Lemongrass-Basil Yellow Squash and Potatoes
September 1, 2009 - Written by DianaIs there another name for yellow squash? I only know it as yellow squash, but it’s so tasty I think it deserves a nicer name. Since it’s major harvest and put up time, soccer season, football and band season, I find my dinners are rather lackluster and repetitive. I have lots of stuff, but my inspiration is waning as I think about my days and evenings ahead. Last night though, I had my Yellow Squash and Potatoes out, trying to decide what to do and then it hit me – Lemon Grass and Basil are just sitting in the herb beds waiting to be used. Well not so much the basil since the Japanese beetles have been munching away at it, but I’ve flicked them into the soapy water bath. Best way to take care of those things is with a bowl of soapy water. I do tend to use a lot of the same ingredients over and over, because they come from our garden. I keep expecting my son to say – No Not Chard AGAIN!!! and run off screaming into the night, but so far he hasn’t.
Anyway, this tasty side dish was divine with our steak …
German Potato Salad
July 31, 2009 - Written by DianaThis German Potato Salad was the perfect side to our steak tonight. Not one bite leftover, it was devoured. In fact, my daughter dropped some on the deck on the way out and the dog ate it all. She wanted more, but it was gone, all gone. It’s a sweet and tart taste with a little smoky bacon potato flavor, mmm. This is from Recipes From the Heart – a cookbook on sale this summer to help bring fresh fruits and vegetables to food banks.
This recipe is actually called Nana’s German Potato Salad and was contributed by Fara Bone of Salt Lake City Utah. All of the recipes in this book come from associates of the U.S. Foodservice.
Nana’s German Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 4 – 6 small potatoes
- 4 slices bacon
- bacon drippings
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup vinegar (I substituted apple cider vinegar)
- Red Potatoes (about 8), cut into halves or quarters
- Broccoli heads pulled apart so they are about the same size as the potatoes
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic - chopped (more if you really like garlic)
- 1 medium onion – diced
- Parsley
- 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar
- Salt
- Pepper
- 3/4 cup of wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or brown sugar
- 1/4 cup of water
- 2 tbs fresh tarragon …
Red Potatoes and Cabbage
July 4, 2009 - Written by DianaTonight’s dinner was inspired by the cabbage we are growing in our garden. We have plenty of it, and now we’ll have to come up with plenty of recipes to try it all out. What’s cool about picking cabbage. I read in my gardening book that if you leave a portion of the stem and leaves, newer smaller cabbage heads will branch off. I picked a head of cabbage leaving behind the steam and big leaves and lo and behold, four smaller heads are growing there now.
I thought red potatoes and cabbage would be delicious together along with a little apple cider vinegar to add a some tartness. It was an easy side dish with a really good flavor and I will definitely make it again.
Ingredients : - 8 – 10 red potatoes
- 1/2 head of cabbage, diced – bigger pieces
- 1 medium or 2 small onions, diced
- 2/3 cup pearl barley rinsed
- Salt and freshly milled pepper
- 1 large bunch kale, about 1 1/4 pounds stems entirely removed
- 2 tbs butter
- 3 tbs flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk or basic vegetable stock
- 1/4 tsp all spice
- 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1/2 cup grated gruyere or provolone
- 2 cups all-purpose or whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbs sugar
- 12 tbs cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup of ice water as needed
- 6 large leeks including an inch of green.
- 3 tbs butter
- 1 tsp chopped thyme
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
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Green Barley & Kale Gratin
April 21, 2009 - Written by DianaSince I have plenty of Kale, I search for different recipes to try out. I followed the recipe on this one, thinking, okay, we’ll try it and see. It looked kind of on the funky side to me with the bright green, but it was very good tasting. My daughter said it reminded her of pumpkin pie.
This recipe was also from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. This book is one of my favorite resources. I’m not a vegetarian, but it offers ways of cooking meatless meals that appeal to me. I actually have a first edition book that I bought twelve years ago and still use today.
Ingredients:Directions:
In a saucepan, add the barley to 1 quart …
Galette Crust
April 18, 2009 - Written by DianaThis is the recipe for the Galette Crust. I have used the refrigerated rolled up stuff from the store before, but since my mother in law was standing by with her great crust making talent, just waiting for my request, I asked her to help me out. We made it with half white and half wheat flour because I like the flavor that wheat flour adds to a crust.
Ingredients:Directions:
Mix the flour, salt and sugar together in a bowl. Cut into the butter by hand or using a mixer with a paddle attachment, leaving some pea-sized chunks. Sprinkle the ice water over the top by the tablespoon and toss it with the flour …
Leek and Goat Cheese Galette
April 18, 2009 - Written by DianaThis is one of my favorite things to do when I want to show off. Anyone can make it, but the taste is a little different because of the leeks and the goat cheese. If you are looking for a great side dish to wow the family for Mother’s Day, this is it. There are never any leftovers of this. This recipe is from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
Ingredients:…
Parmesan Penne & Kale
March 23, 2009 - Written by Diana
When I made the Fintastic Salmon, I wanted a nice side dish, and it had to have Kale. MUST have Kale. You see, my husband put a garden tunnel up last fall. Using sawed off metal pipes set in the ground, then plastic pipe going from one side up and over to the other side, over top of the raised beds. In the fall we had vegetables a lot longer than other years. However, the wind and the snow and the rain and ice took it’s toll, and the tunnel collapsed. It stayed that way until last weekend. My husband pulled up the plastic and put the hoops back up. Wonders of wonders, we have Kale, nice baby kale, and some lettuce, and a few small turnips, and some parsley – all growing in the tunnel. The kale looks magnificent, and right now small and tender and growing bigger. Lovely, lovely looking Kale – Darn I didn’t get a picture of it for you. However, I came up with a dish that was just as lovely to go …
Vegetables – you might not know.
March 12, 2009 - Written by DianaWe went to the store and stocked up. I sometimes buy vegetables that the kid(or even adult) at the checkout isn’t able to identify. Usually my husband doesn’t know all of them either, but he eats them. Yesterday I got a real strange look after one of the veggies and the girls asked,"Do you like use these in recipes?" I told her I did, but I wondered what else she was thinking I used them for. So today I will identify for you the three she had difficulty with.
Parsnips – they look like a large cream colored carrot. They also tastes like carrots, only stronger. You can boil them, roast them, grill them, bake them or cook them just about any way that you cook your carrots. I don’t eat them raw, but they can be. We tried to grow some last year, but I think we need a do over. We forgot what we planted and had to uproot it to figure it out. Parsnips need a little bit of frost before you pull them up, so it’s really a northern vegetable. I love …
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Cheddar Potatoes and Broccoli
July 27, 2009 - Written by DianaI made Cheddar Potatoes and Broccoli to go along with our Bison Burgers. We are potato fans and summer is a good time to get fresh grown local potatoes. We had leftover fresh broccoli from my son’s party to throw in with it. I par-boiled the broccoli and potatoes together to soften them up. I like to do that so that the potatoes cook in the oil for a shorter amount of time.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Parboil broccoli and potatoes – drain and set aside. In …
Red Ruby Cabbage Slaw
July 4, 2009 - Written by DianaThis is my contribution to the Independence Day Celebration at my brother in laws. I wanted something bright, something kind of healthy that make use of some of the cabbage we have in the garden. This slaw has a nice wine vinegar sauce that you sauté it in and is a cool side for your picnic plate and it’s lovely to look at too. This recipe came from my Joy of Gardening Cookbook
Ingredients:
