Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms, Balsamic, and Parmesan

I found this recipe on pinterest and took it. At least I admitted that :)
Local green beans are still in so now is the time to try this.

Ingredients:

8 oz mushrooms, sliced into half inch slices (I used crimini)

1 lb fresh green beans

 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

salt and black pepper to taste

2 Tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450. Wash mushroom and dry them. Cut mushrooms. Trim ends of beans and cut beans in half. 

2. Put cut beans and mushrooms into a ziplock bag or bowl. Whisk together olive oil and vinegar and pour over. Squeeze bag (or stir) until beans and mushrooms are evenly coated. 

3. Arrange in a single layer on a large cookie sheet or roasting pan. Roast about 20 minutes until beans are tender crisp, mushrooms are cooked, and all liquid from mushrooms has evaporated. Remove from oven, season to taste with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with parmesan.

Makes 4 servings

Twice Baked Butternut Squash

It seems like Fall is really here. I thought I would be sad, but the crisp and (hopefully) sunny days inspire me to make yummy fall food with seasonal produce like squash and yams. I am looking forward to soups as well!

This was originally a Martha Stewart recipe but I tweaked it a bit. I was tempted to go sweet, but I stuck with savory and am happy I did.

These amounts are approximate. You may want to adjust based on the size of your squash and to your personal taste.

Ingredients:

2 butternut squash

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp paprika (I had run out so I substituted Old Bay seasoning)

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp. chopped chives (I think sage or thyme would taste really good too)

3 Tbsp fresh bread crumbs or buttered panko bread crumbs

1. Heat oven to 450 with rack in center. Halve squash lengthwise and remove seeds and fibers. Sprinkle halves with salt and pepper. Fill a roasting pan with 1/4 inch water. Place squash in pan, cover with foil and bake until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife 35-45 minutes). 

2. Remove from oven, transfer to a cool surface and let sit until cool enough to handle. Reduce oven temperature to 425. Use a spoon to scoop flesh out of each half into a large bowl, leaving a 1/4 inch border so they will keep their shape.

3. To the bowl add sour cream, paprika, nutmeg, garlic powder, chives and 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Mix with a handheld electric mixer or potato masher until smooth and well combined.

4. Fill halves with mixture and sprinkle tops with breadcrumbs. Bake until golden brown and hot, approx. 20 minutes.

makes 4 generous servings

Tomato Salad with Parmesan Crisps

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cups finely diced heirloom or local tomatoes
1 Tbsp. snipped chives
1 tsp. coarsely chopped tarragon
2 tsp. olive oil
salt

6 Tbsp. freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 and 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp. all-purpose flour
freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine cheese, butter, flour, and a generous pinch of pepper. Mash the ingredients until a dough forms. Form into a 4 inch log (adding more flour if needed). Cut into 12 slices and arrange on baking sheet. Press the slices into 1 and 1/2 inch rounds.
2. Bake on the lowest rack in the oven for about 8 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until the crisps are golden brown and sizzling. Let cool completely then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and blot excess fat.
3. In a small bowl, toss the tomatoes with chives, tarragon, olive oil, salt and pepper. Spoon over parmesan crisps and serve right away.

The parmesan crisps can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.
Simpler version: skip steps 1 and 2 and use crackers, chips, or bread instead of parmesan crisps.

makes 4 servings

Corn Salad

You don't need exact amounts of anything for this salad. I added what felt and looked right for all the ingredients so the amounts below are estimates. Just have fun with it. Sometimes it feels good not to measure :)

Ingredients:
8 ears of corn, husked
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or sliced depending on the size
1/2-1 small red onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 green pepper, diced
12 oz canned black beans, drained and rinsed
cilantro (1/4-1/2 cup)
olive oil (approx. 1/4 cup)
juice of 1 lime
about 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil water in large pot and cook corn for 2-3 minutes. Remove from water and cool. Slice off the kernels.
2. Mix tomatoes, onion, celery, beans, and cilantro with corn in a large bowl. Stir in olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar and salt and pepper.
Tastes best when chilled.

Makes approx. 8 servings

Another fun variation is to add sour cream instead of the oil and vinegar.

Pork Kebabs with Plums, Nectarines and Honey-Mint Glaze

 This is a great summer meal. It is pretty simple, fast, and delicious. The sweet honey glaze caramelizes slightly during grilling and complements the pork and fruit. It is a good time to try this out since local plums and nectarines are in!

Ingredients:
4-5 plums or nectarines each cut into 1 inch wedges (I used both)
2-12 oz (or equivalent) pork tenderloins, each cut crosswise into 8 pieces
1 tsp. plus 1/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. orange juice
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. oil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

1. Heat grill. Thread plums/nectarines onto metal (or soaked wood) skewers. Thread pork on skewers and sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt.
2. Combine honey, orange juice, oil, crushed red pepper and 1/4 tsp. salt in a small bowl. Reserve 2 Tbsp. of the mixture.
3. Oil grill grate. Grill skewers, covered over medium heat or coals 8-10 minutes or until pork is pale pink in the cener and fruit is tender, turning to brown on both sides and basting occasionally with honey mixture.
4. Drizzle skewers with reserved honey mixture and sprinkle with mint.

makes 4 servings.

Chicken with Cherry-Tarragon Sauce

So, after a two week break, due to our vacation, I decided to post what we had for dinner last night. We really enjoyed it. I actually forgot to take pictures until the food was mostly consumed. After an "oh no!" moment, I gathered up the last bits for a photo shoot. Kind of sad. Sigh... :)

You can use delicious local Lapin cherries for this one. It is actually quite a simple recipe. The only time consuming part is pitting the cherries (unless you happen to have a handy cherry pitter, which I don't).

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. smoked paprika

1 tsp. dry mustard

8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cups fresh pitted dark sweet cherries

2 Tbsp. snipped fresh tarragon

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup dry red wine or cherry juice

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 Tbsp butter

2 cups hot cooked couscous* (or rice)

1. In a shallow dish combine flour, paprika, mustard, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Coat chicken with this mixture.

2. In a skillet, cook chicken in hot oil over medium to medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, turning once. Remove from pan and cover to keep warm.

2. Add cherries, tarragon, and garlic to skillet. Cover and stir over medium heat for 1 minute. Stir in wine (or juice) and broth. Simmer uncovered, 3-5 minutes or until sauce is reduced to 2 cups. Stir in butter until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

3. To serve, spoon sauce over chicken and serve with couscous. You can sprinkle with additional tarragon.

makes 4 servings

*to make couscous, bring 2 3/4 cup water to a boil. Add 1 tsp. salt, stir, and add 1 1/2 cup couscous. Remove from heat and let sit covered for about 5 minutes (until all the water is absorbed). Fluff with a fork.

Grilled Veggies with Basil Pecan Pesto

These pictures do not do this dish justice. I grilled the veggies just a tad too long this time which doesn't make for a beautiful presentation :), but it still tastes so good. It is a great side dish and can be served hot or cold.

Ingredients:

Pesto:
1 cup packed basil leaves
2 garlic cloves, peeled
¼ cup pecans
¼ cup parmesan cheese
½ cup olive oil
a pinch of kosher salt

Vegetables: (whatever you like, but here is a suggestion:)
2 zucchini, cut in quarters lengthwise (or half if they are on the small side)
2 yellow squash, cut in quarters lengthwise (same as above)
1 red onion, cut in wedges from root to stem, leaving stem intact (so they don't fall apart because you don't want these guys slipping though the cracks!)
1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into thick strips
2 tomatoes, cut in half (any kind will do)

1. Prepare your grill to cook at medium heat. Cut your vegetables and cover them all with a bit of olive oil. The vegetables will be cut into bite size chunks later. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt.


2. Place the vegetables on the grill. After the first ones laid down have cooked for about two minutes rotate them about 45 degrees without turning them. Cook for another minute or two and then flip or turn them to another un-grilled surface. Cook for another 2 minutes and rotate them again. Continue grilling the vegetables until they are are cooked but still somewhat firm. The tomatoes will get very soft and that is OK. Remove all of the vegetables from the grill and set them aside to cool.

3. Using a food processor or blender, process the garlic until it is coarsely chopped. Add in the basil, nuts and cheese and pulse a few times. Add the oil in a slow stream through the feeder tube until it is all incorporated. Season to taste with salt. Feel free to add more olive oil if you want.

4. When the vegetables have cooled, cut them all into bite sized pieces. Smash and chop the tomatoes. Combine the vegetables in a large bowl. Add the pesto to the vegetables and stir to combine. Season with additional salt, if necessary. Place the vegetables into a serving bowl and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Avocado Fries

Here is something a little different to try. These guys are crispy on the outside with that lovely creamy texture of avocado on the inside.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 firm ripe avocados, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
canola oil for frying
salt and pepper
grated parmesan

1. Heat oil in a large pan (enough to cover avocado slices, 1/2-1 inch).
2. Mix flour and salt in bowl. Beat 2 large eggs in another bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a third bowl.
3. Sprinkle avocado slices with salt and pepper. Dip in flour, then egg, then the breadcrumbs. Once oil is really hot, fry avocado for about 30 seconds (or until golden brown). Remove to a serving plate and sprinkle with grated parmesan.

serves at least 4

Antioxidant Orchard Salad

I love candied pecans! This version is healthier and super tasty.

Ingredients: (these are approximate amounts, so adjust ratios to your own taste)

1/2 cup pecans

1-2 tsp. agave nectar

pinch of salt

12 oz mixed baby greens          

1 cup grapes, halved

1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced

1 cup English cucumber, diced

1/4-1/3 cup red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 heaping Tbsp. fresh mint leaves, chopped

3 Tbsp. pomegranate juice

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (optional)

1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. olive oil

For the agave-roasted walnuts: 

Toss pecans in agave and a pinch of salt. Bake at 300, turning to cook evenly, until the nuts caramelize (about 15 minutes)

For the dressing:

whisk together pomegranate juice, lemon juice, balsamic, and olive oil,

For the salad:

Combine all remaining ingredients and toss with dressing. Top with pecans.

Grains and Fruit Summer Salad

Ingredients:
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
4 gloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
2 cups cooked grains (quinoa*, wild rice, and/or brown rice) I did half wild rice and half quinoa
1/2 cup sliced green onions
4 cups mixed salad greens (I used spring mix)
2 cups blueberries
1 cup cantaloupe cubes
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small zucchini, sliced very thinly lengthwise
1/2 cup walnut pieces toasted (I drizzled them with agave nectar and toasted at 300 until done, mixing a few times)
1/3 cup snipped fresh herbs (dill, basil, and/or mint)
4 oz grilled meat or fish (optional)


1. For basil dressing, in a blender or food processor combine the basil, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Cover and precess until nearly smooth. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl stir together cooked grains and green onions. stir in about 2 Tbsp. of the dressing.
3. For the salad, line a large bowl with greens. Top greens with grains mixture, blueberries, cantaloupe, tomatoes, zucchini, walnuts, and meat (if desired). Drizzle with remaining basil dressing; toss gently. Sprinkle with fresh herbs.
*for 2 cups cooked quinoa, in a fine strainer rinse 1/2 cup quinoa under cold running water; drain. In a small saucepan combine 1 1/3 cups water, quinoa, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Let stand to cool slightly. Drain off remaining liquid and fluff with a fork.


makes 8 side dish or 4 main dish servings