Apple Tart

I know it's not September yet, but as soon as school begins I start to think about what I can make out of apples. My husband is nutty for apple pie. This tart is similar to a one crust pie but much easier to make.
Cook's Notes- You can substitute the apples for peaches, nectarines or plums. You will need about 4-5 large peaches or nectarines or 6 plums.

serves 6-8

1 store bought pie crust
4 large green apples peeled, cored and sliced into thick pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 425. Using a vegetable peeler, take the peel off the apples. Take out the core with a melon baller. Cut the apple halves into thick slices about 3 per half. Place slices into a large bowl with the lemon that you have cut and squeezed the juice into the water. Take the pie dough out of its package. Lay out on a lightly floured board and gently roll out by an extra 1/2 inch. Invert a 9 inch plate and lay it on top of the dough. Using a small paring knife cut away the extra dough. Place the dough into the frig while you complete the next step. Pour the sugar into a 10 inch skillet. Place it over medium heat and cook it gently until the sugar melts and turns a light brown color(be careful the melted sugar is very hot). Drain the apples, turn the heat off of the sugar and sprinkle the cinnamon over the sugar. Place the apples into the sugar in the skillet. Lay the chilled dough over the apples and sugar. Place into the middle of the oven and turn the heat down to 375. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 20 minutes. Use a knife to loosen the dough from the edge of the pan. Carefully invert onto a platter. Serve warm or room temp with whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream.

Lemon Pudding

My mom didn't often make desserts for us but when she did it was usually pudding or jello. I have to admit I'm spoiled and will not make instant pudding. I think it tastes grainy. Pudding from scratch is extremely easy to make and takes very little time. Waiting for it to cool takes longer.

Serves 8
3 cups milk
1/2 cup cream or half and half
1 cup lemon juice
1-1 1/2 cups sugar(the amount depends on how tart your lemons are)
6 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/3 cup cornstarch

In a medium saucepan, off the heat, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, salt and 1/2 cup of milk. When smooth, add the rest of the milk and cream. Place over medium/high heat and whisk continually until mixture comes to a gentle simmer. Once thickened, remove from the heat. Whisk in the lemon juice. Taste and add more sugar if necessary. Whisk again. Pour mixture into a medium bowl through a fine mesh sieve. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap touches the top of the pudding. This will keep a skin from forming on top. Place in the frig until cool. Scoop out into serving dishes. Top with whipped cream if desired.

One Pot Chicken and Rice

I spent most of last week working late and have not had much time to make meals. I'm making a one pot meal today with enough leftovers to last into early next week. I like giving myself a built in buffer in case something unexpected pops up and I can't get into the kitchen and this recipe fills the bill. This meal has some Italian flavors. Cooking everything together in one pot allows all the ingredients to flavor the rice but makes clean up a breeze.

Serves 4

4 large pieces of bone in, skin on chicken(leg quarters or breasts on the bone are good choices)
3 cloves of minced garlic
1 small onion diced
10 ozs of spinach or Swiss chard
3 medium carrots peeled and diced
8 oz of sliced baby bella mushrooms
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 cups basmati or jasmine rice
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
salt and pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil

Heat a large dutch oven over medium/high heat. Pour in enough oil to coat the bottom. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place skin side down in the dutch oven. Brown the chicken on both sides for about 12 minutes and remove to a plate. Drain off the oil and add fresh oil to the pan. Return to the heat and add the mushrooms. Cook without stirring for about 3 minutes. Stir the mushrooms and add the onions, carrots and garlic. Reduce the heat to medium, season the veggies with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes and add the spinach or chard. If using the chard, cut into small pieces before adding to the pot. Add the wine to the pot and cook until the spinach just begins to wilt. Add the rice, stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken stock. Add the lemon zest and thyme. Adjust the salt and pepper by adding more if needed. Arrange the chicken on top of the rice and veggies, skin side up. Bring the pot to a rapid simmer. Lower the heat to medium/low. When the liquid drops to a slow simmer, put the cover on the pot and cook for 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit covered for 5 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges.

Baked Eggs in Tomatoes

It's only the 2nd day of 1st grade and I feel like I've been drug through the wringer. Dinner tonight is as easy as I can make it.
I like to serve these with warm bread from my store's bakery and my turkey sausages.

Serves 4

4 large tomatoes
salt and pepper
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons diced fresh chives or green onions
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray. In a small bowl beat the eggs with the salt and pepper, set aside. Cut the top off of the tomatoes and with a spoon, gently scoop out the inside of each tomato. Place the empty tomatoes into the pie plate. Evenly place the chives and the cheese in the bottom of each tomato. Pour the beaten eggs into each tomato shell, dividing the mixture evenly. Place into the oven. Bake 45 minutes. Serve warm.

Baked Spaghetti

I'm back in the classroom full time starting tomorrow. I like to plan my weeknight meals on the weekend, make a list of what I need and then shop on Sunday. I dread having to stop by the store on the way home to pick up items needed to make a meal. By the time I get home, dinner is at least an hour later than usual. This recipe provides a good use for leftover sauce like my Marinara. If you don't have any extra sauce lying around, you can substitute your favorite jarred version.

Cook's Notes- If you would like to make a vegetarian version. Swap out sliced mushrooms for the turkey sausage. Brown them and continue on with the recipe.

Serves 6

1 pound of spaghetti(I use either the Ronzoni Garden Delight brand or a good mulitgrain pasta)
4-5 cups of marinara sauce
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 large ball of fresh mozarella cubed
6 leaves of fresh basil chopped
5 turkey sausage links
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepot on high heat. Squeeze the sausage out of its casing into the saucepot. Break apart and brown. Add the sauce and basil and heat through. Turn the sauce down to simmer. Meanwhile cook pasta in boiling salted water for 5 minutes(it will still be crunchy in the center). Drain and return to the pot. Remove the sauce from the heat and pour it over the pasta. Add the parmesan cheese to the pasta and sauce, stir to combine. Pour into prepared casserole. Sprinkle the mozarella over the pasta. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and browned around the edges and the pasta is bubbly.

Macaroni and Cheese

When I'm in the mood for comfort food, Mac and Cheese is often the first thing I think of. I like my mac and cheese to be very saucy so I make a large amount to combine with the cooked pasta. The next day you will notice that the sauce will have been mostly absorbed into the pasta. There is no way that I know of to keep the pasta from absorbing the sauce that is just the nature of the beast, I'm afraid. We took our oldest back to school yesterday and even though we didn't hit the door until 6:30, I had a craving for Mac and Cheese that just had to be dealt with. I added cooked bacon to top before putting it into the oven and it was really good.

Serves 6-8

1 pound of cooked pasta(I like shells)
4 cups milk
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 oz goat cheese
1/3 cup flour
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
several dashes Tabassco
1 package of bacon

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray.
In a medium saucepot melt the butter. Add the four and whisk it into the butter until combined, leave it on the heat for about 2 minutes continuing to stir. Add half of the milk and whisk until the four is dissolved into the milk and there are no lumps. Add the rest of the milk, whisking to combine. Add the salt and pepper. Continue to cook over medium/ low heat until the milk mixture has thickened. Turn off the heat and add the goat cheese. Whisk until melted. Add the cheddar and whisk until melted. Finish the sauce with several dashes of Tabassco. Combine the cheese sauce with the cooked pasta and pour into the casserole dish. Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook over medium/high heat until it just begins to crisp. Drain off all the fat. Sprinkle over the top of the mac and cheese. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

The Casserole

I returned to work full time this week which has left me little time to prep meals. Today I returned to an old standby, The Casserole! Traditionally, casseroles have been heavy on the fat and calories. But they are difficult to cut out completely because they can be made ahead and can be on the table in an hour or less. They are also a comfort food must.
Tonight I made my Greek casserole, which I originally posted in April'11 but didn't make at the time of posting so there was no picture. The picture is below this posting. It is lighter on the fat and calories but heavy on the flavor and comfort food appeal.

Salmon with a Potato Chip Crust

This may sound a bit strange but this recipe couldn't be further from the truth The chips add enough salt and oil to brown the crust and flavor the fish. This is an easy weeknight entree that can be on the table in 30 minutes.

Serves 4
1-1 1/2 pounds of salmon, skin on cut into four pieces
2-3 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup finely crushed potato chips
1 teaspoon dried dill

Preheat oven to 350. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or a silpat. In a small bowl mix the mustard, honey or maple syrup,pepper,and dill together. Place the crushed potato chips in shallow baking dish. Brush the mustard mixture over the top of each piece of fish. Press the mustard coated side into the chip crumbs. Place coated side up onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

Summer Sangria

We're having a family bbq today with my parents,my aunt and uncle and their children. I'm serving my tex-mex bbq recipes. The spread will include my tex-mex steak and chicken,south of the border rice, and smoky ranchero beans(recipes are listed in April and June 2011). I thought Sangria would be a great drink to serve with it along with some good beer. Here's my recipe for sangria.

Do this early in the day so the flavors have time to develop.
5 liters of white wine
1 cup peach schnapps
1/2 cup triple sec
2-3 of each- peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums and oranges sliced
1 vanilla bean
2 inches of fresh ginger thinly sliced
2 cups water and sugar
juice of half a lemon
In a small saucepan heat the water and sugar. Add the ginger and vanilla bean. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Reduce to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let the mixture steep until cool.
Meanwhile in a large pitcher put half the cut up fruit, schnapps and triple sec. When the sugar mixture is cool, strain out the ginger and vanilla bean. Add enough to sweeten the sangria to your taste. Stir and place in the frig. Squeeze the lemon over the rest of the fruit and set in frig to use as a garnish when serving.
To Serve-
Place some of the reserved fruit in each glass and pour the sangria over all. Add a couple of ice-cubes if desired.

Puff Pancake with Fruit Topping

This is an easy recipe that takes 5 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to bake. I serve it for dinner or breakfast. It can easily be the star of your brunch table. I have doubled, tripled and even quadrupled this recipe with ease. If you would like to double this recipe, than pour the batter into a rectangular baking pan instead of a 9 inch one.I top it with a variety of fruit toppings that begin with fresh seasonal fruit. But it is equally as good with butter and good quality maple syrup.

Serves 4

1/2 stick of butter melted
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
pinch of nutmeg

Heat oven to 425. Spray an oven proof 9 inch pan with cooking spray.In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, flour, sugar, eggs and nutmeg. Pour the melted butter into the bottom of the baking pan. Pour the batter in next and place in the oven for 12-17 minutes. The pancake should be puffed and golden. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and serve with fruit topping below or top with butter and syrup. Cut into 4ths and serve.

Fruit Topping
2-3 cups of sliced fruit(apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, berries)
1/2 cup good quality perserves(apricot, strawberry, apple jelly)
juice of half a lemon
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup peach brandy, calvados, raspberry liqueur
pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg, optional

In a large skillet melt the butter and add the fruit, perserves and lemon juice. Cook until the perserves melt and the fruit releases its juices and becomes soft, about 7-10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and add the spirits. Return to the heat and cook off the alcohol, about 3 minutes. Spoon warm fruit over the top of each pancake slice before serving.

Cook's Notes- If the fruit is very juicy and the sauce appears to runny, make a slurry of cornstarch and water. Mix 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water together and pour over the boiling fruit. Stir until thickened.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

If you like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups like I do than this cookie is for you. Next time I will have to double to recipe as they didn't stick around long. My daughter has already put in her request for a mail-order shipment when she heads off to college in September.

Yields- 25 sandwich cookies

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks butter softened
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 jar Nutella

Preheat the oven to 350. Line baking pans with parchment or silpats. In a large bowl with electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer to low and add the baking soda and flour. Drop by heaping teaspoon 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Dip the bottom of a glass into sugar and gently press down each mound of dough, redipping the glass into the sugar for each cookie. Bake f9or 12-14 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely. Spread 2 teaspoons of Nutella onto the bottom of 1 cookie and top with another.
Store in a tightly sealed plastic container.

Sundae Toppings

We're having some family over on Sunday for one last get together before kids head off to college and everyone goes back to school. I had to wrack my brain for a quick dessert that everyone would enjoy and since Sunday is National Ice-Cream day I thought do it yourself Sundaes would be a cinch. Nothing could be better than a good quality vanilla ice-cream with homemade sauces. If you have never made your own before I promise that once you do there will be no going back. You will be a hero and no one ever has to know how easy these are to make.

Cook's Notes-Live a little on these sauces, use real butter, vanilla and good quality chocolate.

Hot Fudge
makes about 2 cups
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 stick butter
6oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips(splurge and get a good quality)
2 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a small saucepan bring the sugar and heavy cream to a simmer, stirring constantly. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the butter and chocolates. Keep stirring until all are melted and the sauce is smooth. Turn off the heat and add the vanilla. Serve warm and store leftovers in a container with a lid in the frig.

Caramel Sauce
Makes about 1 1/3 cups
1 cup light brown sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a small saucepan bring the cream, sugar and butter to a low boil. Reduce heat a bit and continue to cook at a low boil for about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and add the vanilla. Serve warm and store leftovers in the frig.

Sausage and Asparagus Saute over Polenta

This recipe works well for a quick week night meal. Round it out with a green salad and you can get this baby on the table in about 30 minutes.
Pictures soon.

Serves 4
1 package of Italian Sausage(I use the turkey variety)removed from casings
1 small red onion thinly sliced
1 bunch asparaus cut into 1 inch lengths after tough end has been removed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper
1 cup polenta or yellow corn meal
1/4 parmesan cheese
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup fat-free half and half
2 tablespoons olive oil

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and the sausage. Cook until browned and transfer to a plate. Cook onion for 3-5 minutes. Add asparagus,the remaining tablespoon of oil, thyme and 1/2 cup of water. Cover and steam until asparagus is tender and water has evaporated about 6-7 minutes. Return the sausage to the pan along with the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm. In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth and half and half to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat and gradually whisk in the polenta. Stir in the cheese. Serve the sausage and asparagus over the polenta.

Shrimp Caesar Salad

For many of us it is still too hot to cook. Here's a quick, easy and almost cook free salad. However if the thought of standing over a hot stove will make you crazy, pick up some cooked shrimp at the store

Serves 4
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and cleaned
1-2 heads romaine lettuce chopped
1/3 cup red onion sliced
2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
croutons
Caesar salad dressing bottled or my recipe(June 2011)
salt
pepper
olive oil

Heat a large skillet and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the shrimp to the hot pan. Season with salt and pepper. Stir continually until all are cooked through about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the shrimp cool while you assemble the rest of the salad. Lay out the number of plates needed. Place a layer of lettuce on plates followed by the red onion and garbonzos. Drizzle the dressing over all. Top with the parmesan cheese, shrimp and croutons. Serve.

Chicken with Prosciutto and Mushrooms

This dish may look complicated but it couldn't be further from the truth. Everything cooks up in a large skillet and takes about 20 minutes to complete. You can substitute the chicken for pork tenderloin.

Cook's Notes- For another meal entirely, omit the prosciutto and cut the chicken breasts into chunks.Cook the dish as directed. Just before serving swap out the last bit of butter for a touch of heavy cream. Serve over pasta, top with parmesan cheese.

Serves 6

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
6 slices of prosciutto ham
2 8 oz boxes of sliced mushrooms
5-6 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed from stems
1/2 cup of dry white wine
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/3 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons cornstarch
juice of half a lemon
2 cloves of garlic minced
salt and pepper to taste

Season each chicken breast with salt and pepper. Wrap a piece of proscuitto around the center of each breast, set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and butter in a large skillet. When pan is hot, place each breast top down into the heated oil. As the chicken cooks the prosciutto will shrink up and adhere to each breast. Brown the first side for about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken over and brown the other side. Remove chicken to a plate(it will not be done at this point. To the hot pan add the other tablespoon of oil and toss in the mushrooms. Do a quick stir to coat and then leave them alone without stirring for about 3 minutes. Stir and leave them alone again for another 3 minutes. You want to brown the mushrooms. Stirring them during this step will make them release their water too quickly and they will steam instead of brown. Add the garlic, thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Stir to coat. Return the chicken to the pan, moving the mushrooms aside so the chicken is touching the bottom of the pan. Add the wine, 1 cup of chicken stock and lemon juice. Add a bit more salt and pepper to the sauce in the pan. Put 1/3 cup of chicken stock into a small glass and stir in the corn starch. Pour it over the liquid in the pan and gently stir to distribute. The liquid will be thickened when it returns to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer and let it cook for another 7 minutes, adding the last bit of butter just before serving. Serve alone or over cooked egg noodles.

Tomato-Ricotta Tart

My tomato plants have produced some really nice tomatoes. However I'm struggling to keep up with production. I thought a tart might be a good use for those extra tomatoes. This can be used as a main course for lunch or a light supper with a salad and a glass of crisp white wine. I'm planning on serving it on the side tonight with chicken.
Pictures posted later today.

Serves 4 main courses

2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup low fat ricotta
8 oz goat cheese, softened
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
3 large eggs
4-5 large basil leaves
1 small clove of garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 450. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and olive oil. Press them into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. In a food processor, blend together the ricotta, garlic,goat cheese, parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, salt and pepper. Spread over the crust. Arrange the tomato slices over the top of the cheese. Brush the tops of the tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper over the top. Bake until the tomatoes are almost dry about 45 minutes. Let cool. Unmold and serve either warm or at room temperature.

Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies

I"m back to work in about 2 weeks so I thought today might be a good time to try out a new cookie for the lunchbox. My logic behind this cookie is that if it has a few healthy ingredients, than this cookie can't be all bad.

Yeilds about 36

Cook's Notes- this cookie didn't spread out like I expected so press down on the top of each scoop of dough gently with your fingers just before placing the pans in the oven to give it a head start.

2 sticks butter softened
2 eggs
2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350. In a medium bowl mix the flour and baking soda together and set aside. In a large bowl with electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and continue beating. Add the apple sauce, cinnamon and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and the oatmeal. Mix until just combined. Stir the raisins in by hand.
Drop by heaping tablespoons onto baking sheets that have been lined with parchment or silpats.
Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Baked Huevos Rancheros

My kids have requested breakfast for dinner again tonight. They want huevos rancheros. This is a great mexican breakfast dish. Warm corn tortillas are topped with refried beans, fried eggs, warm salsa and cheese. They're delicious but I wondered if I could accomplish the dish with less fat and fewer pots. I think this will fit the bill and with the fat I removed from the cooking process,I can have a couple pieces of bacon on the side. Yippee!!!!

Serve with fresh melon and bacon

Serves 4

4 corn tortillas
1 16 oz can of refried beans
1 24oz jarred salsa
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese or cotija cheese
8 eggs
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Set 4 12 oz ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and spray them with cooking spray. Pour a 1/3 cup of salsa into each ramekin. Crack 2 eggs over the salsa in each ramekin and sprinkle the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place another spoonful of salsa over the eggs. Place in the heated oven and bake for 24-28 minutes(yolks should still be soft). Meanwhile, heat a griddle over the stove and place the tortillas on it to warm and soften them. Place the refried beans in a saucepan and heat those through. Remove the eggs from the oven. Place a tortilla on a plate. Top with a spoonful of refried beans. Place 2 eggs with the salsa on top and top all with the cheese. Serve.

Meatballs and Marinara(again)

I'm posting this recipe again because that's what's for dinner tonight and because I never posted a picture of the finished product. Whether you're Italian or not, just about everyone makes some kind of pasta sauce. This is a good basic one to have in your arsenal because you can use it to make meatball subs, lasagne or any other baked pasta dish you can dream up.
Marinara Sauce

1 large sweet onion(softball sized)
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
Process in a food processor until well ground. Over medium/ high heat place a 6 quart or larger pot and cover the bottom with olive oil about 3-4 tablespoons. When the oil is heated add the mixture from the food processor.
Stir and let the mixture sweat for about 4-5 minutes. Then add:
12 oz tomato paste
2 28 oz cans of San Marzano tomatoes(that you have pureed in the food processor)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2-3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes if desired
Cook on simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
Just before serving stir in 6-8 fresh diced basil leaves
Serve over cooked pasta with meatballs or use in baked pasta dishes

Meatballs
1 pound ground turkey
1 pound ground veal or pork
1 1/2cups fresh bread crumbs(I use soft white bread from Farmers Bread from the Bakery at Vons)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 eggs
3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup fresh parsley leaves
6 large fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 350, grease a baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a food processor put the several slices of bread that you have cut into chunks and grind into crumbs. Measure out 1 1/2 cups. Store the rest in a zip lock bag in the freezer for another time. Grind the garlic, parsley and basil in the food processor. In a large bowl combine the meats, bread crumbs,garlic, parsley, basil, cheese, eggs, salt, pepper with your hands until everything is just combined. Do not overmix as it tends to make the meatballs tough. Using an ice-cream scoop, scoop a ball into your hands and roll into a ball. Place on sheet until the sheet is full. Bake about 30-35 minutes. Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce after removing them from the oven.Let them simmer in the sauce the rest of its cooking time.

Cook's notes- If you haven't invested in silpats yet, I highly recommend them. They are silicone mats that professional bakers use. Nothing sticks to them and I always put one one the bottom of my baking sheets before the food goes into the oven. No more greasing pans and clean up is a snap.

Fish Tacos with Corn and Tomato Relish

Fish tacos were made popular by surfers who would venture to Mexico for the waves. The concept came state side and are available everywhere. There are many different ways to fix them. Mine start with cod that has been lightly breaded in panko and cooked in a lightly oiled pan. I top them with the traditional coleslaw and a tomato corn relish. A roasted garlic-lime dressing or chili-lime mayo makes a great topping. I serve these with my south of the border rice(June 2011 pictured to the left)

Makes 12 tacos
2 pounds of cod cut into strips long enough to fit inside your tortillas
1/2 cup flour
2 large eggs beaten
1cup plain panko crumbs
salt and pepper
12 corn tortillas warmed
3 ears of fresh corn removed from the cob
1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
2 green onions sliced
3 tablespoons minced cilantro
juice of 2 limes
olive oil
1 package of shredded cabbage

In a medium bowl place the corn, tomatoes,green onion,cilantro, juice of 1 lime, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat. In a second bowl, place the cabbage, juice of one lime, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and toss to coat. Set aside.
Place 3 pie plate or shallow baking dishes on a counter(see pictures to the left for Chicken Milanese). Place the flour in the first dish, the beaten eggs in the second and the panko in the third. Heat a skillet of griddle over medium low heat. Pour 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom, just enough to coat. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel and season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. Dip each piece into the flour, then the egg wash and then the panko. Just before the fish goes into the pan, turn up the heat to medium/high. Place the pieces into the heated pan and cook on both sides about 3-4 minutes until cooked through.
To assemble. Place a piece of fish in the center of a warm corn tortilla. Top with the dressed cabbage and the corn relish. Finish with a dollop of garlic/lime dressing below. Serve

Roasted Garlic and Lime Dressing

1 head of roasted garlic
1/2 cup fat free greek yogurt
1/2 cup low fat mayo
juice of 2 limes
zest of 1 lime
buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
salt to taste

To roast a head of garlic- Cut the top off the garlic and leave in the skins. Place on a small square of foil. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the garlic. Draw the ends up and twist to close. Place in a heated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool. Squeeze the garlic out of its skins and use in recipes.

Place the roasted garlic in a blender. Add the yogurt, mayo, lime juice and zest, salt and pepper to the garlic. Cover and begin to blend. If the mixture is too thick, thin slightly with a splash of buttermilk until the mixture is fully incorporated.

Fruit Compote

I try to eat yogurt everyday. Greek yogurt makes a wonderful snack because it is so high in protein. But there are only so many flavors and after awhile I get bored and will have to take a yogurt break. Here's a way to keep the plain yogurt blues away, especially now that all the great summer fruit is in season.

Cook's Notes- You may have to adjust the amount of honey depending on the sweetness of your fruit.

Yields-about 3 cups

1 pound of apricots(or other stone fruit
1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
pinch of salt

Remove the pit from each piece of fruit and slice each half into 4 slices. In a medium saucepan, bring the honey, water, lemon juice and salt to a simmer. Add the fruit and continue to stir until fruit is cooked through and softened. Cool and serve. Store leftovers in a container with a lid in the frig.