Let's start with the recipe that I have already mentioned - My Favourite Tartar Sauce. This can be found back in June '07. It is the third recipe that I put on the blog, and one of my all-time favourites. I love it with fish & chips, but it is also wonderful with any type of fish or seafood, done any way. I probably wouldn't serve it with a cold shrimp cocktail, but I would certainly serve it with breaded shrimp. I also mentioned in the original blog that roasted potatoes or homemade french-fries are divine when dipped in this tarter sauce. With all the seafood we ate in Newport a few weeks ago, I realize now that I should have taken my own tartar sauce! (I know what you are thinking, and even my own family may have thought that was just a bit odd...)
Also from June '07, the Chickpea & Carrot salad. Still a real favourite of mine, the leftovers from this salad are usually turned into a spicy hummus. The Tabbouleh with Feta (March '08) is a an easy way to make a salad with ingredients that you probably have on hand right now. Especially as the summer goes on, I always have fresh tomatoes and cucumbers just waiting to be turned into something special. I love the picture that goes along with this recipe, too (Alan's finesse with a camera!).
The Curried Couscous is a cross between being a salad and a side dish. If you don't think you are a curry fan, don't be deterred by that here. The curry really adds more colour than anything in the yogurt dressing, and there are so many other flavours that are fighting for your attention, you probably won't even notice the fact that you are enjoying something you didn't think you liked before! My advice would be to make sure that your curry (and all of your spices for this matter) is not old. It is quite easy for spices to linger in the cupboard for years at a time, and for us to not notice how old they really are. If you haven't done it lately, maybe it is time to clear out all of your old herbs and spices? If you keep your spices in the jars that you buy at the grocery store, you could always empty and wash out the jars, and then refill them with new ones from someplace like your local health food store, where they most likely sell them in bulk. Buying herbs and spices this way is much cheaper, too. I keep my herbs and spices in little glass containers that I bought at Ikea. The containers are then kept in a drawer, away from direct sunlight.
Last November, I made the Black-bean Salad with Avocado & Cilantro (Nov. '07). It would be delicious with burgers or barbecued chicken, or taken to a potluck. I happen to love the Mexican flavours, and they are perfect for summertime eating. Last night I made a quinoa salad, and I remembered that I had the Lentil & Quinoa salad with a Ginger & Curry Vinaigrette (Jan. '08) on the blog. I wish I would have thought to make this salad in time for dinner. This salad is downright delicious, not too mention the fact that it is very healthy!
I want to bring your attention to the Smoked Trout Dip (Dec. '07). I made this dip in December, when I thought the Clean Food Connection was going out of business. I have made it several times since then, and I even made it to sample to customers when I was at the Clean Food Connection that Saturday in May, drumming up awareness about the new recipe section on their website. Check it out if you haven't already at www.cleanfoodconnection.com/recipes. I can't say enough about this dip. It is very addictive! Don't forget about the Salmon Dip (August '07) either. I regularly make Salmon Dip and use it as a spread in Gavin's lunch. It makes a great after-school snack as well (for me & him!).Last week, my neighbour called to ask if she could substitute salmon for the chicken in the Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Chicken recipe (April '08). I told her I thought it would be fine. She called the next day to say that it was "fabulous!". The salmon stayed so moist and tender, she was amazed. This recipe is so simple, but it really takes chicken (and salmon, apparently) to that next level, without adding a lot of work. The Charmoula Marinade (May '08) is just begging to be mentioned again! It does require a little more time, but the results are so worth it. If you haven't made this marinade yet, don't delay! Lamb, chicken, beef, even peppers, zucchini, eggplant - you name it. I think almost anything will taste great with this Charmoula Marinade!
At this time of year, there seem to be lots of baked beans doing the barbecue circuit. Last winter, I made Maple Baked Beans (Jan. '08). I know these would make an excellent dish for any barbecue or party that you are having this summer. Usually, cans of beans are doctored up and baked in the oven. If you are feeling adventurous, why not try making them from scratch. These were the beans that Alan was quite happy to eat for a few days after I made them. They are pretty easy, just a bit of planning required!
Ever since I started "The Good Egg Blog", there has been the question of how to print off a recipe without printing off the entire blog. More than a few people have said that they tried to print off a recipe, and ended up with a print job of 75 pages or more! Last weekend, my friend Dionne came for dinner and she mentioned that she keeps a file of Good Egg recipes that she has printed off. I asked her about the problem of printing the whole blog off, and she told me that when she finds a recipe she wants a hard copy of, she opens up her Microsoft Word. She then highlights and copies just the recipe that she wants, pastes it into Word, and then prints it from there. Why didn't I think of that! You may have figured that out a long time ago, but as I hadn't, I thought it was worth mentioning.
And there you have it! A few suggestions for recipes to re-visit this summer. There may be others on the blog that would be great for summer, but this is a selection of some of my favourites. I cannot emphasize enough - try the tartar sauce!
