Minted Cucumber Salad

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 English (or hothouse) cucumbers
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chopped red onions
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2-1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Instructions

1. Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise. Use a teaspoon to scrape out the seeds, then cut into thin slices. Toss the cucumbers with the salt in a colander. Let drain in the sink for at least 30 minutes, then tap the colander on the base of the sink to release any remaining water. Lay a clean dish towel flat on the counter, and then dump the cucumbers over top. Use the edges of the towel to blot the cucumbers dry.
2. Soak the red onions in a small bowl of ice water for ten minutes, then drain in a fine mesh strainer.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the cucumbers, onions, white wine vinegar, olive oil, vegetable oil, sugar, pepper and mint. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Cover and let stand in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Serve cold.

Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans with Parmesan and Pine Nuts

Adapted from Once Upon a Chef
Serves 4-6

1/4 cup pine nuts
1 pound small new potatoes
1 pound french green beans, stem ends trimmed
3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
the zest from 2 lemons
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese
sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and lemon juice, to taste

Directions

Set oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Place potatoes on roasting pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook for 20 minutes.

In a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the pine nuts until golden. Watch carefully and stir frequently as they can burn quickly. Immediately transfer to small bowl (don’t leave them in hot pan as they will continue to cook). Set aside.

Put the green beans in a large bowl. Add sliced garlic, olive oil, 1 tablespoon of the lemon zest, kosher salt, pepper and sugar and toss well. Transfer mixture to prepared baking sheet (don’t leave any flavor behind: use a rubber spatula to scrape all of the oil and seasoning out of the bowl and onto the beans).

Place green bean mixture on pan with potatoes. Roast an additional 10-15 minutes until potatoes and green beans are cooked through and slightly browned in areas.

Add lemon juice, Parmigiano-Reggiano, remaining lemon zest and pine nuts to beans and toss well. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice if necessary. Transfer to serving platter and serve hot or room temperature.

Tex Mex Casserole

A Kitchen Muse: Pasta Revolution

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 4-6

 

A one pan pasta skillet recipe that will leave your family for wanting more!

 

Ingredients

• 1 tbs. vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1 green pepper, seeded and cut in 1/2 inch pieces
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp. chile powder
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 lb. 90 percent lean ground beef
• 2 cups water
• 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 8 oz. whole wheat elbow macaroni (2 cups)
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
• 1 (4.5 oz.) chopped green chiles
• 8 oz. (2 cups) shredded Mexican cheese (I use the 2 percent version)
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Place oven rack in the middle of the oven and pre-heat to 475 degrees.
2. Heat oil in a 12 inch oven proof skillet pan (non-stick is best) over medium heat.
3. Add onion and pepper and cook until softened – 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Stir in garlic, chili powder and cayenne and cook until fragrant – about 30 seconds.
5. Stir in beef, breaking up with wooden spoon and cook until no longer pink – about 2 minutes.
6. Stir in water, tomato sauce and pasta.
7. Cover, increase heat to medium high and cook at a vigorous simmer – stirring often until pasta is al dente – about 9 – 12 minutes.
8. Off heat, stir in corn, chiles and 1 cup of cheese.
9. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Sprinkle remaining cup of cheese evenly over top.
11. Place skillet in oven and bake until cheese has melted – 10-15 minutes.
12. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve.

Plum Skillet Cake

From Martha Stewart

4 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for skillet
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for skillet
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
Coarse salt
¾ cup plus 2 tbs sugar
1 large egg
½ cup low-fat buttermilk
2 ripe medium plums, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 375°. Butter an 8-inch ovenproof skillet (preferably cast-iron); dust with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. Beat butter and ¾ cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk.

Pour batter into prepared skillet, and smooth top with an offset spatula. Fan plums on top, and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Some important tips to share: Wait until the cake is halfway done baking before adding the plums.  The top row is the first cake I made, and you can see that the beautiful plums sank into the batter as the cake baked.  Also, the plums were only in the center of the cake, so the outer edges didn't have any of the delicious fruit.  In the bottom row, I added the plums after 15 minutes of baking, and you can see that they barely sank in.  I also increased the number of plums to four, so every slice of cake has plenty of fruit.

Peach and Plum Crumble

Adapted from Everyday Food July/August 2012 Issue
Serves 8

1½ pounds peaches, cut into ½-inch wedges (about 4 peaches)
½ pound plums,cut into ½-inch wedges (about 2 plums)
½ cup granulated sugar (add 2 tbs if your fruit is not very sweet)
1 tbs lemon juice
4 tsp cornstarch
½ tsp coarse salt
12 tbs unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup light brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp coarse salt

Preheat oven to 375°.  Stir together peach and plum slices, granulated sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and salt, then pour into an 8-inch square baking dish or 10-inch deep-dish pie plate.

Beat butter and brown sugar until combined, then add flour and salt.  Gather handfuls of the mixture and squeeze, then gently break up the clump with your fingers and scatter over the filling.  You'll have big and small pieces.

Bake 30 minutes, then cover loosely with foil.  Bake 20 more minutes, until the filling is bubbling.  If using 6-ounce ramekins fill each to the rim with fruit before sprinkling with crumb topping, bake 20 minutes, then cover loosely with foil, and bake another 20 minutes.  Cool for 2 minutes before serving.

S'mores Fudge

Yield: 16 pieces of fudge

Ingredients:

1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 graham crackers, chopped (plus a few crushed for top)
1 cup mini marshmallows

Directions:

Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine marshmallow cream, sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt. Bring to a full boil, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and pour in semisweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Gently fold in graham crackers and pour into prepared pan.
Top with mini marshmallows and some crushed graham cracker. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours, or until firm.

Honey Lime Pork Chops

juice and zest from 1 lime
pinch kosher salt
2 tbls honey lime mustard (or honey dijon would work too or 1 tbls honey and 1 tbls dijon)
2 tbls buttermilk
2 tbls olive oil
1 clove garlic chopped

6 center loin pork chops

mix all of the marinade ingredients and add to a container big enough to hold your pork chops.Mix it all around until your chops are all totally covered in the marinade and put in the fridge for at least two hours or overnight.

Take the pork out of the fridge at least 40 minutes before you are going to cook them to let them come to room temperature.

As far as grilling them, it all depends on the thickness. For thinner chops like these, you want to go hot and fast. Get the grill as hot as you can and grill them for a minute or so with the lid on before you flip them and turn down the heat (or if you are using coal like we do, pile the coals on one side so the other side is going to be a bit cooler for the second side) and cook them, lid on, for another three minutes. Remove the lid, flip them one more time and cook them another 3 or 4 minutes with the lid off, still on the cooler side.

Once they are cooked (they should feel solid but have a bit of spring under your finger when you poke them), remove to a plate and tent with foil and let sit for 5 or 10 minutes to rest before eating.