Roasted Red Pepper Dip (or Spread)

We had some people over for a cookout yesterday, and I made this dip and some Vienna bread.  Even my friends who don't like peppers raved about it.

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

2 red peppers
8 oz cream cheese
2 gloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt

To roast the red peppers, cut them in half and seed them.  Then put them on a baking sheet, cut side down, and roast for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.  They are done when the skins start to blacken and blister.  Put them into a casserole dish or bowl and cover it, and let cool for 20 minutes or so. Peel the skin off and discard.

Put the peppers, cream cheese, garlic, salt, and lemon juice into the food processor and process until everything is blended.

Marinara with Homegrown Tomatoes

I used to think of spaghetti as a cold-weather meal.  I had no idea how easy it was to make sauce for pasta from fresh tomatoes. This recipe is light enough for a summer meal. For heartier fare, we sometimes serve with meatballs or sausage.

My favorite marinara sauce came from the Vitamix web site, but it seems to have disappeared. Fortunately, I wrote down the few slight changes I made to the original, so here's what I do:

Marinara with Homegrown Tomatoes

Put the following into the blender container in the order listed:

• 1 medium carrot
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic or one clove elephant garlic
• 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into eighths 
•  2 pounds fresh tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano (or 1 tsp fresh)
• 6 large fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Blend on medium speed for 15-30 seconds.  Pour into a pot. Add a bay leaf and simmer for 30 minutes.

Pesto!

Pesto is amazing.  In the time it takes to boil your noodles, you can have a gourmet meal.

Pesto
Put the following in the blender in the order listed:
2 cups basil leaves (or for a change of pace, try parsley)
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 cups olive oil

Blend for a few moments at medium speed until it looks the consistency that you like.  You may have to use the pusher to get all the goodies down to the blender blades.

Pour it over hot pasta. If you like the pesto creamier, mix it with 1/2 cup of hot water from the cooking pasta. 

Done.

This is how parsley pesto looks over tortellini.

Summer Squash is IN! Grilled Summer Squash.

Sometimes, you just can't beat simple.

Grilled Summer Squash

Take one medium (fist-sized) squash per person, and slice into 1/4" slices. I used pattypan or lemon squash. Grill over high heat, turning frequently, until tender. You can spray the squash with cooking spray before grilling if it looks expedient.

So GOOD!

Kale Salad

Kale is amazing.  I have only really been aware of kale in its different varieties since moving to the farm. And up to very recently, I have thought of greens as something to be braised.  Kale can be used in so many interesting ways. This recipe is really easy.

Kale Salad
1 8 oz. bunch of kale
1 clove garlic
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
5 Tbs olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 Tbs shredded Parmesan cheese + 1 Tbs to sprinkle on the top.

Chop the kale into 1/2 inch pieces.  Massage the kale with your fingers to soften it. Mince the garlic. In a small bowl, mix the garlic, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese, and toss gently. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.


For Thanksgiving, I dressed it up by tossing some toasted pine nuts on top and decorated it with hard cooked eggs, cut into quarters.

Carrot Muffins

I love carrot cake.  We had carrot cake as our wedding cake 27 years ago, made by my mother and decorated by her caterer friends.

I also love muffins.  Muffins used to be a special weekend breakfast.  Then we moved to the farm, and now we have muffins all the time.  Muffins are the perfect to-go breakfast, for days when a bowl of cereal seem like just too much cooking to manage before morning chores.  So I bake a dozen muffins before bed, and the next morning is so much easier.

This recipe takes carrots from the garden, adds all the goodies from my mom's carrot cake, and bakes it all into a convenient little package.

Carrot Muffins

1 C whole wheat flour
1 C unbleached flour
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 C crushed pineapple, drained
1 C buttermilk (or a mix of milk and yogurt, if you're out of buttermilk)
1/4 C oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 C finely shredded carrots
1/2 C chopped walnuts
1/2 C shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 375.  Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.

In a large bowl, combine the pineapple, buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla extract until well blended, Stir in the carrots, walnuts, and coconut.  Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.

Divide the batter evenly into the 12 muffin cups. Bake 20-22 minutes, until the tester says it's done.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Here's my favorite chocolate zucchini cake. This recipe took months to develop and caused me to gain 20 pounds.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2 cups flour (you can use gluten-free flower in this - it is still delicious)
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp cinnamon
6 eggs
1 cup sunflower oil
3 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Use cooking spray on a 9x13 baking pan.

Mix dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon).  Add eggs and oil, and mix well.  Fold in the zucchini and nuts, and stir until it is evenly distributed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top.  Bake 50-60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Once I forgot to sprinkle the chocolate chips before I baked it.  I sprinkled them on after the cake came out of the oven. They melted, and I spread them to make a smooth, easy frosting.

This version is with nuts, and without chocolate chips.