Ratatouille

It is summer time and this is a nice light side or main dish.  We found that it tastes better reheated the next day.

Ingredients
12 oz can diced tomato
1 tbs garlic
1 large onion
salt and pepper to taste
2 zucchini
2 yellow squash
1 Italian eggplant
1 red bell pepper
Fresh thyme
1 tbs olive oil

In a small pot heat diced tomatoes and garlic.  With a hand blender puree the tomatoes.  I like to leave a few tomato chunks in the sauce.

Run each vegetables through a food processor separately with the slice blade or use a mandolin and slice all the vegetables to the same size.  Set aside each vegetable in a separate dish.

Preheat oven to 375.

In a 9x13 baking dish pour pureed tomatoes and cover with sliced onions.  Salt and pepper onions.  On top of the onions arrange the sliced zucchini, yellow squash and eggplant in alternating rows.  Top with red bell pepper.  Salt and pepper the vegetables.  Spray with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh thyme.
Cover with parchment paper and bake for 45 minutes or until vegetables are cooked and the tomato is bubbling up around the edges.

Top with goat cheese and serve.

Orzo with Spinach and Pine Nuts

We are having Sockeye Salmon for dinner and wanted to try a new side.
I thought this was a nice vegetarian side to go with the Salmon.

Ingredients
1 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion Julianne
4 cups of Spinach
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
1/2 cup pine nuts toasted
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked orzo
1 tbs butter

In a large saute pan, heat olive oil and add onions.  Cook until translucent.  Add spinach to pan and let it wilt.  Turn off heat and add remaining ingredients.  Serve Warm.    

Brie and Turkey sandwich

This sandwich always reminds me of a meal we had at  the Norway pavilion at Epcot.  You can modify it to your taste.  I had one with some cranberries, pecans and cinnamon.  This is the basic version.

Ingredients
2 slices Sourdough Bread (or another hearty white bread)
Butter
Sliced Turkey
Brie
Sliced apple

Butter one side of the bread.  Layer Turkey, brie and apple on the nonbuttered side; place the other piece of bread on top butter side up.  Using a Panini press, skillet or George Forman grill, and cook until golden and crisp.
  

Chicken and Vegetable Casserole

My mother used to make this when ever we had leftover rice.   I make it when I have some leftover rice and chicken breasts. It is pretty easy to put together and adaptable to what ever you have available.
This is also a good freezer casserole so you can make it ahead of time and use it when you need it.


Ingredients
1 cup cooked white rice
1 and 1/2 grilled chicken breast cubed (omit if you want to make vegetable casserole)
1 12 oz bag of frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup diced broccoli
1 10 oz can condensed cream of celery soup
1 10 oz can condensed cream of mushroom soup
5 oz of milk  (add more milk if it appears to be to thick)
1 8 oz  diced water chestnuts(optional)
1 15 oz can baby corn diced (optional)
1 can diced jalapeños (optional)
3 cups shredded cheese divided

In a large mixing bowl  combine all ingredients and half of the cheese.  Place into a 9x13 or a 9X9 baking dish and top with remaining cheese.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 20 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.

Meatballs with bell peppers and onion

I had some meatballs sitting in my freezer and I did not want to make pasta and meatballs or the standard meatball subs.  I remember making a dish in high school that had chicken wings and bell peppers, tomato, and onion and so I decided to adapt it to the meatballs.


Ingredients

20 cocktail meatballs (precooked)
1 green bell pepper (julienned)
1 yellow bell pepper (julienned)
2 large onions (julienned)
1 12 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 tbs minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp sage
1/4 tsp thyme
2 tsp kosher salt
2 jalapeños (optional)
1 tbs olive oil
1/4 cup red wine

In a large skillet with the olive oil, saute the onions, bell peppers, jalapeños and garlic.  When the onions are slightly browned add the tomatoes and cook until they begin to break down and then add the wine.  Add the meatballs and the rest of the ingredients.  Simmer until meatballs are heated through.

We served them in hoagie rolls or they can be eaten just as is.

Balsamic Flank Steak

This is a really easy delicious flank steak.  Nothing fancy about it.

Ingredients
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbs minced garlic
1 tbs ground black pepper
2 1/2 lbs flank steak

Mix all ingredients and place into a large zip lock bag and marinate steak for 4 to 24 hours.


Preheat Grill to medium high heat.

Cook Steak to desired doneness.

Warm bacon and potato salad

Happy Memorial Day!  Many of you know that I do not like Mayonnaise based salads, especially during an outside BBQ or Picnic.  I have been trying different recipes for a "warm" potato salad and I finally now have one that I enjoy.

Ingredients:
2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes
8 slices of hickory smoked bacon (or your favorite kind of bacon)
1/2 a large red onion diced  (about half a cup)
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbs Country Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp salt
chopped chives for garnish


Boil the potatoes with 1/2 tsp of salt until they are fork tender.  Drain and chop into rounds.
In a large saute pan cook bacon until crispy. Once bacon is done put on paper towels to drain.  Keep 1/4 bacon fat in the pan and add the onions.  Cook the onions until they become translucent.
Whisk together the vinegar, sugar, mustard and remaining 1tsp of salt.  Add to pan and cook until it begins to thicken.  Return potatoes to pan and carefully stir.  Do not stir too much or your potatoes will break apart.  Top with chives and crumbled bacon.