Peach Salsa

 https://natashaskitchen.com/fresh-peach-salsa-recipe/

Made as described, but I only had half a lime and dried coriander and added some corn.

Tteobokki

 I made this in the instant pot.  I liked the flavor,  but it took quite a while to cook off the liquid.  Will use less water next time.

https://sites.google.com/site/tteokbokkirecipe/?pli=1

Royal Korean rice cake dish

I enjoyed it, but the kids were a bit iffy. It was a little sweet, so if I make it again, I'll reduce the sweetener. 

https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/gungjung-tteokbokki

Recently made

• Creamed corn-https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11675-creamed-corn?action=click&module=Global%20Search%20Recipe%20Card&pgType=search&rank=1

I wasn’t too excited about this version. It wasn’t super creamy like my mom made from the can. Could be the corn was a little dehydrated. Either way, I’ll probably not be making this again.

• Cabbage in a mild curry sauce - https://www.thekitchn.com/cabbage-in-mild-yogurt-and-mus-157670

I used this with some red cabbage I needed to use up. I thought it was pretty tasty. Other family members didn’t think similarly.

• Corn fritters - https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/07/corn-fritters/

I really liked these too. R liked it a lot, so the leftovers were great for his daycare lunches.

• Chickpea blondies- https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/flourless-chocolate-chip-chickpea-blondies-with-sea-salt-vegan-gluten-free-healthy/

I made these for some friends at work who are gluten free. I thought they turned out pretty good, but my food processor didn’t get all of the chickpeas so there were some chunks. I’ll have to use the blender next time.

• Butternut squash linguine - https://cookieandkate.com/2014/creamy-vegan-butternut-squash-linguine-with-fried-sage/

This was ok, but I wouldn’t make it again. It was more like butternut squash bisque on Pasta.

• Vanilla buttercream frosting - https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/vanilla-buttercream/

I used this to frost a chocolate cake for E’s birthday. It was great!

• Vegetarian shepherds/cottage pie - https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019221-vegetarian-shepherds-pie

This was a bit of work, but I really liked it and thought it turned out great!

• Chocolate ice cream - https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/56803/very-chocolate-ice-cream/

I thought this turned out pretty good!

• Peanut stew - https://thegirlonbloor.com/slow-cooker-african-inspired-peanut-stew/

I used the instant Pot  to make this, but it was so long ago now, I can’t remember how it tasted...I’ll have to make it again!

Summer Pasta with Zucchini, Ricotta, and Basil

Summer CSA and garden season is upon us and I needed to use up some zucchini. This NYT recipe for Summer Pasta with Zucchini, Ricotta, and Basil was very good! I didn't have the ricotta cheese, and it really is a must, but without it, it was still very tasty! I will definitely make this one again, and I will make sure to have the ricotta cheese.

INGREDIENTS

 Extra-virgin olive oil

1  small onion, finely diced

2  pounds zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick pieces (for larger zucchini, cut in half lengthwise before slicing)

 Salt and pepper

2  garlic cloves, minced, or 2 tablespoons chopped green garlic

1  ounce basil, about 2 cups loose leaves

1  pound ziti or other dry pasta

8  ounces ricotta, about 1 cup (see recipe)

 Pinch of crushed red pepper

 Zest of 1 lemon

2  ounces grated Parmesan, pecorino or a mixture, about 1 cup, plus more for serving

PREPARATION

Put a pot of water on to boil. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onions in 3 tablespoons olive oil until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat as necessary to keep onions from browning. Add zucchini, season generously with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until rather soft, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat.

Meanwhile, use a mortar and pestle to pound garlic, basil and a little salt into a rough paste (or use a mini food processor). Stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil.

Salt the pasta water well and put in the pasta, stirring. Boil per package instructions but make sure to keep pasta quite al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.

Add cooked pasta to zucchini in skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Add 1/2 cup cooking water, then the ricotta, crushed red pepper and lemon zest, stirring to distribute. Check seasoning and adjust. Cook for 1 minute more. Mixture should look creamy. Add a little more pasta water if necessary. Add the basil paste and half the grated cheese and quickly stir to incorporate. Spoon pasta into warm soup plates and sprinkle with additional cheese. Serve immediately.

Corn Salad

With the great amount of sweetcorn and tomatoes in the CSA and from the farmers market, I needed something to use it up, so I found a Corn Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Mint recipe from the New York Times. I changed things up quite a bit due to things on hand, so I can't really "review" the recipe. I used an herbed goat cheese instead of feta and left out the mint, but I thought it turned out pretty good. It made quite a bit! I was eating it for a while, because I was the only one who wanted to eat it.


Recipe as prepared:

INGREDIENTS

2 to 3  cups raw or cooked corn kernels (from 4 to 6 ears)

1  large or 2 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into fairly small pieces

4  ounces herbed goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)

3  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION

Put the corn, tomatoes, and cheese in a medium salad bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss.

Add the mint leaves and toss again. Taste and add salt and pepper. Serve.

Savory Veggie muffins

In order to send more food with R to daycare for lunch and a good way to use up more veggies I attempted to make some savory vegetable muffins. I found this recipe from Healthy Little Foodies, and used it as a guide, but after tasting them, I would make several changes.

The recipe didn't call for any salt, I would either add more cheese or salt or both. I think these would be greatly enhanced if there were some herbs added, as well. Maybe an addition of rosemary, thyme, or savory would make these taste much better too. I think these would also be enhanced by using white whole wheat flour too instead of (red) whole wheat flour.

I will definitely try making these again, but for the meantime, they are in the freezer and taken out for daycare lunch every morning. Good thing he can't complaint about having the same thing every day yet!


As made -

Ingredients

• 1 medium (250g) Zucchini, grated
• 1 medium (120g) Carrot, grated
• 1/4 cup (30g) Frozen Peas
• 1/4 cup (30g) Frozen Corn
• 1 cup (125g) Cheddar Cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1/4 cup Plain Greek Yoghurt
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 2 Eggs
• 2 cups (250g) Plain Wholewheat Flour
• 3 tsp Baking Powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to  350F
2. Place the zucchini and carrot onto a clean dish towel and wrap it around the vegetables.  (see image above) Squeeze all the juice out. 
3. Place the zucchini and carrots into a large mixing bowl along with the peas and sweetcorn. Add the cheese, milk, yogurt, olive oil and egg and stir until combined.
4. Mix the flour and baking powder together and then slowly add to the wet ingredients. Fold in gently, until just combined. 
5. Spray a 12 hole muffin tray with oil or grease with butter. Spoon the mixture, equally, between the 12 muffin sections.  Bake for 20-25 mins. 

Kohlrabi use up

I made a salad with kohlrabi. Recipe from the kitchn. I used fresh cherries since they were in season, I thought it was pretty good. I would try it again.

In an effort to use up more CSA kohlrabi, I found this recipe that inspired me to make oven fries with kohlrabi. I sprinkled on some Penzey’s ranch seasoning, and they were delicious!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ to 2 pounds kohlrabi
• 1 tablespoon rice flour, chickpea flour or semolina (more as needed)
•  Salt to taste
• 2 to 4 tablespoons canola oil or grapeseed oil, as needed
•  Chili powder, ground cumin, curry powder or paprika to taste 
• PREPARATION

Peel the kohlrabi and cut into thick sticks, about 1/3 to 1/2 inch wide and about 2 inches long.
Heat the oil over medium high heat in a heavy skillet (cast iron is good). Meanwhile, place the flour in a large bowl, season with salt if desired and quickly toss the kohlrabi sticks in the flour so that they are lightly coated.
When the oil is rippling, carefully add the kohlrabi to the pan in batches so that the pan isn't crowded. Cook on one side until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then, using tongs, turn the pieces over to brown on the other side for another 2 to 3 minutes. The procedure should take only about 5 minutes if there is enough oil in the pan. Drain on paper towels, then sprinkle right away with the seasoning of your choice. Serve hot.

Cucumber Salad

At one point this summer, we were swimming in cucumbers and I was trying to figure out ways to use them. I found a recipe for Cilantro lime cucumber salad. I thought it tasted great, but I like all of those flavors. I left out the jalapeño, but since L didn’t eat it, it didn’t matter.
I would make this again, but it needs to be eaten quickly, as this round seemed to go bad after just a few days.

Ingredients

• 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cucumbers, very finely sliced (see photos)
• 4 tablespoons minced cilantro, to taste

Instructions

1. Dice the jalapeno and garlic and add to a medium-sized bowl.
2. Add 3 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper. Use a whisk to incorporate the 3 tablespoons olive oil. Set aside.
3. Finely slice the cucumbers. Use a mandolin if you have it, but a very sharp knife will do the trick. (See photos below.) Add the cucumbers to the dressing and stir together.
4. Finely mince the cilantro and add it to the bowl. Stir to combine. You can either let it sit in the fridge to marinate for a couple hours, or serve immediately.

Roasted cabbage and apples with veggie sausage

I had (and still have half) a huge cabbage to use up. I’ve made cabbage and apples with veggie sausage before, but not sure if I followed a recipe. This time, I used a recipe from Bon Apetit. It as easy enough, but not sure of the flavors. My cabbage was green, so perhaps that might have changed the flavor profile slightly. There was lots of cabbage leftover, to.


INGREDIENTS
1/2 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 medium apple, sliced
2 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 package veggie Italian sausage
Crusty bread (for serving)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°. Toss cabbage, onion, apple, thyme sprigs, vinegar, 1 Tbsp. oil, and 1/4 cup water in a 13x9" baking dish; season with salt and pepper and roast, covered, until cabbage is wilted and softened, 35–45 minutes.

Pesto vegetable soup

I made this Pesto Vegetable Soup with veggies from the CSA share and from the garden. Even though it was hot out, the bowl tasted like summer!

Stuffed green peper

I've made this before, see previous post, but this was fairly quick and helped use up some CSA veggies:
2 cups cooked rice
about 1 cup cooked chickpeas
about 1 teaspoon cumin
about 1/2-1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
one medium tomato chopped
1/2 cup green pepper chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
small white onion chopped
two veggie Italian sausages, chopped
two med-large green peppers cut in half with seeds and ribs removed
about 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Saute the onion, garlic and green pepper in olive oil until soft, add in the sausages until warmed through.
Mix all the ingredients (except the cheese and host peppers) in a bowl.
Put some cheese in the bottom of the pepper "bowl" then put the filling and top with cheese.
Bake at 350deg F for 20-30 min or until the pepper bowl is soft/cooked.

I thought it turned out great, but E thought it would taste better with the morningstar sausages instead. I'll try it with that next time

Instant Pot caramelized onions

I got a bunch of Elisa Craig onions in my CSA share so I decided to make caramelized onions. I used the method from serious eats to do this. I did a half recipe. It was easy to do and mostly hands off.


Ingredients
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3 ounces; about 90g)
3 pounds yellow or mixed onions, sliced 1/8 inch thick (1.4kg; about 4 to 5 large onions)
1/2 teaspoon (2g) baking soda
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Method
1. Melt butter in an electric or stovetop pressure cooker over medium heat. Add onions and baking soda and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until onions slightly soften and start to release liquid, about 3 minutes. Seal pressure cooker and heat to high pressure (12.5 to 15 psi). Cook at high pressure for 20 minutes. Release pressure by allowing steam to vent, then remove lid.
2. Continue cooking with lid off, stirring constantly, until liquid inside has completely reduced and the onions are deep brown and sticky, about 5 minutes. Caramelized onions can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days or frozen for several months.

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Tomato and Summer Squash Gratin

My CSA share partner was out of town last week so we got the entire share. I've been scrambling to use everything up before things go bad. I found a recipe for a tomato and summer squash gratin. I followed it pretty closely and used barley as the grain.

I thought it turned out really good. I also liked how many CSA veggies it used up. E and L didn't like it too much. If I was to make this again, I would use rice.

Ingredients
2 pounds tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced½ medium or 1 small onion
½ pound summer squash (1 good-size zucchini, for example), cut in 1/2-inch dice Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon crumbled dried thyme
1 cup cooked rice, farro or barley
3 eggs
2 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
1 to 2 tablespoons slivered or chopped fresh basil leaves

1. Method
   Peel and seed half the tomatoes, and chop fine. Slice the rest and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart gratin or baking dish.
   Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until it is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about 30 seconds, until it begins to smell fragrant, and stir in the squash. Cook, stirring often, until the squash is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and the thyme, season with salt and pepper, raise the heat slightly and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the rice or other grains and remove from the heat.
   Beat the eggs in a large bowl.
   Stir in the cooked vegetables, salt and pepper to taste, and the cheese and combine well. Scrape into the gratin dish.
   Slice the remaining tomatoes and cover the top of the gratin in one layer. Drizzle on the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Bake 45 minutes, or until the top is browned and the gratin is sizzling. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle the basil over the top. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Instant Pot Ratatouille

I made this instant pot recipe for ratatouille last night. I didn't use the PIP method and didn't reduce the water, so the result was more liquid than I would have liked.  Also I added marjoram and basil. if I make this again I will not add any water. I served this with polenta. I liked the way it tasted but the rest of the family didn't.
Update: I made this recipe again (about a year later and still without the PIP), but I did not add any water. Even without the water, it was still a bit soupy and the vegetables were a little mushy. I turned on saute afer it was done to try to reduce the liquid a bit. I think if I were to make this again, I would try to sweat out the veggies (especially the squash and eggplant) with salt and drain/squeeze before hand.

• 1 large zucchini, sliced into thin circles
• 1 medium eggplant/aubergine, sliced into thin circles
• 2 medium tomatoes, sliced into thin disks
• 1 small red onion, sliced into thin circles or ½ large red onion, halved and sliced into half moons
• 2 large cloves of garlic, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon of thyme leaves (dry or fresh)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar (sweet balsamic or regular)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup water

Instructions

1. Slice all the vegetables (see the picture) and sprinkle with half of the thyme, sea salt and pepper.
2. Line a round springform tin with foil. This is to trap all the cooking juices inside. If using a solid metal dish, then no foil is needed as the juices won't leek through the bottom.
3. Scatter some chopped garlic on the bottom. Going in circle, and alternating between eggplant, zucchini, onion and tomato slices, layer the vegetables into a tight snail. I like to start with the outer circle and make my way inwards into the middle. See image for reference. Keep the slices close together, overlapping slightly. Once in place, sprinkle with the remaining garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Drizzle over evenly with vinegar and olive oil.
4. Alternative: If this arrangement proves to be tricky, feel free to layer the vegetables in no particular form on top of each other. Sprinkle some thyme, salt, and pepper in between. You can also simply dice the vegetables and combine them with garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil in the inner pot of the pressure cooker and set to cook for the same amount of time.
5. Place a wire rack inside the pot and add a cup of water. Carefully, place the tin inside the pot on top of the rack (see image). Place and lock the lid, make sure the steam releasing handle is pointing to Sealing. Press MANUAL (High Pressure) and set to 6 minutes. After 3 beeps the pressure cooker will start going.
6. Once the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 6 minutes, then use the quick release to let off the rest of the steam. Carefully remove the springform tin from the pot, using tongs if needed.
7. Serve on a plate in foil or transfer to a platter.

Kohlrabi Carrot Fritters

I had a CSA kohlrabi bulb to use and I didn't want to eat them raw in a salad.
I found this fritter recipe to use. I didn't make the dipping sauce because I didn't have the ingredients, but I did make a version of the sauce from this recipe .

I made sure to squeeze most of the liquid out of the veggies, and that definitely helped during the frying process. For the sauce, I made a 1/4 recipe m because 1 cup of mayo is a lot!! I also used up some green garlic that I had.

I really liked how it all turned out, but the rest of my family disagreed. At first Leela was enthusiastic, but said she didn't like it after one bite. Then I made the mistake of making her try the sauce. It was a mistake because raw garlic to her I spicy, so she took the bite and promptly spit it out.

Oh well, more for me! This was eaten with pizza for the others and a really good quiche made by a friend for me. Also we had salad- Leela will definitely eat salad with balsamic "dressing," girl loves her sweets!

Fritters

• 2 kohlrabi
• 1 carrot
• 1 egg
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• ½ cup grapeseed or vegetable oil (enough for ¼-inch depth in a large skillet)
• ½ avocado
• ¼ cup plain yogurt
• ½ lemon
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• Green onions (for garnish)

1. Cut the leaves off the kohlrabi and peel the bulb. Peel 1 carrot. Shred the vegetables in a food processor, or by hand using a grater. Squeeze the shredded vegetables in a tea cloth (or with your hands) to remove moisture, then add to a medium bowl with 1 egg, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne. Mix to combine.
2. Place ½ cup oil in a large skillet (enough for ¼-inch depth). Heat the oil over medium high heat, then place small patties of the fritter mixture into the oil. Fry on one side until browned, then fry on the other side. Remove and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain excess oil.
3. In a small bowl, mix ½ avocado, ¼ cup plain yogurt, juice from ½ lemon, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt to make the avocado cream (or blend the ingredients together in a food processor).
4. Serve fritters with avocado cream and sliced green onions.

Dipping sauce 

20garlic cloves, peeled (about 2 heads)
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup chives, minced

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees, put garlic cloves in a small baking dish and add enough olive oil to cover. Roast until garlic is soft and golden, about 30 minutes. Cool.
2. Drain garlic, reserving oil. Transfer to a food processor, add 1 tablespoon reserved oil and the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and pepper and purée. Transfer to a bowl and stir in chives. Use remaining oil for another purpose.

Tabouleh

I made this tabouleh, but scaled it down for the amount of herbs I had. Also I used CSA cilantro instead of parsley.
It's such a simple salad, but it was great.

Olive oil roasted tomatoes and fennel with white beans

I had fennel to use up and decided on roasting it with tomatoes to make this dish. I thought it was good, but the rest of my family didn't agree.

Ethiopian Lentil stew with Chard

I made it on the stovetop, because I have yet to give into the Instant Pot purchase yet.  Though, it sounds like it could save me some time... I made this Ethiopian Lentil stew that was going around my  dinner facebook group. I thought it turned out ok, not sure if I would make it again.

Salsa Verde

I got tomatillos in the CSA share a couple weeks ago, so I thought I would try to make some salsa verde. There are lots of recipes online, but I went with Cookie & Kate's Salsa Verde.
I followed it pretty much to the letter, I may have omitted the jalepenos, but I can't remember now.
We had it with some quesadillas and I thought it was very good. Ebon didn't like it, but Leela readily dipped her chips in it.
I had some leftover, so I froze it. I think I'll try to make some Enchilada Verde sometime in the near future. Or maybe I'll make some breakfast burritos and put it on. The possibilities are many!