Recipes of the Week - August 31st

Carrot Burgers http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?RecipeID=72865&servings=12
2 cups shredded carrots
2 eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 medium onion, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 clove garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups soft bread crumbs (online recipe calls for 6 cups, but that is too much)
4 cups whole wheat flake cereal, crumbled

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place carrots into a bowl, cover, and heat in the microwave until tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, mayonnaise, onion, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and carrots. Mix in bread crumbs until evenly blended. Shape into 12 patties. Pour the cereal onto a plate, and dip the patties into the cereal to coat. Place the patties on a greased baking sheet.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, turning once, until golden brown.

Delmonico Potatoes http://southernfood.about.com/od/potatocasserolerecipes/r/bl30319j.htm
Named after the New York restaurant where they were created, Delmonico potatoes date back to 19th century.

2 cups diced cooked potatoes
2 cups white sauce, below
salt and pepper
shredded mild Cheddar or Swiss cheese
buttered bread crumbs

Combine potatoes, white sauce, salt, and pepper. Pour into a greased shallow baking dish. Sprinkle shredded cheese over potatoes the top with buttered bread crumbs. Cook at 425° for about 20 minutes, or until nicely browned. Recipe for Delmonico potatoes makes 4 servings.
White Sauce
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
salt
white or black pepper

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; stir in flour. Cook for 3 minutes, but do not brown. Stir in milk and continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Add a tablespoon or two of heavy cream for a richer sauce.
Makes 2 cups of white sauce.

Nectarine and Basil Summer Rolls with Almond Sauce http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/10981?printer=yes
You can also make these rolls with apricots, peaches, and plums as they come into season-they all pair well with fragrant fresh basil.

2 Tbs. almond butter
1 Tbs. brown rice vinegar
1 tsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. soy sauce
8 -8 1/2-inch-diameter rice paper wrappers
12 medium basil leaves
2 small nectarines, cut into 12 slices
1 small avocado, cut into 12 long slices
1 cup watercress leaves

1. Whisk together almond butter, vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce, and 1 Tbs. warm water in bowl. Season with black pepper, if desired, and set aside.
2. Place pan of warm water on work space. Lay damp dish towel beside pan. Submerge 2 rice paper wrappers, one on top of other, in water. Press together, and let soften 1 minute.
3. Remove wrappers from water, and lay on towel; blot with second towel. Fold wrapper edge over 1 inch on right side.
4. Lay 3 basil leaves on bottom of wrapper, parallel to counter edge, leaving 2 inches from left edge and 1 inch from bottom uncovered. Top with 6 nectarine slices, 3 avocado slices, and 1/4 cup watercress, allowing tops of watercress to overlap folded right edge. Roll up bottom of wrapper, and tuck (unfolded) left edge over. Continue to roll until you have tight cylinder. Repeat with remaining wrappers, nectarine slices, avocado, and watercress. Cut each roll into 3 pieces. Drizzle with 1 Tbs. sauce.

Basil and Nectarine Bagel www.cookingsoftware.com.au/free_recipes/Basil_And_Nectarine_Bagel.htm
1 large Nectarine, thinly sliced 2 bagels, split
6 tablespoons light cream cheese
12 large basil leaves
Cracked black pepper
Toast the bagels and spread with cream cheese, 1-1/2 tablespoons per bagel
half. Top with basil leaves and nectarine slices. Sprinkle with pepper.

Recipes of the Week - August 24th

Smoky tomato garlic dip (posted by a blogger who visited our tomato tasting on Sunday http://cheznoonie.blogspot.com/2009/08/despite-blight-adventures-in-heirloom.html )

1 lb of tomatoes (2 or 3 medium size tomatoes), seeded, cored, and rough chopped

6 cloves of garlic

2 tomatillos, rough chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

8 oz cream cheese

2 oz goat cheese

1/4 - 1/2 tsp of chipotle pepper (Do this to your own taste. Note: you need to let the flavor bloom for at least 10 minutes before you really can gage the level of spiciness.)

salt and fresh pepper to taste

1 tbsp finely chopped herbs (I like parsley or cilantro)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (roast setting). Combine tomatoes, garlic, tomatillos, and olive oil on a foil lined pan. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Add ingredients from step one to a food processor and pulse 10 times.

Add goat cheese and cream cheese, and process until smooth.

Add chipotle pepper, salt, and freshly cracked pepper. Pulse twice.

Top with fresh herbs and serve.

Salsa De Tomatillo (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?RecipeID=24616&servings=16 )

"It can be used as a sauce for grilled chicken, fish or shrimp, as the basis for green chilaquiles (pour over tortilla chips, shredded cooked chicken and shredded Monterey Jack, then heat under the broiler), and as a dipping sauce for chips. Delicioso!"

10 tomatillos, husked

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

1. Place tomatillos in a nonreactive saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Simmer until tomatillos soften and begin to burst, about 10 minutes.

2. Drain tomatillos and place in a food processor or blender with onion, garlic, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, salt and pepper. Blend to desired consistency.

Eggplant-Cheddar Bake(http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/eggplant_cheddar_bake.html )

1 large egg
1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
12 1/4-inch-thick slices eggplant (about 1/2 medium eggplant)
6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 8-ounce can reduced-sodium tomato sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, divided

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat an 8-inch-square glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Whisk egg in a shallow dish. Place breadcrumbs in another shallow dish. Dip eggplant slices in the egg and then dredge in the breadcrumbs to coat thoroughly; transfer to a plate.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the eggplant slices and cook until browned on the first side, about 2 minutes. Turn the slices, add 1 teaspoon oil and reduce heat to medium; cook until browned on the second side, about 2 minutes. Transfer the cooked eggplant to the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining oil and eggplant; transfer the cooked slices back to the plate.
4. Wipe out the pan; add tomato sauce and salt, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in basil. Pour half the sauce over the eggplant in the baking dish. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Layer on the remaining eggplant. Top with the remaining sauce.
5. Cover the baking dish with foil. Bake until bubbling, about 10 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and continue baking until the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes.

Recipes of the Week - August 17th

Fried Eggplant Southern Style www.eggplantrecipes.net/EggplantRecipes/FriedEggplantSouthernStyle.htm

Fried eggplant southern style goes great with southern fried chicken and follows a similar cooking method. Eggplant dredged in egg and buttermilk, coated in cornmeal mixture and deep fried.

1 large or 2 Medium-Sized Eggplant, stems removed Kosher Salt 1 Egg, lightly beaten 1/3 cup Buttermilk 3/4 cup Fine-Ground White Cornmeal

2 tablespoons Cornstarch 3/4 teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper Oil, for frying

Cut eggplant into 1/3 inch slices. Season with salt. Place eggplant slices in colander to drain for 20 minutes. In a shallow dish, whisk egg and buttermilk.

On wax paper or cookie sheet, add cornmeal, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Press eggplant slices between paper towels to remove excess moisture. In heavy skillet, heat 1-inch oil to 350 F. Dip eggplant in egg, mixture dredge in cornmeal mixture. Shake off excess. Fry eggplant 2 minutes, turn and fry 1 minute. Eggplant should be golden brown. Drain excess oil, place on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Pesto Eggplant And Ricewww.eggplantrecipes.net/EggplantRecipes/PestoEggplantAndRice.htm

Eggplant sautéed with onion, garlic, tomato, bay leaf, and thyme. Seasoned with salt and pepper, mixed with rice and chicken stock, and simmered. Tossed with pesto dressing to complete the dish.

2 teaspoons Olive Oil 1/2 cup Onions, finely chopped 2 cloves Garlic, minced 1-pound Eggplant, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1/2 cup Tomatoes, cooked, finely chopped 1 Bay Leaf

1/2 teaspoon Thyme 1 cup Long Grain Rice 2 cups Chicken Stock 1/4 teaspoon Salt, or to taste 1/4 cup Pesto Dressing

Add oil to large skillet. Heat over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft, about 3 minutes.

Add eggplant, tomato, bay leaf and thyme to skillet. Stir to combine. Cover skillet and cook 3 minutes.

Add rice, chicken stock, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and return to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes, or until rice absorbs liquid. Remove from heat, keep covered, and set-aside for 5 minutes. Stir in pesto pasta dressing and serve.

Some Great Salsa Recipes:

http://www.great-salsa.com/tomato-salsa-recipe.html

Hot Pepper Cornbreadwww.foodreference.com/html/hot-pepper-cb.html

1 cup flour

1 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 jalapeno peppers, chopped

In large bowl, stir together dry ingredients.

In a small bowl, beat together remaining ingredients.

Stir dry and wet ingredients together to make a lumpy batter, do not overmix; turn into a greased 8-inch square baking dish.

Bake in a 425 degrees F. oven for 20 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serving Suggestions Classic cornbread spiced up with jalapeno peppers.

Recipes of the Week - August 10th

Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe (http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/001329fresh_basil_pesto.php)

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts

3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

2 Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Makes 1 cup.

Serve with pasta, or over baked potatoes, or spread over toasted baguette slices.

Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe http://elise.com/recipes/archives/001996pesto_pasta_salad.php

4 cups uncooked spiral pasta (use rice pasta for wheat-free version)

1 cup fresh basil pesto(see recipe above)

2 Tbsp chopped green olives, or olive tapenade

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 cup frozen peas, defrosted (or fresh if you can get them)

12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

Several fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

1 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 Cook pasta according to instructions on the package. Make sure the water is salted (at least a half teaspoon per quart). Remove pasta from heat and strain when pasta is cooked, but still firm (al dente).

2 Put pasta in a big bowl. Mix in fresh basil pesto, green olives, and pine nuts. Gently mix in cherry tomatoes, peas, fresh basil leaves and olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Chill or serve at room temperature.

Fried String Beans-Fagiolini Fritti(http://italianfood.about.com/od/stringbeansandpeas/r/blr1029.htm)

10 ounces string beans, tips snapped off

Salt

Flour

2 eggs, beaten

Breadcrumbs

Oil for frying

** The Sweet And Sour Sauce **

3/4 cup vinegar

3/4 cup water

5 amaretti

2 ounces day old bread, crusts stripped and discarded, and the crumb crumbled

1 tablespoon sugar

Salt & pepper

A pinch of powdered cinnamon

2 ounces minced candied citron peel

2 ounces raisins

2 ounces shredded almonds

Preparation:

To make the string beans:

Blanch the beans in lightly salted water, drain them, and pat them dry. Dredge them in the flour, dip them in the egg, dredge them in bread crumbs, and fry them in hot oil until golden, before draining them on absorbent paper.

Variations - you can also use other vegetables, for example celery sticks and zucchini sliced lengthwise, blanching them too and then flouring them.

To make the Sweet and Sour Sauce:

Bring the water and vinegar to a boil and add the amaretti and the bread crumb to it, together with the cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper and let the mixture cook, adding more water as needed to keep it from drying out. After about 10 minutes add the peel, raisins, and almonds. Continue cooking over a low flame until the sauce is fairly dense and well amalgamated, and at this point taste it to see if more sugar or vinegar is necessary. Serve it either hot or cold, with fried foods or hard boiled eggs.

Yield: 4-6 servings fried string beans.

Zucchini Recipes @ http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/collections/healthy_zucchini_recipes.html

Recipes of the Week - August 3rd

Garlic and Herb Sautéed Bell Pepper Strips Recipe http://americanfood.about.com/od/vegetabledishes/r/Sauteed_Peppers.htm)

This garlic and herb sautéed bell pepper recipe can be used as an appetizer, as part of an antipasto platter, or a colorful side dish. The bell pepper strips cook up quickly, and are at their sweet and savory best paired with the garlic and herbs. This sautéed pepper recipe is a great way to enjoy this nutritious summer vegetable.

•3 tbsp olive oil

•2 large red bell peppers, seeded, cut into half-inch strips

•2 large yellow bell peppers, cut into half-inch strips

•2 cloves finely minced garlic

•salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

•1 tbsp red wine vinegar

•1 tbsp chopped basil

•1 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

•toasted Italian bread to garnish, optional

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the pepper strips, and sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until the peppers begin to soften. Turn down the heat to low, and add the garlic, salt and pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes more. Turn off the heat and add the vinegar and herbs. Toss to combine. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. Toss again, adjust seasoning and serve with toasted bread if desired.

Zucchini-Potato Latkes with Tzatziki (http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/zucchini_potato_latke.html)

Tzatziki, a flavorful Greek yogurt sauce laced with cucumber, is a tangy accompaniment for these high-fiber latkes. Make it a Meal: Enjoy with sliced fresh tomatoes and a few kalamata olives or put patties and tzatziki (yogurt sauce) in pita pockets for lunch on the go.

1 pound zucchini, shredded

2 cups shredded cooked potato (see Note)

2 medium shallots, minced, divided

1 egg, beaten

2 cups fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs (see Tip)

1/2 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and shredded

1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 450° F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Toss zucchini, potato, 3 tablespoons shallot and egg in a large bowl. Add breadcrumbs, feta, 1 tablespoon dill, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; toss to combine. Form the mixture into 12 patties.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 6 patties, cover and cook until crispy and browned on one side, 2 to 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the latkes to the prepared pan, browned-side down. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and patties.

4. Transfer the latkes to the oven and bake until firm and heated through, 10 to 12 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, prepare tzatziki: Combine yogurt, cucumber, vinegar, the remaining minced shallot, 1 tablespoon dill and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Serve the latkes with the tzatziki on the side.

Fresh Peach and Zucchini Casserole (http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/print?id=133788)

This was listed in our local paper as coming from the New Jersey Peach Promotion Council. I entered the recipe as printed in the paper, but when I made it I sliced the zucchini very thinly, halved the amount of cheese, and left out the salt. I also used about 1 tablespoon of dried thyme since I didn't have fresh. My husband and I devoured half of it at lunch and decided to save the rest to have at dinner over basmati rice. I'd like to try it with fresh basil as well - by Sonata

2 1/2 cups fresh zucchini, sliced

2 1/2 cups fresh peaches, pitted and sliced

1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 350°F. Wash and slice zuchini into rounds.

Place layer of zucchini on bottom of a 2-qt casserole dish.

Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper and 1 Tbsp thyme.

Layer with half the peaches.

Repeat zucchini layer, cheese and spices.

Finish with remaining peaches.

Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until zucchini is soft.

More @ http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/collections/healthy_zucchini_recipes.html