Friends Food Family

White Barn Inn Garden Fresh Summer Ratatouille

In my White Barn Basil Pesto post, I mentioned how we were completely in love with our new White Barn Inn Cookbook and that we would be posting a few of their recipes.

As some parts of our garden continue to grow and others die out, this was a great recipe for our zucchini, summer squash, eggplant and peppers. It was an easy recipe which devoted most of its time to the chopping of vegetables. Once that was completed, it takes about 15 minutes to cook and serve.

There was an interesting ingredient in this ratatouille which caught me off guard. For all the beautiful garden vegetables included in the recipe...where were the tomatoes? Instead they used V-8 juice. At first I had visions of my dad drinking it every morning for breakfast. V-8 has a distinct flavor that you either love or hate, I'll go with the latter. I couldn't figure out how this was going to taste. But then, you have to think about how some great tomato sauces are started with carrots and celery.

I poured in the V-8 and finished mixing the vegetables. The ratatouille was delicious especially using the garden fresh vegetables. You could really taste the individual flavors of the peppers, squash and eggplant. Jeff and I kept wondering if we needed to add some fresh herbs or parsley because this ratatouille is normally served with an herb roasted lamb on top, along with a pesto potato puree. All of these parts to the meal bring additional flavor to the ratatouille. Truthfully, it was delicious as it was. Sometimes simple is just plain BETTER!

It was nice to enjoy a dish, fresh from the garden with the distinct flavor of peppers, squash and eggplant grabbing every taste bud.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of olive oil

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped to 1/4 inch pieces

1 medium eggplant, chopped to 1/4 inch pieces

1 medium zucchini, chopped to 1/4 inch pieces

1 medium yellow summer squash, chopped to 1/4 inch pieces

1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped to 1/4 inch pieces

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped to 1/4 inch pieces

1/2 cup of V-8 juice

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until transparent but not brown, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high and add the peppers, yellow squash, zucchini and eggplant at 1 minute intervals, stirring continuously. Once all the vegetables have been added, cook an additional 5 minutes.

Add the V-8 juice and cook for 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This dish can be made a day ahead to better incorporate flavors.

Epicurious' Shaved Summer Squash Salad

 

Our garden is pushing out more yellow squash and zucchini than we know what to do. We have been shredding some for zucchini bread and others we have grilled or cooked on the stove with butter and fresh herbs. No matter how you slice it...fresh vegetables from the garden are delicious.

The other day, I found this recipe in Epicurious, it is called Shaved Summer Squash Salad. You serve it cold and it is easy to make and perfect on a hot summer night. Crunchy and tart. The lemon dressing with toasted almonds brings out the freshness of the squashes.

We served it as a side salad with steak and potatoes and it was perfect. Just the right balance for food off the grill.

If you have too many summer squash and zucchini and you don't know what to do with them, slice them up and serve them cold. A wonderful side dish for any meal.

Ingredients:
 
3 tablespoons of whole almonds
1 pound of summer squash (a mix of green and yellow)
2 1/2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
1 minced clove of garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
 
Preparation:

Roast almonds until slightly golden and coarsely crush. Meanwhile, trim the ends off summer squash. Using a vegetable peeler, thinly slice the squash lengthwise into strips and transfer to a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, and kosher salt to taste. Pour dressing over squash. Let stand for a few minutes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with the crushed almonds.

White Bean, Shrimp and Tomato Salad

 

As I had mentioned a few blogs back, we are going to be highlighting some great cold salads which can be used as an appetizer or side dish for your next function or event. As the weather gets warmer, we look for dishes that are easy and use as many fresh ingredients, from the garden, as possible.

This salad is a family and party favorite. We use it most times as an appetizer and whatever remains is usually used in a salad for lunch or a light snack the next day, but only if it is doubled. The recipe is part of our "recipe box" series, those recipes we started cutting out and saving 6-8 years ago. This box holds many of our favorite dishes.

We love this recipe for a number of reasons (but here are two):

1. Everybody raves about the dish, it's basic but very different tasting. If you think about it, have you ever had anything like this at a party?

2. It's easy and delicious...beans, shrimp, fresh tomatoes and fresh basil...on toasted french bread...to die for!

A few more weekends before the 4th of July cookouts begin. Try this recipe on your family and friends, we can guarantee that you will be making it for your next gathering. Be the hit with this appetizer, the white bean, shrimp and tomato salad.

Ingredients:

2 (14.5 ounce) cans of small white beans or cannellini beans, we use a can of each

2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 fresh sage leaf, finely chopped

1 pound of fresh small (or medium) shrimp, peeled

2 medium ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded and finely chopped

8 large basil leaves, cut into fine strips

1/3 cup of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Stone ground crackers, pita chips or french baguette slices, lightly toasted  

Preparation:

Rinse the two cans of beans in a colander and place into a bowl with the chopped tomatoes, and garlic.  

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook for one minute or just until the shrimp turns bright pink. Add the shrimp to the bean mixture with the sage, basil and olive oil.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve slightly warm or cold with crackers, pita chips or toasted slices of french bread.

NOTE: If the mixture seems a little bland, add a little more olive oil.  

Cook's Illustrated Modern Succotash Salad

 

Last weekend was dubbed "Cook Off Weekend". Jeff and I found a few of our favorite magazine cookbooks and decided to try a new set of recipes. Many of the next recipes that will be showcased are cold salads which can be used as side dishes for your family or the next cook-out or gathering you have to attend. One of our favorite magazines is Cook's Illustrated. Not only do we subscribe to the monthly magazine, we purchase the seasonal compilations. This recipe called Modern Succotash Salad sounded light and refreshing calling for fresh corn, green beans and basil. 

Having finished planting our garden during Memorial Day Weekend, we love trying recipes that can ultimately use many of the vegetables and herbs we have planted. We're going to need quite a few recipes for the 31 tomato plants, 16 peppers plants, 11 eggplants, rows of green beans, summer squash, zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkins and acorn squash we planted. We also have blackberry and raspberry bushes along with a few straggly strawberry plants. We actually picked the first strawberry today!

Other than having to cut the green beans, this recipe for succotash salad makes up very quickly. We doubled the recipe and fed 10 comfortably with leftovers. This salad was incredibly delicious with the dressing bringing all the flavors of the fresh vegetables together. It complements any meal as a side dish, especially if you are grilling. The following day, Jeff added it to salad and said it was better the second day.

Think hot day, cold salad...refreshing! Try this as a summer side, it's different, easy and will have your family (and friends) looking for more.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of olive oil
1  1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 teaspoon of honey
1/2 of a small red onion, minced
Salt and black pepper, to taste
3/4 pound of fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half
2 ears of corn, kernels removed from the cob
1/2 pound of frozen lima beans
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

1. Stir together oil, lemon juice, honey, red onion and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl.

2. Bring 2 1/2 quarts of water to a boil in a large pan. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and green beans, cook for 1 minute. Add corn and lima beans and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain vegetables in a colander and rinse under cold running water until cool.

3. Toss vegetables with dressing and coat evenly. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Southern Living's Five Bean Bake - Minnesota Baked Beans

 
(Sorry about the blurry picture, didn't have my glasses on!)

On May 7th, Jeff's mom and dad celebrated their 82th and 97th birthdays, respectively. As part of their birthday celebration, we invited some friends from the "old neighborhood" for a cook-out. For a few, it was the first time they had seen my in-laws since they moved in with us in August 2010.

One of their neighbor's, Sharon, brought over her famous Minnesota Baked Beans and they were DELICIOUS. They were sweet with chunks of bacon and a variety of beans, including lima beans. I thought they were not only tasty but interesting.

Over Memorial Day weekend, we had a few neighbors and friends for a Sunday evening cook-out. I mentioned to Jeff that Sharon's beans were delicious and wondered if the Minnesota baked beans were her recipe, as she grew up in Minnesota, or if there was really a recipe called Minnesota baked beans. To the internet I went and googled "Minnesota Baked Beans" and to my surprise...the recipe. Jeff was also looking through some of our Southern Living Cookbooks and came across this Five-Bean Bake. It had many of the same ingredients as the Minnesota baked bean recipes on-line. The recipe was easy to put together, 1-1/2 hours in the oven and we were set to go.

As I chopped and sauteed the bacon, got the onion diced and rinsed all the beans, I started laughing. We had doubled the recipe for 16 people and I had 20 cups of beans. The single recipe feeds up to 12 as a side dish. I kept thinking that there was going to be lots of leftovers.

With our menu of Wilson Farm's Red Skinned Potato Salad, a tossed green salad, Jeff's Sizzling Sirlion Steaks, grilled chicken and 20 cups of beans, we were ready for dinner. The beans were absolutely delicious. They were sweet but also had a sour edge from the cider vinegar. The mixture of five different beans made for a great taste as well as interesting texture. After everyone finished we had a small portion of beans for leftovers. Either people felt bad that we had so many beans or they truly liked the dish. I'm going to go with..."they truly liked the dish" and add this to my list of cook-out favorites.

Summer is almost here and weekend cook-outs are just around the corner. Be the hit of the party with this Five Bean Bake...a great side dish that's easy and delicious!

Ingredients:

8 slices of bacon, chopped
1 large onion, diced
1 (28 ounce) can of baked beans (we used B&M Baked Bean - Country Style)
1 (19 3/4 ounce) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (16 ounce) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 (15 1/2 ounce) can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 1/4 ounce) can of lima beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup of ketchup
1/2 cup of brown sugar, firmly packed (we used dark brown sugar)
1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup of cider vinegar

Preparation:

Cook chopped bacon slices in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp; remove bacon, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet.
Add diced onion, and sauté in hot drippings 5 minutes or until tender.

Combine bacon, onion, pork and beans, black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, lima beans, ketchup, brown sugar, 1/2 cup water, and cider vinegar in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. 

Bake, covered, at 350° for 1 hour; uncover and bake 30 more minutes.

Sid Wainer's Quinoa and Salsa Salad

 

A few weeks ago we took a ride to New Bedford to visit Sid Wainer & Son. It is a gourmet food store with a test kitchen. When you arrive, you have the opportunity to taste many different prepared foods using the ingredients which are sold at the store. Not only do they have the ingredients, but they have a produce section with every imaginable fruit and vegetable, a multiple offering cheese section as well as meats and fresh bread.

We like to purchase their gourmet sausages because of their wide selection, maple wood bacon, quinoa, arborio rice, mini-yukon fingerling potatoes, hazelnut chocolate...I could go on and on. The best part of going is when I need a gourmet ingredient, I know I can find it there. I also get to try different types of dishes and they give you a recipe card so you can make it at home.

This quinoa and salsa dish was adapted from Sid Wainer's. We added black beans to the mix because of the Mexican flare. If you like heat with these types of ingredients, I would recommend 1/2 to 1 jalapeno, chopped finely.

This is a great hot or cold side dish for any meal. We happened to be making fish that night and it was perfect because it was bursting with flavor. The sweet peppers, corn, beans and the hint of salsa made for a perfect combination. And just think, quinoa is good for you, add fresh vegetables and herbs, a little bit of olive oil...perfect!

This made about 10-12 side dish servings. After we fed eight for dinner that night, people fought over who would be taking the quinoa for lunch the next day. If you like quinoa, we have another recipe, Quinoa, Mango and Black Bean Salad, and it is equally as good.

Ingredients:

2 cups of quinoa
4 cups of chicken broth
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of fresh salsa
1 large green pepper, seeded and diced
1 large red pepper, seeded and diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1/3 cup of chopped cilantro
1/3 cup of chopped chives
1/3 cup of chopped parsley
1 cup of white shoe peg corn (cooked)
1 (15 ounce) can of black beans
salt and black pepper

Preparation:

Cook quinoa according to directions. Instead of water, use chicken or vegetable broth. You will get 4 cups of cooked quinoa. In a large bowl, add quinoa, vegetables, beans, and herbs. Toss with the salsa and oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spinach and Bacon Quiche from "around my french table"

 

 

Jeff and I are still having fun making recipes with Dorie Greenspan's Cookbook, "around my french table". French cooking is really interesting as I always thought it was a very rich cuisine.

About a week ago, we decided to have a light dinner of orange-scented lentil soup with the spinach and bacon quiche. We both love lentil soup and the intriguing ingredients of orange peel, fresh ginger, coriander and cloves, made it hard not to want to try. (I'll be highlighting that recipe in the future.) We chose the spinach and bacon quiche to complement the soup because it didn't look like the traditional 3-4 inch thick quiche. It was more like a tart and there were only 2 eggs and 2/3 a cup of heavy cream for the custard base.

The quiche calls for a homemade crust (not something I am great at) and I will give you a few helpful tips. Make sure you knead the crust until it is smooth before you form it into a disk. We didn't knead ours enough and the crust became cracked around the edges. As we rolled it out, the cracks would spread. The more we rolled it, the cracks became tears. In the end, we patched the crust together, but it was a bit frustrating.

The filling was quick to put together and within a half hour we were seated and enjoying lentil soup and wedges of spinach and bacon quiche. As much as the crust was a challenge it was light and buttery. The quiche was much better than a traditional quiche. It was light and the custard didn't overpower the spinach and bacon. You tasted each ingredient.

Don't think that this is only a meal for dinner, you could eat this for breakfast or lunch. Buttery crust, spinach and bacon, a few eggs and it's not overly-filling. As I mentioned with the Chicken Pot Pie recipe, if you are not one to tackle a pie crust, use a a ready-made crust. It will at least give you a chance to try this deliciously, light recipe. 

Ingredients:

1- 9 to 9 1/2 inch tart shell, made from tart dough (see recipe below) partially baked and cooled
10 ounces of ready-to-use baby spinach (or about 1 1/4 pounds regular spinach, trimmed and washed)
4 strips of bacon
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
salt and pepper for taste
2 large eggs
2/3 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan

Preparation:

Center a rack in the oven and pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the tart shell on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper after partially cooking the crust (see directions below).

To cook the spinach, fit a steamer basket into a large pot. Pour in enough water to come almost up to the steamer. Cover and bring to a boil. Add the spinach, cover, and steam just until soft and thoroughly wilted, about 4 minutes. remove the spinach, drain and run under to cool it and set the color (it will be deep green). 

When the spinach is cool enough not to burn your hands, squeeze it between your palms and get out as much moisture as you can; do this in batches, so you can squeeze harder. Put the clumps on a cutting board and coarsely chop or thinly slice the spinach.

Put the bacon in a skillet, place the skillet over medium heat and cook, turning occasionally, until the bacon is crisp on both sides. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, and pat it dry (set the pan aside). Cut the bacon crosswise into thin strips.

Drain off all but one tablespoon of fat from the skillet, return the skillet to medium heat, and toss in the onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until soft but not at all colored, about 5 minutes; remove from the heat.

Add the bacon and spinach bits to the pan, toss to blend and add a little more salt and a few generous grindings of pepper.

Turn the spinach bacon mixture into the crust, spreading it as evenly as possible. Whisk the eggs and cream together until well blended and pour into the tart shell, giving the custard a minute to seep around the spinach and settle in. Sprinkle the top of the quiche with the Parmesan cheese.

Carefully slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the filling is uniformly puffed (wait for the center to puff), browned and set. Transfer the quiche to a colling rack, remove the sides of the pan and allow it to cool and gather itself for at least 5 minutes or so before serving.

Crust
1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
6 tablespoons of very cold unsalted butter, cut into bits (3/4 stick)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon of ice water

FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD: Put the flour, sugar, and salt in the processor and whir a few times, until the butter is coarsely mixed into the flour. Beat the egg with the ice water and pour it into the bowl in 3 small additions, whirring after each one (Don't overdo it - the dough shouldn't form a ball or ride on the blade) You'll have a moist, malleable dough that will hold together when pinched. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it into a ball (if the dough doesn't come together easily, push it, a few spoonfuls at a time, under the heel of your hand or knead it lightly), and flatten it into a disk.

HAND METHOD: Put the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Drop in the bits of butter and, using your hands or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until it is evenly distributed. You'll have large and small butter bits, and that's fine - uniformity isn't a virtue here. Beat the egg and water together, drizzle over the dough, and, using your fingertips, mix and knead the dough until it comes together. Turn it out onto a work surface, gather it into a ball (if the dough doesn't come together easily, push it, a few spoonfuls at a time, under the heel of your hand or knead it some more), and flatten it into a disk.

Chill at least 3 hours or up to 5 days. When you're ready to bake the tart shell, butter a 9 - 91/2inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom (butter it even if it's nonstick).

To roll out the dough: Roll out the dough between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap or in a lightly floured rolling cover; or you can roll it out on a lightly floured work surface. If you're working between sheets of paper or plastic wrap, lift it often so that it doesn't roll into the dough, and turn the dough over frequently. If you're just rolling on the counter, make sure to lift and turn the dough and reflour the counter often. The rolled-out dough should be about 1/4 inch thick and at least 12 inches in diameter.

Transfer the dough to the tart pan, easing it into the pan without stretching it. (What you stretch now will shrink in the oven later.) If you'd like to reinforce the sides of the crust, you can fold some of the excess dough over, so that you have a double thickness around the sides. Using the back of a table knife, trim the dough even with the top of the pan. Prick the base of the crust in several places with a fork.

Chill - freeze - the dough for at least 1 hour before baking.
 
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F Press a piece of buttered foil (or use nonstick foil) against the crust's surface. If you'd like, you can fill the covered crust with rice or dried beans (which will be inedible after this but can be used for baking for months to come) to keep the dough flat, but this isn't really necessary if the crust is well chilled. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and put the tart pan on the sheet.

TO PARTIALLY BAKE THE CRUST: Bake for 20 minutes, then very carefully remove the foil (with the rice or beans). Return the crust to the oven and bake for another 3 - 5 minutes, or until it is lightly golden. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and allow the crust to cool before you fill it.

TO FULLY BAKE THE CRUST: Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until it is an even golden brown. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and allow the crust to cool before you fill it.

 

Boston Globe's Hake Wrapped in Proscuitto

 

This past Wednesday, the Boston Globe ran an article called "Hake goes from trash fish to treasure". The article highlighted two meals made with hake. Hake is a salt water fish or stock fish that is similar to cod. Not having had fish in a few weeks, Jeff decided to take on these recipes knowing we would make the Hake Wrapped Proscuitto the first night and the remainder would make a great chowder.

Jeff went to the store and couldn't find Hake but decided to use scrod. The recipe recommends Hake or a white flaky fish. He started the recipe by thinly slicing the yukon potatoes and layering them with olive oil, salt and pepper in a roasting pan. He placed the potatoes in the oven and prepared the fish. Jeff wrapped each of the fish pieces in two slices of proscuitto. After 30 minutes, he placed the fish on the potatoes and allowed the rest of the dish to finish cooking.

We had enough people for dinner to save the remainder for the fish chowder, which is definitely a must! The fish was very good. It was flaky and flavorful and the potatoes complemented the fish perfectly. My only suggestion would be to brush olive oil on the proscuitto before cooking the fish. My proscuitto was a little dry, but still tasty. As much as the fish was delicious, the potatoes were amazing. Between the olive oil, fish juices and proscuitto, the potatoes were what everyone fought over.

Please continue to the next blog article Boston Globe's Fish Chowder with Proscuitto where we will highlight, what we consider, the best fish chowder we have ever eaten! If you would like to make the fish chowder, save three servings of fish and potatoes from this meal.

Ingredients:

4 large yukon golden or Yellow Finn potatoes

2 1/2 pounds of skinless, boneless hake or other white fish (pollock, scrod), cut into 8 pieces

16 slices of proscuitto

2 scallions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons of fresh parsley

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Preparation:

1. Set the oven at 450 degrees. Oil a 13- to 14-inch baking dish large enough to hold the fish in one layer.

2. Using a mandoline or another hand-held slicing tool, cut the potatoes into very thin slices. Arrange them in the baking dish, sprinkling the layers with oil, salt, and pepper.

3. Roast the potatoes for 35 minutes or until they are tender and browning at the edges.

4. Meanwhile, sprinkle each piece of fish lightly with oil. Wrap each one with 2 overlapping pieces of prosciutto, tucking them under the fish. Set the fish on the potatoes in one layer. Sprinkle the prosciutto with oil.

5. Roast the fish for 15 to 20 minutes or until it is firm to the touch and cooked through. Set aside 3 pieces of fish and 1/4 of the potatoes for the chowder.

6. Use a wide metal spatula to serve each person fish and potatoes. Sprinkle with scallions and parsley.

 

Proscuitto wrapped scrod with layered potatoes and yellow summer squash.

Cook's Illustrated - Pasta and Squash with Tomatoes, Basil and Pine Nuts

Having fresh vegetables in the garden makes it very easy to prepare meals at our house. We were laughing tonight about how we have been eating meals with cherry tomatoes all week. When they are coming out of the garden faster than we can consume them, you get to eat cherry tomatoes at every meal.

The other night we pulled out the Cook's Illustrated "Summer Entertaining" Magazine. It had some great recipes for garden vegetables. We made this recipe of Pasta and Squash with Tomatoes, Basil and Pine Nuts and served it with a Grilled Lemon Chicken which was amazing. (I will be blogging about that recipe next...). The grilled zucchini along with the tomatoes and basil had a deliciously refreshing taste especially when paired with the tanginess of the lemon chicken. We loved the basil and pine nuts, giving it a bit of that "pesto" flavor. Of all the pasta salad recipes we have highlighted this summer, this has definitely been one of our favorites. Probably something we should probably add to our cook-out checklist.

Ingredients:

4 medium zucchini and/or summer squash (2 pounds) halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces

3 tablespoons of kosher salt

1 pound of farfalle pasta

5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about one tablespoon)

1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

1 pint of grape (or cherry) tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup of chopped fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted in a small dry skillet over medium low heat until lightly browned and fragrant, about 4 minutes

Grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Toss zucchini and/or summer squash with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt in a medium bowl, transfer to a colander and set the colander over bowl and let stand for 30 minutes. Spread squash evenly over a double layer of paper towels, pat dry with an additional towel and wipe off residual salt.

2. Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil, covered in a stockpot. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and pasta, stir to separate and cook to al dente. Drain and return to pot.

3. While pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 12 inch non-stick skillet over high heat until just smoking, swirl to coat skillet. Add half of squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and slightly charred 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to baking sheet or large plate. Repeat with remaining squash.

4. Return empty skillet to medium high heat; add 1 tablespoon of oil to coat skillet. Add garlic and pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add squash mixture, remaining two tablespoons of oil, tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar and pine nuts to pasta in pot, toss to combine. Adjust seasonings (salt and pepper), if necessary and serve, passing cheese separately.

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Cucumber-Peach Salsa

 

Since my daughter, Danielle, graduated in May, she has been making some of our evening meals. This is an added benefit when Jeff and I are running late from work. Danielle has been searching the internet for new and interesting recipes which can be made with some of the ingredients from our garden. Being a food and nutrition major, she is always looking for a healthy component to every dish. She found this recipe on Eat Better America. With many of the ingredients in our garden, Danielle picked up some white peaches at the market and began to make dinner.

There were only 4 ingredients to chop and the smell of mint was in the air. Jeff grilled the chicken breasts and brushed them with the apricot preserves as they cooked. Within fifteen minutes dinner was complete, outside of waiting for a bag of white rice to finish cooking.

The chicken was very flavorful but the salsa was incredible. We were fighting over tasting the salsa because people were going back for seconds. The crunchy cucumbers with the peaches and mint were very refreshing. The red onion and little bit of salt balanced out the salsa's sweetness.

This cucumber- peach salsa would be a great addition to any chicken, pork or fish dish. Given the fact that we had nothing left, I can bet we could make the salsa without meat and get the same results. My only recommendation would be to chill it for at least an hour before serving.

Ingredients:

1 cup of chopped cucumber

2/3 cup of apricot or peach preserves

2 tablespoon of chopped fresh mint leaves

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 cup of chopped red onion

2 peaches or nectarines, peeled and chopped, about 1-1/2 cups (we used white peaches)

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Preparation:

Heat gas or charcoal grill. In a small bowl mix cucumber, 4 tablespoons of the preserves, the mint, salt, onion and peach; set aside.

Carefully spray grill rack with cooking spray. Place chicken on grill. Cover grill; cook over medium heat 10-15 minutes, turning and brushing 2 or 3 times with the remaining preserves, until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is 170 degrees. Discard any remaining preserves. Serve chicken with salsa.

Greek Pasta Salad

 

With all the fresh vegetables coming from our garden, I love putting together healthy, delicious meals. For the past few years, I have been making a Greek pasta salad that has been a hit at a few of our summer cookouts. Based on the concept of a Greek Salad, I try to incorporate the ingredients with pasta rather than lettuce greens.

I was able to use fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and oregano right from the garden. It gives the salad an amazing flavor and freshness. I also love the fact that I can add this to any type of pasta and always get the same results...no leftovers!

Try this as your next side dish whether for a cook-out or dinner, people will come back for seconds...and thirds, providing there is any left.

Ingredients:

1 pound of cooked pasta (according to directions), we used large rigatoni

1 pint of cherry tomatoes (cut in half)

1 large cucumber, remove seeds and cut into one inch cubes

1/2 small red onion, chopped

1 large red or green pepper, remove seeds and cut into one inch cubes

1 small can (4 ounces) of sliced olives, drained

1 container (6-8 ounces) of crumbled feta cheese

2 tablespoons of fresh oregano, chopped

1 bottle of Greek salad dressing, your choice

Preparation:

Cook pasta according to directions, drain and place into a large bowl. Add chopped vegetables, olives, feta and oregano. Add about one cup of Greek salad dressing. Add more if necessary to incorporate the pasta with the vegetables. Serve immediately or chill for 2 hours before serving (for best flavor). This will feed 4-6 people as a side dish, double the recipe for bigger crowds.

Zucchini and Tomato Frittata

  
When I got out of college, and lived on my own, making meals for breakfast, lunch or dinner was always a challenge. If my roommate was home and we were both tired, a box of Triscuits and some cheddar cheese did the trick for an "any" night dinner. One day, I read an article about frittatas and started making them. They were easy and you could basically put anything you want into them.

I had a few cups of shredded zucchini left from making all our zucchini bread (check out the Chocolate Zucchini Cake and the Pineapple Zucchini Bread) and decided I needed to do something so it wouldn't go bad. With one starving son in the kitchen looking for breakfast, I knew what I could make...a zucchini frittata. As I was putting it together, I went out to the garden to see what else I could "throw" in. I found ripe cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and lemon thyme. I had everything I needed to create a healthy breakfast.

My son, Michael, was impressed. This was a little different from his standard omelette. Since he only ate half of it, it gave my mother and I the opportunity to taste what was left. The fritatta was nice and firm and bursting with flavor. The zucchini and tomato, fresh from the garden, is amazing in anything. Add fresh herbs and a little cheese and it was perfect. I love that quiche consistency without the crust.

A frittata is one of those wonderful dishes that can get your vegetables and proteins in one quick, easy, and delicious meal!

Start with:

6 eggs

1/2 cup of half and half cream

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

Blend together with a fork or whisk until well incorporated, set aside.

Pre-heat the oven to broil.

In a medium sized frying pan over medium heat, add

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Add to the pan:

1 chopped scallion, sauteed for 2 - 3 minutes, until translucent.

Stir in:

1 cup of shredded zucchini

6 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

6 basil leaves, torn

1/2 teaspoon of fresh thyme

Cook for about 3 - 5 minutes, the tomatoes will begin to soften.

Add the egg mixture:

Stir the egg mixture and move the mixture around until it begins to set and there is a bit of wetness to the top. Take the frying pan off the burner and sprinkle with

1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese

Place the pan under the broiler (SEE NOTE) and cook until the top is light to golden brown (2-3 minutes). The eggs will now be firm. Remove from the broiler and let cool slightly. The frittata should slide out of the frying pan. Cut into wedges. Feeds 2-3 people.

NOTE: Read manufacturer's instructions for placing frying pans under the broiler. I place foil around my handle to protect the rubber.

Taco Salad - A Cool and Easy Summer Salad

 
Taco Salad...it's really messy but it's really good.

A few years back my girlfriend, Carolyn, introduced our family to taco salad. It's one of those meals that you can really throw anything into and take out what you don't like. As we have become more adventurous with our cooking, more things get added into the salad to make this a delicious meal. It's a quick and easy salad that can be thrown together while the hamburger is cooking.

Feel free to add or subtract ingredients, depending on your taste. We enjoy the black bean, hamburger, red pepper combination, throw in a few spoonfuls of Killer Guacamole and it's like Mexican heaven.

I'll list out our favorite ingredients and let you decide.

 

Ingredients:

1 head of iceberg lettuce, chopped

2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved

1 (15.5) ounce can of black beans, rinsed

1 red pepper, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes

4 scallions (green onions) chopped, both green and white

1 cup of shredded monterey jack cheese

2 small cans of sliced black olives, drained

1/2 bag of tortilla chips, slightly crushed in your hands

1 bottle of catalina dressing

1 pound of hamburger (we use 85%)

1 package of taco seasoning

(Other suggestions: chopped jalapeno, green pepper, chicken, celery, salsa, red onions...whatever you desire!)

 

Preparation:

1. Place ground beef in a frying pan over medium heat and cook until no longer pink. Drain the fat. Add the taco seasoning and prepare according to directions. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, place the lettuce, cherry tomatoes, black beans, red pepper, scallions, monterey jack cheese, and sliced olives. Mix together.

3. Add the hamburger mixture and tortilla chips.

4. Start with 1/2 the bottle of the catalina dressing and add just enough to cover the mixture or tastes to your likeness.

5. Add some Killer Guacamole (on the side). Enjoy!

Quinoa, Mango and Black Bean Salad - Eating Well

 
Since my daughter, Danielle, graduated from Keene State in May, she has been trying to get me to eat healthier. Most of you know me for having a chocolate chip cookie for breakfast. She was a health and wellness major studying food and nutrition so more healthy cooking will probably be in our future.

Since she gets home earlier than us, she has been cooking some of our meals. She had been craving quinoa but didn't have a recipe. She went on-line and found this dish at Eating Well called Quinoa, Mango and Black Bean Salad. We had most of the ingredients and just needed the quinoa and mango. We doubled the recipe and it fed 5 people as a side dish with enough left for lunch the following day. The salad was easy to put together and tasted delicious with grilled chicken. The quinoa has a nutty taste and when it was mixed with the sweet red pepper and mango, not only was it colorful, but bursting with flavor. The fresh ginger, rice vinegar and sesame oil with the orange juice and scallions, dressed the salad nicely giving it an Asian flavor.

This is one of those side dishes that can be added to a quick dinner or great as a salad for a cook-out. It tastes great warm as well as cold.

1/2 cup quinoa, (see Note)

1 cup water

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1/8 teaspoon salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 small mango, diced

1 small red bell pepper, diced

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1. Toast quinoa in a small dry saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it crackles and becomes aromatic, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly. Return the quinoa to the pot and add water. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook until the quinoa is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk orange juice, cilantro, vinegar, oil, ginger, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Add mango, bell pepper, beans and scallions; toss to coat.
3. When the quinoa is finished cooking, add to the mango mixture and toss to combine.

Note:Quinoa, a delicately flavored grain, was a staple in the ancient Incas' diet. Toasting it before cooking enhances its flavor, and rinsing removes any residue of saponin, quinoa's natural, bitter protective covering.

Paula Deen's Apple Baked Bean Casserole

 
I know this isn't the greatest picture. Hunger over came my family and no one wanted to wait for me to take pictures. The picture doesn't do the recipe justice. Baked beans don't always look appetizing but they were delicious. 

I was home the other day after some minor eye surgery, relaxing on the couch. Whenever I am given the opportunity to watch TV during the day, I usually end up on the Food TV network. I was listening to Paula Deen talk about all the great things she was going to make with beans. She grabbed two small cans of beans and began to "doctor" them up. She added brown sugar, mustard, and apples and then covered the dish with bacon and placed it in the oven. There you have it Paula Deen's Apple Baked Bean Casserole.

I liked the combination of ingredients and I have a few baked bean recipes myself which are basic canned baked bean with a little bit of this and a little bit of that. When we decided to have hamburgers for dinner, I checked the pantry and there it was...two small cans of beans. I looked up Paula's recipe and it was so easy I thought I would definitely add this as another staple for our cookouts. The beans were tender and had that smokey taste of bacon. The apples were tart and blended well with the overall sweetness. We broke apart the crispy pieces of bacon and added them to each serving.

Paula Deen really does know how to "doctor" a few cans of baked beans!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 (15-ounce) cans Boston-style baked beans
• 1 cup diced Granny Smith apple
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 5 strips bacon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the bacon and mix well. Pour into the baking dish and lay the raw strips of bacon on top. Cover and bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until thick and bubbly. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes.

Wilson Farm's Red Skinned Potato Salad

  
I am not a potato salad fan. As I have mentioned, I'm not a big fan of mayonnaise. Anytime there is a dish with mayonnaise on it, I tend to stay away from it. Maybe because the taste always comes to the forefront. Chicken salad becomes mayonnaise with chicken...get my point? Last summer while thumbing through cookbooks, we came across this potato salad recipe. It was from our Wilson Farm Country Cookbook. This potato salad recipe was different from most because it had a vinaigrette dressing to start and then mayonnaise was added at the end to basically hold the salad together.

We served it last night with steaks (marinated in Jeff's Sizzling Sirloin Steaks) and my girlfriend, Anne's, corn and bean salad. (Hopefully we will be able to report on that recipe, too!) It was excellent. I love the balsamic vinegar with just a hint of mayonnaise. The onion and green scallions give it a little crunch. I doubled the recipe and fed eight hungry adults and a few additional children. I get the same compliments all the time. "I don't really like potato salad but this was great!"

Isn't that what you want to hear! Put this on your summer list of recipe staples. It will be the hit of your next cook-out...or maybe someone else's!

Ingredients:

2 pounds of red skinned potatoes (not over 2 inch diameter)

3 tablespoons of salad oil

1 1/2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon finely minced white onion

1/3 cup of chopped scallions

3/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

3/4 cup of mayonnaise (or enough to moisten)

Preparation:

Boil the unpeeled potatoes until fork tender (20-25 minutes). Drain and while they are still hot, slice them into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the oil and vinegar over the potatoes. Add the onions, scallions, salt, pepper and parsley. (Note: I mix all the ingredients (oil, vinegar, onion, scallion, salt, pepper, and parsley) in a small dish and then add them all together.) Stir to mix thoroughly. Cover and let marinade at least one hour. Stir in the mayonnaise and correct the seasoning. Chill before serving.

Note: Add a small amount of chopped fresh basil, dill or tarragon to make the salad even tastier.

Wilted Spinach Salad with Bacon and Balsamic Vinaigrette

The other night, we were looking for a quick and easy salad to serve with our Herb Gnocchi with Mushroom Sauce. (Recipe will follow this week.) We did a quick google search and came up with this wilted spinach salad recipe. It was offered through the What's Cooking America website.

We liked it because it had few ingredients, we were able to cook the bacon ahead of time, and the vinaigrette cook minutes to complete. Because we eat cold salads on a regular basis, we forget how good a warm salad tastes. With a little bit of red onion and chopped bacon, it was delicious. I wish the picture of the salad was better. Sometimes the kitchen lights at night are not conducive for picture taking.

If we were going to make this more of a meal, we could add chopped eggs, craisins and a few walnuts. Grilled chicken would be good, too. This recipe is a great base and you can dress it up with your favorite likes. 

Ingredients 

6 cups (5-ounces) fresh spinach leaves, washed, dried, and chilled
2 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/4 teaspoon coarse or sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, 1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon good-quality aged balsamic vinegar

Preparation:

Remove stems and veins from spinach and tear into bite-sized pieces; place spinach in a large bowl.

In a small frying pan over medium heat, fry bacon approximately 5 minutes or until crisp; transfer with slotted spoon to paper towel-lined plate, leaving fat in pan. Return frying pan to medium heat; add oil, onion, salt, pepper, and sugar. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is slightly softened. Add balsamic vinegar; swirl to incorporate.

Pour warm dressing over spinach and toss gently to wilt (when properly wilted, the leaf edges soften slightly, but the spinach retains some crunch). Sprinkle bacon over spinach and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Sausages, Peppers, Onions and Potatoes

 
With the warmer weather coming, outdoor entertaining is just around the corner. Two weeks ago we were invited to our first cookout of the season. Trying to figure out what I would bring, I figured I'd make a family favorite, sausages, peppers, onions and potatoes. I originally started making this mixture because my family loved sausages, peppers and onions. Instead of having to cook the ingredients separately, I would put them in one large roasting pan and was able to create the same meal with less effort.

I was never a fan of sausages, peppers and onions but I find I can't stop eating this dish when I make it. The potatoes pick up all the flavor of the peppers and onions and the red peppers bring a little bit of sweetness to the dish, complimenting the sweet and hot sausage. Deliciously perfect...and a great cook-out dish!

I apologize for not having a better picture. In all the commotion of leaving for the party, I forgot to take a picture. If you make the dish, take a picture, I'll post the results. 

Ingredients:

3 pounds of red potatoes, diced into 1 inch cubes

2 pounds of Italian sausages (1 pound sweet sausage, 1 pound hot sausage), cut each link into 3 pieces

1 green pepper and 1 red pepper, cut into 1/4 inch slices

2 medium white onions, cut into 1/4 inch slices

1/4 to 1/3 cup of olive oil

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of black pepper

1 tablespoon of freshly chopped rosemary

Preparation:

Take chopped vegetables and sausage and toss in a large roasting pan. Pour olive oil over the mixture and coat generously. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Place in a 400 degree oven and bake for 1 hour. After one hour, remove the foil and allow the vegetables and sausages to begin to roast, turning slightly golden brown. Bake for another hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Remove and serve.

Mini Golden Yukon Potatoes with Dill

These are probably the best potatoes we have had in a long time.

We were at Sid Wainer & Sons in New Bedford and came across mini golden Yukon potatoes. They were about the size of grape tomatoes. We bought two pounds and figured we could find a new recipe to use them in. As we looked for recipes to jazz up these potatoes, we realized that maybe just a pan saute would be fine. We boiled the potatoes first and then I threw them into the frying pan with a little butter. We had some fresh dill from the weekend before and figured we'd add it to the dish.

They were great. Browning them in the frying pan gave them a crunchy skin and soft centers. The dill was perfect and didn't overpower the potatoes. We enjoyed our potatoes with a porter house steak. Nothing better than steak and potatoes.

Ingredients:

2 pounds of mini golden Yukon potatoes

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoon of fresh dill

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Place potatoes in a pot of water (generously salted) and bring to a boil. Boil for 15-20 minutes.

2. Remove from pan and cool slightly.

3. Heat a saute pan over medium heat and melt the butter, place potatoes and dill in the pan and saute until sides of the potatoes are slightly golden brown (approximately 10 minutes).

4. Salt and pepper to taste.

La Cucina Italiana's Sausage Risotto with Cranberry Beans

 

Risotto is a staple at our house. Similar to having pasta, we eat risotto almost once a week. We found this recipe in La Cucina Italiana. We love this magazine so much we won't cut out any recipes, we keep the entire booklet intact. The recipes are authentic Italian, real comfort food. 

Many people feel risotto is difficult to make, but once you get the technique down, it is easy.

Here are a few quick tips when making risotto:

- heat the stock and keeping it at a slow simmer

- keep the heat of the pan consistent, as much as it says to keep on medium heat, once you add the rice, we cook our risotto on medium low

- risotto cooks slowly, don't rush the process

We liked this Sausage Risotto with Cranberry Beans because it had beans in it. Most risottos have meats and/or vegetables but very rarely beans. It was a perfect dish, the chunky pieces of sausage brought a nice balance to the beans and rice. Try making a risotto recipe, you'll realize your time is worth the end result.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ medium onion, chopped
• 8 ounces Italian sausage, casings removed, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1¼ cups arborio rice
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 6 ounces canned cranberry beans, drained and rinsed (or small red pinto beans)
• 4 cups vegetable stock, boiling  
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup freshly grated paramigiano-reggiano
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation

In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and sausage, and sauté until the onion is translucent and the sausage is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the rice, and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Deglaze with the wine, and stir well, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the cranberry beans and ½ cup stock, stirring until the liquid is absorbed before adding more. Continue adding stock in ½-cup increments, stirring frequently, until the rice is fully cooked but still al dente, about 15 minutes. (You may not have to use all of the stock.)

Remove from the heat, and stir in the butter and grated Parmigiano. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and let rest for 2 minutes before serving.

Creamy White Bean and Herb Dip

 
This is another one of the appetizers we served on Saturday night. The recipe came from Appetizers, a magazine published by Fine Cooking. I will be referring back to this booklet because three of our appetizers were from it. We served the Creamy White Bean and Herb Dip with stone ground crackers and toasted slices of a sour dough baguette. The crowd loved it and the recipe has been marked as a keeper. I love when a recipe is easy to make and delicious to eat.

Ingredients:

2 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup chopped yellow onion
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 anchovy fillet, rinsed and patted dry (optional) (I'm not an anchovy fan, but we added one)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh chives
1 Tbs. chopped fresh marjoram or oregano
Crudités, crusty sourdough bread, or crackers, for serving

Preparation:

Put the beans, cream cheese, onion, lemon juice, anchovy (if using), 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a food processor and process until smooth. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil. Transfer the spread to a large bowl and fold in 2 Tbs. of the chives and the marjoram. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the spread to a serving bowl, garnish with the remaining 1 Tbs. chives, and serve with crudités, bread, or crackers.

Note: I was eating some of the extra dip with the stone wheat crackers and drizzled some gourmet olive oil on it...incredible!

Maryana Vollstedt's Spaghetti Squash with Vegetables

 
Every Sunday before we go grocery shopping, we try and map out what our dinner menu will look like for the week. I find that with a hectic work schedule, knowing what will we be making for dinner makes things a little easier.

Back a few years ago, while visiting some small country stores in central Massachusetts, Jeff and I came across the cookbook, The Big Book of Casseroles by Maryana Vollstedt. This was one of our first staple recipe books and if you have children, this is a must have. We have made at least 20 recipes from the book. The recipes are easy, tasty and enjoyed by the whole family.

While I was flipping through the book looking for Victory Casserole, which we will highlight, I came across this recipe, Spaghetti Squash with Vegetables. I hadn't made spaghetti squash in years and I loved the combination of mushrooms, zucchini and tomatoes. This recipe tasted so fresh and was extremely light (except for the few pats of butter). Our family devoured the entire dish, I wished I had doubled it.

If you are looking for a light, healthy meal or side dish for dinner, consider this recipe. It's a great alternative to pasta.

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash (about 3 pounds)

1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil

6 green onions including some tender green tops, sliced

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 small zucchini, unpeeled, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tomato, seeded, diced and drained

1/2 cup of chicken broth

1 tablespoon of chopped fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil

1/2 teaspoon of salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese for sprinkling on top

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and loose strings. On an aluminum foil lined baking sheet, place squash, cut side down. Bake until tender, about 40 minutes. (See Note) Remove from baking sheet and cool. With a fork, scrape out flesh and place in a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish, lightly coated with Pam.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, warm one tablespoon of the olive oil. Add onions, mushrooms, zucchini, and garlic and saute until tender, 6-7 minutes. Add more oil if needed. Stir in tomato, broth and seasonings, simmer 5 minutes longer.

Transfer to casserole dish containing squash and mix well. (I added a few pats of butter as I thought it might dry out) Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

Bake uncovered until heated through and flavors are blended, about 40 minutes. Serves 6.

Note: Spaghetti squash may also be cooked in the microwave oven. Cut squash as directed. Place cut side down in a shallow glass dish with 1/4 cup of water. Cover with plastic wrap. Cook 7-8 minutes on high and then proceed as directed.

 

Epicurious' Three Cheese and Mushroom Orecchiette

 
Over the past two months, Jeff has been going through our old cooking magazines and cutting out recipes. Last week, he came across this recipe in a 2007 Gourmet magazine. The Three Cheese and Mushroom Orecchiette looked like a quick recipe which we could serve as a one dish meal.

The dish was easy to prepare and was ready to eat in less than 30 minutes. I'm not a big "blue cheese" fan and wasn't sure if I was going to like the dish. I didn't tell anyone there was blue cheese in it because I was afraid of the "I don't like that."

The meal was good. There was a blue cheese flavor which came through in the cheese sauce, but it blended well with the peas and mushrooms. The more I ate it, the more I liked the three cheese blend. My kids didn't utter a word and went back for seconds.

If you are looking for a twist on an alfredo sauce recipe, this is worth adding to your recipe file.

 Ingredients:

1 pound dried orecchiette

1 cup frozen peas (5 ounces)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 (8-ounce) package sliced mushrooms

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup finely shredded Monterey Jack

1/2 cup finely grated parmesan

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Preparation:

Cook pasta in boiling salted water in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot according to package directions. Four minutes before pasta is done, add peas. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain pasta with peas in a colander.

While pasta cooks, heat butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté mushrooms with salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until any liquid they give off is evaporated and mushrooms are golden, about 4 minutes. Add cream and reserved cooking water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and stir in cheeses until sauce is fairly smooth. Add hot pasta and peas and stir until coated with sauce. Serve sprinkled with chives.

Sweet Potato Fries - Hot and Sweet

  
We love sweet potatoes, whether baked, mashed or roasted they always taste great. Last night we were making steak for dinner and I was craving french fries. Having found a few sweet potatoes in the pantry, I figured I could make Sweet Potato Fries.

I went to the Food Network website and started looking through recipes. Some were a little bland, others calling for frying in oil. I didn't have much time so it became a combination of recipes, a little bit of Emeril, a little bit of Giada.

I decided to peel and cut two sweet potatoes into slices a little bit thinner than steak fries. I drizzled two tablespoons of canola oil onto the slices and tossed them well. I placed them on cookie sheets and salt and peppered one side. I placed them into a 400 degree oven and let them cook for 20 minutes. I turned the potatoes and allowed them to cook for an additional 20 minutes. I took them out when they started getting golden brown around the edges.

While they were baking I mixed together:

2 tablespoons of brown sugar

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

When I took them out, I sprinkled them with the sugar mixture. They were delicious, a little bit of sweetness with cayenne heat. Everyone enjoyed them, picking at them before the steak was ready. I decided that the next time I bake, roast or fry sweet potatoes, I'm going to sprinkle them with this mixture...hot and sweet, just the way we like them!

Revithia Me Ryzi - Chickpeas with Rice

My daughter, Danielle, is finally home for semester break. Being a senior at Keene State, her senior thesis and portfolio were due this semester along with her food science courses. She was very excited about coming home and making some of her dishes which were created and re-created in class. Her favorite dish was Revithia Me Ryzi or for those who don't speak Greek, Chickpeas with Rice. She made this with lemon chicken which she rolled in breadcrumbs with Romano cheese and oregano. This rice dish was very fragrant while it was cooking and you could smell the cinnamon. The mixture was tasty and complimented the chicken.

This will be one of many new dishes you will see on Friends Food Family as Danielle enjoys cooking through winter break.

Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans (drained)

1/3 cup of olive oil

1 1/3 cups of coarsely chopped onions

1/2 cup of dry white wine

1-2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes

4 cups of vegetable broth

1 (15 ounce) can of diced tomatoes in their juice

1 cinnamon stick (we didn't have one and used 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon)

1 bay leaf

1 1/4 cup of arborio rice

1/2 cup grated Romano cheese or crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

In a a Dutch oven, heat the oil and saute the onions over medium heat, stirring frequency, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until soft. Add the wine and pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute over high heat. Add 2 cups of broth, the chickpeas, tomatoes, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf and bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the rice and the remaining two cups of broth and bring to a boil, cover, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often and adding a little water if necessary, for 20-30 minutes, or until rice is tender.

Add cheese, taste and adjust the seasoning (salt and pepper). Cover, remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaf, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

If everything goes well, it should look like this! Oops, forgot the parley.