Roasted Vegetable Panini

August 27, 2011 by
 
My new favorite thing.
 
Honest.  Wait… do I say that often?
 
Either way, I really mean it this time. : )
 
I have casually mentioned to my husband that I could be a vegetarian, it really wouldn’t bother me.
(Especially with a sandwich like this!)  He usually stares at me in fear for a few seconds until I start to smile.   : )
 

ROASTED VEGETABLE PANINI

 
THE VEG:
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced 1/4″ thick
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced 1/4″ thick
3 small zucchini, sliced 1/4″ thick
1 T olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
 
PESTO SPREAD:
4 oz cream cheese
2 T chopped artichokes
2 T pesto
zest of 1 lemon
 
TO ASSEMBLE:
8 slices Sourdough bread
Butter
Tomatoes, sliced
Provolone Cheese
Arugula
 

Toss all the veg ingredients together on a large rimmed baking sheet.

Roast at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Spread butter on one side of each bread slice.
Lay 4 slices out buttered side down and spread other side with pesto spread.  Top with the roasted vegetables, provolone cheese, tomatoes, and arugula.
Top each with another slice of bread, with the pesto mix spread on the inside and butter on the outside.
Grill on a panini press or griddle.
 
Filed Under: Meatless Main Dishes, Sandwiches / Wraps Tagged With: , , ,

Zucchini Fritters

August 24, 2011 by
 
My mom made corn fritters all the time for our family when I was a kid, and when I was a poor newlywed with an overabundance of zucchini (we grew some in front our little duplex and it went nuts!) I made a variation of the idea for zucchini.
I still make them, especially this time of year when zucchini is trying to take over the earth. : )
These do have a lot of zucchini in them, you could definitely cut the amount in half even if you wanted, but I figure if I’m going to make zucchini fritters I should be using up a bunch of zucchini!
And the great thing about these is that kids have no idea they are eating vegetables!  Serve them plain or with a little butter.
 
ZUCCHINI FRITTERS
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 T olive oil
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
olive oil, for cooking
 
Sprinkle 1 tsp of the salt over the zucchini and let sit for 10 minutes.
Mix remaining ingredients together, then squeeze excess moisture from the zucchini and stir in.
Heat a little oil in a skillet over medium high heat and spoon 1/4 cupfuls into pan, being careful not to crowd the pan.  Repeat with remaining batter
Cook until golden brown, a few minutes, then flip and cook until cooked through.
 
 
 
 
Filed Under: Side Dishes Tagged With: ,

Clementine Sorbet

August 17, 2011 by
 
This time of year, we always seem to have more produce on hand then we can use.
So I go through our fridge often and make a list of things that need used, and decide what I’ll make with them, so they don’t get wasted.
I saw a big bowl of clementines staring back at me the other day, and while they were delicious, we just weren’t going to be able to eat them all before some went bad.  And then I was flipping thru The Perfect Scoop, and saw a recipe for Tangerine Sorbet.  I figured it was worth the experiment to try it with clementines.  I don’t know how good the tangerine sorbet is but this is now one of my favorite desserts ever!  Sweet, but still refreshing, and the citrus flavor really comes through well.  I had thought about serving it with vanilla ice cream for a creamsicle effect, but it was so good by itself I left well enough alone. : )
 
 
CLEMENTINE SORBET
3 c clementine juice (from about 4 lbs)
3/4 c sugar
 
Mix 1/2 cup of the juice with the sugar in a small saucepan.
Warm over low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.
Add remaining juice, then pour into a bowl and chill until cold.
Prepare according to your ice cream makers directions.
 
Recipe adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz
Filed Under: Ice cream

Pineapple Teriyaki Burgers

August 15, 2011 by
It seems summer is going to be gone if I blink, so we’re trying to fit in as many BBQ dinners as possible.  When I was a teenager I remember making my Dad pineapple burgers with ham.  I remembered them the other day and thought they could use a re-appearance with some added touches.
These are our all-time favorites now and whenever we grill now it seems these make it on!
And adding the pinapple scraps to the grills gives such an amazing flavor.  The moisture in them makes this great pineapple flavored smoke.
If you aren’t able to grill, you could also use an indoor grill pan or skillet, and I bet they would still be pretty amazing.  Happy Summer! (Or what’s left of it anyways)  : )
PINEAPPLE TERIYAKI BURGERS
Burger mixture:
1 lb ground beef
2 T terriyaki sauce
3 T finely diced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
To serve:
red onion, sliced and grilled
fresh pineapple, sliced and grilled (Save aside the skin of the pinapple)
Ham, sliced medium thick and grilled
Lettuce
condiments of choice (We like adding fresh chopped cilantro to mayo on these)
Gently mix the burger ingredients together and form into 4 patties.
When coals are hot, add the skin from the pineapple to the coals.
Grill the burgers, red onion, pineapple, ham, and buns on the hot grill.
Filed Under: Beef, Grilling / Smoking

Roasted green beans

August 11, 2011 by
I like to roast.  A lot.
It is my favorite cooking technique.  How else can you quickly and easily turn fresh vegetables into delicious dishes without adding hardly anything?
I love that the flavor of the green beans is really what is highlighted.
Make sure you start with really fresh green beans, as their flavor will only be as good as what you start with.  I hope these make it on your list of go-to side dishes- we love them!
ROASTED GREEN BEANS
Fresh green beans, ends trimmed
Drizzle of olive oil
Sprinkle each of salt and pepper
Toss all together and spread on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes.  Toss halfway through.
Filed Under: Holiday Recipes, Side Dishes

Pink Stuff

August 9, 2011 by
 
I know what you’re thinking.  Anything with the word “stuff” in the title can’t be good. : )
But I have a 4 year old that would dissagree. 
 
When our friends brought this dish with them when they came for dinner my Lucy went nuts for it, so I thought I’d better get the recipe!  We’ll be using it for a “pink party” and also it was great for using up a bunch of fresh cherries and raspberries from our garden.  Katie says she just throws in whatever they have on hand.  I like those kind of recipes. : )
 
PINK STUFF
 
1 small package Jello (I used Raspberry)
1 large container Cool Whip (1 lb)
1 small container cottage cheese (16 oz)
Desired add-ins (I used 2 c each cherries and raspberries, and 3 c mini marshmallows)
 
Mix dry Jello with cool whip and cottage cheese in a large bowl.
Add in any add-ins you want.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.
 
ADD-INS:
Cherries, pitted and halved
Fresh berries, like strawberries, raspberries, etc
Canned pineapple, drained
Canned mandarin oranges, drained
Bananas, sliced
Grapes, halved
Mini marshmallows, regular or fruit flavored
 
Recipe adapted from dear friend Katie
 
 
Filed Under: Desserts

Foil Dinners

August 4, 2011 by
 
Some of you know exactly what I’m talking about when I say “foil dinner”… and the rest of you will scratch your head.
These were a camping staple for my family, and the other night we decided to cook some in the grill for fun.  (Camping isn’t in our near future, especially with an autistic child).
They are really fun to make with kids, let everyone make their own and decide what to put it.
I’m giving you the non-gourmet ideas, but you can get as crazy-gourmet as you want here.
These made for a fun throw-back meal along with indoor smore’s (will share later!).
While I only used bacon for the meat in ours, you could definetely use other proteins. 
We usually used sausage or hamburger, or steak cut in cubes.
You could also leave all meat out if you just want a veggie side dish.
And the skies the limit on what veggies you want to use, but root vegetables work perfectly here, or anything that roasts well.  Happy non-camping! : )
 
FOIL DINNERS:
Bacon, I use pre-cooked and chopped
Potatoes, any variety, chopped (You could partially cook beforehand if you don’t want to cook the dinners for as long)
Carrots, chopped
Celery, chopped
Onions, chopped
Herbs and seasonings of choice
Drizzle of olive oil or pat of butter
 
Wrap individual servings in multiple layers of foil, wrapped well.
Nest in hot coals, cook until done.
Filed Under: Grilling / Smoking

Butternut Squash Fries

August 1, 2011 by
 
These are good.
No, really, they’re good.  I heart them.
They are one of my favorite side dishes to make, and truth be told… sometimes I’ll eat just them with the veggie being served that night.  Normal, right?  
Just try them, and report back if anyone else is crazy addicted to them. : )

BUTTERNUT SQUASH FRIES
 
Butternut Squash
Olive oil (just enough to drizzle with)
Kosher salt and pepper
 
Trim skin off of your squash and scoop out the seeds.
Cut into about 4 to 5 inch sections and cut into 1/4 to 1/2″ matchsticks using a knife or crinkle cutter.
Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet in single layer.
Toss with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
Filed Under: Side Dishes Tagged With: , ,

Salmon Burgers

July 29, 2011 by
 
I’ve been experimenting for quite awhile with salmon burger recipes.  I finally made one that’s just right!  I took ideas from different recipes, and got it down pretty good but the texture still wasn’t right.  Then I saw a few recipes with a baked potato in it and had to try it.
It worked!  We just love them, and they are great served on a bun or by itself with rice and salad.
I buy our salmon at Costco, and I’ve always been much happier with the quality than other brands.  It never contains bones either, which is always nice.  Happy weekend! : )

SALMON BURGERS
1 green onion, sliced thin
1 egg
1 T mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon zest
14 oz canned salmon (mine doesn’t have bones-but check to make sure yours doesn’t)
1 baked or boiled russet potato, peeled and fluffed with a fork
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
oil for cooking
 
Mix the green onion, egg, mayo, mustard, lemon juice and zest together in a bowl.
Add the salmon and potato, mixing gently just until combined.
Form into 4 patties and roll each in the panko breadcrumbs.
Heat a little oil in a skillet (just enough to barely coat the bottom of the skillet) over medium heat and cook the patties for about 4 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through.
Serve with a toasted bun, lettuce, and tartar sauce if desired. (Or any other accompaniments you want)
Filed Under: Fish / Seafood

BBQ Chicken Wraps

July 26, 2011 by
 
My husband’s favortie new hobby is to see if I can successfully replicate dishes he orders when we eat out.  We don’t eat out much so I don’t mind.  : )
I was glad he requested this one, since it was ridiculously easy to make at home.
And we’ve had WAY too much craziness going on around these parts.  Between helping my Grandma get moved into a retirement home, (at almost 97 years old!), helping clean out her home she’s lived in for over 70 years, a few flu bugs, and various other things, this is a great quick dinner!  Hope you like it too!
 
BBQ CHICKEN WRAPS
 
Large Spinach flour tortillas
Chicken breast, shredded (or leftover chicken)
BBQ Sauce
Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Lettuce, shredded
Ranch Dressing
Tortilla Strips*
 
Heat chicken in a pan, adding enough bbq sauce to coat chicken.
Layer in tortillas with cheese, lettuce, a little ranch dressing and tortilla strips.
 
*To make tortilla strips, Cut corn tortillas in thin strips (about 1/4″ wide).
Heat a couple inches of oil in a high-sided pan over medium-high heat.
Fry tortilla strips until golden, drain on paper towels.
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Filed Under: Chicken / Turkey, Sandwiches / Wraps Tagged With: ,