Black bean & corn salsa

 Ingredients:

1 ear corn, cut off the cob
1 can black beans, drained
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 -3 TBL chopped cilantro
1 TBL olive oil (optional)
1 TBL white balsamic vinegar (optional)
juice of 2 limes
1 TBL honey
salt, pepper


Combine ingredients.  Refrigerate for awhile so flavors can marry.

Fresh honey is my secret ingredient when using tomatoes!

Salsa

Featured in Gooseberry Patch's Flavors of Fall cookbook!

Ingredients:

3 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 onion, diced ( I like red onion)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 hot pepper of choice, I use jalapeño, minced and seeded
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 2 limes
1/8 TBL sugar or honey
salt, pepper, dash of oregano and cumin


Combine ingredients together.  Mix well.  Cover and refrigerate 2-3 hours to allow flavors to marry.

Zucchini & tomato bake

When summer's abundance of zucchini is at it's peak, this will help answer the question of "What do I do with all this zucchini?!"

Ingredients:
3 small zucchini, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
1 onion, sliced
approx 15 grape tomatoes
1/2 pkg cream cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup Parmesan
1/2 cup feta
3 eggs
1 tsp tarragon (dried)
1 tsp thyme (dried)
1/2 tsp salt & pepper
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp agave nectar (or sugar)
1TBL olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Heat olive oil in a skillet.  Add sliced zucchini and onion.  Saute until zucchini just starts to turn translucent, about 5-8 minutes.  In a food processor, mix cream cheese and eggs.  Pour into a bowl and add Parmesan and feta.  Mix well and add spices, lemon juice, zest and agave nectar.  Spray a 9X12 baking dish with non stick spray and layer zucchini & onions, and tomatoes.  Pour egg mixture over all and top with mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 350 for about 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.  Let cool before cutting.

Corn casserole

This is such a great side dish!   If you love corn, this is right up your alley!  It's easy and delicious.

Ingredients:

2 cans creamed corn

1/2 stick butter, melted

1 egg

1 box Jiffy corn bread mix

2/3 cup sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.  Spray a 2QT casserole dish with nonstick spray.  Mix all ingredients, pour into casserole dish, and bake for 45-55 min.   Y-U-M!

Honey roasted squash

Oh how I love squash.  Any kind, any way.  This is an awesome side dish for Thanksgiving.  I would also use it for squash risotto or for squash soup.  I always use an ice cream scoop to scoop out the seeds.

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, quartered
1 acorn squash, quartered
drizzle of olive oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 TB rosemary, chopped
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Clean, scoop and rinse squash.  Line a cookie sheet with foil. (shiny side DOWN)  Place quartered squash on the cookie sheet, skin side down and drizzle with olive oil.  Put about a half inch of water on the cookie sheet as well, it will help keep the squash moist.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  While the squash is baking, make a paste with the honey, brown sugar, rosemary, and butter.  Brush honey mixture on the squash (save a little for the end) and return to the oven to roast for another 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and gooey.

Arancini (rice balls)

As I was sifting through my gramma's recipes, I found one for rice balls, but they were stuffed with meat.  I've updated her version, and this is what I came up with.  I like my version better!

I used short grain brown rice, the original version called for white rice.  I did a little research and found some people even use leftover risotto.  Here's what I did:

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup short grain brown rice
fresh mozzarella balls, about 7
fontinella cheese chunks, about 1/4 lb
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 eggs, 4 are for breading
1/2 cup flour, for breading
2 cups panko bread crumbs, or cracker crumbs, for breading
olive oil, for frying
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Cook the rice in broth in a covered sauce pan.  After the rice is cooked, spread out on a plate or cookie sheet to cool.  I cooled mine in the frig.  After the rice has cooled, transfer to a bowl and add 2 eggs and grated parm cheese and mix together.  Add a sprinkle or two of salt and pepper.  Set up breading station: a bowl with flour, a bowl with scrambled eggs, and a bowl with cracker crumbs.  Preheat oven to 200, just to keep the balls warm after frying.  To assemble the balls, take a large pinch of rice and form it in the ball of your hand.  Put a chunk of cheese on the rice, then cover the cheese with another pinch of rice.  "Roll" into a ball shape and dip in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs.  Mine turned out way bigger than I expected.  I will use mozzarella "pearls" the next time.  They are smaller than the Ciliegine I used today.  The Fontinella cheese was just cut into chunks.  Repeat the breading process until all the rice has been used.  Heat about 1/4 cup olive oil in a large frying pan.  When the oil is hot, place some of the balls in the pan to brown, being careful not to over crowd them.  You will have to turn them to brown on all sides.  Keep adding oil as needed.  When they are all browned, place on a cookie sheet and keep warm in the oven.  You could deep fry them if you want.  I don't own a deep fryer, so mine turned out sort of triangle shaped.   Serve with warm marinara.

Zucchini fritters

zucchini fritters

These could be made into "patty sized" for dinner!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh ricotta
2 eggs
2 TB fresh basil, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of 2 lemons
1 medium to large zucchini, shredded
1 1/2-2 cups crushed cracker crumbs
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp sea salt
sprinkle of fresh ground pepper
olive oil, for frying

Directions:
Make ricotta cheese.  While ricotta is "thickening", preheat oven to 200.  Shred zucchini into a medium sized bowl.  Once ricotta has reached desired thickness (mine was ready in about 30 minutes), combine ricotta, eggs, basil, garlic, pepper and lemon zest in a large bowl.  Add zucchini to ricotta mixture and mix well.    Stir in cracker crumbs until mixture is no longer wet.  In a separate bowl,  add panko bread crumbs and shredded Parmesan.  Heat 1-2 TB olive oil in a large frying pan.  Take about a TB of zucchini mixture at a time and form into little patties.  Dredge in panko/cheese, and fry till golden brown.  Flip, sprinkle with salt, and brown the other side.  Keep warm in the oven while you finish the rest of the fritters.

Hot corn dip

This is perfect for game day!  I think the tomato really makes this dish.  Of course you could kick it up a notch and add more jalapeno.

Ingredients:
16 oz corn (or 3 ears)
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup mayo
3 gloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup diced tomato, seeded
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4-1/2 cup red & green pepper, diced
2 jalapenos seeded and diced
2 TB cilantro
1/2 cup provolone cheese shredded
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
2 TB butter
sea salt
fresh ground pepper


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Heat butter in a frying pan, and saute half of the corn, onion, peppers and garlic.  After a couple of minutes cooking, add tomatoes and continue to saute a few minutes.  Mash the other half of the corn (food processor works great).  Add in cilantro, cream cheese, and mayo.  Transfer to a bowl and add sauteed corn mixture, shredded cheeses, a dash of salt and pepper, and mix well.  Pour into a 2 QT baking dish and sprinkle the top with a little prove/mozz mix of cheese.  Bake 30 minutes at 350, or until golden brown.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Orzo comfort

I love orzo period.  Normally I like big, chunky food.  Tonight I diced the veggies small with my Progressive chopper.  Love the way it turned out! 

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 med onion, diced small 

1/2 red pepper, diced small

1/4 to 1/2 cup butternut squash, diced small 

1/4 to 1/2 cup acorn squash, diced small 

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup spinach, stems removed
1 cup orzo
2 1/2 (approx) cups chicken broth
2 TB Agave nectar
Juice from 2 limes
handful of cilantro, sliced
sprinkle of sea salt
fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Cook orzo in chicken broth until all liquid is absorbed.  While orzo is cooking, saute garlic, onion, pepper and squash in a 3QT saucepan till translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add spinach and cook till spinach is wilted.  Add beans, agave, lime juice, salt and pepper and mix well.  When the orzo is done and the liquid is absorbed, mix it in with the bean mixture.  Stir in cilantro just before serving.  YUM!
**variation**  Serve with a sprinkling of feta cheese.

Squash gratin

Squash Gratin Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb total, peeled, sliced butternut and acorn squash

1/2 cup half-n-half

sprinkle of nutmeg

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup crushed honey graham crackers

8 oz shredded white cheddar cheese

2 TB butter

Preheat oven to 375.  Spray a 2 QT dish with non stick spray.  Peel and slice squash. In a mixing bowl, toss squash with a light sprinkle of nutmeg.  Layer the squash and the cheese in the baking dish and add half-n-half.  Top with breadcrumbs and graham crackers.  Dot butter over breadcrumbs.  Bake at 375 until golden brown, about 45 minutes.  

**variation** I'm dying to try this with sautéed, sliced onions and apples mixed in with the squash!  

I think apples, onions and white cheddar is such a nice combination!  Let me know what you think!

Asparagus & tomato risotto

This dish is creamy, hearty and wonderful on a cool evening.  I love the combo of asparagus, lemon and basil, and let's face it, a little wine!  I like to put wine in the dish, too!  Since we make our own wine, we always have an ample supply.  More about how to make wine later.  I use grape tomatoes (I call them Jael's tomatoes because she loves to pick them off the vine and eat them like candy), but you could certainly use cherry tomatoes!  This dish is great for Meatless Monday!

Ingredients:

1 cup Arborio rice
3 cups vegetable stock (I use Trader Joe's)
1/4 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 TB butter
1 lb asparagus (top halves of the spears only) cut into 1 inch pieces
Juice and zest of 2 lemons
handful of basil, sliced
15 or so grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
1 5-8 oz tub shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup red or white wine
pinch of sea salt
dash of fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Saute' onion and garlic in butter in a medium sauce pan.  Cook 5-8 minutes or just until the edges of the onion are brown and add the rice.  Stir around and cook for another 5 or so minutes, until the rice starts to brown.  Add one cup of stock, stir and cook until all the liquid is absorbed.  Add another cup of stock, stir and cook until all the liquid is absorbed.  Add the last cup of stock, stir and cook until the liquid starts to absorb.  Add the asparagus, zest and lemon juice, tomatoes and wine.  Cook until all liquid is absorbed and the rice is nice and creamy.  Turn off the heat and add the basil, salt & pepper and parmesan cheese and mix thoroughly.  Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top.

Servings: 4-6

Rainbow slaw salad

A couple of weekends ago we went riding (ATV's) with some friends of ours.  Now when we're with this particular group of people, we EAT (and drink)!   This group can cook and I love getting new ideas from the recipes I've seen over the years.   Someone brought this wonderful cole slaw salad that I thought I could duplicate.  We came home and I improvised with what I had in the fridge.  Here's what I came up with. As my husband said, "It was pretty damn good."  He's a man of few words, so it must have been good for him to say that.  For me, the basil is what makes this salad.   

I'd just like to say that Agave nectar is my new fave item!  It's low glycemic and you can use in place of white sugar.  

Ingredients:
1 bag rainbow salad (broccoli slaw with cauliflower) or just use broccoli slaw
11/2 cup mayo
1/3 cup agave nectar (or use sugar)
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
4 oz linguine (about a quarter of a box), cooked and rinsed
8 oz. parmesean cheese
1 cup chopped fresh basil

Whisk the vinegar, agave nectar and mayo.  Set aside.   Place the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Pour the dressing over the slaw and let it marry awhile.  The longer it sits, the better the dressing is.
*variation* You could use bottled cole slaw dressing instead of making your own dressing.

Tomato season is upon us!

Thank God for cloudy, breezy days!  I have been canning this weekend, outdoors of course.  We've set up an outdoor kitchen of sorts and that's where I do my canning.  Why?  It's easy to clean up, doesn't heat up the kitchen, and I can and will make a mess.  Did I mention that I'm a slob when I cook?  Seriously.  I think that's a trait I inherited from my grandmother.  Anyway, the girls I work with agree on that one!  But at least I clean up my own mess!  One of my fave dishes with fresh-out-of-the-garden tomatoes is tomato pie.  The first time I heard of tomato pie, I thought it sounded disgusting.  Now that I've made it, I love it!  My husband tends to go overboard with the garden plants.  This year we are down to 30 or so tomato plants, however the pepper plants increased to about 36  42 or so!  So anyway the tomato pie is adaptable and best with fresh tomatoes, not store bought.  A couple of notes on this recipe...

*I use a deep dish pie pan and I love, love, love Asiago cheese.  You could easily sub swiss, provolone or whatever kind of cheese you like.  Sometimes I sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese as well.*

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups Trader Joes all purpose baking mix

1 1/2 cup cold milk ( I use half & half)

1/2 stick softened salted butter

5 or 6 large tomatoes, sliced

a big handful of basil leaves, whole

2 cups shredded Asiago cheese

1 cup mayo (approximate)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a pie plate with non stick spray.  Add baking mix and butter in a large mixing bowl.  Cut the butter into the mix by using your hands, or use a fork till the lumps look pea sized.  Add milk and stir until moistened.  Roll out the dough on a floured surface to the thickness you like.  Again, I'm a crusty person so I like mine thick.  Place the dough in the pie dish.  Next, layer the tomatoes on top of the dough.  Dot the top of the tomatoes with the basil leaves.  

Next, mix the cheese and mayo together.  You want just enough mayo to moisten the cheese or it will be greasy.  Cover the basil/tomatoes with the cheese as shown below.  

Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes depending on your oven.  Bake until golden brown.  Cool a few minutes before trying to cut it.  This will melt in your mouth, no kidding!  Enjoy!  

Recipe adapted from my "Gramma"  Rock.

Baked peppers

This comes from a friend of mine from Italy.  Her name is Anna.  These are better if you saute' the peppers just a bit before baking.  It really brings out the flavors!

Ingredients:

4 jalapeños, seeded and sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 orange pepper, sliced
8 oz shredded monterey jack cheese
8 oz shredded cheddar
8 oz shredded mozzerella
4 TB flour
4 tsp milk ( I use half & half)
2 eggs
1 TB olive oil


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Saute' peppers in olive oil over med heat for 5 minutes.  Layer peppers in the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan.  Spread cheeses over peppers.  Mix flour, milk and eggs and pour over cheeses.  Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.
:) yummy!