Recipes of the Week - August 4th

Green Beans Almondine (with an Asian flair) from: www.greenbeansnmore.com

• 2 lbs. fresh green beans 2-4 cloves garlic 5-10 almonds, sliced 2 tbsp. olive oil Tamari or soy sauce to taste**

Wash green beans. Cut off ends. Slice or cut the way you prefer. Steam until just done. Saute garlic in olive oil. Add almonds. Toss green beans in this mixture to coat. Add tamari or soy sauce to taste and serve. **Soy vs tamari: Soy is best for everyday cooking such as stir frying or seasoning vegetables, as it harmonizes and enhances without overpowering. Tamari, with its stronger flavor, is traditionally used to season longer cooking food such as soups, stews, and baked dishes. Green Beans in Sour Cream & Tomato Sauce from: www.greenbeansnmore.com

• 1 lb. green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise (about 3 cups) 4 tbsp. butter1 large onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced 1 medium-sized green pepper, seeded, deribbed and chopped 2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil 3/4 cup sour creamsalt freshly ground black pepper Drop the beans into lightly salted boiling water.

Boil, uncovered for about 10 minutes, or until tender and still somewhat firm to the bite. Drain beans and set aside.In a heavy skillet, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the onion and green pepper and cook until soft, but not browned, stirring frequently. Add the tomatoes and basil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the beans, mix well and lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Beat the sour cream with salt and pepper (to taste) and stir it into the vegetables gently, but thoroughly. Taste for seasoning. Spinach w/Garlic from: http://southernfood.about.com

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and cut into thin wedges 2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely minced 1 pound fresh spinach, washed, drained, and torn salt and pepper to taste

Directions for spinach and garlic recipe. In a large skillet over low heat in vegetable oil, sauté tomato wedges and garlic. Add spinach; cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times. Add salt and pepper to taste; cook 5 minutes longer, stirring once or twice. Spinach recipe serves 4. Creamy Zucchini from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Creamy-Zucchini/Detail.aspx

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1/2 red onion, sliced salt and pepper to taste 1 pound zucchini, sliced 1 tablespoon crushed garlic 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained 1/2 cup heavy cream

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in red onion, salt and pepper, and cook about 5 minutes, until onion is tender. Stir in zucchini, and cook 3 to 5 minutes. Mix in garlic and tomatoes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil. Stir corn and cream into the mixture. Reduce heat to low, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until thick and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Plums Poached in Earl Grey Tea from: http://www.recipezaar.com/134163

• 6 plums (if small leave them whole, cut larger plums in half and remove the pit) 6 cups water 2 earl grey tea bags 3/4 cup superfine sugar 1 lemon, juice of

Pour the 6 cups of water into a large saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil. Remove from heat. Add the tea bags, cover and steep for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags, place the pan back over high heat and bring back to a boil. Stir in sugar and lemon juice. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat to medium low. The liquid should just be simmering, add the plums and poach until tender. The amount of time will vary from 1 minute to longer depending on the size and ripeness of the fruit. Remove the plums from the liquid and set aside to cool. Continue to simmer the liquid until it is the consistency of a light syrup. To serve: Place the plums into small dessert bowls and ladle some of the poaching liquid.