Author Archives: Kate Harvey

About Kate Harvey

Kate Harvey is a writer, classical pianist, and young wife who lives with her Army helicopter pilot husband in Southern Alabama, where they are currently stationed. She graduated in December 2009 from the University of Notre Dame with degrees in American Studies and Piano Performance. In May 2012, Kate received her Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from Purchase College in New York. She is the co-author (along with her father and photographer brother) of a cookbook entitled Finger Lakes Feast, which was published in November 2012 by McBooks Press. Kate recently began a writing blog called Something Ivory where she blogs about married life, food and cooking, modern womanhood, music, thrifting and antiques, and faith. She can be reached at kate.z.harvey@gmail.com.

Chicken

Chicken Tacos

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These chicken tacos fall into the healthy, quick and easy category which makes them an ideal weeknight dinner. My husband and I love them for many reasons. Using tender shredded chicken thighs instead of ground beef as the base is not only more nutritious, but we think they make for a more interesting, chunkier taco. 

 

We pile on fresh cold veggies, with varying textures and levels of crunch, so they’re light and refreshing for hot summer nights.  I like to make the chicken in advance and store the shredded thighs in the fridge so that all I have to do at dinnertime is warm the tortillas and chop the vegetables. 

 

Tacos are also highly customizable (everyone makes their own!) so they are a good choice for guests or picky little eaters. 

 

I’ve listed some ideas for toppings, but really, anything goes! In the past I’ve thrown on some leftover cooked kale, squeezed a little lemon juice on top, and added a few torn basil leaves. Just don’t skimp on the vegetables, they truly are the best part.

 

Chicken Tacos

 

For the chicken:

1 package chicken thighs

1 onion

1 bay leaf

3-5 cloves garlic, slightly crushed with the flat part of your knife

1 tablespoon cumin

Salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Rinse the chicken and put it in a medium-sized pot, along with the rest of the ingredients.  Add enough water to cover all of the chicken. You can add more or less of each of these ingredients, or simply simmer the chicken in salted water–the aromatics and spices lend a subtle flavor to the chicken. Bring to a low boil, cover partially, and cook for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender and falling apart. Let cool and then shred with your fingers or a fork, discarding any excess fat.

 

For the tacos, heat up several tortillas (corn, flour, spinach–whatever you like!) wrapped in tin foil in a 350-degree oven.

 

You can use any kind of taco toppings you like, but here are some of our favorites:

Sour cream

Salsa

Cheese (feta, shredded cheddar or Monterey jack)

Sliced green, red, yellow, or orange bell peppers

Pickled jalapeno and banana peppers

Shredded red cabbage

Diced tomatoes

Mashed avocado

Diced cucumbers

Fresh spinach or arugula

 

 

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lamb 2

Spring Lamb with White Beans

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This dish, to me, is an ideal marriage of rustic and elegant. Rustic, because of the earthiness of the lamb and the rosemary, and the savory richness of the juices that infuse the beans. Elegant because of the perfect balance in flavors, the softness and delicacy of the tiny white cannellinis. I can imagine this roast in the homes of ancient Greek peasants, just as I can imagine it at the banquets and feasts of their rulers. Deliciously simple, yet somehow exquisite.

I always think of lamb as a spring dish–perfect for Easter (which I’m just a tad late for), or Mother’s Day, or a special graduation dinner. And this preparation in particular is wonderful for this time of year. The white beans bring a lightness and freshness to the roast, a burst of white against the red meat, and in fact, sometimes I’m convinced they even steal the show. As they cook in the juices of the lamb, the beans develop the most lovely taste and the creamiest texture. Lamb can be a little rich (though I recently learned that it’s actually quite healthy) and the beans provide a refreshing balance.

I would typically serve this with a bright green side, like spring asparagus or a colorful green salad. 

 

Roast:

1 leg of lamb, 6-8 pounds

Juice of 1 lemon

2 Tbs. fresh rosemary 

1/2 Tbs. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into slivers

 

Seasoned Beans:

5 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 small onion, chopped

1 Tbs. fresh rosemary

1/2 Tbs. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

 

Trim some of the excess fat from the leg of lamb and let the meat sit at room temperature for a half hour. Then sprinkle all over with lemon juice and rub it with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Cut small gashes into the roast with a sharp pointed knife and insert numerous slivers of garlic. Place roast in a large pan or dutch oven and cook at 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix the beans with the garlic, onion, rosemary, salt, and pepper. At about the 90-minute mark of the roasting, pour the seasoned beans right into the pan all around the roast. Stir in with the lamb juices and return to oven for an additional half-hour of cooking. 

The dish will be done after a total of about two hours of roasting. The internal temperature will register 135 degrees for rare meat, 145 for medium-rare, and 160 for medium-well (be careful not to overcook the lamb). Serves 8-10. 

 

Recipe is from my family’s cookbook Finger Lakes Feast. Originally adapted from A Continual Feast cookbook.

 

 

This refreshing salad was inspired by our favorite local German restaurant. We recently went there for lunch and I was craving something fresh to go along with my schnitzel sandwich. I’d never had their cucumber salad, so I tried it, and it was quite tasty!

But when we were done eating, I leaned into my husband and whispered with a mischievous smile, “I bet I could make it better.” I didn’t say this to brag, or because the German restaurant’s version wasn’t yummy, because it was. I only said it because I happen to believe that homemade food is almost always better than the food we eat in restaurants (other than, perhaps, the really great ones). I also said it because I wanted to have that cucumber salad again, adjusted just slightly to my own taste buds, and so I put myself up for a bit of a fun challenge.

I don’t know exactly what the German restaurant uses in their recipe–apparently it’s a secret!–but I knew I wanted to use yogurt as my creamy base (cucumber and yogurt are a classic duo) and a light vinegar to give the cucumbers some brightness and tang. A touch of sugar takes away the pucker and the dill lends an earthiness to the fresh, mild taste of the cucumbers. This is a beautiful salad to serve as we head into the warmer months, and it would go perfectly with anything from Indian curry to summer barbecue.  

1 cucumber, sliced as thinly as possible

2 Tb. fresh dill, chopped

2 Tb. champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar, or any light vinegar)

3 Tb. plain, whole milk yogurt

2 ½ tsp. sugar

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Combine the cucumber and dill in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the champagne vinegar, yogurt, and sugar. Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and lightly stir. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. You can serve this immediately, or let it marinate in the fridge for several hours or overnight.  Garnish with more fresh dill and freshly ground pepper (optional).

Serves 4 people as a side dish.