Bulgur is an ancient grain. In fact, making wheat into bulgur is an ancient process that riginated in the Mediterranean region and has been an integral part of Middle Eastern cuisine for thousands of years. It is described as man's first "processed food." In approximately 2,800 B.C., the Chinese emperor Shen Nung declared it one of five sacred crops along with rice, millet, barley and soybeans. Biblical references indicate it was prepared by ancient Babylonians, Hittites and Hebrew populations some 4,000 years ago, and Arab, Israeli, Egyptian, and Roman civilizations record eating dried cooked wheat as early as 1,000 B.C. (see http://www.sunnylandmills.com/bulgur_wheat_history.shtml for additional details about Bulgur).
Heat and humidity…the enemy of appetite. This is a very light salad, that is easy to make and very delicious. I chose bulgur because I wanted a "good" carb. The dressing, just lemon juice and olive oil gives this salad a very tabbouleh like taste. I added a few elements to bulk it up a little bit, but the goal was to beat the heat. All in all, a good summer alternative.
Squash and Bulgur Salad
1 cup Bulgur
1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 medium squash
1 ripe tomato
1 cucumber
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 lemon
2 T Olive Oil
pinch of salt
Mix the Bulgur with the boiling water. Set aside to cool. Once the bulgur is completely cool, start the rest of the salad.
Peel and take the seeds out of the cucumber. Cut the cucumber, squash and tomato into 1/4 inch pieces. Add the vegetables to the cooled bulgur. Slice the olives, chop the parsley. Add them to the salad.
For the dressing, juice the lemon directly into the salad. Take care not to let any seeds get into the mix. Slowly add the olive oil and mix everything very well. Taste and add salt to taste. Set in the fridge and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
This salad actually gets better with time. For variety, you can add red pepper, feta cheese, use halved cheery tomatoes, or add in a little green onion. Serve this as a side dish, or with a little pita bread.
Reviews: Well liked by everyone. A hit all around.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Day 25 - Squash and Black Bean Saute
My kids love Tacos. Hard shell, soft shell, beef, chicken, fish, or veggie…It really doesn't matter to them. It can be difficult to create a variety of side dishes to go with the tacos. Canned refried beans are ok, but canned beans can be boring after a while. Same with Mexican Rice. Complicating things is this crazy squash thing.
Black beans are a staple in Central and South America. My take on creating an appropriate side dish for tacos adds potato, corn and squash to the beans. It is simple, and will compliment any taco filling you choose. Tonight I chose beef tacos and soft shells.
Squash and Black Bean Saute
3 medium squash (yellow or green)
2 medium potatoes
1 14 oz can of black beans
2 green onions
2 T fresh cilantro
1 T Olive Oil
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 cup water
Cut the Squash and Potatoes into a large dice. Chop the green onion into 1/4 inch slices. Chop the cilantro into a fine chop.
Heat the pan over medium heat. Add the cumin and cook for three to five minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the cumin and set aside. If you have a spice grinder, and feel like grinding to cumin, do so. If you want, leave it whole.
Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the potato and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the potato just begins to soften. Add the squash, cilantro and green onion and cook for 3-5 additional minutes. Add the cumin, salt and pepper. Stir well to coat the vegetables. Add the black beans and a little of the water. Stir well. Let the mixture stew for 15 to 20 minutes or until the veggies are really tender and the flavors are well mixed. If the mix gets dry, add more water. You want it to be a little soupy.
Reviews: The 8 year old would try it. The 15 year old did not like it. The 18 year old and Becca enjoyed this.
Black beans are a staple in Central and South America. My take on creating an appropriate side dish for tacos adds potato, corn and squash to the beans. It is simple, and will compliment any taco filling you choose. Tonight I chose beef tacos and soft shells.
Squash and Black Bean Saute
3 medium squash (yellow or green)
2 medium potatoes
1 14 oz can of black beans
2 green onions
2 T fresh cilantro
1 T Olive Oil
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 cup water
Cut the Squash and Potatoes into a large dice. Chop the green onion into 1/4 inch slices. Chop the cilantro into a fine chop.
Heat the pan over medium heat. Add the cumin and cook for three to five minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the cumin and set aside. If you have a spice grinder, and feel like grinding to cumin, do so. If you want, leave it whole.
Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the potato and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the potato just begins to soften. Add the squash, cilantro and green onion and cook for 3-5 additional minutes. Add the cumin, salt and pepper. Stir well to coat the vegetables. Add the black beans and a little of the water. Stir well. Let the mixture stew for 15 to 20 minutes or until the veggies are really tender and the flavors are well mixed. If the mix gets dry, add more water. You want it to be a little soupy.
Reviews: The 8 year old would try it. The 15 year old did not like it. The 18 year old and Becca enjoyed this.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Day 24 - Thai Squash
First and foremost, happy birthday to my lovely wife. It is always nice having a weekend birthday. We spent the day running around as a family. Mostly we just ran errands, but I thought it was still a nice day. When we have family birthdays, I try to make sure that I cook a special meal. For her birthday dinner, I made cedar plank grilled salmon, rice, a peach/blackberry crisp for dessert, and of course, squash.
I wanted to do something a little different tonight. Sautes, bakes and salads have been running together. This recipe is adopted from one of the Moosewood books. I've tweaked it quite a bit to lower the fat content, and added a couple of ingredients that I thought would add flavor. We had some friends and their teenage daughter over, opened a very nice Kosta Browne 2008 RRV Pinot and ate a delicious meal with wonderful company. It was, I hope a very nice birthday meal for Becca.
Thai Squash
4 medium summer squash, diced (1/2 inch dice) about 6 cups
1 tsp Turmeric
1 Thai chili pepper chopped very fine (optional, for more heat, include the seeds, for less heat, remove the seeds)
4 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
2 T fresh mint, well chopped
2 T fresh basil, well chopped
2 T fresh cilantro, well chopped
1 14 oz can of light coconut milk
juice from 1 lime
2 T olive oil
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. When hot, add the squash. Cook until the squash just begins to soften. Add the Turmeric and garlic and Thai chili. Mix well. Everything should start to turn very yellow from the Turmeric. Cook for a minute or two more and add the lime juice. Stir to incorporate, and ad the mint, cilantro and basil. Mix very well. Add the coconut milk. Turn down the heat and simmer for 10 −15 minutes, or until the squash is fully cooked.
Each 1/2 cup serving is 2 weight watcher points plus.
Reviews: I actually managed to get my 8 year old to try a single piece. She liked it, but wouldn't eat more. The teenagers and adults like this a lot. I found it to be light, and really yummy.
I wanted to do something a little different tonight. Sautes, bakes and salads have been running together. This recipe is adopted from one of the Moosewood books. I've tweaked it quite a bit to lower the fat content, and added a couple of ingredients that I thought would add flavor. We had some friends and their teenage daughter over, opened a very nice Kosta Browne 2008 RRV Pinot and ate a delicious meal with wonderful company. It was, I hope a very nice birthday meal for Becca.
Thai Squash
4 medium summer squash, diced (1/2 inch dice) about 6 cups
1 tsp Turmeric
1 Thai chili pepper chopped very fine (optional, for more heat, include the seeds, for less heat, remove the seeds)
4 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
2 T fresh mint, well chopped
2 T fresh basil, well chopped
2 T fresh cilantro, well chopped
1 14 oz can of light coconut milk
juice from 1 lime
2 T olive oil
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. When hot, add the squash. Cook until the squash just begins to soften. Add the Turmeric and garlic and Thai chili. Mix well. Everything should start to turn very yellow from the Turmeric. Cook for a minute or two more and add the lime juice. Stir to incorporate, and ad the mint, cilantro and basil. Mix very well. Add the coconut milk. Turn down the heat and simmer for 10 −15 minutes, or until the squash is fully cooked.
Each 1/2 cup serving is 2 weight watcher points plus.
Reviews: I actually managed to get my 8 year old to try a single piece. She liked it, but wouldn't eat more. The teenagers and adults like this a lot. I found it to be light, and really yummy.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Day 23 - Moroccan Squash
You didn't think that they had Squash in Moracco, did you? Well, they do, and it is delicious. This is a first for me. I had a reader post a response with one of her favorite squash recipes. As promised, I made her recipe, and am posting it in full along with responses from my family. If you post, I will do my best to make your recipe. So a big shout out to Susan, thanks for reading and for responding. It makes me feel sooooo popular! Like one of the cool kids at school.
This recipe continues my dive into how squash and chick peas interact. Though very different from the salad that I posted earlier, once again, from both a taste and texture perspective, squash and chick peas are really very good friends. So here it is, Moroccan Squash.
Moroccan Squash
This recipe continues my dive into how squash and chick peas interact. Though very different from the salad that I posted earlier, once again, from both a taste and texture perspective, squash and chick peas are really very good friends. So here it is, Moroccan Squash.
Moroccan Squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion sliced very thin
5 or 6 cloves of garlic sliced very thin
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 medium squash (I used a mix of yellow and green) cut into quarters and 1/2 inch slices
1 cup tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes)
1 14 oz. can chickpeas drained
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 cups water
In a heavy bottom saute pan, heat the olive oil. Stir in the onion and cook for 6-8 minutes or until they start to brown. Add the squash and continue to cook until the squash start to brown. Stir in spices and cook until aroma is released. Add the tomatoes and cook for a minute or two. Add enough water (at least a half cup, more is OK too) to create a little sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes (until
zucchini is tender). Add water if the pan becomes dry while cooking. Stir in chickpeas (if using) and simmer for another 3-5
minutes or until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Great with
couscous, rice, or pita.
Well liked by the teenagers. This one however, did not fool the 8 year old. She refused to even try it. Becca liked it as well.
Coming soon: My co-worker Jordan came back from Turkey with Paprika from the spice market. I'll be doing something with the Paprika….not sure what….
Monday, July 30, 2012
Day 22 - Mexican Lasagna
Well, I've spent the last three days in Rhode Island where I was able to get to three days of music at the Newport Folk Festival (www.newportfolkfest.net). I caught sets from Wilco, My Morning Jacket, Trampled by Turtles, of Monsters and Men, the Head and the Heart, Iron and Wine and others. I was able to spend good, quality time with a couple of old friends that I see only once in a while….Really, just an incredible weekend.
The venue at Newport is just beautiful, and the music is wonderful. The artists actually walk the grounds with the crowd, and it is not uncommon to find yourself standing next to someone you saw on stage earlier in the day. One of the guys I was with ran into (literally) Jackson Browne as he was walking to one of the stages. If you are interested, you can find audio and video files of the festival on the NPR website (http://www.npr.org/event/music/155839092/newport-folk-festival-2012?ps=mh_frhdl2)
The Festival was fantastic, but it did put a crimp in my squash cooking. Today's post is a recipe that I made several days ago. This is a tasty, not too spicy casserole. The tortillas cook in the casserole and take on a very noodle like quality, so my kids started calling this "Mexican Lasagna". It is lasagna like in that there are layers, cheese and tomatoes, but to me the similarities stop there.
Give yourself 45 minutes to put this together, and 45-55 minutes for it to bake.
Mexican Lasagna
8 oz Italian Sausage
2 Chourizo Sausages
3 medium potatos
2 medium squash (yellow and green work best, but any summer ones will do)
1 small onion
1 T Olive Oil
16 taco size four tortillas
2 small jars of salsa (or one large)
8 oz grated cheese (or more if you like it cheesy)
1 small can of black beans (14 oz size)
Cook off the sausages, breaking them into small pieces as they cook. Once the sausage is done, drain the grease and set the sausage aside. While the Sausage is cooking, chop the onion, potato and squash into a large dice (1/4 inch or more). Heat the oil, saute the potato for 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes more, until the onion just starts to get clear. Add the squash and cook just until the squash starts to get soft 2-3 minutes more. You don't want the veggies to be super done, just cooked through. In a large bowl, mix the meat and veggies together.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
In an 8 1/2 by 14 inch pan, pour enough salsa to cover the bottom of the pan. This doesn't need to be too thick, you are just putting enough to keep the tortillas from sticking. Take 3 tortillas, and cut them in half. Place the tortillas with the cut side facing the edges so that you cover the bottom of the pan. You'll have a big gap in the middle, which you can cover with a whole tortilla. This is your first layer. Add about one third of the meat/veggie mix and spread evenly. Top with about a quarter of the cheese and a quarter of the remaining salsa. Repeat this two more times. On the top of the casserole, spread the rest of the salsa and the remaining cheese. You should now have a complete (and very heavy) dish.
Cook for 30 minutes and check the casserole. If the top is getting too done, cover in foil and cook the last 15 to 20 minutes.
Reviews: Well we snuck some squash into the 8 year old. She also loves the sausage in this. The teenagers ate it up as well. Adults like this recipe, but would maybe like it a little spicier.
Note: To spice this up, you can add Jalapeno pepper to the veggies. You could also use only chourizo, use a hot salsa, or add spices to the veggie mix. There are almost infinite options….which is what cooking is all about right?
The venue at Newport is just beautiful, and the music is wonderful. The artists actually walk the grounds with the crowd, and it is not uncommon to find yourself standing next to someone you saw on stage earlier in the day. One of the guys I was with ran into (literally) Jackson Browne as he was walking to one of the stages. If you are interested, you can find audio and video files of the festival on the NPR website (http://www.npr.org/event/music/155839092/newport-folk-festival-2012?ps=mh_frhdl2)
The Festival was fantastic, but it did put a crimp in my squash cooking. Today's post is a recipe that I made several days ago. This is a tasty, not too spicy casserole. The tortillas cook in the casserole and take on a very noodle like quality, so my kids started calling this "Mexican Lasagna". It is lasagna like in that there are layers, cheese and tomatoes, but to me the similarities stop there.
Give yourself 45 minutes to put this together, and 45-55 minutes for it to bake.
Mexican Lasagna
8 oz Italian Sausage
2 Chourizo Sausages
3 medium potatos
2 medium squash (yellow and green work best, but any summer ones will do)
1 small onion
1 T Olive Oil
16 taco size four tortillas
2 small jars of salsa (or one large)
8 oz grated cheese (or more if you like it cheesy)
1 small can of black beans (14 oz size)
Cook off the sausages, breaking them into small pieces as they cook. Once the sausage is done, drain the grease and set the sausage aside. While the Sausage is cooking, chop the onion, potato and squash into a large dice (1/4 inch or more). Heat the oil, saute the potato for 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes more, until the onion just starts to get clear. Add the squash and cook just until the squash starts to get soft 2-3 minutes more. You don't want the veggies to be super done, just cooked through. In a large bowl, mix the meat and veggies together.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
In an 8 1/2 by 14 inch pan, pour enough salsa to cover the bottom of the pan. This doesn't need to be too thick, you are just putting enough to keep the tortillas from sticking. Take 3 tortillas, and cut them in half. Place the tortillas with the cut side facing the edges so that you cover the bottom of the pan. You'll have a big gap in the middle, which you can cover with a whole tortilla. This is your first layer. Add about one third of the meat/veggie mix and spread evenly. Top with about a quarter of the cheese and a quarter of the remaining salsa. Repeat this two more times. On the top of the casserole, spread the rest of the salsa and the remaining cheese. You should now have a complete (and very heavy) dish.
Cook for 30 minutes and check the casserole. If the top is getting too done, cover in foil and cook the last 15 to 20 minutes.
Reviews: Well we snuck some squash into the 8 year old. She also loves the sausage in this. The teenagers ate it up as well. Adults like this recipe, but would maybe like it a little spicier.
Note: To spice this up, you can add Jalapeno pepper to the veggies. You could also use only chourizo, use a hot salsa, or add spices to the veggie mix. There are almost infinite options….which is what cooking is all about right?
Friday, July 27, 2012
Day 21 - Squash Loaf
Well, I think I have figured out the mystery of the missing boxes. We had a Purple Heart Pick up on CSA delivery day. My best guess is that the bags of clothes that were on our front stoop got picked up along with our food boxes by the Purple Heart pick up team. So hopefully some one is eating very well, and the food didn't go to waste. They took the three empty boxes as well.
Thank you to Great Country Farms (www.greatcountryfarms.com) for providing additional boxes. Our fridge was feeling very sad (empty fridges are sad) without all of the wonderful produce. We got yummy melons, green beans, several varieties of tomatoes, sweet corn, and of course….squash. Awesome.
This recipe represents the 25% mark. I am a quarter of the way there. Hard to believe. I am on my way up to Newport RI for the Newport Folk Festival. I have some recipes in reserve so that I can continue to post while I am gone. This one I made early on in this journey. I tweaked the recipe a little, and I think it is now ready to be published. This is one where a little tweak here and there when you make it is just fine.
Squash Loaf
3 large squash, a mix of yellow and green is best
1 medium onion
3 carrots
1/2 cup matzoh meal or unseasoned bread crumbs
3 eggs
1 cup grated cheddar
1/2 cup grated sharp cheese (swiss or something else really sharp)
salt and pepper to taste (1 tsp salt, 2 tsp pepper is good. In place of the pepper, try hot sauce)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.
In a food processor grate the squash, onion and carrot (it will take more than one batch). Transfer to a large bowl. Add the eggs and matzoh meal. Mix very well and let sit for 15 minutes. Add the cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Add the oil to an 8 1/2 by 14 inch glass pan. Place the loaf mix in the pan.
Cook for 45-50 minutes or until well browned.
I served this for dinner, but leftovers were eaten for breakfast and lunch as well.
Reviews: Well liked by the 8 year old (the cheese does it, I think). The teenagers and Becca also liked it. Since I have now made a version of this twice, you can imagine what the reaction would be if I made it a third time...
Thank you to Great Country Farms (www.greatcountryfarms.com) for providing additional boxes. Our fridge was feeling very sad (empty fridges are sad) without all of the wonderful produce. We got yummy melons, green beans, several varieties of tomatoes, sweet corn, and of course….squash. Awesome.
This recipe represents the 25% mark. I am a quarter of the way there. Hard to believe. I am on my way up to Newport RI for the Newport Folk Festival. I have some recipes in reserve so that I can continue to post while I am gone. This one I made early on in this journey. I tweaked the recipe a little, and I think it is now ready to be published. This is one where a little tweak here and there when you make it is just fine.
Squash Loaf
3 large squash, a mix of yellow and green is best
1 medium onion
3 carrots
1/2 cup matzoh meal or unseasoned bread crumbs
3 eggs
1 cup grated cheddar
1/2 cup grated sharp cheese (swiss or something else really sharp)
salt and pepper to taste (1 tsp salt, 2 tsp pepper is good. In place of the pepper, try hot sauce)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.
In a food processor grate the squash, onion and carrot (it will take more than one batch). Transfer to a large bowl. Add the eggs and matzoh meal. Mix very well and let sit for 15 minutes. Add the cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Add the oil to an 8 1/2 by 14 inch glass pan. Place the loaf mix in the pan.
Cook for 45-50 minutes or until well browned.
I served this for dinner, but leftovers were eaten for breakfast and lunch as well.
Reviews: Well liked by the 8 year old (the cheese does it, I think). The teenagers and Becca also liked it. Since I have now made a version of this twice, you can imagine what the reaction would be if I made it a third time...
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Day 20 - Squash Parmesan
Well, I'm a little worried. Today is CSA delivery day. This is usually my favorite day of the week, as I unpack my boxes and start to plan what I am going to make with the wonderful bounty provided by Great Country Farms (www.greatcountryfarms.com). Alas, the boxes didn't show up! I hope that nothing is wrong, and that the boxes come tomorrow. I am really looking forward to the tomatoes, peaches and of course….squash.
The recipe I am posting tonight, I actually made last Sunday. Sunday night dinners are times when we like to have guests. This week we had my parents over. The boxes we received last week had beautiful black eggplant. As of Sunday, I had not used what came in our box the previous Tuesday. So, Sunday night was eggplant parmesan night. Which, of course, I made along side squash.
Rather than fry the squash, I decided to do an oven baked version. It helps to keep the calories down, and is equally delicious. So here is my recipe for squash parmesan.
Squash Parmesan
for the breading:
1C matzoh meah
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried basil
1 tsp ground pepper
1 T granulated garlic
1 tsp salt
for the egg wash:
2 eggs
1 Cup of milk
for the assembly of the dish
2 large eggplant
2 large squash
2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce
3 cups of mozzarella cheese
1/2 lb of good italian sausage cooked (I love the sausage sold in the GCF farm store)
spray oil
It is always a good idea to have your ingredients ready ahead of time. You will need a baking sheet and two long shallow bowls for the assembly.
Mix the ingredients for the breading together and place into one of the long flat bowls. Mix the eggs and milk together in the other bowl.
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Slice the squash and eggplant into 1/4 inch wide slices. The squash should be sliced lengthwise, the eggplant into circles. Dip the squash and eggplant into the egg mix, then into the breading. Once breaded, place on your cookie sheet. Once every piece is breaded, spray lightly with the spray oil. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and cook until the squash and eggplant are crisp, about 15 minutes.
Once the squash and eggplant are done, take the sheet out of the oven. Top each piece with tomato sauce, sausage and grated mozzarella. Place back in the oven and cook until the cheese melts, about 5 more minutes.
I served mine with spaghetti. Yummy!
Reviews: Well loved by all. Even the 8 year old was fooled into eating some. This made great left overs as well,
The recipe I am posting tonight, I actually made last Sunday. Sunday night dinners are times when we like to have guests. This week we had my parents over. The boxes we received last week had beautiful black eggplant. As of Sunday, I had not used what came in our box the previous Tuesday. So, Sunday night was eggplant parmesan night. Which, of course, I made along side squash.
Rather than fry the squash, I decided to do an oven baked version. It helps to keep the calories down, and is equally delicious. So here is my recipe for squash parmesan.
Squash Parmesan
for the breading:
1C matzoh meah
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried basil
1 tsp ground pepper
1 T granulated garlic
1 tsp salt
for the egg wash:
2 eggs
1 Cup of milk
for the assembly of the dish
2 large eggplant
2 large squash
2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce
3 cups of mozzarella cheese
1/2 lb of good italian sausage cooked (I love the sausage sold in the GCF farm store)
spray oil
It is always a good idea to have your ingredients ready ahead of time. You will need a baking sheet and two long shallow bowls for the assembly.
Mix the ingredients for the breading together and place into one of the long flat bowls. Mix the eggs and milk together in the other bowl.
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Slice the squash and eggplant into 1/4 inch wide slices. The squash should be sliced lengthwise, the eggplant into circles. Dip the squash and eggplant into the egg mix, then into the breading. Once breaded, place on your cookie sheet. Once every piece is breaded, spray lightly with the spray oil. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and cook until the squash and eggplant are crisp, about 15 minutes.
Once the squash and eggplant are done, take the sheet out of the oven. Top each piece with tomato sauce, sausage and grated mozzarella. Place back in the oven and cook until the cheese melts, about 5 more minutes.
I served mine with spaghetti. Yummy!
Reviews: Well loved by all. Even the 8 year old was fooled into eating some. This made great left overs as well,
Monday, July 23, 2012
Day 19 - Quinoa Stuffed Squash
Qunioa is an ancient grain. Well, actually it is not a grain at all. It is a seed that we cook like a grain. Quinoa is higher in both protein and fat than wheat. You can find it in most markets, in the rice aisle. Qinoa comes in both white and red varieties. As far as I can tell,other than the color, there is no difference between the red and white varieties. And best of all, Quinoa is an excellent scrabble word.
This past weekend, I took the whole family to Great Country Farms (www.greatcoutryfarms.com) for Blackberry picking. The blackberries have been fantastic this year, and we wanted a couple more quarts before the season ends. Becca and I love bringing folks out that have never been to the Farm, and this time we brought the parents of one of our 15 year old's friends. They loved the place (how can you not, it is a slice of heaven on earth), picked several quarts of blackberries, some peaches and some cherry tomatoes.
While we were there, we got to spend some time with Farmer Kate. The folks at GCF have just been wonderful with this blog, putting links on the weekly CSA newsletter. Without their publicity, the only people reading this would have the same last name that I have. I really am grateful. I told Kate about some of the recipes I have planned, and in this week's newsletter, Kate publicized a Quinoa stuffed squash that I plan to make. So that I don't make a liar out of Kate, here is my version of Quinoa Stuffed Squash.
Quinoa Stuffed Squash
3 or 4 Zucchini, yellow squash or yellow zucchini
1 lb ground pork
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup pine nuts well toasted
2 cloves garlic crushed or very finely minced
1 cup cooked Quinoa
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
2 T fresh Basil finely chopped
1/2 Cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Slice the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Mix all of the other ingredients together in a large bowl until well incorporated. Fill the scooped out squash with the stuffing mix. Cook in a 375 degree oven until the filling is cooked, and the squash is soft enough to prick with a fork. (about 35-45 minutes).
Reviews: I haven't actually made this yet, but when I do, I'll change the post to add reviews.
This past weekend, I took the whole family to Great Country Farms (www.greatcoutryfarms.com) for Blackberry picking. The blackberries have been fantastic this year, and we wanted a couple more quarts before the season ends. Becca and I love bringing folks out that have never been to the Farm, and this time we brought the parents of one of our 15 year old's friends. They loved the place (how can you not, it is a slice of heaven on earth), picked several quarts of blackberries, some peaches and some cherry tomatoes.
While we were there, we got to spend some time with Farmer Kate. The folks at GCF have just been wonderful with this blog, putting links on the weekly CSA newsletter. Without their publicity, the only people reading this would have the same last name that I have. I really am grateful. I told Kate about some of the recipes I have planned, and in this week's newsletter, Kate publicized a Quinoa stuffed squash that I plan to make. So that I don't make a liar out of Kate, here is my version of Quinoa Stuffed Squash.
Quinoa Stuffed Squash
3 or 4 Zucchini, yellow squash or yellow zucchini
1 lb ground pork
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup pine nuts well toasted
2 cloves garlic crushed or very finely minced
1 cup cooked Quinoa
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
2 T fresh Basil finely chopped
1/2 Cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Slice the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Mix all of the other ingredients together in a large bowl until well incorporated. Fill the scooped out squash with the stuffing mix. Cook in a 375 degree oven until the filling is cooked, and the squash is soft enough to prick with a fork. (about 35-45 minutes).
Reviews: I haven't actually made this yet, but when I do, I'll change the post to add reviews.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Day 18 - Quiche!
My family has been clamoring for a Quiche since I started this little adventure. I've been resisting, as making a Quiche is a fairly time intensive process, especially if you are making the pie shell from scratch. The dough has to sit, and the cook time for the pie is about an hour. But it is the weekend, so I decided to suck it up and put together a squash Quiche.
Once upon a time, I put a fair amount of time into the kitchen of a restaurant in Boston. I had just graduated college and found a job at a Faniuel Hall place called Serendipity III. The Jon Cusak movie was about the New York (original location) restaurant of the same name.. The owners had expanded to Boston and Wesport CT. After a while, both Boston and Westport closed. Now there are Serendipity III locations in Florida, Las Vegas and Georgetown. Two of the three original owners are gone, but Steven Bruce is still here.
The Quiche that Calvin Holt taught me how to make is what I still make today. So, thank you Calvin and Steven for teaching me this excellent Quiche recipe. This is by no means low calorie, but it is absolutely delicious.
Squash Quiche
For the dough:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
For the Pie:
8 oz. Sour Cream
9 Eggs
1/2 cup Milk
1 1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
1 medium onion sliced thinly
1 zucchini cut into quarters then sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 yellow zucchini cut into quarters then sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 cup fresh basil coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 T Olive Oil
1T Butter
freshly grated pepper
Make sure that your butter is very, very cold. It is even ok to cut the butter and stick it in the freezer for a few minutes prior to starting. In a food processor, mix the flour and the salt. Add the butter, pulsing the mix just until the dough starts to take on the texture of a course meal. Be careful not to over process the dough. Once the butter in incorporated, turn the dough into a large bowl. Slowly add the ice water, mixing with your hands. Add only enough water so that the dough just comes together. Gather the dough together into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Longer is OK.
While the dough is resting, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, and cook until the onion just begins to brown. Add the squash and cook until the squash starts to brown. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two longer. Add the basil, keep the vegetable mix on the heat just until the basil wilts. Take off of the heat and set aside. This is a good time to preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
To make the custard, always start with the heaviest ingredients and add each lighter ingredient. If you do not work in this direction, you will end up with a lumpy custard that will not cook well. Put the sour cream in a large bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing a little between the addition of each egg. Once the eggs and sour cream are mixed together very well, add the milk. If the custard feels too heavy, add a little more milk. Grate in some black pepper and set aside.
Now that the pie dough has been sitting for at least 30 minutes, take it out of the fridge, and roll it out so that it is large enough to fit into your pie pan, and is not more than 1/4 inch thick. Place the dough into your pie pan, press the dough into the pan so that it fits well. Take a fork and prick the dough all over. Put the dough in the oven to cook for a 5 to 6 minutes. You want it to be a little cooked, but not so much that it burns during the rest of the cooking time.
Once the dough has pre-cooked, you are ready to start assembling the Quiche. I always cook pies with the pie pan on a cookie sheet. There is nothing worse that a pie that overflows the pie pan, spilling filling on the inside of the oven. Things start to smoke, and there is almost nothing you can do except let it burn. So, grab a cookie sheet, put your pie pan on it, and start adding to the pie pan.
Add the vegetables and spread them evenly over the inside of the pie. Do the same with the grated cheese. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the pan so that the egg fills in all of the openings in the filling. Get it as close to the rim of the pie as you can.
Put the Quiche on the middle rack of your oven and cook it for 50 minutes. Check the pie after 50 minutes by giving it a light shake. If it is still jiggley, cook it for an additional 10 minutes. Make sure it doesn't get too dark brown.
Serve the pie with a salad (I did, and I'll post that recipe later in the week)
Reviews: 8 year old said "is there squash in this?" There was, and she ate around it. I think we snuck a few pieces into her. The 15 year old liked it. Becca loved it. The 18 year old just came back from camp. She declared "the best thing about camp was that I didn't have to eat squash". She ate it, and I think she actually liked it.
Enjoy!
Once upon a time, I put a fair amount of time into the kitchen of a restaurant in Boston. I had just graduated college and found a job at a Faniuel Hall place called Serendipity III. The Jon Cusak movie was about the New York (original location) restaurant of the same name.. The owners had expanded to Boston and Wesport CT. After a while, both Boston and Westport closed. Now there are Serendipity III locations in Florida, Las Vegas and Georgetown. Two of the three original owners are gone, but Steven Bruce is still here.
The Quiche that Calvin Holt taught me how to make is what I still make today. So, thank you Calvin and Steven for teaching me this excellent Quiche recipe. This is by no means low calorie, but it is absolutely delicious.
Squash Quiche
For the dough:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
For the Pie:
8 oz. Sour Cream
9 Eggs
1/2 cup Milk
1 1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
1 medium onion sliced thinly
1 zucchini cut into quarters then sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 yellow zucchini cut into quarters then sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 cup fresh basil coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 T Olive Oil
1T Butter
freshly grated pepper
Make sure that your butter is very, very cold. It is even ok to cut the butter and stick it in the freezer for a few minutes prior to starting. In a food processor, mix the flour and the salt. Add the butter, pulsing the mix just until the dough starts to take on the texture of a course meal. Be careful not to over process the dough. Once the butter in incorporated, turn the dough into a large bowl. Slowly add the ice water, mixing with your hands. Add only enough water so that the dough just comes together. Gather the dough together into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Longer is OK.
While the dough is resting, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, and cook until the onion just begins to brown. Add the squash and cook until the squash starts to brown. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two longer. Add the basil, keep the vegetable mix on the heat just until the basil wilts. Take off of the heat and set aside. This is a good time to preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
To make the custard, always start with the heaviest ingredients and add each lighter ingredient. If you do not work in this direction, you will end up with a lumpy custard that will not cook well. Put the sour cream in a large bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing a little between the addition of each egg. Once the eggs and sour cream are mixed together very well, add the milk. If the custard feels too heavy, add a little more milk. Grate in some black pepper and set aside.
Now that the pie dough has been sitting for at least 30 minutes, take it out of the fridge, and roll it out so that it is large enough to fit into your pie pan, and is not more than 1/4 inch thick. Place the dough into your pie pan, press the dough into the pan so that it fits well. Take a fork and prick the dough all over. Put the dough in the oven to cook for a 5 to 6 minutes. You want it to be a little cooked, but not so much that it burns during the rest of the cooking time.
Once the dough has pre-cooked, you are ready to start assembling the Quiche. I always cook pies with the pie pan on a cookie sheet. There is nothing worse that a pie that overflows the pie pan, spilling filling on the inside of the oven. Things start to smoke, and there is almost nothing you can do except let it burn. So, grab a cookie sheet, put your pie pan on it, and start adding to the pie pan.
Add the vegetables and spread them evenly over the inside of the pie. Do the same with the grated cheese. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the pan so that the egg fills in all of the openings in the filling. Get it as close to the rim of the pie as you can.
Put the Quiche on the middle rack of your oven and cook it for 50 minutes. Check the pie after 50 minutes by giving it a light shake. If it is still jiggley, cook it for an additional 10 minutes. Make sure it doesn't get too dark brown.
Serve the pie with a salad (I did, and I'll post that recipe later in the week)
Reviews: 8 year old said "is there squash in this?" There was, and she ate around it. I think we snuck a few pieces into her. The 15 year old liked it. Becca loved it. The 18 year old just came back from camp. She declared "the best thing about camp was that I didn't have to eat squash". She ate it, and I think she actually liked it.
Enjoy!
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Day 17 - Penne Pasta and Patty Pan
My family just loves when I make pasta with a white sauce. Despite the fact that they are beginning to tire (especially the kids) of all of the squash, everyone was excited when I told them that I was making pasta.
Almost anything can go into a pasta dish. Sometimes I use pasta as a "clean out the fridge" meal. In this case, I had planned this into my week, so there was a lot of good stuff to add. The ingredient list varies each time I make it, but there are a couple of things that are always good to include. I really like to make sure that a green leafy vegetable is always included. A base of onion and garlic sauteed in olive oil is the best base to use. Meat is optional, but I like to have some sort of sausage. Really good parmesan cheese and fresh basil is a must.
It is always a good idea to have your ingredients ready ahead of time, and because this is a fairly fast mover once you get started, it is especially important with this recipe. Also, it is best to use really fresh ingredients, and the best quality cheese that you can find. The other secret is to appropriately salt your pasta water. The water should taste like sea water. The salt helps to flavor both the pasta and your sauce. Without it, you end up with a bland dish.
Penne Pasta and Patty Pan Squash
1 lb. box Penne Pasta
2 cups of pasta water
2 medium squash
1 small onion
2 chicken sausages ( I like the precooked kind, if you are using one that is not precooked, cook it off ahead of time.)
2 cloves of garlic
1 5 oz bag baby spinach
1/2 red pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup basil leaves
freshly ground pepper
Slice the ends off of the squash, slice into 1/4 inch slices, set aside. Slice the pepper so that they are about the same size as the squash. Cut up the sausage as well. Coarsely chop the basil
Bring 2 quarts of well salted water to a hard boil. Add the pasta and turn down the heat so that the pasta boils and a soft rolling boil. Cook the pasta until it is just done. Be careful not to over cook the pasta. Be sure to save two cups of the water that was used to cook the pasta. You will need it for your sauce.
While the pasta is cooking, saute the onion until it just starts to brown. Add the garlic and cook for a minute longer. Add the sausage, squash and pepper, and cook until the sausage is browning and the vegetables have just started to soften. Add the spinach and basil and let the heat wilt them.
Return the drained pasta to the pot. Add the vegetables and sausage and mix together. Add the cheese and mix. Carefully add enough of the pasta water to create a sauce. Serve and enjoy!
Reviews: Well liked by everyone. The 8 year old pick out the squash (what a surprise)
Almost anything can go into a pasta dish. Sometimes I use pasta as a "clean out the fridge" meal. In this case, I had planned this into my week, so there was a lot of good stuff to add. The ingredient list varies each time I make it, but there are a couple of things that are always good to include. I really like to make sure that a green leafy vegetable is always included. A base of onion and garlic sauteed in olive oil is the best base to use. Meat is optional, but I like to have some sort of sausage. Really good parmesan cheese and fresh basil is a must.
It is always a good idea to have your ingredients ready ahead of time, and because this is a fairly fast mover once you get started, it is especially important with this recipe. Also, it is best to use really fresh ingredients, and the best quality cheese that you can find. The other secret is to appropriately salt your pasta water. The water should taste like sea water. The salt helps to flavor both the pasta and your sauce. Without it, you end up with a bland dish.
Penne Pasta and Patty Pan Squash
1 lb. box Penne Pasta
2 cups of pasta water
2 medium squash
1 small onion
2 chicken sausages ( I like the precooked kind, if you are using one that is not precooked, cook it off ahead of time.)
2 cloves of garlic
1 5 oz bag baby spinach
1/2 red pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup basil leaves
freshly ground pepper
Slice the ends off of the squash, slice into 1/4 inch slices, set aside. Slice the pepper so that they are about the same size as the squash. Cut up the sausage as well. Coarsely chop the basil
Bring 2 quarts of well salted water to a hard boil. Add the pasta and turn down the heat so that the pasta boils and a soft rolling boil. Cook the pasta until it is just done. Be careful not to over cook the pasta. Be sure to save two cups of the water that was used to cook the pasta. You will need it for your sauce.
While the pasta is cooking, saute the onion until it just starts to brown. Add the garlic and cook for a minute longer. Add the sausage, squash and pepper, and cook until the sausage is browning and the vegetables have just started to soften. Add the spinach and basil and let the heat wilt them.
Return the drained pasta to the pot. Add the vegetables and sausage and mix together. Add the cheese and mix. Carefully add enough of the pasta water to create a sauce. Serve and enjoy!
Reviews: Well liked by everyone. The 8 year old pick out the squash (what a surprise)
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