Week 10 - 2013

 

Summer Chicken and Eggplant Pasta

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 in. thick slices

2 chicken breasts, about 4 oz. each

1 zucchini 1 yellow squash

1 c. grape or cherry tomatoes

2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing Salt & pepper Non-stick spray

Grill seasoning

6 oz. angel hair pasta

5 tbsp. good, olive oil-based Italian dressing, divided

8-10 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced or torn -

Directions:

Lay eggplant slices on a cooling rack. Generously salt each side and let sit for 10 minutes. Blot excess moisture and salt off the top with a paper towel. Brush each side with extra-virgin olive oil and season with pepper. Spray chicken breasts with non-stick spray and season each side with grill seasoning. Cut the ends off the zucchini and yellow squash, then cut in half. Cut into strips with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, then add strips and tomatoes into a medium-sized bowl and toss with 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil and grill seasoning. Heat a grill pan to medium-high heat and generously spray with non-stick spray. Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Grill the eggplant slices until tender, about 3 minutes per side. Grill squash, zucchini, and tomatoes together until tender, tossing every so often, about 5 minutes total. Chop chicken and eggplant into bite-sized pieces. Meanwhile add angel hair pasta to a large pot of salted boiling water, and cook according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot. Toss with 3 tbsp. Italian dressing. Divide pasta between four plates. Top with grilled chicken, eggplant, zucchini, squash, and tomatoes. Drizzle each plate with the remaining Italian dressing, and sprinkle with fresh basil.

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Potato, Kale, and Kielbasa Casserole

Serves 6

Ingredients

3 pounds potatoes (about 6)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 1/2 pounds kale, coarse stems discarded and the leaves washed well
1/2 pound Munster, grated coarse (about 2 cups)
1 pound smoked kielbasa, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
2 large onions, halved lengthwise and sliced thing crosswise

Directions

In a kettle combine the potatoes, peeled and quartered, with enough water to cover them by 2 inches, bring the water to a boil, and boil the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until they are tender. Transfer the potatoes with a slotted spoon to a colander, reserving the cooking liquid, and force them through a ricer into a bowl. Add the butter, 1/2 cup of the broth, the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste and combine the mixture well. Bring the reserved cooking liquid to a boil, add the kale, and boil it for 20 minutes, or until it is crisp-tender. Drain the kale in the colander, refresh it under cold water, and press out the excess water. Stir the kale and 1 cup of the Munster into the potato mixture and spread the mixture in a buttered 13- by 9-inch baking dish.

In a large skillet brown the kielbasa over moderate heat and transfer it to a bowl with the slotted spoon. In the fat remaining in the skillet cook the onions over moderate heat, stirring, until they are golden and stir them into the kielbasa. Scatter the kielbasa mixture on top of the potato mixture, sprinkle it with the remaining Munster, and pour the remaining 1/4 cup broth on top. The casserole may be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. Bake the casserole in the middle of a preheated 400°F. oven for 20 minutes, or until it is heated through.

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Week 9 - 2013

Cucumber Dill Greek Yogurt Salad

Ingredients

4 large cucumbers (about 2 pounds)
4 tablespoon plain greek yogurt (I used 0% fat)
1 tablespoon dill
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (substitute red or white wine vinegar if needed)
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Peel, half, seed, and slice cucumbers.
In a medium bowl combine yogurt, dill, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Add cucumber to bowl and toss with yogurt/dill mixture until combined well.
Additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
Refrigerate covered until ready to serve.

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Grilled Eggplant & Zucchini Salad Recipe with Feta, Chickpeas & Mint

Ingredients

1 (1 1/2 lb.) eggplant
2 large zucchini
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (14 oz.) can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
5 large mint leaves, thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

Preheat the grill to medium heat.

Cut the eggplant into 3/4-inch slices. Cut the zucchini in half crosswise. Cut each half into 1/2-inch slices.

Lay the eggplant and zucchini slices on a baking sheet. Brush on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Grill until the vegetables are tender, but not overcooked, 4 to 5 minutes per side for the eggplant and 3 to 4 minutes per side for the zucchini.

Cut the eggplant and zucchini into bite-sized pieces. Place in a serving bowl.

Add the chickpeas, feta cheese and fresh mint to the eggplant and zucchini. Squeeze the lemon over the salad, and stir gently to combine.

Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Week 8 - 2013

Zucchini and Potato Bake

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

2 medium zucchini, quartered and cut into large pieces

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup olive oil
paprika to taste
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a medium baking pan, toss together the zucchini, potatoes, red bell pepper, garlic, bread crumbs, and olive oil. Season with paprika, salt, and pepper.
Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and lightly brown.





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Linguine with Eggplant Ragout

Makes: 4 servings



Ingredients

2 eggplants (about 2 pounds)
1 pound linguine pasta
1/4cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 14 1/2ouncecan  chopped tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1/3cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . Pierce the eggplants all over, place on a baking sheet and cook until very soft, about 1 hour. Let cool slightly, then cut each eggplant in half and scoop the flesh into a bowl; discard the skin.
Meanwhile, in a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the linguine until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juice and cook until the liquid has reduced, about 10 minutes. Stir in the eggplant; heat through. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the pasta and basil; toss to coat. Add the reserved pasta cooking water as needed.
            

Week 7 - 2013

Eggplant, Mozzarella, and Saffron Rice Bake

Ingredients

2 tablespoons plus 1 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 cup arborio rice
Pinch of saffron  (Turmeric can be used instead)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup vegetable broth or water
Kosher salt
3 large eggplants (about 3 pounds), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cups store-bought tomato sauce (such as marinara), divided
1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 2 cups), divided
1 cup coarsely grated Parmesan (4 ounces), divided

Preparation

Arrange racks in top and bottom thirds of oven; preheat to 425°. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add rice; cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Stir in saffron, then wine. Cook until wine reduces slightly, about 1 minute. Add broth; season with salt. Cover and cook over medium heat until rice is very al dente and still crunchy, about 6 minutes; remove pan from heat.
Meanwhile, divide eggplant between two rimmed baking sheets, overlapping slightly to fit. Drizzle 1 cup oil over; season with salt and pepper. Bake, turning eggplant and rotating sheets halfway through, until tender and golden brown, 20–25 minutes.
Cover the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking dish with 1 cup tomato sauce. Sprinkle 1/3 of mozzarella over, then 1/3 of Parmesan.
Cover with a layer of eggplant rounds, overlapping so no sauce is visible beneath them. Add saffron rice, spreading out in an even layer. Sprinkle over another 1/3 each of mozzarella and Parmesan, then 1/2 of the remaining tomato sauce and another layer of eggplant. Top with remaining tomato sauce and remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover dish with foil; transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet.
Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Uncover dish and bake until golden on top, about 20 minutes longer. Let stand for at least 10 minutes to set before serving.

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Potato and Chard Stalk Gratin


If your Swiss chard has wide stems, keep them handy. You can use them in a number of dishes, including this rich gratin.

Ingredients


1 pound small boiling potatoes, scrubbed

Salt to taste

1 pound wide Swiss chard stems (from 1 large or 2 smaller bunches), trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices

1 garlic clove, halved

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot or onion (optional)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups low-fat (1 percent or 2 percent) milk

Freshly ground white or black pepper

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

1 ounce Gruyère, grated (1/4 cup)

Preparation

1. Place the potatoes in a saucepan, and cover with water. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, and boil gently until tender, 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Add the chard stalks to the pot, and simmer for another five minutes until crisp-tender. Drain, and retain the cooking liquid if you prefer to use it instead of milk for the béchamel. Cut the potatoes into quarters or halves, depending on their size.

2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Rub a 2-quart baking dish or gratin with the cut clove of garlic, and brush with olive oil.

3. Make the béchamel. Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the shallot or onion, and cook, stirring, until softened, about three minutes. Stir in the flour, and cook, stirring, for about three minutes until smooth and bubbling but not browned. It should have the texture of wet sand. Whisk in the milk all at once, and bring to a simmer, whisking all the while, until the mixture begins to thicken. Turn the heat to very low and simmer, stirring often with a whisk and scraping the bottom and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce is thick and has lost its raw flour taste. Season with salt and pepper. Strain while hot into a heatproof bowl or a Pyrex measuring cup.

4. Cut the potatoes into quarters or halves, depending on their size. Combine with the chard stalks and thyme in a large bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Add the béchamel, and stir until the vegetables are coated with sauce. Scrape into the gratin dish. Sprinkle the Gruyère on top.

5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until bubbling and beginning to brown on the top. Serve hot.

Variation: Substitute the stock from the vegetables for some or all of the milk.

Yield: Serves four.

Advance preparation: You can make a béchamel up to a day ahead of using it; keep it in the refrigerator. If you lay a sheet of plastic or wax paper directly on top, there is less chance that a skin will form. Even if it does, you can get rid of it by whisking vigorously when you reheat the béchamel. Then the sauce should be as smooth as it was when you made it. Thin out if necessary with milk or stock. You can cook the potatoes and chard stalks several hours ahead of serving. Assemble the gratin just before you cook it. 

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Week 6 - 2013

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps


Ingredients

Cooking spray
2 medium zucchini (about 1 pound total)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (3/4-ounce)
1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Slice the zucchini into 1/4-inch thick rounds. In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with the oil. In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs, salt, and a few turns of pepper. Dip each round into the Parmesan mixture, coating it evenly on both sides, pressing the coating on to stick, and place in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the zucchini rounds until browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove with spatula. Serve immediately.

Per Serving:

(serving size, 1/2 cup)

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Zucchini Cheddar Pancakes

          Ingredients

Original recipe makes 6 servings
 2 cups grated zucchini

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup grated onion

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup biscuit baking mix (such as Bisquick®)

2 teaspoons vegetable oil, as needed

Directions

Mix zucchini, Cheddar cheese, and onion together in a bowl. Stir eggs and biscuit mix into zucchini mixture until well combined.
Heat vegetable oil on the griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Scoop about 1/4 cup batter onto heated griddle; cook until pancakes are browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining batter.
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Week 5 - 2013

Cabbage Beet Coleslaw

Recipe courtesy of Michael Jones serves four




Ingredients

4 beets, each about the size of a softball
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
1 small head of cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Grated orange peel from one orange
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons caraway seeds

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the beets in foil and drizzle with olive oil and dust with salt and pepper. Bake until tender when pierced with knife - about 1 1/2 hours. You can cut down the roasting time by cutting the beets in half. Depending on their size it could take as little as an hour.

Cool. Peel beets by rubbing lightly with a paper towel. Cut into 2-inch strips and place in a large bowl. Shred the cabbage thinly with a sharp knife or mandoline and add in with the beets.

Vigorously whisk cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, grated orange peel and honey in small bowl. Gradually beat in oil. Pour dressing over cabbage and the beets and mix well. Add caraway seeds and toss. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper.

Note: I used 2 large regular beets in this recipe, plus 4 or 5 much smaller golden beets. This made a nice color and taste contrast.


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Roasted Fennel with Parmesan

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 fennel bulbs, cut horizontally into 1/3-inch thick slices, fronds reserved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly oil the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange the fennel in the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then with the Parmesan. Drizzle with the oil. Bake until the fennel is fork-tender and the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Chop enough fennel fronds to equal 2 teaspoons, then sprinkle over the roasted fennel and serve.

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Week 4 - 2013

Cheesy Broccoli and Carrot Casserole

Ingredients

2  cups small fresh broccoli florets
1  cup sliced (1/8 inch) carrots
1/2  cup sour cream
1/4  cup milk
1 1/2  cups shredded Cheddar cheese  (6 oz)
1/2  cup French fried onions (from 2.8-oz can)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In ungreased 1-quart microwavable casserole, mix broccoli, carrots and 1/2 cup water. Cover with microwavable plastic wrap. Microwave on High 4 to 6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until vegetables are crisp-tender; drain.

2. Stir in sour cream, milk and cheese until well mixed. Sprinkle with onions.

3. Bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes or until bubbly and vegetables are tender.

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Strawberry Arugula Salad Recipe

Ingredients

6 cups fresh arugula and/or baby spinach
1-1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup slivered almonds or pine nuts
1/2 cup crumbled garlic and herb feta cheese
4 green onions, chopped

VINAIGRETTE:
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon fresh sage or 1/4 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Directions

In a salad bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk the vinaigrette ingredients. Drizzle over salad; toss to coat. Yield: 12 servings (3/4 cup each).

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Glazed Hakurei SaladTurnips

INGREDIENTS

3 bunches baby hakurei salad turnips, baby turnips, or red radishes (about 2 pounds), trimmed, greens reserved
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
Kosher salt

PREPARATION

Place turnips in a large skillet; add water to cover turnips halfway. Add butter, sugar, and a large pinch of salt; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is syrupy and turnips are tender, about 15 minutes. (If turnips are tender before liquid has reduced, use a slotted spoon to transfer turnips to a plate and reduce liquid until syrupy. Return turnips to pan and stir to coat well.) DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm before continuing.
Add turnip greens to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, 2–3 minutes. Season with salt.


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