Our dish today comes from a cookbook that combines two of my loves–cooking and Star Wars.  Yes, I have several copies of the Star Wars Cookbook as many of my loved ones have realized what a perfect gift it would be!  If you own the cookbook, you will recognize that I have edited the recipe slightly as I hope by now, we all know how to dice a tomato.

Ingredients:

6 ripe Roma tomatoes, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 small avocado, diced
1 4-oz. diced mild green chiles
1 c frozen corn, thawed
1 lemon or lime
salt and pepper to taste
blue corn tortilla chips

Place tomatoes, onion and avocado in a bowl.  Drain green chiles and add.  Add thawed corn.  Cut lemon or lime in half and squeeze both sides over contents of bowl.  (NOTE:  The recipe asks you to use a tablespoon, I think its best when you use the entire piece of fruit.  To suit your palate, start with the Tbsp. and add accordingly.  My taste isn’t always yours!) Toss lightly to not bruise the vegetables.  Season with salt and pepper and serve with chips.

This is a great go-to recipe when unexpected guests arrive.  Or you have a houseful of people chanting for their favorite team–Go Steelers!

xo–Darth Vader, err, me

This recipe I learned this summer when I spent a week at a health spa in South Carolina.  The spa was a great place to learn about my poor food choices and my lack of movement in my life.  It was an amazing experience where I met some fabulous people and learned so much about myself.  If you can afford the time off and time away from your other responsibilities, I highly recommend a visit to Hilton Head Health.

Ingredients:

1 tsp. chopped garlic
1/2 c. diced onion
1/2 c. diced celery
1/2 c. diced carrot
3/4 c. great northern beans, dry
1 c. vegetable stock
1 c. water
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. liquid smoke
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
cooking spray

Spray oil in soup pot.  Saute first 4 ingredients until flavor is released.  Add rinsed beans, stock, water, bay leaf, thyme and simmer for 30 minutes until beans are tender.  Season with smoke, pepper, salt, and parsley.  Garnish and serve.

Double this recipe and your family will have soup to take to lunch all week.  Enjoy!

xo–me

Ingredients:

1 large or 2 small butternut squash
20 garlic cloves
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. water
2 leeks, finely chopped
5 c. vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. finely chopped chives

Preheat oven to 350.  Cut squash in half length-wise and remove the seed and fibers.  Carefully remove the peel and cut flesh into slices 1 inch thick.

In a roasting pan, combine squash and garlic.  Drizzle with 2 Tbsp. of the oil and toss until well coated.  Pour in the water.  Roast, stirring occasionally, until the squash and garlic are soft and golden, about an hour.  Add a bit more water if the squash begins to scorch.  Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.

While the squash and garlic are roasting, in a heavy frying pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 2 Tbsp. oil.  Add the leeks and saute until golden brown, about 13 minutes.  Set aside.

In a blender, in batches, combine roasted squash, garlic and leeks with 1 c. of the stock.  Puree until very smooth, about 1 minute.

Transfer the squash puree to a large saucepan.  Stir in the remaining 4 c. stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Garnish with chives when serving.

I am thinking if Greg wants to roast the squash and toss with leeks without the blender step, he may have a flavorful roasted squash?  If you have a delightful, flavorful roasted butternut squash recipe, please write me and share!  I would love to feature it here.  Enjoy!

xo–me

This recipe always reminds me of the fall. When I was a young girl, my best friend’s grandmother lived behind our homes. Grandma Minnick had a huge backyard where Shelly and I would play. She had a gorgeous chestnut tree that in the summer housed the cicadas (and we would try to climb) and in the fall produced great big giant nuts for us to gather. We used them when we played house in the special playhouse Grandma Minnick created for us under the back porch. They were the perfect food with which to play because they fit in the plastic frying pans, bowls, dishes, and even the spatula could lift them with ease. We would spend hours playing in that kitchen, cooking up chestnuts as if they were beef wellington. It’s funny we never cracked the shell to discover the nutty treat inside. I think we loved the smooth texture of the exterior too much to contemplate smashing and discovering.

So today, on this chilly, yet sunny day where I would have called Shelly and met her in Grandma Minnick’s backyard, I share a great recipe with nuts in the hope that I remind you of a lovely fall day of your childhood.

Ingredients:

1/2 c. fresh breadcrumbs
3 c. walnut pieces
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 Tbsp. milk
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. cream cheese
2/3 c. light cream
12 0z. tagliatelle pasta (whole wheat is the way to go!)
salt and pepper to taste

Place breadcrumbs, walnuts, garlic, milk, olive oil, and cream cheese in a large mortar and grind to a smooth paste with a pestle. Stir in the cream to give a thick sauce consistency and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to your preferred firmness. Drain the pasta and transfer for a serving dish. Add the walnut sauce and toss thoroughly to coat.

If you do not have a pestle, you can beat it by hand or use a blender/food processor. I also love this sauce tossed with brown rice. Enjoy!

xo-me

This is a perfect recipe for breakfast or brunch.  It’s delightful when served with your favorite salsa, either a traditional tomato or a mango.

Ingredients:

8 oz. firm tofu, diced
1/2 onion, diced
3 c. potato, steamed and diced
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1 1/2 c. skim milk
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
pinch of salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350.  Saute onions, potatoes, tofu and garlic in sprayed skillet for 10 minutes.  Whisk eggs and milk together.  Combine all other ingredients into a pie pan.  Pour egg mixture over and bake for 35 to 45 minutes until set.

Make sure you pay attention to it while in the oven.  Remember, every oven is different and you want to make sure this gets firm before you pull it out.   Change this recipe up each time with an addition of a new vegetable–spinach, mushrooms, peppers, you name it!  Enjoy!

xo–me

This recipe came from me having not bought groceries in a few days and had no time to stop on the way home.  I looked in the pantry and this is what I tossed together.  I am certain you have created this dish at home as well.  It’s not new nor modern, just yummy!

Ingredients:

6 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 squash or zucchini, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced (keep the juice)
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme or oregano
12 oz. linguine
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.  Put unpeeled whole garlic cloves in a shallow dish and roast in oven for 10 minutes, or until they feel soft.  While garlic is baking, put squash and olive oil in a pan over medium heat and saute until done.  Then place squash, tomatoes, juice and oil in a food processor or blender and puree.  Squeeze the garlic into the puree and add thyme.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Blend again, then scrape sauce back into pan.  Set aside.

Cook linguine in boiling water to your taste, or at least for 10 minutes.  In the meantime, reheat sauce over low heat.  When pasta is done, drain and toss into pan with sauce.  Coat pasta well and serve.

Occasionally I toss some fresh Parmesan on top if I happen to have some in the fridge.  Or goat cheese.  This is also an excellent quick meal with any shaped pasta.  Enjoy!

xo–me

Today’s dish is for my vegetarian friends.  If you are having people over, it’s critical to learn of food allergies and choices.  They are your guests and should not have to feel uncomfortable in your home.  Grilling for vegetarians is a lot easier than most people realize.  A portobello mushroom is delicious and meaty in vegetarian way.  Eggplant and other vegetables also make for a great sandwich.

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/4 c. grated mozzarella cheese
2 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
salt and pepper

Heat BBQ.  Slice eggplant into thing circles.  Mix lemon juice and olive oil together in a small bowl and season to your taste with salt and pepper.  Brush eggplant slices with mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes, without turning, until golden on the underside.

Turn half of the slices over and sprinkle with cheese and chopped tomatoes.  Place the remaining eggplant slices on top of the cheese and tomatoes, turning them to that the pale side is facing up.  Cook for 2 minutes, then carefully turn the whole sandwich over and cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Base with the olive oil mixture.

You can either serve them as is or between two slices of fresh Italian bread.  Either way, this is a delicious meal for your July 4th celebration.

xo–me

Ingredients:

4 corn cobs, with husks
4 Tbsp. butter
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper

Peel back the husks (do not remove) and remove the silk.  Rub butter on corn on all sides, coating well.  Roll cob in garlic (I usually use more than 1 clove because I love garlic but occasionally my guests have said it’s too much!).  Fold the husks back around the kernels and secure them in place with string if needed.  Cook the cobs over medium hot heat for 30 minutes, turning frequently.  Serve with more garlic butter if you dare!

Many look at corn on the cob as a compliment to your main dish.  In my house, it is the main dish!  Enjoy.

xo–me

Ingredients:

8-10 plantains
2 sticks butter
3/4 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. dark rum

Preheat oven to 350.  Peel and quarter plantains, placing split side up in a shallow baking dish.  Dot ploantains with slices of butter; sprinkle with sugar and rum.  Bake covered for 30 minutes.  Remove cover and cook at 400 for and additonal 15 minutes.  Devour!

Oh my they were delicious!  But then again, butter, rum and brown sugar will make anything delightful.

xo–me

I have never been a big fan of avocado or guacamole.  I am not sure why but it could be an acquired taste for me.  I eat it but it’s not something I would seeking out.  All that changed when I made this recipe.  The basil and artichoke make it a delicious exchange of flavor in my mouth.  I think you may enjoy it as well.

Ingredients:

2 large artichokes
2 c. water
pinch of sugar
dash of cider vinegar
1 bunch fresh basil
1 ripe avocado
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. black cumin oil
salt and pepper to taste

Wash the artichokes well.  Break off stalks, remove the outer leaves and cut off any sharp tips.  Bring the water to a boil with the sugar and vinegar.  Cook the artichokes in the boiling water for about 30 minutes, until you can easily pull out a leaf.  Remove the artichokes and reserve the cooking liquid.  Wash and shake dry the basil and remove the leaves from the stalks.  Halve the avocado and remove the pit.  In a blender, puree the avocado flesh with a little of the artichoke cooking liquid, the basil and the lemon juice.  Stir in the oil.   Season the dip with salt and pepper and serve with the artichokes.

You can cool the artichoke leaves or serve them warm.  I like it best when they are slightly warm.  Sometimes I even sprinkle some parmesean cheese on the top of the avocado blend.  Enjoy!

xo–me