Recipe of the Month: Classic Potato Salad

Although fall is fast approaching, it’s still warm enough out to have a few last BBQ’s and cookouts. This month's recipe is a perfect side dish for an outdoor "farewell to summer" dinner- the Classic American Potato Salad.



I found this recipe a few months ago while searching my Better Homes and Garden’s Cook Book for something to bring to a casual dinner and it came out delicious!



First, you will need:

1 small mixing bowl
1 large mixing bowl
2 pounds small red potatoes
1¼ cups mayonnaise
tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup thinly sliced celery (about 2 stalks)
1/3 cup chopped onion (about 1 small onion)
½ cup chopped sweet or dill pickles
6 Hard-boiled Eggs, coarsely chopped
A few dashes of paprika (optional)

Got everything? Now, you:

Boil potatoes in a medium saucepan with a pinch of salt.
Simmer, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until fork tender but not mushy.
Drain well and cool slightly before cutting the potatoes into large cubes in your larger bowl. (I like to leave the skins on, but you may prefer peeling them)
In a separate smaller bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Stir in the celery, onion, and pickles to the dressing mixture.
Add the dressing to the potatoes and eggs in your large bowl, tossing lightly to coat.
Cover and chill for about 3 -6 hours.
If desired, sprinkle with a little paprika before serving.
Makes 12 side-dish servings



One of my favorite bridal shower gifts was the Better Homes and Gardens Bridal Edition Cook Book. If you are looking for a wedding or shower gift, this is a great one to consider. It has a ton of great tips, recipes and suggestions for the home cook.

Recipe of the Month: Pan-seared tuna with soy, ginger, and lime

Inspired by Tyler Florence and the great weather we had this weekend, David and I enjoyed a delicious dinner of Pan-Seared Tuna with soy, ginger, and lime.

(I love dining al fresco, but August is mosquito season, so if you are going to dine outdoors- remember to light a citronella candle or spray yourself with a little OFF ahead of time. It will make your meal that much more enjoyable.)



First, you will need:

1 small mixing bowl/ work bowl
1 handful of fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
½ jalapeno, sliced (or you can use about 10 dashes of Tabasco)
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Pinch sugar (or Splenda)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 (6-ounce) block sushi-quality tuna steaks
**you may also like this recipe with 1 ripe avocado, halved, peeled, pitted, and sliced**



Once you are ready to cook:

In a mixing bowl, combine the cilantro, jalapeno, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Stir the ingredients together until well incorporated.

Season the tuna generously with salt and pepper.

Place a grill-pan or skillet over medium-high heat and coat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

I like my tuna on the rare side, so I lay the tuna in the hot oil and sear for 1 minute on each side to form a slight crust. Feel free to cook for longer if you like a more well-done tuna steak.

Pour ½ of the cilantro mixture into the pan to coat the fish.

Serve the seared tuna and the remaining cilantro sauce drizzled over the whole plate (topped with the sliced avocado if you like).



A great way to end a light summer meal is with a cheese course for dessert. We accompanied ours with a delicious 1998 Château Doisy-Védrines Sauterne. Quite a yummy night!



This recipe is easy, light and fresh. I hope you give it a try this August!

Recipe of the Month: Old Ebbitt Grill Crab Cakes

Month two for ROTM and I'm posting another summer favorite.



Old Ebbitt is a DC institution, and while this is about 99% their recipe, we have made it at home a few times and tweaked it a bit for our tastes. These are authentic Maryland style crab cakes -all lump meat with almost no filler added and tastes incredible! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.



First, you will need:

1 large work bowl
1 small/ medium work bowl
a baking sheet
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons crab boil seasoning (such as Old Bay)
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon water
4 Saltine or Ritz crackers (or ¼ cup of breadcrumbs)
1 lemon (optional)

Got everything? Now, you:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet

Pick the crabmeat over to remove excess shells and cartilage.

Combine the mayonnaise, crab seasoning, parsley, mustard, and water in the medium bowl and mix until smooth. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the crabmeat and mix, being careful not to break up the lumps of crabmeat.

With your hands, break up the saltines into crumbs and mix into the crab mixture.

Form into patties and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, then turn the crab cakes over, and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until nicely browned.

Plate and garnish with any extra fresh flat leaf parsley and lemon wedge, serve with tarter sauce on the side. Enjoy!



We usually get our crab and fresh seafood and fish from Cameron’s Seafood Market in Rockville. They have lots of locations in the DC area, and have daily and weekly specials available online.

Recipe of the Month: Spicy Cole Slaw

I've started a new feature, the recipe of the month. I know what you are thinking, "Every Month? Let's see if she keeps this up" I really hope to- guess only time will tell.

If you have a favorite that you'd like me to post, send me an e-mail. In any case, I hope you enjoy making (and eating!) these as much as David and I do.....



Springtime brings some of my favorite things… fresh flowers, baseball games, an evening glass of Sauvignon Blanc and David’s spicy coleslaw. Here is the recipe…

First, you will need:

1 head green cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, grated
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 green onions, chopped
2 chiles, sliced
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup creole or whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
Pinch sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Several dashes hot sauce (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Got everything? Now, you:

Combine the cabbage, carrot, red onion, green onions, and chiles in a large bowl.

In another bowl, mix the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar; stirring to incorporate.

Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss gently to mix. Season the cole slaw with celery seed, hot sauce, salt, and pepper to taste.

Chill for 2 hours in refrigerator before serving.

Yummy Pan-Seared Tuna Recipe

We went to a fun dinner last evening- the theme was Pinot Noir and Tuna. David made an amazing Pan-Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy, Ginger, and Lime.

He got such great reviews, I've decided to post the recipe here:

You will need:
2 big handfuls fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1/2 jalapeno, sliced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, grated
2 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Pinch sugar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 (6-ounce) block sushi-quality tuna
1 ripe avocado, halved, peeled, pitted, and sliced

Then:
In a mixing bowl, combine the cilantro, jalapeno, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir the ingredients together until well incorporated.

Place a skillet over medium-high heat and coat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the tuna generously with salt and pepper. Lay the tuna in the hot oil and sear for 1 minute on each side to form a slight crust. Pour 1/2 of the cilantro mixture into the pan to coat the fish.

Serve the seared tuna with the sliced avocado and the remaining cilantro sauce drizzled over the whole plate.

Pinot fun fact: The name is derived from the french words for "pine" and "black" alluding to the varietals' tightly clustered dark purple pine cone shaped bunches of fruit.