Looking for a healthy appetizer to make for girls night? I am usually that person who brings the rich, creamy spinach and artichoke dip with French baguette or homemade soft pretzels with homemade nacho chees sauce or hand dipped mini corndogs and hand cut French fries. So, in an effort to eat a little lighter and get a little lighter, I introduce to you, baked falafel! Loaded with garbanzo beans, fresh herbs, onion and garlic, this is a Friday night favorite you can feel good about eating!
Remember last week when I shared that yummy Pork Carnitas recipe? Well somehow I ended up with leftovers (I have no idea how!?!?!?) and some extra poblano peppers. So naturally my mind went straight to my meal prep for Sunday. These taquitos are loaded with flavor and pack a bite so crisp you’d swear they were fried, but they’re not! They’re baked!
I’m going to keep this short and sweet because it’s Saturday and I want to spend it outside with my family and not inside on my laptop. But I really want to share this recipe with you because it’d be perfect for Sunday morning breakfast.
I’m going to share some intimate details about myself in this post. I’ve never really liked raw tomatoes. I will eat almost anything, but when it comes to tomatoes they just aren’t my jam unless they are cooked. If they’re pureed and simmered in a creamy tomato soup or cooked up in a tangy marinara sauce, I’m game. If you’re putting a big ol’ slice of raw tomato on my cold turkey sandwich you can guarantee I’ll be picking that baby off and throwing it away. I have been known to enjoy a tomato now and then on a grinder from Mancino’s, but only because it’s a hot sandwich and the tomatoes are basically overpowered by all the horseradish and jalapenos and Cajun seasoning I like on my Flavor Train.
Try as I might, I am not a morning person. I never have been. I’m definitely not a night owl either. I’m more of a “needs 9 hours of sleep to function properly or I’ll be super grumpy” kind of person. When I was younger my parents used to call me Margaret whenever I was tired and grumpy. Or hungry and grumpy. Looking back on it now, I realize it was their polite way of telling me to quit being a grouch. I shared this fond memory with my husband years ago and he has carried on the tradition of calling me Margaret since he takes the brunt of her grumpiness. Lucky him…
So I’m going to get really real with you guys. I failed at gardening this year. My husband and I got this super cute little plot in our community garden and envisioned ourselves bringing home bounties of fresh vegetables each weekend. We figured we’d have tomatoes coming out our ears and zucchini for months. We expected juicy, ripe summer strawberries, and boat loads of green beans. We planned to get to the garden once a week to weed and a couple times a week to water. Our hearts were in the right place, I swear.
On a seasonably warm Friday evening in June I had the pleasure of enjoying the first grass-fed beef grilling class and dinner out at Together Farms in Mondovi, Wisconsin. Located just 30 minutes south of Eau Claire, this beautiful farm is home to many happy hogs and piglets, as well as grass-fed cows and sheep along with a crew of quietly clucky chickens. Much to my delight, upon arrival we were greeted with a complimentary beverage – wine, beer, Wisco Pop or water – and the wagging tails of four furry doggos. True to form, I chose a nice chilled glass of Pinot Gris and tried to win over the copper colored weiner dog, Winnie.
Wine in hand, we wandered around the farm, followed by our furry friends, and checked things out while waiting for the other guests to arrive. We walked along the edge of the pond and admired the beautiful rolling hills that sometimes go unappreciated. We said hello to the chickens and visited the piggies in their large pen. The cows were in a pasture too far away to see since they move them frequently to graze in different areas, but if you stood still enough you could almost hear them mooing in the distance. We grabbed a seat around the fire pit, sipped our beverages and just took it all in. The sun was shining, there was a slight breeze keeping all of the gnats away and time seemed to slow down for a bit. I wasn’t checking my phone or thinking about all the errands I had to run. I was able to relax and enjoy the beauty of this Wisconsin family farm. Continue reading “Grass-fed Beef at Together Farms”
