Tag: BBQ

Weekend Finds 6:15:14

My summer craziness has begun! How about yours? Hopefully these weekend finds can help us slow down a bit and remember to enjoy the summer season.

1. Romesco Sauce

Romesco Sauce // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust
Romesco is made with roasted bell peppers, toasted almonds, tomato paste, garlic, oil, and spices.

I’ve had romesco sauce plenty of times, but it was really last summer when my dad put it over some roasted cauliflower that it won my heart. I think grilling season is a perfect time of year to keep a batch of the stuff in your fridge, as it makes a really flavor packed topping for those lightly charred vegetables.

2. PedalPalooza 2014

PedalPalooza 2014, PDX // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust
Get your pedal on!

So Portland, being the bike-centric city we are, has this month-long event called Pedalpalooza, with all these themed bike rides around the city. Jonah’s co-worker even led a Beyoncé themed ride last week! But there are a few rides for foodies: today there’s a homebrews and community gardens ride, tomorrow there’s a food cart ride, on Wednesday there’s a bees vs. Monsanto ride (yes, you dress up as bees and farmers and stop at the offices of food influencers in the city), and on Friday there’s both a coffee and carousing ride as well as breakfast on bridges (a stand set up with coffee and donuts where you can stop on your way to work). And of course, Friday night, there’s a champagne ride. So what else do you need? Get riding!

3. Warm-weather Whiskey Drinks

Warm Weather Whiskey Drinks // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust
Whiskey in the morning, whiskey in the evening, whiskey at bath too! (Ok, maybe not in the morning or at bath time.)

I’ll be honest, when I think of whiskey, I often think of being in a cozy bar on a cold night. But that shouldn’t really be the case. You can drink whiskey year round, and Saveur is going to give you a little help. Check out these refreshing whiskey cocktails, perfect for a hot day.

4. Time Magazine says “Eat Butter.”

Time: Eat Butter // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust
Let’s learn about fats!

Have you seen the new Time Magazine cover? I’m glad my roommate subscribes, because I’ll admit I’m looking forward to reading this article about how fat isn’t really the bad guy everyone thinks it is.

5. Jamaica

Jamaica // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust
I love the ruby hue of this cold refreshing hibiscus tea!

I gotta say, if you’ve never had jamaica, you’re missing out. It’s a refreshing, tart, fruity drink, a la lemonade, and is perfect for summer time. I love hibiscus tea, and this is really just a cold version of that. I found bulk hibiscus at my grocery store, but you can usually find bags of the petals in the latin foods section. In case you needed another reason to make this beverage, it’s also a great mixer for cocktails.

Weekend Finds 6:8:14

Happy weekend! I hope it’s as beautiful wherever you are as it is here in Oregon. Enjoy these weekend finds!

1. Using Strawberry Tops

Use your strawberry tops // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust
Strawberry infused water sounds perfect on a hot day.

I always feel bad tossing overripe strawberries or strawberry tops. Sometimes I toss them in smoothies, but this strawberry water seems like a perfectly refreshing idea to have in my back pocket this summer.

2. Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust
Look at that teriyaki glaze on that chicken.

I’m into teriyaki sauce, especially in the summer on top of some grilled salmon or grilled chicken or other grilled things. I’d love to try making it myself using this recipe from A Cozy Kitchen. 

3. Camping Trip Recipes

Camping Recipes // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust
Charred corn with avocado and lime? I’ll eat that while camping.

We’re planning a few camping trips this summer, and I have a feeling some of these recipes might come in handy. I’m especially interested in the bulgogi jerky, the charred corn and avocado salad, and the roasted potatoes with za’atar.

4.  Sangria Time

The best wine for your sangria // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust
Now you know what wine to pick for you sangria.

I often find myself wondering what wines are best for what. I’ve never made Sangria, but I sure do love drinking it. This article over at the Kitchn can help you figure out which wine is best in your Sangria this summer. (And here’s a recipe to help you make it, too.)

5. Food Rules Print

Food Print // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust
Food: Don’t waste it!

I love love love this print. I’ve seen it a few places, and it just doesn’t get old. I think it’s perfect for a kitchen with some vintage touches.

Shaved Asparagus Salad

Shaved Asparagus Salad // Serious Crust

Sometimes,  you make a meal, thinking one dish will be the star. Especially when you lay down a hefty chunk of change on a cut of meat. But things happen – you run out of time and you don’t season the meat properly or sear it the way you’d like, and then maybe you leave it in the slow cooker a little bit longer than you should have. And when that happens, there are side dishes that sneak up and surprise you. Like this shaved asparagus salad did.

Don’t get me wrong, I knew this salad would be good. I love asparagus, and there are seemingly a million shaved asparagus salad recipes out there (like this one, and this one, and this one). And yeah, they’re all relatively the same. But man, something about the freshness of this salad – crunchy, sour, salty – just got me. It was exactly what I needed after a long day of work. And it certainly was better than an underseasoned, overcooked (only slightly) piece of meat.

Shaved Asparagus Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 bunch of asparagus
juice from half of a lemon
olive oil
salt (course is good, if you’ve got it)
freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup, roughly, of toasted pine nuts, sliced and toasted almonds, or shelled pistachios
parmesan cheese, though crumbled feta would work nicely too

Instructions

Don’t snap the tough ends off your asparagus just yet! Leave them on and use them as a handle. Lay the asparagus on a cutting board, and use a peeler to shave off wide strips, shaving away from you. You’ll have some thick pieces at the end, but do the best you can. Apparently the consensus is that y-shaped peelers are better for this, but I don’t have one of those. Make do with what you’ve got. Discard the woody ends. Put the peeled pieces into a bowl or on a platter or whatever you’re planning on serving on/in. Pour the lemon juice over top of the asparagus, and drizzle with olive oil. I can’t tell you how much olive oil, because I didn’t measure. A good glug should suffice. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the top, as well as the toasted nuts. Rinse your peeler and use it to shave some thin pieces of parmesan to top the salad (or use a fork and crumble the feta over top). We’re big cheese fans, so we did more cheese instead of less.

Enjoy on a spring or summer day, preferably with a glass of refreshing white or rosé wine. I think this salad would be perfect alongside some grilled fish or chicken for a summer soirée.