Tag Archives: recipes for July dinners

July 25, 2016

 

 

 

July has an abundance of vegetables and fruits available, so I try to incorporate as many as I can into my weekly menu. I made a few dinners last week that utilize these seasonal fruits and vegetables and I hope you like them as much as we did.

Veggie Packed Frittata

Serve with a mixed green salad and some hot biscuits.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 lb parboiled potatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced
  
• 3 links pre-cooked Italian chicken sausage, sliced thin
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
  
• Half of a small onion, thinly sliced
  
• 6 mushrooms, sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil
  
• 6 asparagus, cut into 2 inch lengths
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese

Directions

Heat an oven broiler.

Heat oil in an ovenproof 12″ nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the sliced sausage, garlic, bell pepper, mushrooms and onion until the vegetables are soft, 3–4 minutes. Add asparagus; cook until wilted, about 1 minute.

Stir in the sliced potatoes and salt and pepper. Stir in half the basil and the eggs and reduce heat to medium; cook until golden on the bottom, 8–10 minutes.

Sprinkle the cheese on top and place the skillet under the broiler. Broil until set and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. Garnish with remaining basil before serving.

Summer Melon Salad with Grilled BBQ Shrimp

Last week my CSA had melons aplenty. I received two Crenshaw and one yellow watermelon. So I came up with a few recipes to make. The melon salad is in this post and next week, I will share the melon soup recipe I made. When you make the salad try to use two different types of melon for contrast. I also like the balance of the tangy grilled shrimp with the sweetness of the fruit salad. I also served this salad dinner with some homemade cornbread. See the recipe for Cheddar Cornbread here.

For the salad

• 4 cups Crenshaw melon, peeled and seeds removed
• 4 cups yellow watermelon, peeled and seeds removed.
• 2 cups red grapes, halved
• 1 cup toasted pecans, toasted

For the shrimp

• 12 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1/4 cup Peach BBQ sauce, see recipe here
• Lemon quarters for garnish

Basil Honey Dressing

• 3 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Combine the salad dressing ingredients in a blender. Set aside in a serving bowl.

For the melon salad

In a mixing bowl combine the two types of melon with the grapes. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Just before serving, mix the melon and grape mixture with the toasted pecans and a little of the basil dressing. Serve additional dressing with the salad.

For the grilled shrimp

Prepare an outdoor grill for medium hot heat or heat an indoor stove-top grill.

Thread the shrimp onto skewers and brush them lightly with BBQ sauce. Place the shrimp skewers on the grill directly over the heat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Turn the skewers and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Take care not to overcook. Remove them to a plate and serve with lemon quarters, the melon salad and cornbread.

Stuffed Zucchini with Fresh Basil Pesto Spaghetti

Basil is so plentiful this time of year, so I try to think of different ways to use it in my summertime cooking. Of course, freezing basil pesto for the winter months is also another option. It is also a great addition to salad dressing and omelets, as in the recipes above.

2 servings

For the eggplant

• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for baking
• 2 medium zucchini
• 1 link pre-cooked Italian chicken sausage, finely chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped plum tomatoes
• 2 tablespoon dried Italian bread crumbs
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese

For the spaghetti

• 8 oz spaghetti
• 1/2 cup prepared basil pesto, see recipe here
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cut a thin slice off the top of each zucchini. With a small spoon (I like to use a grapefruit spoon) remove most of the flesh from the zucchini without cutting into the outside. Chop the cut slice and the flesh.

Heat the 1/2 tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet and add the chopped zucchini, chopped sausage and the garlic. Saute until the zucchini is completely cooked and has lost its moisture.

Add the onion, bell pepper and tomatoes, cook until soft. Add enough breadcrumbs to hold the mixture together, about 2 tablespoons.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the cheese and fill the hollowed out zucchini shells with the mixture.

Place the stuffed zucchini in a small baking dish. (The zucchini can be prepared in advance up to this point and refrigerated until baking time.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle the zucchini with olive oil.  Pour about 1 inch of water into the bottom of the baking dish.

Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until the filling is golden brown and the zucchini shells are tender.

For the spaghetti

While the zucchini are baking, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the spaghetti.

Return the drained pasta to the cooking pot and add the pesto with a little of the cooking water to thin the sauce a bit.

Add the Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Mix well and serve alongside the stuffed zucchini.

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in Bread, Cheese, cornbread, eggs, Fruit, grapes, Healthy Italian Cooking, melon, mushrooms, onion, Pasta, peppers, potatoes, Salad, Sausage, shrimp, Spaghetti, Vegetables, zucchini Tags: recipes for July dinners