Water: Not Just For Elephants

(Source)

You have to let me slide on the title (Water for Elephants). I hated to start this post with you won't believe how much money I spend on soda! because nobody cares how much money I spend. But, I must tell you why and how I'm transitioning from a lifelong obsession with caffeinated soda to less expensive and healthier beverages. I figured I spend anywhere from $1800-$2000 annually on soda. That will shock the Diet Mountain Dew right out of your hand. Please. That could buy an iPad and more!

Having said that, I have made a successful effort to drink less soda and more water. It would defeat my efforts to reduce the expense if I substituted bottled water. I like convenient plastic bottles as well as anybody but, let's face it, we already pay for cheap, treated water that comes right out of the tap. What a great country!  Benefits of Water

I have tried several homemade soda recipes lately. Certainly, sliced citrus fruits (lemons, limes, oranges or combinations of all these) give water a good flavor without having to add sweetener. I would say this is truly my preference. I particularly like the taste and always have limes and/or lemons around.

I wanted to share a few homemade soda recipes I have tried in case you are working on your budget, too. From a physical standpoint, I have never felt better. I haven't cut out caffeine altogether. One in the morning or right before housecleaning and I buzz right along.

Here are a few I've tried from least favorite to favorite (all recipes from Bon Appetit and seen at D.I.Y., The New York Times):

Cucumber, Mint and Basil Soda
Calories: 61 Calories, Sugar: 16g

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups simple syrup
• 1/2 large cucumber (about 8 oz.), thinly sliced crosswise, plus 12 slices for garnish
• 24 fresh mint leaves plus 12 sprigs for garnish
• 12 fresh basil leaves
• 6 cups soda water, divided

Preparation

Bring 1 1/2 cups simple syrup to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove pan from heat and add cucumber slices (reserving 12 for garnish), 24 mint leaves, and basil. Cover and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain cucumber-herb syrup into a jar, pressing on solids in strainer. Fill a 12-oz. glass with ice cubes. Add 2 Tbsp. syrup and top with soda water (about 1/2 cup). Stir to combine. Garnish with cucumber slice and sprig of mint. Repeat to make 11 more sodas.

My Notes: As a fan of sugar and the other ingredients, this tasted pretty good! I think it would make a lovely drink to serve when you have guests or at brunch. Add a little vodka and you have a party.

Strawberry, Lemon and Basil Soda
Calories: 56 Sugar: 13g

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon raw sugar
• 6 fresh basil leaves
• 5 small strawberries (or 3 large strawberries, quartered) plus 1 thin slice for garnish
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 3/4 cup soda water

Preparation

Combine fresh lemon juice, raw sugar, basil, whole strawberries, and salt in a pint glass. Muddle ingredients with a muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon until sugar dissolves. Add ice cubes and soda water and stir until chilled. Strain into a 12-oz. glass filled with ice cubes and garnish with a strawberry slice.

My Notes: It's strawberries! What's left to say except this is easier to prepare and more naturally sweet.

Spicy Ginger Soda
Calories: 74 Sugar: 17g

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 3" pieces fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 12 lime wedges
• 6 cups soda water, divided

Preparation

Combine sugar, red pepper flakes, salt, ginger, and 2 cups water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat, cover, and steep for 30 minutes. Strain ginger syrup into a jar and chill. Fill a 12-oz. glass with ice cubes. Add 2 Tbsp. ginger syrup, squeeze a lime wedge into glass, and top with soda water. Stir to combine. Repeat to make 11 more sodas.

My Notes: My favorite: 1) I like ginger, 2) I didn't know what to expect from the ingredients listed. But, wouldn't you know, it has the most calories/serving.

What are your favorite ways to drink water?

Three New Birmingham Restaurants

  
Slice Stone Pizza & Brew - Lakeview District, Avondale

Slice on Facebook 

Located in the old Rock House building is Lakeview's new specialty pizza and bar, Slice. The decor is surprisingly more modern than its exterior suggests with a large circular bar with hooks for purses (great idea!), shiny wood floors, and an upscale menu design. There is nothing to absorb the sound and I literally strained my voice trying to talk to my dinner partner over the noise. (Think La Paz on steroids.) Outdoor seating was available in the front and to the side. Parking is as expected in Lakeview.

Although I don't claim to know the beer offerings around Birmingham, Slice appeared to have an extensive list of beer and, as I understand it, many local brews. There were so many that I was embarrassed to ask for a plain Corona Light (so 1980's). Even so, the beer was refreshingly cold on that hot day.

Our wait staff was friendly, informative, and available. We chose the White Shadow pizza she recommended -Garlic, Caramelized Onion, Portabella Mushrooms, Feta, Fresh Parmesan, Finished w/ Truffle Oil. It was nice to have selections without red sauce, the White Shadow being one of them. The crust was thin, but not cracker-thin, and this had been explained to us before the order. The crust arrived burned in places that detracted from the overall good flavor, but the toppings were great. I thought $17 for a 12-inch pie was quite pricey. (Note: I ordered a 14-inch pizza, two salads, and two desserts from a wonderful pizza restaurant in my personal neighborhood that were delivered to my door for only $9 more than the pizza, tea, and one beer at Slice.)

Slice has only been open for around two months. I enjoyed being there and might return for a drink but may have to eat somewhere else. It is a nice addition to Lakeview but hope they are able to reduce their prices or at least turn down the volume in the future. Menu here.

Sweet Tea Restaurant - Corner of 22nd Street and 3rd Avenue South, downtown

Sweet Tea on Facebook

Opening on Monday, August 1st, is Sweet Tea, a restaurant that will include Traditional American, Southern, Greek, and Mediterranean. While it initially sounds like a strange combination, the owner's successful restaurant reputation proceeds him so everyone is looking for a good eating experience. There will be a meat and three cafeteria line at lunch and made to order meals in the evening. One of the more retro Southern dish will be waffles and fried chicken. I have never eaten this so I am looking forward to giving it a try.

Urban Cookhouse - opens second location in The Summit
Urban Cookhouse on Facebook

I've written about Urban Cookhouse in Homewood numerous times (here, here and here). I am excited to hear they are opening a second restaurant just two miles from my apartment! The Cookhouse is locally owned and uses food from local farmers. In fact, they started a Farmer's Market in Homewood to showcase the farmers they use in their restaurant. I recommend it often when someone is looking for a consistently good, reasonably priced sandwich and salad restaurant. (My favorites: strawberry lemonade, BALT sandwich, local mix green salad and brown sugar brownie.) Menu here.

OMG Brownies

 Packed, ready to take to office, and out of sight!

The story behind this recipe was as entertaining as the recipe was appealing. College students preparing brownies in a spaghetti pot led to total despair when the brownies did not want to leave the pot intact. Thus, FML Brownies (*bleep* My Life Brownies) were born. Since we can benefit from the initial experience, I changed the title to OMG Brownies, as in OMG these are good!

These are chewy and rich like fudge but still has the presence of a brownie. The cookie dough adds the crunch. I don't even want to know the caloric count of these; however, they are so rich one can only eat a small portion anyway. But, mm, mm good!


OMG Brownies
Recipe, Gabriela at Une Vie Saine blog

Ingredients:
  16 oz package brownie mix, plus necessary ingredients for baking
  16 oz tub of chocolate frosting
  16 oz prepackaged chocolate chip cookie dough


Directions:
1. Preheat oven and prepare the brownie batter according to the package instructions.

2. Once you've poured your batter into a pan, roll pieces of cookie dough into various sized balls, then drop them into the brownie goo. They don't have to be the same size or in any kind of order. Press the dough into the batter so that it's not all at the top.

3. Allow the brownies to cool (about 15 minutes), then use a fork to scrape them into a mixing bowl.

4. Add your container of frosting: Stir the frosting in well, but leave some chunks of cookie dough and brownie for the texture.

5. Once everything is well combined, transfer everything back into the brownie pan and distribute the batter evenly.

6. Place them in the freezer for two or so hours. Enjoy!

 Notes: I did not use enough cookie dough. Fill that pan up to enjoy the texture that the cookies bring!

The Rickey - DC's Native Cocktail

 

New Orleans has the Sazerac. Now, D.C. has a native cocktail: The Rickey. It seemed to be a good time to test these while watching last night's speeches on the debt ceiling  Bartenders, correct me if I am wrong. The difference between a Rickey and a classic Gin and Tonic is that the Ricky uses club soda. What makes it a Rickey is that the lime half is dropped into the glass after the juice of the lime is squeezed into the glass. I tried both the gin and the bourbon. The gin gets my vote.

The Rickey Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of gin or bourbon
• Lime juice from 1/2 lime
• Club soda
• Lime wedge for garnish

Preparation:

• Fill a tall glass halfway with ice.
• Pour the gin over the ice.
• Squeeze the lime juice into the glass then drop the lime skin in the glass.
• Add more ice.
• Top with club soda.
• Garnish with a lime wedge.

Drinks call for appetizers, of course. I had no idea raw zucchini could taste this good. I was so anxious to try it that I forgot the cheese!

Zucchini Carpaccio
Recipe, Gourmet Magazine
 
Ingredients:

• 1 small zucchini (1 lb. total)

• 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1/4 cup pine nuts (I toasted these, although the recipe did not specify this.)
• 1 (6-oz.) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano


Directions:

• Cut zucchini diagonally into paper-thin slices. Arrange slices, overlapping slightly, in 1 layer on 4 plates.
• Make stacks of mint leaves and cut crosswise into very thin slivers, then sprinkle over zucchini.
• Whisk together oil and lemon juice in a small bowl, then drizzle over zucchini. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper to taste, and pine nuts. Let stand 10 minutes to soften zucchini and allow flavors to develop. 
• Just before serving, use a vegetable peeler to shave cheese to taste over zucchini, then sprinkle with mint.

Dill Fingerling Potatoes

Hello, my name is Judi and I am a potato sympathizer.  Yes, potatoes are white and, yes, they are the latest on the popular press hit list of "bad" foods, but they are not totally devoid of benefits. In fact, they actually provide a few valuable nutrients: carbohydrates for energy, an excellent source of potassium, fiber, and B vitamins. If we could eat them raw, they would be an excellent source of Vitamin C but that vitamin is lost in the heating process

I am currently over my ideal body weight. If potatoes have contributed, it has come in the form of the chip and the fry, neither of which have much nutritional value. Are there more nutritious foods available? Yes. Do diabetics have to test how their blood sugars react to this food and adjust the amount eaten accordingly? Yes. Can they still be included in one's meal plan? Yes, I believe one can.

That said, I can't think of an easier, faster, and better complement to the roasted chicken and steamed green beans I had tonight. Preparing the potatoes as recommended provided the perfect texture, firm and tender.  And, notice the recipe serves three so I will have leftovers!

Dill Fingerling Potatoes
Recipe, Barefoot Contessa
Servings: 3

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 pounds fingerling potatoes, rinsed but not peeled
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Directions

Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the whole potatoes, salt, and pepper, and toss well. Cover the pot tightly and cook over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender when tested with a small knife. From time to time, shake the pot without removing the lid to prevent the bottom potatoes from burning. Turn off the heat and allow the potatoes to steam for another 5 minutes. Don't overcook. Toss with the dill, and serve hot.

Dear al.com: Thanks!

I realize al.com loves all its users, but it is always nice to be recognized. 

They are a great group!

Mexican Rice Bowl

 

I adore that moment when you take your first bite of a new recipe and it is better than you expected. I am not convinced one can ever recapture that first moment of delightful surprise. This may be why foodies are always searching for the next best recipe, so as to attain or exceed that same level of joy. Just a theory.

I found this recipe while perusing blogs for that next 'fix'. Biggest surprise: the rice. There were so many flavors here - the rich vegetable broth, garlic, butter and the lime, sugar, and cilantro dressing. Pow! Keeper.

Mexican Rice Bowl

Recipe, Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients:
Cilantro Lime Rice (recipe below)
1 can (15-oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
1 red onion, diced
Fresh cilantro, chopped
1 avocado, diced
1 fresh lime

Directions: 
1. Add cilantro lime rice to a bowl or plate. Top with black beans, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and avocado slices. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the entire dish. Serve warm.

Note: No measurements were given in the original recipe, the idea being to have guests add their own toppings to the rice. The measurements given are what I used.:

Cilantro Lime Rice
Yield: about 3 cups cooked rice

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 (15 ounce) can vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

Directions:
In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, sugar, and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice. Serve warm.

Gazpacho

SEC Media Days 2011 started on Wednesday which, for a football fan like me, is the beginning of football season. The summer is ending and I have not prepared my favorite gazpacho recipe all summer!

This is my personal favorite, my go-to recipe for gazpacho. These vegetables are the summer's masterpieces. I usually leave mine chunky, but occasionally process about two pulses from over-processing, refrigerate, and drink as a beverage. It is healthy, low-calorie, and delicious. It is high in sodium but this can be controlled by using low-sodium V8 or tomato juice and adjusting the salt to your specific needs.

This is not a new recipe , but it is a summer essential!

Gazpacho
Recipe with a minor change, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 English cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled
2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
4 plum tomatoes
1 red onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups V8 juice (may use tomato)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup good olive oil (optional, if you don't want the extra calories but recommended)
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt, or to taste
1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess!

After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop.

Balsamic-Honey Grilled Peaches With Feta Cheese

Rarely do the fresh summer market peaches last from Saturday to Saturday, as they make the best between meal and midnight snacks. Suffering from that all-American syndrome of being unable to delay gratification, I eat best to worst, instead of the other way around, which is I why I found myself with these two leftover peaches with a few bumps and bruises.

I had been saving this recipe for awhile. The problem is I do not have an outdoor grill. I've grilled corn and other vegetables on my grill pan so decided to try this again. It does not leave the perfect grill marks and tends to smoke up the kitchen but it does a reasonably good job for a small apartment kitchen. Blogging idea: Kitchen Bloopers (and I've had a few).

I did not find this recipe to taste as good as it sounded on paper, although it was a nice change to have the sweet warm peaches topped with the feta for that extra bite.

Substitutions: 
1) Use blue cheese instead of feta grilled peaches
2) Transfer grilled peach to dish, flat side up, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and a touch of honey, depending on sweetness

Balsamic-Honey Grilled Peaches With Feta Cheese
Recipe, Food.com
Yield: 4 servings (1 half = serving)

Ingredients:
2 peaches
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/8 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:
1. Halve peaches and remove pit.
2. Mix honey and balsamic together well.
3. Place peaches cut side down on heated grill.
4. Grill until starting to turn tender and nice grill marks appears.
5. Turn over and brush top liberally with honey-balsamic glaze.
6. Continue grilling until peaches are tender. Brush with more glaze, if desired.
7. Immediately add crumbled feta to center of peaches.
8. Serve warm.

Notes: This recipe did not provide time or heat. You will be able to visually determine how much time the peaches need; however, the temperature is different. I would suggest a medium to medium hot grill.

Watermelon and Tomato Salad

My very favorite thing to hear when I am interested in a recipe is, ".... or just use whatever you've got". This recipe was music to my ears. You may choose from cherry or grape tomatoes; sherry, balsamic, champagne, or white wine vinegar; and Stilton, Gorgonzola, Roquefort, or Maytag blue cheese. Taste for seasoning. Even though the blue cheese is salty, I tasted and added salt. I also added two pinches of cayenne.


According to this recipe's creator, Mark Bittman, this was influenced by a Turkish breakfast of watermelon, feta, and mint. I did not know what to expect with the tomatoes and the only distinction, to me, was the difference in texture.

Watermelon and Tomato Salad
Recipe by Mark Bittman
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups seedless watermelon, in 1-inch cubes or balls (cut over a bowl to catch the juice and reserve it)
• 1 1/2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 1/2 cup finely diced or crumbled Stilton, Gorgonzola, Roquefort or Maytag blue cheese
• 1/2 cup minced scallions
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• Pinch cayenne
• 1/2 cup parsley, roughly chopped

Directions

• 1. Combine the watermelon, tomato, cheese, scallions and salt in a bowl.
• 2. Whisk or blend together about 2 tablespoons of the watermelon juice, oil, vinegar and cayenne. To serve, dress the salad with this mixture and garnish with parsley. Do not refrigerate and serve within 30 minutes.

Same Recipe, Different Presentation

These are the leftovers from an earlier post using the recipe, Watermelon, Feta and Black Olive Salad, from Nigella Lawson. I suppose I am on a quest to convince others how wonderful feta cheese is with watermelon.

And, the pizza presentation makes it more fun than the simple salad bowl. Using salad plates can dress up this recipe but...... "it's not wearing uncomfortable shoes", right?  What is missing in this particular picture are the wonderful red onion half-moon slices that need to be drenched in lime juice and refrigerated at least overnight to pull out those wonderful pink colored juices.

You may find the recipe Watermelon, Feta and Black Olive Salad on my previous post. Just click on the link. I dare you.

Three Musketeers Pots de Crème

Have you ever told a Snickers fan that Three Musketeers is your favorite candy bar? Oh, the disdain! the disbelief! Yet, it is true. Three Musketeers is my favorite candy bar. The original recipe calls for Milky Way, which would be fabulous, but I wanted to test it with my personal favorite.


I was pleased. It was not too sweet and the caramel is to die for, although quite sticky when it is still warm. Allowing it too chill overnight was, to me, when my tastebuds got a complete sense of this recipe; however, it did not hold its visual appeal very well.


I used a canned whipped cream but the recipe for homemade whipped cream is below. For the original recipe, substitute Milky Way mini candy bars. The instructions remain the same, as does the dietitian's comment below.

Three Musketeers Pots de Crème

Adapted recipe from  A Tasty Trials blog

Yield: 5 servings

Pots de Crème:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

12 Three Musketeers mini candy bars, chopped (about 3 1/2 ounces)

1 1/2 ounces dark chocolate chips (60% cocoa)

4 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg

3 tablespoons sugar

Caramel topping:

15 caramel squares

3 tablespoons heavy cream

Chocolate Whipped Cream:

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder

 

Ingredients:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

For pots de crème: In a small pot, heat heavy cream almost to a boil. Remove from heat and add candy bars and chocolate chips. Let sit for a few minutes to melt, then whisk to combine. Reserve for about 5 minutes to cool.

In another bowl, beat egg and egg yolks with sugar. Whisk in a small amount of the chocolate mixture to temper the eggs, then slowly pour in the remainder, whisking constantly. Note: Important to cool the chocolate mixture and to temper the eggs or you might end up with chocolate-flavored scrambled eggs.

Pour mixture into a large measuring cup through a sieve to remove any solids, then divide amongst 8-ounce ramekins. Place ramekins in a hot water bath, cover with foil, and bake for 43-45 minutes, until set but still jiggly.

Carefully remove from water bath and transfer to refrigerator to chill for at least several hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, heat caramel squares and heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat. When caramel starts melting, stir constantly to combine until completely melted. Spoon onto the top of the pots de crème.

Meanwhile, make the whipped cream by placing all ingredients in an electric mixer and whisking until stiff peaks form. Place a dollop of whipped cream on top of the caramel. Serve immediately.

What the dietitian in me says: This recipe takes a relatively low calorie, low fat candy bar and turns it into an extremely high saturated fat, high calorie, high cholesterol dessert. Enjoy, but eat sparingly.

Quick and Easy Chicken Tikka Masala

For any marketing professional who reads this, I must apologize. Despite your considerable talent, commercials are totally lost on me. If I watch a commercial it is usually due to the music and I rarely can 'name that product'. The only time I can remember being totally seduced by a television ad was the iPod commercial with the accompanying Do You Wanna Be My Girl? by Jet.

I bring this up because I saw this recipe in a 30-second television commercial and actually tried it. I prepared the easy, easy version. I used the breast of a rosemary lemon rotisserie chicken, skinned and diced. I added it to the heated Patak's Tikka Masala Cooking Sauce (medium spicy), spooned it over basmati rice, prepared according to package directions, and sprinkled it with chopped fresh cilantro. It was good but not great; however, it was perfect after a long day at work.

To add some freshness, the following recipe was provided on the Patak's website.

Quick and Easy Chicken Tikka Masala
Recipe, Patak's

 Ingredients:

• 1-1 1/2 lb. chicken, skin removed and diced
• ½ red onion or 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 jar Patak’s Tikka Masala Cooking Sauce
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• juice of ½ lemon (optional)
• salt, to taste
• sugar, to taste
• 1 tablespoon coriander, chopped

 Directions:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a pan and add the red onions or shallots.
• After 2 minutes add the chicken and allow to seal for a few minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and the Patak’s Tikka Masala Cooking Sauce. Cover and leave to cook through for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the Tikka Masala from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, sugar and lemon juice.
• Sprinkle over the coriander and serve simply with fresh hot basmati rice.

Repeat Sunday: Watermelon, Feta and Black Olive Salad

This is actually a recipe repeat because I eat this watermelon salad several times a summer. I guess you could say I really like this salad! You can really play with these ingredients to your own preferences, but I find it is at its very best when I follow the recipe. However, I may slice or chop or whatever strikes my fancy at the moment.

I converted the measurements but left the recipe completely in Nigella's voice. Nobody describes food the way Nigella can.

Watermelon, Feta and Black Olive Salad
Recipe, Nigella Lawson
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 small red onion
• 2-4 limes, depending on juiciness
• 3-4 lb sweet, ripe watermelon
• 8 ounces feta cheese
• Bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Bunch fresh mint, chopped
• 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 ounces pitted black olives
• Black pepper

Directions:

1. Peel and halve the red onion and cut into very fine half-moons and put in a small bowl to steep with the lime juice, to bring out the transparent pinkness in the onions and diminish their rasp. Two limes' worth should do it, but you can find the fruits disappointingly dried up and barren when you cut them in half, in which case add more. 
2. Remove the rind and pips from the watermelon, and cut into approximately 4cm triangular chunks, if that makes sense (maths is not my strong point). Cut the feta into similar sized pieces and put them both into a large, wide shallow bowl. Tear off sprigs of parsley so that it is used like a salad leaf, rather than a garnish, and add to the bowl along with the chopped mint.
3. Tip the now glowingly puce onions, along with their pink juices over the salad in the bowl, add the oil and olives, then using your hands toss the salad very gently so that the feta and melon don't lose their shape. Add a good grinding of black pepper and taste to see whether the dressing needs more lime. Hava Negila! The taste of Tel Aviv sunshine!

Happy Independence Day!

"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism." ~ Erma Bombeck

I'm preparing a few side dishes for today's Independence Day celebration lunch, which I'll share during the week. In the meantime, here are a few of my all-time personal favorite recipes for cookouts today and anytime.


Pulled Pork
Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence
Yield: 12 servings

Dry Rub:
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
3 tablespoons coarse sea salt

1 (5 to 7 pound) pork roast, preferably shoulder or Boston butt

Cider-Vinegar Barbecue Sauce:
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1 cup yellow or brown mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pan drippings from the pork (optional, I don't)

Mix the paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, dry mustard, and salt together in a small bowl. Rub the spice blend all over the pork. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hours, or up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Put the pork in a roasting pan and roast it for over 6 hours. An instant-read thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the pork should register 170 degrees F, but basically, what you want to do is to roast it until it is falling apart.

While the pork is roasting, make the barbecue sauce. Combine the vinegar, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, salt, cayenne, and black pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer gently, stirring, for 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Take it off the heat and let it sit until you're ready for it.

When the pork is done, take it out of the oven and put it on a large platter. Allow the meat to rest for about 10 minutes. While it's resting, deglaze the pan over medium heat with 3/4 cup water, scraping with a wooden spoon to pick up all of the browned bits. Reduce by about half. Pour that into the saucepan with the sauce and cook 5 minutes. *I skip this step.

While the pork is still warm, you want to "pull" the meat: Grab 2 forks. Using 1 to steady the meat, use the other to "pull" shreds of meat off the roast. Put the shredded port in a bowl and pour half of the sauce over it. Stir it all up well so that the pork is coated with the sauce. (Or, wash your hands and use your fingers.)

To serve:
Spoon the pulled pork mixture onto the bottom half of each hamburger bun, and top with some slaw. Serve with pickle spears and the remaining sauce on the side.

OR, Spoon the pulled pork mixture onto a plate with the other sides. Eat with white bread. Use the white bread to pick up the extra sauce and eat.

My favorite BBQ side dishes:
Baked Beans
Recipe courtesy of Sandra Lee

Spicy Slaw
Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence

Corn on the Cob with Chili and Lime
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

Homemade Southern Banana Pudding
Best recipe: The side of the Nilla Vanilla Wafers Box
Here's a good visual description for this recipe at Deep South Dish.