Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

We had a busy holiday season with family and friends.  We traveled to North Carolina to spend time with family in Cary and Jacksonville and then back to Lake Lure to attend to some Winter tasks.  We spent the New Year in Myrtle Beach with old friends, ate well, celebrated joyously and returned to Lake Lure a little heavier and totally worn out.  It is cold and dreary here with constant rain and fog and my cooking has been minimal.  So before we return to Florida this week, I thought that I would reflect back on some of the dishes that were favorites in 2014.  I will begin with January 2014.

I had just discovered Mimi Thorisson’s lovely blog Manger.  One of the first dishes I made from her blog was this Pork Tenderloin with Grapes.  We loved it and my eyes were opened to the possibility of actually cooking grapes.  It was also a pretty dish that tasted heavenly.

February found us in Cary celebrating our Grandson’s third birthday.  My DIL Kristen made this warming Tortilla Soup on a snowy day.  I could use a bowl of it right now.

We enjoyed these Polynesian Meatballs as the weather was improving.

With Spring in the air and fresh asparagus in the market we indulged in this easy Asparagus Tart. 

King Arthur Flour has a wonderful blog called Flourish.  This recipe for Triple Cinnamon Scones sounded so good that I purchased their cinnamon chips and cinnamon filling mix to make them.  I have been making them ever since.  They are the best scones I have ever had.

In June I made this wonderful Blueberry Galette.  The rosemary in the crust was an unusual addition and went so well with the blueberries.  I will be making this often.  The crust also has whole wheat flour in it which I love.

Summer is berry season and I couldn’t resist this lovely Raspberry and Blueberry Tiramisu.  Perfect for the 4th of July.

In August our grill was kept busy.  This Spicy Glazed Salmon was an easy fix with only three ingredients.

September at the lake is usually still warm.  Cool salads are always welcomed.  This Israeli Couscous and Arugula Salad from Ina Garten is delicious.

October is apple season in Western North Carolina.  This Maple Glazed Acorn Squash with Sausage, Apple and Sage is a perfect Fall dish.

In November, this Leek and Artichoke Bread Pudding was on my Thanksgiving table.  The recipe came from Ina Garten’s new book Make it Ahead.

Finally, in honor of family tradition, in December I made my Mother’s delicious Ham Loaf.  It brought back memories of Christmases past.  2014 was a very good year.  I am looking forward to the year ahead and wish all of you a Happy New Year.

We are on our second roast chicken since the quarantine.  When it is just the two of us, there are always leftovers.  I like to turn them into casseroles, soups and salads.  Here are a few ideas from previous posts.

Mexican Chicken Casserole is a lightened version of Mexican ingredients – less cheese and tortillas and more vegetables than a normal dish. Plus it has a charred tomato salsa that could stand on its own.  Chicken replaces ground beef.  The original recipe came from Cooking Light.

Chicken Salad with Wild Rice is a refreshing take on this traditional salad.  The wild rice pairs well with the orange dressing.

Chicken and Orzo Soup is one of my favorite soups.  It is easy and full of good vegetables.

I am thinking of everyone and hoping all of you are staying safe at home.

Sometimes it is hard to be a food blogger.  There are days when meals are easy everyday food that no one would be interested in hearing about.  I have been going through a period like that lately.  We have eaten lots of homemade soup, but they are soups I have talked about before.  I did make a wonderful chicken noodle soup the other night with twice the celery and carrots that I normally put in it and half the noodles;  very good and good for us.

But Friday night, before we went to a concert,  I made a quick meal of these pizzas that were in a Weight Watcher’s cookbook.  I’m not sure what it was about them, but they were a hit.  It might have been the artichoke hearts, the roasted red peppers or the balsamic vinegar, but we both loved them.  I added a bit of bacon to the recipe because I love bacon in pizzas.  The dressed lettuce is placed on the tortillas and heated briefly in the oven to warm everything and slightly wilt the lettuce.  David even said that this would be good on Sunday nights when we normally have real pizza.  I agree.

Give these a try for a quick supper or lunch.

MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE SALAD PIZZAS

1 heart of romaine lettuce, thinly sliced ( about 3 cups)
1 tomato, seeded and chopped ( I skipped this )
1 (8 1/2 ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup canned cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (7 ounce ) jar roasted red pepper, drained and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 strips of bacon, sliced, cooked and drained
4 ( 7 inch ) whole wheat tortillas
8 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Meanwhile, toss together the lettuce, tomato, artichoke hearts, beans, roasted pepper, vinegar, oil, and black pepper in a medium bowl.  Arrange the tortillas on a baking sheet.  Top each tortilla with about 1 1/4 cups of the salad (I think I used a little less)  and sprinkle with some of the cooked bacon and 2 tablespoons of the mozzarella.  Bake until the cheese melts and the lettuce wilts slightly, about 5 minutes.

As an aside, while walking today I saw flocks and flocks of birds heading South.  I understand that Florida is the only state in the SE without snow today.  I think the birds are heading for the Bahamas.  I would be too if I could.  Stay warm.

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