|
| Mozzarella and Grilled Chili Salad 3 large Anaheim chili peppers ½ cup fresh mozzarella handful basil leaves olive oil 1 lemon fresh black pepper Roast chilies on a gas flame or in oven until skins are black. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for about 5 minutes. Rip up the mozzarella and place on a large plate. Once the chilies have cooled down enough to handle, peel off blackened skins, remove seeds and thinly slice. Sprinkle chilies and handful of ripped basil leaves over mozzarella. Drizzle with olive oil and the juice of 1 lemon; season with fresh ground pepper. Tomato Ricotta Bruschetta 1 small yellow onion, chopped 1 tbsp. olive oil 2 cups, chopped, seeded tomatoes 1/3 cup ricotta cheese 2 tbsp. fresh minced basil 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar 24-inch long French bread 1 garlic clove ¼ cup olive oil In a small skillet cook onion in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Stir in tomato, cook, stirring for 30 second. In a bowl toss together the tomato mixture with the cheese, basil, vinegar and pepper to taste. To make the toast: Prepare a grill or preheat the broiler. With a serrated knife cut bread crosswise into ½ inch thick slices. Grill slices on a rack, and grill 1 to 1 ½ minutes on each side. Alternatively, slices may be broiled in batches under broiler about 4 inches from heat for 1 to 1 ½ minutes on each side or until golden. Rub the toasts with garlic on one side then lightly brush with olive oil. Spread a little of the tomato-ricotta mixture on each toast. Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers 3 large green peppers 1 ½ cups chopped tomatoes 1 cup fresh mushrooms 1 ½ cups cooked lentils, drained 1 cup cooked rice ½ cup diced celery 1/3 cup diced onion 1 dash garlic powder 1 dash pepper Cut green peppers in half lengthwise. Parboil about 4 minutes. Sauté the celery and onion in a skillet in olive oil until softened. Mix onion and celery with rest of the ingredients; season with a bit of black pepper. Stuff the mixture into each half of the peppers. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees or until the bell pepper is tender. Pear Walnut Coffee Cake 1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 1 cup flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup sour cream 1-1/2 cups pears, peeled, cored and diced 1 tsp. vanilla Nut Topping: 1/2 cup brown sugar 3/4 tsp. cinnamon 2 tbsp. soft butter 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla; then egg. Beat until smooth. Mix flour, powder soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream. Mix just to blend after each addition. Fold in pears. Spread in an 8-inch greased square pan. Mix brown sugar, cinnamon and the soft butter until well combined. Stir in the chopped walnuts. Sprinkle the nut topping evenly over the cake. Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes or until top is well-browned and a pick comes out clean. Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature. Romano Beans with Pesto Potatoes and Kale 1 lb. Romano beans, trimmed and broken in half 1 lb. German butterball potatoes ½ lb. green kale 4 small red onions 1 cup cream sauce (2 tbsp. butter, 2 tbsp. flour, 1 cup milk) ½ cup freshly made pesto salt and pepper to taste Chop the kale into small, thin strips after removing the tough vein of each leaf. Simmer kale, onions, beans, and potatoes until the potatoes are nearly finished; drain. While vegetables are simmering, make cream sauce. Then stir in the half cup of freshly made pesto sauce. Pour pesto cream sauce over the vegetables and simmer on low for several minutes more until potatoes are just done. Roasted Teriyaki Broccoli 1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tbsp. teriyaki sauce fresh ground pepper olive oil Preheat oven to the hottest temperature. Wash the broccoli, dry thoroughly, place in a large mixing bowl and add the chopped garlic, season with pepper, and sprinkle the teriyaki sauce over the top; toss to coat. Place the broccoli in a single layer on a greased baking pan. Bake for 6 minutes; turn broccoli and bake for 6 minutes more or until just tender. Cucumber Salad 2-3 cucumbers 1 small red onion 3-4 tbsp. yogurt 1 tsp. sugar dried dill (optional) pepper Slice the cucumbers lengthwise into thin strips. Dice the onion and place both into a mixing bowl. Add the yogurt and mix until completely coated. Then add the sugar, pepper, and the dill; toss, cover and put in the refrigerator until chilled. |