Arianna Trading Company organic tomatoes: A "good news, bad news" story

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GOOD NEWS: Last week I got to see my friend George Menzelos of Arianna Trading Company. George has been importing the most beautiful single-estate organic olive oil from Greece for a few years now, and this year he's also bringing in organic tomatoes, currants, and a sesame herb salt. George left me samples of all his products to inspire my cooking and, we hoped, a blog post or two.

BAD NEWS: After George's visit, I got buried in work, both for a new client and for Not Ketchup. A few days after I saw George, I was stuck in my home office until after 10pm. I didn't even have time to make dinner for my family.

GOOD NEWS: My 15-year-old son Emery decided to make dinner. He cooked up penne pasta with a rich tomato meat sauce. Emery even brought a bowl down to the office for me.

GOOD NEWS: That was the most delicious bowl of pasta I've ever eaten - not only because my child made it for me (what mother could resist the charms of that?) but because the tomato sauce was sweet, thick, and intense.

BAD NEWS: A few hours later I realized that I might have heard Emery say something like "I decided to make pasta because you had all these tomato products." I went to the refrigerator. George's tomatoes were gone. And on the drying rack I found this:

BAD NEWS: I hadn't taken any pictures and we'd eaten all the pasta. Hard to write a blog post without pictures.

GOOD NEWS: I found some leftover sauce in the refrigerator, so I photographed that instead. It was so delicious that I ate it the next day straight from the plastic container with a spoon. Cold.

GOOD NEWS: See the line above about "the most delicious bowl of pasta I've ever eaten."

Arianna's organic strained tomatoes will be available very soon - and when they are, I suggest you run right out and get some (keep an eye on the Arianna website to find out where to buy them). Here's what George says about his organic strained tomatoes:

Our organic heirloom tomatoes are hand-picked ripe from the vine, then peeled, seeded, and strained by mechanical means in an allergan-free facility. These GMO-free "true breed" tomatoes have been cultivated by the Gousiaris family in the village of Ilias in central Greece for over 100 years. It takes 5 kilos of tomatoes to produce about 1 kilo of our strained tomatoes, which are pasteurized in the jar the old-fashioned way. They are tomatoes your grandmother would love.

CONCLUSION: Emery's pasta was indeed a happy accident. I'm thrilled that I'm no longer the only cook in the family, but clearly I need to get better about labeling the food in the refrigerator if I need to keep it for blogging!

Passover matzoh kugel with bananas and chocolate chips

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I can't seem to escape the combination of bananas and chocolate. Not even at Passover.

Then again - why would I want to?

Banana chocolate chip bread pudding is a favorite in our house. (By the way, there's a reason I named it Better Than Make-Up Sex Banana Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding. Because it is.)

The matzoh left over from last night's Passover seder got me thinking: Could I make a Passover dessert with bananas and chocolate chips?

Here you go. You can thank me later.

P.S. I made this version dairy, but if you wante a pareve dessert kugel to serve after your seder meal, substitute coconut milk or almond milk for the half-and-half.

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Banana Chocolate Chip Passover Matzoh Kugel

by Erika Kerekes April-15-2014

Just like our favorite banana chocolate chip bread pudding - but made with matzoh for Passover. This delicious Passover dessert will get you through a week without bread with no problem at all.

Ingredients

• 4 squares matzoh
• 4 cups half-and-half
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 ripe bananas
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• whipped cream (optional)

Instructions

In a large bowl, crush the matzoh into little pieces with your fingers. Warm the half-and-half in a measuring cup in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove until hot but not boiling. Pour over the matzoh pieces. Let sit 30 minutes.To the bowl, add the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add the bananas, either slicing them or crushing them with your fingers as you put them in the bowl. Pour in the chocolate chips and stir again.Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.Spray a medium-sized baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pour in the matzoh mixture and smooth the top. Let sit in the pan another 15 minutes.Bake the matzoh kugel for 45 minutes, until the edges and top are golden brown and the center is set. Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream if you like.

Details

Prep time: 35 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 1 hour 20 mins Yield: 8 servings

California Sunshine breakfast sandwich with pesto and peppers

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For many years I made my boys a hot breakfast every single day.

But as they've gotten older and I've gotten busier, I've left them to their own devices in the mornings more and more.

They're pretty self-sufficient on school days. Neither kid loves cereal, but between leftovers, toast, smoked salmon (the elder), Nutella (the younger), and the Keurig, they do pretty well.

One morning not long ago, I saw my older son rummaging dejectedly through the refrigerator and took pity on him. While he got his stuff together, I threw together a quick open-faced breakfast sandwich: a Stonefire Mediterranean Pocket Pita with pesto, a fried egg, and a quick saute of colored bell peppers. It tasted great and looked even better.

Every time I see this photo it reminds me of mornings in our Santa Monica kitchen: sunny, bright, warm, and cheerful, with a pure golden light that slants in through the southeast windows. Thus the name: California Sunshine Breakfast Sandwich. May it bring sunlight and warmth to all of your kitchens too.

Disclosure: Stonefire sent me their flatbreads to try. I have to tell you - they're fantastic. The pita bread is soft, pillowy, with just the right amount of chew, and it's not dry at all. We also enjoyed the naan and pizza crust, but the pita was the hands-down winner. Other than the free bread, for which my family was very grateful, I got no compensation for this post. We ate the samples faster than I could photograph them. Luckily, Stonefire pita is now available at my local Costco, and possibly at yours too. 

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California Sunshine Breakfast Sandwich

by Erika Kerekes April-9-2014

Pesto, a fried egg, and sauteed tri-color bell peppers top a soft pita bread for this delicious breakfast sandwich that looks like California sunshine.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup mixed color bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 pita bread round
• 1 Tablespoon basil pesto sauce
• 1 egg
• chives, for garnish
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

In a small nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers; cook until wilted and starting to brown around the edges, 3-4 minutes. Put the pepper mixture on a plate.While the peppers are cooking, put the pita in the toaster. Toast until warm and soft. Spread the pita with the pesto sauce.In the same skillet in which you cooked the peppers, crack the egg. Fry the egg until it is done to your liking.To assemble the sandwich, slide the fried egg onto the pita and top with the pepper mixture. Garnish with the chives and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 15 mins Yield: 1 sandwich

Blueberry Not Ketchup lamb chops

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Lamb chops take a bath in Blueberry White Pepper Not Ketchup
Photo: Karen Ard/ FarmToTableLA.com

How do you like your lamb chops? I always want a little sweetness with my lamb, but I've never understood mint jelly. It always makes me think of toothpaste - definitely not what I want with a nice meaty lamb chop.

Lately I've been pairing lamb chops with Blueberry White Pepper Not Ketchup. Lamb with blueberries may seem unexpected, but trust me: It's a winning combination. The Not Ketchup has plenty of tang (that's the apple cider vinegar, plus the natural acids in the blueberries), which cuts neatly through the fatty mouthfeel of the lamb. And the dusky warmth of the white pepper finishes each bite with a little assertive pinch.

You can use either lamb loin chops or lamb rib chops. Either way, the method is the same: Salt and pepper the meat, brown it on the stove in an ovenproof skillet, brush on a healthy layer of Blueberry White Pepper Not Ketchup, and stick it in the oven to finish cooking. It's a quick, elegant dinner your family and friends will learn to crave.

Learn more about Not Ketchup, my new line of gourmet fruit ketchups, and order online at http://www.notketchup.com. Thanks to fellow food blogger and pro photographer Karen Ard of FarmToTableLA.com for the amazing photos in this post.

Photo: Karen Ard/FarmToTableLA.com

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Blueberry Not Ketchup lamb chops

by Erika Kerekes March-20-2014

Seared lamb chops take a bath in tangy Blueberry White Pepper Not Ketchup, then finish cooking in a hot oven. A quick, easy and elegant main course for your next family meal or dinner party.

Ingredients

• 8 lamb loin or lamb rib chops
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon grapeseed or canola oil
• 1/2 cup Blueberry White Pepper Not Ketchup, plus more for serving
• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Heat a large ovenproof skillet over med-high heat until very hot. Season both sides of lamb chops generously with salt and pepper.Add the oil to the hot skillet and add the lamb chops, with space between. Brown without disturbing for 4 minutes. Turn and brown the other side for 4 more minutes.Remove the skillet from the heat. Using the back of a spoon or a pastry brush, liberally coat the chops with Blueberry White Pepper Not Ketchup. Place the skillet in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. The chops should be cooked through but still slightly pink inside. Note: Lamb rib chops will probably take less time depending on how thickly they're cut, so use your judgment.To serve, remove the chops to a serving plate, spoon a little more Blueberry White Pepper Not Ketchup over each chop, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: 4 servings

Sausage sauerkraut pancakes with Jimmy Dean Sausage Crumbles

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Jimmy Dean, and I am being compensated for creating this recipe. The sauerkraut obsession, however, is mine - for now. I'm warning you, the combination of sausage and sauerkraut may be contagious and highly addictive.

I am obsessed with making sauerkraut.

Do you know how easy it is to make homemade sauerkraut? Cabbage. Salt. Pressure. Time. That's it.

Whether homemade or store-bought, sauerkraut is good, and, many believe, good for you. Google "health benefits fermented foods" and you'll see a long list of articles suggesting that eating naturally fermented foods like pickles and sauerkraut help the digestive and immune systems. (Take a look at this method if you're interested in making your own, although store-bought works perfectly well in this recipe.)

When the nice people at Jimmy Dean asked if I'd be interested in trying their new Sausage Crumbles, my mind went immediately to the perfect combination: sausage and sauerkraut. The spices in the sausage play off the acidic tang of the fermented cabbage. (Think of sauerkraut on a hot dog or a grilled link sausage.)

I've always loved savory pancakes and was inspired by a picture of sauerkraut pancakes from Bon Appetit. I chose Jimmy Dean's Hearty Turkey Sausage Crumbles for this recipe, but you could easily use their other varieties: Hearty Original Sausage Crumbles or Hearty Hot & Spicy Sausage Crumbles. They're sold in the refrigerated section of major supermarkets and I found them extremely flavorful and easy to use - you get to skip the extra step of browning the meat, and there's no messy fat to drain.

Serve these sausage sauerkraut pancakes as a light lunch or dinner. I ate them for breakfast, but that's me. Oh, and that sauce drizzled on top? Cherry Chipotle Not Ketchup, one of my new fruit ketchups, of course. Not too sweet, a little spicy, lots of tang - it matched the flavors of the sausage and sauerkraut perfectly.

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Sausage Sauerkraut Pancakes

by Erika Kerekes March-18-2014

Savory pancakes studded with chunks of Jimmy Dean fully cooked Hearty Turkey Sausage Crumbles and loaded with tangy fermented sauerkraut. Making your own sauerkraut is easy, but store-bought sauerkraut works fine in this recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 cups sauerkraut, liquid drained, tightly packed before measuring (homemade or jarred)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose baking mix (I use Bisquick)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 bag Jimmy Dean Hearty Turkey Sausage Crumbles (9.6 ounces)
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 Tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil, for frying (use more as needed)
• Cherry Chipotle Not Ketchup, for serving

Instructions

Put the sauerkraut in a strainer and rinse with cold water. Let drain, then squeeze the sauerkraut to get out as much of the excess liquid as possible. To a large bowl, add the sauerkraut and eggs. Whisk lightly with a fork to break up the eggs. Add the baking mix and milk and mix again until everything is combined. Stir in the Jimmy Dean Hearty Turkey Sausage Crumbles, then season the mixture generously with freshly ground black pepper.Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon of oil, then spoon 4 pancakes into the skillet, using about 3 Tablespoons of batter for each pancake. Cook until golden brown, then turn the pancakes and cook until golden brown on the second side. Remove the cooked pancakes to a plate, or to a rack set over a sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining oil and pancake batter until all the pancakes are made.Serve warm with Cherry Chipotle Not Ketchup.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: about 16 4-inch pancakes

#spon: I'm required to disclose a relationship between our site and Jimmy Dean. This could include Jimmy Dean providing us with content, product, access or other forms of payment.