Summer Vegetable Gratin

This recipe has been on my "to make" list for, well, two years now! I was finally inspired to make it by the abundance of zucchini from the garden. The original recipe calls for carmelized onions, but my husband isn't a huge fan of them. I decided that I'd swap them out for some bulgur, to add a little whole grain-y goodness to the dish.



We served this with lemon basil chicken. I loved the almost nutty flavor addition from the bulgur. This dish is a great way to use up those delicious garden vegetables!

Summer Vegetable Gratin
Source: Slightly adapted from Cook's Illustrated, July/August 2008
Serves: 6-8 as a side or 4 as a light main dish

• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound zucchini, ends trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 pound summer squash (yellow), ends trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 2 teaspoons table salt
• 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes (3 to 4 large), sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1 cup cooked bulgur
• 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
• 2 medium shallots, minced (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush 13- by 9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil; set aside.

Toss zucchini and summer squash slices with 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl; transfer to colander set over bowl. Let stand until zucchini and squash release at least 3 tablespoons of liquid, about 45 minutes. Arrange slices on triple layer paper towels; cover with another triple layer paper towels. Firmly press each slice to remove as much liquid as possible.

Place tomato slices in single layer on double layer paper towels and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let stand 30 minutes. Place second double layer paper towels on top of tomatoes and press firmly to dry tomatoes.

Combine garlic, 3 tablespoons oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and thyme in small bowl. In large bowl, toss zucchini and summer squash in half of oil mixture, then arrange in greased baking dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup bulgur evenly over squash. Slightly overlap tomato slices in single layer on top of bulgur. Spoon remaining garlic-oil mixture evenly over tomatoes. Bake until vegetables are tender and tomatoes are starting to brown on edges, 40 to 45 minutes.

Combine remaining bulgur, remaining tablespoon oil, Parmesan, and shallots in medium bowl. Remove baking dish from oven and increase heat to 450 degrees. Sprinkle mixture evenly on top of tomatoes. Bake gratin until bubbling and cheese is lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and let sit at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.

Zucchini Pancakes

I am super excited and nervous to have our own garden growing this year. I wasn't sure if it would do well, but everything is growing like crazy! As a result, we have plenty of zucchini, so I went off in search of interesting things to make with it. I culled a couple of zucchini pancake recipes for inspiration: one from Ina Garten since I completely trust her, and one with such a raving review that I just had to incorporate it. The result, combined with fresh garden tomatoes, was an absolutely delicious breakfast that my husband wanted nothing to do with. I was quite ok with that - more for me!



Zucchini Pancakes
Source: Adapted from All Eyes on Jenny and Ina Garten

1 1/2 cups zucchini, grated and squeezed to remove excess moisture
2 Tablespoons grated  red onion
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6-8 tablespoons flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons mayo
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
1 tablespoon butter

Mix all ingredients, except butter, together in a large bowl.  Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat.  Add butter to pan and allow to melt, spreading over the surface of the pan.  Drop about 1/4 cup of batter into pan for each pancake, flatten and cook until golden on each side. Served topped with tomato slice and more cheese.

Barbecue Chicken Burgers

This summer we moved to a relatively rural area, and I was excited about that because I knew there would be great opportunities for a variety of fresh, locally grown produce. I couldn't wait for the Farmer's Market to start up in June, and I've been loving the things I find there.

One of my favorite stands is Wayne's Organic Garden. Attaining organic certification from the USDA is no small task, and on my first visit to the stand I let them know how much I appreciated the effort they put into maintaining their farm.

On one recent trip, they had gorgeous bunches of green onions that I couldn't pass up. I knew I wanted to make something with them as soon as I got home, to enjoy the fresh onion flavor. We already had planned on burgers that day, so I did a quick search and found this recipe for barbecue chicken burgers that sounded delicious. I liked that it incorporated another vegetable (carrots) right into the burger! A great way to get a few more vegetables in our diet.



We really enjoyed the contrasts in these burgers between the smokey, spicy cayenne and chili sauce against the sweet molasses. These are unique burgers that are worth a try!

Barbecue Chicken Burgers
Source: Good Housekeeping via The Daily Green

• 1 pound ground chicken breasts
• 1 medium carrot, grated (1/2 cup)
• 2 green onions, minced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed with garlic press
• 2 tablespoons chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon light (mild) molasses
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper sauce
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 hamburger buns, warmed
• Sliced cucumber, lettuce leaves and green onion (optional)

1. In medium bowl, with hand, mix ground chicken, carrot, green onions and garlic until evenly combined.

2. On waxed paper, shape chicken mixture into four 3 1/2-inch round patties (mixture will be very soft and moist).

3. Place patties on grill over medium heat and cook about 12 minutes or until juices run clear when center of burger is pierced with tip of knife, turning over once. (If you have a grill with widely spaced grates, you may want to place burgers on a perforated grill topper to keep them intact.)

4. Place burgers on warmed buns. Serve with cucumber slices, lettuce leaves and green onions if you like.

Butterscotch Pudding Pops

Fudgsicles have been a bit of an obsession for me this summer.  Perhaps it's the unusual heat we've had, but I have been drawn like a magnet to this frozen treat.  Well, my world came crashing down this past weekend when I went to the store and they were out of fudgsicles. 

I thought, hey, this is no big deal.  There is a store brand fudge pop, so I'll just get those.   BIG mistake.  The store brand fudge pops are inedible.  Completely disgusting.  They are almost... salty.  I was very upset by all of this.


Thankfully, I didn't have to be upset for long.  I was putting away some cookbooks, and among them was the small booklet that came with my ice cream maker.  A quick flip through the book presented a possible alternative - make my own fudgsicles!  I immediately went to the pantry in search of pudding mix.  I didn't even care that this was basically a semi-homemade/convenience recipe; I wanted my fudgsicles.  All I ended up having in the pantry was a package of butterscotch pudding, but I figured that butterscotch pudding pops sounded good, anyway.  I mix up the batter and churned away.  20 min later I filled my popsicle molds and put them in the freezer, hoping for the best.



My fears that they would come out rock hard or icy were unfounded.  They are perfect!  Cool, creamy, delicious.  Next up?  Skip the pudding mix and go straight to my favorite chocolate pudding recipe.  I hope it turns out just as well!

Any Flavor Pudding Pops
Source: Slightly adapted from Cuisinart ICE-20 Recipe booklet

2 packages (3.4-3.9 ounces each) of your favorite instant pudding flavor
3 cups cold 2% milk

Place ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and whisk until well blended.  Freeze according to manufacturer's ice cream maker instructions.  Transfer to popsicle molds, and freeze until firm.

Chicken Caesar Burgers

We have finally upgraded our grilling equipment! We were chugging along with a lava rock grill, but it's small and cooks slowly (not necessarily a bad thing), and now that we have a home and are closer to family, we wanted something a little larger. We decided on the Weber Genesis E-320, and love it!

It's pricey, but built to last, so we are very happy with it (unlike the aforementioned lava rock grill, which after 1 year is spewing rust out the bottom every time we light it).  Of course, I think my favorite part is the side burner.  This means I now have a total of ONE gas burner at my disposal.  ::shoots evil side-eye at electric stove::

We couldn't wait to use it, and decided on these Chicken Caesar burgers for the inaugural run. We've made them before, so we already knew they were great.  These burgers fabulously present that classic combination of flavors, and I especially love the dressed greens on top. 




Of course, my husband generally takes things a step further, and implored me to post a photo of his version:



Chicken Caesar Burgers
Source: Rewritten from Rachael Ray

• 1 1/4 pounds ground chicken breast (the average weight of 1 package)
• 3 garlic cloves, 2 finely chopped, 1 cracked from skin
• 4 anchovies, finely chopped (optional, but recommended)
• A handful of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• Salt and coarse black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• A handful flat leaf parsley, chopped (I omitted)
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest plus juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus some for drizzling
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 heart of romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 4 crusty rolls, split in half

In a bowl, combine the chicken, finely chopped garlic, anchovies, a handful of cheese, a pinch of salt and a generous amount of pepper, Worcestershire sauce, parsley and lemon zest. Mix the meat and form four burger patties.

Heat a large nonstick skillet with one tablespoon of EVOO, a turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken patties and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.  Alternatively, grill burgers over medium high heat, 3-4 minutes on each side.

Pre-heat the broiler and toast the bread on a cookie sheet or broiler pan. Alternatively, toast bread on the grill.  Once lightly golden in color, remove from oven and rub the breads with cracked garlic. Drizzle bread with the EVOO. 

Combine Dijon, lemon juice and 2-3 tablespoons of EVOO with salt and pepper, and toss the greens with it.
Place the patties on the bun bottoms and top them with a pile of romaine, sliced tomatoes and bun tops.

Mustard Grilled Potatoes

I was looking for a different way to prepare potatoes on the grill (we typically do rosemary potatoes). This recipe intrigued me with the suggestion to parboil the potatoes first.  The original recipe calls for rosemary to season the dish, but since I was trying to get away from rosemary, I switched out the seasoning with Mural of Flavor from Penzeys.

The first time I made these, I boiled them for too long and had sliced them too thin. The results, while delicious enough to try the recipe again, were less than photogenic. Second time around, I paid closer attention to the parboil, and made sure the coins were sliced correctly. The mustard/mayonnaise bath provides a lovely crisp coating around the finished potatoes. They are crisp on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. We love them! I think many different seasoning options would go well with this dish, so feel free to be creative!



Mustard Grilled Potatoes
Source: Slightly adapted from Fine Cooking

By par-cooking your potatoes before they go on the grill, they'll have a soft, almost cakey texture on the inside when they're done, but they'll still have that terrific grilled flavor. The mayonnaise not only adds flavor to the potatoes, but helps keep them from sticking to the grill. Serves four as a side dish.

1 lb. medium red- or yellow-skinned potatoes
Kosher salt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. herb seasoning of your choice
freshly ground pepper

Wash the potatoes and cut them into 3/8-inch slices. Cover the potatoes with cold water and 1 Tbs. salt  in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower to a gentle simmer (you don't want them to break up), and cook until they're almost but not quite fully cooked, 4 to 6 minutes. The potatoes will still be a little hard in the center, but the outer edges will look opaque. Drain in a large colander and rinse with cold water until they're cool; handle them gently. Spread them out on clean dishtowels and let them sit at room temperature (for up to an hour) until you're ready to grill them.

Light a charcoal grill and allow the fire to reach a medium-hot temperature (the top of the coals should be 5 to 6 inches from the grill grate, and you'll be able to hold your hand over the fire for no more than 3 to 4 seconds when it's medium hot). Alternatively, heat the entire surface of a gas grill until it reaches medium hot.

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss the potato slices with the mayonnaise mixture until the potatoes are well-coated. Put the potatoes on the grill grate in one layer, directly over the fire. Cook for 3 to 6 minutes or just until deep golden brown and crisp. With tongs, turn the pieces over to the other side. Cook until that side is deep golden brown and crisp, another 3 to 6 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

Decadent Chocolate Trifle

This is a fantastic dessert that can be made the semi-homemade way, or dressed up with from scratch versions of chocolate cake, whipped cream, and caramel. Either way, it is delicious and sure to be a big hit at any party!



And yes, I changed the name. I've made this twice now, and with small children at both parties, the original name just didn't seem appropriate!

Decadent Chocolate Trifle
Source: Slightly adapted from Deborah's Culinary Concoctions

1 box chocolate cake mix
ingredients for completing cake mix, as directed by the box
1/4 cup semi sweet mini chocolate chips
7 oz sweetened condensed milk
7 oz caramel ice cream topping (plus additional for garnish if desired)
4 Skor or Heath candy bars, chopped
2 (8 oz) tubs Cool Whip Lite whipped topping.


Prepare cake mix according to box directions, and fold in semisweet chocolate chips before spreading batter into pan.  Bake as directed.  Set aside to cool.

In a saucepan over low heat, combine sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping, stirring until smooth and blended. Using a skewer or the handle of a spoon poke holes across the top of the cake every 1-2 inches. Slowly pour the warm caramel topping mixture over the top of the cake, letting it sink into the holes. Cover and refrigerate until just before serving (I have made the cake the night before, then completed the trifle the next day). 

Just before serving assemble dessert in a large glass trifle or serving bowl. Cut cake into chunks and layer evenly across the bottom of bowl, top with a layer of Cool Whip and a small amount of chopped candy bars (reserve some for garnish) - repeat layers, ending with Cool Whip topping. Top with reserved chopped candy bars and drizzle with caramel topping if desired.

Margherita Pizza

Alton Brown is one of my favorite chefs (TV personalities?), yet he often falls to the back of my mind. Then someone says those two magic words and I have to make whatever they are talking about, because I know it will be fantastic.



I've made margherita pizza before at home. While it was good, and hit the spot, I recently saw someone recommend Alton Brown's version. Naturally, the challenge was on. I had to make his recipe, and soon. Luckily, it's not too hard to convince my husband that I need to forgo any other plans and make pizza. He is always ready for pizza!

 

This recipe was no exception to the AB rule. Marinating and grilling the tomatoes is such a great way to add new depth to this pizza. My only complaint would be that the amount of mozzarella and tomato seems small for the size of the pizza dough. I'll admit to not measuring the size that I rolled the dough to, but I know I was in the vicinity of 16 inches and I felt the toppings were a bit sparse. It was easy to add more mozzarella and basil, but next time I will have to remember to add a bit more tomato as well. Either way, the flavor is fantastic, and is definitely my go-to way for making margherita pizza.



Margherita Pizza
Source: Slightly adapted from Alton Brown

• Enough dough for one 16" pizza (see below for a whole wheat pizza dough recipe)
• 1 large tomato, cut into 1/3-inch thick slices
• 5 to 7 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2-ounce grated Parmesan
• 4 ounces part skim mozzarella, shredded or sliced thin into rounds
• handful large basil leaves, shredded

Heat a gas grill to high and make sure the grill grates are clean and free of debris.

Toss the tomato with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the garlic, salt and red pepper flakes in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

Lightly flour the countertop and flatten the dough ball. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 16-inch round, rotating and stretching the dough as you go. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured pizza peel or baking sheet and stretch to re-shape if necessary.

Oil the grill grates and decrease the heat to medium. Brush the dough with 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil and flip onto 1 end of the hot grill, leaving room for the tomatoes on the grate. Put the prepared tomatoes on the grill, close the lid and cook until the bottom of the crust is golden brown and the tomatoes are softened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Brush the raw side of the dough with 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil, then immediately flip using the peel. Top with the grilled tomatoes, smashing and spreading the tomatoes to create a sauce. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, mozzarella and basil. Close the lid and cook until the bottom of crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted, another 1 to 2 minutes. Shift the pizza back onto the pizza peel or baking sheet (a large, flat spatula may help), and move the pizza to a cooling rack to let rest for 3 minutes before slicing.



I was in a pinch (you know, since this urge was sudden) for pizza dough as I didn't have any of my old standby... well, on standby in the freezer. I turned to an issue of Everyday Food for a semi-whole wheat pizza dough recipe that could be made in one day. I found it easy to work with and think it makes a very good crust. One recipe make enough dough for two 16" pizzas.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
Source: Everyday Food Magazine, January 2009

• 1 1/2 cups warm (115 degrees) water
• 2 packets ( ounce each) active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for bowl
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for kneading
• 2 cups whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)

Place water in a large bowl; sprinkle with yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Brush another large bowl with oil.

In bowl with yeast, whisk sugar, oil, and salt. Stir in flours with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms. Transfer to oiled bowl; brush top of dough with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let stand in a warm spot until dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface. With floured hands, knead until smooth, about 15 seconds; divide into two balls.

Shape one ball into desired size for pizza. Other ball can be wrapped in plastic wrap, stored in a ziploc bag, and frozen. Thaw completely in refrigerator before use.

Stuffed Strawberries

This dessert has been a favorite of mine for years. I am glad to have the chance to finally share it. I made this for a recent summer party (finally took a picture of them!) and everyone loved them. The filling isn't overly sweet, but in combination with sweet, ripe strawberries, the balance is perfect.  As an added bonus, this dessert is easy to prepare. 



Stuffed Strawberries
Source: Slightly adapted from Amber's Delectable Delights / Allrecipes.com

1 pint fresh strawberries
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, or to taste
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions
Cut the tops off of the strawberries and stand upright on the cut side. Make a cut 3/4 of the way down from the tip of the strawberry towards the bottom. Rotate the strawberry 90 degrees and make another slice.

Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and extract until smooth in a mixer or a food processor. Place into a piping bag with a star tip. Pipe into each strawberry and arrange on a serving platter.

Tomato Basil Orzo Salad

I made this recipe once, years ago, and remember liking it very much.  We were invited to a summer party a few weeks ago, and I was pondering what to bring when my husband suggested this orzo salad.  I thought it was a great idea, and we got to use some fresh basil from our Aerogarden.  It was a huge hit with the party guests!  


Tomato Basil Orzo Salad
Source: Sunset Magazine
Yield: 4 to 6 light-entrée servings or 8 to 10 side-dish servings

• 1 1/2  cups  dried orzo pasta (use whole wheat orzo to make this a clean eating dish)
• 1 1/4  pounds  firm-ripe tomatoes, at room temperature
• 3/4  cup  chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1  or 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 3  tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil
• 2  tablespoons  balsamic vinegar
• About 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

1. In a 3- to 4-quart pan over high heat, bring 1 1/2 to 2 quarts water to a boil. Add orzo and cook until barely tender to bite, 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, rinse and core tomatoes; chop and place in a large bowl. Add basil, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar; mix gently.

3. Drain pasta well and add to tomato mixture. Mix, adding parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to taste.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 255 (32% from fat)

Protein: 7.8g

Fat: 9g (sat 1.8)

Carbohydrate: 37g

Fiber: 2.6g

Sodium: 74mg

Cholesterol: 2.6mg