Spaghetti (Squash) and Marinara

I am kind of obsessed with spaghetti squash.  I mean what is more magical than a squash that literally has spaghetti-like strands when you scrape out its roasted flesh?  Well I am sure there a few things, like unicorns, rainbows, and Jersey Shore.  Here is a really simple way to get introduced to this squash.  Cut the squash in half, scrape out the seeds, and brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place the squash on a baking sheet, cut-side down, and roast in a 400 degree F oven for about 45 minutes to an hour until tender.  This is when the fun begins, scrape out the squash, creating strands (use an oven mitt to hold the squash in place while doing this).  I like to top mine off with marinara, basil, toasted garlic slivers, and parmesan cheese, and homemade croutons.  For a whole array of recipes, check out Martha's lineup.

CSA Week Eleven

Okay, I am totally behind, blame it on Irene.  She really put a cramp in everyone's style this week.  Here what I got in my CSA this week:

-Red onion
-Hot peppers
-Green bell peppers
-Eggplant
-Carrots
-Corn
-Tomatoes
-Basil
-Watermelon
-Nectarines
-Peaches
-Eggs

CSA Week Ten

Hooray!  Finally got real tomatoes!  Here is what else I got this week from my CSA:

-Basil
-Carrots
-Corn
-Eggplant
-Cucumber
-Summer squash
-Lettuce
-Peppers
-Cherry tomatoes
-Tomatoes
-Peaches
-Melon
-Eggs
-Wild Flowers

Last night I made tostadas with the lettuce and cherry tomatoes.

Sometimes my favorite thing to do with a tomato is just slice it up and put some salt on it.  I think I am going to save a few and make a margherita pizza, with my own tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese, and basil.  A pepper pizza sounds pretty good too, and even this grilled-peach and proscuitto pizza sounds interesting.  Pizza party!

I am actually making tomato and eggplant soup tonight, and I desperately need to make some zucchini bread and freeze it for the later.  I still have a few zuccs hanging around in my fridge.

If you end up making tomato sauce, how about some homemade pasta to go with it?

CSA Week Nine

This week in my CSA I got more zucchini (ugh) and a ton of other stuff.  Here is what I got:

-Mesclun greens
-Green bell peppers
-Beets
-Eggplant (my arch nemesis)
-Basil
-Yellow squash
-Zucchini
-Cucumbers
-Cherry tomatoes
-Melon
-Watermelon
-White peaches
-Eggs
-Sunflowers

Feeling a little unmotivated this week, but made some tacos and pesto on Wednesday.  On Thursday, my friend made these stuffed peppers from Smitten Kitchen, which used up the rest of the tomatoes, peppers, and some zucchini.

Tonight, I am planning on making a zucchini tart, which uses the pesto I made and the zucchini!

I would love to make a watermelon salad with basil and feta, and maybe roast some beets.  Ugh, what to do with this eggplant?  I might make this roasted tomato and eggplant soup (to hide it)!

Check out my review on the Van Leeuwan Ice Cream Truck.

CSA Week Eight

This week I got tomatoes for the first time, tons of corn, and delicious fruit.  Last night I munched on a lot of stuff instead of making any real dinner.

Here is what I got:

-Onion
-Purslane
-Basil
-Cherry tomatoes
-Summer squash
-Peppers
-Jalapenos
-Cucumber
-Corn
-Watermelon
-Peaches
-Apricots
-Eggs
-Sunflowers

Last night I made some poached apricots for some hand pies I will be making later in the week.
I might make this corn and zucchini salad.  Or corn fritters!
Maybe I will try this squash loaf cake, but I am just going to say it - I am sick of zucchini.
And I am making a huge salad tonight with the lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers!  Watermelon with basil and feta sounds pretty good too!
And I might make a little bit of salsa too!

Lemon-Basil Fizz Cocktail

Remember when I made that basil syrup last week?  Well, my friend put it to good use and we had some Lemon-Basil Fizzes last night.

Here are the ingredients for a Lemon-Basil Fizz, serves 1:

-2 ounces basil syrup
-2 ounces gin
-Juice of one lemon
-Soda water
-Basil leaves for garnish

To make the basil syrup, place 2 cups packed basil leaves, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 cup water into a saucepan, and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and cover, let sit for 1 hour.  Pour basil leaves and liquid through a strainer, and store the syrup in the fridge.

To make the cocktail, pour in basil syrup, gin, and lemon in a cocktail glass.  Fill up with a few ice cubes, and then splash the top with some soda water until the cocktail is filled to the top.  Garnish with basil leaves.

We sipped on these as the water boiled for this Summer Zucchini Pasta.  Yum!

CSA Week Seven

YESSSS!  Cherries are finally here!  Here's what else I got in my CSA this week:

-Cucumbers
-Corn
-Parsley
-Basil
-Purslane
-Summer squash
-Garlic
-Peppers
-Cherries
-Melon
-Peaches
-Eggs
-Zinnias

Ahhhh!  What to do with purslane?  I found this Shell Bean Salad that may do the trick.
If you can resist eating some of the cherries, this Dark Cherry Crumble Cake with Cinnamon is delicious.
Or try this Dutch Baby with Peaches for breakfast this weekend.
These corn fritters are definitely on the list to make this week too!
This Green Beans with Parmesan Gremolata is perfect for all the parsley we got.
And if you want to use some peppers, try a Rick Bayless Salsa.  Ha cha cha.
Cucumber Cocktails anyone?  I am obsessed with cocktails this summer.

CSA Week Six

It is officially delicious fruit season!  I got a lot of little jewels this week, but I will be honest - where the heck are my cherries?  I am dying for them!  Here is what I got from CSA this week:

-Corn

-Fennel

-Dill

-Lettuce

-Basil

-Arugula

-Onion

-Cucumbers

-Zucchini

-Summer squash

-Plums

-Peaches

-Blackberries

-Blueberries

-Eggs

-Zinnias and snapdragons

Last night I got right down to business, and made a few things I could keep for later use.  I am going out of town this weekend with Murray's Cheese on their Summer Whey-cation trip to the Vermont Cheesemaker's Festival.  There are only a few spots left, so if you are interested in joining, click here to check it out!

CSA Week Five

This weeks CSA, there was a lot of green!

Here is what I got:

-Napa cabbage
-Broccoli
-Zucchini
-Kirby cucumbers
-Lettuce
-Basil
-Onion
-Blackberries
-Blueberries
-Eggs
-Zinnias

I have been getting into a pattern of making black bean tacos with the lettuce and onion, mixed with tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and tons of hot sauce, and blackberries for dessert.  It is just so easy, mindless, and tasty.

I am tempted to make the Broccoli and Pesto Tagliatelle again, but this Summer Zucchini Pasta looks even better.  This Lemony-Zucchini Goat Cheese Pizza looks pretty tasty too!  And making pickles for real this time!  I am even thinking of making kimchi with the napa cabbage.

I made a blueberry-banana sorbet and some blueberry muffins, which I hope to share with you soon, but this week I am sticking to Blueberry Kuchen.

Broccoli and Pesto Tagliatelle

Jamie Oliver's Broccoli and Pesto Tagliatelle was such an easy meal to make, especially when my friend prepped all the food before I got off work.  All I had to do was make the pesto, and drop everything in.  This recipe is hearty, fresh, and great leftover - hot or cold.  The secret ingredient is the potato, which makes everything creamy.  I love carb on carb action.  I will definitely be making it again.

CSA Week Four

I cannot believe June is already over!  And this short week totally flew by.  This is what I got in my CSA this week:

-Curly endive
-Kohlrabi
-Kale
-Tat Soi (Click here to learn more about Tat Soi)
-Beets
-Basil
-Cucumbers
-Zucchini
-Broccoli
-Blueberries
-Blackberries
-Eggs
-Sunflowers

Wednesday night I used some of my lettuce and made black bean tacos, and had the blackberries for dessert.  By the way, they were the biggest blackberries I had seen in my life.

Last night, I made Jamie Oliver's Broccoli and Pesto Tagliatelle, which I hope to share soon (good bye basil and broccoli).

Today my friend is making these McClure's Garlic and Dill Pickles with our cucumbers (click here and scroll down for the recipe).

Later this weekend, I am going to try the Clinton St. Baking Company's Blueberry Muffins.  Roast some beets, toast some walnuts, and toss together with some goat cheese for a warm salad.  And maybe make this Zucchini Cake with Crunchy Lemon Glaze, click here for the recipe.  I found a stir-fry recipe in Jamie's Food Revolution cookbook, that I might tweak to use the tat soi, and I am making this Kohlrabi Salad.  Geez there is so much to make...I am completely forgetting about the kale and orzo salad from Super Natural Every Day and what about the curly endive?  So much to do, and in a very hot kitchen I might add!

CSA Week Three

This week at my CSA, I received:

-Spinach
-Dill
-Brocoli
-Scallions
-Kale
-Basil
-Zucchini
-Blueberries
-Raspberries
-Eggs
-Gorgeous sunflowers (not pictured)

Since I will be out of town 4th of July, I already gave a bit of my produce away, so it could be enjoyed during the festivities.

Last night I made blueberry pancakes with friends, and tonight I am planning to make a scape pesto pasta with spinach (still have my scapes from a while ago-whoops).

My friend plans on making this kale and white bean soup from Martha Stewart.

If you are looking for something to do with spinach, try these Spinach and Mushroom Enchiladas.

This Summer Zucchini Pasta is so easy and good, and perfect for leftovers throughout the week.

Raspberries are definitely going to be eaten as is, and same with the blueberries, but these are the perfect color combination for the Fourth of July.  I can't tell you enough, how I love this Blueberry Kuchen.  I might still make it and try to take it on the plane with me.

And if you are in the mood to use dill to make pickles, click here for McClure's Dill Pickle recipe, or here for other pickling ideas.

Baked Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes and Basil

My apologies for not posting this spaghetti squash with tomatoes and basil recipe as soon as I had hoped, but alas here is the recipe as promised.  I am not the biggest fan of spaghetti squash, I think it is kind of weird, and kind of insipid.  It seems like you have to add a lot of other flavors for the squash to actually taste like something.  It does have a pretty amazing texture though, which is why it is called spaghetti squash - duh.  In the original recipe from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook, the squash is stuffed with the tomatoes and basil mixture and baked in oven.  I had half a stuffed squash for my meal, and although it was delicious, it honestly should be a side dish.  So I have edited the recipe to be baked in a casserole dish instead of the squash shell and tweaked it just a bit.  The photos are from my first attempt, so just imagine the squash filling in a casserole dish instead of a shell.


Ingredients for Baked Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes and Basil, adapted from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook, serves 4:


-1 large spaghetti squash, or 2 medium
-16 fresh plum tomatoes, or whole tomatoes from a can (I used a combo - some from my CSA, some from a can)
-2 cloves garlic, peeled
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-4 ounces basil, plus sprigs for garnish
-1 teaspoon kosher salt
-1/4 freshly ground pepper
-1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated


Place spaghetti squash in a stockpot and cover with 2 inches of water.  Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes, until slightly tender when you press it with your finger.


Cut in half crosswise, and stand the halves on ends, and set aside to let cool for 15 minutes.


Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Meanwhile chop 12 tomatoes into 1/2 inch pieces and place in large bowl with 1/4 cup of the grated Parmesan.  Slice the remaining 4 into 1/4-inch thick rounds and set aside.


Place garlic, olive oil, basil leaves, salt, and pepper into a food processor.  Process until the basil has been very finely chopped.  Place basil mixture in the bowl with the tomatoes.

After the squash has cooled, scooped out the seeds and discard.  Then take a fork and scrape the flesh, it will separate like spaghetti strands (whoa - so cool).  Add squash to the tomato-basil mixture and toss to combine.

Place squash mixture into a small casserole dish and spread evenly.  Place sliced tomatoes on top and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and the squash is hot.  Garnish with basil sprigs and serve hot.


Last year, around this time I took a trip to Montreal.  Click here to check out my food adventures.

Stacked Tomato Salad

Last week I tried out this fancy little salad from The Splendid Table's How To Eat Supper.  It is a great way to showcase the summer's tomato.  Although, slabs of mozzarella is not my personal favorite, I could definitely see this as a crowd pleasing recipe and perfect for a starter at a dinner party.  In fact, Lynne Rossetto Kasper mentions in her cookbook that it is the most downloaded recipe on her The Splendid Table website.  Some tips for making the recipe - make sure your tomatoes are small enough, and they are juicy yet firm, to ensure that the tomatoes do not topple over.  If you do not mind a sloppier salad, then go for larger tomatoes.  Visually, the salad should be stacked back as a whole tomato with cheese inside.

Ingredients for Ripe Tomato Stack with Pine Nuts and Mozzarella, from The Splendid Table's How To Eat Supper (serves 4 as a main dish, 6 to 8 as a starter):

Dressing 
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 large garlic clove. minced
1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
Generous pinch of red pepper flakes
1/3 medium red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 tablespoons dried currants
Salt
2 tight-packed tablespoons fresh basil leaves, torn
2/3 cup pine nuts, toasted (I used almonds.  Use pine nuts if you can afford them)

Salad
6 medium ripe tomatoes
1 pound fresh mozzarella packed in liquid, sliced 1/2 inch thick
About 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

To begin, make the dressing in a small bowl.  Combine the lemon juice, garlic, black pepper, red pepper flakes, onion, currants, and salt to taste.  Let the mixture stand for 20 to 30 minutes.  Just before assembling the dish, stir in the basil and all but 1/4 cup of the pine nuts.

Core the tomatoes.  Cut each tomato horizontally into 1/2-inch-thick slices.  Place the bottom slice of each tomato on a serving platter.  Season them with a little salt, then top each with a slice of cheese.  Season the cheese with a teaspoon or so of the onion mixture.  Continue the layers until all the tomatoes are reassembled.

To finish the dish, sprinkle the tomatoes with the reserved pine nuts, the olive oil, and any leftover onion mixture.  Serve at room temperature.  Enjoy!

CSA Week Eleven

Hi!  Here is what I got from my CSA this week:

-Corn

-Cucumbers

-Zucchini

-Green Bell peppers

-Heirloom and Hot House tomatoes

-Carrots

-Garlic

-Basil

-Dozen Eggs

-White peaches

-Yellow peaches

-Nectarines

 

Last weekend, I had an impromptu pizza party.  The variety of vegetables this season are perfect for pizza making.  I also made this Lemony Zucchini Tart from Good Food, Good Wine, Bad Girl blog.  I could not find lemon fetish feta cheese, but replaced it with a regular feta, and it still turned out very tasty.  I definitely recommend trying it if you still have zucchini lying around.  It was a pretty quick, especially if you have a mandolin to slice up the zucchini and shallot.  

I am also planning on making this Nectarine Pizza with Fresh Basil from Alexandra's Kitchen today.  Click here for more homemade pizza.  Enjoy your Sunday!

CSA Week Ten

Hello!  Here is what I got today from my CSA:
-Beautiful heirloom tomatoes
-Corn
-Cherry tomatoes
-Cabbage
-Cucumbers
-Green Bell peppers
-Zucchini
-Fennel
-Basil
-Watermelon
-Peaches
-Dozen eggs

Last night I made David Lebovitz's Zucchini Cake with Crunchy Lemon Glaze.  I swear anything he makes is amazing.  The cake is super moist, and the finely chopped nuts create a nice texture throughout.  The lemon glaze by itself is very tart, and I felt like I should have added more sugar, but as it seeps into the cake it mellows out - so don't fear.  If you are in the mood for a "healthy" dessert or a breakfast treat, I would definitely try the recipe, and if you haven't checked out David's blog, click here.

Summer Zucchini Pasta

Last night I whipped up this super easy and not to mention quick recipe of Summer Zucchini Pasta from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper.  I even got to use a few of my CSA goodies - cherry tomatoes, basil, and zucchini.  Seriously this took me ten minutes total, and I love the pops of tomato, the freshness of basil, and the heat from the red pepper flakes.  The best part is that is great warm, room temperature, or cold.

CSA Week Eight

Two months -whoa!  The best part this week was definitely the cherry tomatoes - such delicious treats to pop in your mouth.  Here is what else I got in my CSA this week:

-Cherry tomatoes
-Onions
-Zucchini
-Cucumbers
-Lettuce
-Beets
-Corn
-Basil
-Cantaloupe
-Some other melon
-Peaches

CSA Week Seven

I can't believe it is already Week Seven - almost two months of delicious, fresh food.  The produce has definitely shifted form the beginning.  At one point I was so sick of all the greens, but now I miss them.  It was always a good excuse to make tacos or tostadas.  The good news is that I got loads of corn this week.  Corn is one of my favorite summer time treats.  I don't care if I have just eaten the biggest meal of my life, if I walk by a street fair I have to stop and get the roasted corn on the cob with lime juice, salt, and chili powder.  I will say that sadly this corn does not compare to the sweet corn of Iowa.

Here is what I got this week:

-14 ears of corn
-Small head of lettuce
-Dill
-Basil
-Carrots
-Zucchini
-Cucumbers
-Half a head of cabbage
-Peaches
-Cherries
-Eggs

I combined this week's and last week's basil and made pesto Wednesday night.  This is very quick and easy if you have a food processor, but have no fear - you can also use a mortar and pestle (hence where the name "pesto" comes from), which will take a bit longer, but is the traditional way.  I combined Martha Stewart's recipe from Martha Stewart's Cooking School and the Joy of Cooking.

Ingredients for pesto (1 cup):
-2 cups fresh basil leaves
-1/3 cup walnuts or pine nuts, toasted (I used walnuts because they are cheaper and don't spoil as fast, but pine nuts are delicious)
-1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
-3 cloves garlic, peeled*
-1/2 cup olive oil, or more if needed
-salt and pepper to taste

*Martha Stewart recommends blanching the garlic to mellow its flavor, creating an overall sweeter pesto.  To blanch - place garlic cloves in a small sauce pan and cover with 1 inch of water.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately drain and let garlic cool to room temperature.

To begin, toast the walnuts and then cool completely.  Combine basil, walnuts, garlic, and Parmesan cheese in food processor until everything in chopped into very small bits and the basil is pulverized.  While food processor is on, slowly add olive oil until the pesto is pretty smooth.  Use immediately on pasta, sandwiches, or pizza, or cover with a layer of oil and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Stay tuned for many delicious corn recipes!  Gotta run - I am making this amazing looking bread called Zucchini and Olive Breakfast Cake.  Click here for the recipe.