Trending
It is summer but it hard to believe, for the weather is acting like fall with the rain so far this summer refuses to go away. This also makes it difficult for desperate parents to get their children outdoors and getting involved in outdoor activities and sports. I realize it does not bother the kids that much for it gives them an excuse to stay inside and play on their iPads or electric games.
On a positive side of all this rain and weather it is great for the ones who put in gardens and flowers not having to worry about watering them daily -- of course too much rain would not be good either..
The only thing I personally plant are tomatoes. As I think I mentioned to you before, I just wanted to plant 3 or 4 tomato plants but my husband wanted more so we would have plenty to give to the family and even friends. We ended up planting 12, however a groundhog ate 8 of the plants and we had to replace them and now we ended up with 13 plants. Surely some of them will be successful and we should end up with plenty of Big Boy and Better Boys tomatoes. I do have a problem however, for I do not take care of even the tomato plants we put out like a true and good farmer would.
Gardening is a hobby for many people and the best time to pull weeds and water their gardens is early in the morning or in the evening after the sun goes down. I do love fresh veggies and fruits and they are far superior to the hot house ones.
I especially like the home grown corn and after many years of boiling corn on the cob I learned to place the entire ear of corn -- husk and all -- in the microwave for three and a half minutes and it turns out great.
As for homegrown zucchini, I love prepare it in my mother's beer batter recipe and fry them in olive oil. Homegrown eggplants makes my Greek Moussaka casserole extra delicious along with a Village Greek salad which consists of tomatoes, onions, sliced cucumbers, slices of green pepper, virgin olive oil topped with oregano and feta cheese.
If you decide to make the garden veggie lasagna or the basil polenta with ratatouille I have listed I would recommend to wait to late in the summer when all fresh veggies are plentiful.
When I am in my kitchen and my own kingdom, I can create a dish that taste good with my favorite ingredients and spices. I really like to create my own dishes that gives me a special satisfaction.
Last but not least, I will mention fixing homegrown stuffed green peppers or tomatoes with ground beef, rice and seasonings.
DON'T FORGET!
In case you haven't heard, the PHS foundation have taken on the project of replacing the chairs in the school auditorium with new ones. This is an opportunity for all you Big Red fans and graduates to purchase a beautiful red chair or chairs for $250 per chair and also support PHS. Everyone purchasing a chair will have their name placed on a plaque on the wall at the high school.
I am a member of the PHS Foundation so give me a call at 304-615-5454 if you are interested in purchasing a chair.
Until next week!
***
Garden Veggie Lasagna
2 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 cups broccoli florets
2 large carrots, julienned
2 medium sweet red peppers, julienned
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Sauce:
2 cups finely chopped baby portobello mushrooms
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
Filling:
1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons dried basil
Assembly:
12 no-cook lasagna noodles
3 cups shredded mozzarella and provolone cheese blend
Place first nine ingredients in a bowl; toss to coat. Arrange on two greased baking pans. Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, saute mushrooms, onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients, bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine filling ingredients. Spread 1 cup sauce into a greased 13×9 baking dish. Layer a third of the noodles, a third of the filling, half of the vegetables, a third of the remaining sauce an a third of the cheese blend; repeat. Toop with remaining noodles, filling, sauce and cheese blend. Cover; bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes.
***
Basil Polenta with Ratatouille
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup minced fresh basil
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
1 medium green pepper, julienned
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup pitted Greek olives, sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
fresh basil leaves
In a large heavy saucepan bring water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle boil; slowly whisk in cornmeal. Cook and stir with a wooden spoon for 15-20 minutes or until polenta is thickened and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the pan. Stir in basil.
Spread into a 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the eggplant, onion and green pepper in 2 tablespoons oil until crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes, olives, oregano, pepper and remaining salt. Cook and stir over medium heat for 10-12 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Cut polenta into four squares. In another large skillet, cook polenta in remaining oil in batches for 7-8 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Serve with ratattouille; garnish with basil.
***
Soba Noodles with Gingered Sesame Dressing
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon siracha Asian hot chili sauce or 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Salad:
2 cups frozen shelled edamame, thawed
1/2 pound uncooked Japanese soba noodles or whole wheat linguini
1 14-ounce package coleslaw mix
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
fresh basil leaves
In a small bowl, whisk the first nine ingredients; set aside. Cook edamame and soba noodles according to package directions; drain. Rinse noodles in cold water; drain again. Just before serving, combine the coleslaw mix, carrots, green onions, noodles and edamame in a large bowl. Add dressing; toss to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds and, if desired, basil leaves.
***
Butternut Squash Risotto
8 cups cubed, peeled butternut squash
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4-4 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups uncooked arboiro rice
1 cup lager
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon ground ancho chili pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
In a large bowl, combine the squash, 2 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper; toss to coat. Transfer to a greased 15x10x1 baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 450 for 20-25 minutes or until tender; stirring once. In a large saucepan, beat broth and water; keep warm. In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in remaining oil until tender. Add rice; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in lager. Cook and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Add heated broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Allow the liquid to absorb between additions. Cook just until risotto is creamy and rice is almost tender. Add the butter, chili pepper, nutmeg and squash; cook and stir until heated through. Remove risotto from the heat; stir in the cheese.
***
Garden Vegetable Bake
2 cups chopped carrots
1/2 cup fresh or frozen lima beans
1/2 cup cut fresh green beans
2 cups chopped cauliflower
2 cups fresh broccoli
1/2 cup fresh or frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup butter, cubed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup half-and-half cream
1 cup 2 percent milk
1 8-ounce package spreadable garlic and herb cream cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
dash of white pepper
dash of ground nutmeg
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup each shredded Parmesan and Romano cheeses
In a large saucepan place carrots, lima beans and green beans in a steamer basket over 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil; cover and steam for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender, adding cauliflower, broccoli, corn and peas during the last 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; add onion. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; slowly add cream and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Stir in cream cheese, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, parsley and seasonings. Pour sauce over vegetables, toss to coat. Transfer to a greased 12×9 baking dish. Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan and Romano cheeses; sprinkle over vegetable mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.
***
Kiki Angelos is a food columnist for The Parkersburg News and Sentinel.