Savory Zucchini Bread & 2 Tomato "Use-Ups"

Last year when I was (as usual) trying to use up bushels of zucchini, I figured I'd try out a savory version.  L was thrilled because it has some of his favorite ingredients and he's not a fan of the typical sweet version.  This bread is chock-full of Mediterranean gems and goes great with tomatoes, another bumper crop of the summer.  I recommend it aside bowl of homemade tomato soup, topped with slow-roasted tomatoes and mozzarella, or slathered with tomato jam.

One thing I would change about this recipe is to scale it up 1 1/2 times because it results in sort of a short stubby loaf.  Next time I make it I will see how that goes and update this recipe with new amounts if it works out well.

Savory Zucchini Bread

2 eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini (I do this in my food processor)
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, chopped (Substituting 10 cloves of roasted garlic would be delicious)
2 roasted red peppers, chopped
1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup parmiggiano reggiano, diced into tiny bits (This way you get little salty bites now and then)


1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Grease a 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan.

Beat together the eggs, oil and vinegar.  Add the zucchini, garlic, peppers, olives, tomatoes and cheese and stir to coat.  Sift flour, seasonings and leavenings into the bowl and stir until all ingredients are well combined.  Pour into the loaf pan and bake for 55-65 minutes.

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Then run a knife around the edge and invert to remove from the pan. Finish cooling on a wire rack before cutting.

Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

The trick to these tomatoes is roasting them as slowly as possible.  I put them in the oven in the afternoon and take them out the next morning when I wake up.  It's one of those recipes I feel guilty posting because it's barely a recipe.

10-12 Roma tomatoes or other low-moisture tomatoes, washed and split in half
olive oil
salt, pepper and any other desired seasonings

Toss tomatoes with olive oil to coat.  Arrange on a baking sheet, cut sides up.  Season as desired.

Set your oven as low as it will go (mine bottoms out at 170 F).  Stick your tomatoes in there and write yourself a little tomato love note so you don't forget about them.  Roasting time will depend on your oven but will be at least 12 hours.  I usually leave mine in for about 18 hours.  You know they're done when they've shriveled to about half their original size but are still moist inside.  These freeze very well and make an excellent pasta sauce when roughly chopped.

Cherry Tomato Jam

I've seen lots of recipes for this floating around cyberspace and finally had to try it myself.  It is the perfect mix of sweet and savory and goes particularly well with salty breads such as the zucchini bread above or any other cheese flavored bread.  It's also great as a topping for risotto cakes. It's not necessary to skin the tomatoes but it results in a better texture.  This recipe makes about 3 pint size jars.

2.5 lbs of cherry, pear or grape tomatoes (about 3 pints)

1 1/4 cups sugar (brown or white - both work well)
5 tsp balsamic vinegar
3 3/4 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp italian seasoning
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes

Bring a quart of water to a boil and prepare a large bowl of ice water.  Slash the ends of each tomato quickly with a paring knife.  Plunge the tomatoes, a pint at a time, into the boiling water for about 30 seconds (you should see the skins start to curl up at your incision), then use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the ice bath.  Repeat for other pints.  At this point the skins should slide right off.  Discard the skins and transfer the "meat" to a large saucepan.  Add sugar, vinegar, lemon juice and seasonings and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until thick and jammy.

Transfer to pint jars.  This will keep for about 3 weeks in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer (use plastic containers if you plan to freeze it).  It can also be canned in a boiling water canner.  For this method, make sure your canning jars are sterilized and place your lids in a pan of water just below a simmer to soften the adhesive.  Leave 1/2 inch of headspace before placing the lid and making the ring fingertip tight.  Boil enough water to cover the jars by at least one inch, use canning tongs to place jars in the rack and process for 15 minutes (longer at higher altitudes).  If you haven't canned before please don't rely on this explanation alone - visit the national food safety database or the Ball preserving website first and fully educate yourself on how to can safely.

Looking Forward to Leftovers...Part I

With all of the work that goes into making every Thanksgiving perfect, you deserve to be reaping the benefits for the following week. Yet all too often, leftovers just turn into turkey sandwiches and other monotonous duplicate meals, and after a few days you're sick and tired of reheat and reeat the same old thing, and you're ordering pizza while the leftovers languish and spoil in the back of the fridge. In the spirit of frugalness, in a waste not want not economy, we need to bring these leftovers to an unexpected place, where they will be transformed from the lovely but boring feast day foods into unrecognizable reincarnations. I hope that this series, which I will post throughout the week, will inspire you to think outside the leftover box, and enjoy your post-Thanksgiving time care free.

These waffles make use of leftover sweet potatoes or squash (both work well). If your leftover sweet potatoes aren't already mashed, just puree them first in a blender or food processor. Don't bother picking out nuts or marshmallows or whatever you like to put in, just puree it all together. Spices, even odd ones, taste great in this recipe so no worries about that either.

Since I have a full house (literally - no walking room) of guests from afar for most Thanksgivings, breakfast the day after is just as important to plan for as the big meal itself. It's a final send off for my guests and it needs to be filling enough that they can get through the 6-8 hour drive with minimal stops, but not so heavy that they want to fall asleep at the wheel. These waffles, drizzled with dark amber maple syrup and served with a pumpkin spice latte, fit the bill perfectly.

Apple, Pecan & Sweet Potato Waffles

3 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup leftover mashed or pureed sweet potatoes or squash
1 tsp vanilla or pecan extract
3 Tbsp sugar (I like brown or maple sugar for these)
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp backing powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces
1 small apple, peeled, cored and diced into small chunks

Preheat a waffle iron.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, melted butter, sweet potatoes and extract until well blended. Sift in flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir until mostly mixed. Add pecans and apples and stir until well combined. Add more milk if the batter looks too thick (should be a normal consistency for waffles, a little thicker than pancake batter).

Prepare waffles according to the directions that came with your waffle iron. Serve with maple syrup and either hot cider or pumpkin spice lattes.

In Search of the Egg

When I was a child Easter was a magical holiday. My father was the master of the Easter Egg Hunt. Now, I'm not talking close your eyes and i'll hide some eggs, then you scuttle around trying to find them before your bratty little brother. I'm talking personalized clues for both of us, made weeks in advance, hidden in candy filled eggs. We had to decipher the clue in order to find the next one, and hours later eventually find the treasure trove in a basket somewhere we never would have looked. The hunt began in an Easter egg suspended by ribbon just above our pillows, so when we woke up it we couldn't miss it.

To this day my dad insists that it was just a ploy to buy him a couple more hours of sleep. And although God knows a man who commuted 2 hours each way every weekday and traveled several times a month needed all the sleep he can get, I know it was a lousy excuse. He loved how happy it made us, how we felt like pirates searching for lost treasure and seeing our beaming faces all day long, straight through church service and on through dinner, even with the dreaded brussel sprouts. I think Easter was the one holiday my father actually enjoyed. His parents divorced over the winter holidays and so his memories are not so pleasant. But on Easter he would arise to our cheers and looting of our baskets and make a plate of deviled eggs and leisurely read the paper before we got dressed up and prepared for the day's festivities.

Now that we've all grown up and gone, I hope he still lingers in the window seat with his morning coffee and his thoughts drift back to days gone by, as mine have this morning. I hope it brings a smile to his face. Here's to you dad, and here's what I would cook for Easter.

BRUNCH


Bacon Cheddar Scallion Quiche
Quiche is the perfect brunch dish. Here's why: 1 - you can make it with almost anything, any leftover meats and veggies you can scrounge up. 2 - It reheats beautifully (not to mention it's also good cold), making it the perfect make ahead dish. This was always a favorite of my dad's, although on easter, it would have been deviled eggs, probably with the hard boiled ones we dyed the day before. The ricotta may sound out of place, but it lends a delightful creaminess to the quiche, especially when left in small chunks. If this one doesn't suit your mood, try Cajun quiche instead.



1 store bought refrigerated pie crust
8 oz shredded sharp 2% cheddar cheese
5 slices bacon, crisp cooked
1/4 cup ham chunks (optional)
5 small scallions, white and green parts sliced thin
1/2 cup fat free ricotta
8 eggs
1/4 cup 1% milk
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 F, with a rack on the lowest shelf. Roll out pie dough and press into a greased 10 inch tart pan. Spread half the cheddar over the bottom of the crust. Sprinkle on bits of the bacon, ham and scallion. Dollop the ricotta in about a tablespoon at a time. Top with remaining cheddar. Beat the eggs with the milk until well combined, then pour over the fillings. Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper.

Bake on the bottom rack until crust and top is slightly golden and filling is set, about 45 minutes.

DINNER


Root Beer Baked Glazed Ham over Carrots
I can't believe that a glazed ham has not yet graced these pages, since it's one of my standybys, especially for large gatherings. However, upon making it I can see why, it's not very photogenic. It is darn tasty though. Buy a ham that actually looks like it came off of a pig, with the bone in, and not one of those pressed monstrosities. I prefer the shank end, and try to make sure it doesn't have water added if you can. Do not bother with spiral sliced - they dry out easily and it's really not that hard to slice a ham.

1 small bag baby carrots
10-15 pound half ham, bone in
cloves
1 1/2 cups root beer
1 1/2 Tbsp whole grain mustard
1 Tbsp vinegar from a jar of hot pickled peppers (or white vinegar)
1 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp bitter orange marmelade (British if possible)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 tsp chile powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 325 F.

In a 13 x 9 glass baking dish, line the bottom with a layer of carrots. Trim the ham of any hard rind and place flat side down on top of carrots. Use a clean utility knife open to the second click (you can use a regular knife, but be really careful about the depth of the cut) to cut a diamond pattern into the ham. It should cut through the fat without cutting much of the meat. Stud the corners of the diamonds with cloves. Pour 1 cup of root beer into the dish and bake on the bottom rack for 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting every 15 minutes.


Meanwhile, make the glaze by combining the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce liquids to a thick syrupy consistency over medium heat. Remove cinnamon stick and bay leaf before using.

After the first round of baking, remove the ham from the oven, insert an oven safe thermometer - I like the probe kind that has a digital reader outside of the oven - and brush on the glaze (you won't use it all right away). Return to the oven and bake, brushing with glaze every 15 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes before slicing. Serve any leftover glaze on the side for guests to brush on individual slices if they choose.

Serve with the carrots (which take on a fabulous flavor from the pan juices) and corn bake.

An Autumnal Salad

I am a fan of summer salads. It's always nice to have something cool and crisp on a hot day, especially if it doesn't require the use of the stove. But when the weather turns cool and the days end sooner, the typical salad gets traded out for heartier fare. Fortunately, this dish encompasses the bright vinaigrette of a great salad with richer, more satisfying ingredients. Lentils provide great earthy texture, complemented by spicy keilbasa and creamy sweet squash. Delicata squash has become my newest infatuation, since it's skin is tender enough to leave on and it's flesh is richer and creamer, and altogether more, well, delicate in flavor than butternut or acorn. The mustardy bite brings it all together in a satisfying meal.


Black Lentil, Sausage and Squash Salad


1 medium delicata squash, seeded and cubed
ancho chile powder
Chinese 5 spice powder
garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 link of lite kielbasa, sliced down the middle
1 package Trader Joe's precooked black beluga lentils
1 1/2 tsp spicy white wine Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp Chianti wine vinegar (I actually used 1 Tbsp plus a Tbsp of orange muscat vinegar - but it's hard to find)
drizzle of maple syrup
1/2 tsp chile oil
1/2 tsp garlic oil
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Toss cubed squash with some olive oil to coat and a generous sprinkling of chile powder, 5 spice powder, garlic powder and salt and pepper. Turn out onto a large sheet pan. Roast until squash starts to caramelize and even blacken slightly at some of the edges.

Meanwhile, grill the keilbasa over high heat, until nicely charred. Remove and wrap in aluminum foil to keep it warm. Reheat the lentils according to package instructions. Combine the remainder of the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to make the dressing. When squash and lentils are done, toss them in, followed by chopped keilbasa. Let sit for at least 5 minutes to soak up some of the dressing. Serve while just slightly warm for a punch of flavor.


P.S. As you can tell from the posting date on this, I've had it in the archives for a while, I just couldn't seem to get it typed out. Forgive me, there are more recipes on the way!

Sensuous Stir Fry

This stir fry gets a rich nutty flavor from roasted mushrooms. These are so good that L eats them like candy and I have to guard the stash. When you're in the mood for some home-style "take-out" reach for these noodles.


Rice Noodle Fettucine with Shrimp and Roasted Mushrooms


1/2 lb. shitake mushrooms
1 large portobello mushroom cap
3 Tbsp melted butter
salt and pepper

1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp sriracha
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp lime juice
1 medium red bell pepper, julienned
1 12oz can baby corn nuggets, drained
1 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 cups medium shrimp
1/2 lb fettucine rice noodles (cellophane noodles), cooked to al dente
2 eggs, scrambled in sesame oil
1 small bunch scallions, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 F. Slice mushrooms and toss with melted butter and seasonings. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast 20-25 minutes, until very dark brown and almost crispy. You'll be able to smell when they're done - they smell like toasted nuts.

In a preheated saucepan over medium high heat, combine hoisin, oyster sauce, sriracha, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and lime juice. Toss in bell pepper, corn nuggets and water chestnuts and cook for 2 minutes. Add shrimp and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp turns pink. Remove from heat, toss in noodles, egg, scallion and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Super Starches

I could never live on an Atkins diet. I tried South Beach for a while, but after 2 months without even fruit and not a single pound dropped, I said goodbye to that idea forever. This meal is decidedly not Atkins friendly, filled with the starchy goodness of cheesy yukon gold mashed potatoes tumbled into a crispy and flavorful pie crust and topped with tender pencil-thin asparagus. This is similar to Jamie Oliver's asparagus and potato tart, but housed in pastry crust instead of filo, and laced with mushrooms and leeks. This lovely vegetarian dish makes a hearty dinner in spring or fall.

Mushroom Leek Mashed Potato Pie with Roasted Asparagus


6 large yukon gold potatoes

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 cups cleaned leek, sliced thin
2 large portobello mushroom caps, diced
2 Tbsp marsala wine

a double recipe of piecrust - this parmesan black pepper one is great!

1 cup shredded mixed Italian cheeses (i like the 6 cheese blend)
2 Laughing Cow Light garlic and herb cheese wedges
2 Laughing Cow Light French onion cheese wedges
1 cup shredded gruyere
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

2 cups thin asparagus spears, ends trimmed

Preheat oven to 425. Cook potatoes in microwave until fork tender, 13-15 minutes. Let cool.

Saute leeks and mushrooms in butter until softened. Deglaze with marsala. Set aside to cool.

Roll out pie crusts to fit a 13 x 9 pyrex dish or other large shallow baking dish.

Mash potatoes with a fork. Blend in cheeses, eggs and seasonings. Combine with mushrooms and leeks and mix well. Empty into pie crust. Top with asparagus spears and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in lower third of oven until crust is crispy, about half an hour.

Americana

There are few things as American as Thanksgiving. In fact, I think it speaks more to what it means to be an American than the fourth of July. Gathering with family, partaking in a feast with so many ingredients that were here hundreds of years ago, such as turkey, corn, cranberries, taking some time to realize how lucky we are. The fact is, we have a lot to be thankful for, and I don't think one day is really enough time to devote to gratitude for the privileges we have in this country. What's more - traditional foods served at Thanksgiving are just too good to deprive yourself of the rest of the year. So I try to make one Thanksgivingish weekend dinner every couple of months, and it helps me put things in perspective when times are tough, as they have been for much of the past year.

With the mild weather we've been having and the return to school, I've been longing for my favorite season: autumn. While I love the scarlet tomatoes and sweet corn and will be sad to see them go, I'm dreaming of roasts and braises, hearty soups and root vegetables. In this meal I found some of those fall flavors, without departing completely from the lightheartedness of summer.

Maple Herbed Roast Turkey Thighs with Roasted Vegetables


1 1/2 cups baby carrots
1 cup baby patty pan squash
1 cup frozen pearl onions
1 cup new potatoes, cut into the same size pieces as the squash
1 Tbsp olive oil

2 turkey thighs
1 tsp chopped sage
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1 tsp chopped thyme
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 Tbsp softened butter

2 slices of thick-cut bacon
2/3 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 425. In a 9 x 13 pyrex dish, toss veggies with olive oil.

Stick a finger in between the skin and turkey meat at one edge of the thigh. Separate skin from thigh, creating a large pocket, while leaving the edges connected. Combine herbs, garlic and butter in a bowl and squish together with your fingers to form a paste. Rub paste into pocket between meat and skin. Place turkey thighs on top of veggies.

Place bacon on any seams in the turkey thighs were meat is not covered by skin. Alternatively, wrap around outside edges. Brush with some maple syrup (you won't use all of it yet). Sprinkle turkey and veggies with salt.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven, brushing with maple syrup every 15 minutes, until turkey reads 155 degrees F on an instant read thermometer and skin is lacquered, crispy and caramelized. Remove turkey to a plate to rest.


Preheat broiler. Strain vegetables of turkey drippings (reserve). Broil veggies until they're caramelized. In the meantime, mix the drippings with a slurry of marsala wine and cornstarch in a small saucepan to make a gravy. Bring to a simmer (should thicken).

Serve turkey with roasted veggies, gravy, cornbread stuffing and cranberry orange relish.



Cranberry Studded Cornbread Stuffing with Bacon and Leeks


6 large (storebought-size) or 12 small (homemade size) corn muffins- dry corn muffins work best for this, especially low-fat or fat free. If the flavor is pure corn, and it's really too dry to be a pleasant muffin, it will be perfect - day old muffins also work well.

6 slices thick center cut bacon
1 1/2 cups sliced cleaned leeks
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp cream sherry
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp chopped sage
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp chile powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 - 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
coarse salt, pepper and coarse sugar

Crumble muffins onto a sheet pan. you should have some larger chunks and lots of crumbs. Let sit for 2 hours to dry out. Alternatively, toast in a 350 degree oven until golden and dried out. Place dried out muffins in a large bowl.

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat, until it has rendered it's fat and it's crispy. Remove bacon. Add leeks and cook until tender. Add remaining ingredients, including 1 1/2 cups stock (except salt, pepper and sugar) and bring to a simmer. Pour over muffin pieces and mix with a wooden spoon. If it's not moist enough, add additional stock. Transfer to an oven safe dish and sprinkle with coarse salt, sugar and ground pepper. Bake in the oven with the turkey for 20 minutes, or until golden on top.



Cranberry Orange Relish


This is my mother's recipe. It's simple, but such a bright, textural contrast to turkey, it's so much more interesting than a traditional cranberry sauce. This is a classic on my Thanksgiving table, and if you freeze a few bags of cranberries in the fall, you can have it year round. I make it with less sugar, since I like it a little more bitter than most people. This quantity of sugar seems to please most palates.

1 bag whole fresh (or thawed frozen) cranberries
1 fresh mandarin orange (also works well with clementines - but use 2)
3/4 cup sugar

Combine cranberries and zest of the orange in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.


Seed and segment the orange and add orange flesh and sugar to the bowl. Pulse until it comes together in a fine relish. Transfer to a plastic container and let sit at least 2 hours (the sugar is grainy at first - this time lets the sugar dissolve and flavors meld).

What happens when a chicken falls into a tar pit?

They say that some of the closest living relatives to dinosaurs are birds. This is not surprising to anyone who's ever kept chickens. They're not exactly the brightest of the bunch, and sometimes you wonder how they escaped extinction. Maybe it was because they were too darn tasty. The powers that be wouldn't allow nature to do away with such a succulent morsel. So yes, this is another chicken post - even though I rarely eat two chicken meals in a week. I guess I'm just a little bird-brained lately.

These wings are everything chicken wings should be, juicy, sticky and messy. You'll need a lot of napkins as you quickly realize why these are called tar pit wings. Inspired by a recipe in the Gourmet cookbook, these are classic Day-After-Thanksgiving finger food in my family, when I have to feed a lot of people but don't want to blow my budget or take a ton of time to do it. These should be served with other finger foods (tonight it's sweet potato fries and corn on the cob) and are perfect for Superbowl parties or other sports-based get-togethers. Plus, unlike buffalo wings - these require no extra fat!

Tar Pit Wings


4 lbs. chicken wings

1/2 cup naturally brewed soy sauce
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup good quality teriyaki sauce - I love SoyVay!
2 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1 cup water
1 1/2 Tbsp siracha
1/4 cup orange blossom honey
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400F. To prepare chicken wings, snip off tip of wing (part with no meat) at the knuckle. Find the knuckle between the 2 boned part and the drumstick shaped part. Insert a knife into the groove between the bones, and carefully slice through (you shouldn't have to cut any bones - they should be popped apart by the knife.

Arrange wings in a large roasting pan so that they do not overlap. Pour liquids down over them, then sprinkle with sugar and seasonings. Bake for 45 minutes, then turn and bake another 60 minutes, or until wings are cooked well and sauce is sticky. Be careful not to burn the sauce - the last 15 min. check them frequently.


TIP: I can never use up the whole knob of ginger before it goes bad. Luckily, ginger freezes well and you can grate frozen ginger into dishes. Wrap well in plastic, then put in a freezer proof ziploc bag with the air squeezed out.

What the summer sun tastes like....

Summer squash has been hiding at the back of my veggie drawer for the past two weeks. I usually grill it up, but I've been insanely busy and relatively meat free, and hence my grill has been in hibernation. I came across this recipe from Smitten Kitchen and I just had to try this summer squash-sweet potato combination. Of course, being me, this barely resembles Deb's recipe, but I sure am glad she inspired me to try it!

Let me tell you- this soup is dreamy! Silky smooth, rich and full of flavor, it showcases the best flavors of what's in season right now! After blending, it was already delicious, with no spices added. I needed something to take it over the top, and Maryland's favorite Old Bay does just that! The creaminess of this reminds me of a lobster or crab bisque. I myself gave a little gasp when I saw for the amount of butter called for, but it gives the soup a lovely finish, and really isn't much when divided into 8 portions.

Maryland Summer Vegetable Bisque



1 pint grape tomatoes

6 Tbsp butter
2/3 large sweet onion, sliced thin
1 cup leeks, sliced into thin rings
2 slices center cut bacon, chopped fine (optional - leave out for vegetarian version)
3 medium sized summer squash, sliced thin
1 large sweet potato or yam, peeled and sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
1 cup baby carrots
1 Tbsp pork soup base (leave out for vegetarian)
1/2 cup dry sherry
3 bay leaves
6 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian)
salt to taste (I used about 2 tsp)
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 x 8 pyrex baking dish. Empty tomatoes into dish and roast until softened, caramelized and somewhat dehydrated. Set aside.

In a large stockpot, melt butter over medium high heat. Let butter cook until the solids brown slightly and the rest takes on a golden hue. Add onions and bacon and saute until bacon has rendered most of its fat. Add other vegetables and saute 2 minutes. Add soup base, sherry, stock and bay leaves and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for at least 20 minutes, or up to 45 minutes.

Add roasted tomatoes. Use a stick blender to puree until smooth. Strain if desired. Add seasonings to taste.

Serve topped with thinly sliced tomatoes and drizzle with chile oil.

Mexican Fiesta

Watching Boy Meets Grill always makes me crave mexican food. Such was the case this morning. It led to this Mexican feast.

Black Beans and "Rice" Pasta Salad



2 1/2 cups orzo, cooked, rinsed and drained
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 large red onion, diced
1 cup thawed frozen corn kernels
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1 poblano chile, roasted with skin and stem removed, minced
1 chipotle chile in adobo, minced
lightly packed 1/4 cup of cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp. lime juice
4 Tbsp. vinegar from a jar of hot peppers
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp chile powder
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano

Combine all ingredients and toss. Let sit for an hour for the flavors to meld together.


Sweet Potato Fries with Maple Chile Dipping Sauce



1 large sweet potato (about a pound), peeled
olive oil
sea salt

3 Tbsp of the darkest maple syrup you can find
1 tsp good chile powder

Preheat oven to 400. Section the sweet potatoes into french fries (this will take an extremely sharp knife and some elbow grease). On a large jelly roll pan, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for about an hour, turning every 15 minutes. These will get mushy at first, but they will crisp up as they blacken. Even though they turn black in spots, they are not really burnt.

For sauce, just combine syrup and chile powder and mix well. (BTW - this makes a fabulous topping for grilled corn when you use it to make a compound butter)


Spice Rubbed London Broil



2 lb. london broil steak, trimmed of exterior fat
3 Tbsp chile powder
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp guacamole if desired (I Sandra Lee this a bit: 2 avocados, a packet of guac mix, fresh diced tomatoes and red onion and 2 Tbsp lime juice)

Combine all spices and rub onto steak. Let sit in the refrigerator at least an hour. Bring to room temperature. Preheat a grill. Grill over high heat no longer than 2 minutes on each side. Let rest at least 5 minutes for the juices to redistribute. Slice thin against the grain. Top with guacamole.

Saturday Night Roast

I've had a huge turkey breast haunting the back of my freezer for a couple of months now and bags of stuffing mix from last Thanksgiving threatening expiration in my cabinets. Together they made a homey and comforting dinner. Yum!

Turkey Roulade with Mushroom Leek Stuffing

3 Tbsp. butter
2 portobello mushrooms, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cups thinly sliced leeks
1/2 cup dry marsala wine
4 cups beef stock
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. italian seasoning
fresh herbs such as sage, thyme and rosemary, chopped
1 lb. stuffing croutons - bagged or homemade
1 apple, peeled and chopped
2/3 cup crumbled chestnuts


1 large turkey breast (4-5 lbs), butterflied
1/2 lb. center cut bacon

Melt butter in a large saucepan or small stockpot over medium high heat. Sweat onion, leeks and mushrooms until most of their liquid is released. When pan starts to dry and bits of vegetables start to stick, deglaze with marsala. Add beef stock, cranberries and seasonings and bring to a simmer. Turn off heat and mix in croutons, apple and chestnuts. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.



To assemble the roulade: On a sheet of plastic wrap, pound the butterflied turkey breast as needed to achieve an even thickness. Remove turkey breast to the side and lay down bacon strips, slightly overlapping the edges. Replace turkey on top of bacon and press on a layer of stuffing up to within an inch of the edge of the turkey breast- about 1/2 inch thick. Using the plastic wrap to help keep everything neat, carefully roll the turkey breast up, starting with the smallest end (not covered by bacon). The bacon should form a "skin" around the turkey. This keeps the meat very moist.



Turn the rest of the stuffing out into a baking dish. Roast the turkey until a thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the roast reads 120, then put the stuffing in the oven too. Continue roasting until the thermometer reads 160 degrees. If the bacon is not crispy, finish it under a broiler (remove the stuffing from the oven first).