Steve on August 17 2010

Whole Wheat Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

I finally scored Sun Gold cherry tomatoes at the market last weekend.  I actually scored a lot.  And they did not disappoint.

I look forward to this preparation each year.  I can’t think of a better way to showcase the sweet flavor of fresh cherry tomatoes.  Not that they need it, but roasting further intensifies the sweetness of these beauties.  Double bonus – this is quick to fix and it’s as healthy an entree as there is.

Toss the tomatoes with a bit of olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar.  Then you can follow my lead or you can venture off on your own.  I always add a lot of chopped garlic and some red pepper flake.  Beyond that, play with whatever fresh herbs you like or have on hand.  Please make them fresh.  Don’t dis the tomatoes by reaching for the dried stuff.  C’mon, it’s summer and fresh is all over the place.  I used Italian flat-leaf parsley, basil, and a bit of oregano.  It was a winning combination.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Serves:  4

2 – 3 pounds cherry tomatoes

olive oil

1 ½ – 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 – 6 cloves garlic, minced

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

¼ cup chopped fresh oregano

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup torn basil leaves

1 pound whole wheat pasta, your favorite shape

Preheat oven to 350°. In a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oil, vinegar, and crushed red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat well.  Roast the tomatoes until tender and juicy, about 35 – 40 minutes. The skins will have begun to pop. 

 Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot of liberally salted water until al dente. Drain and return to pot. Add the tomatoes, oregano, parsley, and basil (or your herbs of choice). Toss together and serve immediately.

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Steve on August 10 2010

Tomato Salad with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Basil

The first of the heirlooms appeared last week at the local farmer’s market.  There were just a few varieties, but there is the promise of much more to come.  I like the combination of different colors and tastes and I generally come home with several pounds.  Their time is fleeting and we’ll have them for about 4 weeks.  So they  show up on the dinner table just about every night.

If asked, I’d admit that I mostly prefer them sliced with a little salt and pepper.  But this salad was a winner.  How could it not be?  Bacon makes everything better.  And good, creamy blue cheese moves this just a little to the rich side.  Not too much.  The dressing is light and fresh with an interesting mix of herbs that perfectly complements the sweet basil and all the other stuff.

I used this as a topper on some torn, tender butter lettuce, sprinkled it with just a bit of flaked lemon salt and served it with a simple grilled chicken for a quick summer dinner.

Tomato Salad with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Basil

Adapted from Food & Wine

Serves 4 – 6

¼ pound sliced applewood smoked bacon

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon cider or champagne vinegar

1 clove garlic, very finely chopped

1 teaspoon good Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon herbes de Provence

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 pounds assorted fresh tomatoes, cut in quarters or smaller if you prefer

2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (½ cup) – I like creamy Maytag for this

½ cup torn basil leaves

2 cups butter lettuce, torn

Lemon flake salt

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon slices over moderate heat until crisp.  Drain the bacon on a paper towel and then crumble.  In a small bowl, combine the olive oil with the vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, and herbes de Provence.  Season with salt and pepper.  Put lettuce on a platter and arrange the tomatoes on top.  Season lightly with pepper.  Drizzle the vinaigrette over the lettuce and tomatoes.  Top with the crumbled bacon and blue cheese.  Garnish with the fresh basil and a sprinkling of the flaked lemon salt.

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Steve on August 3 2010

Peach Raspberry Pie

This season’s peaches – yellow and white – are some of the best ever.  It must be that the combination of just enough rain and warm hot weather is perfect for a yield of the sweetest and juiciest fruit in many years.  I think it’s working as well for the tomatoes that promise to be superb as well.

Now, I could have halved these with a brush of olive oil to throw on the grill.  I really like them that way.  Likewise, I could have sliced them to eat unadorned.  They’re good that way.  How about in a salad with some basil and a splash of balsamic?  Delicious.

Nope.

Heck, when you’ve got great peaches, some good raspberries, flour, butter, sugar, water, and a deep-dish pie plate….  Well you can see up top how I decided to go.  Pie. Pie with a lattice crust that takes me back.  How worth it was the caloric splurge?  Make this pie and then tell me.  But make it soon.  I’m not sure how much longer the harvest will last.

Peach Raspberry Pie

Pie dough – your favorite recipe for two crust

6 – 7 medium peaches, about 6 cups

2 small containers fresh raspberries

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Pinch ground cinnamon

Pinch ground nutmeg

Pinch table salt

3 – 4 tablespoons Minute Tapioca

Preheat your oven to 425°. 

Prepare dough for two crusts. When rolled out, transfer one crust to pie plate and ease it into place.

Peel the peaches. Halve them, remove pits and cut into 1/2″ slices. In a medium bowl, toss the peach slices with the lemon juice, add the raspberries gently to keep them from breaking down. Add the 1 cup sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and tapioca. Gently turn the fruit mixture into the dough-lined pie plate. Top with the other rolled out dough round and crimp edges. Or get bold and top with a lattice.  Brush the top of the pie with some water and sprinkle the turbinado on top. Place the pie on a baking sheet, cover loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil and bake until crust is set and begins to brown, about 25 minutes.   Reduce oven temperature to 375°, remove the foil and rotate the pie to ensure even browning. Continue to bake the pie until it is golden brown and you see that the filing is bubbling, about 25 minutes longer. If crust looks as if it’s getting too brown towards the end, cover again with aluminum foil. When done, remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 3 hours before serving. Filling will set during the cooling period.

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Steve on July 26 2010

Chicken and Spinach Cannelloni

Sounds awfully heavy at this time of year.  I made this several weeks ago – well before Satan’s heat came to stay for a while.  I tucked the photos away, deciding that I’d wait to post this at a more appropriate time.

Well that’s pretty controlling of me.  Who am I to think that you shouldn’t eat what you want, when you want?  And if it’s something really good, what difference does it make if it isn’t salad in July?  What brought me to change my mind is a trip last weekend to our favorite Italian restaurant.  When we walked in, I noticed that just about every table had a plate of gooey pasta something or other.

This is seriously better than gooey pasta something or other.  Creamy cheese with chicken and good marinara sauce.  More cheese, browned just right and a nice little top crunch.  I like that.  So I say, crank up the air conditioning and go to town.  You can purge later, but you can also rationalize that the main ingredients in this dish can be labeled healthy.  Are you with me?  I knew that you were.

And as long as you’re taking the deep dive, go ahead and uncork a good bottle of Italian red.  You’ll call me up to say “grazie.”

Chicken and Spinach Cannelloni

Serves 6

1 package (8-ounce) cannelloni or manicotti shells

4 cups finely chopped cooked chicken

2 containers (8-ounce) cream cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

¼ cup onion, finely chopped

1 package (10-ounce) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

1 cup (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

½ cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

¾ teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Marinara sauce, your favorite or mine

Garnish: chopped fresh basil or parsley

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Stir together chicken and next 8 ingredients. Cut pasta shells lengthwise through just one side. Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture into each shell, gently pressing cut sides together. Place, cut sides down, in 2 lightly greased 11 x 7  inch baking dishes. Pour marinara sauce evenly over stuffed cannelloni shells. Bake, covered, at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. If you like, uncover and run the dish under to the broiler until just golden brown. Garnish, if desired.

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