Author: Judi

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 11 – AUGUST 13, 2019

August 13, 2019

Hi Everybody,

Another week of beautiful bounty. Mid-summer rocks!

Additional broccoli coming this week, and there’s more you can do with broccoli than just steaming or roasting it. Today’s recipe makes a wonderful appetizer  that even kids will eat. It is cheesy, chewy and delicious.

BROCCOLI CHEESE STICKS

INGREDIENTS

3 c. broccoli rice*
1 large egg
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tsp. freshly chopped parsley
Warmed marinara, for serving
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Microwave riced broccoli for 1 minute to steam. Carefully wring out extra moisture from the broccoli using a paper towel.
2. Transfer the broccoli to a large bowl and add the egg, 1 cup of the mozzarella, the Parmesan, and the garlic. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Transfer this “dough” to the baking sheet and shape it into a thin, oval crust.
3. Bake until it is golden and dried out, about 20 minutes. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and bake until the cheese is melted and the crust is crispy, 10 minutes more. Garnish with parsley and pepper flakes, if using.  Cut into “sticks”. Serve warm with the marinara for dipping.
*How to make broccoli “rice”: Pulse the broccoli in a food processor until it resembles rice (you can also grate it on the medium side of a box grater).
I hope you enjoy this yummy appetizer or lunch dish.
Have a delicious week!
Best,
Judi

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 10 – AUGUST 6, 2019

AUG 6, 2019

Hi Everyone!

We are in full summer abundance mode! Everything looks and tastes delicious and is bursting with summer goodness.

And who is the star of this show? The tomato, of course! So, today’s recipe is for what may seem like an unconventional dish, but is actually traditional, especially in the South. It’s tomato pie, which is not a sweet item. It’s a delicious savory treat. Try it!

 

TOMATO PIE

INGREDIENTS

1  9-inch pie shell  (available in any grocery or supermarket refrigerated case)

1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1/3 onion, diced)

3-4 tomatoes, cut in half horizontally, excess juice squeezed out, roughly chopped, to yield approximately 3 cups of chopped tomatoes

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 cup sliced basil (about 8 large leaves) chiffonade*

2 cups of  grated cheese (combination of sharp cheddar and Monterrey Jack, or Gruyere or Mozzarella or, really, almost any cheese)

1/2 cup mayonnaise – yes, mayonnaise!

1 tsp (or more to taste) of hot sauce (Tabasco is my favorite, although Sriracha and Frank’s are good too)

Freshly ground black pepper

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Follow the directions on the package for pre-baking the pie crust or pre-bake it in the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned.

2. Lightly salt the chopped tomatoes and set them in a colander over a bowl to drain while you are pre-baking the crust. Squeeze as much moisture as you can out of the chopped tomatoes, using either paper towels, a clean dish towel, or a potato ricer.

3. Sprinkle a layer of chopped onion over the bottom of your pre-baked pie crust shell. Spread the drained chopped tomatoes over the onions. Sprinkle the basil over the tomatoes.

4.  In a medium bowl, mix together the grated cheese, mayonnaise, hot sauce and a sprinkling of  freshly ground black pepper. Spread the cheese mixture over the tomatoes.

5. Bake at 350 degrees, until browned and bubbly, anywhere from 25 to 45 minutes.

Serve hot, warm, at room temperature or cold. It’s all good!

HELPFUL HINT: If some onions are too sharp for your taste, put the diced onions in a bowl of ice water for fifteen minutes before you use them. They’ll be milder.

*To chiffonade basil, stack the leaves and then cut the stack into thin ribbons.

I hope you enjoy the tomato pie.

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

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JUDI’S RECIPES -WEEK 9 – JULY 30, 2019

Greetings Everybody,

Tomatoes are here! The share is small this week, but it’s just the beginning. More to come!

We’re also getting fresh, crisp green beans this week. They make a wonderful summer side dish. Today’s recipe combines them with lemon and garlic, a tasty, light summer treat.

 

LEMON GARLIC GREEN BEANS

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lbs green beans, cleaned and trimmed

1-2 TBS olive oil (depending on pan size; you’ll basically  need enough to cover the pan and coat the green beans)

4 TBS, butter, salted

4 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp garlic powder (if you really like garlic, add more)

additional salt and pepper to taste

 

Instructions

  1. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Set aside.
  2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook green beans for about 3 minutes.
  3. Drain the beans and put them into the bowl of ice water. Allow them to cool completely. Once they are cool, drain them and eiher use in this recipe right away or cover and refrigerate for up to two days, until you are ready to finish this recipe.
  4. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the green beans and butter to the pan, tossing them to coat with oil and butter.
  5. Add the lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Continue to toss the beans, cooking for about 3 minutes.
  6. Add more salt and pepper as needed to taste.

Simple and delcious!

HELPFUL  HINT: You can really use any seasoning for this dish. I like grated parmesan cheese, whole roasted cloves of garlic, sesame seeds, onions, grated ginger and/or  soy sauce.

Enjoy and stay cool, if you can.

Have a delcious week!

Best,

Judi

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 8 – JULY 23, 2019

JULY 23, 2019

Greetings, Everybody,

Have we all melted yet?  It looks as if we will be getting a break from the heat and humidity. Wonderful!

If you can bring yourself to do anything other than lie down and drink something ice cold, I have a nice recipe for you.  It’s a vegetable frittata, and it includes some of that summer squash we’re geting. It’s simple to make and it’s pretty tasty.

 

VEGETABLE FRITTATA

Ingredients

1 1/2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil

1 c. chopped onions

1 c. thinly sliced mushrooms

1 c. diced red bell pepper

1 c. sliced zucchini or other summer squash

1 c. spinach, blanched, squeezed dry and roughly chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

8 eggs

1/3 c milk

3/4 cup shredded gruyere, Swiss or mozzarella cheese

 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350.

2. In a 10-inch pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat until it is “wavy”.  Add the onions and saute until they are translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook until they release most of their liquid. Stir in the red bell pepper and the zucchini and cook until they soften slightly. Add salt and pepper and stir.  Set aside.

3.  Beat the egg just enough to combine the whites and yolks. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Stir. Add the milk and 1/3 c. of the cheese and gently stir.

4. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetable mixture in the pan. Cook over medium heat (no stirring!) until the edges curl away from the side of the pan.

5. Put the skillet in the oven and bake until just puffed and set. Don’t overcook!  Remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on the top of the frittata and bake two more minutes. Switch your oven to “Broil” and broil briefly, just until the cheese is slightly golden.

6. Cut into wedges and serve.

HELPFUL HINT: This is delicious with a nice crisp green salad and some crusty bread .

Another helpful hint: Mushrooms should never be washed (they absorb water). Just wipe them with a damp paper towel or cloth.

One more helpful hint: how to blanch spinach. Wash the spinach thoroughly. Boil some water and put the spinach into it for 1 minute, then plunge the spinach into cold water. Squeeze out the moisture, then use.

NOTE: if you are vegan, most groceries have a variety of vegan cheeses available.

 

Stay cool everyone. Relief is coming!

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 7 – JULY 16, 2019

JULY 16, 2019

Hello from the Baked Apple!

We’re experiencing the dog days of summer. It is hot and hazy, which makes cool, clean food even better.

Today’s recipe is one that utilizes all those beautiful cucumbers we’re getting this week.

 

CUCUMBER SALAD WITH CHARRED ONIONS

Ingredients

1 Fresno chili, thinly sliced into rings (seeded if you want it less hot)

4 TBS red wine vinegar, divided

2 medium red onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick

4 TBS olive oil, divided, plus more for serving

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 medium cucumber, sliced into rounds

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

Directions

1. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Combine the chili and 2 TBS vinegar in a small bowl; set aside.

2. Place the onions on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 TBS of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the onions to coat them with the oil. Grill the onions directly on the grate (or griddle) until lightly charred and softened, about 2 minutes per side.

3. Transfer the onions to a large bowl and toss with the remaining 2 TBS of  vinegar and allow them to cool.

4. Coarsely chop ½ cup grilled onion and add it to the bowl.

5. Add the chili and its soaking liquid, the cucumber, dried oregano, and 2 TBS oil, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Serve drizzled with more oil.

Grab a glass of cool white wine or lemonade and some crusty bread, and you have a perfectly fine summer evening dinner.

Helpful Hint: Don’t waste your time trying to find a way to slice onions that won’t make your eyes burn. Wear a pair of glasses, although they’ll only help a little bit. Just grin and bear it – and have a tissue handy.

I hope you enjoy this cool meal for a hot night.

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 6 – JULY 9, 2019

JULY 9, 2019

Hi Everybody!

Summertime is beloved by all for Nature’s bounty, which we are currently enjoying.  Yes, it’s been salad-heavy, but salads are perfect for hot days. Today’s recipe is not a salad! It’s a great zucchini dish.

A famous writer once said that zucchini is that vegetable about which the best thing you can say is that any fool can grow it. I disagree. There are many great things you can make with zucchini. And a good portion of the summer squash we are getting this week is zucchini ( both green and yellow).

So try this recipe – it’s a great side dish with almost anything.

 

ZUCCHINI PANCAKES

2 medium zucchini (about 3/4 lb)

2 TBS grated red onion

2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

6 to 8 TBS all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Unsalted butter and vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
  2. Grate the zucchini into a bowl using the large side of a box grater. Immediately stir in the onion and eggs.
  3. Stir in 6 tablespoons of the flour, the baking powder, salt and the pepper. (If the batter gets too thin from the liquid in the zucchini, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour.)
  4. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and melt 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon oil together in the pan.
  5. When the butter is hot but not brown or smoking, lower the heat to medium-low and drop heaping soup spoonfuls of batter into the pan.
  6. Cook the pancakes about 2 minutes on each side, or until they are browned. Keep the pancakes warm by placing them in the oven on a baking sheet
  7. Wipe out the pan with a dry paper towel, add more butter and oil to the pan, and fry more pancakes until you have used all the batter.
  8. The pancakes can stay warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

HELPFUL HINT: This is great with applesauce, sour cream or the Turkish sauce called cacik, which is plain yogurt with garlic and lemon.

It seems we’re in for another hot week, so stay cool, stay hydrated and enjoy.

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 5 – JULY 2, 2019

JULY 2, 2019

Greetings everyone! Yup  – finally summer. It’s hot and humid and still doing a lot of raining. This, of course, may be uncomfortable for people, but it’s great for vegetables.

This week we’re getting one of our most popular vegetables – sugar snap peas, so delicious, they don’t always make it into a recipe at our house. We just pull the strings and eat them.

And you must remember to pull the strings, too. Just break off the stem and gently pull the strings down to the other end of the pod.

SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH GARLIC AND PANKO

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb sugar snap pies, washed, dried and trimmed

1/4 c panko bread crumbs

1/4 grated parmesan cheese

1 TBS grated garlic, dried minced garlic or chopped fresh garlic

3 TBS olive oil or olive oil infused with your favorite herbs (widely available in supermarkets and groceries)

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2. Mix the panko crumbs, the parmesan cheese and the garlic.

3. Toss the peas with the olive oil

4. Toss the pea mixture with the bread crumb mixture

5. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 15 – 20 minutes

HELPFUL HINT – you may want to use a sheet of parchment paper to line the baking sheet. It will make cleanup much easier.

Enjoy!

Have a wonderful, fun-filled and safe July Fourth holiday. And have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

 

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES WEEK 4 – JUNE 25, 2019

June 25, 2019

Greetings Everybody.

Welcome to Week 4. More greens are coming, and they’re lovely – the upside of downpours that never end.

This week we are getting napa cabbage, a cone-shaped cabbage that is very versatile.  We’re using it in a recipe you’ll love: gyoza (Japanese potstickers). They’re easy to make and so good!

GYOZA

INGREDIENTS

1/2 head napa cabbage, shredded
1 egg
3 green onions, thinly sliced
 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sriracha sauce, or more to taste
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or as needed
1 cup water
Dipping Sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 dash sriracha or to taste

DIRECTIONS

  1. Combine ground pork, napa cabbage, egg, green onions, ginger, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil in a bowl.
  2. Arrange gyoza wrappers on a flat work surface. Place 1 teaspoon of pork mixture in the middle of each wrapper. Wet edges with your finger or a brush. Fold up sides to form a semicircle; pinch edges to seal.
  3. Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 12 to 15 gyoza to the skillet. Cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup water; cover and cook until water is absorbed, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer gyoza to a plate. Repeat with remaining gyoza.
  4. Mix 2 tablespoons soy sauce, rice vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 dash sriracha sauce together to make dipping sauce. Serve dipping side alongside gyoza.

HELPFUL HINT:

If you’re vegan, substitute tofu or tempeh for the pork.

ANOTHER HELPFUL HINT:

Substitute 3 garlic chives for the green onions and garlic, if you like.

For the sauce: 1 part soy sauce, 1 part seasoned rice vinegar, 1/4 part sesame oil, sriracha sauce to taste.

Kids love doing this, so maybe they can help. It’s a fun family activity.

Enjoy! And have a delicious week.

Best,

Judi

 

 

 

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 3 – JUNE 18, 2019

JUNE 17, 2019

Hi Everyone!

I hope you all had a lovely Father’s Day, filled with warm memories and great food, whether you are a father, have a father, or neither.

This week we’re getting more greens (of course we are!), the Jewels of Spring. But, we’re also getting some root vegetables along with their own greens. These can be used to make wonderful dishes that use the whole plant. Today’s recipe is for beets and their greens, but if you’re getting kohlrabi, you can use the same recipe.

ROASTED BABY BEETS WITH SAUTEED BEET GREENS

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch baby beets with tops, well-washed

2 TBS olive oil, divided

2 sprigs rosemary

Splash of balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

2. Cut the tops off the beets. Place in a roasting pan and toss with 1 tablesoon of  olive oil and the rosemary.

3. Roast in the oven for approximately 30 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven and pull off the skins while still warm, and cut the beets in half.

5. Saute the beet greens until limp in the additional tablespoon of olive oil and add a splash of balsamic vinegar.

6. Season with salt and pepper.

6. To serve, plate the greens and place the beets on top.

Enjoy!

HELPFUL HINT: To stem rosemary, grasp the stem and slide your fingers, from the top down, toward the end of the stem. The stem won’t break.

ANOTHER HELPFUL HINT: I like this dish with chopped, grated or minced garlic in the greens. Add it at the end and saute for a minute, then remove fom the heat.

Let’s all hope a few more sunny days are coming. The rain has been great for the crops, but I’m tired of frizzy hair and wet shoes.

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

 

 

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 2 – JUNE 11, 2019

June 11, 2019

Hi Everyone!

Week 2, and we can expect wet greens. It has been pouring down  rain relentlessly. But, the weekend, you must admit, was lovely.

Well, if we’re going to have salad every day, let’s make it interesting. Try this recipe – it is so delicious!

PANZANILLA SALAD WITH BACON AND ARUGULA

INGREDIENTS
12 oz. thick-cut bacon, cut into 1″ pieces
2 cups ciabatta bread, torn into small pieces
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
5 oz. arugula
1 lb. very ripe tomatoes, mixed varieties and sizes, cut into bite-size pieces
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c. torn basil leaves
DIRECTIONS
  1. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the bacon in an even layer. Fry until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon, using a slotted spoon, to a plate lined with paper towels. Remove half the bacon fat and reserve.
  2. Make croutons: Return the pan to the heat and toss the bread pieces in the bacon fat. Season with salt and pepper. Toast until the bread is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the croutons to a bowl and set aside.
  3. Add the remaining bacon fat to the pan and stir with the garlic over medium heat. Sauté until the garlic is softened and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
  4. Add the arugula, tomatoes, red onion, parsley, and croutons. Toss the salad together with dressing. Top with the bacon and basil and serve immediately.

You’re going to love it!

HELPFUL HINT: Don’t overthink it. If you can’t find endless varieties of tomatoes, just use whatever is ripe. Same thing with the bread. If you can’t find ciabatta, use any good Italian bread. Have other greens on hand? Throw them in there!

ANOTHER HELPFUL HINT: If you are vegan or vegetarian, just omit the bacon and use vegetable oil or olive oil instead.

This salad also benefits from a good grating of pecorino romano or parmesan cheese.

Let’s hope for some sunshine. In the meantime, enjoy the rain and the fresh vegetables!

Have a delicious week.

Best,

Judi