Grilled Eggplant and Lentil Salad

Eggplant does not always have the most pleasing flavor, and let's just admit it, when it gets mushy it gets just plain gross.  I have been trying out different recipes this summer with our eggplants, even slicing it super thin and using it as layers in a lasagna.  The lasagna was ok, but the texture of the eggplant was so-so, and despite salting it some pieces still had a bitter taste.  So far eggplant parmesan is really the only way we really enjoy it, and I would still rather make zucchini parmesan. 

But OH.MY.GOODNESS char-grilled eggplant was amazing.  I grilled up some eggplant, zucchini, and portobello mushrooms and topped it with my regular staple lentil salad.  This idea was supremely better than putting it on top of spinach. 

So go ahead, try lentil salad on top of some grilled eggplant, and maybe even learn to like eggplant a bit more ;)

Fiesta Spread

Labor Day weekend was great, packed with lots of good people and music.  We had some friends over for a picnic/bbq Monday in between two shows with the hubs and his band.  I didn't really take any photos, but luckily the hubs took one with his phone before we ate. 

I wavered in what to serve mostly meat-eaters, and not knowing if my group would be 8 people or 15.  After thinking about a traditional bbq menu with fake hotdogs or grilled pizza, I settled on a quesadilla bar.  I bought a ton of cheese and tortillas (of which we are still eating leftovers), and served a plothera of fillings like beans, tomatoes, sour cream, mushrooms, and onions.  All in all it ended up working in my favor as we had an unexpected vegan in the mix yet the meat-eaters still seemed to enjoy it.  On the side I made a black bean sald, mexican rice, and friends brought chips and salsa. 

The black bean salad was heavy on the farm-veggies with tomatoes, onion, and peppers either from the farm or my garden.  I mixed black beans, tomatoes, corn, peppers, and red onion with salt, pepper, olive oil, cilantro, and a splash of red wine vinegar.  Nothing fancy to let the veggies take center stage. 

Party-goers assembled their quesadilla at the table on a plate, the plopped it on the grill which was on for two rounds of quesadilla making.  Overall this was a great party idea, and very veg friendly as everyone made their own quesadillas. 

What are your ideas for when vegetarians/vegans come for a meal?  Or vice versa, what are your ideas when picky or meat-eaters come to a meal?

When the husband's away...

 I will eat tomatoes, lots of them.  In a sort of continuation post, this is just a teaser of a few things I have been doing with my abundance of tomatoes.  When the hubs is gone I tend to not really want to cook (it is no fun with no one to share it with- plus, I cook too much food for one). 

So, aside from my tomato and boursin sandwich which was my dinner of choice last summer, I have had quite a few BL"T"'s, and made up a batch of bruschetta that I ate practically all by myself.  Hey, I used less oil and it is mostly veggies right (nevermind the crackers). 

We are fans of Morningstar Farms fake bacon, though to be honest we haven't really tried any other kind because that is what good ol' Trader Joe's carries. 

What are you making with your tomatoes?

First Canning Attempt

A few weekends ago I attempted to can tomatoes.  The farm let us pick as many tomatoes from the field as we could, so the hubs and I filled a grocery bag.  G gave me some large canning jars so I thought fresh packing tomatoes would be a great way to preserve them. 

My grandma gave me a Ball canning book last time she visited and I have only tried one jam recipe until now.  I had some pectin in the cupboard and a lot of blueberries and strawberries.  True to form for my learn by trial and error cooking- I discovered that jam has a lot of added sugar.  The recipe I found to use asked for 7 cups of sugar, and if I didn't want to sit and let the fruit reduce without pectin (I didn't- wanted to can in less than 2 hours), I would have to add that much sugar.  Another future option is low-sugar pectin, but boy was the pectin useful!  Last time I canned preserves it took me 45 minutes to cook down the fruit. 

The canning book is helpful, but I think supposes that you already know some key things, like the temperature preserves need to be to gel (not found anywhere in the book- thank goodness for google).  Canning tomatoes however has a two-page spread complete with drawings, and step by step directions that are pretty helpful. 

Basically, I put the jars and lids into the dishwasher and skinned the tomatoes.  Then I quartered them and packed them into a jar, topping it off with simmering water. 

Nothing about this was in the book though:

I did use used jars, but I did test them all and removed the ones with cracks- apparently I missed this one.  I came over and saw that the jar was floating, which depsite my canning novelty, I knew was wrong.  I grabbed the tongs and pushed it down, only to have it pop back up.  The next action was suprising, I pulled up the jar to investigate and all the tomatoes fell out into the pot!  This resulted in a slew of exclamations, mostly consisting of me repeating, "Oh no!  Oh no!" 

I scooped out the tomatoes into a bowl that later on became salsa, and let the rest of the jars just keep on cooking.  I think they turned out fine, though no one who has seen them has canned tomatoes before.  Anyone have thoughts as to the odd layering affect? Tips for future canning?

Aside from the busted jar and having to fish out the bottom from a pot of boiling water- it was relatively easy.  From start to finish it only took me about 2 1/2 hours, and boy was the dishwasher helpful!  And after getting the jars as a wonderful gift, the tomatoes as free surplus, a great cost-effective activity. 

Vital Wheat Gluten and Tomatoes

I am pretty sure I may have tomatoes coming out my ears.  I have been working it feels like non-stop to preserve the summer goodness that is tomatoes.  I do have to mix cherry tomatoes into something quite tasty though to get the hubs to eat them, and even then it isn't all that willingly.  

Israeli Couscous and Arugula Pesto with Tomatoes

Last night I made some cherry tomato marinara sauce, with a couple of tomatoes from my garden.  It took some work, but mostly only when I decided to drain out the sauce, leaving the skins and seeds behind.  Once I did that though, the sauce was alright, but a bit acidic still.  A good first attempt. 

I ventured into my first foray with vital wheat gluten last week, making a recipe from Veganomicon.  I made chickpea cutlets which just sounded like they were asking for a gravy like chicken friend steak.  I didn't have any dairy in the house though so I made carmelized onions with a touch of vinegar and maple syrup, so yummy, and paired it with a simply cucumber and carrot salad dressed with some red wine vinegar. 

Overall, they were really tasty and not very difficult.  I am attempting homemade seitan this week.  What is seitan?  Stay tuned and find out...



Leftover HodgePodge

What do you do with leftover red rice and beans, collard greens, butter tofu, jalapenos, and sweet potatoes? 

Try to make enchiladas!

At least that was what I did.  I am trying to be better about using up leftovers and remnants of food in my fridge (especially veggies).  This week, I had a TON of leftovers.  The sweet potatoes weren't quite ripe when I needed them to make fries so the super hard-middles got put into a tupperware with some water and into the fridge.  The collard greens only came in a 2 1/2 pound bag (of which the remaining uncooked 1 pound is still currently languishing in my bottom drawer).  And the butter chicken was too acidic for my tummy the night we had it (growing, annoying problem since I love tomatoes). 

Hopefully this post inspires you to make over your leftovers, highlighting keynote ingredients, and making a completely different dish out of them.  It is possible!  And saves money!  (this was made with leftovers and we got 3 meals out of this!) 

What do cajun style red rice and beans and butter tofu have in common?  Lots.  Cajun and indian cooking have many similar ingredients to mexican cooking: jalapenos, cumin, cilantro, onion to name a few.  So I got the weird idea to blend the tofu chicken mixture and adding what was needed by taste.  This ended up being a can of tomatoes with habaneros, jalapenos (ok- so this ended up too spicy for me, could have done without them), chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and cilantro.  I probably added things 3-4 times and tasted after every addition.  Key lesson learned from Top Chef: Taste your food.  Every time. 

Sauce accomplished.

On tastespotting I found a few black bean sweet potato enchilada recipes, so I boiled the sweet potatoes, mashed them, and added cumin, paprika, and black beans. 

Filling #1 accomplished. 

I also had leftover sauted leeks and collard greens (recipe here).  So again here, I added cumin and paprika.

Filling #2 accomplished. 

Last, but not least (and oddly my favorite), I added similar spices to my leftover red beans. 

Filling #3 accomplished. 

The night before (I spend a lot of time planning food, thus the night before making), I made homemade tortillas off Pioneer Woman (recipe here).  I stuffed the tortillas with a bit of cheese and the fillings (each seperate), topped with the sauce, and baked at 350 for 40 minutes (the fillings were cold and needed time to heat through). 

Voila!  It does not look pretty, but it tasted mighty nice with a cilantro sour cream. 

Homemade Salsa (in winter)

During the winter I sincerely miss the fresh salsa from the summer, especially with garden fresh, heirloom tomatoes. Excuse me while I drool. But storebought just doesn't come close.

Taking a que from the Pioneer Woman, I looked into my cabinet to make my own salsa. I made a much smaller batch, and mine is probably mostly different from hers, at least enough to call it my own recipe. I often look up recipes for a basic outline of ingredients and measurements, then go for it on my own. Only with cooking though, I tried that with baking and it just doesn't work very well.

Homemade Salsa

1 can fire roasted tomatoes

1 can rotel diced tomatoes with habaneros (the hubs likes it spicy- feel free to use one of their milder versions)

1/4 of a medium to small sized onion

1 small clove of garlic

4 cubes frozen cilantro (in frozen foods section at trader joes- wonderful!) or 2 T fresh, chopped

2 T lime juice

1 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1 t cumin

Dice up the onions and add to a blender, crushing the garlic into it as well. Drain the tomatoes of most of the juices, then add the tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients, blend until desired consistency. (I don't like chunky salsa, so this turns out great!)

Chili Verde

Once again, having way too many green tomatoes for comfort (and after not exactly loving the fried ones), I sought after an alternative for my green tomatoes. I thought about doing a salsa verde, and then moved on to the idea of a green chili. After scouring the cooking websites for a veg friendly green chili, I found there were none, at least none that I could find. So, I took what little cooking saavy I had, looked at a bunch of non-veg recipes, and created my own.

This recipe is a bit ad-hoc, which is really how I cook. Sometimes this leaves me in a lurch, but this time it turned out rather well. It was a shame there wasn't more leftovers though. I do however have additional salsa verde in the freezer to use.

**Note on the recipe**

* the salsa verde makes about 4 cups, use 2 and freeze the rest.

*I did not count/measure how many tomatoes I used as they were all different sizes and when they come from the farm, I have no weight measurement. I used a large baking sheet and simply filled it to the brims.

Chili Verde (printable recipe)

1 t oregano 1/2 t smoky paprika 1 t cumin 2 t garlic powder 16 oz veg broth 2 c salsa verde (see below) 1 can green chilies 2 T flour 2 T oil 4 quorn chicken breasts

4 T cilantro, chopped

2 T lime juice Cook quorn chicken breasts according to directions. Heat oil in a pan and add flour, making a roux. Slowly add vegetable broth. Then add spices, green chilies, and salsa verde, mixing in cilantro and lime juice right before serving . Shred chicken once cooked through and add to the chili. Top with sour cream if desired. Salsa Verde 1/2 vadalia onion 2 cloves garlic 2 poblanos 4 green peppers green tomatoes to fill pan (2-3 pounds)

2 T olive oil salt pepper place all ingredients on a large baking tray, toss with olive oil, and roast at 375 for 45 minutes. Blend together after letting cool slightly.

Early Fall Veggie Fritatta

I got this idea after having a wonderful dinner at a friend's house last weekend. It was phenomenal and I wanted to try it. I always put quiche on the menu and never quite get around to making one as I have always been disappointed in the texture of my quiche. Even when following a recipe and tips for a good quiche. This is a much easier version of a quiche without the butter heavy, carb adding crust. And much faster to boot.

I also was encouraged by the Minimalist who made a veggie heavy fritatta that simply used eggs as a binder for the veggies. GREAT way to eat more vegetables. And, I found out that my wok is oven safe up to 350 degrees: Score!

I apologize for the poor picture quality, the leftovers are my lunch today over my fail of a roasted ratatouille last night and improvisation of a smothered tempeh that had to be tofu because Trader Joe's was out of tempeh. Major fail of an evening that I had hoped would be lovely. Thank goodness for leftover fritatta. And my smart phone that emailed me a photo. This fritatta was beautiful and used all parts of the swiss chard, an idea often encouraged by G. The gorgeous yellow and red hues from the rainbow chard added such a depth, plus the lovely purple, orange, and yellow cherry tomatoes. Another plus, it took me a grand total of about 20 minutes to prepare. And every single vegetable, down to the garlic and onion, was from Red Hill farm. Enjoy! Early Fall Veggie Fritatta (printable version) Early Fall Veggie Fritatta 1 small red onion, diced 1 T oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 large bunch swiss chard, leaves and stems separated, stems diced, leaves chopped 1/2 c cheese (cheddar, feta, mozarella would all be good) 4 thyme sprigs 8-10 basil leaves (purple used) handful cherry tomatoes, halved 6 eggs, well whisked together Preheat oven to 350. In a pan, heat oil and add onion. Saute for 2 minutes, or until soft. Add minced garlic and saute for an additional 1 minute. Add swiss chard stems, saute for another 3 minutes. Add swiss chard leaves and saute until wilted. Spread contents evenly in pan and add cheese. Add eggs, topping with salt, pepper, thyme, basil, and cherry tomatoes. Let saute for 2-3 minutes then place in oven for 10 minutes.

Burrito Salad

The hubs and I had a picnic to go to, and I wanted to make something that could survive a morning trip and hold out until lunch time. Hubs never says no to Mexican food, and I was hankering for some avocados, so this salad was born. I called it burrito salad out of a lack of a more creative name, and due to the fact that the ingredients all belong in a burrito even though it does not have rice. I packed it up in a bowl, paired it with some chips and a blueberry black iced tea, put all of that into a freezer bag and off we went. I did make a naked burrito for our Labor Day picnic which is pretty similar except that it actually had rice. This meal is so cheap and so filling (with or without the rice) that it is a great family meal for those on the go or those needing to trim their budget a bit. I was a huge fan of the salad, it could have used a bit more heat though. If you do not have access to green zebra or heirloom tomatoes for the salsa, any medium sized tomato would do. This also really depends on how tomato-y you like your salsas. I am still a convenience cook at times, and enjoy just being able to throw together a salsa in about 3 minutes. This is a rough version of what I do every week when I get a fresh batch of tomatoes from the farm. Taste, taste, taste. That is the best advice I can give about throwing together recipes. And never forget a bit of salt, even if you are trying to cut back. A pinch of salt added to homemade salsa is still substantially less than if you purchase salsa. Burrito Salad (printable version) Burrito Salad 2 avacados, diced 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed handful cherry tomatoes, sliced 1/3 c cubed manchego cheese 1/2 -3/4 c salsa (recipe as follows) Toss all ingredients together in a bowl and serve with chips. Salsa: 4 green zebra tomatoes, cored and seeded 4 heirloom tomatoes, cored and seeded 2 small jalapenos, sliced and seeded 1 lime, juiced 1 medium shallot 1 generous handful cilantro 1/2 t sea salt Throw all ingredients into a blender, putting the onion and jalapeno in first. Blend until desired consistency. Pour into a fine mesh sieve and let the water drain out, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour into a bowl.

Hungarian Hot Peppers

This is a food blunder type of post. I got a handful of Hungarian hot peppers, thought they were called Italian hot frying peppers for some reason, and cooked them in entirely the wrong way. Just a reminder to you who read this blog: I am no chef, I am no culinary master. I am simply using this blog as a way to hopefully help others feel more bold in exploring seasonal cooking and CSA's and perhaps expand their cooking menus. I am a novice and just love creating in the kitchen, so do not think that my recipes are fail-safe, even though many of them are really just recipe reviews from actual chefs.

Anywho, I made the most spicy dinner the other night. I literally yelled when it only touched my mouth! I sauted some onions and hungarian hot peppers, adding some pepper and italian sausages. This is an easy meal we have often, though usually with bell peppers. This time I thought it would be nice to have some heat, and thinking that most italian peppers are just a tad spicy, I could use 4! Bad idea!!! It was so hot that I did not even eat them and the sausage still burned my mouth. I have a better use of them forthcoming in this week's menu.

BUT, the tomatoes on toast with cheese were fantabulous! I took good bread and toasted it, spreading Boursin (a soft french spreadable herb cheese found in most supermarkets) on top. Then I topped it with some of my wonderful heirloom tomatoes. So good I have bought 3 more packs of Boursin and had that for dinner about every Tuesday night. And Wednesday for lunch. It is addicting, I am forewarning you.

Pasta Salad

The hubs raved about this recipe. Funny that those recipes I throw together because I don't know what to make and have no desire to make what is actually on the menu are the recipes that he loves the most. This may have been one where I did not plan enough ahead and happened to buy ravioli because it sounded good during a recent trip to the store. He ate it for lunch for 2 days afterward and each day texted me to tell me how much he liked it. Guess it is a keeper ;)

This is a great way to use up all of the cherry tomatoes that are not all that good for salsas or sauces due to their skin. I simply did not have fresh peas or spinach or I would have used them.

Pasta Salad (printable recipe)

1 pkg cheese ravioli

1 c frozen peas (or fresh)

1 c frozen spinach (or fresh)

2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved

dressing:

3 T white wine vinegar

1/4 c olive oil

2 T honey

1 t dijon mustard

salt and pepper

Cook ravioli according to directions. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add peas and spinach. Drain.

Toss with tomatoes and dressing and chill for at least an hour. Mix dressing ingredients well. Toss with dressing before serving.

Tacos!

Tacos! This is one of our staple meals, the hubs asks for it just a little bit less than he asks for burritos in our house. It is a bit easier as there is no need to think ahead and make the rice, a great last minute meal! I did make the salsa for these tacos too, but I have not posted a recipe as I am still refining my methods. Biggest problem faced: no food processor. And I am lazy so I just throw everything into the blender instead of chopping. This has generally led to watery salsa, though I do like the consistency mostly. It could be a bit chunkier, but I tend to like smoother salsas. I have tried seeding the tomatoes (a pain in the but), and using my small holed-strainer (holes were still a but too large, I need a mesh strainer I think). We shall see how this most recent endeavor has worked out shortly. In general though, I take tomatoes, a jalapeno, juice from a lime, 1/2 an onion, and a large handful of cilantro to make my salsa, add salt and pepper, and taste. My tacos turned out nicely, despite the watery salsa. And the lighting in my kitchen was oh so nice I just had to post 2 photos. This is one of the fastest, best meals in our repertoire. Tacos 1 pkg Tempeh 1 T olive oil 1 can black beans, drained 1 t smoked paprika 1 T chili powder 1 T cumin 1 t oregano Heat olive oil in a medium pan on medium high heat. Break apart the tempeh into crumbles into the pan and saute until slightly browning. Add black beans and seasoning along with 3 T of water or so. Saute until water evaporates.

Ratatouille Crepes

While not my best attempt, this recipe is one of our staples. Now, staple in my household generally means it may make an appearance once a month. I perhaps should think of another word as there are things that occur much more frequently and this includes burritos, tacos, enchiladas, and probably pasta of some sort.

I found a book on crepes at a rummage sale last year that the hubs and I always come home from with a stack of books about half as tall as me. I love it. And I love this book. It is called "Crepe Cookery" and it is by Mable Hoffman who looks a bit like a pudgier Julia Child with huge 1970's glasses. Makes sense since the book was published in 1976. This book has numerous crepe batter recipes and tons of filling options, 168 pages chock full of crepe ideas! I have yet to be too adventerous with them though, perhaps this blog is a cause to broaden my crepe horizons. I did miss my nutella and banana crepe that traditionally follows a crepe main course as I was out of nutella. Next time perhaps.

What follows is the general recipe that I sometimes stray from depending on what I have, and I think that is completely allowable for ratatouille as I am sure the recipe was developed as a way to use up the fruits of the harvest.

Crepe Batter(Printable Recipe) 
3 eggs
1/4 t salt
2 c flour (i use one white and one whole wheat)
2 c milk
1/4 c melted butter or cooking oil

In a mixing bowl, combine eggs and salt. Gradually add flour alternatively with milk, beating with a whisk until smooth. Beat in melted butter or oil. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

To cook, place a non-stick pan over medium high heat. I still grease my pan with spray as I find it easier, but I am sure it depends on your pans. Pour in 3 T of batter and while lifitng pan, swirl batter around pan until it completely covers the bottom.
Cook until bottom is slightly browned, then flip. Cook another minute or so. My most common problem for crepes is the outside edges getting crispy. If this happens, your batter is too thin, thicken it up by adding 1T at a time of additional flour until you reach the desired consistency. Your pan could also be too hot. If you are having trouble swirling the batter around before it cooks too much, reduce the heat.

Ratatouille
1 lb zucchini
1 small eggplant
1 onion
1/4 c evoo
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green pepper
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 t salt       
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t basil (more if fresh- use 8 or so leaves)
1/4 t thyme (more if fresh- use 3 or so sprigs)

Dice the vegetables all a uniformed size. Here a food processor or vadalia chop wizard come in handy. The more uniform the size, the more uniform they cook. I prefer smaller cubes, about 1/4 inch in size as they produce a great texture for crepes.

In a large skillet, add the vegetables except for tomatoes and oil. Saute for 5 minutes before adding tomatoes, garlic, and spices/herbs. Cook covered for 10 additional minutes or until veggies are tender. Top with feta cheese if desired.

Step by step help: 1. mix crepe batter as it needs to refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 2. chop veggies and begin ratatouille 3. once ratatouille is cooking, begin making crepes 4. cover crepes and place in the microwave in between to help maintain heat

Masala Tofu

This one was a new one, though I was a bit hesitant to try indian cuisine again. The last time I tried to make palak paneer and it did not go well, it was trash worthy. Recently I was intrigued by Ethiopian cooking as I went for my first 2 times within the same month. So good. So, in an attempt to expand my cooking repotoire, I went online and bought their main spice: berbere. It was cheaper in bulk, so I bought an entire pound. Now, after trying to find additional recipes to use the spice, I found that most were stews that I did not want to make during summer heat. But by searching the web for recipes, I stumbled across a page that stated the history of Ethiopian cuisine and said that it had roots in Indian cuisine. Hmmm...And further, berbere spice was a good substitute for garam masala as the spices were extremely similar. Oooh, even better. Now my ability for using the berbere spice was greatly expanded.

This past week I tried to find recipes to use the vast quantity of tomatoes we had acquired. This recipe called for canned diced tomatoes, so I thought that my fresh ones could do the trick. This recipe was so tasty, and very similar to perhaps a korma sauce, that it is a keeper to go into my recipe booklet that is reserved for only our favorite recipes. Be warned: it is spicy! It fools you at first, with just a nice heat in the back of your mouth, but just wait, it builds. And builds. So, I would recommend for those less heat loving palates to decrease the amount of berbere spice a bit and drop the cayenne alotgether.

Masala Tofu

(Printable Recipe)

Spice Blend: 1 tablespoon garam masala seasoning (or berbere which is what i used) 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Sauce 3 tablespoons butter 2 T veg oil 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup) 2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice 1 pkg tofu, pressed and cubed

8-10 leaves swiss chard, torn from the stem and into pieces 1 (10-ounce) box frozen peas, placed in a colander and run under hot water to thaw 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream Hot basmati rice, for serving Pita bread, warmed according to package directions, for serving

Directions

To make the spice blend: Stir the ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside. Drain the tofu, press out extra water, then cut into 1/2" cubes. Saute tofu in skilled with a pinch of the spice blend and 2 T veggie oil. Saute on high heat (preferably in a wok) until the outside is browned.

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the pieces just begin to turn gold, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste and spice blend, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning. The spices will be fragrant. Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and stir will. Add the tofu, spoon the sauce over the top and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low and cook, uncovered, until the tofu is warmed through and the sauce is flavorful, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently. Add the swiss chard towards the 5 minute mark to allow to wilt.

Shake any excess water from the peas. Add the peas and cream to the sauce in the pan, stir well and heat through. Do not boil. Serve with rice and warmed pita bread.

Caprese Salad and Margarita Pizza

With the new abundance of tomatoes and my hubs general aversion to just plain ol' tomatoes, I have resorted to some simple recipes that pack on the flavor and bring out the juiciness of garden fresh tomatoes. I am resolved to think that his general aversion is really to mealy store-bought tomatoes that are picked way before their prime, not the real tomatoes that grow in your backyard or local farm. These recipes are great, super easy, and use little else than what you find in your garden. G likes some balsamic vinegar on her caprese salad for some extra kick.

Caprese Salad

(Printable Recipe)

2 tomatoes, cored and thinly sliced

8 medallions of fresh mozzarella cheese

8-10 basil leaves, chiffonade style

1 T olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella and layer. Drizzle with good quality olive oil (improves the taste oh so much). Sprinkle with some of the basil as well as salt and pepper to taste. To slice the basil prettily, pile the leaves atop each other and roll. Then take a sharp knife and cut into thin slices. You can nix the salt, it is not all that necessary due to the abundance of flavor.

Margarita Pizza

(Printable Recipe)

2 dough balls 3-4 thinly sliced tomatoes

1 c shredded mozzarella

5-6 T olive oil

2 t crushed garlic

8-10 basil leaves, chiffonade style

pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400.

Roll out the dough using a bit of flour or cornmeal on the counter. Heat the olive oil over medium heat with the crushed garlic until the garlic is slightly golden colored. Brush olive oil over the crust, and sprinkle pepper over top. Layer the tomatoes on the dough (use more if so desired), then sprinkle with mozzarella or use fresh sliced mozzarella (which i was out of). I put the basil on here, though I think it would have been better to put in on after baking, up to you. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until crust is brown.

BLA and Gazpacho

Wow. This was my favorite of the week, and the hubs loved it. He loved it so much that he asked for another sandwich once we got home from a tumultuous Ikea trip. Picture desk top strapped to the top of a VW flapping in the wind. Yeah, it was fun. I have been wanting to make gazpacho all summer and finally got a good crop of tomatoes from the farm to make it, though luckily I had some cucumbers left over from the previous week because they did not arrive in last week's box. Add some jalapenos from the garden, nice. Now, this is not a traditional gazpacho, it is a "what do I have in my cupboard and fridge" gazpacho. The hubs is not entirely fond of gazpacho, though was willing to give it another shot as I had not made it in a couple years. I knew that he needed a hearty dish to go along with it, so I put my thinking cap on and got to work. We had some crusty french bread leftover from our french cheese and pear night a couple days before, generally always have guacamole in the fridge, and a nice head of lettuce from the farm. Throw in some fake bacon, and voila! This meal was so light and refreshing, and the best part: no oven! And i only used the stove top for about 3 minutes to cook up the bacon. They always say on the cooking competitions I watch that adding bacon to something gives you an unfair advantage...

BLA

4 slices of bacon (we use fake meatless bacon from morningstar, still pretty tasty and cheaper)

2 large sections of french bread

2 pieces of lettuce, washed

few slices of extra sharp cheddar cheese

6 T guacamole or a couple slices of avocado (hence the A)

Melt the cheese on top of the french bread by placing it on a flat frying pan as you cook up the bacon. It helps if you put a lid over them.

Spread the guacamole on to the bread opposite the cheese, top with lettuce and bacon, enjoy!

Gazpacho

5-7 medium tomatoes, cored and quartered

2 medium cucumber mostly peeled and quartered

3 T white wine vinegar (or more to taste)

3 T cilantro, chopped

1/2 onion, halved

2 cloves garlic, finely diced

1/4 c olive oil

2 jalapenos, seeded and quartered

salt and pepper to taste

Blend ingredients in blender in batches, then mix together in a bowl and chill for several hours. Makes a great dipping sauce for the BLA's! Or as a fresh salsa with a cuke coolness!

Falafels!

Mmmmm falafel's! I love falafel's, and I made dinner without touching my oven/stove! I used my electric large frying pan, which is great for 105 degree days. I went to the farm today with G and the kiddos, and let me just say it was hot. The kiddos and I picked raspberries and ended up drenched in sweat when we were done. We were offered another woman's 1/2 pint if we wanted to pick them and it was so hot we opted not to. It was that hot.

Tomatoes are finally here! I am sure in a few weeks I may be sick of them, but for now, I am stoked. I whipped up a semi- Greek salad with a cucumber (imagine that!), 2 heirloom tomatoes, 1/4 of an onion, and feta cheese. I topped it with the dressing I used on the beet salad a few posts ago. Mmmm.

I used a box mix for the falafels. For the tzatziki I free styled it, it came out tasty. You are supposed to drain the yogurt with a cheese cloth, but I did not take the time to do it. I also served it atop of a flatbread instead of a pita, it stayed together much better than a pita would.

Tzatziki

2 cucumbers, peeled and diced

1 container greek yogurt

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 lemon juice

2 T dill

salt and pepper to taste

Mix together and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour.

Dinner was so light and refreshing, a great meal for a summer night.

Greek Pizza

I love Trader Joe's Pizza dough. So much so that I bought it Monday, figuring we would have no trouble using it. And we didn't. But we did have trouble finishing the mixed greens that I intended to use up on this recipe. Never fear though, we got invited to a dinner party and offered to bring a salad! I will be using the leftover bread crumbs from last night's panzanella and reserving some of tonights vegetables for a colorful addition to all that lettuce. On to the Greek Pizza: 2 balls of pizza dough 1 container of hummus 2 c cherry tomatoes, halved 1/2 cucumber, diced 1/2 of red onion, diced 1 T greek oregano (regular will work too) 1/2 block of feta cheese heaping handfuls of lettuce/mixed greens/whatever you fancy Preheat the oven to 425 and bake the pizza dough according to directions, first brushing with olive oil and pricking with a fork. Once cooked and cooled, spread the hummus onto the dough, dividing evenly between the bread. Top with veggie mixture. Top with greens, trickily slice, and enjoy!

Fried Chickpeas and Chorizo with Panzanella Salad

I am a new fan of the Minimalist, a writer for the New York Times. I was introduced to him by my friend in Boston, who by simply watching a less than 5 minute video could get up and just make the recipe. Simple, fresh, and easy to follow. GREAT! Fried Chickpeas and Chorizo 1 can of chickpeas, dried on towels 4-6 oz of chorizo (i used a veg version) olive oil 4 c spinach bread crumbs (i found to be optional) That's it for the ingredients! So, start by rinsing and draining the chickpeas. Make sure they are completely dry as you apparently won't get the crunch if they are even damp (mine were obviously damp- still tasty though). Start with 2-3 T of olive oil in a pan, get it hot, and add the chickpeas. Cook for about 5 minutes or until they start to brown. Add the chorizo and saute 8-10 minutes more. Spoon the mixture out of the pan, leaving the drippings. In using vegan chorizo, there were not really any drippings so I put another 1 T of olive oil into the pan. Add spinach. Stir and let wilt. Mix beans and sausage into spinach. Now, here the recipe tells you to top it with bread crumbs and throw the pan under the broiler for a minute. Two problems here: 1. I do not have a pan suitable for both the stovetop and the oven. Who does really except for perhaps a choice few into cooking? Now to dirty one more pan... 2. Both the hubs and I felt that the bread crumbs did not add anything to the dish except for a few unnecessary, unflavorful carbs. Now, if you wanted to add carbs, might I suggest a great garlic naan or tasty flatbread on the side? Now that is good carbs. I served it with a side of panzanella salad after breaking down and buying a cucumber and some cherry tomatoes. My food box friend graciously gave me the other half of the bread she made into bread crumbs while talking about the panzanella she was making that night for dinner. It was tasty. And I am using the rest of the ingredients tomorrow night for greek pizza. Panzanella Salad 1 cucumber, diced 1 container of cherry tomatoes, halved 1 c bread crumbs 1-2 T capers, roughly chopped 1/2 red onion, diced 3 T red wine vinegar salt and pepper to taste 2 T evoo Mix together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix veggies and bread crumbs and top with dressing. Tasty. You will probably see this recipe again, fine-tuned, throughout the summer.