|
|
||||
|
Super crisp, tart and oh so FRESH! They’re apple perfection. Dessert Apples 1 apple 1. Slice apple. 2. Squeeze each slice with the juice of a lemon wedge or two. 3. Drizzle with honey. 4. Savor each & every bite.
Warm pasta salads make a quick and easy weekday meal for lunch or dinner. Fresh peas and basil add a perfect bite of fresh green. And, leftovers are equally good the second day… warm or cold. Since this is going to dress a very large bowl of pasta, peas and chicken, I’m more generous than usual with the olive oil in this batch of pesto. Pesto 3 big handfuls fresh basil leaves (washed, of course) In a food processor, pulse olive oil and basil leaves. When the basil is almost completely minced, add nuts and cheese. Pulse briefly 2-3 times. Set aside. Warm Pea Pesto Pasta Salad 1 lb whole wheat pasta, cooked al dente In a large serving bowl, combine pasta, pesto, peas and chicken. Drizzle lightly with red wine vinegar. Generously grind fresh pepper over the top. Salt lightly. Taste. Drizzle with additional red wine vinegar and olive oil, if needed. Plate warm pasta salad in shallow bowls. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and dried cranberries.
What’s the appropriate meal before a hike in the woods on a cool morning at the tail end of summer? Bircher-Benner Muesli 1 Tablespoon rolled oats In a cereal bowl, combine rolled oats and water. Set aside for 15 minutes. Then, add cream and sugar. Set aside. Grate the apple. Toss with lemon juice. Add to rolled oat mixture. Stir and top with almonds. Or… You could make it my way: My Muesli 1 heaping Tablespoon rolled oats In a cereal bowl, combine milk and rolled oats. Stir. Set aside for 15 minutes. When your coffee’s ready to go, toss in a handful of roasted hazelnuts and blueberries. Stir. Top with a spoonful of Greek yogurt and sprinkle a few almonds on top for interest. Top with delicate little drizzle of honey. Now, that’s the breakfast of champions.
This mountain of cheesy pasta was inspired by an empty refrigerator. …and a crumbly hunk of feta that was begging to be eaten. Feta Pasta Bake 1 lb ditali pasta, cooked al dente Garnish: 1 handful shredded mozzarella In a large dutch oven, melt butter. Add flour. Cook roux for approximately 1-2 minutes. It should be toasty, golden and bubbly. While stirring, add milk. Stir until smooth and creamy. Add lemon zest, yogurt, feta, pasta, chives, Greek oregano, and black pepper. Stir to combine. Add mozzarella and stir briefly. Pour into large casserole dish. Bake at 375 degrees F for 40-50. Or, until the top is golden and bubbly.
My Sweet Summer Garden Tomatoes… …we’re so sad to see you go.
Lovely California Wonders We guarantee you’ll be back next year.
And, Tiny Yellow Currants We won’t forget about you.
Hot Peppers, Onions, & Tomatoes 4 peppers, sliced In a large (deep) frying pan, saute onions in olive oil until golden. Add all remaining ingredients. Heat in frying pan until everything wilts. (Or, pour it all into a large roasting pan and roast in a hot oven for charred edges.) Serve over grilled bread, chicken, sausage, roast beef or Nathan’s hot dogs. Leftovers? Toss with al dente pasta and a splash of extra virgin olive oil. Then, top with shavings of ricotta salata.
…make lemonade! How many recipes call for 1/2 of a lemon? Too many. Don’t let that remaining half go to waste. Homemade Lemonade juice of 1/2 of a large, juicy lemon Add lemon juice and sugar to your rocks glass. Stir briefly. Fill with crushed ice. Top with S. Pellegrino. Stir vigorously. Decorate with a strip or two of lemon zest. It’s adult beverage time, you say? Add a splash of your favorite vanilla vodka. You won’t be sorry. Cheers!
I live with someone who detests leftovers. So, creative casseroles turn those leftovers into something new. Here, leftover chili and refried beans turn into a Mexican “lasagna”. Yes, there were a lot of leftovers. Again. But, there were no complaints about them. They were eagerly devoured. Chili 1 1/2 lbs ground beef (preferably 95% lean) Brown ground beef and pork. Add onions and garlic. Saute for another minute or two. Then, add all remaining ingredients and simmer 15-20 minutes.
For a milder version of this dish, simply omit the adobo sauce and use tomato sauce. Mexican Tostada “Lasagna” 1 bag tostadas Spoon a thin layer of adobo sauce over the bottom of your baking dish. Fill a large bowl with water. Soak each tostada in water for 1-2 seconds and layer. Overlap tostadas to make a sturdy base. Continue by layering all remaining ingredients. Spoon thin layers of chili and refried beans before topping with cheeses and a very frugal drizzle of adobo sauce. Repeat until all of your ingredients are used. Top with queso fresco and white cheddar. Drizzle lightly with adobo sauce. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
Golden Brown & Bubbly
It’s what’s for dinner!
The speckled color of these pinto beans mutes dramatically after their soak. You won’t mind, though. This makes a very yummy bean stew …and refried beans worth eating the next day.
These leftovers are on their way to becoming refried beans. Stuff them in a tortilla with lettuce, tomatoes, pico de gallo, cilantro and a dollop of sour cream or crema. Pinto Bean Stew 1lb pinto beans, washed , cleaned and soaked 4 cups chicken stock Soak beans overnight. (Or, in a large dutch oven cover beans with water. Bring to a boil. Cover. Turn off heat and allow to soak for 1 hour. Drain. Cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and cover. Let sit for one hour. Discard most of the water. Reserve approximately 2 cups of water.) If soaking beans overnight, discard all of the water. Add 2 cups of water and all of the ingredients listed above to a large dutch oven. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat until beans are tender. (Approximately 1-2 hours) Leftovers Turn Into Refried Beans: Bring beans to a simmer. Allow to simmer until beans begin to crumble. Mash with a potato masher. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes, or until most of the liquid is gone. Roughly mash with a potato masher, again. Add 2-3 tablespoons butter, if desired. Continue cooking until beans begin to crisp up along the sides of the pan. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir and serve. Serve with tortillas, lettuce, tomatoes, pico de gallo, onions, cilantro and crema. A bowl of guacamole on the side or a guacamole salad makes this meal even better.
Grilled White Eggplant white eggplant, sliced on the diagonal Preheat grill. When the grill is hot, slice eggplant. Brush each piece with olive oil. And, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill 4-5 minutes on each side. In the last three minutes, place sliced ciabattas on the grill. Grill ciabattas to a deep golden browl. Layer grilled eggplant slices on ciabatta. Top with thin slices of mozzarella, basil leaves and a spoon of warm tomato sauce. Serve immediately. Tomato Sauce 8-10 ripe plum tomatoes, finely diced Delicately saute garlic in olive oil. Add tomatoes, red pepper, black pepper and sea salt. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Normally, I like to keep the sugar to a minimum. But, I was in the mood for a sweet treat. So, I added more sugar than I usually would (1/2 cup). The higher sugar content also creates a lovely texture. This could easily be made with as little as 2 Tablespoons of sugar. The end result would freeze significantly harder, though.
Give it a stir while it freezes. It will produce a fine-textured sorbet. Cantaloupe Sorbet & Fruit Pops 1 Cantaloupe (peeled, seeded and cubed) In a powerful blender, liquify cantaloupe and sugar. For Pops: Pour into pop molds. This makes over 16 pops. Or, 8 pops and one small bowl of sorbet. For Sorbet: Place medium-sized bowl in the freezer and stir every 30-40 minutes. When it’s almost ready, stir vigorously to break up ice crystals. Then, pour it into a loaf pan or small bowl. Pat it down and place in the freezer for another 30 minutes. Then, scoop and serve. A drizzle of honey and a sprig of mint make a lovely garnish. |
|
|||
