Roasted Tomato Sauce (for pizza)

Easy!

Can't wait to make some pizza and try it out.  I like the fact that you don't have to peel the tomatoes, thus saving time and labor as well as getting the nutritional benefit of the skins!

Source:  Adapted from Country Living Magazine, September 2011

2 1/2 lbs. plum tomatoes, quartered

1 yellow onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces

1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 t. coarse sea salt

1/4 t. crushed red pepper

1/4 c. chopped fresh basil

2 t. fresh oregano

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a 9x13" baking pan, toss together tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, oil, salt and crushed red pepper.  Roast for 1 hour.  Remove pan from oven and fold basil and oregano into vegetables.  Cook for 30 minutes more.  Cool slightly.

In a food processor, blend vegetables until pureed.  Use immediately, refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, or freeze or can.

Yields:  3 cups

Cantaloupe Smoothie

Does it get any easier or more healthful than this?!

Source:  marthastewart.com

1/2 c. plain yogurt

1 lb. (about 2 c.) chopped cantaloupe (from a 1 1/2 lb. cantaloupe)

Combine yogurt and cantaloupe in a blender; blend until smooth.  Chill in an airtight container, and use within one day.

Stuffed Zucchini with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

Source:  Everyday Food magazine, July/August 2011

2 medium zucchini

2 plum tomatoes, halved, seeded and diced small

1/4 t. chopped fresh oregano leaves

1/4 t. while vinegar

5 oz. fresh mozzarella, torn into 1" pieces

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Brush a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.  Halve zucchini lenghwise and scrape out seeds.  Place cut side up, on sheet and season with coarse sea salt and ground pepper.  In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, oregano and vinegar; season with salt and pepper.  Top zucchini with tomato mixture.  Bake until zucchini is tender, about 20 minuted.

Heat broiler with rack in top position.  Top zucchini with mozzarella.  Broil until cheese is brown and bubbling, 1-2 min.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Grains & Fruit Summer Salad

This salad is a bit unusual, but I couldn't resist trying it since it called for cantaloupe and yellow cherry tomatoes, both of which I had on hand, as well as plenty of basil.  I substituted red onion for the green onions.  I skipped the blueberries since fresh ones are no longer in season in our area.  The zucchini works nicely raw as long as it is cut into very, very thin slices or ribbons.

Source:  Better Homes & Gardens magazine, June 2011

1 c. lightly packed fresh basil

1/4 c. lemon juice

1/4 c. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

2 c. cooked grains (quinoa, wild rice, and/or brown rice)

1/2 c. sliced green onions

4 c. mixed salad greens (torn Bibb lettuce and/or spring mix)

2 c. blueberries

1 c. cantaloupe cubes

1 c. yellow cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small zucchini, cut lengthwise in narrow ribbons

1/2 c. walnut pieces, toasted

4 oz. smoked salmon, flaked (optional)

1/3 c. snipped or shredded fresh herbs (dill, basil and/or mint)

For basil dressing, in a blender or small food processor combine the 1 c. basil, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  Cover and blend or process until nearly smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed; set aside.

In a medium bowl stir together cooked grains and green onions.  Stir in about 2 T. of the basil dressing to coat.

For the salad, line a large bowl with greens.  Top greens with grains mixture, blueberries, cantaloupe, tomatoes, zucchini, walnuts, and salmon.  Drizzle with half the remaining basil dressing; toss gently.  Sprinkle with fresh herbs.  Pass remaining dressing. 

Makes 8 side-dish or 4 main-dish servings.

Peaches + Basil + Red Onion

I saved the very last peach from my neighbor's bounty for this lovely recipe.

Source:  Martha Stewart Living magazine, June 2011

3 peaches, sliced 1/2" thick

1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced

1/3 c. fresh basil, leaves torn if large

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 t. coarse salt

freshly ground pepper

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

Toss first 6 ingredients together.  Drizzle with olive oil.

Serves 4

Zucchini Mock Crabcakes

These freeze nicely.  I usually make a bunch when zucchini is plentiful, then freeze them individually for later use.

Source:  Chambersburg Brethren in Christ Church Cookbook

2 c. shredded zucchini

2 eggs, slightly beaten

3/4 c. dry bread crumbs

1 t. Old Bay seasoning (or less, to taste)

1/4 t. pepper

1 T. mayonnaise

oil

Mix ingredients well.  Form into cakes.  Heat oil in nonstick skillet; cook until light brown and set.

Bean, Red Onion, and Parsley Salad

This salad is so easy I had to read to recipe twice to believe it, and it's just as delicious.  It uses cannellini beans - I do believe I am in love with them!  They are the perfect bean for so many recipes - salads, soups, hummus - you name it.  Maybe it's because they make me dream of Italy.... To top it off, I found them dirt cheap at the food outlet I frequent.  I grabbed a bunch of cans, but now I'm wishing I had bought the entire shelf!

Source:  Everyday Food magazine, March 2010

2 cans (14.5 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 c. packed fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

4 t. red-wine vinegar

sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

In a bowl, combine above ingredients.

Serves 4

That's it!

Dublin Potato Salad

Made with freshly-dug Yukon Gold potatoes, green onions and a freshly-picked head of cabbage, it just doesn't get any better than this!!

Source:  Mother

2 T. vinegar

1 t. celery seed

1 t. mustard seed

3 medium-large potatoes

2 t. sugar

1/2 t. salt

2 c. finely shredded cabbage

1 12-oz. can corned beef, chilled and cubed*

1/4 c. finely chopped dill pickle

1/4 c. sliced green onion

1 c. mayonnaise

1/4 c. milk

1/2 t. salt

Combine vinegar, celery seed and mustard seed; set aside. Meanwhile, pare (optional) and cook potatoes in enough boiling, salted water to cover for 30-40 minutes until done. Drain and cube. While potato cubes are still warm, drizzle with vinegar mixture.  Sprinkle with sugar and the first 1/2 t. salt; chill thoroughly. Before serving, add cabbage, corned beef, pickle and onion. Combine mayonnaise, milk and the second 1/2 t. salt. Pour over corned beef mixture; toss lightly.

* Note - roasted chicken breast works nicely as a substitute for the corned beef. 

Mandarin Orange Salad

From: OPL Co-worker

This recipe is always a hit! The candied almonds add wonderful flavor and crunch; the dressing adds the final touch.  I especially like to use green leaf lettuce from the garden - the oranges are so pretty among the bright greens.

 green leaf lettuce
1 can Mandarin oranges, drained

Candied Almonds:
1 c. sliced almonds
4 T. brown sugar

Dressing:
½ c. oil
¼ c. vinegar
¼ c. sugar or agave nectar
1 t. salt

Candied Almonds:
 In medium skillet, stir almonds and sugar continuously over medium heat until brown and coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store extras in sealed container for later use.

Dressing:
 Mix oil, vinegar, sugar and salt in jar or salad dressing bottle; shake until blended.

Toss lettuce, oranges, and almonds. Just before serving, add dressing and toss.

Quinoa with Asparagus and Preserved Lemon Dressing

This recipe is way more effort than I normally undertake, but it seemed fitting for the final recipe of the 2011 asparagus season - #18!  Plus, I was intrigued by the preserved lemon dressing - had never heard of such a thing, so wanted to give it a try.  I'm not sure why I couldn't get the dressing to emulsify (maybe because I used the blender instead of the food processor as instructed??), but the flavor was delicious none the less.

Source:  adapted from marthastewart.com

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed, cut into 2" pieces

2 T. olive oil

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 c. quinoa, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 c. water

1/2 t. sea salt

1/2 c. toasted pine nuts

1/4 c. thinly sliced fresh basil

Preserved Lemon Dressing (see below)

Steam asparagus until crisp-tender, about 2-4 minutes.

Heat olive oil in saucepan.  Add onion and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes.  Add quinoa, water and salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until all water has evaporated, approximately 20 minutes.  Fluff with a fork.

Transfer quinoa to a serving platter.  Add asparagus and toss to combine.  Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with pine nuts and basil.  Garnish with chopped preserved lemons.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield:  6 servings

Preserved Lemon Dressing

1 lemon from Preserved Lemons (see below)

7-8 T. olive oil

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. ground coriander

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

Rinse lemon in water, drain and cut in half.  Removed seeds and flesh from half of the lemon and chop rind into little pieces; set aside.

Remove seeds from remaining lemon half and add to the bowl of a food processor along with olive oil, cumin, coriander, and pepper; process until pureed.  If dressing seems too thick, add water to reach desired consistency.  Stir in preserved rind.

Preserved Lemons

8 lemons plus more as needed

juice of 4 lemons plus more as needed

coarse sea salt

1/2 c. olive oil

Leaving one end in tact, cut lemons lengthwise into quarters.  Using your fingers, stuff about 2 T. salt inside each lemon, close them, and transfer to an 8-cup, sterilized, wide-mouth jar.

Measure lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup, add to jar along with half that amount of water, making sure liquid almost covers lemons.  Add more freshly squeezed lemon juice, if necessary.

Loosely cover jar and let stand, at room temperature, for 2 days, shaking the bottle each day.

If there is room, add more cut lemons with salt and add to jar, covering with more lemon juice, if necessary, and olive oil. 

To use lemons, rinse with water. Remove seeds and pith and discard.  Use peel as desired.



Warm Potato Salad with Goat Cheese

This is the perfect potato salad for goat cheese lovers!

Source:  Martha Stewart Living magazine, April 2010

2 lbs. red potatoes, scrubbed well and cut into 3/4" pieces

coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper

2 T. white-wine vinegar

1 t. Dijon mustard

3 T. extra-virgin olive oil

3 oz. crumbled goat cheese (1/2 c.)

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 small shallot, finely chopped

2 T. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Cover potatoes with water in a medium saucepan; season with salt, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 10-12 minutes.  Drain, reserving 1 T. cooking liquid.  Let potatoes cool for 5 minutes.

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, and reserved cooking liquid.  Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until emulsified.

Transfer potatoes to a bowl, and drizzle with vinaigrette.  Gently stir in goat cheese, celery, shallot, and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.

Roasted New Potatoes

Be prepared for heavenly smells....

Souce:  simplyrecipes.com

1 1/2 lb. new potatoes (red or yellow), cut in half or quarters

2 T. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 t. fresh rosemary

1/4 t. sea salt

pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Place potatoes in bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Add olive oil, rosemary and garlic.  Toss until potatoes are well coated.

Spread potatoes in a single layer on rimmed cookie sheet.  Roast for 40 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through and browned.  Serve immediately.

Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry

My fellow gardening neighbors were heading out of town for a few days, so they rang the door bell this morning and handed over some sugar peas from their garden that needed to be consumed.  I planted sugar SNAP peas this year, but no sugar peas, so this was quite the treat!  This recipe is perfect for spring veggies, including these baby carrots:

Actually, the carrots never got a chance to grow up since I needed to pull them to make space for the yellow squash plant that is starting to sprawl into the carrots' territory! 

Source:  Adapted from allrecipes.com

2 T. cornstarch

1 c. chicken stock

1 T. soy sauce

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into strips

5 c. cut-up vegetables (such as broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, celery, red or green peppers and green onions)

1/4 t. ground ginger

1 clove garlic, crushed

4 c. hot cooked brown rice

salt and pepper to taste

Mix cornstarch, chicken stock and soy sauce.

In a large non-stick skillet, stir-fry chicken in hot oil until browned.  Remove chicken.

Add vegetables, ginger and garlic powder and stir-fry until crisp-tender.

Stir stock mixture and add.  Cook and stir until mixture boils and thickens.  Return chicken to skillet and heat through.  Serve over rice.

Yield:  4 Servings

My Notes:

For the veggies, I used broccoli, baby carrots and green onions from my garden, some local mushrooms, and my neighbor's sugar peas - so very cool!  :)

For the chicken, I simply used a roasted chicken breast from the freezer.

And, the chicken stock was home canned.  :)

Crostini with Goat Cheese, Strawberries and Fresh Mint

This is fabulous too, not to mention absolutely beautiful!! 

adapted from eating-made-easy.com

thinly sliced baguette

goat cheese, at room temperature

fresh strawberries, sliced

fresh mint leaves

agave nectar or honey

Place baguette slices on a baking sheet, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes.  Let cool, then spread a little goat cheese on each slice, top with a few strawberry slices and place on a platter.  Drizzle with agave nectar or honey, then place a mint leaf on each crostini and serve.

Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta

This is fabulous!!

Be sure to plant some basil early in the season so you can enjoy it in this recipe. 

Source:  adapted from shutterbean.com

25-30 crostini (see below)

1 pt. strawberries, hulled and quartered or cut smaller, depending on size

8 oz. goat cheese

2 T. Chef Tim's Balsamic Vinaigrette*

5-6 basil leaves, sliced thin

sea salt

Place strawberries in a bowl with vinaigrette and let sit for 10 minutes.  Spread 1 T. goat cheese on each crostini, top with a few basil shreds, then place a spoonful of strawberries on top.  Sprinkle salt on top of each crostini and serve.

Crostini:

(Makes 20-25 small crostini, depending on how thin you cut the bread)

1 baguette, cut into 1/2" thick slices

2-3 T. extra-virgin olive oil

salt & pepper

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place bread slices on large rimmed baking sheet; brush both sides of slices with olive oil.  Season lightly with salt and pepper, then bake until pale golden, about 10-15 min. 

*Note:  Be sure to use Chef Tim's Balsamic Vinaigrette - it's the secret to the fabulous flavor!