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Grilled Potato Salad

Elena Rosemond-Hoerr 23.05.2010 cook out, grains & starches, vegetables 4
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You know those moments when you say “Hot Damn! This is the best thing I’ve ever made!”  Yeah, I totally had one of those moments with this potato salad.  Last night Dan and I went to our first cookout of the season (which was, all night, inappropriately called a barbeque) and I partook in a few varieties of potato salad.  And there was a moment when I thought, wouldn’t this be amazing if all the vegetables were grilled, if everything was cooked but also just a little charred?

And really, seriously, it was.  It was so good.  Hands down the best potato salad I’ve ever had, and seeing as how I’ve been to more church potlucks and picnics than I can count, that actually means something.  The new apartment has (among other great things), a yard.  And since we’re on the ground floor, our door opens up into the yard which contains a patio, a garden, and a grill!  We’ve been here a week and already the grill is our favorite part.  I see a large amount of grilling in our future.

I grabbed a handful of my favorite summer vegetables, but you could vary this recipe to include whatever you wanted.  I see this potato salad as a staple in our summer, changing as our garden produces new vegetables and as things come and go out of season.  No matter what ingredients you’re using, the vegetable to grill sensation is outstanding.  I’m almost without words, which Dan will tell you is a rare occasion.

Grilled Potato Salad

3 medium new potatoes

1 red onion

1 red bell pepper

1 squash

1 cup green beans

4-6 tbsp mayonaisse

2 tbsp dijon mustard

2-3 tbsp salt

1 tbsp pepper

Boil potatoes for approximately 20 minutes or until cooked through.

While your potatoes are boiling, slice your squash in half, cut your peppers in thick strips, and slice your onion, lengthwise, in thick layers.  Snap your green beans.

Get your grill fired up.  Brush all of your vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Put your squash on first, then your peppers and onions about ten minutes later.  Cook another ten minutes, and turn.

Once your potatoes are cooked, scooped them out of the water and drop your beans into the boiling water.  Cook 2 minutes and strain.

After your vegetables on the grill have cooked another 10 minutes, remove them.  Roughly chop everything (I like a chunky potato salad) while it’s hot and mix together.  Add mayonnaise, mustard, and seasoning.  Give it a good turn and serve hot, or chill and serve cold.  And enjoy!

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Raspberry, Mint, & Mozzarella Skewers

Elena Rosemond-Hoerr 13.05.2010 small bites & shared plates 5
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Friends!  I have so much to tell you about, but no time to do it.  A lot has changed since I was here writing about the most delicious homemade granola bars ever.  In fact, the last two weeks have been a whirlwind, and I expect the next few weeks to get crazier.  First off, we found a place to live.  It’s ridiculously close to where I lived in Baltimore in college, but I’ve decided I’m fine with it because the apartment is amazing. It has a yard! a patio! a garden! and a wood burning fire place!  Not to mention beautiful dark wood floors and a pretty great kitchen.  A lot of other things have changed that aren’t ready to be released on the internet, but it’s all good news and we are very happy.

Unfortunately, all this change (while exciting) means that I won’t be around here for the next week or two.  Perhaps if a certain cable company didn’t have a monopoly in our area and didn’t think it was appropriate to make someone who is simply transferring service 40 miles wait a week for internet, it would be a different story.  But a certain cable company does have a monopoly and also thinks it’s appropriate to charge someone $20 extra a month for less services just because they’re moving.  Stupid cable company.  Anyway, I’ve digressed.  Maybe the delicious combination of raspberry, mozzarella, and mint will calm me.  It’s done that before!  Seriously though, I know that this is all over the place but these skewers are delicious and my brain is all over the place because my apartment looks like this:

Which is why I’ve been pretending that I’m here instead:

You should too.  It’d be a great place to have a picnic.  With some skewers.

Raspberry, Mint, & Mozzarella Skewers

1 pint of fresh raspberries

1 small container of fresh  mozzarella balls

1 cup of fresh mint

Skewers

On the skewers, alternate mozzarella, raspberries, and mint.  Chill and serve.

For a twist, drizzle with a balsamic vinegar reduction sauce.

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Dark Chocolate Coconut Granola Bars

Elena Rosemond-Hoerr 02.05.2010 sweet things 8
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Despite the fact that a large portion of my time (and energy) is dedicated to the art of food, I’m not always a good eater.  And although I’m dedicated to putting a healthy and well balanced meal on the table every evening (except for days when I fry something, or when we order Chinese because my head hurts), I don’t always carry that policy through for the other meals of the day.  The thing is that unless I’m eating breakfast and lunch at home, I usually forget to consider them.  I don’t consider them at the grocery store, I don’t consider them the night before, and I absolutely don’t consider them as I’m running out the door in the morning, heavily processed low fat granola bar in hand.

I know, it’s awful.  Two bad-for-me-granola-bars does not a healthy lunch make.  The thing is, I pretty much always hate sandwiches and buying snacks means cutting other grocery bill corners, and I’d rather eat local organic kale for dinner one night, you know?  Unfortunately (for the kale), Dan does not share my opinion, and has loudly expressed that it is his job to take care of me and that I’m making it very hard for him by not eating properly.  And because it’s a recession and I don’t want him to lose his job, I’ve decided to try harder.  I’m a great employer, obviously.

And I really have been trying harder.  Making exciting bread so that sandwiches are delicious and not boring.  Making flatbread and hummus to snack on throughout the day.  Remembering to grab a ramp biscuit out of the freezer before I start getting dressed in the morning.  Baby steps to maturity, you could say.  Today, I took it up a notch by trying to replicate my favorite (but oh so expensive) granola bar, the Kashi Dark Chocolate Coconut.  It’s exactly what it sounds like, and heavenly.  They are delicious, fairly good for you, easy, and I know I’ll go out of my way to grab one tomorrow morning.

Dark Chocolate Coconut Granola Bars

2 cups oats

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup coconut

1/4 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup brown sugar

Pinch of salt

2 cups dark chocolate

4 tbsp coconut, for topping

Spread oats, walnuts, and 1/4 cup coconut on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

While that is in the oven, melt brown sugar and honey on the stove.  When the sugar is melted, throw in salt and set aside.

Mix together, honey mixture, oat mixture, and wheat germ in a large bowl.  Line a baking pan with parchment or aluminum foil and spread the granola out.  I like the granola pretty thin, but you can make it as thick as you’d like.

Bake at 300 for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.

Once the granola has cooled, melt the chocolate in a double boiler.  Break the granola apart into rectangles or chunks, and dip each piece in the chocolate.  Sprinkle with coconut and set aside so the chocolate can set.

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