Category: Recipes

August 25, 2015

Hi everyone!

Just got back from Great Barrington, Massachusetts – a haven for the arts. What a great town!

 

We are still getting wonderful tomatoes. Here’s a recipe that uses the best of the season. It calls for flatbread, which you can make yourself. Or, just buy Greek pita brad (no pocket)  or any other flatbread.

SUPER MEDITERRANEAN TOMATO AND VEGGIE SPICED FLATBREAD

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp. sumac

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp kosher salt

2 large tomatoes, any color, thinly sliced

1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed

2 Tbs rd wine vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

1/2 cup parsley leaves with tender stems

3 TBS olive oil

 

YOGURT SAUCE

1 cucumber, peeled and chopped

3/4 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup coarsely chopped mint

1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley

Hot sauce

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

4 flatbreads

 

1. Combine garlic, sumac, red pepper flakes, coriander, cumin, and 1 tsp salt in a small bowl.

2. Arrange the tomato slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle garlic mixture over the top. Let this sit for an hour at room temperature.

3. Toss chickpeas and vinegar in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mash the chickpeas with a fork until about half are flattened.

4. Add shallot, parsley and oil and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

5. Combine cucumber, yogurt, mint and parsley in a medium bowl. Season with hot sauce, salt and pepper. Let this mixture sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. This sauce can also be made an hour ahead and refrigerated.

6. Top each flatbread with yogurt sauce, chickpea mixture, and tomatoes. Drizzle with more oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.

HELPFUL HINT: Sumac is a tart spice that can be found in Middle Easter groceries and specialty food stores.

IF YOU WANT A RECIPE FOR MAKING YOUR OWN FLATBREADS, JUST CONTACT ME AND I’LL SEND YOU ONE.

I hope you all enjoy this. Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 18, 2015

Hot, hot, hot! Summer has a grip on us and it isn’t ready to let go. Thank goodness we have beautiful and delicious fresh vegetables to enjoy.

This week we are getting tomatoes, tomatillos and cilantro. Viva Mexico!  But, I’m sure none of us want to linger in the kitchen any longer than we have to during this heat wave. So, here’s an easy, quick and yummy recipe.

SORT OF AN EGGPLANT TACO

1 eggplant
olive oil
salt
Brie
cilantro or basil, plus chopped tomatoes and tomatillos

1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (it won’t be on for long – don’t worry!)

2. Slice the eggplant into 1/2-inch rounds and spread on an oiled baking sheet.

3. Sprinkle with olive oil and salt and roast at 400 degrees for 8 minutes on each side, or until golden.

4. While the eggplant is roasting, chop some tomatoes and tomatillos and mix them together.

5. Place a piece of Brie, some tomato mixture and fresh cilantro or basil on each eggplant round and fold like a mini taco.

That’s all there is to it, and it is delicious!

HELPFUL HINT: When you take the papery husks off the tomatillos, they will feel sticky. Just rinse them off.

Enjoy, and have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

 

August 11, 2015

At last! Tomato season is beginning. This week’s share has both cherry tomatoes and some lovely slicers.

In the dog days of August, what could be more refreshing than gazpacho? Here’s a variation that uses both tomatoes and red peppers. So easy to make and so pretty when you serve it!

TOMATO AND RED PEPPER GAZPACHO

2 lbs ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 large cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 large red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs lemon juice
4 Tbs olive oi
salt, pepper to taste

For garnish:
2 Tbs chopped tomato
2 Tbs chopped cucumber
olive oil for drizzling
basil leaves for decoration, optional

1. In a blender place the tomatoes, cucumber, garlic and red pepper. Blend until smooth.
2. Add the olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Blend again to combine.
3. Pour the gazpacho into a pitcher and place the pitcher in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
4. To make the garnish, in a small bowl combine the tomato and cucumber. Serve the gazpacho drizzled with olive oil and garnished with chopped veggies and fresh basil.

HELPFUL HINT: This tastes great with crusty peasant bread. You don’t have to chop the vegetables for the soup very finely – just enough so they don’t overwhelm your blender.

To go with this dish, one needs a great beverage. So, here’s a refreshing cucumber and basil cool water drink recipe for you.

CUCUMBER AND BASIL AQUA FRESCA

2 large cucumbers
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup (packed) basil leaves
1/4 cup sugar or agave syrup, plus more to taste

1. Slice a few thin slices of cucumber and reserve for the garnish. Peel and coarsely chop the remaining cucumber.

2. Puree the chopped cucumber, lime juice, basil, 1/4 cup sugar, and 2 cups water in a food processor until very smooth.

3. Strain the puree into a pitcher and add 2 cups water, adding more sugar or water if needed

4. Chill the mixture until ready to serve.

5. Add the reserved cucumber slices just before serving.

Hope you enjoy these, and that they help keep you cool. Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

 

 

 

 

August 4th, 2015

Welcome to Week 9! The lush bounty of summer is starting to roll in, along with prodigious heat, so anything fast and easy that uses all this fine produce is a good thing. Here’s an easy recipe for those hot evenings when nobody wants to eat anything heavy. It uses those first cherry tomatoes of the season – if they even make it to your kitchen. We usually eat ours before we even get home. They are so sweet!

TOMATO AND SCALLION FRITTATA
1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced (1 cup)
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated cheddar (1 1/2 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add scallions and tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook about 5 minutes.

Add the eggs and cheese, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.

3. Cook, undisturbed, until edges are set, about 2 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until top of frittata is just set, 10 to 13 minutes.

4. Invert or slide frittata onto a plate and cut into 6 wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.
That’s it!

HELPFUL HINT: Many of you already know abut this, but for those who don’t, here’s an easy no-work way to cook and serve corn on the cob: Leave the husks on. Fill your sink with cold water and throw in those ears of corn. Let them soak for about fifteen minutes. Put them on a plate and microwave them five minutes for each ear. The easy way to eat them is to use two oven mitts and just pull off the husks. The silk will come right off with the husks. Yum!

I hope you’re loving the summer. Have a delicious week!
Best,
Judi

July 28, 2015

Apparently we’ve reached the hot and sticky part of summer. It’s a great time to go to the park or the beach, or out on your terrace. And you’re going to need something light and delicious to eat while you’re there. Here’s a delicious eggplant appetizer that is easy to make, and is great either hot or cold. It uses fresh basil as well.

EGGPLANT APPETIZER

8 Tbs olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tsp fresh marjoram or oregano leaves
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 large eggplant (about 1 lb.), cut into ¾” pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
8 slices ¾”-thick country-style bread
½ cup torn fresh basil leaves
1 oz. Parmesan, shaved

1. Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, marjoram, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until the garlic is softened but not browned, about 2 minutes.

2. Add the eggplant to the skillet and cook, tossing occasionally, until just starting to brown, 8–10 minutes.

3. Add ½ cup water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the eggplant is very soft, 10–15 minutes. Let it cool slightly, then mix in the lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired.

4. Meanwhile, preheat the grill on medium. Brush both sides of the bread with the remaining 4 tablespoons oil and grill until lightly charred, about 2 minutes per side.

5. Spoon the eggplant mixture on the toast and top with the basil and Parmesan; then cut the toast in half.

HELPFUL HINT: You can use a toaster oven instead of a grill to toast the bread. You can even do it under the broiler in your oven.
ANOTHER HELPFUL HINT: You can prepare and cook the eggplant mixture two days ahead, cover and chill it until ready to use.

I hope you enjoy this dish – it’s a favorite at my place. Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

July 21, 2015

Wow – we’ve been getting the summer whammy – hot and humid. Relentlessly hot and humid. I keep thinking of the witch in The Wizard of Oz, screaming, “I’m melting! Oh, my wickedness!”.

Nobody really wants to turn on the oven in weather like this. So, here’s a quick and simple recipe that doesn’t require you to turn it on. The filling can be made ahead and refrigerated. Just reheat to serve. Get out of the kitchen fast!

SUMMER VEGGIE TACOS
2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red or white onion, finely chopped
Salt to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ lb tomatoes, peeled and diced
1 ½ lbs summer squash, cut in small dice (about 4 1/4 cups)
1 chile, minced (can be anything: jalapeno, serrano, poblano – you decide how hot you want it)
1 can white beans, pinto beans or black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (or more to taste)
12 to 14 corn tortillas
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
Salsa – any kind you like

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add the chopped onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes cook down slightly, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the squash, minced chile, and salt to taste. Cook, stirring, until the squash is tender but not mushy, about 8 minutes.
3. Stir in the beans and cilantro and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings.
4. Heat the tortillas and fill with the squash mixture and crumbled goat cheese. Serve with the salsa of your choice.

*You can make the filling a day in advance and refrigerate it overnight. Reheat it gently in a skillet.

HELPFUL HINT: To peel tomatoes, drop them into boiling water for 1 minute. Then, put them into cold water. The skins will slip right off.
ANOTHER HELPFUL HINT: You can use a toaster oven to warm the tortillas, or even wrap them in foil and put them on a burner with the lowest possible heat. Watch carefully, so they don’t burn!

Drink lots of fluids, stay indoors in the air conditioning if you can, and relax. Have a delicious week!
Best,
Judi

Week 6! The good stuff continues to roll in! Have you seen the photo of the potato plants in bloom on the Stoneledge Farm web site? They’re gorgeous!

Among the goodies this week are eggplants. This easy recipe for eggplant balls is versatile. The eggplant balls can also be made into patties and eaten like burgers.

EGGPLANT BALLS
3 TBS olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups cubed eggplant, with peel

1 TBS water

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup dried bread crumbs
1. Preheat The oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking sheet.
2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Pour in the olive oil and saute the garlic until lightly browned. Don’t overcook the garlic or it will become bitter!
3. Sir in the eggplant and water. Reduce the heat to low and cover the skillet. Allow the eggplant to steam until soft, about 20 minutes. Place the eggplant in a large bowl and allow it to cool slightly.
4. Mix the cheese, parsley, eggs, and bread crumbs into the eggplant. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hands (I always use my hands to do this) until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the mixture can be rolled into balls. Add more bread crumbs as needed to make the mixture workable.
5. Refrigerate the mixture for 15 minutes, then roll into balls or form into patties.
6. Place the eggplant balls on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

HELPFUL HINT: If you aren’t concerned about calories, these balls can be deep fried and served with marinara sauce on the side for a great appetizer.

Hope you enjoy this recipe – it’s so good! Have a delicious week.
Best,
Judi

July 6, 2015

Well, we’ve certainly made up for any missing rain from June! It’s been wet and some days have even been cool. The good news is that we’re still getting lovely greens and other great vegetables.

This recipe will utilize both spinach and scallions, and you can throw any of the other vegetables in if you so desire. The more the merrier!

Scallions are also known as green onions, and many parts of the US have never heard of “scallions”.  I was the Corporate Manager of Food Service for Allied Stores in the eighties. I wrote a menu for a chain of stores in Minnesota. On the menu was a hero sandwich with layered meats, cheeses, and scallions. I called it The Italian Scallion. It caused an uproar in Minnesota! One store manager called me and asked, “What the heck is that ingredient and where am I supposed to get it?” These are the same people who thought that French fries with an omelet are a hilarious concept. Those crazy jokers in the Midwest!

 

So, back to the recipe, which is a great one to make ahead, freeze and bake whenever you’re ready to serve. You don’t even have to defrost it!

BREAKFAST (OR ANYTIME) PACKAGES OF GOODNESS

3 scallions, trimmed, sliced
1 (16-ounce) package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, defrosted (entirely optional)
12 ounces cooked breakfast sausages (about 16 sausage links), cut into 3/4″ pieces (any kind of sausages will do, as will no sausages at all. Tofu is great, too)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
3 (packed) cups spinach
6 large eggs
1/2 cup shredded cheddar (optional)

1. Cut 12 (12×16″) pieces of heavy-duty foil. Layer 2 pieces of foil on top of each other to create 6 stacks. Line top pieces of foil with parchment paper cut to the same size.

2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

3. Toss scallions, potatoes, sausage, oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Divide the mixture among the prepared packages, arranging it in the center of each piece of parchment. Bring the edges of the foil together to enclose each package, then crimp to seal them closed.

4. Place packages side by side on baking sheets and cook about 15 minutes. Carefully remove 1 package from the oven and check if ingredients are steaming hot. If necessary, return the package to the oven.

5. Transfer the packages with tongs to a flat surface and carefully open them (they will be full of hot steam). Top each package with spinach, then crack 1 egg into the center of each and season with salt and pepper. Reseal, return to the oven, and cook until the egg whites are opaque but the yolks are still runny, about 4 to 5 minutes.

6. Carefully remove the packages from the oven, open, and sprinkle with cheddar, if using. Serve immediately.

HELPFUL HINT: Packages can be assembled and chilled for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. For refrigerated packages, bake for 15 minutes. For frozen packages packages, no need to defrost. Just bake them for 30 minutes.

Cooks’ Note: These can also be made on a grill, a grill pan or a skillet.

Enjoy, and have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

June 30, 2015

Here we are at the end of June. Today there will be a leap second, an adjustment made to compensate for the earth’s erratic rotation. Don’t bother to reset your clocks – it’s just one second.

We are closing in on the end of this season’s lettuce I know it doesn’t seem that way but, trust me, lettuce is going to end soon. What we will be getting lots of is summer squash. They are very productive plants, and they yield delicious fruit. Before you give up salad entirely for the season, try this delicious one made with quinoa, summer squash and walnuts.

 

SALAD OF QUINOA, SUMMER SQUASH AND WALNUTS

1/2 cup red or other quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh sieve and drained
2 tsp kosher salt plus more for seasoning
1 lb assorted summer squash
2 TBS finely grated Parmesan plus additional 1/4 cup shaved with a peeler
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 TBS Sherry vinegar
6 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
1. In a medium saucepan, bring quinoa and 4 cups water to a boil. Season with salt, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until quinoa is tender but not mushy, about 12-15 minutes. Drain and return the quinoa to the hot saucepan. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Uncover; fluff with a fork and let cool.

2. Cut the squash into 1/8″-thick slices, some lengthwise and some crosswise. Transfer the slices to a large bowl, season with 2 teaspoons salt, and toss to coat. Let sit until slightly wilted, about 15 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain well. Pat dry with paper towels.
3. Whisk the grated Parmesan, lemon zest, juice, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Combine the squash, quinoa, parsley, walnuts, and basil in a large bowl. Pour dressing over and toss to coat. Garnish with shaved Parmesan.
HELPFUL HINT: You can use any vinegar you like in place of the sherry vinegar, and you can add any greens you like to this salad.

I hope you enjoy it and the beautiful weather. Have a delicious week!
Best,
Judi

 

June 23, 2015

Welcome to Week 3!

It’s definitely summer. High heat and humidity are exhausting! So, a nice simple recipe for dinner is a boon.

Some of us are starting to get tired of endless salads, so this week’s share, which includes summer squash and beets, is a welcome upgrade.

This recipe for Italian squash torta is easy to make and will feed the whole family.

ITALIAN SQUASH TORTA
4 TBS butter
1 1/2 lbs yellow or green summer squash or zucchini, sliced thin
1 small onion, sliced or chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt (I like to use kosher salt)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (If your pantry doesn’t contain anything by that name, make your own, red pepper flakes, oregano, thyme and basil)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
8 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded
2 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tsp Dijon mustard

1. Heat the butter in a large skillet and sauté the squash, onion and garlic until tender and lightly browned.

2. Sprinkle the seasonings over the squash while it is cooking. Don’t add the salt until the end, or it will get watery.

3. Put the squash mixture in a greased 10-inch quiche pan.

4. Stir in the cheese and parsley.

5. Whisk the eggs and cream in a small bowl; whisk in the mustard. Pour the egg mixture over the squash; stir in gently.

6. Bake at 375º for 25 minutes, until the egg is set and the top is lightly browned. Let stand a few minutes before cutting.

 

HELPFUL HINT: Variations include substituting sour cream or yogurt for the heavy cream, and adding mushrooms, peperoni, prosciutto or genoa salami. You can even add some of this week’s beets.

Stay as cool as possible, drink lots of water, and enjoy!

Have a delicious week.

Best,

Judi