Sunday, August 28, 2011

Layered Spinach Salad

1/2 cup plus 2 tbl grated romano cheese
3 slices of crisp bacon...NOT
2 cups mushroom slices
1 cup red onion rings
10 oz. package of frozen peas, cooked and drained.
1/2 cup mayonanaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp sugar

In large bowl layer spinach, romano, mushrooms, onions and peas. Combine mayonnaise, sour cream and sugar, mix well. Spread over salad to seal. Sprinkle 2 tbl. romano over top. Cover, refrigerate overnight.

Serene's Cookies

12 whole graham crakers broken into rectangles (makes 48)

1 cup sliced almonds or pecans
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
12x17 jelly\bread pan

Preheat oven to 270, lay graham crackers down flat into pan, heat sugar and butter over medium heat, bring to boil. Let simmer for 1 1/2 minutes, set aside. Sprinkle chopped nuts over crackers, pour sugar\butter mixture over crackers and nuts to coat. Back for 20 minutes. Break into pieces once cool.

Ginger Cookies

Ingredients
2 cups sifted flour
1 tb ginger
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
(extra sugar)

The Do
Mix first 6 ingredients.
Beat shortening until creamy.
Add 1 cup sugar to shortening, continue to beat.
Beat eggs adn molasses, stir in flour gradually to molasses mixture until doughy.
Make into balls and roll in sugar.
Bake 12 minutes on ungreased sheet for 12 minutes at 350 degrees until tops are cracked and browning and rounded.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Eggplant Parmesean

Ingredients
2 cans (28 ounces each) whole peeled tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 large globe eggplants (about 2 pounds total), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 pound whole fresh mozzarella, cut into large chunks

Directions
1.In a food processor, puree tomatoes; transfer to a medium saucepan and stir in olive oil. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened, 30 minutes. Season tomato sauce with salt and pepper.

2.Meanwhile, in a colander, toss eggplant with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Let stand 30 minutes. Press slices between a double layer of paper towels to dry. Dredge eggplant in flour (shaking off excess), then dip in eggs (allowing excess to drip off), and sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs.

3.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet; set aside. In a large skillet, pour enough vegetable oil to come halfway up side. Heat oil over medium-high until pinch of breadcrumbs dropped in skillet sizzles. In batches, fry eggplant until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side; transfer to rack to drain.

4.Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Layer half the eggplant over sauce and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Top with 1 1/2 cups sauce, then remaining eggplant. Finish with remaining sauce, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and mozzarella. Bake until lightly browned and bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes.

5.To Freeze: Assemble dish but do not bake; wrap tightly with foil and freeze, up to 3 months. Thaw completely, then bake as directed.

MS - Eggplant Tomato Relish

Ingredients
1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, torn into small pieces
2 unpeeled garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 globe eggplant (1 pound)
1/2 small red onion, diced small
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, stir together tomatoes, garlic cloves, cumin, and olive oil. Place eggplant on top of tomato mixture and roast until eggplant is very tender when pierced with a knife and tomato juices are thick, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool. Transfer eggplant to a cutting board and halve lengthwise. Scrape out flesh with a spoon (discarding as many seeds as possible); roughly chop flesh. Place in a large bowl. Peel and chop garlic and add to bowl. Stir in tomato mixture and red onion. Season with salt and pepper.

MS - Roasted Eggplant and Chickpea Soup

Ingredients
2 medium eggplants (about 1 1/2 pounds total), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small yellow onion, diced medium
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (15.5 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and patted dry
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
Fresh oregano (optional)
Plain yogurt (optional)

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together eggplant, onion, garlic, and 4 teaspoons of the olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer in a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet, leaving a wide strip of empty space at one end. In bowl, toss chickpeas with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Transfer to empty space on sheet. Roast until eggplant is golden and cooked through and chickpeas are slightly crunchy, about 35 minutes.

2.Set chickpeas aside. Peel garlic and add to a medium pot, along with eggplant, onion, and broth. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium-high. With a potato masher or back of a wooden spoon, mash some eggplant until soup is thick and chunky. Stir in chickpeas and season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, top with fresh oregano and plain yogurt, if desired.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

MS - Zucchini Tomato Frittata

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
3 medium zucchini, (1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
8 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup shredded shredded white cheddar
3 medium (1 pound) vine ripe tomatoes, cored and thinly sliced crosswise

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, warm oil. Add onion, zucchini, and thyme; cook, covered, stirring often, until tender but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover, and cook until all the liquid in the pan evaporates. Season with salt and pepper; remove skillet from heat.

2.In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, and cheese, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture over zucchini, gently lifting zucchini to allow eggs to coat bottom of pan. Arrange tomatoes in an overlapping pattern on top.

3.Return skillet to medium-low heat, and cook until sides are set yet still slightly runny on top, 15 to 20 minutes. Place in oven, and cook until the center is cooked through when tested with a wooden skewer, and the tomatoes are browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven; gently slide a heatproof spatula around the edges and underneath to loosen from skillet. Serve immediately.

MS - No Bake Lasagna

1/2 cup ricotta
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 lasagna noodles, broken in half crosswise
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
2 zucchini (about 1 pound total), halved if large and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon torn fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving

Directions
1.In a small bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, and 2 teaspoons oil; season with salt and pepper. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles according to package instructions; drain.

2.Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add garlic and tomatoes; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until slightly broken down, about 3 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil and zucchini to skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until zucchini are tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to another bowl and stir in basil.

3.Place some tomatoes on four plates; top with a noodle and small spoonfuls ricotta, zucchini, and more tomatoes. Repeat layering twice, then top with remaining noodles and tomatoes. Garnish with basil.

Richard Bednar : Artist and Portrait Painter

Richard Bednar : Artist and Portrait Painter