Dont' worry .... I do not not need a tomato and corn intervention ..... yet.
I do realize that this is about my fourth recipe this summer that involves tomatoes and/or corn. I don't plan on changing the name of this blog to tomato lovers anonymous, and I promise I have noticed that there are plenty of other wonderful summer fruits and vegetables that are begging for my attention too.
As you can tell, I have been completely smitten with tomatoes and corn and a bit obsessed with getting in as many of their indulgences that I can. I promise (with fingers crossed behind my back) that this is the last post involving corn and tomatoes (together). Everywhere I go, including my backyard, all I see are these gorgeous tomatoes and bushels of corn begging to be enjoyed. I just can't help myself.
I posted a picture of this salad on facebook and instagram a few days ago when I was working on the recipe, and never before did I have so many demands for the recipes. Demands! I had planed on posting this recipe sometime next week, but with so many requests I knew it could not wait.
I had thought you were over my tomato and corn pictures and posts, but I was mistaken. Apparently you and I are the same, and you want to savor every second of these tomato and corn filled months as much as I do. Apparently you and I are heirloom tomato and sweet summer corn soulmates.
Last week one of my oldest and closest friends came to visit from Denver with her boyfriend. As with any long weekend with good friends, it was filled with lots and lots of laughs, plenty of great meals, some seriously delicious key lime pie, fancy homemade lattes, and big bottles of rosé. The first night they arrived, we swung by our friend's parent's house to say hello, and while we were there one of her friends was preparing this awesome looking summer salad with corn, tomatoes, basil and avocado. YUM. It took everything in my power not to jump right in and devour their salad.
The next night I insisted that we make that same salad, and we did. It was then that I decided that this was THE perfect summer salad. Since then I have made this salad another three times. It has only been a week. And you know what? I can (and probably will) eat this every other day until summer vegetables start to dwindle.
Don't you worry, I have plenty of fun, creative recipes involving some of the other wonderful summer veggies coming your way ... but for now, let's enjoy these gorgeous plum, ripe tomatoes, and super sweet corn while we can. The way they were meant to be. With just a touch of really god olive oil, salt + pepper, and a few other goodies.
I’ve been dreaming about yellow gazpacho ever since Meghan + her friend and I shared one over lunch about a month ago when she was in town. We had a delicious brunch at a restaurant around the corner from where I live, and the star of that meal was the gazpacho we ordered. We wondered if it was weird to share soup as a starer, but after one bite no one cared. We were so happy we ordered that dreamy gazpacho.
A few weeks after that yellow gazpacho, I had another one that was just as delicious with Michael and my Mom. This one had corn and a few other goodies. It sounded so good, we each ordered one. That was the right decision.
I'm not sure why yellow gazpacho has got me all hot and bothered this summer, but there is something about the yellow vegetables that make it just right. I think it is maybe because the yellow fruits and vegetables have the perfect balance of sweet and tart. And that color! I cannot get over how bright and happy it is. It makes you feel happy when you eat it.
I've been waiting to make my own yellow gazpacho, because the later in the summer we get, the better the corn and the tomatoes get. So the other day when I took a trip to the farm stand and found perfectly ripe yellow tomatoes and loads of delicious looking corn ... I knew it was time.
I like easy recipes, but in the summer I like realllly easy recipes. Why? Because that means more time outside, at the beach or in the pool. In the summer, I do not really feel like slaving in the kitchen, or eating something hot for lunch. Salads and cold soups are the way to go.
This recipe can be whipped up in a quick 10 minutes. Your friends can be outside soaking up some sun, while you run inside, throw these ingredients into a blender, pour them into little cups and place the fancy garish on top. They will be so utterly impressed.
Last week on a trip to the market I found the most ripe, delicious, local, organic heirloom tomatoes. I've been waiting months and months for that day. It's finally here. #SUMMER
I went to the market that day because A - I needed some produce, and B - I needed some inspiration. A trip to the market is always the best for that. I walked around aimlessly for about 30 minutes before I decided what I was going to make for Michael and his sister that night.
When I was walking around, I stumbled across the most amazing assortment of herb plants. Every kind of basil you could think of and then some ... purple basil, thai basil, spicy basil ... you name it. And mint. So many kinds of mint. I could not resist buys several kind ... of everything. And now our backyard is adorned with some unique varietals of herbs, and I love it.
With the purchase of those new herbs and those gorgeous heirloom tomatoes, it was only natural that I would be making some sort of salad. But I wanted something a little more than a salad. Panzanella. I wanted to make a panzanella.
If I were to #hashtag this recipe it would look something like this:
#summer! #yum #beachfood #gluten-free #picnictime #healthy #vegan #YUM #breakoutthegrill #cornbreadinsaladisreallygreatandevenbetterwhenitisgrilled
Last summer, panzanella salads were my go-to beach picnic food. I would throw some stale bread together with whatever leftover vegetables we had in the fridge and dress it with nothing more than some really good olive oil, some really good vinegar, and minced garlic. By the time we had made it to the beach and laid our picnic blanket down, the bread had sopped up just the right amount of oil + vinegar + garlic. So darn good.
I've been trying to stay away from white bread recently, so homemade gulten-free cornbread seemed like the perfect, if not better, substitute to throw into this panzanella. Grilling the cornbread makes it a bit crispy on the outside, mimicking that stale bread texture. It's pretty awesome.
You can make a panzanella with just about any kind of vegetable you have in your fridge. Later in the season, the summer vegetables like corn and zucchini would go so well in this salad.
I'll let you in on a little cornbread secret. Bob's Red Mill makes a really great gluten-free cornbread mix ... so if you want to make this in a flash, you can use that instead of making it completely from scratch. I am always one to say that from scratch is best, but if you want to take a shortcut for this ... I won't judge. I'd just be so happy that you made this grilled cornbread panzanella.
#ILOVEPANZANELLA #ILOVESUMMER
I cannot leave you with a recipe for chili, and not give you some cornbread to go with it.
A piece of crusty cornbread, a warm bowl of chili, a crisp kale salad, and a really good magazine .... the perfect way to spend a chilly saturday afternoon.
There is also no better way to feed a large group of hungry friends on football sunday. A quick batch of cornbread and big pot of chili, and you’re happily feasting.
There are a few things I look for in a cornbread to consider it really good:
1 – a crusty top layer
2 – a moist inner layer
3 – not so crumbly (you know, the kind that you can barley eat because it crumbles to bits)
bonus – super yummy things to flavor it like chilies and herbs.
double bonus – vegan or gluten-free (without knowing the difference).
So if I am going to post a recipe for cornbread, you know it has to pass this test. In case you’re wondering, this cornbread scored 120% (extra 10% for the chilies and rosemary + 10 more % for being gluten-free).
When I started working on this, the first and only blog I consulted was gluten-free girl. Shauna sure does know her stuff. Her recipe for gluten-free cornbread is flawless and absolutely delicious. I did make just a few tweaks. I know that not everyone is as ambitious as she is to make their own GF flour (ahem, me) but she does include an awesome video how to do it if you are interested. I also include a milk-free option because even though whole milk does do a wonderful job, it is not an ingredient I typically use. Lastly, I used maple syrup as a sweetener which is not only better for you than white sugar, it compliments this recipe so well. And of course I threw in some extra yummy things like rosemary and serrano chilies. Killer cornbread is born.
