It has been a busy week, lots of meetings and work related “stuff” to say the least. That means I'm late in posting my Wednesday market basket pic, sorry. We worked on a dinner for a special family most of the day on Saturday which included making a big batch of spaghetti sauce. We had 24 lbs of tomatoes to cook off - roasted 1/2 and made tomato soup and cooked down the other half into a wonderful tomato sauce. I've inserted a pic of the roasters because I thought they were just so darn beautiful!
You will see a "visitor" to the market basket pic - Organic Ginger Beer you can find in the refrigerated section at Stoneybrook - John gave out samples and it was really tasty!!
This week I thought I would share a dessert recipe rather than something savory from the market basket. We love cheesecake, but the more creamy type not the tall NY style, so I'm sharing a foolproof recipe we've used for years. I hope you give it a try – it is our favorite!
Will do our best to get a pick of week 12 up before we head out on vacation!!
Cheryl's Creamy Cheesecake
INGREDIENTS:
1 8 oz package cream cheese (full strength, low fat or non-fat works)
1 16 oz container sour cream (same goes as above)
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
¾ stick of butter melted
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Teaspoon cinammon
1 deep dish glass pie pan.
HOW TO:
Preheat oven to 370 degrees
Graham cracker crust:
Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon together, add melted butter and stir well with a fork. Add crumbs to pie pan starting with the bottom and then build up the sides compressing the mixture so it holds in place...make the thickness the same all 'round. Bake for 10 min and let cool while making the filling.
Filling:
Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature, put in stand mixer and beat till smooth and creamy. On medium speed add whole egg and egg yolk, vanilla, blend well. Add sour cream, blend well. Add sweetened condensed milk and blend well. Make sure you are scraping down the sides frequently to avoid any lumps.
Pour mixture into prepared graham cracker crust and bake for 13 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Move to refrigerator and allow to chill overnight for best results.
You can top with any favorite cheesecake topping – strawberries, blueberries, chocolate, raspberry sauce...
Options: in place of vanilla add 1 Tablespoon of Irish crème or any other favorite liquor or substitute with 1 Teaspoon almond extract.
ENJOY!!
Cheryl
Stoneybrook Farm - 2011
Stoneybrook Farm
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Aubergine.....aka Eggplant
For the longest time I thought Aubergine was a just a color, but noooo it is in fact the other name for that funny looking veggie no one knows what to do with other than bread it/fry it and add the name ...Parmesan to it. However, eggplant is much more versatile than we give it credit for!
We had an abundance of eggplant from this week's CSA market basket and not sure what we were going to do with them. We didn't have a lot going on this past weekend as I had to work – so we don't usually stray too far from the home office. Since we had plenty of cukes and small carrots and some pita laying around why not go for some sort of finger food and watch movies?? Cue the choir “Ahhhhhhhhhhh” yes, its Baba Ghanoush time!!
If you haven't had Baba Ghanoush here is a wiki-pedia description:
“it is an Arab dish of eggplant (aubergine) mashed and mixed with various seasonings. Often, it is eaten as a dip with pita bread, and is sometimes added to other dishes. It is usually of an earthy light-brown color. It is popular in Egypt.”
We love the heady garlic flavor and smooth texture of this dish and it is something you can make and keep in the fridge for use over several days. It is also good as a spread in sandwiches versus mayo! So, let's get to it....
INGREDIENTS
3 small to medium eggplant
2 large cloves of garlic
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 Tablespoons Tahini (sesame paste found in the International aisle in most grocery stores)
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
HOW TO
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Place eggplant that have been rubbed with a little olive oil on a cookie sheet and bake 30 minutes, turning ½ way through the bake time. The eggplant should appear to be collapsing a bit and be soft when squeezed.
Move the eggplant to a cutting board and slice lengthwise. Scoop out the soft pulpy inside and put into a food processor. Pulse till smooth. Over a medium bowl, strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer using the back of a ladle to push it through then discard any seeds/membranes and set aside.
On your cutting board, roughly chop the garlic and top with the salt. Working your flat side of the knife (blade toward the surface) drag the knife repeatedly across the garlic and salt till you have a paste.
Stir the garlic/salt paste, lemon juice, tahini and chopped parsley into the eggplant mixture and chill.
Serve with fresh cucumber slices, carrots, pita bread – or one of our favs plantain chips!
Enjoy,
Cheryl
We had an abundance of eggplant from this week's CSA market basket and not sure what we were going to do with them. We didn't have a lot going on this past weekend as I had to work – so we don't usually stray too far from the home office. Since we had plenty of cukes and small carrots and some pita laying around why not go for some sort of finger food and watch movies?? Cue the choir “Ahhhhhhhhhhh” yes, its Baba Ghanoush time!!
If you haven't had Baba Ghanoush here is a wiki-pedia description:
“it is an Arab dish of eggplant (aubergine) mashed and mixed with various seasonings. Often, it is eaten as a dip with pita bread, and is sometimes added to other dishes. It is usually of an earthy light-brown color. It is popular in Egypt.”
We love the heady garlic flavor and smooth texture of this dish and it is something you can make and keep in the fridge for use over several days. It is also good as a spread in sandwiches versus mayo! So, let's get to it....
INGREDIENTS
3 small to medium eggplant
2 large cloves of garlic
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 Tablespoons Tahini (sesame paste found in the International aisle in most grocery stores)
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
HOW TO
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Place eggplant that have been rubbed with a little olive oil on a cookie sheet and bake 30 minutes, turning ½ way through the bake time. The eggplant should appear to be collapsing a bit and be soft when squeezed.
Move the eggplant to a cutting board and slice lengthwise. Scoop out the soft pulpy inside and put into a food processor. Pulse till smooth. Over a medium bowl, strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer using the back of a ladle to push it through then discard any seeds/membranes and set aside.
On your cutting board, roughly chop the garlic and top with the salt. Working your flat side of the knife (blade toward the surface) drag the knife repeatedly across the garlic and salt till you have a paste.
Stir the garlic/salt paste, lemon juice, tahini and chopped parsley into the eggplant mixture and chill.
Serve with fresh cucumber slices, carrots, pita bread – or one of our favs plantain chips!
Enjoy,
Cheryl
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Gumbo...no need to say more.
This weekend has been full of making wonderful food with incredibly fresh ingredients. Today became Gumbo day and now that our bellies are full we can reflect on the steps it took to make this savory, spicy and delicious dish.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter
¾ cup flour
½ large yellow onion, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
3 small bell peppers (green, yellow, red)
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 cup sliced okra
1 can minced clams, with juice
3 cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups roasted tomatoes, with juice (slice up about 5 tomatoes on a cookie sheet, top with a little olive oil/salt/pepper and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes)
3 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 Teaspoon thyme leaves
1 Teaspoon basil leaves
½ Teaspoon ground black pepper
1 ½ cups Andouille sausage, 1/4 inch sliced diagonally and cooked
2 pounds shrimp, cleaned and deveined – and no tails
olive oil
HOW TO:
You need a pretty large stock pot....preparing as follows....
COOK THE OKRA:
Start with 3 Tablespoons olive oil and 2 Teaspoons butter melted in a med-high heat. Add sliced okra and cook till sides are crispy brown, not burnt. Remove from pan and set aside.
COOK Onion, Celery and peppers in 3 Tablespoons olive oil till tender. Removed from pan and set aside.
MAKE THE ROUX:
Roux is cooked butter and flour used as a thickening agent to many dishes. In gumbo it is all about the roux being a deep brown, almost chocolate or brick red color. Just make sure to be quite attentive while it is cooking, cuz if you burn it you get to start all over again!
Over med-low heat melt butter and add the flour using a whisk. Stir often and allow to cook for 15 minutes (yes, please use a timer) and eyeball whether the color is rich and dark...if it is you are done, if not let it keep cooking for another 5 minutes or so. The end result is a very velvety smooth, dark brown, slurry. Keep this in the pan and get ready to finish the gumbo....
TO THE ROUX ADD:
Seasonings, all vegetables, stock, clams, tomatoes and simmer.
COOK the Andouille sausage in a skillet till the slices are browned on both sides and then add to the pot.
ADD the shrimp, stir well, cover and let simmer 30-45 minutes...done.
SERVE the gumbo in individual bowls (I think the ones used for spaghetti are best) over some steamed white rice. Garnish with a little chopped fresh parsley and serve with thick slices of crusty bread.
Enjoy!
Chery
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter
¾ cup flour
½ large yellow onion, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
3 small bell peppers (green, yellow, red)
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 cup sliced okra
1 can minced clams, with juice
3 cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups roasted tomatoes, with juice (slice up about 5 tomatoes on a cookie sheet, top with a little olive oil/salt/pepper and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes)
3 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 Teaspoon thyme leaves
1 Teaspoon basil leaves
½ Teaspoon ground black pepper
1 ½ cups Andouille sausage, 1/4 inch sliced diagonally and cooked
2 pounds shrimp, cleaned and deveined – and no tails
olive oil
HOW TO:
You need a pretty large stock pot....preparing as follows....
COOK THE OKRA:
Start with 3 Tablespoons olive oil and 2 Teaspoons butter melted in a med-high heat. Add sliced okra and cook till sides are crispy brown, not burnt. Remove from pan and set aside.
COOK Onion, Celery and peppers in 3 Tablespoons olive oil till tender. Removed from pan and set aside.
MAKE THE ROUX:
Roux is cooked butter and flour used as a thickening agent to many dishes. In gumbo it is all about the roux being a deep brown, almost chocolate or brick red color. Just make sure to be quite attentive while it is cooking, cuz if you burn it you get to start all over again!
Over med-low heat melt butter and add the flour using a whisk. Stir often and allow to cook for 15 minutes (yes, please use a timer) and eyeball whether the color is rich and dark...if it is you are done, if not let it keep cooking for another 5 minutes or so. The end result is a very velvety smooth, dark brown, slurry. Keep this in the pan and get ready to finish the gumbo....
TO THE ROUX ADD:
Seasonings, all vegetables, stock, clams, tomatoes and simmer.
COOK the Andouille sausage in a skillet till the slices are browned on both sides and then add to the pot.
ADD the shrimp, stir well, cover and let simmer 30-45 minutes...done.
SERVE the gumbo in individual bowls (I think the ones used for spaghetti are best) over some steamed white rice. Garnish with a little chopped fresh parsley and serve with thick slices of crusty bread.
Enjoy!
Chery
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Okra, it IS good - whoda thunk it???
I can admit when I am WRONG!
I can admit when I am WRONG!
I can admit when I am WRONG!
Yes, I admit it – Okra is not the bottom of the vegetable food chain as I previous stated in one of my posts – of course now I have to figure out what is!! It has been bugging me that I didn't follow through on my promise to Debbie at Stoneybrook that I would indeed cook up the okra in our market basket, so today was the day to make good. In my head I'm thinking, ok I will just make a tiny batch because I KNOW it will be wretched. (sorry, being honest here)
I've added a picture of the fresh okra next to the blog – you'll see the difference between the standard variety which is very slender to the size difference of the Star of David variety.
INGREDIENTS (for my small batch)
2 Yukon Gold potatoes
2 Star of David Okra (these are much larger than the counterparts I'm used to seeing in my Gumbo)
¼ of a vidalia onion
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons butter
Salt/Pepper to taste
HOW TO:
Using a large skillet at medium heat I melted the butter in the oil. Using a mandolin I sliced the potatoes and okra (which do resemble stars once cut) into ¼ inch slices and put them in the skillet. I julienned the onion and added that on top of the potatoes and okra.
I cooked the potatoes and okra turning routinely so they browned evenly and once the potatoes were tender in the middle I took them out. Immediately sprinkle the vegetables with salt and some freshly ground pepper and you are done.
I think multiplying this quantity would be easy enough, however I would caution to not overcrowd your skillet so that you obtain maximum crunch factor on the outside of both the potatoes and okra. Probably easy enough to just do in batches, keeping the completed batches in the oven on warm till ready to serve.
RESULTS
I will admit it, I really enjoyed the okra. I think it absorbed a bit of the potato and onion flavors, but most of all it was not slimy! By turning the vegetables during the cooking process it kept them browning throughout and resulted in a nice crunch when you bit into it.
I can see doing this regularly with dinner or event at breakfast with a nice side of over-easy eggs!
Enjoy,
Cheryl
I can admit when I am WRONG!
I can admit when I am WRONG!
Yes, I admit it – Okra is not the bottom of the vegetable food chain as I previous stated in one of my posts – of course now I have to figure out what is!! It has been bugging me that I didn't follow through on my promise to Debbie at Stoneybrook that I would indeed cook up the okra in our market basket, so today was the day to make good. In my head I'm thinking, ok I will just make a tiny batch because I KNOW it will be wretched. (sorry, being honest here)
I've added a picture of the fresh okra next to the blog – you'll see the difference between the standard variety which is very slender to the size difference of the Star of David variety.
INGREDIENTS (for my small batch)
2 Yukon Gold potatoes
2 Star of David Okra (these are much larger than the counterparts I'm used to seeing in my Gumbo)
¼ of a vidalia onion
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons butter
Salt/Pepper to taste
HOW TO:
Using a large skillet at medium heat I melted the butter in the oil. Using a mandolin I sliced the potatoes and okra (which do resemble stars once cut) into ¼ inch slices and put them in the skillet. I julienned the onion and added that on top of the potatoes and okra.
I cooked the potatoes and okra turning routinely so they browned evenly and once the potatoes were tender in the middle I took them out. Immediately sprinkle the vegetables with salt and some freshly ground pepper and you are done.
I think multiplying this quantity would be easy enough, however I would caution to not overcrowd your skillet so that you obtain maximum crunch factor on the outside of both the potatoes and okra. Probably easy enough to just do in batches, keeping the completed batches in the oven on warm till ready to serve.
RESULTS
I will admit it, I really enjoyed the okra. I think it absorbed a bit of the potato and onion flavors, but most of all it was not slimy! By turning the vegetables during the cooking process it kept them browning throughout and resulted in a nice crunch when you bit into it.
I can see doing this regularly with dinner or event at breakfast with a nice side of over-easy eggs!
Enjoy,
Cheryl
Friday, August 20, 2010
Fresh Basil Pesto n' Pasta Dinner
I realize that I post these wonderful recipes and merrily go about my way to enjoy meals with my husband and family totally forgetting to share how nice these dishes look!! My sincere apologies, because we all know we taste with our eyes as well as our palates. That being said, please see a picture, when available, inset to the right of the posts!
Last night we made fresh Pesto. Seriously people how much more simple can a dinner be than to throw a few crazy good ingredients in a blender, mix it up with some hot pasta and serve? All told I think it was about 10 minutes prep and blend time and 7 minutes to cook the spaghetti...and don't forget the 1.5 minutes to open the bottle of wine and pour a glass. Yes, it was the most vibrant green on the cool cream color of the pasta and the deep crimson of the wine – satisfying to the eyes to say the least. The garlic, citrus and piquantness of the fresh Basil provided a lightheaded feeling from the rich aroma....even before one drop of the wine was consumed. The taste – well humbly I say that it was delicious!!
If you haven't made pesto before, do not fear....it is really easy.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup fresh basil leaves, washed, dried and stems removed
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 rounded teaspoon garlic, minced
1-2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
HOW TO:
Pull out your blender and put pine nuts, and pulse a few times to get them started. Add the garlic and basil, pulse a few more times. We add ½ the oil and blend really well then add lemon juice. While blender is on running, slowly add the remaining oil till you have a smooth mixture. Add cheese, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper – blend well. Taste – you may need to adjust the level of salt and pepper. We prefer our Pesto more sauce-like versus some of the recipes that feature a higher content of basil. Feel free to adjust according to your own likes! You can multiply this recipe up to cater to the size of your serving audience as this recipe can serve 2 very hungry individuals or 3-4 people as long as you are serving salad, perhaps a protein side and a yummy dessert :-)
SERVING:
Cook and drain the pasta and add the amount of Pesto you like and mix well – serve with a little more grated Parmesan on top!
OPTIONS:
Substitute Walnuts instead of Pine Nuts
Substitute Parsley in place of the Basil
Substitute your favorite oil
Try toasting the nuts in a dry pan on med-high heat just till they start to turn light brown (walnuts too)
Use as a marinade on fish, pork, beef or chicken before grilling or roasting
Enjoy!
Cheryl
Last night we made fresh Pesto. Seriously people how much more simple can a dinner be than to throw a few crazy good ingredients in a blender, mix it up with some hot pasta and serve? All told I think it was about 10 minutes prep and blend time and 7 minutes to cook the spaghetti...and don't forget the 1.5 minutes to open the bottle of wine and pour a glass. Yes, it was the most vibrant green on the cool cream color of the pasta and the deep crimson of the wine – satisfying to the eyes to say the least. The garlic, citrus and piquantness of the fresh Basil provided a lightheaded feeling from the rich aroma....even before one drop of the wine was consumed. The taste – well humbly I say that it was delicious!!
If you haven't made pesto before, do not fear....it is really easy.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup fresh basil leaves, washed, dried and stems removed
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 rounded teaspoon garlic, minced
1-2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
HOW TO:
Pull out your blender and put pine nuts, and pulse a few times to get them started. Add the garlic and basil, pulse a few more times. We add ½ the oil and blend really well then add lemon juice. While blender is on running, slowly add the remaining oil till you have a smooth mixture. Add cheese, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper – blend well. Taste – you may need to adjust the level of salt and pepper. We prefer our Pesto more sauce-like versus some of the recipes that feature a higher content of basil. Feel free to adjust according to your own likes! You can multiply this recipe up to cater to the size of your serving audience as this recipe can serve 2 very hungry individuals or 3-4 people as long as you are serving salad, perhaps a protein side and a yummy dessert :-)
SERVING:
Cook and drain the pasta and add the amount of Pesto you like and mix well – serve with a little more grated Parmesan on top!
OPTIONS:
Substitute Walnuts instead of Pine Nuts
Substitute Parsley in place of the Basil
Substitute your favorite oil
Try toasting the nuts in a dry pan on med-high heat just till they start to turn light brown (walnuts too)
Use as a marinade on fish, pork, beef or chicken before grilling or roasting
Enjoy!
Cheryl
Thursday, August 19, 2010
1/2 Way Thru the CSA Season-ALREADY! Mashers on the menu...
Welcome to Week 10 – cannot believe we are half way through the Stoneybrook Farm 2010 share!!! The potatoes from our CSA market basket are getting more and more plentiful and the size has increased as the season is lengthening. A new item, to us anyway, popped into the box this week – Star of David Okra. It is larger than the “normal” okra we're used to seeing. My son suggested making Gumbo – and with the tomatoes and okra at hand...that's a great idea...stay tuned!
You may notice in this week's picture a cup of coffee – I enjoyed this rich and very aromatic cup of when I went to pick up my CSA share at Stoneybrook. I was really pleased to learn that the beans are roasted locally! Just one more reason to go visit!!
In the newsletter from Stoneybrook Debbie publishes her simple way to prepare okra saying they are crunchy not goopy – so I really need to step up and try it this week. Pretty easy dish – slice potatoes and okra thinly, stirfry in butter and/or oil until brown then sprinkle with salt...voila!
For our family mashed potatoes are some what of a religious experience....they go with just about everything and our kids love them. That being said, mashed potatoes seem to stump a lot of us because they can turn out lumpy or have a glue-like texture. Thankfully my Mother-in-law provided the cure for ever having less than stellar mashed potatoes! I did add my own tweak here and there, but really is a pretty simple method and since preparing them this way they turn our wonderful every time.
INGREDIENTS:
5 pounds redskin, yukon golds or russet potatoes (your choice)
Chicken Stock – (homemade is great, but if not on hand use 2 large containers of your favorite store brand)
Water
Sour Cream
Cottage Cheese (small curd)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder (if you like)
Seasoned Salt
Fresh Parsley or Chives
HOW TO:
Prepare your potatoes by skinning ½ and leaving the skins on the other half of a 5 pound bag then cut them into quarters. Place in a large stockpot and add the 2 cans of chicken stock, if it doesn't cover the potatoes, then add water to top it off.
Boil potatoes till a knife stuck through the largest one slides in and out with no resistance. Drain well in a colander.
While potatoes are boiling mix in food processor or blender:
Approximately – 11/2 cup sour cream and 1 1/2cup cottage cheese with 1 TBLSP salt and 1 TBLSP pepper, add 1 Teaspoon garlic powder if you like. Blend them well and set aside.
When the potatoes are done and drained, while still hot put them into your mixer (use the paddle not the whisk) and start mixing the potatoes and your wet ingredients together a bit at a time. What you are looking for is smooth, but not totally lump free (because we like them with a little texture). If you don't think you have enough of the wet mixture, make more. If its not salty enough, add more...and so on.
Put in a serving dish and sprinkle a bit of Seasoned Salt on the top and if you like add a bit of chopped parsley or chives. These are great to make the day before - especially at Thanksgiving time when you don't have enough time to do everything you need to do anyway. Just cover and refrigerate in an oven-safe container, then just heat at 350 degrees for about 45 min to 1 hr and serve.
Enjoy!
Cheryl
You may notice in this week's picture a cup of coffee – I enjoyed this rich and very aromatic cup of when I went to pick up my CSA share at Stoneybrook. I was really pleased to learn that the beans are roasted locally! Just one more reason to go visit!!
In the newsletter from Stoneybrook Debbie publishes her simple way to prepare okra saying they are crunchy not goopy – so I really need to step up and try it this week. Pretty easy dish – slice potatoes and okra thinly, stirfry in butter and/or oil until brown then sprinkle with salt...voila!
For our family mashed potatoes are some what of a religious experience....they go with just about everything and our kids love them. That being said, mashed potatoes seem to stump a lot of us because they can turn out lumpy or have a glue-like texture. Thankfully my Mother-in-law provided the cure for ever having less than stellar mashed potatoes! I did add my own tweak here and there, but really is a pretty simple method and since preparing them this way they turn our wonderful every time.
INGREDIENTS:
5 pounds redskin, yukon golds or russet potatoes (your choice)
Chicken Stock – (homemade is great, but if not on hand use 2 large containers of your favorite store brand)
Water
Sour Cream
Cottage Cheese (small curd)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder (if you like)
Seasoned Salt
Fresh Parsley or Chives
HOW TO:
Prepare your potatoes by skinning ½ and leaving the skins on the other half of a 5 pound bag then cut them into quarters. Place in a large stockpot and add the 2 cans of chicken stock, if it doesn't cover the potatoes, then add water to top it off.
Boil potatoes till a knife stuck through the largest one slides in and out with no resistance. Drain well in a colander.
While potatoes are boiling mix in food processor or blender:
Approximately – 11/2 cup sour cream and 1 1/2cup cottage cheese with 1 TBLSP salt and 1 TBLSP pepper, add 1 Teaspoon garlic powder if you like. Blend them well and set aside.
When the potatoes are done and drained, while still hot put them into your mixer (use the paddle not the whisk) and start mixing the potatoes and your wet ingredients together a bit at a time. What you are looking for is smooth, but not totally lump free (because we like them with a little texture). If you don't think you have enough of the wet mixture, make more. If its not salty enough, add more...and so on.
Put in a serving dish and sprinkle a bit of Seasoned Salt on the top and if you like add a bit of chopped parsley or chives. These are great to make the day before - especially at Thanksgiving time when you don't have enough time to do everything you need to do anyway. Just cover and refrigerate in an oven-safe container, then just heat at 350 degrees for about 45 min to 1 hr and serve.
Enjoy!
Cheryl
Friday, August 13, 2010
Hi, I'm Cheryl and I'm a Carnivore....
No offense to my vegetarian, vegan or pescatarian friends and followers....but I love meat! My blog so far has really focused on the fruits of the field so I wanted to throw out a meat dish for those of us who do enjoy our carnivore status in this life. I'm really not TOO choosy when it comes to the protein of choice – chicken, pork, turkey, beef, venison (tenderloin only), lamb (chops only), etc. This is one of our favorite quick meals during the week, especially when you've had “one of those days” and just want to slap something quick, but yummy, together.
Today's recipe topic – Pork Tenderloin with Herb Marinade
INGREDIENTS:
Pork Tenderloin (normally 2 to a package)
Olive Oil
Herbs (your choice: rosemary, thyme, chives, basil, parsley, etc.)
Salt/Pepper
Garlic cloves (3-4)
PREP PORK:
Remove the tenderloin from their package and rinse, pat dry with paper towel. There is some membrane on the outside of the tenderloin, called silverskin, that you should remove. Use a sharp knife and separate the end of the silverskin and take hold – pull up a bit and run the knife closest to the silverskin and remove. Repeat as necessary.
MARINADE:
In a blender put ½ cup olive oil, 3-4 cloves of garlic and 1/4-1/2 cup of your herbs of choice, fresh of course. Add about a Tablespoon of salt and Tablespoon of ground pepper and blend well.
Place the marinade in a large ziplock bag and add tenderloins. Seal and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour. You can leave marinating overnight to be ready for dinner the next day!
COOKING:
Step One: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
Step Two: Sear the tenderloins. This can be done on your gas grill on your stove top. If using the grill put all burners on high for 15 min prior to searing the meat. Using your stove top use an aluminum or cast iron pan that is heated on med-high for a couple min (till a drop of water dances to evaporation quickly) add a little peanut or olive oil right before adding your meat.
Sear the meat rotating just till each side becomes golden brown and carmelized.
Step Three: Move seared meat to a cookie sheet (unless you seared in an oven safe skillet) and place in oven for 20 min. Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes loosely covered with aluminum foil on a cutting board.
Step Four: When rested, with a sharp knife slice thinly on the bias and serve!
While this pork recipe is great all on its own with a couple of side dishes we like to pair it with a fresh fruit chutney, based on the season of course. It is a simple preparation with big reward in flavor!
Cherry Chutney
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and roughly chopped in large pieces
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup chopped onions
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup cran-raisins
2 tablespoon minced candied ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon each ground allspice, ground cloves, ground nutmeg and cinnamon
HOW TO:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil covered for 3 min then reduce heat and allow to simmer uncovered till thickened...about 15-30 minutes – make sure you stir regularly during this time. Let cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator till ready to use. Serve at room temperature!
This is great with pork, chicken and can be used as a topping for brie, crackers or even pizza!
Enjoy!!
Cheryl
Today's recipe topic – Pork Tenderloin with Herb Marinade
INGREDIENTS:
Pork Tenderloin (normally 2 to a package)
Olive Oil
Herbs (your choice: rosemary, thyme, chives, basil, parsley, etc.)
Salt/Pepper
Garlic cloves (3-4)
PREP PORK:
Remove the tenderloin from their package and rinse, pat dry with paper towel. There is some membrane on the outside of the tenderloin, called silverskin, that you should remove. Use a sharp knife and separate the end of the silverskin and take hold – pull up a bit and run the knife closest to the silverskin and remove. Repeat as necessary.
MARINADE:
In a blender put ½ cup olive oil, 3-4 cloves of garlic and 1/4-1/2 cup of your herbs of choice, fresh of course. Add about a Tablespoon of salt and Tablespoon of ground pepper and blend well.
Place the marinade in a large ziplock bag and add tenderloins. Seal and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour. You can leave marinating overnight to be ready for dinner the next day!
COOKING:
Step One: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
Step Two: Sear the tenderloins. This can be done on your gas grill on your stove top. If using the grill put all burners on high for 15 min prior to searing the meat. Using your stove top use an aluminum or cast iron pan that is heated on med-high for a couple min (till a drop of water dances to evaporation quickly) add a little peanut or olive oil right before adding your meat.
Sear the meat rotating just till each side becomes golden brown and carmelized.
Step Three: Move seared meat to a cookie sheet (unless you seared in an oven safe skillet) and place in oven for 20 min. Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes loosely covered with aluminum foil on a cutting board.
Step Four: When rested, with a sharp knife slice thinly on the bias and serve!
While this pork recipe is great all on its own with a couple of side dishes we like to pair it with a fresh fruit chutney, based on the season of course. It is a simple preparation with big reward in flavor!
Cherry Chutney
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and roughly chopped in large pieces
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup chopped onions
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup cran-raisins
2 tablespoon minced candied ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon each ground allspice, ground cloves, ground nutmeg and cinnamon
HOW TO:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil covered for 3 min then reduce heat and allow to simmer uncovered till thickened...about 15-30 minutes – make sure you stir regularly during this time. Let cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator till ready to use. Serve at room temperature!
This is great with pork, chicken and can be used as a topping for brie, crackers or even pizza!
Enjoy!!
Cheryl
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Soup's ON!!
Ok, I realize it is 100 bazillion degrees outside and no rain in site – at least in the 20141, but even in the dead of summer I find soup to be a very enjoyable meal. Paired with a nice summer salad and a great bread it is a light, but very satisfying dinner.
Our tomato plants are finally giving up some tasty treats – we planted a couple Big Boys and one yellow Grape tomato plant and are very happy with our results. I did pick a few early for fried green tomatoes, but that's a subject for another post for sure.
Our CSA market basket has also been providing a lot of tomato action as well. We've made Gazpacho, Ratatouille and Spaghetti Sauce, so what's next....tomato soup! It is truly a simple 3 step process, not very labor intensive and the end result is just lovely. My recipe feeds 4, so you can double, triple to meet your family's needs.
INGREDIENTS:
8 medium tomatoes (if you have cherry or grape tomatoes you can use about 6 cups)
4 cloves garlic
olive oil
salt/pepper
HOW TO:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove the top and bottom of the tomato then squeeze gently to remove some of the seeds. Slice in ¼ inch slices and lay on a cookie sheet. If you are using cherry tomatoes – just wash and put on the cookie sheet whole.
Sprinkle the tomatoes with olive oil and some salt and pepper.
Take each clove of garlic, DO NOT take off the outer casing, just cut a bit off the bottom and throw them into the pan with the tomatoes.
Bake for 30 minutes.
ASSEMBLY:
Remove the pan from the oven and pick out the garlic cloves. Squeeze the softened garlic from its casing and put in blender.
Add all the tomatoes and juice to blender.
PUT THE LID ON THE BLENDER :-)
Puree till smooth.
Using a fine mesh strainer – put the puree through using the back of a ladle and discard any remaining seeds and skins to the trash.
Add additional salt and pepper to taste, blend well and now you have an amazing tomato soup!!!
STORAGE:
I store in an airtight container in the fridge and use within a couple days of making the soup. I have not tried to freeze, but imagine it would do very well – would be great way to have fresh tomato soup in the winter for sure!
ENJOY!!
Cheryl
Our tomato plants are finally giving up some tasty treats – we planted a couple Big Boys and one yellow Grape tomato plant and are very happy with our results. I did pick a few early for fried green tomatoes, but that's a subject for another post for sure.
Our CSA market basket has also been providing a lot of tomato action as well. We've made Gazpacho, Ratatouille and Spaghetti Sauce, so what's next....tomato soup! It is truly a simple 3 step process, not very labor intensive and the end result is just lovely. My recipe feeds 4, so you can double, triple to meet your family's needs.
INGREDIENTS:
8 medium tomatoes (if you have cherry or grape tomatoes you can use about 6 cups)
4 cloves garlic
olive oil
salt/pepper
HOW TO:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove the top and bottom of the tomato then squeeze gently to remove some of the seeds. Slice in ¼ inch slices and lay on a cookie sheet. If you are using cherry tomatoes – just wash and put on the cookie sheet whole.
Sprinkle the tomatoes with olive oil and some salt and pepper.
Take each clove of garlic, DO NOT take off the outer casing, just cut a bit off the bottom and throw them into the pan with the tomatoes.
Bake for 30 minutes.
ASSEMBLY:
Remove the pan from the oven and pick out the garlic cloves. Squeeze the softened garlic from its casing and put in blender.
Add all the tomatoes and juice to blender.
PUT THE LID ON THE BLENDER :-)
Puree till smooth.
Using a fine mesh strainer – put the puree through using the back of a ladle and discard any remaining seeds and skins to the trash.
Add additional salt and pepper to taste, blend well and now you have an amazing tomato soup!!!
STORAGE:
I store in an airtight container in the fridge and use within a couple days of making the soup. I have not tried to freeze, but imagine it would do very well – would be great way to have fresh tomato soup in the winter for sure!
ENJOY!!
Cheryl
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Ratatouille - NO, not the Movie!!
The abundance of vegetables gave us the perfect opportunity to do Ratatouille. There are many recipes for this dish and many of them cook everything in one pot. Well, I prefer to do each veggie separate and then layer in a casserole dish. I just think you get better flavor profiles as you bite into the dish versus all the flavors melding together. It can look a bit daunting, but it really isn't that difficult. We used this as a side dish to pork tenderloin and cherry chutney.
In this week's pic you'll see Okra - of all the vegetables in the food chain this is the one that is at the bottom in my opinion. I've never gotten the hang of it, but Debbie at Stoneybrook assures me that if you slice it and fry it up with potatoes (letting both vegetables get crispy) I will love them. I promise to give it a try!
Cheryl's Ratatouille
INGREDIENTS:
2 medium eggplant
2 Vidalia onions
6 small yellow squash
6 tomatoes (I mixed red, yellow and heirloom)
2 red peppers
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
3 cloves fresh garlic
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Fresh Thyme (1 ½ Tablespoons)
Fresh Basil (8 leaves sliced into thin strips)
Dried Italian Seasoning blend (1 ½ Tablespoons)
1/4-1/2 cup of Parmesean Cheese
HOW TO:
This is a somewhat orderly process, so be patient as you will be rewarded with a very flavorful dish!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Slice the top and bottom of tomatoes and squeeze gently to remove some of the seeds (keep the shape of the tomato so don't squash it!) Once you've completed that step then slice all the tomatoes evenly and line them on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and olive oil. Put them in the oven for about 30 min. You want the tomatoes to be soft but not falling apart, take them out of the oven and set aside till you are ready to assemble.
Eggplant: slice in ½ inch slices and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt on both sides and allow to sit for 20 min to draw out the bitterness of the vegetable. Pat each slice with a paper towel then cut into ½ inch pieces, set aside.
While you are waiting for those you can prep your other vegetables: Slice onion in half then slice thinly, set aside. Slice squash (I like to use a mandolin because it goes faster, but if you don't have one just slice into ¼ inch round slices), set aside. Seed and devein the peppers and cut into ½ inch pieces, set aside. Chop the fresh garlic finely, set aside.
Use a good size saute pan, I prefer a 12 inch non-stick. Medium-high heat for each vegetable, cooking them individually.
Onions – add olive oil to pan (couple tablespoons) add onions and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Saute till onions are tender and a little carmelized, set aside in a bowl when done.
Peppers - add olive oil to pan (couple tablespoons) add peppers and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Saute till peppers are tender and a little but not mooshy, set aside in a bowl when done.
Squash - add olive oil to pan (couple tablespoons) add squash slices and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Saute till squash has a little color and are tender. Set aside in a bowl when done.
Eggplant - add olive oil to pan (couple tablespoons) add eggplant pieces and a sprinkle of pepper and thyme. Saute till the eggplant is tender and has a some color, add chopped garlic about ½ way through the cooking. Set aside in a bowl when done.
ASSEMBLY – use a nice casserole dish and put the eggplant in first spreading evenly across the bottom of the dish. Repeat with onions and squash. Place a layer of the tomato slices using a spatula to transfer from the cookie sheet to your dish. (should be enough for 2 layers..so split up what you have in half.) Layer peppers in and sprinkle some Italian Seasoning evenly across them. Add your second layer of tomato slices and then sprinkle your Parmesean cheese evenly over the top.
You can prepare this the day before and keep refrigerated.
HEATING / SERVING:
Before serving heat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 45 minutes or until the dish is bubbling.
OPTIONS:
The nice thing about Ratatouille is that you can use the type of vegetables you enjoy. Other recommendations: mushrooms, zucchini, collard greens or Swiss Chard!
Enjoy,
Cheryl
In this week's pic you'll see Okra - of all the vegetables in the food chain this is the one that is at the bottom in my opinion. I've never gotten the hang of it, but Debbie at Stoneybrook assures me that if you slice it and fry it up with potatoes (letting both vegetables get crispy) I will love them. I promise to give it a try!
Cheryl's Ratatouille
INGREDIENTS:
2 medium eggplant
2 Vidalia onions
6 small yellow squash
6 tomatoes (I mixed red, yellow and heirloom)
2 red peppers
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
3 cloves fresh garlic
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Fresh Thyme (1 ½ Tablespoons)
Fresh Basil (8 leaves sliced into thin strips)
Dried Italian Seasoning blend (1 ½ Tablespoons)
1/4-1/2 cup of Parmesean Cheese
HOW TO:
This is a somewhat orderly process, so be patient as you will be rewarded with a very flavorful dish!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Slice the top and bottom of tomatoes and squeeze gently to remove some of the seeds (keep the shape of the tomato so don't squash it!) Once you've completed that step then slice all the tomatoes evenly and line them on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and olive oil. Put them in the oven for about 30 min. You want the tomatoes to be soft but not falling apart, take them out of the oven and set aside till you are ready to assemble.
Eggplant: slice in ½ inch slices and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt on both sides and allow to sit for 20 min to draw out the bitterness of the vegetable. Pat each slice with a paper towel then cut into ½ inch pieces, set aside.
While you are waiting for those you can prep your other vegetables: Slice onion in half then slice thinly, set aside. Slice squash (I like to use a mandolin because it goes faster, but if you don't have one just slice into ¼ inch round slices), set aside. Seed and devein the peppers and cut into ½ inch pieces, set aside. Chop the fresh garlic finely, set aside.
Use a good size saute pan, I prefer a 12 inch non-stick. Medium-high heat for each vegetable, cooking them individually.
Onions – add olive oil to pan (couple tablespoons) add onions and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Saute till onions are tender and a little carmelized, set aside in a bowl when done.
Peppers - add olive oil to pan (couple tablespoons) add peppers and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Saute till peppers are tender and a little but not mooshy, set aside in a bowl when done.
Squash - add olive oil to pan (couple tablespoons) add squash slices and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Saute till squash has a little color and are tender. Set aside in a bowl when done.
Eggplant - add olive oil to pan (couple tablespoons) add eggplant pieces and a sprinkle of pepper and thyme. Saute till the eggplant is tender and has a some color, add chopped garlic about ½ way through the cooking. Set aside in a bowl when done.
ASSEMBLY – use a nice casserole dish and put the eggplant in first spreading evenly across the bottom of the dish. Repeat with onions and squash. Place a layer of the tomato slices using a spatula to transfer from the cookie sheet to your dish. (should be enough for 2 layers..so split up what you have in half.) Layer peppers in and sprinkle some Italian Seasoning evenly across them. Add your second layer of tomato slices and then sprinkle your Parmesean cheese evenly over the top.
You can prepare this the day before and keep refrigerated.
HEATING / SERVING:
Before serving heat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 45 minutes or until the dish is bubbling.
OPTIONS:
The nice thing about Ratatouille is that you can use the type of vegetables you enjoy. Other recommendations: mushrooms, zucchini, collard greens or Swiss Chard!
Enjoy,
Cheryl
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Eggplant, Garlic and Hot Peppers...OH MY!!
Week 8 is bringing in some new produce items we are very excited about - in particular eggplant, garlic and hot peppers. I'm a fan of Baba Ghanoush, Hummus and fresh pita so this time of year really allows the home foodie to get creative with these types of treats. Stoneybrook has a really simple recipe for the Baba Ghanoush featuring the eggplant and garlic. I'm taking on the hot peppers this week!!
Since we are looking at tapas style dining featuring cool treats, here are a couple of salsa recipes I hope you find as delicious as we do. In addition we've added a fabulous Martini recipe we make that is sweet with a nice kick of heat thrown in!!
Cranberry Salsa
1 12 oz bag of fresh cranberries
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lime juice
2 garlic cloves minced
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped
3 scallions, finely chopped
Use food processor to chop up cranberries. Add all ingredients together and refrigerate for a couple hours, or overnight. Put in bowl and serve with tortilla chips.
Mango Salsa
2 ripe Mangos, diced
1 small red onion diced
2 limes, juiced
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped Cilantro
Salt, to taste
Once you've prepped the mango, onion, Cilantro and lime juice – combine together then add salt to suit your taste. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour prior to serving.
Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.
A great option is to substitute Pineapple for the Mango!!
FOR ADULTS ONLY:
Hot Blueberry Martini
Get a bottle of vodka and add frozen blueberries (for 1/5 probably 1/3 of the bag will do) – let sit for a couple days – it WILL turn blue.
In a saucepan add 2 cups sugar with 2 cups water, 2 jalapenos or 2 habaneros (depending on what you like better) seeds removed and cut in quarters, and one lime rind. Simmer this mixture for about 10 min – you are looking for the liquid to thicken up a bit and all the sugar to dissolve. Remove the lime rind and hot peppers then strain the liquid through a tightly woven strainer to make sure you get all seeds. Cool. Put in a sealed container and keep in the fridge.
Rim mix – take 1 rind of a lime chopped and ¼ cup sugar and grind together in a coffee mill till fluffy.
Juice a lime and put in a salad plate (or bowl as long as your martini glass can fit in it to get the rim wet)
Rim your glasses with juice then sugar/lime mix
Take a martini shaker and add ice cubes, 3 shots of vodka and 1 ½ shots of hot pepper simple syrup. Shake like mad :-) Pour into your glass and enjoy!
Cheers,
Cheryl
Since we are looking at tapas style dining featuring cool treats, here are a couple of salsa recipes I hope you find as delicious as we do. In addition we've added a fabulous Martini recipe we make that is sweet with a nice kick of heat thrown in!!
Cranberry Salsa
1 12 oz bag of fresh cranberries
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lime juice
2 garlic cloves minced
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped
3 scallions, finely chopped
Use food processor to chop up cranberries. Add all ingredients together and refrigerate for a couple hours, or overnight. Put in bowl and serve with tortilla chips.
Mango Salsa
2 ripe Mangos, diced
1 small red onion diced
2 limes, juiced
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped Cilantro
Salt, to taste
Once you've prepped the mango, onion, Cilantro and lime juice – combine together then add salt to suit your taste. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour prior to serving.
Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.
A great option is to substitute Pineapple for the Mango!!
FOR ADULTS ONLY:
Hot Blueberry Martini
Get a bottle of vodka and add frozen blueberries (for 1/5 probably 1/3 of the bag will do) – let sit for a couple days – it WILL turn blue.
In a saucepan add 2 cups sugar with 2 cups water, 2 jalapenos or 2 habaneros (depending on what you like better) seeds removed and cut in quarters, and one lime rind. Simmer this mixture for about 10 min – you are looking for the liquid to thicken up a bit and all the sugar to dissolve. Remove the lime rind and hot peppers then strain the liquid through a tightly woven strainer to make sure you get all seeds. Cool. Put in a sealed container and keep in the fridge.
Rim mix – take 1 rind of a lime chopped and ¼ cup sugar and grind together in a coffee mill till fluffy.
Juice a lime and put in a salad plate (or bowl as long as your martini glass can fit in it to get the rim wet)
Rim your glasses with juice then sugar/lime mix
Take a martini shaker and add ice cubes, 3 shots of vodka and 1 ½ shots of hot pepper simple syrup. Shake like mad :-) Pour into your glass and enjoy!
Cheers,
Cheryl
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