k seemed liked a marathon. So, needless to say eating has been on my mind all week.

This recipe started as something simple and developed into a more complex, flavorful dish as I began concocting my dinner. I've had rhubarb on my mind all week, but I just couldn't find any in the grocery stores. I've literally been dreaming of my favorite rhubarb crumble, courtesy of SmittenKitchen, and strawberry rhubarb pies from Breyermere's in Riverhead, NY. But alas, no luck. Rhubarb may have to wait until the weekend when I can scour the local farmer's market for my favorite spring gem.

So instead, I went to one of my favorite vegetables, eggplant, for my inspiration. You've seen eggplant on here before and if you've ever talked to me about one of the best dishes I've ever made, you've probably heard the deconstructed eggplant parmesan story. But I wanted to take eggplant in a different direction and since it is spring, mint popped into my head! A nice bright herb to play off the soft, velvety texture of the eggplant. Then it started to build from there. I had zucchini to bring in a firmer texture, then feta cheese for a little tang, next cumin for a little earthy kick, served over little balls of israeli couscous (a.k.a. pearl couscous). And to top of the texture building, crispy roasted chickpeas seasoned with cumin.

Hello flavor! The mint keeps a freshness to the dish and gives a light feel. 

Warm Mediterranean Salad

1 small eggplant, peeled and cubes

2 medium zucchini, cubed

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3 small garlic cloves, minced

3 tsp. ground cumin

1 Tbsp. fresh mint, minced 

1/4 cup crumbled reduced fat feta cheese 

1 Tbsp. olive oil 

1 cup israeli couscous

1 15-oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

1 tsp. cumin

Salt and pepper 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Pat dry and lay flat on a cookie sheet with sides. Season with 1 tsp. cumin, salt and pepper. Roast chickpeas for 20 -25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a rolling boil. Add israeli couscous and cook for 8-10 minutes or until water is absorbed and couscous is tender. Add a tablespoon of butter and season with salt and pepper.  While the couscous is cooking, in a very large saute pan heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Add eggplant and zucchini, seasoning with cumin, salt and pepper and cook for about 4-5 minutes. Add the onion and continue to cook 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and finish cooking the vegetables until tender. Add a drizzle of olive oil if the vegetables feel dry. At the very last moment, add mint and feta cheese. Add crisped chickpeas to vegetables and serve over couscous. 

I felt like a real chef creating this meal. I built flavors, textures, and presentation. While, I just do this as a hobby, I feel I am learning something new each time I create a recipe or share an experience. This blog has truly given me an outlet for my cooking journey's. I love your input and comments, so please keep them coming whether here or on facebook. Your support is truly appreciated and cherished.