Whodathunkit!

So next week is the last CSA pick up. WAAAH! Oh, how I will miss those glorious fresh organic veggies every week. In fact, last week I bought tomatoes for the first time in months! It felt strange to say the least. This weeks (and last weeks) share we were gifted with stalks of brussel sprouts. Such a strange looking veggie. Now, I am still on the fence when it comes to these things. I WANT to like them. They look like little cabbages and I adore cabbage, so why do I find it so hard to like these? My mother makes them every Thanksgiving and try as I might I can't seem to get past the bitterness. Well, let me tell you these sprouts were NOTHING like my mothers! First of all they were very small, maybe the diameter of a dime with the larger ones at about quarter size. Size must matter because they were not bitter like I remember my mothers giant Thanksgiving brussel sprouts to be. Because they came straight from the farm, I  soaked them overnight in cold water with a splash of cider vinegar. I am not sure if the vinegar did anything or not but it sure smelled good. Then I boiled them in salted water until they looked done and drained them in a colander. While they were draining I made a quick sauce using a half a block of reduced fat cream cheese, about 1/4 of a container of sour cream and maybe a half cup of milk. I melted this all together over very low heat in a saucepan and added most of a packet of ranch dressing mix - not all of it. I didn't want it too salty. Then I returned the brussel sprouts too the pan and stirred it all together. It was rich but really, really good! In the future I think an addition of crumbled bacon would really elevate this dish to another level. But, I have to say it went well, as is, with last nights meatloaf.

Brussel Sprouts in Creamy Ranch Sauce

2-3 cups small brussel sprouts
Water
1/2 cup cider vinegar
3Tbs salt
4 oz cream cheese (reduced fat will work)
1/2 cup sour cream
half cup milk (any fat content is ok)
1 package ranch dressing mix
Cooked crumbled bacon (optional)

Place Brussel sprouts in a large non-reactive bowl and cover with water. Add cider vinegar, weigh brussel sprouts down with a plate and soak overnight.
Drain and transfer to a medium sized saucepan. Add water to cover and salt.
Boiled them in salted water until tender and drain.
Return saucepan to stove and over low heat combine cream cheese, sour cream and milk. Stir frequently until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.
Add ranch dressing mix in increments, tasting for desired level of seasoning..
Return brussel sprouts to the pan and stir to combine.
Add crumbled bacon if desired.
Enjoy!

Tomato, Tomato, Tomato!

Between the delicious big boys coming from the CSA and what i am getting from my own garden, I am once again inundated with tomatoes! It's not a bad situation to be in by any means! I think I will be bringing out the canning supplies any day now! YAY! In the meantime, I have been cooking with those bad boys as much as possible. This weekend was a new experiment that was an instant hit....French Tomato Tart! YUM! The recipe called for goat cheese, which I didn't have, so I subbed with fresh mozzarella. I think a well drained ricotta or farmers cheese would also work superbly! I plan on making this tart a few more times and experiment with it since it seems so variable and adaptable. I recommend you try it while to big red beauties are in season!

French Tomato Tart

1 unbaked pie crust (store bought or homemade)

One unbaked tart dough (see recipe, below)

1 Tablespoon Dijon or whole-grain mustard

1 teaspoon mayonnaise 

2-3 large ripe tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

two generous tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, chives, chervil, or tarragon

8 ounces (250 g) fresh or slightly aged goat cheese, sliced into rounds

1 1/2 tablespoons quality honey

 

Preheat oven to 425 F
 

Line the bottom of a tart pan with the pie dough
 

Mix mustard and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Spread an even layer of mustard/mayo mixture over the bottom of the tart dough and let it sit a few minutes to dry out.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange them over the mustard in a single, even layer. Drizzle the olive oil over the top.

Sprinkle with some chopped fresh herbs, then arrange the slices of goat cheese on top. Add some more fresh herbs, then drizzle with the honey.

Bake the tart for 30 minutes or so, until the dough is cooked, the tomatoes are tender, and the cheese on top is nicely browned. Depending on the heat of your oven, if the cheese doesn’t brown as much as you’d like it, you might want to pass it under the broiler until it’s just right.

Enjoy!

Tomato Time

That's right folks! The tomatoes are starting to come in! I have been getting large ones from my CSA for the past few weeks and now the cherry tomatoes in my garden are ripening like crazy! So last night I tried an new recipe and it was GOOD! Of course the husband turned his nose up at first - he fears the unknown - only to proclaim it's deliciousness after the meal was done. MEN! LOL! My step daughter said I had to make this every time she came over for dinner. LOL! So here it is: Balsamic roasted tomatoes with spinach, prosciutto and mozzarella!

Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes with Spinach, Prosciutto and Mozzarella

 2-3 ripe summer tomatoes, sliced into thick rounds
Balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper
garlic powder
Italian seasoning
Frozen or fresh spinach, chopped (squeezed dry if frozen)
2-3 thin slices of prosciutto
Fresh mozzarella, sliced

Pre heat oven to 400 F

Marinate tomato slices in the balsamic vinegar for at least 30 minutes
Lay tomato slices in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet
Pour vinegar marinade over tomatoes
roast for 20 minutes
Remove from oven and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning
Top with prosciutto, spinach and mozzarella
Return to oven and roast another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is fully melter and starts to brown (You can use broiler to brown cheese as well)

Enjoy!

The Eggplant are Here!

I can't even begin to tell you how thrilled I was to arrive for my CSA pick up and find that the eggplant had produce faster than anticipated in the sweltering heat we have here in Connecticut! YIPPEE!!! Why am I so excited you ask?? Because in that basket were a bounty of Japanese eggplant! The absolute most necessary ingredient when making Mamma Agata's Eggplant Parmesan a.k.a. the greatest stuff on earth! I had the good fortune to attend her cooking school while vacationing in Italy last year. It seriously was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Worth every darn penny! As part of that experience she shared with us her recipe and preparation tips for her eggplant Parmesan. While I can't divulge her recipe - you will have to buy her cookbook for that! I can give you a few secrets. The first and foremost being that Japanese eggplants are a MUST! They are long and skinny and have better flavor and texture and less water. Second tip, go sparing on the sauce! Unless, of course, you WANT a soggy mess. Third tip, and this is a no brainer - always use the freshest high quality ingredients that you can find, within your budget (Hey, I work for a living too). And for your viewing pleasure I do have photos of my magnificent and oh so delicious eggplant that I will post next week!

Chiara (Mamma Agata's daughter) Presents the Eggplant Parmesan Ready for Baking! And here is mine (wish I had that lovely deep glass baking dish of hers)!

Hot, Hot, Hot!

Damn this July 4th holiday was a sizzler! I mean HOT - mid90's and HUMID! Lucky for me my brother has a little pool that is perfect for cooling down. Especially since our central air shit the bed (GRRRR). We had a great holiday and hope you all did too. I cooked up a storm for our little party but by far these spicy sausage balls we the biggest hit. Hubby said they were "gangsta". I am not quite sure what that means but it must be good because he asked me to make them again on Sunday! LOL!

Spicy Sausage Balls

3 cups biscuit mix (Bisquick or Jiffy)
1 pound uncooked Hot Italian Sausage
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 ounces)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
½ cup milk
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 can fire roasted diced green chiles
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Allow sausage and cheese to sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before preparing.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine sausage and biscuit mix, using hands or a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Once ingredients are combined, add cheeses, chiles, milk and spices. Mix well with hands until completely combined.

Using a 1 tablespoon scoop or a heaping teaspoon, portion mixture and shape into balls, about 1” in size. Place them on parchment paper.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan. Serve warm with sauce (marinara, ranch, even enchilada) for dipping. Enjoy!

A New Take on Pasta

So, I subscribed to the Gourmet Food Box via, the Fancy. It is actually pretty good and thus far I have been pretty happy with it. Basically, they charge you $40 a month (plus s&h) and every month they ship you a box of gourmet food samples. Now, unlike other similar deals, when I say samples, it is actually a full sized product. Generally the retail value of the stuff in the box exceeds the $40 (plus s&h). What's cool about it is that it is full of random items that either are not available to me locally or are somewhat strange and probably not something I would buy if left to my own devices. BUT now I get to play with my food. On my first delivery, I had a jar that was damaged and the seal had broken so I could not use it. It was a butternut squash pasta sauce. I contacted Fancy and since they could not replace the item, they gave me a $10 gift card. I understand they have limited quantities of products but damn that sauce smelled good and I REALLY wanted to try it. So, I wrote down the ingredients on the jar and made my own version. It was delicious! So good that I wanted to drink it! Try it, I think you will like it too!

Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

1 butternut squash
2 stalks celery
1 medium onion
2-4 cloves garlic
2 Tbs olive oil
1 jar roasted red peppers (about 12 oz)
1 can tomato paste
1 can chicken broth
3/4 c light cream
a few sprigs fresh parsley and basil
salt to taste

Halve squash and remove seeds.
Roast in a 350 degree oven until flesh is soft
While squash in roasting, mince onion, celery and garlic and saute in sauce pot with olive oil until soft
Add flesh of the squash, peppers, tomato paste,chicken broth and fresh herbs to the pot.
Puree with an immersion blender until smooth.
Add cream and salt to taste.
Let simmer a few minutes and serve with pasta.

The Heat Is ON!

It is the first week of June and we have already had our first official heat wave! Let me tell you the past few days have been BRUTAL! To top it all off I had to attend a wedding AND bring a dish! Thankfully the bride requested that I make a pasta salad so the only real cooking I had to do was boil the noodles (Thank Goodness!). Now, I new the wedding day was going to be 90+ degrees and I would be riding my motorcycle down so absolutely no mayo would be going into this salad. I also new I was going to make a LOT so I had to keep it in budget too. I decided to try out a new recipe and I really liked it a lot - Southwestern Pasta Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing. I love fresh veggies and the the dressing made for a tasty, yet light and refreshing salad. I don't know how everyone else liked it but I don't really care either! I ate a ton of it! LOL!

Southwestern Pasta Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing

2 boxes Orzo Pasta
sea or Kosher salt

Dressing:

3/4 cup olive oil
Juice of 3 limes
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons Chile powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cayenne/red pepper (or more)
1 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2-3 teaspoon fresh black pepper
1 small red onion, diced
2 cans sweet corn kernels, lightly steamed
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions in plenty of salted water to al dente.

2. While the pasta is cooking make the dressing: whisk oil, lime juice, honey, chile powder, cumin, cayenne, cilantro, salt and pepper together. Taste and tweak if needed. Cover and store in refrigerator.

3. Drain pasta and rinse to cool. (TIP: I like to put the onions in the colander and drain the pasta over them to blanch them quickly and remove some of their bite.) Add to a large mixing bowl along with the onion, corn, beans and tomatoes. Add dressing and combine well. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Store tightly covered in refrigerator; toss well before serving.