Asharae – Page 11

Summer Supper Collaboration

August 28, 2015 by Asharae 4 Comments

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to collaborate with three fabulous local bloggers (Susannah at Feast + West, Katie at Twin Stripe, and Julia at Tag & Tibby) on a fun summer suppers project. We chatted and brainstormed for several weeks to create a menu full of in-season fruits and veggies, gather decor to accomplish our vision, and create a vibe that would be perfect for an end-of-summer celebration.

It was so fun to work with these three talented women, each of them bringing their own vision and creativity to our collaboration. And a huge thank you to Susannah’s aunt and uncle for letting us play in their gorgeous backyard! Enjoy this little sneak peek at our summer supper collaboration and be sure to check out the menu I hand lettered below for a list of the recipes that will be hitting our blogs next week! Follow along here and with Feast + West, Twin Stripe, and Tag & Tibby for more photos, DIYs, and recipes over the following week!

Appetizer

Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Bites // Twin Stripe

Entree

Bader Hill Farm Citrus Herb Roasted Chicken

Sides

Cathead Biscuits // Feast + West

Grilled Mexican Corn // Feast + West

Mojito Melon Salad // This Wild Season

Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad // Tag & Tibby

Drinks

Honey Lavender Gin + Tonics // Twin Stripe

Watermelon Orange Margarita Punch // Feast + West

Dessert

Oatmeal Peach Crisp // Tag & Tibby

Mango Salsa

August 26, 2015 by Asharae Leave a Comment

You guys. Where did summer go? Somehow we’re here, at the end of August, and my Facebook feed is filled with photos of kids going off to their first day of school. I was shocked a few weeks ago when we were walking around Target and found that the whole back corner of the store was filled with school supplies. Between our traveling and shooting weddings every weekend this summer, the months have slipped past me and I barely noticed. If I woke up tomorrow and someone told me it was still April, I would honestly believe them.

We’re traveling in and around Chicago the next couple weeks and the chill in the air here is much more noticeable than it was back in North Carolina. There’s a distinct fall-ish feel which I really do love. That doesn’t mean that I’m ready to relinquish summer foods though. This recipe for mango salsa is one of our favorites to make in the summertime! It’s actually a recipe that my husband Tim created when we lived in Seattle several years ago. It was the perfect colorful dish to combat the dreary summer we had while we lived there.

This salsa goes great with chips, fish tacos, on top of a quesadilla, or even over grilled chicken. Try adding more jalapeño to give it more of a kick, and feel free to adjust the lime, sweet chili sauce, and cilantro to taste.

Mango Salsa

Tim Kroll

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Ingredients

1 large ripe mango pitted, peel removed, diced
2 roma tomatoes diced
1/4 c red onion diced
1 small jalapeño seeds removed (optional), diced
1 Tbs sweet chili sauce
1/2 tsp salt
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 Tbs fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, let rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Enjoy with chips, on fish tacos, or over a quesadilla!

Simple Beef Tacos

July 28, 2015 by Asharae Leave a Comment

Earlier this summer I decided it was time to remove the word “busy” from my vocabulary. Answering the question “How’s life?” with the answer “Busy!” had become too routine and I didn’t like it.

It’s easy to see “busy” as a badge of honor – as if the busier we are, the more important, well-liked, and respected we must be. Goodness is that far from the truth. Busy makes me want to shrink back under the covers and hide from all the things. Busy makes me short of breath with all the ways I feel I’m failing. Busy is often a distraction from digging into the good stuff of life – it keeps us always on the go, never settling in to slow down and soak up the little moments.

Sometimes busy isn’t really a choice though, and sometimes we have to endure a season of busy before we can move on to the next thing. For us this is a season of busy but I’m choosing to call it something different. Instead of busy, I’ve decided that full is a more fitting word to describe where we are right now. It doesn’t carry with it the frenetic feeling of overwhelm. Instead, full gives an accurate description without having that prideful “badge of honor” quality that the word “busy” can give off.

Life has been so very full lately you guys. Full in every sense of the word.

In the midst of this life-feeling-full-ness, I had to sit down and write this post for you guys. I’ve had the photos ready for weeks now, and the recipe is really the perfect one for a post about life feeling full. It’s super simple and great for a quick and delicious week night dinner, when you just can’t muster making an extravagant meal. You can even pat yourself on the back for taking one extra step to your taco-making by mixing the spices yourself. No need to buy a pre-made packet of who-knows-what to mix into your ground beef for tacos anymore. Enjoy!

Simple Beef Tacos

Asharae Kroll

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Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Servings 4

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1/3 c water
1/4 tsp cornstarch optional
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
Dash of onion powder
Dash of paprika
Dash of cayenne more to add more heat

Instructions

Brown the ground beef over medium heat. (Optional - whisk the corn starch into the water) Combine all spices in a small bowl while the meat is browning.
Drain the ground beef, place it back in the pan, add water mixture and all spices to the pan.
Simmer over medium low for a few more minutes, until most of the water has evaporated and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Serve in tortillas with your favorite taco toppings!

How To: Store Cilantro

June 9, 2015 by Asharae 2 Comments

Summer salsa season is just around the corner! I can’t even tell you how excited I am to have fresh tomatoes, jalapeños, and tomatillos from our garden again. I really thought spring was my favorite season, but tomato season just might rival it.

If you’re planning on making pico de gallo or guacamole or anything else with cilantro in it this summer, you should know the best way to store this delicious herb. If you’re skilled enough to grow cilantro in your own garden, well…tell me your secrets! I’ve tried growing it in containers with absolutely no success and this year in our raised bed garden with very little success – I haven’t figured it out yet.

If you can grow cilantro, you’re lucky enough to be able to pick a few sprigs as you need. If you purchase your cilantro from the grocery store on the other hand, you’ve probably tried placing that mass of leafy greens into your vegetable drawer only to discover them getting yucky a few days later. There’s a better way to store those pretty green leaves!

As soon as you get home from the grocery store, remove your cilantro from the produce bag, remove any wilted leaves (you can use them in your compost), use a pair of scissors or a sharp knife to cut an inch or so off all the stems, and place them in a glass or jar of fresh water. Keep the jar on a shelf in your fridge. If you change the water every other day or so, it’ll last even longer!