My lazy post.

I haven't been trying out a lot of new recipes lately, so this is my lazy post ;-)
I have been making modifications to some of my usual recipes, nothing new and brilliant but very tasty.

For instance, kale salads are very delicious with peeled and chopped pineapple guavas in them.
This is the time of year that pineapple guavas are falling on the ground. Since most people use them for landscaping rather than the fruit, you can often find them for free in your neighborhood. I have seen them at the farmer's market and in natural food grocery store as well.

The other day I wanted to stuff my delicata winter squash, I looked up my recipe for stuffed winter squash, it calls for cooked rice, I didn't have any. I wasn't in the mood to saute onions either, so I made it with the carrots, cabbage, bread crumbs, herbs and some grated cheddar cheese, simple but sooo good. I'll be getting more winter squash at the farmer's market tomorrow !!

I made these chocolate chip bars for a recent trip and while they disappeared rapidly, when I went to make them again as a gift I added 1 cup of rolled oats to the recipe. The oats gave them a great flavor and texture boost.

We love soup at our house and I have made my own soup stock, in fact, I noticed that I had lots of seafood stock in my freezer. Mostly I have been making green soups and the seafood stock isn't a very good match for that kind of soup.

It was time to make a fishy soup and use that great homemade stock. I love bouillabaisse , I had some frozen sea bass and salmon but didn't want to be bothered with the shrimp and shellfish. So I made the broth and didn't strain it and added the fish cut in chunks. It was an ocean delight !! If you don't have your own stock, clam juice would be a good substitute.

Pineapple Guavas or Feijoas

Pineapple guavas are falling to the ground from our large bush out front. These hardy bushes are often used for landscaping but not everyone realizes that the fruit are very tasty. Some people  know them as feijoas. They are not a true guava but rather, Feijoa sellowiana.
You know they are ready when they fall to the ground and they give slightly when squeezed. They are high in vitamin C and have an exotic flavor, hard to describe.
You can find them in farmer's markets and some grocery store but if you walk around your neighborhood you may find someone like me who has a bush with plenty to share.
Even the flower petals are edible.

I think they are best eaten fresh. Cut them in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.

Some people make them into fruit desserts like crisps or add them to apple pies. Their flavor is very strong so start with a small amount. I have friends who scoop out the flesh freeze it and use it in their smoothies.
I have tried making jam, by itself pineapple guava jam has an unfortunate green color and texture ( think about the last bad cold you had), that is why I gave up on that idea. I have also tried drying them, not good.
I did have success adding a few chunks to some cranberry sauce one year and I still think they would be good in some sort of chutney. I plan to freeze some as slices to experiment with later.
Here is one simple idea that was a very big hit at a recent potluck.
Wash and slice one whole pineapple guava into a pitcher of water, add a few sprigs of whatever fresh tea herbs you have on hand. I used lemon verbena, lemongrass or mint would work well. Store in the fridge for a few hours before serving, it is so refreshing. You may have encountered the same idea with cucumbers.