It’s harvest time and the last of summer’s fresh fruit and vegetables are coming to market. Salad ingredients, beets, cucumbers and peppers are all still available. And there should still be plenty of zucchini, green beans, spinach and corn to play a supporting role on your dinner plate.

The first autumn/winter vegetables are putting in an appearance now in the shape of Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, cabbage, pumpkins and mushrooms,

Apples and pears are plentiful, too. It’s also time to enjoy the last of the berries, plums and tomatoes. Comfort food is back.

Spinach Bacon Quiche

Ingredients

• One 9 inch refrigerated pie crust, at room temperature
• 4 slices bacon
• Half a sweet onion, diced
• 2 cups leftover cooked spinach or frozen and defrosted
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup half & half
• 2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese, divided

Directions

Fit the pastry into a 9 inch pie plate and crimp the edges. Place in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook the bacon until crisp in a medium skillet. Remove and place on a paper towel to drain. Crumble when cool.

Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan and saute the chopped onion in the remaining bacon fat. Add the spinach, thyme, salt and pepper. Remove the skillet from the heat and let cool.

In a measuring cup, combine the eggs and half & half.

Take the pie shell out of the refrigerator and place the pan on a baking sheet.

Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese evenly on the bottom of the pie crust. Then sprinkle with the crumbled bacon. Spread the spinach onion mixture over the bacon.

Slowly pour the egg mixture over the spinach. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Place the baking sheet in the middle of the oven. Bake the quiche for about 40-45 minutes until the top is golden and puffy and the quiche does not “wobble” in the center when gently moved

Let the quiche rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Fall Beet Salad

2 servings

Ingredients

• Olive oil for coating the beets
  
• 3 golden beets
  
• 1 Valencia orange, peel removed and sliced into thin rounds
  
• 1/4 fennel bulb, sliced thin
  
• 2 tablespoons shallots, coarsely chopped
  

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
  
• 1 tablespoon honey
  
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  
• Zest of half an orange
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Make the dressing: Whisk the orange zest, raspberry vinegar, honey, and salt and pepper together in a small  mixing bowl. Set aside.

For the beets:

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Place the beets on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Let cool. Peel and cut into thin rounds.

Arrange the beets, orange slices and sliced fennel on a serving dish and sprinkle with the chopped shallots. Drizzle with half of the dressing of the dressing and reserve the remaining dressing to serve with the salad,

Cover the salad with plastic wrap and chill until serving time.

Chicken with Corn Salsa

2 servings

Corn Salsa (see recipe link here)

For the rub:

• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (see recipe link here)
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• Combine to make a paste
• Rub the paste over both sides of 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
• Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

For grilling on a gas grill:

Prepare a gas grill for indirect heat: Turn all burners to high and close the lid. When the temperature inside the grill reaches 400°F, lift lid and turn off one of the burners.

The area over the turned-off burner is the indirect heat area.

Brush the grill with vegetable oil. Place chicken skin side down over the indirect-heat area; close the lid and cook 15 minutes. Turn chicken over, close the lid and cook another 10 minutes.

Move chicken over direct heat and cook, turning once, until skin is well browned and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.

Watch carefully; dripping fat or any added oils catch fire easily (a small spray bottle filled with water is handy for taming flames).

Place the cooked chicken on individual plates and place corn salsa on the side.

Zucchini Vegetable Kebabs

The kebabs go well with any grilled meat or fish.

For the Marinade

• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  
• 1 tablespoon honey
  
• 1 garlic clove, minced
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  
• 1/4 teaspoons pepper
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a small measuring cup.

For the Kebabs

• 2 skewers
• Vegetables cut into one inch pieces:
  
• 1 cup zucchini
• 1 cup red bell peppers
• 1 cup red onion

Directions

Combine the marinade and vegetables in a large bowl. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Remove vegetables from the marinade and thread on skewers, alternating the vegetables. Place the skewers on the grill and cook 7 to 10 minutes on each side or until tender.

Mac & Cheese

This makes a wonderful side dish for grilled meat or fish.

Ingredients

• 1 lb dried short pasta (mezze penne, elbows)
• 4 cups whole milk
• ¼ cup butter, diced
• ½ cup instant flour (Wondra)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried yellow mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 8 oz 2% milk Velveeta processed cheese, cut into cubes
• 8 oz mild cheddar, shredded
• ½ cup dried plain breadcrumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In the same pot mix the cold milk with the instant flour; add the butter and place the pan on medium heat.

Stirring often, bring the sauce to boiling, reduce heat and cook until thickened, whisking often. Add the salt, mustard and cayenne. Add the velveeta cheese and heat until melted.

Add the cooked pasta and mix well. Pour into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.

Mix the breadcrumbs and shredded cheddar together and sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

(The casserole can be made ahead to this stage and refrigerated until baking time. Add 15 minutes to the baking time if the casserole is refrigerated.)

Bake for about 25-30 minutes until heated through.

 

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in Bacon, beets, Cheese, Chicken, corn, fennel, Grilling, macaroni & cheese, orange, Pasta, peppers, Salad, Salad Dressing, spinach, Vegetables Tags: recipes to make in September