Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Fresh Avocado Dip!

Sweet Potatoes!  Baked with lots of herbs and spices!   This is the first time that I've ever made sweet potatoes in a healthy way that is still delicious!  Usually these taters appear on our Thanksgiving table loaded with brown sugar, pineapples, and marshmallows . . . and calories.  Well not this time!

For this month's Secret Recipe Club I selected a healthy yet tasty side dish recipe from Jenna of the blog "The Newlyweds".   I love everything about this recipe and so did my husband!  Lots of flavor, lots of healthy goodness, and an interesting avocado based dipping sauce to top it off.

The avocado dip was SO good with a few minor adjustments.  We were eating it straight out of the bowl by the spoonful!  Even my husband who doesn't care for avocados thought it was delicious!  And that's saying something!  I added freshly chopped cilantro and fresh minced garlic to jazz it up with more flavor.  Mmmmm!  We grilled chicken breasts that had been marinaded in our favorite Mojo sauce to pair with the potatoes.  It was a great combination!  I'll most definitely prepare these spicy, baked sweet potatoes and avocado dip again!

One other plus:  The avocado dip would be a superb spread for a hamburger or taco!  Spread on thick of course!  Thanks Jenna!

Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Avocado Dip
(adapted from The Newlyweds)

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled or unpeeled, cut into 4-inch long and 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick fries
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash Southwestern Spice blend 
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
Place sweet potatoes in large bowl.
Toss with olive oil until sweet potatoes are coated.
Add paprika, chili powder, coriander, salt, and pepper; toss to distribute evenly.
Arrange the coated fries in a single layer on the prepared pan.
Bake for 20 minutes on the lower rack until sweet potatoes soften.
Transfer pan to the upper rack of the oven.
Bake 10 minutes longer, until fries are crispy.
Serve with Avocado Dip.

Avocado Dip

1 Haas avocado
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup cream cheese
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped.
6 scallions, white and light green part only, chopped (increased from 2)
1 lime, juiced
4 Tbsp. chopped, fresh cilantro (added)

2 tsps. freshly minced garlic (added)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the avocado, mayonnaise, cream cheese, jalapeno, scallions, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice into a blender or small food processor and blend briefly.
For a chunkier version the way that we like avocados, use a fork and mash everything together to your chunkiness preference.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve as a dip for the baked Sweet Potato Fries.

Enjoy!

Pin It

Steaks with Mushroom Sauce & Chive~Garlic Potatoes, Lightened Up!

Yes, you read the name of the recipe correctly!  Did I blow my healthy nutrition path that I've been on for a month now?  Not at all!  This is comfort food at it's best:  Lightened up!  This entree is also light in calories, coming in at about 326 calories for a 4-ounce portion.  This month of February when the winds blow cold and we yearn for foods that keep us more warm and cozy inside, the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club prepared healthier versions for a wintery "Comfort Food" theme.  Normally when I think of comfort foods, I think fattening, rib-sticking foods that are heavy enough to make me fall asleep on the spot.  So I was really shocked to find so many lightened up recipes for comfy food on the Cooking Light web-site.

As the web-site states, "It doesn't get any heartier then a big piece of steak topped with savory mushroom gravy and paired with creamy mashed potatoes."  So true!  And here it is with reduced calories and fat for us.  Yummo, it was comforting alright!

Trimming the fat off the beef helps reduce the calories, as well as sautéing the mushrooms in olive oil and red wine instead of butter.  All that I can say is that I was totally fooled that this dish is lighter in calories.  What a winner!  It was even raved about by my picky, picky skinny, meta-high metabolism husband, Mr. M. and P.!

I was concerned that I'd gain weight from this entree, but in fact, my weight loss remained steady.  However, you have to remember that I'm also working everything that I put into my mouth into the Weight Watchers program that I'm on as well.  So here's another recipe for you to try.  This really is delicious and I'd recommend it to anyone!

Don't forget to stop over to Val's "More Than Burnt Toast" blog, where she hosts this monthly gathering of healthy recipes from Cooking Light.  I'm heading over there right now to see what everyone else prepared for this comfort food-focused winter season!

Steaks with Mushroom Sauce and Chive-Garlic Potatoes

4 (4-ounce) boneless rib-eye steaks, trimmed (about 1 inch thick)
Season with Nature's Seasons, Mrs. Dash, and any other that you prefer
3/8 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (8-ounce) package sliced cremini mushrooms
1/4 to 1/2 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup water
1 - 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 Idaho russet potatoes
1/3 cup chopped chives
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Cook potatoes until done (either by microwaved, boiled, or baked in oven) and then set aside and keep warm.
Sprinkle steaks evenly with 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt and any of your favorite herbs and spices.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to medium.
Add steaks to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; keep warm.
Add mushrooms to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown, stirring frequently.
Combine wine, 1/2 cup water, flour, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; stir well with a whisk.
Add wine mixture to pan; bring to a boil.
Cook 2 minutes or until thick; stir constantly. Remove from heat.
Mash the warm potatoes.
Stir in chives and garlic powder.
Place small mounds of potatoes on each plate.
Top each mound of mashed potatoes with 1 steak and about 1/4 cup mushroom sauce.
. Pin It

Pineapple, Spinach & Ginger Green De~Tox Smoothie!

.

Am I having fun yet?  I'm referring to all of these smoothie concoctions that I've been experimenting with.  Well, yes and no.  Truthfully I'd rather be stuffing my face with a deep dish double-layered Chicago style pizza, just to name one outrageously fattening food that I could choose from.  But that's not going to happen for some time and only for a splurge when I visit my son in Chi-town.

So here's Smoothie recipe #2 that I posted a week or so ago.  This green drink was much more effective in it's claim 'de-tox' due to the pineapple.  I mean to tell you that you will be 'cleansing' (to put it nicely) alright!!!  No doubt about the accuracy of the name 'de-tox' in this green potion!  However, since I do not have a juicer, I couldn't churn up the pineapple and spinach into a 'true' smoothie.  So it was a little more lumpy than the first smoothie.  The taste was just fine though, and that's a key factor for acceptability in my book!  You can't even taste the spinach and instead your tastebuds really pick up on the fruit and ginger elements.  It's quite nice!

Here's the recipe for you if you'd like to try it:

Pineapple, Spinach, and Ginger De-Tox Green Smoothie

adapted from Zoomy Yummy

1 1/4 cup pineapple juice

juice from 1/4 lemon

handful fresh spinach leaves

2 slices fresh pineapple

1/4 tsp. fresh grated ginger

Place in a juicer or blender/food processor.

Give it a whirl.

Pour in glass.

Drink up.

Enjoy results!

Pin It

Avocado with Cilantro Jalepeno Turkey Sammie & Green Smoothie!

Losing weight is hell (at least for most people).  That food we put in our mouthes had better be yummy and filling or it's all over.  I'm an honest person and I'm not going to lie!  It is is overwhelming how much research is out there now on how there's certain genetic predispositions, hormonal changes, metabolism changes, etc. etc. ad nauseum that sabotage our healthy weight.  But it still all boils down to one simple notion that we all excuse away:  getting rid of the crap that we've put in our bodies and putting in the good stuff instead!  That and changing bad physical habits into positive habits such as getting off the damn couch and logging off (dare I say) the computer!

We've all heard the mantras:

Eat more fruits and veggies!

Eat more lean meats and (as Dr. Oz recommends) only one meat a week from a 4-legged animal . . . Mr. M. and P. has to suffer without his red meat.  I'll suffer more without my pork!  So it's hello to more chicken, turkey, fish, and vegetarian recipes.

Eliminate as much processed food as possible (no problem there)!

No fast food!  Doable!

And more!  I can't and do not want to list all of the proven strategies for improving our nutrition.  I'll leave that to the tons of healthy nutrition lists on-line and in the plethora of nutrition and health books on the market!

But I did think that I'd share just a few things that I did this week to drop 2 pounds:

First of all, I don't have enough of the precious resource of time in my life, so the most important element of preparing something in my insanely busy life (and I'm working on that issue too), is that the healthier food and recipes must be SIMPLE!!!

Nothing could be simpler than the green de-tox smoothie and a wonderful sammie that I had over the weekend.  The next post will be a wonderful tilapia recipe that I haven't uploaded the photos yet . . . you know, it's the time thing!

Turkey, Avocado and Tomato Sandwich with Jalepeno Cilantro Hummus

2 slices whole wheat bread

2 Tbsp. Jalapeno Cilantro Hummus (available at Whole Foods)

4 - 6 oz. sliced smoked turkey breast

lettuce or spinach leaves (your choice)

1/2 an avocado, sliced

2 - 3 tomato slices

a few shakes of Mrs. Dash Spicy Southwestern Spices no-salt blend

Salt and Pepper to taste

Toast bread

Spread the hummus on both slices of bread.

Layer each ingredient.

Sprinkle on Mrs. Dash and salt and pepper to taste!

Make any changes that you like!

Enjoy!  This is very good, very filling, and has quite a nice kick to it!

There is no cheese in this sandwich (which causes me to frown) and there is no mayonnaise.  The flavorful hummus and creamy avocado made up the difference very well!

And here's the very first green smoothie concoction that I have ever made.  This was for a different lunch this past weekend and it is surprisingly delicious and filling!  Again, I cannot tell a lie!  Very easy, and quite fun to make as well.

Green De-Tox Weight-Loss Smoothie

(from 'nutrition to invigorate mind body and spirit)

1 - 2 bananas

1/2 cup frozen peaches

1/2 cup frozen mango

a couple handfuls of spinach

1/4 cup of water

ice (if desired)

Add more water if necessary 

Since I don't have a juicer (on the wish list), I used a mini food processor and followed up with my trusty boat motor immersion blender to chop up the spinach leaves more.  The results were just fine.

Again, this is a very good smoothie.  I gulped it down instantly.

But of course . . . I was hungry!

I loved the addition of the mango to this smoothie!

I'd like to try pineapple as well.

Pin It

De~Tox Smoothies for Health!

I love clean living, whether it's inside my home, office, car, yard, and even my handbag.  So if I am going to keep everything uncluttered on the outside, I've got to remember to keep it all as clean as possible on the inside . . . of myself!  Over the holiday break from classes I had some time to watch TV and fell in love with all of the healthy advice provided by the Dr. Oz Show and web-site.  So much invaluable information on nutrition is shared from a variety of experts that helps us understand just how much each organ of our bodies is affected by what we put into them.  Dr. Oz has developed an especially effective de-tox and energizing green smoothie that's high in fiber, rich in vitamins, and low in calories.

I found several other green drinks/smoothies on Pinterest that have been given a nod for success that I'd like to try simply for variety.  I've put those together below, along with the correct citation of their origins for you.  Each of their creators say that they really have an increased level of energy to get through their busy days.  Other benefits discovered are better weight loss, improved digestive and immune systems, and more radiant skin, nails, and hair!  And who doesn't need and want those?

Each of these smoothie recipes are fast and easy to prepare.  All that is needed are the ingredients and a blender.  If you are fortunate enough to have a veggie blender, than of course you can use that.

Dr. Oz's Green Drink

2 apples, cored

2 big handfuls of spinach

1/2 cup of chopped parsley

1 celery stick, chopped

1 thumbnail length of ginger root, peeled

1 lemon - juice only (use peel slice for zest)

1 medium cucumber

Place ingredients in a blender, add 4 oz. spring water or a handful of ice cubes, then puree quickly for one minute. Makes two glasses of Dr. Oz’s green drink.

Green drink – Optional ingredients:

2nd cucumber

raw carrot

unsweetened fruit juice

banana

This green drink has a strong taste, so if you're used to sweet beverages, 

the taste will take some getting used to. Dr. Oz suggests adding other items

 at first to sweeten the green drink to your taste.

Anti-Aging Green Monster Drink 

from Dr. Andrew Weil

This green drink is loaded with protective phyto-nutrients, found in fruits and vegetables, known to help boost your body's defenses against cancer and chronic degenerative diseases. It can help correct diet deficiencies - and tastes good, too. A perfect way to get your family to drink to their health.

1 cup apple Juice

1/4 cup carrot Juice

1/4 cup cucumber Juice

3/4  cup kale Juice

1/4 cup organic plain yogurt

1 tsp olivello juice (optional)

1 cup ice

If you don't have a juicer at home, buy good quality organic juices from the market. 

If you do have your own juicer, start with organic produce; 

the fresher the produce, the more juice it will yield. 

You can juice the fruits and vegetables an hour ahead of time. 

You can also freeze the juice in ice cube trays.

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Add more or less ice to get the desired consistency and flavor.

Classic Green Monster

from Oh She Glows

1 cup almond milk, or milk of choice

1 ripe banana, preferably peeled + frozen

2 handfuls organic spinach

1 Tbsp. chia seeds or 1 Tbsp. ground flax

1 Tbsp. nut butter, optional

1-3 ice cubes

protein powder of choice, optional

Add in some powders too:

Navitas Maca powder

Vega Shake & Go

Amazing Grass Wheat Grass

De-Tox Smoothie

from Zoomy Yummy

1 1/4 cup pineapple juice

juice from 1/4 lemon

handful fresh spinach leaves

1/4 tsp. fresh grated ginger

Make Juice Not War Green Drink

from crazy sexy life

2 large cucumbers (peeled if not organic)

big fistful of kale

big fistful of sweet pea sprouts

4 – 5 stalks celery

1 – 2 big broccoli stems

1 pear or green apple (optional)

1 inch of ginger (or less)

Other optional greens: romaine, parsley, spinach and dandelion.

Green Smoothie for Weight Loss

from nutrition to Invigorate mind body and spirit

1-2 bananas

1/2 cup frozen peaches

1/2 cup frozen mango

a couple handfuls of spinach

water

ice (if desired)

Add enough water to blend 

Lisa's Green Monster
from Green Monster Movement

1 handful of ice
1 handful of frozen fruit (strawberries, papaya, mango, bananas, and pineapple)
 1 cup of almond milk
2 handfuls of spinach
1/2 c. to 3/4 c. of vanilla or plain yogurt
1 tbsp. of chia or flax seeds
1 tbsp. of honey
Simply place all ingredients in the blender

The Green Monster Movement blog has an incredible array of green drink recipes posted by readers!  Here's just one more green drink to try!

2 cups spinach

2 cups cucumber

1 head of celery

1/2 inch or teaspoon ginger root

1 bunch parsley

2 apples

Juice of 1 lime

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Combine all ingredients in a blender.

I'll let you know how this goes!

Pin It

Nonna's Italian Stew!

October has arrived!  

Finally, we're able to enjoy a break in the intense heat of this past summer.  All of these welcomed cooler days and chilly evenings officially ring in the time of year to prepare delicious, rib-sticking, hearty soups and stews.   So today, with daytime temps in the low 70's, it was a perfect time to prepare my mother's treasured stew.

Although we enjoy this throughout fall and winter, it is very special to my family because we traditionally serve this stew every Christmas eve, ladled on top of creamy polenta and thick slices of cheese.  Since my family is from the northern mountains of Italy, they do not live near the sea.  My relatives weren't even aware of the Italian 'Feast of the Seven Fishes' on Christmas eve!

Now this is definitely an Italian version of beef and vegetable stew.  It's thick tomato base and garlic give this stew it's distinctive difference.  Here is the recipe for our beloved Italian stew:

Nonna's Italian Stew

2 lbs. round steak or London broil, cut into 1" cubes
8 cloves minced garlic
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
6 carrots, peeled, sliced into 1 - 2" pieces
10 russet potatoes, peeled, and cut into 2" cubes
2 cups sliced celery, with the leaves chopped up
2 large onions, quartered
1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
at least 12 oz. of tomato paste
at least 4 cups of water

In a large, deep, heavy pot, brown the meat cubes in the olive oil.
Add the garlic when the meat is browned (do not burn the garlic).
Add the tomato paste and the water.
Cook the meat approximately 45 minutes.
Add all of the vegetables and more water if it is too thick.
Add the parsley.
Cook for potatoes are 'al dente' and NOT mushy, about 20 minutes.
Always taste and change, taste and change to your preferences!

Pin It

Tomato Basil Risotto!

The choices for using garden-fresh veggies and herbs in our recipes are almost endless and cooks can be as resourceful and creative at the same time when using their bounty!   I discovered a nice recipe for Tomato and Basil Risotto from "Vegetables From An Italian Garden ~ Season By Season Recipes".  The recipe for this risotto is a spin-off of the classic Caprese Salad of tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil . . . only blended into creamy risotto.

Risotto is so easy to make and such a cooking ritual of love with the stirring and adding, tasting, stirring more and more until a creamy consistency results.  You do need to use Arborio rice because of this variety's characteristic of creating creaminess from the constant stirring and release of starches while at the same time absorbing the liquid.

Although it is very common to serve risotto as a main dish for many people, for Mr. Meat and Potatoes, I simply baked some thick-cut, boneless pork chops sprinkled with a basic dried Italian seasoning blend for the entree.  They are so brainless to prepare;  just make sure that you don't over-cook the chops beyond a half hour in a 350 degree oven.

Another thing that I need to mention is that this risotto is more mildly flavored due to the mozzarella, whereas most risotto recipes don't use mozzarella.  Again, this recipe is a take on Caprese salad, so the mozzarella cheese was necessary for this version.  Even though we prefer risotto with a stronger cheese bite, we still enjoyed this delightful risotto using fresh tomatoes and basil.

Tomato and Basil Risotto

(adapted from 'Vegetables From An Italian Garden")

5 cups vegetable stock

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced (my addition)

1-2/3 cups Arborio rice

3 cups peeled, diced, ripe tomatoes

10 large basil leaves, torn into pieces (I doubled the basil from 5 leaves)

6 Tbsp. butter (I doubled the butter from 3 Tbsp.)

5 oz. buffalo mozzarella (the soft cheese, not the hard variety), cut into cubes

1/2 freshly grated Parmigiana Regiano (use the good stuff for this recipe)

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Pour stock into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pot.

Add the chopped onion and saute over low heat for 5 minutes, until softened.

Add the minced garlic and saute for one more minute; do not burn.

Stir in the arborio rice and cook, all the while stirring continuously, for 2 minutes until all of the rice are coated with oil.

Stir in the chopped tomatoes.

Add a ladleful of the hot stock and cook, stirring continuously until absorbed.

Continue to add the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring continuously until each addition of stock is absorbed, for about 20 minutes.

When the rice is nearly cooked, add the torn basil leaves.

Season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Remove from the heat.

Stir in the butter.

Stir in the buffalo mozzarella.

Stir in the Parmigiana

Transfer to a warm serving dish.

Garnish with basil leaves.

Serve immediately.

Just look at the creamy, white mozzarella melting and oozing into the risotto!

Gorgeous . . . full of summer-fresh flavors . . . and delicious!

Pin It

Bolognese Risotto Stuffed Peppers!

Mama mia!  More red peppers!  Well, I'm finished roasting and freezing peppers for the moment and just ready to prepare something for us to enjoy in the here and now.  Stuffed peppers just sounded really good right now, and I just made these with what I had on hand, adding a little bit of this and a little bit of that (and writing it down as I went along).

Living way out in the countryside, I've got to keep a well stocked pantry and 2 freezers-full of frozen foods.  This way I'm always fairly prepared and don't have to resort to wasting expensive gas driving to the nearest town for one or two items!  We learned very quickly when we moved to the Carolina's that things are REALLY spread out from each other.  Plus when I come home from my hour and a half long commute from work, I am in no mood to shop for groceries!

For this recipe, I used my family's Bolognese sauce recipe.  Mr. M. and P. will not eat anything without meat, so a good Bolognese makes his tummy happy every time!  Vegetarians can use marinara sauce instead, but it will taste different.  The best flavored Bolognese is part beef, part pork, and part veal.  At least that's the way we make ours.

The great thing about this recipe is that you can add what you like and delete what you don't like.  I think these would also be great with some sauteed, chopped porcini mushrooms added, or some diced prosciutto too!  Change the cheese varieties around, add some basil, etc!

Bill came home and dipped a spoon in some of the extra stuffing and said, "This is really, really good!"  Now that's a super comment coming from this quiet-natured man.

Before and after baking the stuffed peppers

Bolognese and Risotto Stuffed Peppers

4 bell peppers (red, yellow or a mix), halved lengthwise, tops and seeds removed
4 cups Bolognese sauce (I use my homemade sauce)
1/4 cup risotto
3/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley, cut fresh from the garden if possible
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Shredded Asiago cheese and chopped Italian flat leaf parsley for garnish.

Heat up the Bolognese sauce in a large sauce pan.
Fill a large pot half-way with water.
Bring the water to a boil; add risotto and cook for half of the time indicated on the package directions (it will continue to cook in the sauce and peppers).
Add the cheese to the sauce.
Add the Italian parsley.
Add the red pepper flakes.
Add salt and pepper and taste, taste, taste.
Add more of whatever you prefer for your own taste.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Place the pepper halves in a bread loaf (keeps them in place when snug in this pan).
Fill each pepper half with the stuffing.
Sprinkle more grated cheese on top of each stuffed pepper.
Sprinkle with chopped Italian parsley (or after they're finished baking if you prefer).
Cover the dish with foil and bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is hot, about 30 minutes.

Such rich colors of summer!

Pin It

Mediterranean Prosciutto, Red Pepper, and Pesto Panini!

As peppers continue to ripen in the garden and the heat of August lingers on, it seemed wise to simply make another sandwich.  The only heat involved when making sandwiches the Italian way is inside a panini grill.  There's no heat from a stove or oven and there's no outdoor 90+ degree heat to swelter in next to a grill!  I am truly a whimp when it comes to high heat without a swimming pool!

Last week I was inspired by the open-faced Ratatouille Sandwich prepared by Jessica of Kitchen Belleicious.  We're both firm believers of recommending that you adjust recipes to make them more to your preferences.

Isn't that part of the fun of cooking?  And that's exactly what I did with this sandwich.

First of all, I am a very strange Italian in that I don't care for eggplant.  It's just all moosh to me!  Mr. M. and P. won't touch eggplant either, so we were in synchronized culinary unison on that ingredient to substitute.  But similar to Jessica's sammie, I stayed true to using Mediterranean flavors:  homemade pesto, prosciutto, roasted red peppers, and Italian Fontina cheese.  I also added sliced pepperoncini to give the sandwiches an extra kick!  I had a marvelous Tomato Focaccia bread on hand which made the sandwiches irresistible!  After layering everything, I sprinkled the top with freshly minced oregano picked from the herb garden.

In a previous post, I roasted red peppers and yet in another post I marinated red peppers in a balsamic-olive oil-caper mixture.  Since the peppers stay fresh in the frig for a week or two, I had a few left over to use in this sandwich.  Bill and I always look for ways to use up everything that we've previously made so nothing is wasted.

As the sandwich sizzled inside the panini grill, the aroma from the melting cheese, pesto and balsamic vinegar was intoxicating!  We couldn't wait to bite in and savor.  The flavors are once again powerful and wonderful.  This is not your ordinary bland sandwich.

Above:  Pesto on the top left, beautiful fresh prosciutto on the right.  

Marinating roasted red peppers on the lower left and the sandwich grilling in the panini press on the lower right.  

Just before grilling and pressing, the sandwich looks huge!

Prosciutto, Red Pepper, and Pesto Panini
.
Pre-heat a panini grill to high.
Focaccia bread - use your favorite flavor combination; cut into sandwich sizes and then slice each horizontally in half.
Layer the bottom half with basil pesto.
Layer next with thinly sliced red onions.
Layer next with the roasted red peppers.
At this point, add some capers if you don't have the original marinade.
Layer next with the Fontina cheese (grated or sliced).
Layer next, sliced Italian pepperoncini.
Pile on 3 to 4 thin slices of prosciutto.
Sprinkle with minced oregano.
Cover with the top half of the foccacia.
Place the sandwich on a hot panini grill.
Slowly press down the top of the panini grill.
Grill on high for about 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

After grilling on the panini press, everything blends together for a toasty treat!

Our beautiful "Mowee" checking out the peppers from the garden.

Pin It

Roasting Red Peppers (and Green, Yellow, or Orange)!

Roasted red bell peppers are great to add a layer of extra flavor in sandwiches, panini, pasta recipes, salads, and the traditional Italian antipasto platter.  With the intent to continue to grow my own (you can't get any more local than your own backyard or patio/balcony), I've enjoyed roasting my own and freezing them in small quantities.  This way they are only an arm's length away to use throughout the colder months.

The actual roasting is a simple task, not hard at all, but there is a bit of work involved once they are finished roasting and cooling.  But it's so worth it!  Here's what you do:

Roasting Peppers:

Wash the peppers and if they are store-bought, remove the sticker labels.
If using a gas range, turn the burners on high and place the peppers directly onto the grates.
Using tongs, turn the peppers for an even char.
The peppers will hiss and bubble while the peppers' moisture evaporates.
If using a grill, the method is the same.
However, if you're like me and roast a lot of peppers at a time, then use the oven broiler setting.
In all options, make sure that you continually turn the peppers over to ensure even charring.

Oven Method:

Preheat the oven on "Broil".  

Arrange the peppers evenly on a baking sheet.

Place in the hot oven on the highest rack position.

Roast, while keeping a constant eye on them, turning them whenever necessary to prevent burning/complete blackening.

Once nicely roasted and charred all over, put the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a clean paper bag.  

Do not open or the steam will come out.

Keep the peppers in the covered bowl or bag for 30 minutes to allow the steam to help loosen their peels which makes peeling them easier.

Once the peppers have cooled, cut off the tops of the peppers.
Cut into half and then into half again (quarters) . . . actually I simply pull them apart in sections where they 'naturally' separate into sections.
Remove the seeds.
Carefully peel or scrape off the charred skin with either your fingers or a sharp paring knife.
Discard all peels, tops, and seeds or put in your compost pile.

Do not rinse the peppers as the water diminishes the smoky flavor.
When the skins and seeds have been removed, cover the peppers with olive oil, adding garlic slices, herbs or capers if desired, and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
To freeze, I don't put them in any oil.

Below, for freezing, use zip-lock freezer bags, indicate contents and date, insert the peppers only (no oil), press lightly to remove extra air, and seal.  Freeze.

A simply gorgeous bounty . . . and this is just one of about 5 harvests thus far!

Pin It

Roasted Red Pepper & Italian Cheese Panini!

Red peppers are selling for 4.00 a pound here (green peppers: $3, yellow peppers: $5, and orange peppers: $6 per pound).  There is some serious legal highway robbery going on in our marketplace!  All the more reason that I'm grateful to grow our own fresh veggies in our garden.  Just one red pepper plant gifts us with a minimum of 6 peppers . . . that's PER plant!

This year we planted green, red, yellow, orange, and purple peppers and I know that with loving care they will continue to produce until the cool weather arrives (usually in late October to early November here).

I referred to Larry of "Big Dude's Eclectic Ramblings" for advice on preserving all of our peppers.  Larry is an accomplished master gardener and has a weekly post with gardening tips every Thursday.  And he always answers every one of my questions!  So with his guidance, that little job of freezing peppers is behind me, at least for this week before more ripen next week to freeze more.  After that was finished, I quickly moved into roasting more peppers and freezing those as well.

However, one must taste and partake in one's labor, right?  There are so many excellent recipes for using red peppers and of the final ten that I saved, one simple recipe just screamed at me to make:  Ina Garten's Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Sandwich.

Adjustments that I made:  Since I'm not fond of goat cheese, I swapped that out and used a shredded 6-cheese Italian blend.  I always keep this bagged cheese on hand for simplicity, money savings, and to top home-made pizzas.  I added a top layer of cheese as well.  I also grilled them on a panini press to melt the cheese and re-heat the peppers that were cold from marinating in the frig.  Perfect choice!

I roasted the peppers a day earlier so I had that out of the way.

For Mr. Meat and Potatoes, we added smoked turkey and some prosciutto.  I chose the turkey for the mildness of flavor so that the peppers and basil could stay on center stage.  Genoa salami, capicola, and too much prosciutto would be too powerful for the peppers which are meant to be the star of the show in this sandwich.  Another recommendation:  keep the marinade from the peppers and use it for a dipping sauce for your sandwich.

This sandwich is simply indescribably and outstandingly delicioso!  What a wonderful, delightful flavor combination . . . and now one of my favorites!  The flavors are powerful, in perfect harmony, and addicting.  Trust me, this sammie is superb and full of perfect fresh flavors of roasted red peppers, fresh basil, cheese, capers, balsamic vinegar and EVOO.  You'll love this!

Pin It

Panzanella Salad with Bacon, Tomato, and Basil

Ahhhh, the dog days of summer and what better theme for this month's Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club than having a "Beachcomber Picnic"!  Currently, I'm lounging around in a cabin in the cool temps of the mountains with Mr. M. and P. (meat and potatoes).  A short drive to a mountain lake, and not the ocean, is a wonderful way to escape the 100 degrees where we live (it's 75 degrees up here!).  Going to the beach is an extremely popular activity in the Carolina's . . . insanely popular, in fact.  So many people bee-line to the ocean, that we avoid the beach and the traffic that goes along with it from June through August!  But the beachside recipes shared this month can be prepared for our very favorite time at the beach -- and that's October when the crowds are gone.

The Cooking Light blogging gang has once again prepared some mighty tasty dishes pulled from the archives of Cooking Light to pack up in our baskets and into the backs of our cars.  Our host Valli, from More Than Burnt Toast (click to see all of the recipes) has done another fantastic job organizing everything!  And the great thing about all of these recipes is how healthy and flavorful they are!

For me, a picnic dish needs to be super easy and portable.  So I selected a recipe that gets better by the minute through the marinating of it's ingredients.  A salad of August-ripe, ruby-red, juicy tomatoes, onion, and basil provide the foundation for Panzanella Salad with Bacon, Tomato, and Basil.  Even without the bread, this salad is a super winner in my salad book!  The addition of bacon was new to me for panzanella, but I assume there are many panzanella creations that include pancetta (Italian bacon).  This recipe also differs from traditional panzanella by the inclusion of lettuce as well.  It's a nice addition.  It's that type of recipe where you can add this or that and make it your own creation!

Panzanella Salad with Bacon, Tomato, and Basil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups coarsely chopped vine-ripe, red tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
1 (8-ounce) loaf day-old French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups torn romaine lettuce

Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl; stir with a whisk.
In a medium mixing bowl, add tomato, onion, basil, and bacon; toss well. Set aside.
Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until toasted; cool.
Add bread and lettuce to tomato mixture; toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

For this salad, I chose to present the salad in a 'layered' manner.  The torn romaine lettuce leaves are under the tomato mixture.  Then I placed a layer of bread cubes  on top of the lettuce.  The tomato-basil-garlic-vinaigrette mixture is placed on top of the bread cubes and the bacon is crumbled on top to finish the salad off.

This is quite delicious, light and healthy.  And that's a good thing, isn't it?
.

Pin It

Gnocchi con Zucchero e' Cannella ~ A Veronese Specialty!

.

"Romeo, oh Romeo, where forth art thou Romeo?"

Those famous words from Juliet to her lover in Verona, Italy as penned by Shakespeare in his classic melodrama "Romeo and Juliet".  The heroine of that story underscores this month's movie for "Food 'n Flix" which was selected by our host, Kim of Stirring the Pot -- "Letters To Juliet".

Also set in Verona, Italy, a young American woman is inspired by the real-life activity of people writing letters to Juliet and inserting them into the walls of Juliet's courtyard.  'Secretaries of Juliet' reply to those who wrote the letters.   The story unfolds about the romantic lives of two women, one young and one in mid-life and how their endeavors play out in the hills of Italy.  Of course it all ends happily, but if you're interested in more of the details of the film, click on this {link}.

OK, so I began to think about what might be a typical dish that originated from Verona, Italy.  Not knowing much about the city's cuisine, I did some research.  I discovered that Tiramisu was created in Verona, that unforgettably sweet peaches and cherries flourish there, that Valpolicella wine and some of Italy's finest extra-virgin olive oil are both produced in Verona and finally, there is a traditional gnocchi recipe that is sweetened with sugar and cinnamon, known as: "Gnocchi con Zucchero e' Cannella", an Italian dish that I have never tasted, nor ever heard of.  So to help me get out of my comfort zone and try something new, I chose this unusual recipe.  I really wanted to make a peach mascarpone cheesecake, but I didn't want to turn on the oven and bake in this 100 degree summer heat that we're experiencing this week.  More of Verona, Italy's specialty dishes and foods can be found at this {link}.

I also found that there are several ways to make this gnocchi.  One way is for dessert and the other method is for an entree version.  Mr. M. and P. (meat and potatoes) would have nothing to do with the entree recipe and so I made both versions to keep him happy.  I don't know what I'm going to do with him sometimes!

Pin It

Insalata Caprese Authentico!

.This is the real deal in regard to Italian Caprese Salad. There are numerous varieties for presentation of this appetizer/salad, including the salad that I have provided (in my sidebar). But the true, most authentic way to prepare "Insalata Caprese" is extremely simple and delightful, especially in these summer months when tomatoes and basil are at their freshest!
.
As the name implies, this salad originated on the isle of Capri, off the west coast of Italy. The colors of red, white, and green are the colors of Italy's flag as well, which makes it a little bit more "Italian". Most of all, Insalata Caprese, encompasses the pure, delicious simplicity of Italian cuisine at its utmost!

Pin It

Gazpacho Ala Mama!!

My mother just prepared the best gazpacho I've ever tasted in my life!  I brought a huge box of tomatoes from my garden back to the Midwest with me and since gazpacho is one of her favorite soups along with this intense heat in July, she decided to use them to make her 'wow-factor' version of this chilled Spanish tomato-vegetable soup.  I inherited my 'preserve, freeze, and/or can' outlook from my mother, so not surprisingly, she froze most of this batch of soup to enjoy later.  "No waste, no want!"   I could easily say that this gazpacho could rival that of the culinary pros.

The color of this soup is seriously this beautiful shade of deep red, resulting from the vine-ripe tomatoes that she used.  This radiant color and flavor cannot be achieved with those hard, juice-less, spongy pink things that you find in a grocery store.  Also worth noting:  the flavor intensifies as it chills in the refrigerator, preferably overnight.

My mother doesn't use exact measurements, she's an old-school, taste-as-you-go cook and she is a master at it.  So I said that she had to give me a little help to be able to write down the recipe and post it here.

Gazpacho Ala Mama

6 cups chopped, vine-ripe, fresh tomatoes
2 large cucumbers, 1 peeled, 1 with peel left on, all seeds removed, sliced and cut into 1/4" chunks
2 cups chopped celery, sliced and cut into 1/4" chunks
1 cup Vidalia onion, sliced and cut into 1/4" chunks
2 red peppers, stem and seeds removed, sliced and cut into 1/4" chunks
1 yellow pepper, stem and seeds removed, sliced and cut into 1/4" chunks
1 green pepper, stem and seeds removed, sliced and cut into 1/4" chunks
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup vinegar:  1/2 of it balsamic vinegar and 1/2 of it red wine vinegar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
5 cups tomato juice (Campbell's brand is recommended)

Mix everything together and chill overnight for the best marriage of flavors!

Pin It

Homemade Tomato Bisque/Soup for Autumn Enjoyment!

.

A hot bowl of soup on a hot summer day is not for me!  However, while tomatoes are ripe and now in the peak of their season, this is the time to make a big batch of tomato soup and to can or freeze it.  So in the midst of our 99 degree weather day, that's just what I did today.  If you have ever had the pleasure of sipping fresh tomato soup or any flavor of soup for that matter, you'll never go back to the canned varieties!  You also know that there are no additives, artificial flavorings, and not so much salt/sodium in your homemade soups!  Plus there's no fat in this, unless of course you add the good mono fats of the olive oil (and we still need that for our skin, you know).

Fresh, chopped basil and garlic mingle with sauteed onions and carrots to make this soup's flavor explode!  In the cold days of fall and winter, we'll add cream to this for our favorite version of tomato soup alongside some grilled cheese panini!  Now that's where the fat will come in, but hey, you have to indulge now and then!  All this sweaty, hard work in the kitchen will be appreciated when the chilly weather arrives and we'll be enjoying some summer flavors in a bowl.

For this recipe, I don't have exact amounts of tomatoes listed, because I just throw in as many as my taste palate prefers.  I recommend that you do the same.  Start off with at least 10 tomatoes though.

Fresh Homemade Tomato and Basil Bisque/Soup

4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups red onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
10 large, very ripe tomatoes, peels and stems/core removed, seeded if possible
(start with this amount and taste to see if you want a stronger tomato flavor).
1/4 - 1/3 cup of fresh basil, chopped fine
1 Tbsp. sugar
4 cups of chicken broth (or vegetable if you're vegetarian), homemade is best (which I also freeze large batches of to use in soups).
1 Tbsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup of cream, if cream of tomato soup is desired.

In a big soup pot, pour in the olive oil with the stove heat set to low.
Add the onions and carrots to saute until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and saute for one more minute.
For the tomatoes, I blanch them, let them cool, then remove the peels and stem/cores.
Place the peeled tomatoes into a food mill (on top of a medium/large bowl to catch the juice) and turn them around until all of the seeds remain inside the mill and all of the tomato puree comes out into a bowl.  I do this for about half of my tomatoes because it is so tiring!  I'm of the school that the seeds don't do that much damage to the flavor.  In fact, I'm reading more and more about just leaving them in!
Pour all of the tomato puree and juice into the big soup pot.
Add the basil, sugar, salt and pepper, and chicken broth.  Stir.
Cook on very low (with a sheet pan underneath the pot to prevent burning), for about 45 minutes.
Taste and add whatever you prefer.
Add the cream and heat up if you prefer cream of tomato soup.

I do not freeze this soup with the cream in it, but rather add the cream when I thaw out and heat up the soup.

About 3 - 4 cups of tomato soup in each of these containers . . . off to the freezer!

Homemade Fresh Tomato Soup

Pin It