Sharing Seasonality ..It's Just That Easy

     A delicious, filling and reasonably priced meal does not have to be an impossible dream. Spring and summer provide a multitude of fresh seasonal produce literally ripe for the picking. I love the versatility that just a few simple ingredients can provide. At our house, we have developed a love for the taste and texture of home made pasta. Tonight pasta becomes a perfect yet simple complement to our roasted vegetables. 

     Whenever I’m kneading dough or creating noodles I think of all the families who would so enjoy making pasta together. As a child I loved spending time in the kitchen baking and cooking with my great grandmother. She had a collection of pans and kitchen tools that were just my size and I felt so special helping her. I would love to see more families gathered in the kitchen creating meals and memories. More importantly it would be an excellent opportunity for parents to teach their children a respect food. They could learn where their comes from and how important proper nutrition is while enjoying time spent with Mom and Dad. …And yes….it is just that easy

 For the pasta

2 eggs

1.5 cups flour

a splash or two of olive oil

healthy pinch of salt

(2-4 teaspoons of water *)

mix by hand or in a food processor

*add just enough water for the dough ball to come together

wrap dough in plastic wrap & place in fridge for a least an hour

then either roll out and cut (on a lightly floured surface)

or use a pasta machine to create your noodles.

for the veggies

toss the

diced Zucchini

sliced onion  

slit Cherry tomatoes

in a bit of olive oil

salt and pepper & red pepper flake (to taste)

place on a sheet pan

in a 350 degree oven

till soft and slightly caramelized

boil the pasta to cook 2-3 min

(it will cook much faster than dry pasta)

add noodles to the veggie pan and toss

(add a bit of the pasta water too)

snip some basil from the garden

tear it into pieces and add a palmful to the pasta
drizzle with olive oil

add some fresh oregano

and ½ cup grated cheese

I like romano or Parmesan

(experiment with other hard Italian cheese too)

Total under $5.00 for this simple but satisfying meal

Baked Blossoms of spring

     Spring is here and each week our local farmer’s markets add more gorgeous fresh produce to their stalls. I arrived at the South Pasadena Thursday market wondering what delicious crop would be showcased this visit. In weeks past we enjoyed the fresh garden peas, adding their shoots to our lettuce wraps and opening each pod to release six to eight little green jewels of freshness which were to become the stars of our cold pea & leek soup.

     I wandered among the stalls becoming part of the market dance. Each week as if choreographed we shoppers rhythmically dodge each other as we dip into our chosen stalls, eyes on the foot traffic, yet distracted by the sample trays. I greeted several of the farmers I have come to know and we chatted about what was growing, recipe ideas and of course the weather. There is a palpable spirit of community at most markets where consumers and farmers connect. I like looking into the eyes of the people who grow my food and supporting their efforts.

     As I approached one of my favorite stalls I spotted the most beautiful squash blossoms nestled together in their basket looking like the very picture of spring.

I knew right away they had to be on this week’s menu. Today is the day we will enjoy stuffed squash blossoms. I did not deep fry these blossoms opting to bake them instead. They are not exactly like the deep fried version but I enjoy this lighter adaptation just as well.

Ingredients

6 squash blossoms 

(cleaned blossoms  with all the stamen completely removed)

For The Filling:

½ -¾ cup part skim ricotta

2 tbs.finely grated Parmesan cheese

¼ tsp tarragon

white pepper to taste

salt to taste (be careful because the cheese is salty too)..

healthy pinch of lemon zest

a tiny pinch of nutmeg (if you like nutmeg ~I do)

For The Batter

Flour

white vermouth (white wine or milk will work as well)

water.

Batter should be thick enough to lightly coat (not too thick)

Add flour with equal amounts water and white vermouth 

Till you achieve the desired consistency

Use your favorite batter recipe. (I experiment all the time)

Directions

carefully open each blossom (cleaned & stamen removed)  

 add cheese mixture

cover the cheese with the leaves and twist top to close

(Don’t over fill)

dip blossoms in batter:

 

Lay the batter-dipped blossoms on a lightly oiled sheet pan (I used grapeseed)

Grate a bit more Parmesan cheese on top of the blossoms

Bake at 400 till cheese is browned slightly and melted 15-20 minutes or so

keep your eye on it as ovens vary 

Total under $4.00 for this side dish

Signs of Spring ~Chilled Fresh Pea Soup

 

        I strolled through the South Pasadena Farmer's Market last Thursday afternoon brainstorming ideas for a special dish to enjoy this weekend. I love examining all the fruits and vegetables, tasting samples and sharing recipes with the vendors.  It was a classic spring day, warm, with blue skies, puffy white clouds and a gentle yet still slightly cool breeze. As I turned the corner to enter the next row of stalls I spotted fresh garden peas, still in their pods and I knew immediately it would be the perfect dish to herald our Easter celebration. 

      There is something so very springlike about preparing and enjoying chilled garden pea soup.Seasonality is key as fresh tasting and vibrant ingredients require only the simplest of preparation to taste extraordinary. The ridiculously easy preparation of this soup makes it a perfect meal for the day before a holiday when there is so much to prepare and very little time. No soup says spring to me the way this one does.

Happy Easter

2 1/2  cups fresh garden peas. (Removed from pod)

½ cup of cleaned sliced leeks

Salt and white pepper to taste.

Boil the peas till tender in 2 cups of spring water

Drain peas and reserve the water

Combine a 50/50 mix of oil and butter to a sauté pan

enough to cover well

add leeks and wilt till tender but not brown.

add peas for the last minute or two.

Place peas and leeks into a small food processor

process adding small amounts of the reserved water

a little at a time till the soup is smooth and lovely.

You could strain the soup if you wish but I rarely do with this recipe.

add salt and white pepper to taste

Serve cool topped with crème fraiche or

add a touch of half and half as I did

  

Total Under $5.00 for this taste of Spring

A "Grate" Dinner

We are excited to be attending a local wine festival this coming weekend. It’s only  a couple of hours drive from our home but, we have opted to stay overnight and enjoy some time with friends. That means we will be spending two days enjoying parties featuring delicious treats and good wine. We, like so many people have a tendency to overeat a bit when we are away from home. Although we always try to be careful about what we eat  there are weekends when discipline is a bit more difficult. I do believe in balance so tonight I have opted for a light but flavorful Friday night dinner. I’ll be serving zucchini cakes (think potato pancakes but lighter),a Mexican salad with a creamy balsamic yogurt dressing, and pea shoots sauteed with red onion, ginger, garlic, orange zest, and chili paste added to leftovers from a dish John  ordered at lunch out with his co-workers.

Grate (ed) Zucchini  Cakes

 2-3 zucchini

1 clove garlic

1/8  cup red onion
1-2 eggs (depends on zucchini size)

1-2 oz Gruyere cheese

2-3 tbs flour (till it has a semi-loose but not runny consistency)

Salt and pepper to taste

Grate the zucchini 
(with a clean cloth) ring out the excess water.

Grate garlic clove 
(using a grater is best for this recipe)

Grate in red onion 
(or very very fine dice)

Grate in Gruyere

Add flour

S&P

Mix well 
(I set it in the fridge for about an hour)

Form patties (if loose spoon in to pan)

Pan fry (both sides) till golden brown

In a mix of olive oil and butter

Under $5.00 for these savory and delicious GRATE zucchini cakes.

Lettuce Enjoy Spring

Yesterday felt like the first day of spring. Suddenly the chill in the air was gone, the sun was bright and the winds blew warm. It was the kind of day that made me yearn to put the top down on the car and travel up the California Coast. Absent one convertible, I opened the moon roof and sang along as the radio played a late sixties music mix. As I ran the usual weekly errands I thought about dinner. What could I prepare that would represent the freshness of this perfect spring day. I decided on lettuce wraps knowing that the spicy Asian filling would contrast perfectly against the cool crispness of the lettuce. I didn’t have a few of my lettuce wrap staples on hand but, I decided to use what I did have and it turned out very well.

The mix is just about ready

1/3 head of cabbage (shredded)

½ onion

2 cloves garlic

1 small carrot

3 mushrooms (I used baby portabellas)

6 oz roasted chicken

1 tsp Asian chili paste

1 tsp soy sauce

½ tsp salt

½ tsp cayenne

1/2 head of romaine lettuce 

(washed & chilled)

In a large frying pan

Cook the onion till almost soft

Add cabbage, mushrooms, carrot, and garlic

Cook together till soft about 7 minutes

Add chili paste, salt, pepper to taste

spoon into the lettuce and enjoy.

Experiment with ingredients. This one was delicious

(One could add Hoisin sauce and water chestnuts at this point but I was out so I omitted them this time)

Total: Under $7.00 for this spicy and cool spring treat

TIP OF THE DAY: If you are missing some of the ingredients for a regular recipe improvise. It is fun to  play with flavors and develop new ways to prepare old favorites   

Faith and Begorrah ~There's a pint in my stew !

“May God grant you always...A sunbeam to warm you, a moonbeam to charm you, a sheltering Angel so nothing can harm you. Laughter to cheer you. Faithful friends near you. And whenever you pray, Heaven to hear you.” ~Irish Blessing

The Irish soda bread turned out very well

Normally on St. Patrick’s Day I’d be fixing corned beef and cabbage but, this year I thought I’d try something different. I’ve always wanted  to prepare Beef and Guinness stew and what better day to try it than St. Patrick’s Day?

I pride my self on my stew making ability but this is a version I have not tried yet. I’ve been researching many recipes and I’ve come up with a plan. Normally I put red wine in my stew but today it’s Guinness all the way.I’ve adapted the classic recipe by adding potato and green beans to the stew pot. I’ve also cut up the vegetables in large size pieces because I want this to be a really chunky stew.

The  star of the stew

1 ½ lbs stew meat cut in 1-2 inch cubes

1 onion roughly chopped

2 red potatoes 

3 carrots

1 bottle Guinness

¼ cup flour (to the flour add ¼ tsp salt & ¼ tsp pepper ¼ tsp cayenne)

salt to taste

pepper to taste

cayenne

pinch allspice  (optional)

1 bay leaf (remove the bay leaf before eating stew)

String beans (small handful)

I browned the meat and onion in a fry pan

with a bit of cooking oil

when browned

I added enough flour S&P mixture to coat the meat

I cooked it a few minutes longer (to cook the flour)

I moved the meat & onion to a waiting stockpot

I deglazed my fry pan with some of the Guinness

then I put the contents from the fry pan in to the stock pot

I added

The rest of the Guinness

3-4 cups of stock

The rest of the cut up veggies

1 bay leaf

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

let it all stew on low for about 1 ½ -2 hours

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Total for this salute to Ireland under $10.00

A Happy and blessed St. Patrick's Day to you all.

Gruyere and bacon for everyone: Macaroni and Cheese night

Some dinners just beg for cheese

It’s been a long time since we enjoyed the decadent goodness of macaroni and cheese. Between TV and Twitter it’s been mentioned a lot lately and today seemed like a good day to jump on the bandwagon.

Use a macaroni that is ribbed to hold the cheese sauce

½ Lb pasta (I used whole-wheat fuisili pasta that has ribs to hold the cheese sauce)

4 Tbs Butter (3 for the roux and 1 for the breadcrumbs)

3 Tbs Flour

1 cup 1% milk

Pinch or 2 of nutmeg

Salt & pepper to taste (I use cayenne for this dish)

1 slice bacon (Cooked and minced)

 ½ cup breadcrumbs

For the cheese sauce:

3 Tbs Butter

3Tbs Flour

Make a roux of these two in a saucepan (stir or whisk constantly)

When the flour has cooked for a minute or two

In the melted butter

Add

1 cup 1% milk

Bring to just a boil then lower temp

Sauce will thicken

Add a pinch or two of nutmeg and

1 cup grated cheese (I used Gruyere, Cheddar and a hint of Parmesan)

Stir till smooth

The cheese sauce is ready. See how it should look

Assemble the dish:

Strain the cooked pasta and put it into a baking dish 

Add the cheese sauce and incorporate well

Mix in the cooked minced slice of bacon

For the topping:

Melt 1Tbs butter add to

½ cup breadcrumbs

top the mac and cheese with mixture

I Love using my old school corning ware for this dish

bake at 375  till heated browned and bubbly (about 25 minutes)

Total Under $6.00 for this cheesy treat