Fresh From The Garden
The area gardens are producing well. Beets, salad greens, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, sweet corn and more. Here are a few recipes using items fresh from the garden.
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Minty Watermelon-Cucumber Salad
Prep/Total Time: 20 min.
Yield: 16 servings (3/4 c. ea.)
8 c. cubed seedless watermelon
2 English cucumbers, halved lengthwise & sliced
6 green onions, chopped
1/4 c. minced fresh mint
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
In a large bowl, combine watermelon, cucumbers, green onions, and mint. In a small bowl, whisk remaining ingredients. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered, up to 2 hours before serving.
Angel Hair Pasta with Walnut-Carrot Sauce
Level: Easy
Total: 30 min
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Kosher salt
10 oz. whole-grain angel hair pasta
2 med. carrots, roughly chopped
1/3 c. walnuts
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 c. golden raisins
1/2 c. grated pecorino or parmesan cheese (about 2 oz.), plus more for topping
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 T. chopped fresh parsley
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1 1/2 cups cooking water, then drain the pasta. Meanwhile, put the carrots, walnuts, garlic, oregano, lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the walnut-carrot mixture and the raisins and cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots soften and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved cooking water and bring to a simmer, then add the pasta, pecorino, lemon juice, parsley, and salt to taste and toss. Divide among bowls and top with more cheese.
Fresh Corn & Arugula Salad
Prep Time: 20 min.
Grill Time: 10 min. + cooling
Yield: 6 servings
Basil Vinaigrette:
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
3 T. minced fresh basil
1 tsp. chopped shallot
1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Salad:
2 ears fresh corn, husked
1 tsp. olive oil
8 c. fresh arugula or baby spinach
4 plum tomatoes, quartered
1/4 c. pecan halves, toasted
1/4 c. shaved Parmesan cheese
In a small bowl, whisk vinaigrette ingredients until blended.
Brush corn with oil; grill, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat 8-10 minutes or until corn is crisp-tender and browned, turning occasionally. When cool enough to handle, cut corn off cobs and place in a large bowl.
Add arugula, tomatoes, and pecans to corn. Drizzle with half of the vinaigrette; toss to coat. Top with cheese; serve immediately. Cover and refrigerate remaining vinaigrette for later use.
Roasted Cabbage & Onions
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook Time: 30 min. + standing
Yield: 6 servings
1 med. head cabbage (about 2 lbs.), coarsely chopped
2 lg. onions, chopped
1/4 c. olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
3 T. minced fresh chives
3 T. minced fresh tarragon
Dressing:
2 T. white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 T. olive oil
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Preheat oven to 450°. Place cabbage and onions in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Transfer to a shallow roasting pan, spreading evenly. Roast until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, 30-35 minutes, stirring halfway.
Transfer cabbage mixture to a large bowl. Add chives and tarragon; toss to combine. In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients until blended. Drizzle over cabbage mixture; toss to coat. Let stand 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Sausage and Swiss Chard Pasta
Prep/Total Time: 30 min.
Yield: 6 servings
12 oz. uncooked orecchiette or small tube pasta (about 2-1/2 c.)
1 T. olive oil
1/2 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1/2 c. chopped red onion
1 med. fennel bulb, chopped
1/2 lb. baby portobello mushrooms, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch Swiss chard, trimmed & chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 c. pine nuts or chopped walnuts, toasted
Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook sausage and red onion until no longer pink, 3-4 minutes, breaking sausage into crumbles. Add fennel, mushrooms, and garlic; cook until tender, 6-8 minutes. Add Swiss chard; cook and stir until wilted, 4-5 minutes longer.
Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta water. In a large bowl, combine pasta, sausage mixture, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, adding enough reserved pasta water to coat pasta and create a creamy texture. Serve with remaining cheese and pine nuts.
Carrot Cake French Toast
Level: Easy
Total: 1 hr 20 min
Active: 20 min
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
French Toast:
Butter, for greasing the baking dish
1 loaf crusty multigrain bread
1-1/2 c. grated carrots
1 c. finely chopped pecans
8 lg. eggs
2 c. milk
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
4-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Topping:
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of kosher salt
1 stick (8 T.) cold salted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 c. chopped pecans
Glaze:
4 oz. cream cheese
3/4 c. powdered sugar
2 T. milk
1 T. lemon juice
Warm pancake syrup, for serving
For the French toast: Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter.
Tear the bread into chunks and evenly distribute in the baking dish. Sprinkle the carrots and pecans over the bread. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk together with the milk, cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until needed (overnight preferably).
For the topping: Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter until it resembles fine pebbles. Fold in the pecan pieces and store in a resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
For the glaze: Add the cream cheese to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, milk and lemon juice and mix until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Keep in a small airtight bowl.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Unwrap the baking dish with the French toast mixture, sprinkle with the topping and bake for 45 minutes for a softer, bread pudding-like texture or 1 hour for a firmer, more crisp texture.
Drizzle over the glaze. Scoop out individual portions and serve with warm pancake syrup.
Raspberry Upside-Down Cake
Prep: 10 mins
Bake: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 10 mins
Yield: 2 cakes, 12 servings
1 pkg. white cake mix (2-layer size; not pudding-type mix)
3 c. fresh raspberries
1/2 c. sugar
1 -1/3 cups whipping cream
Whipped cream (opt.)
Fresh raspberries (opt.)
Grease and flour two 9x1-1/2-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
Prepare cake mix according to directions, except reduce the water to 1 cup. Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
Sprinkle 3 cups berries over batter. Sprinkle with sugar. Pour cream on top.
Bake in a 350 oven for 1 hour. Immediately invert onto serving platters. If you like, dollop with whipped cream and garnish with more berries. Serve warm. Makes 2 cakes. 12 servings.
Lemon-Raspberry Muffins
Prep Time: 15 min.
Bake Time: 20 min. + cooling
Yield: about 1 doz.
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 lg. eggs, room temp., lightly beaten
1 c. lemon yogurt
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 c. fresh or frozen raspberries
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Combine eggs, yogurt, oil and lemon zest; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in raspberries. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 400° for 18-20 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
Quote of the Week:
‘’Appreciation is the highest form of prayer, for it acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts.’’
- Alan Cohen
