Summer Squash Roasted

I have several squash plants. It brings lots and lots of summer squash. At times (like two weeks ago), I have more squash than I could possibly eat. But this is one of my favorite recipes. it is so simple yet so good. It is a good one for multiple types of vegetables as well.

Summer Squash, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

Extra Virgin olive oil

salt & pepper, to taste

Parmesan cheese

Pre-heat oven to 425'. Place slices in a single lay on cookie sheet or stoneware. Gently coat with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and then cook another 5 minutes. Remove and serve.

Pesto plus ideas for recipes

Pesto is very forgiving. The measurements below can be altered or changed depending on your taste. I usually don't measure, but just put handfuls in at at time. I judge based on when it is first processed and then again when I add the oil. I add the oil slowly so I can adjust. I also substitute basil and pine nuts for mint and walnuts. Then I place it with cucumber sandwiches for a twist on a traditional tea sandwiches. Also can be made with spinach, cilantro, parsley, etc.

Fresh homemade Pesto:

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves and tender stems

1-3 cloves of garlic

1/3 cup pine nuts

3-6 TBSP Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 tsp salt to taste

1/3-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place first 5 ingredients in your food processor. Pulse till mixed, the turn on low speed and slowly pour in olive oil until it makes a thick paste. Serve at room temperature.

I love summer pesto. I make lots of it in the summer when the Basil is fresh and plentiful. I pick on a weekly basis (if not more often), so I need lots of ideas. Pesto can be used in the following ways:

• Freeze in ice cube trays for later use. Then remove and put in plastic baggie. Omit the garlic and cheese. Add right before serving.
• On fresh, warm pasta
• On a sandwich with fresh cut tomatoes and mozzarella (my sister and I's favorite sandwich in the summer. It is even good on a panini sandwich- slightly toasted)
• Pizza (recipe written below)
• On top of steak
• Potatoes
• Soup (think summer tomato soup)
• Grilled Vegetables
• On chicken or white fish-- use as a marinated
• In lasagna instead of tomato sauce (or as one of the layers)

So there are a few ideas. If you have any other, let me know. I am always trying new ways to add pest into my recipes.

Summer Pesto Pizza

Some my friend Melissa recommended I write up some my my favorite recipes all from the garden plot. I have a rather large garden and love to create new colorful recipes. In addition, I spend the summer months PYO fruit. So I will work this summer to write up new recipes from my garden and summer of picking. One of my main goals is to can, can, can. I have started off pretty good, but cannot wait to can more.

So tonight we ate Pesto Tomato Pizza. I used a pizza dough I use on a regular basis, but changed the topping to Fresh Homemade Pesto, Freshly picked tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella. It was yummy, but could be better. I suggest using the tomato pesto previously posted (the last one). I would still add more tomatoes on top, but changing it up a bit.

Summer Pesto Pizza:

Freshly made pizza dough (recipe to follow)

1/2 cup pesto (recipe to follow)

3 medium tomatoes, sliced

2 cups mozzarella cheese (I used a ball mozzarella and not shredded).

Cook dough for 5-8 minutes on 450'. Remove from oven and spread pesto on crust. Top with tomatoes and cheese. Garnish with fresh basil leaves (optional- and should be placed just before serving). Bake in pre-heated open at 450' for 5-8 minutes and cheese is melted.

Pizza Dough Recipe:

(from my friend Erika)

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

1/2 tsp brown sugar

1 1/2 cup warm water (100'F)

1 tsp salt

2 TBSP olive oil

3 1/3 cup all purpose flour (I used 50% white and 50% fresh ground whole wheat)

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water and let sit for 10 minutes. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cup of flour. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until doubled, the should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight bowl. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling it out.

Use your favorite pizza recipe. Preheat oven to 425'. If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a regular pan, lightly oil the pan and let the dough rise in your pan for 15-20 minutes before topping and baking it. Bake pizza in pre-heated oven, until cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

Fresh homemade Pesto:

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves and tender stems

1-3 cloves of garlic

1/3 cup pine nuts

3-6 TBSP Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 tsp salt to taste

1/3-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place first 5 ingredients in your food processor. Pulse till mixed, the turn on low speed and slowly pour in olive oil until it makes a thick paste. Serve at room temperature.

Pesto alal trapanese

http://memoriediangelina.blogspot.com/2011/07/pesto-alla-trapanese.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FQaRz+%28Memorie+di+Angelina%29So I love this meal. It came to me via Memorie di Angelina (a great food blog in itself). I made this recipe that night and love, love, love. I actually have referred it to several friends. It is a great tasting summer dish with a great palate for the mouth. The tomatoes make the dish, so select wisely. I cannot wait for my tomatoes are ready to be picked (the first four came off the plant on Wednesday-- more to be selected tonight) to make this fabulous light summer dish. Try and enjoy.

Chicken with Mango Salsa

This month's Bon Appitee magazine is great. There are lots and lots of great recipes inside. In one section, G. Paltrow is highlighted with her new cookbook. This is a recipe from there. They have it with fish, which I don't eat, so I made it with chicken. It was really, really good. They also suggest (in anohter section) to submerge your avocado half into ice water to help maintain the great green color. I tried it and it worked really well. It will keep it nice and green for a while.

Ingredients:

1 cup Mango, diced into 1' pieces

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 cup avocado, diced into 1' pieces

4 basil leaves, thinly sliced

3 TBSP freshly squeezed lime juice

3 TBSP olive oil

4 chicken breast

In a plastic baggie, marinate the chicken breast with 2 TBSP olive oil and 2 TBSP lime juice. Add Salt and pepper for taste. Let marinate for 20 minutes (but no longer 1 hour).

Preheat oven to 350' or grill.

Place in baking pan and Bake for 20 minutes, broil for 3-5 minutes if baking. If grilling, place on grill and cook about 7-10/side until chicken is tender.

While cooking, combine mangoes, cherry tomatoes, avocados, basil leaves and remaining olive oil and lime juice in a bowl. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.

Plate chicken and generously scoop salsa over top. Serve immediately.

You can also use white fish instead of chicken breast. Same recipe and ingredients as above.

I have served it alone or with couscous or rice. But a great summer recipe.

Homemade Yogurt in the crockpot

So I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE European Yogurt. It is not Greek Yogurt, but it is super yummy. Sadly I cannot find it anywhere in the US. The difference is big and vast. If you have ever been in Europe and eaten Muller's Yogurt or been in Switzerland and eaten standard yogurt, you would understand my point. I find US based yogurt aweful. It is tart, leaves a horrible aftertaste and is not good. So I have tried many homemade recipes to discover one I like. Well I found one yesterday. I tried it and it was wonderful. Here is the recipe.

1 liter milk (if unpasterized, even better)

1/4-1/2 cup of dried milk

1 container of plain yogurt (% of your choice, not ultra pasterized) or active yeast cultures

Place both ingredients in the crockpot. Cook for 1 1/2 hours on high or 2 1/2 hours on low. Then remove from heat source (outter layer of crockpot). If you have a free thermator, the temperature should go down to 110'. If not, let rest for 1 hour.

Add plain yogurt for starters or pour live cultures. Mix in.

Heat your oven to the lowest temperature you can. Place ceramic bowl with yogurt into your oven for 5-12 hours. The shorter the time, the less tart your yogurt will get. The longer, the more tart it gets.

Remove from oven and let rest for about 1 hour. Pour out the yellow or green liquids out (whey from the milk). You can keep it to put into smoothies (protein source without calories) or toss. Use some to put back into the yogurt. You can use cheesecloth to help remove more liquid, but place in sealed container in frig to cool.

I added strawberries (sliced with a little sugar and water-- cooked for 20 minutes- stirring occasionally). Let cool, then added to the yogurt. Great homemade yogurt--- I've done the same with blueberries and other fruit.

Miniature Orange Scones

I came across this recipe on a blog and made them for Sophie's birthday tea party. They are so yummy. I didn't make the glaze the recipe calls for because I was serving them with whipped cream (instead of clotted cream) and I don't think they need it.

Miniature Orange Scented Chocolate Chip Scones
recipe adapted from Teresa Miller

Scones:
2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons orange zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups whipping cream (heavy cream)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, orange zest, salt, and chocolate chips (by hand). Pour in whipping cream. Mix or knead by hand, just until combined (about 45 second). Mix will be sticky. Flour surface. Divide dough into two sections and pat into two rounds, each approximately four inches. Note: Score each round first with a knife into 4ths , then 8ths. Then cut and put on a greased large cookie sheet. Bake 9 to 11 minutes. Let cool five minutes, then glaze.

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons orange juice

Mix together until a thin icing consistency to pour over warm scones.