plumdelicious

Sunday, August 14, 2011

This Week for Dinner: August 14-20

As summer winds down, the garden is coming to life.

I’ve planned this week’s menu knowing that there is a ton of work to do in the evenings-namely processing tomatoes and peppers and making salsa.

So hereâ€™s the plan for this week:

Sunday-Shredded Chicken Sandwiches and Orzo with Corn off the Cob

http://www.food.com/recipe/orzo-and-corn-off-the-cob-387827

I just made this recipe for the first time, and will definitely make it again! I took it to a BBQ this afternoon and found it to be the perfect summer pasta salad-light, tangy, and delicious. It’s also to be served at room temperature…so no worries about refrigeration at a picnic or BBQ!

Monday-Chicken Lettuce Wraps

One of our family favorites-this recipe is spot on. I usually make a triple batch, and we eat it throughout the week…thus the Monday slot.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/almost-famous-chicken-lettuce-wraps-recipe/index.html

Tuesday-Grilled Chicken Satay Skewers and Veggies

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/chicken-satay-with-peanut-sauce-recipe/index.html

Chicken satay is one of my favorite dishes-and super simple to prepare. I could probably eat just the peanut sauce with a spoon.

Wednesday-Mini Meatball Sliders

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/07/16-minute-meal-3-mini-meatball-sandwiches/

She claims this recipe can be made in sixteen minutes-that sounds like a great mid-week meal to me!

Thursday-Roasted Red Pepper Ravioli with leftover meatballs

We didn’t get to the Whole Foods Ravioli last week-so it’s reappearing on this week’s menu on the night of my final photography class.

Friday-Leftover Lettuce Wraps or Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon

http://www.food.com/recipe/brown-sugar-glazed-salmon-150614

My husband’s favorite new salmon recipe on the grill for a relaxing night in (most likely spent processing tomatoes!)

Saturday-OUT

Stay tuned for a recap of this week’s adventures, as well as new recipes and garden news later this week!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

It's National Farmers Market Week!

Monday, August 8, 2011

Recipe File: Basilicious Pesto

Each year I end up with copious amounts of fragrant basil at the end of the season. While I enjoy bruschetta weekly during the summer, what’s a girl to do with all that basil? When life hands you basil, make pesto!

I’ve found that Ball Freezer Jars work perfectly to preserve the basil pesto all winter. It’s wonderful to be able to visit the freezer for a taste of the summery spread in a calzone or on a sandwich.

I have used two different pesto recipes over the years. The first recipe I’m including incorporates all of the ingredients in the jar.

The second recipe doesn’t incorporate the nuts or cheese-they are to be added after unfreezing.

Either way, having frozen pesto on hand is like a finding bright green gem in the middle of winter-when I’m longing for the dog days of August once again.

RECIPE 1:

Ingredients:

4 cups basil leaves

1/2 cup pine nuts

4 cloves chopped garlic

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

3-4 tbsp olive oil, to the desired consistency

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Rough chop the garlic and pine nuts in a food processor. Add the basil leaves and pulse until mixed, then while mixing, add the olive oil slowly through the chute until incorporated. Add the cheese, salt and pepper to taste and pulse until combined.

Store in the refrigerator for up to a week, covered with a thin layer of olive oil, or freeze in Ball freezer jars.

RECIPE 2:

My other favorite basil pesto recipe is from Michael Chiarello of NapaStyle fame.

Ingredients:

(Makes about 3/4 cup, enough for 1 pound pasta.)
2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
Sea salt, preferably Gray salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl, and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put the basil in a large sieve and plunge it into the boiling water. Immediately immerse all the basil and stir so that it blanches evenly. Blanch for about 15 seconds. Remove, shake off the excess water, then plunge the basil into the ice water bath and stir again so it cools as fast as possible. Drain well.

Squeeze the water out of the basil with your hands until very dry. Roughly chop the basil and put in a blender. Add the garlic, salt and pepper to taste and olive oil. Blend for at least 30 seconds. Pulse to combine.

Freeze in Ball freezer jars. When you’d like to use the pesto, defrost the jar. Add 1/4 cup pine nuts and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese to the pesto and pulse in the food processor until incorporated.

Preserving: Canning Green Beans in Ten Steps

Green beans are one of my favorite vegetables. With an abundance of green beans on hand this year, supplemented with some in season from the local grocery, I processed 14 quarts and 19 pints of green beans for this winter. Mom and I did the job over a three days, two hours at a time. Initially, I thought it would be a much bigger job, but once you get the hang of it, it’s really pretty simple and very rewarding.

Green beans are a low acid vegetable, as are most veggies you’d want to can with the exception of tomatoes and pickled items. To preserve low acid veggies through canning, you’ll need a pressure canner similar to this one:

Step 1: Wash the beans thoroughtly. Remove the stem and blossom ends or any strings. Cut the beans into one inch pieces.

Here are the beans after cutting:

Step 2: Pack the beans tightly in clean Mason jars using a canning funnel, leaving one inch of space at the top.

Step 3: Cover the jarred beans with boiling water, leaving one inch headspace. Add one teaspoon of salt to the jar. Wipe the mouth of the jar to eliminate any specks of salt or debris, as this will hinder the lids from sealing tightly.

Step 4: Place lids and rings on the jars, tighten.

Step 5: Add beans to your pressure canner. Our canner fit 7 Quarts or 20 Pints easily.

Step 6: Process beans according to your pressure canner’s instruction manual.

With this particular pressure cooker, it has a vent pipe on top. Exhaust the air from the canner by adjusting the heat to a relatively high setting to obtain a free flow of steam from the vent pipe.

Step 7: Reduce heat to maintain a moderate steam flow for approximately 10 minutes, then place the pressure regulator on the vent pipe.

Over pressure plug should rise within a minute or two to signal the canner is sealed and the pressure will start.

Step 8: Set burner to high heat until pressure gauge reaches 9 pounds. The goal is 11 pounds, but at this point, turn the burner down slowly over several minutes to reach 11. To excede 11 pounds would make the beans mushy.

Step 9: Processing time begins when you reach correct pressure. 20 minutes for pints, 25 minutes for quarts. Maintain the pressure by continually monitoring the gauge and burner.

Step 10: At the end of the processing time, turn the burner off. Let the pressure drop on it’s own. Pressure is completely reduced when air vent/cover lock and pressure plug have dropped and no steam escapes when the pressure regulator is tilted. At this point it is safe to open the canner.

Enjoy your green beans-I know we will!

Thanks so much to my mom for helping teach me to can, and for help in writing this post!

Sunday, August 7, 2011

August: A tomato a day!

A great list of 31 ideas for Tomatoes from Food Network Magazine. Click on the image for the hi resolution version of the pic. Enjoy!

Recipe File: "Philly Cheesesteak"

There’s a reason for the “quotation marks”. This isn’t a Philly Cheesesteak in the classic style, but an amazingly flavorful steak and cheese sandwich nonetheless.Â

I went looking for a good steak sandwich recipe as it’s one of my favorite guilty pleasures. I’ve also had a hard time perfecting it, mainly because the cuts of meat I use for them tends to be tough and chewy instead of smooth and buttery.Â

I had a Sirloin in the freezer that was begging to be cooked, and I was determined that this time, the meat would be tender. I stirred a half packet of Adolph’s “Marinade in Minutes” into the original marinade recipe-and the meat, and the sandwich-were perfect.

Marinade

1/4 cup Dijon Mustard

1/2 packet Adolph’s Marinade in Minutes for Meat

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic,Â chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper

“Philly Cheesesteak”:

1 (2 pound) sirloin steak

1 red bell pepper, halvedÂ

1 red onion, cut into slices

4 sub buns

1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Combine the mustard, balsamic,Â garlic and olive oil while stirring. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Put the steak in a resealable plastic bag. Pour in 3/4 of the marinade and seal the bag. (Reserve the remaining marinade for the bread.) Let the steak marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Put the peppers and onions on the grill. Once the peppers and onions are charred, move them to the top rack to keep them warm.

Remove the steak from the marinadeÂ and put on the grill. After 5 minutes turn the steak over to sear the other side, about 12 minutes total cooking time for medium-rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Toast the buns on the grill, brushingÂ the remaining marinade on both sides of the buns. Arrange the steak on the bottom halves of the buns and cover with the peppers and onions. Top with the cheese and cover with the other half of the bread. Serve with potato chips or french fries.

This Week for Dinner: August 7-13

It’ll be a cake-filled week for the Turners, with two birthdays and a wedding this week. Wishing a very happy birthday week to my mom and dad, two of the people who have most inspired me in life and in cooking!

Looking forward to a busy but fun week ahead. On Tuesday, mom and I are going to Columbus on yet another Whole Foods adventure, Wednesday I’m hosting a dual birthday dinner, Thursday night I have photo class, and we are attending a wedding Saturday-and I have lots of fun meals and a few side projects on the menu as well!

This week’s menu is based on what is ripening in the garden (tomatoes and peppers) and a few things I need to use up from the fridge (bacon, marinara, cherry tomatoes).

I’ve also promised Cory we’ll make blueberry ice cream this week. I’m still debating on what kind of cake or dessert to make for Mom and Dad this week-I’ll keep you posted. I’d like to make a batch of Shredded Chicken for sandwiches for lunch, and to top off the week-I’ll be making my first few batches of salsa.

So here’s the plan for this week:

Sunday-Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Skewers with Onions, Pineapple, Cherry Tomatoes and Marinated Cucumbers

Getting out the grill tonight for one of our favorite meals.

Monday-Cinnamon Roll Waffles and Bacon-Breakfast for Dinner!

Another Pinterest find, and a sure hit with Cory.

http://www.recipegirl.com/2011/04/14/cinnamon-roll-waffles/

Tuesday-Mystery Dinner from Columbus :)

It’ll either be Lobster Bisque from Bon Vie or a special salad from the Whole Foods hot bar. Food Network magazine has a great article this month about the cost of specific items on a grocery store salad bar, and how they compare with purchasing the individual items in the aisles. Check it out!

http://www.foodnetmag.com/

http://www.bon-vie.com/index.html

Wednesday-Birthday Dinner!

Crab Crusted Filet Mignon with Asparagus and Red Potatoes

Five star recipe from Emeril…I’ve made this before for special events and it was amazing!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/filets-with-crabmeat-crust-recipe/index.html

Thursday-Whole Foods Smoked Mozzarella and Roasted Red Pepper Ravioli with Carfagna’s Marinara

Whole Foods makes their own amazing ravioli, and I’m looking forward to making these with my favorite jarred marinara from Carfagna’s.

Friday-Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Roasted Tomato Soup from the garden

http://www.closetcooking.com/2011/04/jalapeno-popper-grilled-cheese-sandwich.html

Saturday-Deborah and Tony’s Wedding

Best Wishes for a wonderful life together!

Stay tuned for a recap of this week’s adventures, as well as new recipes and garden news later this week!

Saturday, August 6, 2011

A busy week in the kitchen...

Stay tuned for a bunch of new posts! It’s been a busy week in the plumdelicious kitchen. I’ll be posting tips on canning green beans, making bread crumbs, basil pesto and a cool way to freeze green onions. I’ll also be recapping the past week’s dinner adventures, including the mini lasagnas which were a huge hit.

This week’s menu is also in the works, and I’m super excited as all of my new food magazines have arrived in the mail. Looking forward to a great week ahead!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Recipe File: Salmon and Veggie Grill Packets

I love the idea of all-in-one meals…and this simple foil packet filled with fish and veggies is a great way to maximize flavor and minimize cleanup.

You can easily customize these packets with any seasoning or any vegetable you desire. Simple, creative and fun, this was a great meal to make on a hot weeknight-no stove required.

Ingredients:

4-6oz salmon filets

1 lemon, sliced thinly

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp butter

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 yellow squash, sliced into strips

1 zucchini, sliced into strips

1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips

1 small white onion, sliced into strips

basil, capers or sun-dried tomatoes (optional)

Directions:

Heat grill for direct heat. Spray four 12x12-inch sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil with cooking spray.

Place salmon filet on center of each foil piece. Arrange lemon slices over salmon. Place 1/2 tbsp butter in each packet beside salmon. Arrange a few slices each of squash, zucchini, bell pepper and onion on top of butter, beside salmon. Sprinkle salmon and veggies with salt, pepper and minced garlic as desired. Fold foil over salmon and vegetables so edges meet. Seal edges, making tight 1/2-inch fold; fold again.

Cover and grill packets 10 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with fork. Place packets on plates. Cut large X across top of each packet; fold back foil.

Ingredient of the Day: Cucumbers four ways

This summer has gotten away from me. I’ve relished every hot day and cooler evening, time spent with family and friends, and especially our garden. Almost overnight, I realized our cucumbers were ripe, and although I’m thrilled-I kind of panicked. What am I going to do with all of these cucumbers?

I’m working them into this week’s menu, despite the fact that I just had a root canal and can’t really chew on one side of my mouth-which makes enjoying them a bit difficult. Fingers crossed, I’m hoping that I’m soon able to enjoy them in season and straight from our garden!

This weekend, I’m making marinated cucumbers when my stepdaughter is home from college-they’re her favorite. Simple and delicious, this recipe is the main reason I planted cucumbers and is a great complement to any grilled meat.

http://plumdelicious.tumblr.com/post/3075529252/marinated-cucumbers

And of course, there will be Mexican shrimp cocktail-eaten with tortilla chips and a dash of Tapatio…

http://plumdelicious.tumblr.com/post/3075524482/mexican-shrimp-cocktail

I’m also going to try a few new recipes, including these amazing-looking spicy crab stuffed cucumbers that I found on pinterest: