My summer salad obsession continues. The best part about this recipe is the Mango Sesame Dressing. I’ve been making it for years. I use it on mixed greens, as a dipping sauce for chicken, or as glaze for on the grill. Udon, traditional Japanese noodles, can be found in the most grocery stores or at World Market. They cook in about 4 minutes and are delicious served hot or cold. If you can’t find udon noodles, use whole wheat spaghetti as a substitute. This is a great summer-time meal!
Summer is here and I find myself asking the same old question – what to do with all this zucchini?!
The answer is simple – almost anything! This week, I searched the FP Recipe Archives for ways to use zucchini and was reminded of this summer staple’s amazing versatility. Zucchini is great baked, roasted, sautéed, or grilled. It makes a great addition to soups, casseroles, and salads. It’s also comfortable playing a starring role.
Granny Jane used to make a world-famous (well, we thought so) Zucchini Relish. I am off to find that recipe now. Read more for links to the recipes!
Flush with a squash and arugula pesto, I figured I’d put it all together into one delicious, healthy dish. I use whole wheat pasta – do you? Some people say it’s too chewy and don’t like the consistency, but we’ve been using it for so long now, we’ve come to prefer its “hearty” texture and nutty flavor. Roasting is such a simple (and flavorful!) way to prepare seasonal vegetables. A hot oven, a splash of heart-healthy olive oil, a sprinkling of sea salt and fresh ground pepper and you’re on your way to yum town.
If you want to skip making the pesto, simply toss your pasta and vegetables with a little olive oil and top with grated Parmesan cheese. No one will suffer.
Lately, I’ve been playing with marinades. Marinades and dry rubs make great use of pantry items and add lots of flavor to everyday dishes. The marinade used for these Asian Chicken Wraps is especially tasty.
Have we talked about freezing fresh ginger? If you buy it for this recipe, buy a big knob of it. Use the edge of a spoon to scrape off the skin/peel (apologies – my language skills are failing me). Wrap it and freeze it. It’s actually much easier to grate when frozen and it keeps for weeks.
This chicken would also be great on a Chinese Chicken Salad. I’m working on one! In the meantime, enjoy these super yummy (gluten-free) wraps.
After harvesting the last of my arugula patch to make room for tomatoes, cucumbers, basil and whatnot, I found myself in wallowing in piles of fresh arugula. No hardship here. Colorful, crunchy but delicate, and peppery (or really peppery, depending on the variety), it’s so versatile. I used it to top pizza, made nice mixed green salads with vinaigrette, and made oodles of arugula pesto. By nature, arugula pesto tastes “grassier” than a traditional basil pesto. It’s a nice twist on an old standard. For menu ideas and links to recipes, read more…
NPR has a new program called “Cook Your Cupboard.” People call in and share whatever random ingredients they have on-hand and chefs help them come up with ideas for what to make. It’s not a contest; the ingredients are not totally outrageous; there’s no time limit. The premise for the program is really quite simple – help home cooks avoid waste, get creative and make the most of their pantry. Good stuff!
I do this all the time. I survey my pantry, my refrigerator, my garden, and whatever else I have on hand for what needs to be used and let it inspire me. Most recently, I had a pound of mushrooms that needed attention. I had farro in the pantry, Parmesan cheese in the fridge, and parsley and lemons in the garden. This was delicious, savory and very satisfying. I also have Food52 to thank – do you know it?
Most jarred marinara sauces contain sugar. It’s so not necessary. Why not make your own marinara? It’s delicious, simple, freezes well, and can be used for pizza, lasagna, or pasta. This sauce is a bit chunky. If you want it smooth, simply allow it to cool and puree it in the pot using a stick blender. When the season permits, this is a great recipe for tomato sauce made with fresh tomatoes – enjoy!
Yield: 8 servings This is a great dish for entertaining. It is simple but elegant and really delicious. Use high quality, pastured beef. It makes all the difference! A vegetable peeler makes short work of the Parmesan shavings. Ingredients: 3 3-pound porterhouse steaks (each about 2 inches thick), room temp 5 ounces baby arugula 1 cup […]
Spring is in the air, but with these foggy nights and mornings, chili remains on my brain, This vegetarian chili is packed with vegetables and beans – satisfying and good for you. Delicious served with Maple Corn Bread, the leftovers just get better, so make the whole pot and eat it all week or freeze it for a later date. Enjoy!
Not that every day isn’t a great day for pie – it’s just that it seems especially fitting today. If you want to make a sweet pie, here is a recipe for the easiest pie crust ever. You might also like this savory Pizza Pie, which is like a vegetarian pizza in a pie crust. […]
