Mar 24, 2015
With beautiful weather in store for this week, I couldn’t resist pulling out the grill over the weekend! I’ve only made this recipe a few times (I’m still working on perfecting the “art of the artichoke”), but it gets tastier every time. And of course since the grill was already out, I HAD to make Brick Chicken for dinner on Sunday, right?
When I was in New York last May for the National Stationery Show, a friend and I tasted this appetizer and loved it. We asked the server what was in dip, and since then I’ve been trying to recreate it.
Grilled Artichokes with Lemon Creme Fraiche Dip
2 artichokes
1-2 Meyer lemons
8 oz. package of creme fraiche (you can also substitute plain Greek yogurt if you can’t find any)
chives, finely chopped
oil – extra virgin olive or vegetable oil
salt and pepper
First, clean the artichokes and cut off the top of each one with a knife.
Then using kitchen shears, trim the sharp, thorned tips of each leaf.
Cut one lemon in half (and have it at the ready). Next, cut the artichokes in half lengthwise and rub the inside flesh with the lemon to keep it from browning (which it will do quickly).
Use a spoon to scoop out the “hair” at the inside base.
Once they’re cleaned, steam the artichoke halves for approximately 15 minutes until tender.
While the artichokes are steaming, you can make the dipping sauce. In a small bowl, combine the creme fraiche and chopped chives. Stir in the zest from one lemon and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Add salt and pepper (and lemon juice) to taste. Then make yourself quit tasting until the artichokes are ready. 🙂
After the artichokes have steamed, fire up the grill. Brush the artichokes with oil (or use an olive oil sprayer to lightly coat them) and put them inside-down on the grill over low heat. Grill for 5-7 minutes and then turn over and grill for another 4-5. You just want a little char on the leaves (they’re already fully cooked from steaming).
Remove from the grill and serve with the dip. To eat, peel away each leaf (discarding the tiny or too crispy outer ones), dip the “plucked” side in the sauce, and use your teeth to scrape out the artichoke leaf goodness. This dish is a great as an appetizer or side at a cookout too – enjoy!
Mar 4, 2015
For my birthday this year, a few girlfriends and I took a trip to the US Virgin Islands (St.Thomas and St. John). It was a wonderful time to relax and getaway, which gets my creative juices flowing. It’s amazing how a little time “off” makes my To Do List longer once I return, but I love that feeling of refreshed inspiration!
For this trip, we stayed at my Aunt and Uncle’s Home (available on VRBO if you’re headed that way).
It’s hard to beat waking up with a view of the ocean. And it’s even better eating meals on the porch with an ocean view (the above photo is the view from the back deck).
Driving in the US Virgin Islands is – challenging to say the least– with all the curvy road and steep hills and sharp turns – so we were glad to have our trusty Jeep Carol along for the ride.
On our first morning in St.Thomas, we brunched at Gladys’s Café. It’s a charming little place known for their hot sauce, which you can have shipped home.
Then we enjoyed duty-free shopping (not really my thing but the other girls enjoyed it).
For two days of the trip, we took the car ferry over to enjoy the beaches of St. John. While we were gone, Lubbock was getting pummeled by a snow storm, so we made a “sand man” in honor of our friends at home.
Can you see how amazingly clear the water is? Heaven I tell you, Heaven.
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For our second day on the island of St. John, we visited Honeymoon Bay. It was a bit of a trek from the car to the actual beach (about a 10 minute hike), but when we arrived, our beach chairs and lockers were ready and waiting on us (totally recommend the pre-paid package, which also included the use of snorkeling gear and ocean kayaks).
I had never kayaked before, and calmly paddling through the crystal clear water, observing sea life below – I found my happy place.
I was so inspired by the colors I saw on this trip – the bright yellow of our Jeep, the deep fuschia of the Bougainvillea, the turquoise and sapphire blues of the ocean. Sometimes you can “see” colors in photos or on a color chart, but when you see them on a canvas that God painted, it’s SO much more impressive.
Check out these mailboxes – it was so interesting I had to pull over to get a photo!
And now for a dose of the inspiration: When we returned, I was working with a bride who was having a beach wedding. She had ordered something online but wasn’t happy with how they turned out (we hear this ALL the time), so she wanted to come up with a custom invitation design for her Big Day. The first thing that came to my mind was that gorgeous, tranquil water of St.John. So I proposed that we try an hombre effect using turquoise (the bride’s main wedding color). To further the beachy theme, I added a tiny starfish accent at the bottom. It was perfect, and she was thrilled with how the design turned out.
