Some of you may know that my Dad writes cookbooks for a living. This has been his career for more than 30 years. He is a Pie master of sorts, and I like to think some of this has rubbed off on me. I love making home made crusts, and playing around with all different types of flour and recipes. I would like to give my Dad credit for most of this crust method, excluding my flour combo. This requires a food processor. Ingredients: The Crust 10 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into inch cubes 1 cup whole grain spelt flour 1⁄2 cup all purpose flour 1 1⁄2 Tsp cornstarch 1⁄2 Tsp salt 2 Tsp white vinegar 1⁄3 cup COLD water Method: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the dry ingredients in the bowl of your food processor. Pulse 7-10 times quickly. Add 1⁄2 of the cold butter cubes. Pulse 5 more times, followed by one 5 second pulse. Remove the lid of the food processor and scrape the sides if necessary. Add the remaining butter and repeat. Add the vinegar and cold water by gently sprinkling evenly over the mixture in the bowl of the food processor. Pulse about 10 times quickly. The dough should start to gravitate toward one side of the food processor, forming a misshapen ball. As soon as this begins to happen, stop pulsing (as shown below). Transfer the dough onto a large piece of saran wrap. Form into a 1 inch thick round by pressing sides of the dough ball into itself (pictured below). Once you have formed a nice size round, place in the freezer for 20 minutes. While this chills, ready the filling. Ingredients: The Filling 6 eggs 2 cups 1⁄2 and 1⁄2 1⁄2 cup grated cheddar cheese 1 onion, sliced into half moons 1 head Root 5 Kale, trimmed and chopped 1 package organic grape tomatoes, halved 1 Tbsp olive oil 3 Tbsp butter Salt and pepper Method: The best way to prepare to assemble a quiche is in steps: Step 1:Whisk together the eggs and half and half and set aside. You can lightly salt and pepper the egg mixture. Set aside. Step 2: Grate the cheese and set aside. Step 3: Place the butter in a medium skillet and heat for one minute over low. Add the onions and salt them gently. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the kale and cook an additional 5 minutes covered. Step 4: Cut the tomatoes in half and place on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, and again, light salt and pepper. I used the toaster oven to gently cook the tomatoes. You can also cook them in the preheating oven for the quiche. Cook at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. Or in the preheating oven for 15. Step 5: Roll out the dough. Do this by lightly covering a work space in flour. Remove the dough ball from freezer and begin to roll into a round large enough to sit into a standard pie pan (as shown). Once you have a nice size round, about 13 inches round if using a standard pie dish, invert the crust into the pan and press the edges down using a fork, around the outer edge of the crust. Place back in the freezer until you are ready to assemble. To assemble the Quiche:
Gather all your prepared fillings and set the crust nearby. Add the kale and onions mixture, followed by the cheese. Next pour the eggs mixture over the top. Add the tomatoes, one at a time, placing evenly over the top of the egg mixture. You are ready to rock. Place the quiche in the preheated oven on the middle rack. Cook for 20 minutes and then transfer to the top rack. Cook and additional 30 minutes, until the middle of the quiche is set. Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. FYI: This crust works well with all sorts of pastries and pies. It is wonderful for a galette, a tart or even a sweet pie!
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In October, when tomatoes don't ripen as readily and frost is in the forecast, it's fun to get creative with green tomatoes. Fried green tomatoes are a fun snack for friends and family. They're also fully gluten-free! Great for entertaining. Ingredients: 4-5 Green tomatoes, washed and sliced into 1⁄4 inch rounds. 2 eggs, whisked well 1 cup olive oil 1 cup brown rice flour 1 cup cornmeal (could also use flour or breadcrumbs) 1 Tsp salt 1 Tsp pepper Method: I like to start by getting all the pieces of the puzzle in order. Ready the tomatoes by sprinkling with salt and pepper. Whisk the eggs. Mix the flours well. I usually mix flours on a plate, it is easier to fully coat tomato. Heat your oil in a large cast iron or nonstick pan. Take a tomato round, cover both sides in egg, transfer to flour and coat well. Place in the pan. Cook on first side for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Turn over and cook side two. Repeat this with remaining tomatoes. I usually place 5-6 tomato rounds in the pan at once. This way I can keep up with the flipping and turning! Next: Remove from pan and place on a paper bag or a plate lined with paper towels. This will absorb extra oils. Let cool for about 3 minutes before eating. They will be VERY hot upon removal from the pan. For dipping sauces I've been mixing sour cream and dijon mustard. It is WICKED good. You can also dip in sriracha/mayo mixture. ENJOY!
A wonderful, warming fall meal of stuffed peppers. Fun to share with friends and family, this seasonal treat will be sure to fill your home with delightful smells and happy guests. Use this same recipe to stuff tomatoes, or even a large zucchini! First, prepare this Simple Tomato Sauce recipe. The sauce can be made many days ahead of time, only about 2 cups are needed for the stuffies. Next, make the cheese filling. Mix all ingredients together by stirring with a fork. Set aside. Ingredients: ½ cup cottage cheese ½ cup ricotta cheese 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (divided) 1 Tbsp basil, parsley, or dill (dried or fresh) Salt and pepper to taste about 1/4th Tsp each Next, make the Rice Filling. Ingredients: 1 cup brown rice 1/2 cup water 2 cups chopped spinach, kale, or collards ½ cup of the prepared tomato sauce 1 Tsp oil 1 Tsp salt Mix all the Rice Filing ingredients together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 35-40 minutes. Rice should be slightly undercooked. Remove from heat. While the Rice cooks, ready the peppers. 4-6 Bell Peppers (any color) washed/seeded with tops cut off. When you're ready to assemble: Pour a thin layer of tomato sauce into a medium size, deep dish casserole pan. Arrange peppers so that they stand upright, with opening face up. Add 1-2 spoonfuls of the cheese mixture to each. Next add ¼ cup sauce to each pepper, followed by 1 cup (smaller peppers may not take quite as much filling). Now add enough sauce to each pepper to cover the rice mixture. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and add the remaining cheddar cheese to to garnish each pepper. Bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes! We served with a tasty side of sauteed kale!
The weather has cooled off a bit and we're enjoying roasting vegetables in our oven again. Late September is an amazing time of year for roasting vegetables because there are so many options available. The first of the winter squash are starting to show up at markets, but the tables are still full with sweet summer peppers, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and leafy greens! This recipe embraces this beautiful time somewhere in between summer and fall- roasted delicata squash, oven roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions and spinach- it's a trio of seasonal delight! 1. Roasted Delicata Squash Ingredients: Delicata Squash- Wash and remove seeds. Cut lengthwise and slice into half moons. You don't need to peel, the skin is tender and edible! Put the flat side down on the cutting board to make slicing easier. 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tsp fresh ground black pepper 1 Tsp salt 1 Tbsp paprika Method: Toss the prepared squash in a bowl. Coat with all the spices and oil. Once all pieces are evenly coated, transfer to a baking sheet. Bake at 425 degree for 40-45 minutes. After 30 minutes of baking you can flip over with a spatula. If you like them a bit crispier, cook an additional 5-10 minutes! 2. Oven Roasted Tomatoes Ingredients: 5-7 Roma tomatoes, whole and washed 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tsp fresh ground black pepper 1 Tsp salt 1 Tbsp paprika Method: Toss the prepared tomatoes in a bowl. Coat with all the spices and oil. Once all tomatoes are evening coated transfer to a baking dish. (I used a glass pie pan, and it worked great!) Bake at 425 degree for 40-45 minutes. Tomatoes will start to bubble and produce juices, this is good! I baked tomatoes and squash at same time and it worked well. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. NOTE: I had some leftover tomatoes and I made toast this morning. I put cream cheese followed by reheated tomatoes on the bread and it was SO GOOD! 3. Caramelized Onions and Spinach Ingredients: 1/2 lb bag fresh spinach (about 8 cups) 1 onion, red or yellow, cut into medallions 1 Tbsp butter 2 Tbsp brown sugar Salt and pepper to taste Method: Heat butter in sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook for 3 minutes. Add the brown sugar and cook slowly for 10 more minutes. Stir occasionally and reduce heat if sugar starts to burn. Add the spinach and cover for 3 minutes, until spinach start to reduce. Uncover and cook for 3 more minutes. Serve HOT! We paired all of this with arancini balls we made from leftover risotto and roasted shishito peppers! Delicious!
It's always exciting to create a meal that's made up entirely of ingredients from this week's CSA share! This simple spaghetti squash recipe even uses the skin as a bowl! Ingredients: 1 spaghetti squash, halved and seeded 1 bunch collards washed, trimmed and chopped finely 2 medium yellow onions, diced 2 garlic cloves, pressed 3 tomatoes cored and chopped Salt and pepper to taste 3 Tbsp olive oil (divided) Method: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prep the squash by cutting and seeding. Place halves on baking sheet and dress with 1 Tbsp olive oil, and a dash of salt and pepper. Coat all surfaces of the squash. Place open side down on baking sheet, as pictured. Place in oven to cook for 1 hour. While the squash cooks, prepare the filling. In a medium sauce pan saute the onions and garlic in remaining olive oil over medium heat. Once onions are clear and fragrant (about 4 minutes) add the collards. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes over low heat. Remove lid and add the chopped tomatoes. Stir well and cook over medium heat for 20 more minutes. Turn off heat, let the mixture sit in the sauce pan. Once the squash has fully cooked, remove from oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Gently remove the meat of the squash by loosening up with a fork. The squash will flake away from edges in nice spaghetti size pieces. Add the meat of the squash to the prepared veggie mixture. Stir a few times to distribute veggies evenly through the “meat”. Salt to taste. Stuff the filling back inside the shell of the squash! Garnish with herbs, cheese or additional toppings! NOTE: Spaghetti Squash skin is not edible (or if it is I do not recommend trying it!)
We've been LOVING all these tomatoes. I truly can not get enough of them. This week, I made a super simple sauce, and had over pasta last night! Enjoy this gem. NOTE: This is a small batch, you can double and triple this. We used Roma tomatoes which cook down quickly and make a super flavorful sauce, but substitute any variety of tomatoes you have in abundance. Ingredients: 2 lbs of Roma tomatoes (peeled optional) 3 cloves garlic chopped and peeled 2 Tsp olive oil 1 Tsp salt Basil, Thyme, Oregano, or Parsley (optional) Method: Wash tomatoes and remove the core. Cut into chunks. Heat oil over medium heat and add garlic. Simmer for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir. Add the salt. Stir again. I do not mind the skins at all. Some folks do. To remove skins simply peel from the tomato before using. Cook over medium heat for a about 30 minutes. Stirring occasionally while watching the color change. The sauce will turn from a bright red to a darker red. The darker it gets, the sweeter the sauce. After the 30 minutes check the taste and consistency. It important to cook with the lid off, so the moisture can evaporate from the pan. I like a thicker sauce, so I will cook an additional 15-20 minutes. But if you're in a rush, 30 minutes will do! (I have cooked this sauce for as little as no minutes and as long as 90!) Add basil or fresh herbs of choice after you've turned the heat off, just before you toss with pasta.
I made this tonight using many ingredients found in this week’s CSA! I especially love how sweet the tomatoes are! What a wonderful variety. Ingredients: 1 bunch kale, washed trimmed and massaged WELL 8-10 small tomatoes halved (I used the cherry and grape variety) 12 peppers washed and sliced thin 1 red onion diced Dressing: ½ cup sour cream 1 Tbsp chili powder Juice of one lime 1 Tbsp salt 2 Tbsp Sriracha Method: Wash kale well in hot water. Break off into small pieces and soak in a bowl. While the kale is submerged in the water massage well. Don't be afraid to be too rough with it, the more you work the kale, the more tasty it is in salads! Once the kale is appropriately texturized remove excess liquid by pressing the kale into the base of the strainer. Transfer back into a dry bowl. For the dressing, place all of the listed items into a bowl and whisk! TADA! Your dressing is complete. Pour the dressing over the kale and mix WELL! Making sure you cover all the crevices of the kale. Add chopped veggies to the salad. Toss or arrange neatly over the bed of dressed greens. You could try this using romaine as well, and omit the excessive massaging! Add cilantro for an extra flavor punch or some cayenne or jalapenos for spice. You can get real creative and top with some guac or sliced avocados. We served it this evening alongside homemade refried beans, smashed mexican sweet potatoes and a simple salsa
Beautiful summer dinner, and a lovely option for gluten-free and vegetarian folks. The eggplant provides a meaty feel for a well-rounded dish. Ingredients: FOR THE GREENS 1 bunch kale trimmed and washed 4 cups washed arugula 2 Tbsp olive oil 4 Cloves garlic, halved Salt and pepper to taste FOR THE TOMATO CONFIT 4 cups grape tomatoes halved 3 Tbsp garlic olive oil (or 3 Tbsp olive oil with 2 cloves pressed garlic) 1 Tsp red pepper flakes 2 Tsp salt, 1 Tsp pepper 6 basil leaves FOR THE EGGPLANT 1 large graffiti eggplant cut into ½ inch rounds Olive oil drizzle Salt and pepper to taste ½ cup rice or spelt flour ½ cup gluten free bread crumbs 1 egg beaten well Additional olive oil for pan frying Grated parm for garnish (about 5 Tbsp) Method: Prep the kale and arugula by chopping into bite size pieces, and set aside. Prep the tomatoes by slicing and have garlic cloves on hand. Gently slice the basil and set aside. Ready a large pan over medium with olive oil for the kale and arugula. Add the halved garlic cloves and let simmer for 1 minute. Add the kale and continue to cook over medium heat. Once the kale has reduced in size by half, add the arugula. Cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally, adding salt and pepper to taste. Once the greens are fully cooked, keep them on stove top over VERY LOW heat to keep warm. Continue to stir every few minutes. While the greens cook, ready a medium pan for the tomato confit. Do so by heating the olive oil and red pepper flakes over medium heat for 2 minutes. Once the olive oil has warmed and red pepper flakes become fragrant, add the tomatoes, followed by salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, slowly stirring allowing the tomatoes to soak up olive oil and garlic flavor. Reduce heat if tomatoes start to reduce too quickly. Before serving, add half the basil to the tomato confit. While the tomatoes are cooking sprinkle the eggplant rounds with salt, pepper and olive oil. The next step requires a large nonstick or cast iron pan. Cover the bottom of the large pan in olive oil. While oil is heating, mix the flour with the breadcrumbs in a medium bowl, and beat the egg in a medium bowl. To fry the eggplant: One by one coat the round in egg, transfer immediately into the flour/breadcrumb mixture followed by the hot oil pan. Repeat with each round. Fry one side one for about 3-4 minutes before flipping and doing the same to side two. The oil should be hot, but not burning. Depending on pan size and number of eggplant rounds, you may have to do two batches of oil/frying. When fried to desired crispiness remove from pan and set on a plate covered in parchment paper. Sprinkle all rounds with grated parmesan. To plate the dish: Place a large scoop of greens onto a round plate. Scatter lightly with grated parmesan. Place two eggplant rounds atop the kale. Cover in tomatoes and garnish with remaining basil. Add additional parmesan or mozzarella cheese if desired. ENJOY!!
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December 2016
AuthorAli Price |