Childhood Snack Makeover Makes for Grown-Up Comfort

When I was a child, my father would make something he called cheese on bread. I know, I know, this is equally inventive to the stuffed cat I carried around that I called Misses Cat. Dad's version was white bread and cheddar, toasted under the broiler.  I have fond memories of washing it down with grape Kool-Aid while sitting on a picnic table out in the yard.

Made with a schmear of an English carmalized onion cheddar, this version was enjoyed as a midafternoon snack; lakeside during a holiday to Maine; topped with fresh basil and washed down with a bit of red wine.

The bread was a fantastic Aroostook Wheat from Borealis Breads out of Portland which boasts the use of only local, Maine grown wheat and "nothing in the bread but bread ingredients: flour, starter, salt and water, and sometimes some spices, cheese or olives." Real food, sourced local and minimally processed. We can all stand to benefit from those sort of practices. It's good food karma. Good for the earth, good four our bodies, good for our souls. You just gotta love that!

Sharing a few other lakeside pics from Maine. It was a great week and I hope to return sooner than later. It's good to get away and it's even better to go to a place where local food practices are embraced.

Some fishing off the dock of our own private "island" Little Sebago, Gray, ME

Lobster first, then watermelon.  Naturally.

 

Tacos de carne asada: worth getting out of the lake for!

 



Portland Head Light, Cape Elizabeth, ME

Creamy Curried Lentils

Don't you just love it when you toss together some unexpected ingredients--merely because it's all you have on hand--and it works out to be an instant classic?   That's exactly what this cool and creamy lentil salad is.  And when you look at the nutrition stats at the bottom, you'll see that it's also a really delicious dish that just happens to love you back!



INGREDIENTS:

1 ½  cups green lentils
1- teaspoons kosher salt
1 large tomato
1 large red bell pepper
1 tablespoon good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon regular, cultured soure cream (not low fat)
1/4 cup pistachios, roasted (I used salted)
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
ground black pepper to taste
20 leaves fresh basil


1 - In 2 qt saucepan, combine lentils, salt and 4 cups of water.  Bring water to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.  Cook for 20 minutes or until soft.  Drain any excess water and set lentils aside to cool

2 -  Place bell pepper under broiler until skin has blackened, rotating several times.  Pull out and place on cutting board and cover with a dutch oven lid or some plastic wrap for 2-3 minutes to allow steam to loosen skin.  Remove lid and rince under cool water to peel off skin; discard. Remove seeds, chop pepper and add to lentils.

3 - Finely chop tomato and add to lentils.  Combine remainin ingredients (except for basil) and stir well. 

4 - Stack basil leaves on top of each other and roll, lenthwise, like a cigar,  Using kitchen shears, cut

¼ off of the end of roll.  Continue to do this until all basil is cut into long, thin strips known as chiffonade.  Stir into salad, reserving some for to sprinkle on top. 

5 - Cool in fridge for at least one hour.  Serve alone or on a bed of bright, crisp leafy greens such as an arugula mix.  It tastes even better by day two so plan on packing some for lunch!

Recipe makes 6, ¾ servings.  Per serving: