Gnocchi with Summer Veggies

From Everyday Food iPhone App via daily recipe

I substitute 2 bags frozen tortellini with excellent results!

1 T olive oil
2 zucchini or summer squash, quartered and sliced
2 minced garlic cloves
1 pkg frozen gnocchi (15 or 16 oz)
1/4 c fresh basil, chopped
2 T grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 T butter
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

- In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
- Add squash and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook stirring occasionally, until squash is crisp - tender, 4-5 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, cook, stirring occasionally, until juicy, about 2 minutes.

- Meanwhile in large pot of boiling salted water, cook gnocchi according to pkg directions. Reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid, drain gnocchi and transfer to skillet.

- Toss gnocchi, adding enough cooking liquid to create a sauce.

- Remove from heat and stir in basil, cheese, butter, and lemon juice.

Crustless Broccoli- Cheddar Quiche

From Everyday Food iPhone app - via daily recipe of the day

Can be one big quiche or 4 individuals

Butter for ramekins (I used Pam Spray)
Coarse Salt
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen broccoli florets
6 large eggs
1/2 c half-and-half
group pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 c cheddar cheese

Serve with crusty bread and mixed salad

Preheat to 350
Butter 4 8 oz ramekins (or 9-inch pie dish)

Bring medium pot of salted water to boil. Add Broccoli: cook one 1 minute. Drain well; transfer to cutting board and blot dry with paper towels. Chop coarsely.

In large bowl; whisk together eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and nutmeg.

Stir in broccoli and cheese.

Place ramekins on rimmed baking sheet. Ladle mixture into ramekins, dividing equally.

Bake until golden brown, 35-40 minutes.

Spinach Saute

(Sandra Lee from Food Network)

7 minutes

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 1 cup frozen onions
• 12 ounces pre-washed baby spinach
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium heat.

Add garlic and onions and saute for 2 minutes.

Turn heat up to medium-high and add spinach in handfuls, constantly tossing and moving with tongs as it wilts down.

As soon as spinach has completely wilted remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

I knew that I would be the only one who really enjoyed the spinach part of our meal, so I reduced the amounts by more than half and guesstimated ingredient amounts, but I feel like I got the same overall effect. With the exception of one salty bite, Steve is happy to have this a second time this week as he packaged the remaining spinach up in a ziploc. Spinach WIN!

Crunchy Parmesan Chicken Tenders

(Giada de Laurentis via Food Network)

10 mins active prep, 30 minutes "soaking time"
Cook Time: 12 Minutes

- 4 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders (about 18)
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
- 3/4 cup Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Brush 1 tablespoon of oil over each of 2 heavy large lined baking sheets. Place the buttermilk in a large bowl. Add the chicken tenders and stir to coat. Let stand at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes (the longer you can up to 30 minutes the better).

Meanwhile, mash the garlic with the salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the vinegar and then the remaining 1/2 cup of oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with pepper. Transfer the vinaigrette to a small serving bowl.

Stir the Parmesan and bread crumbs in a pie dish. Remove the chicken tenders from the buttermilk and dredge them in the bread crumb mixture to coat completely, pressing to adhere. Arrange the coated chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the chicken tenders and bake until they are cooked through and golden brown, about 12 minutes.

Transfer the chicken tenders to a platter and serve the vinaigrette alongside for dipping.

These were SO yummy, but I didn't make the dressing on the first go around. Next time I will definitely try it with the dipping sauce she suggests!

stuffed peppers

(adapted from several recipes)

I grew up enjoying these with my parents. Steve and I used to make them all the time, but ground meat is better for these than ground turkey. Since we went the way of turkey these have been out of our rotation, but when Big Y entices us with a buy 1 get 1 deal we cannot resist.

1 lb ground meat
Rice (I used a bag of frozen Trader Joe's organic brown - but you can use any quick cooking rice like those 90 second ones)
2 8oz cans of tomato sauce
Spices to season the meat - garlic powder, salt, pepper, italian seasoning
4 bell peppers (green or red)

- Cut tops off, remove seeds and membranes of peppers
- Bring pot of water to boil, blanching each pepper in the water for about a minute
- Remove peppers to paper towel to cool, sprinkling the inside with salt to help it maintain shape
- Brown meat and drain any excess fat
- Cook quick rice
- Add rice, one can of sauce, and spices to taste (seriously add whatever you think you will taste good)
- Arrange peppers in a casserole dish and spoon meat/rice mixture into each pepper
- Top with remaining can of sauce and italian seasoning

Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes until pepper reaches desired softness.

Greek Panzanella

(from Ina Garten, http://foodtv.com)

10 minutes to prepare
30 minutes to set

For the salad:

- olive oil
- 1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
- Kosher salt
- 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 1 red bell pepper, large diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, large diced
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 red onion, sliced in half rounds
- 1/2 pound feta cheese, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup calamata olives, pitted

For the vinaigrette:

- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned. Add more olive oil as needed. (and it will be needed)

Place the cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper in a small bowl. While still whisking, add the olive oil and make an emulsion.

Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables.

Add the feta, olives and bread cubes and mix together lightly.

Set aside for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend.

Serve at room temperature.

NOTES:

Steve doesn't do tomatoes or olives, so I eliminated those because they would have just ended up in a pile on his plate which is a waste of delicious ingredients. I can't do feta right now, so we didn't put any cheese in the salad at all and it was still yummy.

It makes 6 servings so I only tossed half of it together with the dressing on the night we were having it and saved the other half (veggies and bread stored seperately for another dinner).

Good enough to get a round 2 and upon getting round 2, was declared good enough to make again. Even Caroline enjoyed it.

avocado and grapefruit salad

From Ina Garten (Food Network Episode Blueprint Lunch)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil
4 ripe Hass avocados
2 large red grapefruits

Place the mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified.

Before serving, cut the avocados in 1/2, remove the seeds, and carefully peel off the skin. Cut each half into 4 thick slices. Toss the avocado slices in the vinaigrette to prevent them from turning brown.

Use a large, sharp knife to slice the peel off the grapefruits (be sure to remove all the white pith), then cut between the membranes to release the grapefruit segments.

Arrange the avocado slices around the edge of a large platter. Arrange the grapefruit segments in the center. Squeeze the remaining grapefruit membranes over platter.

Spoon the vinaigrette on top, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve.