Tag: #lightandeasy

Do you like gauchos—I mean gazpacho?

On By Leslie Byars RegisterIn appetizers, Ask Leslie, Buy the Book, soups, The Parties, The Recipes8 Comments

CONFESSION: This is the first gazpacho recipe I’ve truly ever liked!

Cold soup is not my first choice when I see it on a menu at a restaurant, but I promise, this one is different. I’m not sure if it’s the saturated party pumpernickel bread, the saltiness of the olives and creamy avocados, the crunch of the celery, cucumber, and green pepper, or the three different vinegars, but this recipe is delicious. It’s like a fancy bloody Mary in a bowl, minus the vodka. (Hmmm…something to consider.)

My mother-in-law, Beverly Register, passed this recipe on to me from her friend Sarah Ellen Archie, from New Bern, North Carolina. I’m not sure where Sarah Ellen got the recipe, but it’s definitely worth sharing with anyone you know.

“The best recipes are ones that are worthy of crossing state lines.”

With the heat index at 100 degrees, I can’t think of a better week to post this tried-and-true summer delicacy.

Bev’s Gazpacho

Makes 3 ½ quarts

½ (16-ounce) loaf party pumpernickel bread (diced)

1/3 cup olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup tarragon vinegar

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Dice 1 cup each:

Green onions

Green pepper

Cucumber

Celery

Cherry tomatoes

Green olives

64 ounces tomato juice, such as V8

Parsley, basil, and garlic to taste, chopped into small pieces, extra for garnish

Avocado (right before serving)

Olive oil

In a large (LARGE) bowl, combine all but the last two ingredients. Cover and chill for several hours or overnight. Add diced avocado and drizzle with olive oil right before serving. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Yields 3 1/2 quarts

Bev's Gazpacho
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Ingredients

  • ½ (16-ounce) loaf party pumpernickel bread (diced)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup tarragon vinegar
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup diced green onions
  • 1 cup diced green pepper
  • 1 cup diced cucumber
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup diced cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup diced green olives
  • 64 ounces tomato juice, such as V8
  • Parsley, basil, and garlic to taste, chopped into small pieces, extra for garnish
  • Avocado (right before serving)
  • Olive oil

Instructions

  1. In a LARGE bowl, combine all but the last two ingredients.
  2. Cover and chill for several hours or overnight.
  3. Add diced avocado and drizzle with olive oil right before serving.
  4. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
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https://dearpartydiary.com/do-you-like-gauchos-i-mean-gazpacho/

Learn from Leslie: loaf party pumpernickel is the 3-inch square, thinly sliced bread used for appetizers found in most groceries in the bread or deli area.

Learn from Leslie: I chop all the veggies the day before and have them ready to go.
It takes no time the next morning to add the remaining ingredients. Let it chill for several hours or overnight. I add the avocado right before serving.
Serve for a crowd as a starter or a light lunch. On a hot summer night, serve it as a cold supper.
And if you haven’t tried Topo Chico carbonated mineral water, you need to. Thanks to Carol de la Torre for sharing this refreshing, new beverage with me. For you Birmingham folks, it’s available at the Piggly Wiggly in Crestline. Topo Chico, $1.25 (12-ounce) bottle.
Also, this old-fashioned, adorable bottle would look pretty cute next to your Coronas at your next party.
Stay cool! And have a happy and safe Fourth of July!
I love your comments!

Lentils and Roses

On By Leslie Byars RegisterIn soups, The Parties, The Recipes

One bunch of grocery store roses and a couple bags of red lentils”

Sometimes when you are doing a floral arrangement, you have your heart set on a certain flower, and you go to the store and they don’t have anything even close to what you were imagining. That’s when the fun starts.

There are no boundaries when you are playing with flowers. The world is your oyster.

In my opinion, a mass of any color or flower is usually more effective than a mixture—although I like to change it up sometimes.

When I saw these coral sweetheart roses at the grocery store floral department, I instantly thought of red lentils. That’s how my mind works. Not only were the lentils a similar color, but also they would serve as an anchor for my vases in the container for easy, painless transportation.

Gathering your provisions is half the fun.
Lentils are found in the grocery store aisle with the other dried beans.
Look for containers with dual purposes like this basket-like shape.
Miniature old-fashioned milk bottles filled with water are the vases for the roses. They easily nestle into the bed of lentils for stability.

I took this arrangement to a birthday dinner last spring. It’s nice to take flowers to a restaurant for a special occasion if they are compact and don’t interfere with the service. It instantly creates a homey feel at the table. I usually try to drop them off late that afternoon, while the tables are being set, to avoid any confusion and simplify my arrival at dinnertime.

The galvanized container and bottles are from Oak Street Garden Shop, oakstreetgardenshop.com

Don’t be afraid to put any combination together. You are the floral designer.

Now what to do with the leftover lentils after the flowers are gone?

Lentils cook quickly and make a healthy, light lunch or simple supper in a stew.

Leslie’s Leftover Lentil Stew

Makes 2 1/2 quarts

2 cups lentils

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

5 celery ribs sliced diagonally

4 to 5 cloves garlic

2 (14.5-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth

2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Dash of hot sauce

Rinse lentils in a bowl until the water is no longer cloudy. It may take a few times. Place 2 cups of lentils in a medium saucepan; add 4 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for about 20 minutes until beans are tender. They will open up a little bit.

While they are cooking, sauté onion, celery, and garlic in olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Cook for about 5 minutes or until tender and onions are translucent.

Drain the lentils; add them to the onions, celery, and garlic. Add the chicken broth, and remaining ingredients. Simmer for one hour. Serve with crackers or hot French bread.

A cold week is like a rainy day you desperately need to get your life back together. You will feel organized by Friday if you check these all off your list.

Arctic Blast Activities

  1. Write your holiday thank-you notes. Yes, that never goes out of style.
  2. Clean out the cluttered drawers around your house.
  3. Set up a card table for a puzzle or a craft project.
  4. Put away all the straggling Christmas gifts and decorations.
  5. Fill in all upcoming activities, trips, etc. on a 2018 calendar.
  6. Buy a new houseplant to perk up a corner or coffee table.
  7. Start a new exercise class; change it up.
  8. Plan a spring party.
  9. Try a new recipe.
  10. Make a batch of Freezer Pizza Crusts (page 180, see Leslie’s Party Diaries)
One batch makes 12 healthy, thin pizza crusts. They are a crowd-pleaser!

Happy New Year!

Coming up in the next few weeks, Favorite Weeknight Meals, Breakfast for Dinner, Super Bowl Supper ideas, Knife-and-Fork Sandwiches, and more! Be sure to subscribe to dearpartydiary.com. I may sneak a few posts in just for those special folks who do.

Also, be sure to subscribe or pick up a copy of Birmingham Home and Garden magazine, birminghamhomeandgarden.com. My first food column is out now in the January/February issue.

I would love to hear from you. Don’t be shy about making comments or asking questions. I love getting mail! Leslie