Scallopini
Ingredients
Two 6 oz boneless, skinless cutlets (turkey, chicken, veal, pork or fish), pounded until thin
Kosher salt
Ground pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, preferably Wondra
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons white wine, or dry vermouth
1 lemon, juiced (4 tablespoons),
1 tablespoon capers
Directions
Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Lightly coat in flour. Shake off excess.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter, swirl them around the pan, and add the cutlets. Turn the heat to medium and saute for 2 minutes per side. Add the wine, lemon juice and capers, swirl them around in the pan and turn off the heat. Serve immediately with a small sprinkling of salt and pepper.
CreamyRoasted Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
5-6 large plum tomatoes quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large garlic clove sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Half of a small onion, minced
1 medium or two small zucchini cut into sticks about the size of the pasta
3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups short pasta
½ cup parmesan cheese, grated plus extra for serving
Directions
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a medium baking dish lined with foil, toss together the quartered tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Roast for 40 minutes. Turn the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and roast the tomatoes for 2o minutes more. cool to room temperature. Remove the tomato skins and discard them.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and zucchini sticks. Cook, stirring frequently until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices. Add the thyme and the cream, stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer over low heat.
Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot and toss with the sauce. Add in ½ cup of parmesan cheese. Add pasta water if necessary to loosen up the sauce. Season to taste with black pepper. Serve with extra parmesan cheese.
Homemade Olive Bread
Ingredients
2 teaspoons instant yeast
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 ¾ cups warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup chopped green olives
1/2 cup chopped black olives
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Directions
Place all the bread ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer. With the paddle attachment, mix until the ingredients come together around the paddle. Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough for 10 minutes.
Place the dough in a clean bowl greased with olive oil. Cover with a clean cloth and let it rise for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Punch the dough down and place on a parchment-lined baking pan. Shape the dough into an oval. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise 30 minutes. Make three slashes in the top of the bread with a sharp knife. Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake the bread for 40 minutes.
Cool un a wire rack. Serve the bread with olive oil for dipping.
Make a large piece of meat (beef roast, chicken, or pork roast) one day a week and you will have lots of easy meals during the week. Last week I made a baked ham (recipe) that had been in my freezer for a few months. Having these leftovers made for some easy meals.
Ham Omelet For Breakfast
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
8 large eggs
4 small red potatoes, cooked and diced
1 cup diced Italian light green frying peppers
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup diced cooked baked ham
3 slices American cheese, broken into pieces
Directions
Position rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat the broiler.
Whisk eggs in a medium bowl. Heat oil and butter in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, peppers, and potatoes; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ham; cook, stirring, until the ham is hot.
Pour the eggs over the vegetable ham mixture and cook, lifting the edges of the omelet so uncooked egg can flow underneath until the bottom is light golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top, transfer the pan to the oven and broil until the eggs are set, 6 to 8 minutes. Let rest for about 3 minutes before cutting. Serve hot or warm.
Ham And Potato Soup For Lunch
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 large onion diced
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
3 cups peeled and diced potatoes
4 cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 cups cooked ham, diced (add more if desired)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups ham broth, see recipe below
3 cups of milk
1 teaspoon of salt (adjust to your taste)
Fresh cracked black pepper
Directions
For the ham broth
Simmer the ham bone in a stockpot filled with enough water to cover the bone halfway.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover with a lid, and let simmer until the meat clinging to the bone begins to shred. (about 1 hour).
Discard the hambone.
For the soup
Heat the butter in the stockpot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until beginning to soften (about 4 minutes).
Add the potatoes, cook for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
Mix the flour through the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes.
Stir in the ham stock, mixing all ingredients together, and making sure the flour is completely dissolved. Cover the pan and cook until the potatoes are ‘just’ fork-tender, about 10-12 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low, add the milk and stir over the heat until thickened (about 5 minutes). Using a hand blender, process the soup until partially pureed. Leave a few chunks here and there. Stir in the chopped ham and heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve hot.
Air-Fryer Chicken Tenders For Dinner
Ingredients
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water
Salt
1 cup Italian seasoned panko crumbs
¼ cup of vegetable oil
Cooking spray
6 chicken tenders
Directions
Pound the tenders between plastic wrap to ¼ inch thick
Mix the oil into the panko crumbs until combined.
Dip each tender in the egg and then the panko. Place on a plate. Sprinkle the tenders lightly with salt. (Can be refrigerated at this point until ready to cook.)
Set the air-fryer temperature to 350 degrees F and preheat the oven (takes about 10 minutes).
Remove the air-fryer basket and coat with cooking spray. Place the tenders in the basket – don’t do more than 6 at one time. Repeat the process if you have more.
Bake 6 minutes. Turn the tenders over and bake 6 more minutes. Remove to a serving platter.
Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes
Ingredients
4 medium tomatoes
4 teaspoons panko crumbs
10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons cream cheese
2 tablespoons heavy cream
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese
Directions
Heat oil in a small saucepan and add garlic; cook 1 minute
Add spinach and heat.
Make a well in the center of the spinach and add the cream.
Heat and stir until cheese is dissolved throughout the spinach. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut a thin slice off the top of the tomatoes and scoop out the pulp and seeds. Salt the inside of the tomatoes and turn upside down on a plate lined with a paper towel to extract juices, about 15 minutes.
Stuff the tomatoes with the spinach filling, Sprinkle with the top of each tomato with Parmesan cheese and panko crumbs. Place the tomatoes in a greased baking dish just large enough to hold the four tomatoes. Bake until the filling is hot and the tops are light brown, about 20 minutes.
Here is an easy dinner for when you want something simple.
Grilled Ribeye With Grilled Onion
2 servings
Ingredients
2 petite ribeye steaks, 6-7 oz each, ½-inch thick
2 thick slices sweet onion, cut from the center of a large onion
Olive oil Cooking spray
Steak seasoning
Salt
Directions
Sprinkle the steaks with steak seasoning and salt. Coat the onion slices with cooking spray;
Preheat an outdoor grill or a stovetop grill pan. Oil the grill grates or the grill pan.
For outdoor cooking
Turn one of the burners off for indirect heat on the outdoor grill.
Place the onion slices on the indirect heat and turn them over when you turn the steaks.
Grill steaks until cooked to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare.
For indoor cooking
Grill the steaks as directed above and place them on a serving platter. Add the onion slices to the pan can cook over low for 2-3 minutes just until they show a few grill marks.
Place the onion slices on top of the steaks and serve.
Wedge Salad
Ingredients
Salad
2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
Ranch Dressing or Buttermilk Dressing, see below
Crumbled blue cheese to taste
1 small tomato, diced
¼ cup diced red onion
Dressing
Whisk together in a small bowl:
1/2 small shallot, finely chopped
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk,
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar Salt and pepper to taste
Stin in 1/2 cup crumbled mild blue cheese
Directions
Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar with a screw top and shake well.
Cut 1 small head of iceberg lettuce into 4 wedges; place a wedge on two individual salad plates and spoon some of the dressing over the wedges.
Top each with bacon, diced red onion, diced tomato, and more crumbled blue cheese.
Tomatoes are at their peak now in my area and they are plentiful. Here are some ideas on what you can cook with them.
Greek Tomato And Eggplant Tart
Pastry
1 1/2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons of ice-cold water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal or semolina flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, cold and cut into small pieces
Filling
1 small (about 1 lb) eggplant, thinly sliced
4 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
4 to 5 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stem
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
6 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
1/4 cup feta cheese crumbled
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for drizzling
For the pastry
Mix the yogurt and ice water together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Mix together the flours, cornmeal, and salt in a large bowl. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until you have small pieces. Add the water/yogurt mix one tablespoon at a time to the flour mixture, mixing gently. Gather the wet dough pieces together and shape into a ball. Do not overwork the dough, it will be soft. Wrap in plastic and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours (can be frozen for one month).
Place tomatoes in a single layer on paper towels; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Let stand for 15 minutes.
Brush eggplant slices with oil and broil on high for 5 minutes on each side until tender. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Place a piece of parchment on a smooth surface and lightly flour. Top with another piece of parchment or plastic wrap. Roll the dough out to 11 inches in diameter, Transfer to an ungreased 9-inch pie plate.
Layer in the following order: eggplant slices, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, herbs, feta cheese, and drizzle with olive oil. Crimp the edges of the pastry.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the layers are bubbly and hot. Cool for at least ten minutes or until room temperature before serving.
Fresh Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
4-5 pounds of fresh Roma tomatoes, quartered and seeded retaining as much pulp as possible
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large sweet onion, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
2 large cloves of fresh garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (chili)
1-2 teaspoons honey, if needed
Herbs
Place the following herbs in a piece of cheesecloth and tie the cheesecloth closed.
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 sprig of fresh oregano
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of parsley
Directions
Pour the olive oil into a large stockpot over medium heat.
Add the onions, celery, garlic, and carrots.
Saute for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Add the tomatoes and sea salt.
Simmer on low heat, covered, for about an hour until the tomatoes cook down.
Remove the pot from the heat and using an immersion blender, process the mixture until smooth.
Return the pot to the heat and add the herb cheesecloth package.
Taste the sauce to see if the tomatoes were too bitter. Add the honey, if needed.
Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until reduced and thick, an hour to an hour and a half more. Remove the cheesecloth package and discard it.
Pour the sauce into a refrigerator container and store the sauce up to 1 week, or freeze in batches.
Tomatoes with Herbed Ricotta
Use beautiful heirloom tomatoes that are in season now along with lots of fresh herbs.
For two servings:
Ingredients
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1 scallion, white and green parts, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced\
1 large heirloom tomato, about 1 lb
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
Fleur de sel
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, scallions, dill, chives, parsley, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Set aside for up to 30 minutes.
Slice the tomato into ¼ inch thick slices. You should get 4 slices. Place on paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let drain for 30 minutes. When ready to serve, place the tomato slices on a serving plate. Drizzle with olive oil. Spread ¼ of the ricotta mixture over each tomato slice. Sprinkle with reserved basil and fleur de sel, and serve at room temperature.
Summer Fresh Tomato Salad
2-3 servings
Ingredients
½ cup diced red onion
1 1/2 pounds ripe red tomatoes, cut into wedges
Shredded fresh basil leaves
½ teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
For the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together the mustard, vinegar, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Gradually whisk in the olive oil.
Place the onion, tomatoes, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt in a salad serving bowl. Toss with the salad dressing. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours, stirring occasionally.
Italian Chicken Cutlets And Mediterranean Salad
Ingredients
Chicken
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups plain panko bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus additional for a garnish
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
6 boneless and skinless chicken cutlets
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
Salad Dressing
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salad
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large tomato, diced
8 ounces diced fresh mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup kalamata olives, halved
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
15 fresh basil leaves, sliced
Directions
For the salad dressing: In a jar with a lid, combine the oil, Champagne vinegar, shallots, mustard, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Tightly close the lid and shake so the dressing is well combined. Set aside.
For the cutlets: Using 3 wide shallow bowls, add the flour to 1, the eggs to another, and to the third bowl combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil, and thyme.
On a work surface, put the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, lightly pound the chicken until 1/2-inch thick. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly, then dip into the beaten eggs, allowing the excess egg to drip off. Coat the chicken with the bread crumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
In a large, nonstick saute pan, heat half the oil over medium heat. Add 3 pieces of the breaded chicken into the oil and cook until light golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining chicken and oil. Sprinkle the cutlets with additional grated parmesan cheese.
For the salad: Put the romaine in a large salad bowl. Add enough dressing so that each leaf is lightly coated when tossed. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper. Scatter the tomatoes, olives, and mozzarella over the salad along with the pine nuts, and finally with the basil leaves. Serve the salad on the side of the cutlets.
This is a great time of year to make this sauce since all the vegetables included in the recipe are in season.
Ingredients
Eggplant
1 ½-2 lbs small eggplant
4 garlic cloves
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Peppers and Onions
1 ½ lbs Italian frying peppers
1 large sweet onion
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Tomatoes
2 ½ lbs large vine ripe tomatoes
1 ½ lbs ripe cherry tomatoes
4 garlic cloves
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
For the roasted eggplant
Peel the eggplant and then into ½-inch cubes. Pour the olive oil into a 13×9-inch baking pan. Smash the garlic cloves and place them in the pan. Add the eggplant and season generously with salt and pepper. Stir the ingredients until the eggplant is coated in oil. Bake 30 minutes stirring the eggplant several through the roasting time to prevent the eggplant from sticking to the pan. Scrape the eggplant into a Dutch Oven with a spatula and set the pot aside, Do not clean out the baking dish.
For the peppers and onions
Remove the seeds from the cut peppers and cut them into ½-inch dice. Peel the onion and cut into ½-inch dice.
In the same baking dish used for the eggplant, pour in the oil, add the smashed garlic, peppers, and onions. Add salt and pepper and stir the ingredients. Bake for 30 minutes stirring the ingredients several through the roasting time. Pour the peppers and onions into the Dutch Oven with the eggplant and reserve the baking dish.
For the tomatoes
Cut the large tomatoes in half. Pour the olive oil into the baking dish. Add the smashed garlic, large tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes. Generously salt and pepper the tomatoes. Bake for 30 minutes stirring the ingredients several through the roasting time.
Mash the tomatoes with a potato masher and add the ingredients to the Dutch Oven.
To make the sauce
Add 1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning and a sprig of fresh basil to the pot. Bring the sauce to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, partially cover the pot and cook until the sauce is reduced by half.
To use the sauce with pasta
Add 12 ounces of short pasta, such as Casarecce, Campanelle or Farfalle cooked al dente and 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan with the sauce and bring to a simmer, tossing until the butter melts and the pasta finishes cooking about 1 minute. Serve pasta with Parmesan cheese and hot pepper flakes
You can also serve the sauce over cooked spaghetti or as a sauce for lasagna.
To use the sauce for pizza
Cover the dough with sliced Fontina cheese and add about 2 cups of the Roasted Garden Vegetable sauce. Bake in a 450-degree F oven for 20 minutes.
Sea Bass
Ingredients
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 lb sea bass fillets, ½-inch thick, cut into smaller portions
Caper Sauce
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons avocado oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 scallion, minced
1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
1 seeded jalapeno pepper, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Season the fish with salt and pepper and brush the fillets with some of the sauce.
Heat a medium skillet and sear the fish on both sides about 2 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat to low and pour the sauce over the fish and simmer for 5-6 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Serve immediately.
Creamy Corn Stuffed Tomatoes
Ingredients
4 firm, medium-sized tomatoes
Filling
2 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 4 ears)
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons minced scallion
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cut off tops of tomatoes; remove seeds and pulp with a spoon. Leave a 1/2-inch wall of flesh around the inside of the tomato. Invert tomatoes on a paper towel to drain while preparing the filling.
Combine the corn with the rest of the filling ingredients in a medium bowl. Season the inside of the tomatoes with salt and black pepper and fill with a generous amount of corn filling (amount will vary depending on the size of the tomatoes). Arrange stuffed tomatoes in a baking dish.
Bake tomatoes until the filling is hot and the cheese has melted 15–20 minutes.
Sweet Potato Patties
The potato cakes can bake in the oven along with the tomatoes in this dinner menu.
Ingredients
Olive oil cooking spray
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup minced scallions
1/4 cup blanched finely ground almond flour (1 oz)
Cooked and mashed sweet potato (2 sweet potatoes)
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray it with oil.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, sea salt, black pepper, honey, scallions, and thyme. Mix in the almond flour. Add the mashed sweet potato to the egg mixture. Mix well.
Using a ¼ cup scoop or measuring cup, form six mounds of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Flatten with a spatula. Spray with oil.
Bake the sweet potato cakes for 15 minutes. Turn them over, spray with more oil and bake until browned and set, 10 more minutes. Serve immediately.
Heirloom Rosa Bianca eggplants are one of the most eye-catching varieties of eggplant. They’re plump and round, and their violet and white exteriors have an attractive appearance. This mild variety is completely void of bitterness and tastes best when sliced and roasted or grilled. S
Rosa Biancas are a Sicilian variety, so incorporating them into a classic Sicilian or Italian dish is typical. Their mild flavor is a perfect complement for tomatoes and cheese and they are excellent choices for Caponata and for grilling.
Eggplant Stacks
I made 6 stacks
For the eggplant
4 large eggs, beaten
11/2 cups Italian flour (00) or all-purpose flour
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 round eggplants, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch slices
Vegetable oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the stacks
Ricotta cheese
6 Tomato slices
6 Fresh mozzarella slices
Directions
Choose 12 large round slices of eggplant after you slice them and save the remaining slices for another dish. Season with salt and pepper.
Prepare two shallow dishes, in one beat the eggs with one tablespoon of water and the grated Parmesan cheese, and place the flour in the second dish.
Coat eggplant slices first with flour, then with egg and then in flour a second time.
Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet over medium heat. Shallow fry eggplant slices 2 minutes or until lightly brown, turn over, and continue cooking until the second side is brown and soft.
Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off excess oil; keep warm until all eggplant slices are cooked, adding more oil as needed.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the stacks:
Cover a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray. Place a large slice of eggplant on the foil and spoon 2 tablespoons of ricotta cheese on top.
Cover with a slice of eggplant. Top with a tomato slice and a slice of mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, tomato, and mozzarella slices.
Bake stacks until the cheese melts and the stacks are hot about 15 minutes.
Parmesan Coated Flounder
Ingredients
2 flounder fillets (1 pound total)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat an outdoor grill or preheat the broiler.
Coat a sheet of heavy-duty foil with nonstick olive oil spray.
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon juice. Spread the mixture over both sides of the fillets. Sprinkle each side with shredded Parmesan. Lightly press the cheese into the fish.
Place the foil on the grill or on the broiler pan. Grill the flounder with the cover closed or broil about 8 inches from the heat for about 6 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove the fish with a long spatula to individual serving plates.
Grilled Eggplant Stacks
Ingredients
1 small round purple eggplant, peeled
Basil pesto
4 tomato slices
4 fresh mozzarella slices
Salt and Pepper
Directions
Preheat an outdoor grill or the broiler.
Lightly brush the eggplant slices and the tomato slices with basil pesto.
Grill or broil until brown and tender, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the eggplant to a platter. Grill or broil the tomato slices until hot, about 1 minute per side.
Place a tomato slice followed by a mozzarella slice on top of each eggplant slice. Return the stacks to the grill or the broiler and cook until the cheese begins to melt. Transfer the stacks to a serving platter.
Grilled Summer Squash
Ingredients
8 small yellow summer squash
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat an outdoor grill or the broiler.
Slice squash in half lengthwise. Sprinkle the squash with salt and pepper. Combine the oil and lemon juice and brush on the cut sides of the squash.
Grill or broil squash on medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes until tender. Remove the squash to a serving plate and sprinkle with the chives.
Roasted Beef Tenderloin
Ingredients
1 1/2-pound beef tenderloin roast, all visible fat and silverskin removed
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 finely chopped shallot
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Tie the meat in three or four places with kitchen twine. Put the roast in a medium-sized heavy nonstick roasting pan and coat the roast with the olive oil. Rub the garlic all over the meat and sprinkle on the herbs and pepper. Scatter the shallots on top of the meat.
Cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes per pound for medium-rare, or to your desired doneness. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with the salt. Cover with aluminum foil and let stand for 15 minutes. Slice the roast and place it on a serving platter. Drizzle the pan juices over the meat and serve.
Roasted Stuffed Zucchini
Ingredients
4 small to midsize zucchini
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs (or substitute unseasoned breadcrumbs)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
8 cherry tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Split the zucchini in half lengthwise. With a serrated spoon scrape out the seeds, digging a trough in the center of the zucchini. Sprinkle the zucchini shells with salt and turn them over on a paper towel to drain for 30 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.
For the filling: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet. Sauté the onions until tender. Add the garlic. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add tomato, breadcrumbs, herbs, and cheese. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
Place the filling down the center of each zucchini half. Place the zucchini in a greased baking dish and roast in the oven until the zucchini shells are tender and the topping is lightly brown (about 25 -30 minutes). Serve as a side dish in this meal.
Basil Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
Pesto
4 packed cups washed basil leaves
½ cup shelled pistachio nuts, pignoli or walnuts
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Pasta
! cup grated parmesan cheese
One lb bucatini or other long pasta, cooked al dente
2 tablespoons room temperature butter, cut into small pieces
Directions
Place the nuts, garlic, salt, and pepper in a processor bowl. Process until the nuts and garlic are chopped.
Add the basil leaves and process for a minute or two. In the opening spout at the top, pour the olive oil as you process. Keep processing until the mixture is smooth.
Place the sauce in a large pasta serving bowl. Add the hot drained pasta, parmesan cheese, and butter. Gently toss until the pasta is coated in sauce. Serve as a side dish in this meal.
