Here it is, the beginning of November already. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the day, including Vegetable Spaghetti and Cappuccino Slushy. Enjoy!
SUMMER RATATOUILLE WITH FARRO
I know, I know...November and summer anything just don't mesh. (Unless you're in the Southern Hemisphere, and then, of course, it does.) But I like the flavors, etc. of this recipe.
This is from Martha Rose Schulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Ratatouille tastes best the day after you make it, and in the summer, you can serve it chilled or at room temperature, with a vinaigrette drizzled over the top. Here, it tops a pile of farro. Top it with a poached egg, or with crumbled feta or grated Parmesan.”
Yield: Serves 6; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes for the ratatouille 15 minutes for assembling the big bowls.
This was featured in “Just Add Farro”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Ratatouille
1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
3/4 pound (2 medium) onions, thinly sliced
3/4 pound mixed sweet peppers (red, yellow, green), cut into slices about 3/4 inch wide by 1 1/2 inches long
4 to 6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/4 pounds zucchini, sliced about 1/2 inch thick (if very thick, cut in half lengthwise first)
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground pepper
For the Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 very small garlic clove, pureéd
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the Big Bowl
3 to 4 cups cooked farro or spelt
2 to 4 tablespoons slivered or chopped fresh basil, to taste
6 eggs, poached
2 ounces crumbled feta or freshly grated Parmesan
Preparation
For the Ratatouille
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place diced eggplant in a large, heavy, flameproof casserole. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and salt to taste. Place in hot oven and roast uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until eggplant is lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the casserole from the oven, cover tightly and allow eggplant to steam in the hot casserole while you pan-cook onions, peppers, and zucchini.
Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of the remaining oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until just about tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in peppers and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until peppers have softened and smell fragrant, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in half the garlic and cook for another minute, then season with salt and pepper and transfer to casserole with eggplant. Heat remaining oil in the skillet and add zucchini. Cook, stirring often, until tender but still bright, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in remaining garlic for a minute, until fragrant, season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to casserole.
Add tomatoes to the casserole with bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and more salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together and place over medium-low heat. When vegetables begin to sizzle, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, for 30 to 45 minutes, until the mix is juicy and fragrant and the vegetables are thoroughly tender. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve warm or cold, preferably the next day.
For the Big Bowl
Whisk together ingredients for the vinaigrette.
To assemble the big bowl, spoon warm or room temperature farro or spelt into each bowl (1/2 cup to 3/4 cup, to taste). Top with a generous spoonful of ratatouille. Spoon a tablespoon of vinaigrette over the ratatouille and garnish with some of the basil. Top with a poached egg if desired and sprinkle with feta or Parmesan. Garnish with more basil and serve.
VEGETABALE SPAGHETTI
This comes from Makinze Gore at Delish. It begins, “Vegetable spaghetti is the perfect way to use up leftover veggies. Use whatever you have on hand, don't feel married to these specific ones. They are just a good starting point.”
Yields: 6 servings; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 lb. spaghetti
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 zucchini, sliced
1 carrot, chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Sliced basil, for garnish
Freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish
Directions
In a large pot of boiling water, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water then drain spaghetti.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil then add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add zucchini, carrot, and red onion and cook until soft, 7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste then add diced tomatoes and season with Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, simmer 10 minutes.
Add spaghetti to skillet and 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water and toss to combine. Add more pasta water as necessary to bring sauce together.
Garnish with basil and Parmesan to serve.
CREAMY COLESLAW
This is from a Weight Watcher's emailing list from y-e-a-r-s ago. The recipe began, “Richly-flavored sesame oil and piquant cilantro add a distinctly Asian flavor to America's favorite side dish — lightened up.”
At the time it was posted, it had a points value of 1.
Servings: 4 (about 1 cup per serving); Preparation Time: 10 min; Cooking Time: 0 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
3/4 pound packaged coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
1 medium red onion(s), thinly sliced
1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to serve.
PUMPKIN PIE IN A SHEET PAN
This yummy pie comes from the Food Network, and begins, “Got a crowd that loves pumpkin pie? This giant dessert in sheet-cake form serves 16. We extended the height of a baking sheet with aluminum foil for a deeper crust that holds the double recipe and placed pie dough rounds around the perimeter for a pretty fanned crust.”
Level: Intermediate; Total: 11 hr (includes cooling and chilling times); Active: 1 hr; Yield: 16 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Dough:
Cooking spray
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 large egg
Filling:
Two 15-ounce cans pumpkin puree
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Special equipment: a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet, 1 roll 18-inch-wide heavy-duty aluminum foil, a 1-inch round cookie cutter
Position an oven rack in the bottom of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Tear off two 24-inch pieces of 18-inch-wide heavy-duty aluminum foil. Line a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet with the foil, crisscrossing the pieces and leaving an overhang on all sides. Fold over each overhang so it stands upright and forms a sturdy wall about 3 inches high. Crimp the corners together, and lightly coat the bottom and sides with the cooking spray.
For the dough: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high until smooth, about 1 minute. Add half the flour, and beat to incorporate; add the remaining flour, and beat until the dough just starts to come together in large, soft clumps. (It should hold together when squeezed.) Set aside 1/3 of the dough (for decorating the edges).
Press half the remaining dough into the bottom of the baking sheet until it is completely covered, with no gaps, about 1/4 inch thick. (The dough won't be completely smooth.) Press the remaining dough into and about 1 inch up the sides of the foil wall until the dough is about 1/4 inch thick and there are no gaps where the sides and bottom meet. Bake until the dough is light golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.
Meanwhile, knead the reserved dough a few times to bring it together. Put it between 2 pieces of flour-dusted parchment; pat it into a disk, and roll it out to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out about 50 rounds with a 1-inch round cookie cutter, gathering scraps and rerolling as needed. Lay all the rounds out on a parchment-lined baking sheet or platter, beat the egg with a little water and brush the tops of each round with the egg wash. Refrigerate until ready to use.
For the filling: Gently whisk together the pumpkin, cream, granulated sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and salt in a large bowl until blended well.
Pour the filling into the cooled pie shell. Press the rounds in a single line all around the edges of the crust. (It's OK if part of the round sinks into the filling slightly.) Bake until the filling is only slightly wiggly when shaken, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool completely. Wrap and refrigerate overnight. Cut into squares, and serve with whipped cream.
Cook’s Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
CAPPUCCINO SLUSHY
This came from Weight Watchers, and begins, “This coffee-based slushy gives delicious new meaning to the term iced coffee.”
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Serves: 1; Difficulty: Easy; Points: 4
Ingredients
1 tsp sugar
2 pinch ground cinnamon, or more to taste
1/2 C black coffee, Italian or French roast
1/4 C 2% reduced fat milk
1/4 C aerosol whipped cream
Directions
Stir sugar and 1 pinch cinnamon into coffee. Pour into ice cube tray; freeze until solid, about 4 hours.
Blend frozen coffee ice cubes and milk in a mini-food processor until slushy. Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream and a generous pinch of cinnamon.
TACO ZUCCHINI LASAGNA
This comes from Linday Funston on Delish, and begins, “So flavorful, you won't even notice the noodles are gone.”
Total Time: 45 minutes; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4 - 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. ground beef
3/4 c. ricotta
1/2 c. sour cream, plus more for drizzling
1 large egg
1/3 c. salsa
3 large zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 c. shredded Cheddar
2 c. Shredded Monterey Jack
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Season with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, 8 minutes more. Drain fat.
In a small bowl, stir together ricotta, sour cream, and egg. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large baking or casserole dish, spread a thin layer of salsa. Top with a layer of zucchini noodles, sour cream mixture, ground beef, cheddar, and Monterey Jack. Repeat until all ingredients are used up, ending with zucchini noodles.
Bake until noodles are tender and cheese is bubbly, 25 minutes.
Drizzle with sour cream, garnish with cilantro, and serve.
Showing posts with label Summer Ratatouille With Farro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summer Ratatouille With Farro. Show all posts
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Monday, October 1, 2018
Monday Recipes
Here are six recipes to start your week off just right, including Chunky Pizza Soup and Tie-Dye Cheesecake. Enjoy!
CHICKPEA TIKKA MASALA
This is from the March 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 24, and begins, “This mild veg version of an Indian restaurant favorite shows that Indian food doesn’t have to be ultra-spicy to be good.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
This can be viewed online here.
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 Tbs. garam masala
1 Tbs. tomato paste
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chile, minced
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup low-fat Greek-style yogurt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until softened. Add garam masala, tomato paste, ginger, and serrano chile, and season with salt, if desired. Sauté 1 minute more.
Stir in chickpeas and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in yogurt and cilantro.
nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 328; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 582 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 11 g; Gluten-Free
TIE-DYE CHEESECAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “This outrageous psychedelic cheesecake is an ode to all the tie-dye of the 1960s. Making the vibrant swirls is much easier to do than it looks; all you need is a wooden skewer – groovy!” Total: 10 hr 45 min; Active: 35 min; Yield: 12 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 18 whole crackers)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine salt
Filling:
Three 11.5-ounce containers whipped cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
One 16-ounce container sour cream, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Neon blue, pink and purple food coloring
Yellow food coloring
Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Special equipment: a 10-inch springform pan and a wooden skewer
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
For the crust: Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and salt and press into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely. Wrap up the bottom and sides of pan with a large piece of foil and put in a large roasting pan.
For the filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar, in a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and mix until just combined. Add the heavy cream and mix until just combined. Mix in the eggs, by hand, 1 at time. Then mix in the vanilla, lemon juice, by hand as well, until just combined. (Overmixing can turn your cheesecake into a souffle.)
Using a ladle, divide the cheesecake batter into 4 separate bowls. Dye each a separate color; blue, pink, purple and yellow. Add enough food coloring so that the colors are very vibrant and intense.
Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to drop spoonfuls of the batter onto the crust, alternating the colors, until all the batter has been scooped. Use a wooden skewer and drag it through the colors to marble them for tie-dye effect, making sure the skewer reaches down to the bottom of the pan. Transfer the pan to the roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
Bake until the outside of the cake is set and the center is still slightly loose, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
Unmold the cheesecake and transfer to a serving plate or cake stand. Serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream.
NO CHURN ICE CREAM
This comes from GE Appliances’ email list. It begins, “No one will believe that this ultra-creamy ice cream is so easy to make. No fancy ice cream machine required.”
12 servings (6 cups total)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch fine sea salt
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and salt until thoroughly combined; set aside.
In a large metal bowl, whip the cream with a hand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold about 1 cup of the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture with a rubber spatula until combined, then fold the lightened mixture into the whipped cream until well blended.
Pour into a chilled 9-by-5-by-3-inch metal loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap and freeze until solid and scoopable, about 3-4 hours.
Chef’s Notes:
For best results, chill both the metal bowl and loaf pan before starting this recipe.
Try adding in additional ingredients after the ice cream has set for a few hours. Crushed up chocolate sandwich cookies, toasted nuts or chopped up candy bars are all great additions. Stir them in and place the ice cream back in the freezer until firm.
SUMMER RATATOUILLE WITH FARRO
This is from Martha Rose Schulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Ratatouille tastes best the day after you make it, and in the summer, you can serve it chilled or at room temperature, with a vinaigrette drizzled over the top. Here, it tops a pile of farro. Top it with a poached egg, or with crumbled feta or grated Parmesan.”
Yield: Serves 6; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes for the ratatouille 15 minutes for assembling the big bowls.
This was featured in “Just Add Farro”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Ratatouille
1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
3/4 pound (2 medium) onions, thinly sliced
3/4 pound mixed sweet peppers (red, yellow, green), cut into slices about 3/4 inch wide by 1 1/2 inches long
4 to 6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/4 pounds zucchini, sliced about 1/2 inch thick (if very thick, cut in half lengthwise first)
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground pepper
For the Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 very small garlic clove, pureéd
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the Big Bowl
3 to 4 cups cooked farro or spelt
2 to 4 tablespoons slivered or chopped fresh basil, to taste
6 eggs, poached
2 ounces crumbled feta or freshly grated Parmesan
Preparation
For the Ratatouille
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place diced eggplant in a large, heavy, flameproof casserole. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and salt to taste. Place in hot oven and roast uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until eggplant is lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the casserole from the oven, cover tightly and allow eggplant to steam in the hot casserole while you pan-cook onions, peppers, and zucchini.
Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of the remaining oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until just about tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in peppers and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until peppers have softened and smell fragrant, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in half the garlic and cook for another minute, then season with salt and pepper and transfer to casserole with eggplant. Heat remaining oil in the skillet and add zucchini. Cook, stirring often, until tender but still bright, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in remaining garlic for a minute, until fragrant, season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to casserole.
Add tomatoes to the casserole with bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and more salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together and place over medium-low heat. When vegetables begin to sizzle, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, for 30 to 45 minutes, until the mix is juicy and fragrant and the vegetables are thoroughly tender. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve warm or cold, preferably the next day.
For the Big Bowl
Whisk together ingredients for the vinaigrette.
To assemble the big bowl, spoon warm or room temperature farro or spelt into each bowl (1/2 cup to 3/4 cup, to taste). Top with a generous spoonful of ratatouille. Spoon a tablespoon of vinaigrette over the ratatouille and garnish with some of the basil. Top with a poached egg if desired and sprinkle with feta or Parmesan. Garnish with more basil and serve.
CHUNKY PIZZA SOUP
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
1 tb Oil, vegetable
1 Onion, chopped small
1/2 c Mushrooms, sliced
1/4 c Green peppers, slivered
1 c Tomatoes, undrained
1 c Stock, beef
1 c Pepperoni, thin sliced
1/2 ts Basil, dried
1 c Cheese, mozzarella shredded
Directions
Preheat oven broiler. Heat oil over medium heat, stirfry onion, mushroom and green pepper till soft, not browned. Add tomatoes, stock, pepperoni and basil, cook till heated through. Ladle soup into ovenproof bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Broil till cheese melts and is bubbly.
BANANA MUFFINS WITH TART LEMON ICING
This was on an old Weight Watcher's emailing list. Unfortunately, I no longer have a link to it, as WW has changed enough over the years. The points value is from when the email came out.
The recipe begins, “If the mouth-puckering lemon icing isn’t enough flavor for you, try adding 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to the flour mixture.”
POINTS® Value: 3; Servings: 18; Preparation Time: 15 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened, divided
1 large egg(s)
2 tsp vanilla extract, divided
2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup fat-free skim milk
4 large banana(s), ripe, mashed
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest, strips, or more to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 18 muffin holes with paper liners.
Place sugar and 5 tablespoons of butter in a large bowl; cream with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed.
In another large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture; beat well with mixer. Add milk and remaining flour mixture; beat until batter is combined and then fold in mashed bananas.
Spoon batter into muffin liners about 3/4 full. Bake until muffins start to brown and a tester inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool in pan for about 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack and cool completely before icing.
Meanwhile, to make icing, combine powdered sugar, remaining tablespoon of butter, lemon juice, zest, and remaining teaspoon of vanilla in a medium bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Ice cooled muffins; cover and refrigerate any uneaten muffins. Yields 1 muffin per serving.
CHICKPEA TIKKA MASALA
This is from the March 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 24, and begins, “This mild veg version of an Indian restaurant favorite shows that Indian food doesn’t have to be ultra-spicy to be good.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
This can be viewed online here.
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 Tbs. garam masala
1 Tbs. tomato paste
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chile, minced
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup low-fat Greek-style yogurt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until softened. Add garam masala, tomato paste, ginger, and serrano chile, and season with salt, if desired. Sauté 1 minute more.
Stir in chickpeas and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in yogurt and cilantro.
nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 328; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 582 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 11 g; Gluten-Free
TIE-DYE CHEESECAKE
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “This outrageous psychedelic cheesecake is an ode to all the tie-dye of the 1960s. Making the vibrant swirls is much easier to do than it looks; all you need is a wooden skewer – groovy!” Total: 10 hr 45 min; Active: 35 min; Yield: 12 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 18 whole crackers)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine salt
Filling:
Three 11.5-ounce containers whipped cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
One 16-ounce container sour cream, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Neon blue, pink and purple food coloring
Yellow food coloring
Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Special equipment: a 10-inch springform pan and a wooden skewer
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
For the crust: Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and salt and press into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely. Wrap up the bottom and sides of pan with a large piece of foil and put in a large roasting pan.
For the filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar, in a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and mix until just combined. Add the heavy cream and mix until just combined. Mix in the eggs, by hand, 1 at time. Then mix in the vanilla, lemon juice, by hand as well, until just combined. (Overmixing can turn your cheesecake into a souffle.)
Using a ladle, divide the cheesecake batter into 4 separate bowls. Dye each a separate color; blue, pink, purple and yellow. Add enough food coloring so that the colors are very vibrant and intense.
Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to drop spoonfuls of the batter onto the crust, alternating the colors, until all the batter has been scooped. Use a wooden skewer and drag it through the colors to marble them for tie-dye effect, making sure the skewer reaches down to the bottom of the pan. Transfer the pan to the roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
Bake until the outside of the cake is set and the center is still slightly loose, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
Unmold the cheesecake and transfer to a serving plate or cake stand. Serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream.
NO CHURN ICE CREAM
This comes from GE Appliances’ email list. It begins, “No one will believe that this ultra-creamy ice cream is so easy to make. No fancy ice cream machine required.”
12 servings (6 cups total)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients:
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch fine sea salt
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and salt until thoroughly combined; set aside.
In a large metal bowl, whip the cream with a hand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold about 1 cup of the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture with a rubber spatula until combined, then fold the lightened mixture into the whipped cream until well blended.
Pour into a chilled 9-by-5-by-3-inch metal loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap and freeze until solid and scoopable, about 3-4 hours.
Chef’s Notes:
For best results, chill both the metal bowl and loaf pan before starting this recipe.
Try adding in additional ingredients after the ice cream has set for a few hours. Crushed up chocolate sandwich cookies, toasted nuts or chopped up candy bars are all great additions. Stir them in and place the ice cream back in the freezer until firm.
SUMMER RATATOUILLE WITH FARRO
This is from Martha Rose Schulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Ratatouille tastes best the day after you make it, and in the summer, you can serve it chilled or at room temperature, with a vinaigrette drizzled over the top. Here, it tops a pile of farro. Top it with a poached egg, or with crumbled feta or grated Parmesan.”
Yield: Serves 6; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes for the ratatouille 15 minutes for assembling the big bowls.
This was featured in “Just Add Farro”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Ratatouille
1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
3/4 pound (2 medium) onions, thinly sliced
3/4 pound mixed sweet peppers (red, yellow, green), cut into slices about 3/4 inch wide by 1 1/2 inches long
4 to 6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/4 pounds zucchini, sliced about 1/2 inch thick (if very thick, cut in half lengthwise first)
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground pepper
For the Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 very small garlic clove, pureéd
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the Big Bowl
3 to 4 cups cooked farro or spelt
2 to 4 tablespoons slivered or chopped fresh basil, to taste
6 eggs, poached
2 ounces crumbled feta or freshly grated Parmesan
Preparation
For the Ratatouille
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place diced eggplant in a large, heavy, flameproof casserole. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and salt to taste. Place in hot oven and roast uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until eggplant is lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the casserole from the oven, cover tightly and allow eggplant to steam in the hot casserole while you pan-cook onions, peppers, and zucchini.
Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of the remaining oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until just about tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in peppers and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until peppers have softened and smell fragrant, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in half the garlic and cook for another minute, then season with salt and pepper and transfer to casserole with eggplant. Heat remaining oil in the skillet and add zucchini. Cook, stirring often, until tender but still bright, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in remaining garlic for a minute, until fragrant, season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to casserole.
Add tomatoes to the casserole with bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and more salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together and place over medium-low heat. When vegetables begin to sizzle, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, for 30 to 45 minutes, until the mix is juicy and fragrant and the vegetables are thoroughly tender. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve warm or cold, preferably the next day.
For the Big Bowl
Whisk together ingredients for the vinaigrette.
To assemble the big bowl, spoon warm or room temperature farro or spelt into each bowl (1/2 cup to 3/4 cup, to taste). Top with a generous spoonful of ratatouille. Spoon a tablespoon of vinaigrette over the ratatouille and garnish with some of the basil. Top with a poached egg if desired and sprinkle with feta or Parmesan. Garnish with more basil and serve.
CHUNKY PIZZA SOUP
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
1 tb Oil, vegetable
1 Onion, chopped small
1/2 c Mushrooms, sliced
1/4 c Green peppers, slivered
1 c Tomatoes, undrained
1 c Stock, beef
1 c Pepperoni, thin sliced
1/2 ts Basil, dried
1 c Cheese, mozzarella shredded
Directions
Preheat oven broiler. Heat oil over medium heat, stirfry onion, mushroom and green pepper till soft, not browned. Add tomatoes, stock, pepperoni and basil, cook till heated through. Ladle soup into ovenproof bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Broil till cheese melts and is bubbly.
BANANA MUFFINS WITH TART LEMON ICING
This was on an old Weight Watcher's emailing list. Unfortunately, I no longer have a link to it, as WW has changed enough over the years. The points value is from when the email came out.
The recipe begins, “If the mouth-puckering lemon icing isn’t enough flavor for you, try adding 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to the flour mixture.”
POINTS® Value: 3; Servings: 18; Preparation Time: 15 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened, divided
1 large egg(s)
2 tsp vanilla extract, divided
2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup fat-free skim milk
4 large banana(s), ripe, mashed
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest, strips, or more to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 18 muffin holes with paper liners.
Place sugar and 5 tablespoons of butter in a large bowl; cream with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed.
In another large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture; beat well with mixer. Add milk and remaining flour mixture; beat until batter is combined and then fold in mashed bananas.
Spoon batter into muffin liners about 3/4 full. Bake until muffins start to brown and a tester inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool in pan for about 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack and cool completely before icing.
Meanwhile, to make icing, combine powdered sugar, remaining tablespoon of butter, lemon juice, zest, and remaining teaspoon of vanilla in a medium bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Ice cooled muffins; cover and refrigerate any uneaten muffins. Yields 1 muffin per serving.
Monday, September 24, 2018
Monday Recipes
Here are six recipes to start the week off just right, including Scotto Cheese Lasagna and Whoopie Pies. Enjoy!
SUMMER RATATOUILLE WITH FARRO
This is from Martha Rose Schulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Ratatouille tastes best the day after you make it, and in the summer, you can serve it chilled or at room temperature, with a vinaigrette drizzled over the top. Here, it tops a pile of farro. Top it with a poached egg, or with crumbled feta or grated Parmesan.”
Yield: Serves 6; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes for the ratatouille 15 minutes for assembling the big bowls.
This was featured in “Just Add Farro”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Ratatouille
1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
3/4 pound (2 medium) onions, thinly sliced
3/4 pound mixed sweet peppers (red, yellow, green), cut into slices about 3/4 inch wide by 1 1/2 inches long
4 to 6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/4 pounds zucchini, sliced about 1/2 inch thick (if very thick, cut in half lengthwise first)
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground pepper
For the Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 very small garlic clove, pureéd
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the Big Bowl
3 to 4 cups cooked farro or spelt
2 to 4 tablespoons slivered or chopped fresh basil, to taste
6 eggs, poached
2 ounces crumbled feta or freshly grated Parmesan
Preparation
For the Ratatouille
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place diced eggplant in a large, heavy, flameproof casserole. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and salt to taste. Place in hot oven and roast uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until eggplant is lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the casserole from the oven, cover tightly and allow eggplant to steam in the hot casserole while you pan-cook onions, peppers, and zucchini.
Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of the remaining oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until just about tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in peppers and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until peppers have softened and smell fragrant, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in half the garlic and cook for another minute, then season with salt and pepper and transfer to casserole with eggplant. Heat remaining oil in the skillet and add zucchini. Cook, stirring often, until tender but still bright, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in remaining garlic for a minute, until fragrant, season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to casserole.
Add tomatoes to the casserole with bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and more salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together and place over medium-low heat. When vegetables begin to sizzle, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, for 30 to 45 minutes, until the mix is juicy and fragrant and the vegetables are thoroughly tender. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve warm or cold, preferably the next day.
For the Big Bowl
Whisk together ingredients for the vinaigrette.
To assemble the big bowl, spoon warm or room temperature farro or spelt into each bowl (1/2 cup to 3/4 cup, to taste). Top with a generous spoonful of ratatouille. Spoon a tablespoon of vinaigrette over the ratatouille and garnish with some of the basil. Top with a poached egg if desired and sprinkle with feta or Parmesan. Garnish with more basil and serve.
WHOLE WHEAT PENNE PASTA WITH SUMMER VEGETABLES
This is from Diabetes Self-Management, and can be viewed online here.
Yield: 4 servings. Serving size: 1 3/4 cups.
Ingredients
6 ounces uncooked whole wheat penne pasta (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 medium zucchini, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
8 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
3 ounces (about 1 cup) mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting any salt or fat. Drain and keep warm.
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, broccoli, zucchini and bell pepper. Cook and stir about 2 minutes or until vegetables just begin to soften.
Add tomatoes, mushrooms, and oregano; mix well. Reduce heat to medium and cook and stir about 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender and tomatoes release their juices.
Mix vegetables with pasta. Toss in feta cheese.
Nutrition Facts Per Serving: Calories: 264 calories, Carbohydrates: 41 g, Protein: 15 g, Fat: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 8 mg, Sodium: 374 mg, Fiber: 7 g
Exchanges per serving: 2 Bread/Starch, 1/2 Fat, 2 Vegetable, 1 Meat.
SCOTTO CHEESE LASAGNA
This is from FamilyTime, and begins, “This delectable lasagna makes great use of convenience products so that you've can put the dish together in just 15 minutes! While it bakes you can throw together a salad, and you've got a fabulous dinner for very little work.”
Serves: 8 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 70 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 container (32 ounces) ricotta cheese
2 eggs, beaten
Prego® Tomato Basil & Garlic Italian Sauce or 5 cups Prego® Traditional Italian Sauce
12 lasagna noodle, cooked and drained
1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
1 package (10 ounces) Pepperidge Farm® Mozzarella and Garlic Loaf
Directions
Heat the oven to 350°F. Stir the ricotta and the eggs in a medium bowl.
Spread 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Layer with 3 lasagna noodles, 1 1/3 cups ricotta mixture, 1/4 of the mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Repeat to make 2 more layers. Top with the remaining noodles, sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cover the baking dish.
Bake at 350°F. for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes or until the lasagna is hot and bubbling and the cheese is melted. Remove the lasagna from the oven. Let the lasagna stand for 1 hour.
Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. for the bread. Bake the bread according to the package directions.
Cut the bread into 2-inch diagonal slices. Serve the bread with the lasagna.
APRICOT COBBLER SUPREME
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbs melted shortening
2 cups cooked apricots, sweetened
Directions
Beat egg and sugar until creamy. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla to creamed mixture; add shortening. Put fruit in greased baking dish; pour in batter. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until batter is done. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.
Any type fruit, fresh or canned, may be substituted for apricots. If using fresh fruit, sprinkle with 1cup sugar and heat before pouring in batter. Enjoy!
WHOOPIE PIES
This recipe is from the Baking/Desserts emailing list from about.com, which has since split into several other sites.
Want to make someone smile? Just offer them a Whoopie Pie. It's a cookie. It's a cake, but I can't think of it as a pie. It's also known as the official treat of Maine. Typically, it's top and bottom are chocolate cake with a middle fluffy frosting often made with marshmallow fluff. These days you can find fancier versions made of Red Velvet Cake, Pumpkin and/or Gingerbread Cake both with a cream cheese frosting filling.
"You'll note that I've included both a from-scratch cake and a cake mix recipe on this page. You could also make yours with a more traditional buttercream frosting1. Personally, I prefer the taste and texture of the marshmallow cream frosting," according to Carroll Pellegrinelli, the Baking/Desserts guide.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 57 minutes
Yield: Makes 8 individual servings
Ingredients:
From Scratch Whoopie Pies
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk*
Filling
1 cup butter, softened
7-ounce jar marshmallow fluff
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cake Mix Version
one 18-ounce chocolate or Devil's Food cake mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil or softened butter
3 eggs
3/4 cup water
Preparation:
For From-Scratch Recipe -
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Mix in egg. Slowly add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. Ending with the buttermilk. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter into rounds on prepared baking sheet. You should be able to get 16 cakes. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then remove to wire racks for cooling. Cool completely.
For Cake Mix Recipe
Mix ingredients in a bowl with a electric mixer to just moisten. Then, on medium for 2 minutes until well combined. Finish by following the above baking instructions.
Filling Instructions
Cream the butter and marshmallow fluff. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Add vanilla and beat until smooth.
To Assemble Whoopie Pies
Place a couple of tablespoons of filling on the flat bottoms of half of the pies. Top the filling with the flat bottoms of the other pies.
Notes in the Margin:
*Don't have buttermilk? Take a glass mixing cup and add one tablespoon of white vinegar. Fill the rest of the cup with milk. Stir and use instead of the buttermilk.
CHERRY CLAFOUTIS
This comes from Martha Rose Schulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “This classic French dessert looks fancy, but it is a cinch to make. I use yogurt in my clafoutis, although it isn’t traditional (the French use cream). And I always enjoy leftovers for breakfast.” Yield: Serves 8; Time: 1 hour 30 minutes.
This was featured in “A Short Season for Cherries”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Cherry Clafouti
1 1/2 pounds (about 5 cups) fresh ripe cherries, stemmed and pitted if desired
2 tablespoons kirsch
6 tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs
1 vanilla bean, scraped
Pinch of salt
2/3 cup sifted unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar (optional)
Preparation
For the Cherry Clafouti
Toss the cherries with the kirsch and 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and let sit for 30 minutes. Drain over a bowl.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 10- or 10 1/2-inch ceramic tart pan or clafouti dish. Fill the dish with the drained cherries.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the remaining sugar and the seeds from the vanilla bean. Add the salt and the liquid from the cherries, and combine well. Slowly beat in the flour, and whisk until smooth. Add the yogurt and milk, and combine well. Pour over the cherries, scraping out all of the batter with a rubber spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the clafouti is firm and puffed. Press gently on the top in the middle to see if it’s firm. If not, return to the oven for five minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool on a rack. When the clafouti is warm or cool, sift on the powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tip
Advance preparation: If you’re making this for a dinner, you can make it several hours ahead. The leftovers will keep for about three days in the refrigerator.
SUMMER RATATOUILLE WITH FARRO
This is from Martha Rose Schulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Ratatouille tastes best the day after you make it, and in the summer, you can serve it chilled or at room temperature, with a vinaigrette drizzled over the top. Here, it tops a pile of farro. Top it with a poached egg, or with crumbled feta or grated Parmesan.”
Yield: Serves 6; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes for the ratatouille 15 minutes for assembling the big bowls.
This was featured in “Just Add Farro”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Ratatouille
1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
3/4 pound (2 medium) onions, thinly sliced
3/4 pound mixed sweet peppers (red, yellow, green), cut into slices about 3/4 inch wide by 1 1/2 inches long
4 to 6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/4 pounds zucchini, sliced about 1/2 inch thick (if very thick, cut in half lengthwise first)
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground pepper
For the Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 very small garlic clove, pureéd
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the Big Bowl
3 to 4 cups cooked farro or spelt
2 to 4 tablespoons slivered or chopped fresh basil, to taste
6 eggs, poached
2 ounces crumbled feta or freshly grated Parmesan
Preparation
For the Ratatouille
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place diced eggplant in a large, heavy, flameproof casserole. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and salt to taste. Place in hot oven and roast uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until eggplant is lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the casserole from the oven, cover tightly and allow eggplant to steam in the hot casserole while you pan-cook onions, peppers, and zucchini.
Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of the remaining oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until just about tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in peppers and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until peppers have softened and smell fragrant, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in half the garlic and cook for another minute, then season with salt and pepper and transfer to casserole with eggplant. Heat remaining oil in the skillet and add zucchini. Cook, stirring often, until tender but still bright, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in remaining garlic for a minute, until fragrant, season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to casserole.
Add tomatoes to the casserole with bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and more salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together and place over medium-low heat. When vegetables begin to sizzle, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, for 30 to 45 minutes, until the mix is juicy and fragrant and the vegetables are thoroughly tender. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve warm or cold, preferably the next day.
For the Big Bowl
Whisk together ingredients for the vinaigrette.
To assemble the big bowl, spoon warm or room temperature farro or spelt into each bowl (1/2 cup to 3/4 cup, to taste). Top with a generous spoonful of ratatouille. Spoon a tablespoon of vinaigrette over the ratatouille and garnish with some of the basil. Top with a poached egg if desired and sprinkle with feta or Parmesan. Garnish with more basil and serve.
WHOLE WHEAT PENNE PASTA WITH SUMMER VEGETABLES
This is from Diabetes Self-Management, and can be viewed online here.
Yield: 4 servings. Serving size: 1 3/4 cups.
Ingredients
6 ounces uncooked whole wheat penne pasta (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 medium zucchini, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
8 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
3 ounces (about 1 cup) mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting any salt or fat. Drain and keep warm.
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, broccoli, zucchini and bell pepper. Cook and stir about 2 minutes or until vegetables just begin to soften.
Add tomatoes, mushrooms, and oregano; mix well. Reduce heat to medium and cook and stir about 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender and tomatoes release their juices.
Mix vegetables with pasta. Toss in feta cheese.
Nutrition Facts Per Serving: Calories: 264 calories, Carbohydrates: 41 g, Protein: 15 g, Fat: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 8 mg, Sodium: 374 mg, Fiber: 7 g
Exchanges per serving: 2 Bread/Starch, 1/2 Fat, 2 Vegetable, 1 Meat.
SCOTTO CHEESE LASAGNA
This is from FamilyTime, and begins, “This delectable lasagna makes great use of convenience products so that you've can put the dish together in just 15 minutes! While it bakes you can throw together a salad, and you've got a fabulous dinner for very little work.”
Serves: 8 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each); Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 70 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 container (32 ounces) ricotta cheese
2 eggs, beaten
Prego® Tomato Basil & Garlic Italian Sauce or 5 cups Prego® Traditional Italian Sauce
12 lasagna noodle, cooked and drained
1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
1 package (10 ounces) Pepperidge Farm® Mozzarella and Garlic Loaf
Directions
Heat the oven to 350°F. Stir the ricotta and the eggs in a medium bowl.
Spread 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Layer with 3 lasagna noodles, 1 1/3 cups ricotta mixture, 1/4 of the mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Repeat to make 2 more layers. Top with the remaining noodles, sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cover the baking dish.
Bake at 350°F. for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes or until the lasagna is hot and bubbling and the cheese is melted. Remove the lasagna from the oven. Let the lasagna stand for 1 hour.
Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. for the bread. Bake the bread according to the package directions.
Cut the bread into 2-inch diagonal slices. Serve the bread with the lasagna.
APRICOT COBBLER SUPREME
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.
Ingredients
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbs melted shortening
2 cups cooked apricots, sweetened
Directions
Beat egg and sugar until creamy. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla to creamed mixture; add shortening. Put fruit in greased baking dish; pour in batter. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until batter is done. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.
Any type fruit, fresh or canned, may be substituted for apricots. If using fresh fruit, sprinkle with 1cup sugar and heat before pouring in batter. Enjoy!
WHOOPIE PIES
This recipe is from the Baking/Desserts emailing list from about.com, which has since split into several other sites.
Want to make someone smile? Just offer them a Whoopie Pie. It's a cookie. It's a cake, but I can't think of it as a pie. It's also known as the official treat of Maine. Typically, it's top and bottom are chocolate cake with a middle fluffy frosting often made with marshmallow fluff. These days you can find fancier versions made of Red Velvet Cake, Pumpkin and/or Gingerbread Cake both with a cream cheese frosting filling.
"You'll note that I've included both a from-scratch cake and a cake mix recipe on this page. You could also make yours with a more traditional buttercream frosting1. Personally, I prefer the taste and texture of the marshmallow cream frosting," according to Carroll Pellegrinelli, the Baking/Desserts guide.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 57 minutes
Yield: Makes 8 individual servings
Ingredients:
From Scratch Whoopie Pies
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk*
Filling
1 cup butter, softened
7-ounce jar marshmallow fluff
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cake Mix Version
one 18-ounce chocolate or Devil's Food cake mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil or softened butter
3 eggs
3/4 cup water
Preparation:
For From-Scratch Recipe -
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Mix in egg. Slowly add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. Ending with the buttermilk. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter into rounds on prepared baking sheet. You should be able to get 16 cakes. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then remove to wire racks for cooling. Cool completely.
For Cake Mix Recipe
Mix ingredients in a bowl with a electric mixer to just moisten. Then, on medium for 2 minutes until well combined. Finish by following the above baking instructions.
Filling Instructions
Cream the butter and marshmallow fluff. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Add vanilla and beat until smooth.
To Assemble Whoopie Pies
Place a couple of tablespoons of filling on the flat bottoms of half of the pies. Top the filling with the flat bottoms of the other pies.
Notes in the Margin:
*Don't have buttermilk? Take a glass mixing cup and add one tablespoon of white vinegar. Fill the rest of the cup with milk. Stir and use instead of the buttermilk.
CHERRY CLAFOUTIS
This comes from Martha Rose Schulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “This classic French dessert looks fancy, but it is a cinch to make. I use yogurt in my clafoutis, although it isn’t traditional (the French use cream). And I always enjoy leftovers for breakfast.” Yield: Serves 8; Time: 1 hour 30 minutes.
This was featured in “A Short Season for Cherries”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Cherry Clafouti
1 1/2 pounds (about 5 cups) fresh ripe cherries, stemmed and pitted if desired
2 tablespoons kirsch
6 tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs
1 vanilla bean, scraped
Pinch of salt
2/3 cup sifted unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar (optional)
Preparation
For the Cherry Clafouti
Toss the cherries with the kirsch and 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and let sit for 30 minutes. Drain over a bowl.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 10- or 10 1/2-inch ceramic tart pan or clafouti dish. Fill the dish with the drained cherries.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the remaining sugar and the seeds from the vanilla bean. Add the salt and the liquid from the cherries, and combine well. Slowly beat in the flour, and whisk until smooth. Add the yogurt and milk, and combine well. Pour over the cherries, scraping out all of the batter with a rubber spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the clafouti is firm and puffed. Press gently on the top in the middle to see if it’s firm. If not, return to the oven for five minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool on a rack. When the clafouti is warm or cool, sift on the powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tip
Advance preparation: If you’re making this for a dinner, you can make it several hours ahead. The leftovers will keep for about three days in the refrigerator.
Friday, August 31, 2018
Friday Recipes - Labor Day Weekend
Here it is, Friday of a three day weekend! Yay!
Monday is Labor Day, which signals the end of summer in the U.S. And while summer doesn't officially end until later in September, it still feels like the end of summer.
I will be posting on Monday, with some burger recipes to help you celebrate, as well as possibly posting throughout the weekend. (Can anyone say ice cream? That might make a great post over the next few days.) In the meantime, today's post includes two Summer Ratatouille recipes (one with farro, the other without) and Baileys Mousse Cheesecake. Enjoy!
BANANA SPLIT LASAGNA
This comes from Rian Handler on Delish. Rian wrote, “This no-bake dessert is hands down the most fun way to eat a banana split.”
Yields: 12; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 4 hours, 35 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Crust
2 c. crushed graham crackers
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted
2 tbsp. sugar
kosher salt
For the Cream Filling
12 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 c. sugar
8 oz. cool whip
For the Fruit Layer
3 bananas, thinly sliced
20 oz. can crushed pineapple, well drained
1 lb. strawberries, finely chopped
Additional Toppings
8 oz. cool whip
1/2 c. walnuts, toasted and chopped
chocolate syrup, for serving
Rainbow sprinkles, for serving
Maraschino cherries, for serving
Directions
Grease a 9"-x-13” baking dish.
Make crust: In a medium bowl, add graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and a pinch of salt. Mix until evenly combined, then press into baking dish. Refrigerate until set, at least 15 minutes.
Make cream filling: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy, 5 minutes. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread mixture evenly onto crust.
To cream layer, add even layers of banana, pineapple and strawberries. Top with Cool Whip and sprinkle with walnuts. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or up to overnight.
When ready to serve, garnish with chocolate syrup, sprinkles and maraschino cherries.
STRAWBERRY FOOL
This comes from Mark Bittman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “This Minimalist recipe is as basic as dessert gets, and especially in strawberry season it’s just perfect. It is essentially fresh strawberries and whipped cream (substitute heavy cream, sour cream or yogurt). It can be eaten right away or refrigerated. Only a fool would pass this up.”
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes
The recipe was featured in “THE MINIMALIST; A Fruit Fool: It's Sublime” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 pint strawberries
1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Preparation
Hull strawberries, then wash them and chop into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. Toss with half the sugar, and wait 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they give up their juices.
Place half the strawberries and all the juice in a blender, and puree. Pour puree back in bowl with chopped strawberries.
Whip the cream with remaining sugar and vanilla until cream is stiff and holds peaks easily. Fold berries and cream together, and serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to two hours.
SUMMER RATATOUILLE WITH FARRO
This is from Martha Rose Schulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Ratatouille tastes best the day after you make it, and in the summer, you can serve it chilled or at room temperature, with a vinaigrette drizzled over the top. Here, it tops a pile of farro. Top it with a poached egg, or with crumbled feta or grated Parmesan.”
Yield: Serves 6; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes for the ratatouille 15 minutes for assembling the big bowls.
This was featured in “Just Add Farro”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Ratatouille
1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
3/4 pound (2 medium) onions, thinly sliced
3/4 pound mixed sweet peppers (red, yellow, green), cut into slices about 3/4 inch wide by 1 1/2 inches long
4 to 6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/4 pounds zucchini, sliced about 1/2 inch thick (if very thick, cut in half lengthwise first)
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground pepper
For the Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 very small garlic clove, pureéd
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the Big Bowl
3 to 4 cups cooked farro or spelt
2 to 4 tablespoons slivered or chopped fresh basil, to taste
6 eggs, poached
2 ounces crumbled feta or freshly grated Parmesan
Preparation
For the Ratatouille
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place diced eggplant in a large, heavy, flameproof casserole. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and salt to taste. Place in hot oven and roast uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until eggplant is lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the casserole from the oven, cover tightly and allow eggplant to steam in the hot casserole while you pan-cook onions, peppers, and zucchini.
Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of the remaining oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until just about tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in peppers and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until peppers have softened and smell fragrant, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in half the garlic and cook for another minute, then season with salt and pepper and transfer to casserole with eggplant. Heat remaining oil in the skillet and add zucchini. Cook, stirring often, until tender but still bright, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in remaining garlic for a minute, until fragrant, season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to casserole.
Add tomatoes to the casserole with bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and more salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together and place over medium-low heat. When vegetables begin to sizzle, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, for 30 to 45 minutes, until the mix is juicy and fragrant and the vegetables are thoroughly tender. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve warm or cold, preferably the next day.
For the Big Bowl
Whisk together ingredients for the vinaigrette.
To assemble the big bowl, spoon warm or room temperature farro or spelt into each bowl (1/2 cup to 3/4 cup, to taste). Top with a generous spoonful of ratatouille. Spoon a tablespoon of vinaigrette over the ratatouille and garnish with some of the basil. Top with a poached egg if desired and sprinkle with feta or Parmesan. Garnish with more basil and serve.
SUMMER RATATOUILLE
Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 (1 cup) servings
Source: Express Lane Diabetic Cooking
Book Title: Express Lane Diabetic Cooking
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/summer-ratatouille
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
3 cups combination sliced zucchini and yellow squash
1 cup sliced onion
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup minced fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 (4.75 oz) can prepared eggplant caponata
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Directions
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Add the zucchini and yellow squash and onion and saute for 5-7 minutes until tender, stirring often.
Remove the zucchini-yellow squash saute to a salad bowl. Add remaining ingredients and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 105;Fat: 6 g; Fiber: 4 g; Sodium: 299 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Sugars: 7 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 1 Fat
MEXICAN QUICHE
This yummy quiche is from FamilyTime, and begins, “This Mexican Quiche takes all the best ingredients of a rich and creamy quiche and adds the essential elements of Mexican cooking: drop in Mexican cheese, diced green chiles and salsa prima.”
Serves: 8; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes
View this online at http://www.familytime.com/recipe/showrecipe.aspx?recipeid=13319
Ingredients
1 (9-in.) unbaked frozen deep-dish pie shell, (4-cup volume)
1 cup 4 cheese Mexican blend
1 large green or red bell pepper, chopped
1 can (4-oz.) ORTEGA® Diced Green Chiles
2 large green onions, sliced
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup ORTEGA® Salsa Prima Homestyle Mild
3/4 cup NESTLÉ ® Carnation ® Evaporated Milk
Garnish suggestions: ORTEGA® Salsa Prima-Homestyle Mild, sour cream, sliced green onions, diced tomatoes
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Sprinkle cheese, bell pepper, chiles and green onions onto bottom of pie shell. Combine eggs, salsa and evaporated milk in small bowl until blended. Pour into pie shell.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Garnish as desired.
Notes: For a lower calorie version, substitute shredded light cheese and NESTLE® CARNATION® Evaporated Fat Free Milk.
BAILEYS MOUSSE CHEESECAKE
This comes from The Baker Chick's e-newsletter. If you haven't signed up for Audra's newsletter yet, you really should! (Yes, that's a subtle recommendation.)
This recipe, which yields 1 7-inch cheesecake, can be found online at http://www.thebakerchick.com/2015/03/baileys-mousse-cheesecake/.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Note: 1/2 cup minus 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder)
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
For the Topping:
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 - 3/4 cup Bailey's
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup chocolate chips, or melted chocolate or shaved chocolate for topping.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F.
In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the melted butter and stir until moistened. Press the crust mixture into a 7-inch springform pan* and bake for 10 minutes.
While the crust cools, whip the cream cheese on high until smooth. Add ½ cup of the Bailey's and the vanilla extract. Taste the mixture, and add the remaining 1/4 cup of creamer if desired, 1 tablespoon at a time until desired sweetness is reached.**
Transfer filling into cooled crust and smooth with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, or drizzle with melted chocolate or chocolate shavings. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for several hours, until the filling has set. (You can speed this up in the freezer.)
Notes:
You can use a 9 inch springform pan, but I would make 1 1/2 times the recipe.
*The more liquid you add to the filling the looser it will be. I added the full 3/4 cup and it was perfectly creamy and dreamy, but if you prefer a bit more solid texture add a little less.
Monday is Labor Day, which signals the end of summer in the U.S. And while summer doesn't officially end until later in September, it still feels like the end of summer.
I will be posting on Monday, with some burger recipes to help you celebrate, as well as possibly posting throughout the weekend. (Can anyone say ice cream? That might make a great post over the next few days.) In the meantime, today's post includes two Summer Ratatouille recipes (one with farro, the other without) and Baileys Mousse Cheesecake. Enjoy!
BANANA SPLIT LASAGNA
This comes from Rian Handler on Delish. Rian wrote, “This no-bake dessert is hands down the most fun way to eat a banana split.”
Yields: 12; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 4 hours, 35 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
For the Crust
2 c. crushed graham crackers
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted
2 tbsp. sugar
kosher salt
For the Cream Filling
12 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 c. sugar
8 oz. cool whip
For the Fruit Layer
3 bananas, thinly sliced
20 oz. can crushed pineapple, well drained
1 lb. strawberries, finely chopped
Additional Toppings
8 oz. cool whip
1/2 c. walnuts, toasted and chopped
chocolate syrup, for serving
Rainbow sprinkles, for serving
Maraschino cherries, for serving
Directions
Grease a 9"-x-13” baking dish.
Make crust: In a medium bowl, add graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and a pinch of salt. Mix until evenly combined, then press into baking dish. Refrigerate until set, at least 15 minutes.
Make cream filling: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy, 5 minutes. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread mixture evenly onto crust.
To cream layer, add even layers of banana, pineapple and strawberries. Top with Cool Whip and sprinkle with walnuts. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or up to overnight.
When ready to serve, garnish with chocolate syrup, sprinkles and maraschino cherries.
STRAWBERRY FOOL
This comes from Mark Bittman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “This Minimalist recipe is as basic as dessert gets, and especially in strawberry season it’s just perfect. It is essentially fresh strawberries and whipped cream (substitute heavy cream, sour cream or yogurt). It can be eaten right away or refrigerated. Only a fool would pass this up.”
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes
The recipe was featured in “THE MINIMALIST; A Fruit Fool: It's Sublime” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
1 pint strawberries
1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Preparation
Hull strawberries, then wash them and chop into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. Toss with half the sugar, and wait 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they give up their juices.
Place half the strawberries and all the juice in a blender, and puree. Pour puree back in bowl with chopped strawberries.
Whip the cream with remaining sugar and vanilla until cream is stiff and holds peaks easily. Fold berries and cream together, and serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to two hours.
SUMMER RATATOUILLE WITH FARRO
This is from Martha Rose Schulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Ratatouille tastes best the day after you make it, and in the summer, you can serve it chilled or at room temperature, with a vinaigrette drizzled over the top. Here, it tops a pile of farro. Top it with a poached egg, or with crumbled feta or grated Parmesan.”
Yield: Serves 6; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes for the ratatouille 15 minutes for assembling the big bowls.
This was featured in “Just Add Farro”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Ratatouille
1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
3/4 pound (2 medium) onions, thinly sliced
3/4 pound mixed sweet peppers (red, yellow, green), cut into slices about 3/4 inch wide by 1 1/2 inches long
4 to 6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/4 pounds zucchini, sliced about 1/2 inch thick (if very thick, cut in half lengthwise first)
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground pepper
For the Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 very small garlic clove, pureéd
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the Big Bowl
3 to 4 cups cooked farro or spelt
2 to 4 tablespoons slivered or chopped fresh basil, to taste
6 eggs, poached
2 ounces crumbled feta or freshly grated Parmesan
Preparation
For the Ratatouille
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place diced eggplant in a large, heavy, flameproof casserole. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and salt to taste. Place in hot oven and roast uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until eggplant is lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the casserole from the oven, cover tightly and allow eggplant to steam in the hot casserole while you pan-cook onions, peppers, and zucchini.
Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of the remaining oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until just about tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in peppers and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until peppers have softened and smell fragrant, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in half the garlic and cook for another minute, then season with salt and pepper and transfer to casserole with eggplant. Heat remaining oil in the skillet and add zucchini. Cook, stirring often, until tender but still bright, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in remaining garlic for a minute, until fragrant, season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to casserole.
Add tomatoes to the casserole with bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and more salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together and place over medium-low heat. When vegetables begin to sizzle, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, for 30 to 45 minutes, until the mix is juicy and fragrant and the vegetables are thoroughly tender. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve warm or cold, preferably the next day.
For the Big Bowl
Whisk together ingredients for the vinaigrette.
To assemble the big bowl, spoon warm or room temperature farro or spelt into each bowl (1/2 cup to 3/4 cup, to taste). Top with a generous spoonful of ratatouille. Spoon a tablespoon of vinaigrette over the ratatouille and garnish with some of the basil. Top with a poached egg if desired and sprinkle with feta or Parmesan. Garnish with more basil and serve.
SUMMER RATATOUILLE
Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 (1 cup) servings
Source: Express Lane Diabetic Cooking
Book Title: Express Lane Diabetic Cooking
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/summer-ratatouille
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
3 cups combination sliced zucchini and yellow squash
1 cup sliced onion
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup minced fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 (4.75 oz) can prepared eggplant caponata
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Directions
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Add the zucchini and yellow squash and onion and saute for 5-7 minutes until tender, stirring often.
Remove the zucchini-yellow squash saute to a salad bowl. Add remaining ingredients and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 105;Fat: 6 g; Fiber: 4 g; Sodium: 299 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Sugars: 7 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 1 Fat
MEXICAN QUICHE
This yummy quiche is from FamilyTime, and begins, “This Mexican Quiche takes all the best ingredients of a rich and creamy quiche and adds the essential elements of Mexican cooking: drop in Mexican cheese, diced green chiles and salsa prima.”
Serves: 8; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes
View this online at http://www.familytime.com/recipe/showrecipe.aspx?recipeid=13319
Ingredients
1 (9-in.) unbaked frozen deep-dish pie shell, (4-cup volume)
1 cup 4 cheese Mexican blend
1 large green or red bell pepper, chopped
1 can (4-oz.) ORTEGA® Diced Green Chiles
2 large green onions, sliced
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup ORTEGA® Salsa Prima Homestyle Mild
3/4 cup NESTLÉ ® Carnation ® Evaporated Milk
Garnish suggestions: ORTEGA® Salsa Prima-Homestyle Mild, sour cream, sliced green onions, diced tomatoes
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Sprinkle cheese, bell pepper, chiles and green onions onto bottom of pie shell. Combine eggs, salsa and evaporated milk in small bowl until blended. Pour into pie shell.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Garnish as desired.
Notes: For a lower calorie version, substitute shredded light cheese and NESTLE® CARNATION® Evaporated Fat Free Milk.
BAILEYS MOUSSE CHEESECAKE
This comes from The Baker Chick's e-newsletter. If you haven't signed up for Audra's newsletter yet, you really should! (Yes, that's a subtle recommendation.)
This recipe, which yields 1 7-inch cheesecake, can be found online at http://www.thebakerchick.com/2015/03/baileys-mousse-cheesecake/.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Note: 1/2 cup minus 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder)
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
For the Topping:
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 - 3/4 cup Bailey's
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup chocolate chips, or melted chocolate or shaved chocolate for topping.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F.
In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the melted butter and stir until moistened. Press the crust mixture into a 7-inch springform pan* and bake for 10 minutes.
While the crust cools, whip the cream cheese on high until smooth. Add ½ cup of the Bailey's and the vanilla extract. Taste the mixture, and add the remaining 1/4 cup of creamer if desired, 1 tablespoon at a time until desired sweetness is reached.**
Transfer filling into cooled crust and smooth with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, or drizzle with melted chocolate or chocolate shavings. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for several hours, until the filling has set. (You can speed this up in the freezer.)
Notes:
You can use a 9 inch springform pan, but I would make 1 1/2 times the recipe.
*The more liquid you add to the filling the looser it will be. I added the full 3/4 cup and it was perfectly creamy and dreamy, but if you prefer a bit more solid texture add a little less.
Monday, August 20, 2018
Monday Recipes
It's Monday, the start of another week. Here are six yummy recipes to help get your week started off just right, including Summer Ratatouille With Farro and Peach Pie. Enjoy!
VEGETARIAN DELHI DUM ALOO
This was in Yoga Journal, and begins, “Delhi Dum Aloo is a delicious North Indian vegetarian classic using tomato and potatoes along with a host of spices to develop deep flavor. India has a rich culinary heritage dating back hundreds of years. This tradition continues through the dedication and excellence of the Master Chefs of ITC Hotels, which guide all Kitchens of India products.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 lb Baby Potatoes
1 tsp Turmeric powder
4 Tbs Ghee (alt. butter/oil)
1 Medium Onion (diced)
2 Tbs Ginger paste (alt. minced ginger)
1 Tbs Garlic paste (alt. minced garlic)
1 lb Tomatoes (canned or fresh)
2 oz Cashews
2 oz Red chili paste (alt. diced Fresno or Jalapeno chili)
1 Tbs Chili powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 tps Coriander powder
2 Bay leaves
1 tps Garam Masala powder
1 bunch Cilantro leaves (chopped)
Directions
Peel and pierce the potatoes. Boil until fork tender in a medium saucepan with turmeric and a tablespoon of salt, with water to cover. Strain and reserve.
Puree tomatoes in blender and reserve.
In dutch oven (alt. cast-iron/heavy saute pan), add ghee and shallow fry cashews until roasted.
Transfer cashews (leaving ghee in the pan) to a blender and puree, adding water as needed to make a paste.
Add bay leaves and onion to pan and saute until just beginning to color. Add ginger and garlic and cook for 1 min more.
Add tomato puree, cashew paste, chili paste & powder, salt, cumin, and coriander and cook for 10 min to allow flavors to blend.
Add 1 cup of water to pan and return to a boil. Add potatoes and cook for 5 minute until sauce reduces and thickens.
Finish with Garam Masala and serve with Basmati rice and naan (if desired).
CHICKPEA TIKKA MASALA
This is from the March 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 24, and begins, “This mild veg version of an Indian restaurant favorite shows that Indian food doesn’t have to be ultra-spicy to be good.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
This can be viewed online here.
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 Tbs. garam masala
1 Tbs. tomato paste
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chile, minced
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup low-fat Greek-style yogurt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until softened. Add garam masala, tomato paste, ginger, and serrano chile, and season with salt, if desired. Sauté 1 minute more.
Stir in chickpeas and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in yogurt and cilantro.
nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 328; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 582 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 11 g; Gluten-Free
PEACH PIE
This comes from my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking, available from Amazon.com.
4 C peaches, cut up
dash salt
1 – 1 1/4 C sugar
2 T butter
3 T unbleached flour
1 unbaked pie shell & lattice top
Arrange peaches in unbaked pie shell. Mix sugar, flour & salt. Sprinkle over peaches. Dot with butter. Cover with lattice top. Bake at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes.
CRUSTLESS SOUTHWESTERN MINI-QUICHES
This is from the Vegetarian Times website (January 6, 2007), and begins, “Frozen hash browns act as a crust for these spicy entrées that can also be made in individual pie dishes for a more quiche-like appearance. Serve with prepared salsa and slices of avocado.”
6 servingsView this online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/crustless-southwestern-mini-quiches.
Ingredients
6 large eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed if frozen
2 green onions (white and green parts), thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup low-fat milk
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, drained, rinsed and minced, 2 tsp. sauce reserved
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 6 6-oz. ramekins with cooking spray, and place on baking sheet. Whisk together 1 egg and 1/4 tsp. salt in medium bowl. Stir in shredded hash brown potatoes. Divide potato mixture evenly among prepared ramekins, pressing down to form crust. Bake 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Sprinkle each ramekin with bell pepper, corn, green onions and cilantro. Top with cheese.
Whisk together remaining eggs, milk, 3/4 tsp. salt, chiles and adobo sauce in medium bowl. Pour mixture over vegetables in ramekins. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 156; Carbohydrate Content: 9 g; Cholesterol Content: 223 mg; Fat Content: 8 g; Fiber Content: 1 g; Protein Content: 12 g; Saturated Fat Content: 3 g; Sodium Content: 602 mg; Sugar Content: 2 g
SUMMER RATATOUILLE WITH FARRO
This is from Martha Rose Schulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Ratatouille tastes best the day after you make it, and in the summer, you can serve it chilled or at room temperature, with a vinaigrette drizzled over the top. Here, it tops a pile of farro. Top it with a poached egg, or with crumbled feta or grated Parmesan.”
Yield: Serves 6; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes for the ratatouille 15 minutes for assembling the big bowls.
This was featured in “Just Add Farro”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Ratatouille
1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
3/4 pound (2 medium) onions, thinly sliced
3/4 pound mixed sweet peppers (red, yellow, green), cut into slices about 3/4 inch wide by 1 1/2 inches long
4 to 6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/4 pounds zucchini, sliced about 1/2 inch thick (if very thick, cut in half lengthwise first)
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground pepper
For the Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 very small garlic clove, pureéd
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the Big Bowl
3 to 4 cups cooked farro or spelt
2 to 4 tablespoons slivered or chopped fresh basil, to taste
6 eggs, poached
2 ounces crumbled feta or freshly grated Parmesan
Preparation
For the Ratatouille
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place diced eggplant in a large, heavy, flameproof casserole. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and salt to taste. Place in hot oven and roast uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until eggplant is lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the casserole from the oven, cover tightly and allow eggplant to steam in the hot casserole while you pan-cook onions, peppers, and zucchini.
Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of the remaining oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until just about tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in peppers and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until peppers have softened and smell fragrant, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in half the garlic and cook for another minute, then season with salt and pepper and transfer to casserole with eggplant. Heat remaining oil in the skillet and add zucchini. Cook, stirring often, until tender but still bright, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in remaining garlic for a minute, until fragrant, season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to casserole.
Add tomatoes to the casserole with bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and more salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together and place over medium-low heat. When vegetables begin to sizzle, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, for 30 to 45 minutes, until the mix is juicy and fragrant and the vegetables are thoroughly tender. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve warm or cold, preferably the next day.
For the Big Bowl
Whisk together ingredients for the vinaigrette.
To assemble the big bowl, spoon warm or room temperature farro or spelt into each bowl (1/2 cup to 3/4 cup, to taste). Top with a generous spoonful of ratatouille. Spoon a tablespoon of vinaigrette over the ratatouille and garnish with some of the basil. Top with a poached egg if desired and sprinkle with feta or Parmesan. Garnish with more basil and serve.
CREAMY COLESLAW
This is from a Weight Watcher's emailing list from y-e-a-r-s ago. The recipe began, “Richly-flavored sesame oil and piquant cilantro add a distinctly Asian flavor to America's favorite side dish — lightened up.”
At the time it was posted, it had a points value of 1.
Servings: 4 (about 1 cup per serving); Preparation Time: 10 min; Cooking Time: 0 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
3/4 pound packaged coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
1 medium red onion(s), thinly sliced
1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to serve.
VEGETARIAN DELHI DUM ALOO
This was in Yoga Journal, and begins, “Delhi Dum Aloo is a delicious North Indian vegetarian classic using tomato and potatoes along with a host of spices to develop deep flavor. India has a rich culinary heritage dating back hundreds of years. This tradition continues through the dedication and excellence of the Master Chefs of ITC Hotels, which guide all Kitchens of India products.”
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 lb Baby Potatoes
1 tsp Turmeric powder
4 Tbs Ghee (alt. butter/oil)
1 Medium Onion (diced)
2 Tbs Ginger paste (alt. minced ginger)
1 Tbs Garlic paste (alt. minced garlic)
1 lb Tomatoes (canned or fresh)
2 oz Cashews
2 oz Red chili paste (alt. diced Fresno or Jalapeno chili)
1 Tbs Chili powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 tps Coriander powder
2 Bay leaves
1 tps Garam Masala powder
1 bunch Cilantro leaves (chopped)
Directions
Peel and pierce the potatoes. Boil until fork tender in a medium saucepan with turmeric and a tablespoon of salt, with water to cover. Strain and reserve.
Puree tomatoes in blender and reserve.
In dutch oven (alt. cast-iron/heavy saute pan), add ghee and shallow fry cashews until roasted.
Transfer cashews (leaving ghee in the pan) to a blender and puree, adding water as needed to make a paste.
Add bay leaves and onion to pan and saute until just beginning to color. Add ginger and garlic and cook for 1 min more.
Add tomato puree, cashew paste, chili paste & powder, salt, cumin, and coriander and cook for 10 min to allow flavors to blend.
Add 1 cup of water to pan and return to a boil. Add potatoes and cook for 5 minute until sauce reduces and thickens.
Finish with Garam Masala and serve with Basmati rice and naan (if desired).
CHICKPEA TIKKA MASALA
This is from the March 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 24, and begins, “This mild veg version of an Indian restaurant favorite shows that Indian food doesn’t have to be ultra-spicy to be good.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
This can be viewed online here.
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 Tbs. garam masala
1 Tbs. tomato paste
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chile, minced
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup low-fat Greek-style yogurt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until softened. Add garam masala, tomato paste, ginger, and serrano chile, and season with salt, if desired. Sauté 1 minute more.
Stir in chickpeas and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in yogurt and cilantro.
nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 328; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 582 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 11 g; Gluten-Free
PEACH PIE
This comes from my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking, available from Amazon.com.
4 C peaches, cut up
dash salt
1 – 1 1/4 C sugar
2 T butter
3 T unbleached flour
1 unbaked pie shell & lattice top
Arrange peaches in unbaked pie shell. Mix sugar, flour & salt. Sprinkle over peaches. Dot with butter. Cover with lattice top. Bake at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes.
CRUSTLESS SOUTHWESTERN MINI-QUICHES
This is from the Vegetarian Times website (January 6, 2007), and begins, “Frozen hash browns act as a crust for these spicy entrées that can also be made in individual pie dishes for a more quiche-like appearance. Serve with prepared salsa and slices of avocado.”
6 servingsView this online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/crustless-southwestern-mini-quiches.
Ingredients
6 large eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed if frozen
2 green onions (white and green parts), thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup low-fat milk
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, drained, rinsed and minced, 2 tsp. sauce reserved
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 6 6-oz. ramekins with cooking spray, and place on baking sheet. Whisk together 1 egg and 1/4 tsp. salt in medium bowl. Stir in shredded hash brown potatoes. Divide potato mixture evenly among prepared ramekins, pressing down to form crust. Bake 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Sprinkle each ramekin with bell pepper, corn, green onions and cilantro. Top with cheese.
Whisk together remaining eggs, milk, 3/4 tsp. salt, chiles and adobo sauce in medium bowl. Pour mixture over vegetables in ramekins. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 156; Carbohydrate Content: 9 g; Cholesterol Content: 223 mg; Fat Content: 8 g; Fiber Content: 1 g; Protein Content: 12 g; Saturated Fat Content: 3 g; Sodium Content: 602 mg; Sugar Content: 2 g
SUMMER RATATOUILLE WITH FARRO
This is from Martha Rose Schulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Ratatouille tastes best the day after you make it, and in the summer, you can serve it chilled or at room temperature, with a vinaigrette drizzled over the top. Here, it tops a pile of farro. Top it with a poached egg, or with crumbled feta or grated Parmesan.”
Yield: Serves 6; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes for the ratatouille 15 minutes for assembling the big bowls.
This was featured in “Just Add Farro”, and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the Ratatouille
1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
3/4 pound (2 medium) onions, thinly sliced
3/4 pound mixed sweet peppers (red, yellow, green), cut into slices about 3/4 inch wide by 1 1/2 inches long
4 to 6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/4 pounds zucchini, sliced about 1/2 inch thick (if very thick, cut in half lengthwise first)
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground pepper
For the Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 very small garlic clove, pureéd
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the Big Bowl
3 to 4 cups cooked farro or spelt
2 to 4 tablespoons slivered or chopped fresh basil, to taste
6 eggs, poached
2 ounces crumbled feta or freshly grated Parmesan
Preparation
For the Ratatouille
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place diced eggplant in a large, heavy, flameproof casserole. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and salt to taste. Place in hot oven and roast uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until eggplant is lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the casserole from the oven, cover tightly and allow eggplant to steam in the hot casserole while you pan-cook onions, peppers, and zucchini.
Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of the remaining oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until just about tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in peppers and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until peppers have softened and smell fragrant, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in half the garlic and cook for another minute, then season with salt and pepper and transfer to casserole with eggplant. Heat remaining oil in the skillet and add zucchini. Cook, stirring often, until tender but still bright, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in remaining garlic for a minute, until fragrant, season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to casserole.
Add tomatoes to the casserole with bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and more salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together and place over medium-low heat. When vegetables begin to sizzle, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, for 30 to 45 minutes, until the mix is juicy and fragrant and the vegetables are thoroughly tender. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve warm or cold, preferably the next day.
For the Big Bowl
Whisk together ingredients for the vinaigrette.
To assemble the big bowl, spoon warm or room temperature farro or spelt into each bowl (1/2 cup to 3/4 cup, to taste). Top with a generous spoonful of ratatouille. Spoon a tablespoon of vinaigrette over the ratatouille and garnish with some of the basil. Top with a poached egg if desired and sprinkle with feta or Parmesan. Garnish with more basil and serve.
CREAMY COLESLAW
This is from a Weight Watcher's emailing list from y-e-a-r-s ago. The recipe began, “Richly-flavored sesame oil and piquant cilantro add a distinctly Asian flavor to America's favorite side dish — lightened up.”
At the time it was posted, it had a points value of 1.
Servings: 4 (about 1 cup per serving); Preparation Time: 10 min; Cooking Time: 0 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
3/4 pound packaged coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
1 medium red onion(s), thinly sliced
1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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