Celebrating 2 Years on Hint of Thyme

Picture taken at Solea Mexican Restaurant - June 2012

Greeting readers! 

This month we are celebrating 2 years on Hint of Thyme.  I have learned so much about blogging and new cooking techniques in a short amount of time.  When I started Hint of Thyme in 2010, I really only planned to share it with friends and family.  It still amazes me that I have readers as far away as Australia and Hong Kong. 

It has been an awesome journey that I will gladly continue.  I had much to learn after moving away from my home town in Milwaukee and getting acquainted with my new home kitchen.  Jon has thoroughly enjoyed his position as the "unofficial taste tester" for Hint of Thyme.  It has been a joy for us to bring you restaurant and brewery reviews.

Let's look back at the first ever blog post.  This post is from my former life as a wheat eater.  Tomato and Basil Pizza Pasta was once my most favorite meal to make on a Friday night.  I recommend this dish to any young ladies that might be trying to impress a date or if you are looking for something more flavorful than "Hamburger Helper".  This dish can also be made with Gluten-Free pasta and sauce.

Here are a few popular posts and favorites on Hint of Thyme.

• Art in a Glass - Bloody Mary's:  A whimsical post about an American favorite.

• A Man Needs Meat and Potatoes:  I certainly did not expect this post to gain this level of popularity.  It has become a "pot-luck" favorite and often requested at gatherings.  It's amazing what you can create without a plan or recipe book.
  
  
• Gardening and Cooking - It's a Learning Process:  This post about a bad gardening experience received the most views EVER in only 1 week.  If you're looking for a good laugh at my total girly behavior and amateur gardening experience... this post is for you!

I hope that you will continue to visit and cook with me.  In the next coming months, I am hoping to dedicate more time to posting new Gluten-Free recipes and reviews.

Cheers to finding little moments of happiness through food, faith and friendship!

Thank you for making my first 2 years memorable.  Stay tuned for more recipes to follow.


Copyright 2012 Hint of Thyme.  All Rights Reserved.

Green Beans - Three Quick Fix Recipes

Green beans and tomatoes are very easy to find during the month of August.  Between the downtown Appleton farmers market and my neighbors garden, I seem to have an endless supply of green beans.  So how do you cook and eat the same thing without getting bored?  Dress it up with different ingredients.

If you're looking for something outside the steamed-green-bean-box... these recipes are perfect for you.  Here are three quick fix recipes that are guaranteed to capture your attention and please the taste buds. 

#1 - Fried Rosemary Green Beans

- 1/2 to 1 pound fresh green beans (cut in half or leave whole)

- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes (cut in half or leave whole)

- 1/2 cup sweet onion, roughly chopped

- 2 TBSP sesame oil

- 1/2 TBSP dried rosemary

- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

- Salt and pepper

Add the oil and onion to a skillet over medium-high heat.  When the onion becomes translucent, add the green beans, rosemary, salt and pepper.  The beans will appear bright green and have a little char on them - approximately 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and cheese at that time.  Serve and enjoy.

#2 - Steamed Mustard Beans

- 1/2 to 1 pound of fresh green beans

- Salt and pepper

- 1 TBSP yellow mustard

- 1 TBSP plain mayonnaise

- 1/2 TBSP honey

Place the green beans in a steamer over water on medium heat.  Once the beans become bright green in color... shock them in ice water to cool and keep the color.  In a separate bowl, combine the mustard, mayo and honey.  If you make more than half pound of beans, adjust the sauce accordingly.  When the beans have cooled, combine with the mustard sauce.  Add salt and pepper.  This is great for a simple summer side dish!  Serve chilled or at room temperature.

#3 - Mediterranean Green Beans

- 1 pound fresh green beans

- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes

- 1 1/2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil

- 1 TBSP red wine vinegar

- 1 TBSP fresh basil, chopped

- 1 cup feta cheese

- Salt and pepper

Add the green beans and EVOO to a skillet over medium-high heat.  Season accordingly.  After 5 to 7 minutes... add the tomatoes.  Add the vinegar, feta and basil at the end.  Remove from heat and cover for 2 minutes.  Serve and enjoy.

We could all use a hint of more time!

Copyright 2011 Hint Of Thyme.  All rights reserved.

Wrap It Up With Fresh Summer Salsa

Have a lot of vegetables and no idea what to do with them?  The end of summer is notorious for this type of problem.  We had at least 5 green peppers and tomatoes in our refrigerator.  Our neighbors have a garden and frequently offer vegetables to share with us; which is very kind of them.

I had all these vegetable and no idea what to do with them.  After brain storming, I took 3 boneless chicken breasts and baked them at 425 for 40 minutes.  I sprinkled lemon pepper and salt over the chicken.  While they were baking, I took the liberty of getting other household chores done.  It was nice to be baking while also working on my every day tasks.  It allowed me the time I needed.

While I was washing dishes, an idea came to me! .... Chicken with Basil Salsa.

Bake time = 30 - 40 minutes (depending on size of chicken)

Prep time = 15 minutes

Chicken Ranch Wrap with Basil Salsa

- 2 or 3 large chicken breast

- 2 or 3 tomatoes, diced

- 1 or 2 green peppers, diced

- 1/4 cup sweet onion, diced

- 2 TBSP fresh basil, roughly chopped

- 1/2 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

- 1/2 TBSP lemon juice

- Salt and pepper

- 1/4 TBSP smoked paprika

- (Optional) Chipotle or Chili seasoning, only a couple sprinkles or depending on your personal spicy scale

Additional Items:

- Whole wheat tortillas

- Ranch salad dressing (what ever brand you prefer)

Place the chicken on a baking pan and bake 425 for 35 to 40 minutes - depending on the size of the chicken.  While the chicken is baking, dice and mix the vegetables together with EVOO and lemon juice in a separate bowl.  Add the seasoning.  Combine thoroughly.  Taste and add more seasoning as needed.

When the chicken is done baking, let it cool for 5 or 10 minutes.  Dice the chicken into bite size pieces or long, thin strips.  Add the chicken and salsa to the wrap.  Drizzle with ranch dressing (which is also optional).  Fold in both ends, tuck and roll the wrap closed.  Cut in half and serve.

An easy side dish:

Rinse and cut fresh green beans.  Add sesame oil to a skillet over medium-high heat.  Saute the green beans with rosemary, salt and pepper.  The combination is outstanding.  You can also combine the green beans with some of your favorite vegetables; such as onions, mushrooms, or even peppers.

Left overs? 

No problem.  The next day I still had a ton of left over chicken meat and salsa, but no tortillas.  If you run into this problem... don't panic.  I boiled 2 1/2 cups of rotelle pasta.  After draining the pasta, I combined the left over chicken and salsa with the pasta, low-fat cheese, salt and pepper.  It was incredibly easy.  So this meal can actually provide a 2-night dinner!  What's not to love about that?

I hope you enjoy this dish for lunch or dinner!  Have a great week.

We could all use a hint of more time.

Copyright 2011 Hint of Thyme.  All rights reserved.

Appetizer Made Easy - Pinwheels

I have thought about making something like this for quite a while.  The opportunity finally arose to create a special appetizer when I had a bunch of my girl friends over for a jewelry party.  This recipe is great if you are in a rush and need something quick to throw together.

I debuted my very first "pinwheel" recipe over the weekend at the party.  There are many more pinwheel recipes to come.  Pizza dough is a blank canvas - you can put almost anything on a pizza crust and turn it into a work of art.

Give this a try along with your typical cheese and cracker plate.  The appetizer is meant to be light but packed with flavor.  It was a major hit with my ladies.


Prep time = 10 minutes
Cook time = 15 or 20 minutes

Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Pinwheels
- 1 cup sun dried tomato, diced
- 1/3 cup fresh basil
- 1 roll of thin crust pizza dough (not baked)
- 1 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Garlic salt
- Pepper

Spread the dough over a greased baking sheet.  Leave an inch open on each long side of the dough... this will help with rolling.  Spread the EVOO over the dough and season.  Apply the rest of the ingredients evenly to the the dough.  Roll tightly and seal both ends.  Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes.  Cut and serve.

Tip 1:  Freeze the dough first.  I completely lost track of time with this and did it the opposite way.  My suggestion is to freeze the pizza dough, build the the pinwheel and THEN cut it before baking.  It is difficult to cut dough that is not firm; which is why I cut it after baking.  It's up to you and your preference though.  Keep in mind that cutting before baking will decrease the cooking time to about 10 minutes.

Tip 2:  Look for sun-dried tomatoes in a jar of oil and use some of that oil on the dough instead.  The flavor will be even more bold. 

Wallet Alert:  Sun-dried tomatoes can be a little pricey.  An 8 oz. jar of these delicious treasures will run you about $4.99 depending on where you shop and where you live.  But you can also use this on sandwiches or in a pasta dish.  A little goes a long way.

I hope that your friends and guests enjoy this as much as mine did.  Keep reading... there is more where that came from!  Thanks for reading... have a fantastic week.


We could all use a hint of more time!
Copyright 2011 Hint of Thyme.  All rights reserved.