Baked Zucchini Fries

This month for Secret Recipe Club I was assigned Jamie’s Cooking with Moxie. Secret Recipe Club is a gathering of food bloggers where bloggers are assigned another food blogger’s recipe site, selects and prepares a recipe, and on the designated day, shares the recipe made. It’s a great way to meet other bloggers and find new recipes. I truly appreciated how many savory recipes Jamie has featured on her blog since some months I’ve struggled finding something interesting that is not a sweet. Maybe it’s because she hails from a large, close-knit Italian family. I enjoyed all her family and friend pics on her About Me page. 

I bookmarked a few things:  chickpea cakes with tzatziki, bake pesto chicken because we have a ton of frozen, homemade pesto from this summer’s basil haul, and tilapia in caper sauce, Roman style since we eat fish at least once a week (and Craig would be thrilled it’s NOT salmon). But we needed a veg one night, and the zucchini fries with roasted garlic aioli caught my eye. These are easy and very tasty. The panko adds more crunch than regular breadcrumbs, and the zuc becomes almost creamy when baked. A great texture contrast. Even though I made it with grocery store zucs, this is a great use of overflowing, summer garden zucs. I cut the recipe in half for just the two of us, and we had it as an appetizer. When I went to roast the garlic for the aioli I realized we were out of a whole head (heresy, I know!) so we dipped them in (homemade, canned) marinara. We ended up eating all that I made, which was THREE zucchinis. Kind of addictive to say the least. Next time I may spice up the seasoning mix and make the aioli. 

Enjoy! The recipe below reflects the changes I've made to the original recipe.

Zucchini Fries

1/2 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs, seasoned with Italian seasonings

2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 medium zucchinis

Olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with nonstick foil and drizzle lightly with olive oil cooking spray.

Put panko breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Mix in grated Parmesan cheese. In another shallow bowl, add the beaten egg. Season both bowls with salt and pepper. Cut each zucchini into horizontal pieces to make the “fries".

Dip each zucchini piece into the egg mixture first, dripping off any excess, and then into the panko/cheese mixture, coating completely and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes, turn. Bake another 15 minutes, until outside is crispy and browned.

We served them with homemade marinara. 

An InLinkz Link-up

Cauliflower Crust Chicken Pesto Pizza (Gluten Free)

Cauliflower pizza crust rocks. Tasty, healthy, low carb, and more veggies. Yay, veggies! It took a few tries to get it just right, but I now have a recipe that works well. Be forewarned that you don’t pick up this pizza and eat it out of your hand because the “crust” is quite soft. Keep in mind that is far low calories than a flour-based pizza crust and full of nutritionally dense veggies. Yay, veggies! Like any pizza crust, it is a canvas for whatever toppings you’re in the mood to eat. We’ve made it with barbeque chicken and veggies, TVP “sausage” and veggies, and last night homemade lemon pesto, chicken, and veggies.

The keys to success are to ensure the riced cauliflower is as dry as possible and to use as little liquid binding as possible in making the crust. Baking the crust first in a cast iron skillet gets it crisper than simply baking it on pizza stone or cookie sheet. Allowing it to cool for a few minutes before adding the pizza toppings also results in a crunchier crust (as crunchier as a cauliflower crust can be!). Lastly, while I typically put raw veggies on flour-based pizza crusts, I always sauté the veggie toppings for a cauliflower crust. Most recipes include mozzarella and/or parmesan in the crust, but an egg white and cottage cheese amply bind it (and I prefer to save those cheesy calories for the topping). Some recipes call for wringing out the cauliflower after steaming it, and perhaps it makes the crust more pick-up-able, but I skip that step. The recipe is super simple and fast to throw together. And, yay, more veggies!

Without further ado, I present:

Cauliflower Crust Chicken Pesto Pizza

Serves 2 hungry people

Cauliflower Crust

1 head cauliflower

1/4 cup egg whites

1/4 cup low fat cottage, drained of any liquid

Italian seasoning

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Remove stems and leaves from the head of cauliflower, and chop the florets into chunks. Pulse in a food processor until it looks like rice or grain. Do not over-pulse or puree it.   

Place the riced cauliflower into a microwave safe bowl; do not add any water. Microwave for 8 minutes. Allow to cool.

Add the cauliflower and remaining crust ingredients to the food processor and blend until smooth.

Spray a 9” cast iron skillet with cooking spray. Spread dough out evenly. 

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the crust is slightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

Add toppings of your choice.The toppings in the photo above were homemade lemon pesto sauce, sauteed chicken, red bell pepper slices, red onion slices, broccoli, and tomatoes.

Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes more until golden and bubbly. Allow to rest for a few minutes before cutting it.

Print recipe here. 

The Best Quick & Easy Indian Potatoes in Red Sauce

Indian food sounds so exotic to Americans, and it is. Indian has not been adapted and Americanized like other ethnic fare such as Italian, Mexican, or Chinese – which is a good thing! Indian food is terrific, although it often has a bad rap – it’s too spicy, it’s greasy, it’s high in fat and unhealthy, I hate curry. Well, let me debunk some of these fallacies. Indian food is healthy in its extensive use of fresh vegetables, whole grains, and non-meat proteins. It is cheap to prepare and recipes are easy. Often recipes fit the bill for comfort food. And it's fun and interesting to eat something out of your comfort zone. To prove that, here is a recipe for the best potatoes that uses the bounty of the season – fresh potatoes, tomatoes, and herbs. Just don’t tell your family you’re serving “Indian” but do expect compliments.

The source of the original recipe I used came from this month’s Secret Recipe Club where I was assigned Jayasree’s Samayalari Cooking is Divine blog. SRC members are assigned another participant’s blog, select a recipe, make it, then blog about it, with all entries posting on the same day. This blog is rich in traditional Indian dishes, and the biggest challenge was deciphering what the ingredients are (thanks, Google!). But, I learned Indian foods uses pretty basic stuff common in most cuisines – potatoes, rice, tomatoes, spinach, onions, garlic. While Jayasree's blog is vegetarian (and eggless), Indian dishes can contain meat. I also enjoyed learning a bit about her culture and family. Thanks for the education, Jayasree!

I decided to make on potatoes in a red coriander sauce frankly because it didn't sound too Indian and I thought everyone would like it. And we did! This side dish is quick and easy and can be made with ingredients common to an American pantry. And these are likely the best summer potatoes ever. Never would I have ever thought to mix potatoes with tomato “gravy”, but it works. The creaminess of the potatoes compliments the bright flavors of the spices and tangy sweetness of the tomatoes. The spice mix you grind uses coriander seeds, a spice that rarely get used in my kitchen but will going forward. Coriander seeds add a subtle, floral citrusy flavor. I substituted fresh lemon verbena from my garden for the curry leaves. And there seems to be a lot of debate among foodies if fresh coriander leaves are the same as cilantro, which I used because I had it. We had leftovers which I plan to eat tomorrow with a poached egg for lunch.

Here is the original recipe, and the recipe below reflects the changes I made to it.

Potatoes in Red Coriander Sauce

4 generous servings

1 pounds new red potatoes, skin on and cut into bite sized pieces

1 teaspoon oil

1 1/2 teaspoon tamarind extract (or equal amounts lime juice and brown sugar)
1 cup fresh tomatoes, pureed
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon verbena leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable broth or water
3 to 4 sprigs cilantro leaves

Spice paste:
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
2 garlic cloves
1/2 medium onion
1 teaspoon red chili powder

Cook the potatoes.

Combine all the ingredients for the spice paste in the bowl of a food processor and process until fairly smooth. Set aside.

In a large skillet heat oil over a medium high flame. Add the ground paste, tamarind extract (or lime juice/brown sugar mixture), tomatoes, lemon verbena  leaves and allow it cook for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper and mix well. Add the potatoes and stir to combine. Add the broth and cover the pan with a lid. Reduce heat and allow the mixture to cook five minutes.

Once the potatoes have absorbed the masala gravy, garnish with cilantro and serve.

Print recipe.

Fusion Comfort Food

One night last week I was in the mood for something homey for dinner, comfort food – or – perhaps Asian. I know, different ends of the spectrum, but we’ll get to how I satisfied both cravings in a moment.

As I sat down to write this post, I got thinking about cravings, particularly for comfort foods, and why we have them. It’s clearly not linked to fulfilling a nutritional need, because typically comfort foods are not healthy, e.g., mac and cheese, green bean casserole, ice cream sundaes, etc. Comfort foods often take us back in time, and we associate a specific food with memories, some funny, some nostalgic. Comfort foods can soothe our psyches and invoke a sense of calm and security. Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches remind me of Friday night dinners when I was little, or we went to Howard Johnson’s for fried clam strips. Coffee milkshakes still provide comfort just as they did 35 years ago after a visit to the orthodontist for an adjustment to braces. And the mention of tuna noodle casserole immediately reminds me of one person. My dad. It always has been one of his favorite dinners. American cuisine is defined by these kinds of foods, and interesting how so many upscale chefs have added buttermilk fried chicken, truffled mashed potatoes, and even cabbage rolls (check it out at Sidney Street with the rabbit!) to their menus over the last few years. These guys know what sells – and tastes so wonderful. Long live comfort foods.

Back to my cravings. I know, comfort foods typically do not invoke images of stir fry, kung pao, pad thai, lettuce wraps, or seared soy-marinated tuna. But sesame soy Udon noodles and cilantro and ginger meatballs do. Can I call it Americanized-Asian spaghetti and meatballs, with a side of (spicy) un-green bean-casserole? I had a recipe for ginger meatballs from Cooking Light that calls for ground pork, but I find these versatile enough that ground turkey, ground chicken, or grass-fed beef, which is what I had, works nicely. The noodles from the original recipe are rather blah, so I threw something together by instinct that turned out really tasty. So if you have a fusion comfort food craving, give this a try. You will be satisfied in a 2011 kind of way.

Gingery Meatballs with Noodles and Spicy Green Beans

Serves 4

Meatballs

1/2 C chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 C dry breadcrumbs

1/4 C finely chopped red onion

2 T low sodium soy sauce

2 t grated peeled fresh ginger

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound lean ground pork, turkey, chicken, or lean ground beef

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Place a foil-lined jelly-roll pan in oven. Preheat oven to 450°.

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl; stir gently just until blended. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Divide pork mixture into 20 equal portions; shape each portion into a meatball. Arrange meatballs in a single layer on preheated pan.

Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until done.

Sesame Noodle

Serves 4

6 ounces Udon noodles, cooked and drained

Onions and/or colored pepper, thinly sliced and sautéed or any other vegetables you have on hand

Ginger, grated

Cilantro

2 – 3 T low sodium soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T rice vinegar

1 1/2 T sesame oil

Asian chili-garlic sauce to taste

Green onions, thinly sliced

Whisk all ingredients (except noodles, vegetables, and green onions) together in a bowl. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. Pour sauce over warm noodles and vegetables and toss to coat. Sprinkle with green onions and toss.

Spicy Green Beans

Slightly undercooked green beans – I did in the microwave on vegetable/fresh setting

Sauce:

2 T soy sauce

1 T rice vinegar

Asian chili-garlic sauce

Ginger, grated

Garlic, minced

Combine sauce ingredients and set aside.

Sauté ginger and garlic. Add green beans and sauté until starting to darken in spots. Add sauce and cook until thickened slightly.

Vietnamese Chicken Meatballs, Summer Rolls, and the Secret Recipe Club

This month for the Secret Recipe Club, where each member is assigned another participant’s blog, selects a recipe, makes it, then blogs about it, with all entries going up on the same day, I was assigned Jo-Anna’s A Pretty Life in the Suburbs. She is a stay-at-home-mom from the suburbs in Canada who not only cooks and bakes but also is quite crafty. Her blog is filled with gorgeous photos and great ideas. I especially liked her pretty jars. I never knew chalkboard paper existed, and I can envision lots of uses for such with my own organizing fetish. The SRC is an easy and fun way to meet fellow food bloggers and find wonderful recipes. Consider joining if you food blog!

It was still quite hot here in St. Louis when I got the assignment and was looking for something light. The Vietnamese Chicken Bites sounded delightful, and we love Asian. Other than cutting the recipe in half, I followed the recipe exactly. As we head into soup weather, I can see dropping these in a spicy Asian broth with lots of veggies. YUM.

I followed Jo-Anna’s recommendation and also made her mother’s summer rolls, but with quite a few changes. I used my standard peanut sauce, which I’ve made for years, originally from Cooking Light, and Udon noodles because that’s what we had. Unfortunately I was multi-tasking and over-soaked the rice papers, so pay attention. That, in addition to over-stuffing them, made the rolls nearly impossible to neatly assemble (and messy to eat), but they are very fresh tasting and delicious. You can include other vegetables as I did, such as green onions,red bell peppers, and cucumbers would also be a nice addition. The mint and cilantro are quite pronounced, which was fine with us. Definitely both recipes are repeaters. Thanks Jo-Anna for such an interesting blog and delish recipes!

Vietnamese Chicken Meatballs
2 lb ground chicken or turkey
1/2 C chopped fresh cilantro
4 green onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 T grated lemon zest
4 t cornstarch
2 t minced gingerroot
6 T soy sauce (I used low sodium soy sauce)

Combine chicken, cilantro, onions, garlic, zest, cornstarch, gingerroot, and soy sauce. Roll into 1 inch meatballs.

Place on to a baking sheet, lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.  Turn once.  

Summer Rolls

1 ounce Udon noodles

1 T seasoned rice vinegar

4 (8-inch) rice-paper rounds, plus additional in case some tear

2 large leaves of Romaine lettuce, ribs cut out and discarded and leaves julienned

1/4 C fresh mint leaves

1/4 C fresh basil leaves (preferably Thai)

1/2 C thinly sliced Napa cabbage or “regular” cabbage

1/4 C fresh cilantro leaves

1/3 C coarsely shredded carrot

1/3 C red bell pepper, julienned

1/3 C green onions, finely sliced

Pat noodles dry between paper towels and toss with vinegar and salt to taste.

Put a double thickness of paper towel on a work surface and fill a shallow baking pan with warm water. Soak 1 rice-paper round (make sure there are no holes) in warm water until pliable, 30 seconds to 1 minute, then transfer to paper towels.

Arrange lettuce on bottom half of soaked rice paper, folding or tearing to fit and leaving a 1-inch border along edge. Spread a bit of peanut sauce over the lettuce and top with mint, basil, vegetables, and noodles. Roll up rice paper tightly around the filling and then fold in sides and continue rolling. Transfer summer roll to a plate and cover with dampened paper towels.

Serve rolls halved on the diagonal.



Korean Style London Broil and the Secret Recipe Club

For this month’s Secret Recipe Club where food bloggers are assigned another member’s blog “in secret” and select and prepare a recipe that is then shared on a designated reveal day. I was fortunate to have been assigned Hezzi Ds Books and Cooks. Heather (aka Hezzi D, her hubby’s rock & roll nickname for her, which made me chuckle) just celebrated her first year of blogging, and she has been quite busy based on the number of posts about both food and books. Her blog is filled with many delicious recipes, and I particularly enjoyed her 2011 canning inventory. It’s obvious she enjoys baking too with numerous sweet treats (33 chocolate recipes!), but I was intrigued with the “best of” list she posted on her blog’s anniversary that features her favorite recipes from the last year. I debated between the jalapeno popper dip and Korean Short Ribs and finally settled on the short ribs.

The only problem was when I went to pull the ribs from the freezer, I figured out Connor had grilled all we had when I was travelling on business a few weeks ago. With a quick Google search, I realized London broil can be substituted for boneless short ribs, and we were in business. I’m learning how to cook lean, grass-fed beef, and my research indicates it does best with a long, low temp, slow cook (such as in the slow cooker as with this recipe), or braised, or done with a high temp for a quick sear. I’ve also discovered grass fed beef benefits greatly from a marinade, so I soaked the beef in the sauce portion of the recipe overnight in the frig to both tenderize it and impart additional moisture in the meat. The house smelled divine by the end of the day, and the flavor of the sauce was outstanding, a mix of Asian and barbeque. I also added onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes to make it a more well-rounded pot dish. We served it over Udon noodles and with Korean coleslaw as a side. Leftovers make fantastic bulgogi-like sandwiches for lunch the next day. The recipe below reflects the changes I made. And I will get around to making the jalapeno popper dip soon. Thanks Hezzi D for such inspirational recipes.

Korean Style London Broil

Serves 4

1/2 C. soy sauce

1/2 C. packed light brown sugar

2 T. sesame oil
3 T. rice wine vinegar
2 T. fresh ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C. water
1 t. red pepper flakes
1 t. ground ginger
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 pound London broil or boneless beef short ribs

2 medium onions, sliced

2 bell peppers, coarsely chopped

2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped or 1 14ounce can tomatoes

Sesame seeds
2 green onions, sliced (I forgot these)

Score the London broil.

Mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, vinegar, fresh ginger, garlic, and water in the a small bowl, stirring until the brown sugar is well incorporated.  Sprinkle in the red pepper, ginger, and black pepper.  Mix well. Place the meat and sauce in a heavy duty Ziploc and refrigerate over night.

Scatter half the onion slices on the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover with the London broil and spoon the sauce over top the meat. Cover with remaining onions, bell pepper, and tomatoes. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Remove the meat (which I shredded with two forks) from the slow cooker and serve over Asian noodles or rice. Top with green onions

The First Salsa and Pickles of the Season – Corn Salsa and Frig Dill Zucchini Pickles – Good Stuff

I love canning and the season is upon us. I especially enjoy canning salsas and pickles, which are more imaginative than traditional foodstuff like tomatoes, peaches, and apples. While we greatly appreciated that we have such during the winter months, they just aren’t as much fun to make. Last summer I canned tomato-chile salsa and sweet cucumber pickles (only to learn Craig much prefers dilled pickles), but this year I wanted something more unique so I made corn salsa and refrigerator zucchini dill pickles (yet another way to use the plethora of CSA zucs).

The corn salsa is from a wonderful preserving book, Put ‘em Up! by Sherri Brooks Vinton. The recipes, for canning, freezing, and drying, are clearly written and very creative. I like the portion size of the recipes, lots of pints, with an emphasis on sauces, salsas, pickles, jellies, and jams. The preface to this recipe suggests it's tasty when combined with rice, beans, and cheese for quick-fix burritos. Craig grilled the corn because we prefer the slightly smoky flavor it imparts, and it’s easier than boiling. And instead of fresh jalapenos, I used the last of what I roasted and froze last summer.

Who says pickles must be made from cucumbers, especially when your produce bin is overflowing with zucchini? I had seen a recipe for Spicy Dill Refrigerator Pickles from Carolyn at All Day I Dream about Food from last month's Secret Recipe Club. Put ‘em Up! has a recipe for pickled zucs that soaks the zucchini and onions in iced salt water for an hour or two, then rinsed and drained, which is what I did, but I followed Carolyn’s recipe to actually prepare the pickles. Simply delicious, probably the best pickles I’ve ever tasted. Super crispy, which I prefer over pickles that are prepared in boiling-water and have a softer texture. These have the right amount of saltiness and the fresh dill shines. The pickled onions are almost as good as the pickles themselves. Next time I make these, I'll add more jalapeno or use a hotter pepper for more of a kick.

Corn Salsa

From Put ‘em Up!

Makes about 8 pints

12 ears corn, shucked

3 C distilled white vinegar

1 C sugar

1 T ground cumin

1 T salt

5 pounds tomatoes, diced

2 jalapeno peppers, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 large onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 C chopped fresh cilantro

Bring a large non-reactive stock pot of water to a boil. Add the corn and boil for 5 minutes. Drain.

When the corn is cool enough to handle, stand the cobs on end and slice vertically to cut off the kernels, being careful not to cut into the cobs. For less mess and fewer flying kernels, put the pointed end of the ear into the hole of a Bundt pan and cut off the kernels. Most off the corn stays in the pan. Empty and wipe out the stock pot.

Combine the vinegar, sugar, cumin, and salt in the stock pot, and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, jalapenos, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and corn kernels, and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Stir in the cilantro and return to a boil, Remove from the heat.

This can be refrigerated for up to three weeks or canned used a boiling water method.

Spicy Dill Refrigerator Zucchini Pickles

Makes about 4 pints

2 pounds of zucchini and/or yellow squash

1 pound of onions, chopped

At least 2 C ice cubes

1/2 C kosher salt
1 jalapeno pepper, quartered
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 T chopped fresh dill
1 1/2 t whole black peppercorns
1 1/2 t ground coriander
1 1/2 C white vinegar
3/4 C apple cider vinegar
3/4 C water

Wash zucchini and/or yellow squash and slice lengthwise into 1/4 inch spears. Toss the spears with the onions, ice, and salt into a large bowl, and add enough cold water to cover. Set aside for an hour or two. Drain, rinse, and drain again.

Arrange the zucchini spears and onions in pint jars. Divide jalapeno, garlic, dill, peppercorns, and coriander between jars.

In a medium saucepan, bring vinegars and water to a boil. Divide brine among jars, almost to the top (no worry about leaving headspace here, these are refrigerator pickles). Screw on jar lids.

Leave jars on kitchen counter for at least 3 days. After that, refrigerate. The flavor continues to develop, and they will last several months in the fridge assuming they’re not gone wayyyyy before that!

The Prettiest Summer Salad Ever

On Sunday we were invited to the St. Louis Food Bloggers’ potluck graciously hosted by Stef at The Cupcake Project. I was a bit intimidated as to what to make when preparing something for such an illustrious group of foodies. I saw from the evite that a number of bloggers had signed up for appetizers, something I do well but didn’t want to be redundant, and (luckily) a number of desserts were already spoken for, which is not something that particularly interests me nor is it a culinary strength of mine. I correctly surmised this group would appreciate fresh and local with the variety of good produce in season. Cucumbers, red onions, the first heirloom tomatoes, green peppers. The makings of gazpacho, which is one of my favorite things to eat when it’s SOOOOO hot. But only this time of the year when ingredients are FRESH. However, I was uncertain about dining logistics, so I was skeptical about soup, but what about a gazpacho salad? Good idea.

This was a stunning salad. The vibrant colors and simple freshness shouted “SUMMER!” I was able to use all local vegetables, except for the colored peppers, and some of the tomatoes, the banana peppers, and the basil were from our garden. Even the croutons were “local”, made from Companion’s French Baguette. Definitely do not skip making the croutons. They add a contrasting crunch to the veggies when first added to the salad and are divine once they soak up the peppery dressing. The method for preparing the croutons is far easier than baking croutons, which I inevitably burn. We typically always add cheese to salads, but Craig commented it’s not needed. Now that speaks volumes for this winner. The only downside is that gazpacho is much faster to prepare since I typically throw all the ingredients in the food processor. To make the salad, you do a lot of chopping, but a small price to pay for such deliciousness.

Gazpacho Salad

Based on a recipe sourced from Smitten Kitchen

Generously serves 4

2 tablespoons good olive oil
4 cups French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
Garlic salt to taste
3 large ripe tomatoes, preferably heirloom, cut into bite-size pieces
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces

1 small orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces

2 banana peppers, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 red onion, cut in half and finely chopped
1/2 cup basil, coarsely chopped

For the vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/3 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the ingredients.

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, red onion, and basil. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

Everyone Needs a Great Coleslaw Recipe

It’s a kitchen staple that is so versatile. We serve it with burgers, grilled brats, pulled chicken/beef/pork sandwiches, Rachels (Rubins with coleslaw instead of sour kraut), wraps, and oven-baked fish. But coleslaw can have a bad reputation – and – rightly so. Too many slaws have the cabbage swimming in mayo, resulting in watery/soggy/oily yuck. Good slaw needs a balance of tartness, tanginess, a hint of sweetness, and a crunchy texture. After trying numerous recipes, we’ve decided this one fits the bill. And as with most things, blue cheese makes it delicious.

Even Craig, who used to be a coleslaw-hater, likes it. The original recipe is based on The Barefoot Contessa’s Roquefort coleslaw but has a smaller ratio of dressing to vegetables, less mayo that is supplemented with plain fat free or low fat yogurt, and a bit less blue cheese. And it's really easy and works fine with store-bought pre-shredded coleslaw mix.

Blue Cheese Coleslaw

Serves 3 to 4

1/2 small head green cabbage (or about half a bag of cabbage-carrot slaw)

2 carrots, scrubbed and peeled

1/4 C low fat mayonnaise

1/4 C fat free or low fat plain yogurt

1T Dijon

2t whole grain mustard

1T cider vinegar

1/2 t celery salt

lots of freshly ground black pepper

1/4 C parsley

1/4 C good blue cheese or gorgonzola – may be a little more to taste

Cut the cabbage in half and then in quarters and cut out the core. Using a food processor with the slicing blade, prepare the cabbage into slaw texture. Place the slaw into a medium bowl. With the shredding blade of the food processor, proceed to process the carrots. Add to the bowl with the cabbage.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, both mustards, vinegar, celery salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the grated vegetables and combine to moisten well. Add the crumbled blue cheese and parsley and toss. Cover and refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavors to meld.

 

This easily doubles and keeps well in the frig for a day or two. Serve it cold or at room temp.

The Secret Recipe Club - Veggie Sausage Frittata

I was part of a food blogger recipe exchange this month called The Secret Recipe Club where bloggers are paired up and reveal their partner (and what they prepared) on a designated day. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Lisa’s The Gonzo Gourmet, which is filled with many wonderful recipes. Her style and blog lean towards local foods, mostly healthy but an occasional indulgent recipe, and it feels like we have much in common – from consuming wine while cooking (not when I prepared her recipe – this time – since it was 10AM!) to even using the same recipe as the basis for our bar nuts (from Union Square Café).

We needed a hearty breakfast to carry us until we got to the Slow  Food St. Louis Feast in the Field Dinner at Claverach Farm, which started at 4PM. Since we were still swimming in zucchini and had some chorizo in the freezer that needed used, I looked through the Breakfast category. The Veggie Frittata caught my eye. While the original recipe is meatless and cheeseless and uses peas and asparagus, I knew this would be a versatile recipe, and it did not disappoint. Because I must have greatly increased the amount of “filling,” I had to double the number of eggs to cover the veggies, chorizo, and cheese (my addition).

Craig commented that it’s similar to a breakfast casserole, and I agree with one big advantage. I can never get egg-based casseroles to cook in a reasonable amount of time. They always take longer than the recipe indicates. Much longer. Since this is first cooked on the stove before baking, it is much quicker to prepare. I also appreciated that I sautéed the veggies (and chorizo) in the same cast iron skillet that it bakes in for easy clean up. Lisa mentions this is tasty for dinner. Great idea.

Thanks for the recipe inspiration, Lisa! This is a keeper.

Breakfast Frittata

4 generous servings

1 T olive oil

8 ounces chorizo
¼ onion, diced
salt & fresh ground black pepper
1 medium yellow squash, sliced width-wise

1 medium zucchini, sliced width-wise
8 eggs

3/4 to 1 C freshly grated cheddar cheese (I used Trader Joe’s lowfat cheddar)
1/4 C fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 450° F.

In an oven proof 10-inch skillet over medium heat (cast iron is ideal), cook chorizo until done. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Wipe out the pan and heat the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the squash and zucchini and sauté until tender about 10 minutes or so.

While the vegetables cook, beat the eggs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the eggs to the skillet, twisting the skillet (use an oven mitt) to move the eggs evenly over the vegetables. Add the cheese and basil.

Cook the eggs until set, about 8-10 minutes. It’s okay if they’re still a bit runny on top. Place the skillet in the oven for another 10-15 minutes until the eggs have cooked and are no longer runny.Slice and enjoy. Salsa is a nice accompaniment.