Yes, Suzy's Goodies lives!  I wish I had some riveting story to explain my absence, but alas, nothing exciting.  No overseas trip, no all-encompassing work project, no kitchen remodel, no marathon LOTR viewings.

But now I'm back!  And with a simply delicious, simply gorgeous, perfect appetizer or light salad for summer.  Especially this summer, when it seems like every day gets more and more like a swamp.

Balsamic Watermelon Caprese
adapted from watermelon.org

1/4 cup olive oil
1 large sweet onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry vermouth
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into rounds
seedless watermelon, sliced into squares, 3"x3"x1/2"
fresh basil leaves

Put oil in heavy skillet and heat over medium high heat.  Add sliced onions and saute until golden.  Add the vermouth and sugar and reduce heat to medium.  Simmer, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Add the vinegar (keep your face away from the fumes!) and simmer until reduced, about another 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool.

Alternate slices of watermelon and cheese on serving plates (3 slices of each).  Top with a spoonful of the onions and drizzle with the balsamic juices.  Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve.

I know spring is (supposedly) finally here, which means light, fresh, "spring-y" meals are on the way.  Unfortunately, spring has taken so long to arrive this year, I have doubted that we would ever see warm days and green trees ever again.  So when I search books and the internet for new recipes, I still find myself drawn to hearty, rich dishes that simmer all day on the stove or in the oven...rich with braised meats and tender root vegetables.  Hence, this stew.  If you are actually experiencing spring wherever you are, feel free to save this recipe until the fall.  And also...you suck.

"Spring-Will-Never-Get-Here" Beef Stew

2 pounds beef chuck (stew meat), cut into cubes
canola oil
1 large onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
salt and pepper
12 ounces white and/or cremini mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed, and quartered
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups low sodium beef stock
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 sprig rosemary
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2" thick
2 stalks celery, sliced 1/2" thick
2 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and diced
cornstarch, as needed for thickening

Heat a few tablespoons canola oil in large, heavy pot.  In batches, brown beef until richly browned on all sides.  Remove beef to a plate as it browns.

Add onion and garlic to pot, season with salt and papper, and cook, stirring, until softened and starting to brown.  Add mushrooms and continue to cook until mushrooms have released their moisture and have started to brown.

Deglaze pan with red wine and scrape all of the yummy brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Cook until wine has reduced until nearly evaporated.

Add beef stock, tomato paste, bay leaf, rosemary, and Worcestershire sauce.  Bring to a boil, return beef to pan (along with any juices) and reduce heat to simmer.  Simmer, covered, over low heat, for 1 hour.

Add carrots, celery and potatoes to pot.  Cover and continue to simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until meat and vegetables are tender.  Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.  If too thin, dissolve some cornstarch in a small amount of water and add gradually until it reaches the desired thickness.

Serve with crusty bread and a glass of good wine.  Continue to wait for spring.  Let me know when it gets here. 

OK, I am officially sick of winter and ready for spring.  I know I am not alone on this, but this is notable because I generally love winter and prefer cold over hot.  This year, however, has been brutal.  Way too cold for way too long.  Snow, ice, wind.  Ugh.  I don't think I have ever longed for flowy skirts and sandals like I am now.

Since I can't make spring get here any sooner, I'll just keep making soup.  For poor JD's sake, I hope it warms up soon.  He doesn't really like soup, and that's all I've been in the mood to make lately.

Beef Barley Soup
adapted from Real Food Has Curves

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound sliced mushrooms
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup dry Madeira
1 1/2 pounds stew meat, cut into small pieces
1-2 pounds meaty beef ribs
3 cups beef broth
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup barley
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Worcestershire sauce

Heat butter in large pot over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until translucent.  Add mushrooms, carrots, and celery.  Stir and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms release their moisture.

Add Madeira to the pot and cook, stirring, until the liquid has been reduced and thickens to a glaze.

Add stew meat, ribs, beef and chicken broths, and barley.  Bring to a simmer.  Add thyme, sage, salt and pepper.

Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 3 hours.  Remove the beef ribs and scrape/cut the meat from the bones and return the meat to the pot.

Season with a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Woo-hoo!  I can cross off something from my Kitchen Bucket List!

I have never been able to make good home fries...until now.  Man, this subscription to Cook's Illustrated has been paying off in spades.  Worth every penny.

JD and his mom were loving these on Christmas morning.  The only complaint was that they disappeared so quickly.  Crispy, tender, sweet from the onions, and not at all greasy or mushy.  Perfection!

Diner-Style Home Fries
adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2" dice
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter

In large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat.  Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 8-10 minutes.  Remove onions from pan and set aside.

While onion is cooking, put diced potatoes in a saucepan and add water to cover by 1/2".  Add 1 teaspoon salt and place over high heat.  Remove from heat and drain once water begins to boil.

Heat butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Add potatoes and shake to spread them out in a single layer.  Cook, without stirring for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom.  Carefully turn potatoes and spread them out in a single layer again.  Continue in this manner until potatoes are golden brown on all sides and are tender.  This should take about 10-15 minutes.

Return the onions to the pan and add salt and pepper to taste.  Toss over heat for a few minutes, then serve.  Get ready to open your own greasy-spoon diner.

You always need something green on your holiday dinner menu...even if it is drenched with bacon, it still counts!

Braised Green Beans with Bacon
adapted from Emeril Lagasse

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup thinly sliced onion
2 pounds green beans, trimmed
1 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the bacon and cook until browned.  Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent.

Add the green beans to the pot.  Toss well with the bacon and onions.

Add chicken broth, increase heat to medium high, and bring to a boil.  Cover pot and cook for 6 minutes. 

Season to taste with salt and pepper, replace lid and cook for 1-2 minutes longer.  Remove from heat and serve.

A few years ago, JD and I took a cooking class with some friends where we learned to make a full Italian dinner.  The class was at the home of Maria Canora, a wonderful chef and an awesome teacher.  These onions were on the menu and they were a big hit.  This method makes them so sweet and tender, with a yummy syrupy glaze from the vinegar.

Caramelized Cipollini Onions with Balsamic Glaze
adapted from Maria Canora

3 pounds cipollini onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chicken broth
2 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Carefully peel the onions, leaving them whole and the root intact.  Heat oil and butter in large skillet over medium high heat.

Add onions to the pan in a single layer and cook for 5 minutes.  Add enough chicken broth to come up to a little less than halfway up the onions.

Cook until liquid is nearly evaporated, then turn the onions over.  Repeat with more broth as needed until the onions are tender and browned on both sides.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the balsamic vinegar (keep your face clear of the pan when you do this!) and cook until it forms a glaze.  Serve.

Fall is the perfect time for meals like this...slow-braised meat, soft onions, and warm, rich broth.  Makes the house smell delicious too!

Chicken Normandy
adapted from Simply Recipes

4 tablespoons butter
2 Fuji apples, cored, peeled and sliced into wedges
flour
8 chicken thighs
salt
1 onion, peeled, sliced in wedges lengthwise
1/2 brandy
2 cups apple cider
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup cream (I used milk)

Season chicken pieces with salt and let it at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Saute apple slices in 2 tablespoons butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat until they start to brown.  Remove apple slices to plate lined with paper towels to drain.  Sprinkle with salt.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to pan.  Dredge chicken pieces in flour, shake off excess.  Fry chicken on medium heat 3-5 minutes per side, until golden brown.  Remove and set aside.  Add onions to skillet; increase heat to medium-high.  Saute onions until just starting to brown.

Add brandy to the skillet.  Use wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.  Cook until reduced to about half.  Add apple cider and bring to a boil.  Stir in thyme and pinch of salt.

Place chicken pieces back in skillet on top of onions, skin side up.  Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Remove pan from oven (watch out for the hot handle!) and remove chicken; set aside on warm plate.  Add apples to skillet, return to stove on high heat, and boil until sauce is reduced by half.  Remove from heat and add cream (or milk) and stir.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve chicken with the apples and onions and top with sauce.

Want to get your guy (or kids) to eat their vegetables?  Throw them on the grill!  (the vegetables, not the guys/kids)  Here's how to make the most magical wonderful dinner on the grill...

Take your steaks out of the fridge and let them get to room temperature.

Before we go any further...a few words about steak.  I am a fan of flavor in my steak, so filets are not for me...way too bland.  To my mind, the absolute best cut is the ribeye, especially those that are "bone-in."  Lots of marbling = lots of flavor.  This is the most important thing I learned while living in Texas.  That and the importance of air conditioning.

Get a good hot fire going in your grill.  Shove the coals over to one side so you have a hot zone and a not-so-hot zone.  Now, get started on the veggies...

First, dice up some potatoes.

Next, get a big sheet of heavy-duty foil and spray with non-stick spray.  Dump the potatoes in the middle of the foil, pour a few tablespoons olive oil over the top, sprinkle on some Lawry's Seasoned Salt and toss together with your hands.

Fold up the foil into a packet...be sure to seal it up tight so the steam stays in.  Put the packet on the not-so-hot side of the grill.

Cut thick slices of onion.  Cut zucchini squash and yellow squash lengthwise into slices.  Clean up some mushrooms.  Brush all of the veggies with olive oil.

Start cooking the veggies...start with the onions, then the squash, then the mushrooms. 

Remove veggies from the grill as they cook.  Season with Lawry's.

Using tongs, give the packet of potatoes a shake every now and then so they don't burn.  You should hear them bubbling inside the foil.  Depending on how hot your grill is, they should take 20 to 30 minutes.

This is how they should look when they are done.

Once the veggies are all done, get to work on the steak.

Sprinkle both sides of the steaks with Lawry's.  Place on the hot side of the grill and sear both sides, 1-2 minutes per side.  Move the steaks to the cooler side, cover the grill, and let cook until your desired degree of doneness. 

I like mine rare to medium-rare, so these steaks (which were about 1" thick) cooked for about 5-6 minutes.  Let them rest for a few minutes before digging in.

Eat your veggies!  And some steak...mmmmmmmm

JD and I are supremely lucky to live in the coolest neighborhood on the planet. Who would have thought that a townhouse cul-de-sac could contain such fun people? We get together all the time...to watch Survivor/football/movies, and to celebrate birthdays, babies, Arbor Day, you name it. One constant with our group is food.  And lots of it. A recent trend at our gatherings is a focus on appetizers, so I've been trying some new recipes. I made these yesterday and they were a hit. Super simple and delish.

Caramelized Onion-Apple Bites
adapted from a recipe in Sunset magazine

3 tablespoons butter
1 pound onions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
3 ounces gruyere cheese, grated
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Melt butter in a skillet, add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt and saute over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the apples, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 minutes, or until onions a golden brown. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon pepper and salt to taste. Set aside and cool for at least 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375. Unroll puff pastry and cut into 16 squares, then cut the squares into 32 triangles. Place triangles on parchment lined baking sheet, not touching. Top each triangle with a spoonful of the onion-apple mixture, a sprinkle of cheese, and a bit of minced thyme.

Bake 15 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.