Chunky San Marzano Tomato Gazpacho Soup

It was time for my annual gazpacho making which I bring to my co-worker every summer.  This time, I was going to use some of it to poach some cod in too.  I love the taste of San Marzano tomatoes and it struck me to use them as the liquid part of the gazpacho this time.  I bought a signature medley of gourmet cherry tomatoes I would use for the texture.  Different from all the other times I've made it, I was going to blend most of it and then add some small diced veggies in for the texture.  I nibbled all the veggies below and everything was great quality and fresh in taste.

Grilled Cedar Plank Steelhead Trout

I have never used cedar planks and was so excited when I saw them at Costco.  I quickly scooped them up.  The packaging said they could be recycled with yard trimmings too.  It said to soak them for a half hour, but I did it for two hours in cold water, just to be sure.  A co-worker was telling a funny story of how they didn't know to soak them and were surprised when a massive fire broke out on the BBQ.  😲

Chili Cheese Dog Sliders

I will admit, one of my guilty pleasures is hot dogs.  I'm glad to see I can buy nitrate free wieners without antibiotics and preservatives now.  I feel slightly better about eating them.  This was a quick easy Friday night dinner made with my favorite potato buns. (I don't like to cook on Fridays very often).

New Potato Salad with Shallots, Parsley and Vinaigrette

I got this one from chef Jamie Oliver.  I love it when the little nugget potatoes come in season.  I always pick them up at the grocery store, once or twice or ten times until they disappear...

Pork Medallions with Marsala Pan Sauce

As my favorite daytime t.v. show (the only one I DVR'd) "The Chew" came to an end, I made one last recipe of Michael Symon's.  I loved the show and took it for granted after 7 years.  I never thought about it being cancelled.  It was my favorite thing to watch on a Saturday marathon and I was inspired by so many of their dishes.  I still have lots of recipes bookmarked, so I hope they don't come down from the web...

Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter

It's funny how recipes jump out and speak to me at times.  I saw this and for its simplicity, it was dinner tonight.  It was love at first sight and it was a handful of ingredients.  In the end though, I doctored it to my liking.  I added some garlic, chili flakes and fresh basil.  I used:

Frijoles Charros (Mexican Cowboy Beans)

I saw this and I immediately wanted to make it, so it became dinner tonight.  I've been craving "pork and beans" but wanted to make it homemade.

Grilled Jerk Chicken

I was inspired to make some Jerk chicken on the grill when I came across this recipe.  I've never been to Jamaica, but remember it fondly when visiting Turks And Caicos Island.  It's pictured below.

Kentucky Hot Brown

I LOVE 💗this sandwich.  I've even had it in Kentucky but not where it originated at the Brown hotel in 1926.  I also had it at one of Chef Bobby Flay's restaurants in NYC, which is now closed.  It was soooo good.  Comfort hangover food is how I'd describe it.  I don't have a picture of Bobby Flay's but I do have two.  The first one below is at a winery in Ohio.  We sat overlooking the Ohio river which is in Kentucky.

French Canadian Split Pea Soup

For some reason, this soup reminds me of being a very young child.  I must have ate it back then but I don't remember any details.  I don't even remember it in a favorable way.  I don't think it was at home.  Maybe church or something?  Maybe someone fed me Habitant soup from a can?  I always make green split pea soup but today, this popped into my head and  I went out to buy the yellow peas.