We've had Breakfast for Dinner--How about Dinner for Lunch?

I don't know about you, but my family very rarely sits down to a hot lunch together. Usually we're at school or our jobs, or we're grabbing some yogurt and berries or leftovers from the 'fridge if we are home for lunch.

Today we turned our usual practices on their head and had grilled flank steak and a tomato and basil salad for lunch, with some fresh blackberries. We've been running around lately, and I knew that if I didn't cook this steak soon it wasn't going to be edible anymore, so I fired up the grill on this 93 degree day and marinated the steak in some lime juice, ground cumin, Dijon mustard, vegetable oil and salt and black pepper for about 15 minutes. Half an hour later, we sat down to juicy grilled steak and sides and bubbly lemonade for a summer time treat. Solomon's away at camp, but Celia and Andrew were tickled to have such a deluxe lunch for a change.

Once in a while it reminds us that we're alive and free to make new choices when we completely mix up our routines, especially in such a delicious way.

The Scramble Celebrates 5 Wonderful, Healthy Years

This week I am marking the 5th anniversary and 250th menu of The Scramble! Whether you're a recent or long time Scrambler, I am so glad to have you as part of the Scramble family and am thrilled to be able to share dinner recipes and food thoughts and ideas with you. If you have a birthday wish for The Scramble, or a suggestion to improve it in it's 6th year, please post it here.

Delicious Summer Salad

Corn and Barley Salad

Adapted from “Raising the Salad Bar” by Catherine Walthers (Lake Isle Press, 2007).

This is a simply delicious whole grain summer salad -- it would be perfect for a potluck or party, but also makes a wonderful side dish or light lunch. I might add 1/2 finely diced red pepper for color next time, but I haven’t tried that yet.

4 ears unshucked corn
1 cup cooked barley (cook it according to package directions)
1 large lime
1 – 2 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped chives
1/4 - 1/2 red bell pepper, minced (optional)

Shuck the corn and steam it until it is just cooked, about 3 – 4 minutes. (this can be done in advance). Let it cool, and cut the kernels off and transfer them to a medium serving bowl. Add the cooked barley.

In a small bowl, whisk together the zest and juice of the lime, the cumin, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste (optional). Pour the dressing over the corn and barley, and stir in the chives.

Make your own Mocha Frappucino

It's merely 85 degrees here, cool for a Washington, DC summer afternoon. Anyhow, I saw an ad for a blended coffee drink on our way home from running some errands and decided to save $7.00 and make them myself for Andrew and me. These are so refreshing!

Blended Iced Mocha

2 servings

This is a refreshing but guilt-free treat for grown-ups for a hot summer afternoon.

2 heaping cups of ice cubes
3 tsp. instant coffee, regular or decaf
3/4 cup nonfat or low fat milk
2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup, or more to taste
1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 packet splenda, equal or 1 tsp. sugar

Blend everything in a standing blender until smooth. Enjoy immediately!

Miraculous Macaroni and Cheese?

Here's the note I received today from subscriber Michele H.: "Hi Aviva! I know you value feedback so I just had to respond. I love mac n cheese and have tried many recipes - I was so excited to try this recipe I did it tonight. I have to say I am extremely disappointed - actually it was the worst ever. The cheese/milk curdled, the macaroni was cooked but it just was not good. Just want you to know."

Though it's been one of the most popular recipes I've run in the Scramble in the past year, a couple of subscribers report that they didn't like or had problems with the Miraculous Macaroni and Cheese. I can't explain how various home cooks can have such divergent results with a recipe, but if you've made this recipe and it turned out great or awful, please let me know!

Beets: An Underrated Vegetable

Call me crazy, but I love beets, with their ruby red color and sweet flavor. I've known that beets are nutritional powerhouses, with powerful nurtients and anti-oxidents, sometimes credited for the long and healthy lives of many Russian people. While I've been known to eat beets out of a can, I've enjoyed them most as part of salads, often combined with spinach, goat cheese and orange sections at some of my favorite restaurants.

I'd been intimidated about cooking them myself until recently, when I purchased some at the farmer's market and challenged myself to conquer my fears. Well, it couldn't be much easier to cook perfect beets myself, I've now learned. I created this salad to cut the sweetness of beets, and I now have a new favorite way to enjoy these root vegetables. I'd recommend serving these with a simple French omelet with salami and cheddar. Next, I'm going to figure out how to cook those lovely green and purple leaves that I cut off the beets.

French Beet Salad

Prep (10 minutes) + Cook (45 minutes)
6 servings

3 medium to large beets
2 tsp. grainy Dijon mustard
2 tsp. white wine vinegar

Scrub the beets, cut off the greens, leaving about 1 inch of stems, and steam them in about 1 inch of boiling water for 45 minutes, until they are fork tender. Drain the beets, rinse them in cold water, and peel the skins, using your fingers or a vegetable peeler. (Note: you can cook the beets up to 24 hours in advance.) Dice the beats and place them in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, combine the mustard and vinegar, and pour them over the beets, stirring thoroughly. Refrigerate the salad for at least 20 minutes and up to 48 hours. Serve it with a salami and cheddar omelet.

Happy Birthday to The Scramble--how should we celebrate?

The 5 year anniversary of The Scramble is coming up next month--it's hard to believe. This has now officially become the longest job I've ever held, and it's certainly the best (even better than selling salt water taffy on Stearn's Wharf in Santa Barbara and serving lunch on a leisure boat in Turkey!).

But here's the dilemma--how to celebrate? Should I run birthday wishes from longtime subscribers in the newsletter, dedicate an issue to recipes with 5 ingredients or my favorite recipes (and how would I choose?), or, as my friend and colleague Jeanne suggests, create a musical cooking video on You Tube? Let me know if you have any suggestions for how to celebrate 5 years of healthy, easy dinner menus. Thanks, as always, for your support!