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Dilly Green Beans

I think of my paternal grandparents when I make this. Even though it’s not something they actually served, the combination of dill and green beans is very much THEM. My dad’s parents had a huge garden with loads of vegetables and my grandma was an amazing cook in the southern tradition. My grandpa proudly tended his garden and loved the smell of dill. My maternal grandma still loves to talk about him bringing her a bouquet of dill. A truly lovely thought.

The kids … mine and our good friends’ are crazy about this recipe. They scarf down the dilly green beans right along side mac ‘n’ cheese and hot dogs and that’s pretty high praise. Fresh dill is lovely, but dried works well too.

Ingredients
green beans
butter
dill (fresh or dried)
salt & pepper

Directions
Cook your green beans until done. I like to steam them in skillet with just a little water if fresh, or nuke them if they’re frozen, of course. While still hot, add the butter and mix it in so it melts. You do not need much butter. A tablespoon gives an entire pound of green beans a very nice flavor. Then season with dill and salt and pepper.

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Oreo Truffles

from: Theresa Nichols

Ingredients
8oz cream cheese
1 pkg Oreos
24 oz semi sweet baking chocolate

Directions
Process Oreos in food processor to make fine crumbs. Combine 2.5 cups ore crumbs with cream cheese and form into balls. Melt chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly. Dip balls into chocolate and sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Allow to cool and harden on wax paper.

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Sweet Potato Spoon Bread

from: Martha Stewart

Ingredients
3 large sweet potatoes
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup light-brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup honey
4 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream

Directions
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes until soft when pierced with a knife, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool. Peel, and discard skins.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan over medium heat combine cornmeal, milk, butter, brown sugar, spices, salt, and 1 cup water. Cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Let cool.

Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Working in batches if necessary, place cornmeal mixture, sweet potatoes, flour, honey, eggs, and cream in a food processor. Process until smooth; pour into dish. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Serve.

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Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna

from: Cooking Light

Ingredients
3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1oz)
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup minced shallots
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
8 cups (3/4-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 2 1/4 pounds)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 (6oz) bags fresh baby spinach
9 cooked lasagna noodles (8 ounces uncooked noodles)
1 cup (4oz) shredded Asiago cheese
1 cup (4oz) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions
Cook milk in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Remove from heat; keep warm.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Melt butter in a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots; cook 2 minutes or until tender. Reduce heat; add flour to pan, and cook 5 minutes or until smooth and golden, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add about 2 tablespoons warm milk to flour mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Gradually add remaining warm milk, about 1/2 cup at a time, until mixture is smooth, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and cook until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat. Cover surface of milk mixture with plastic wrap; set aside.

Heat oven to 425. Place squash in a large bowl. Add vinegar; toss to coat. Add 1 tablespoon oil; toss to coat. Arrange squash in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and thyme. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes.

Combine remaining 1 teaspoon oil, red pepper, and garlic in a Dutch oven over medium heat; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add spinach, 1 bag at a time; cook until wilted, stirring frequently. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook until liquid evaporates, stirring frequently.

Reduce oven temperature to 350. Spoon 1/3 cup milk mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over milk mixture; top with spinach mixture, 2/3 cup milk mixture, 1/2 cup Asiago, and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. Arrange 3 noodles over cheese; top with squash mixture, 2/3 cup milk mixture, remaining 1/2 cup Asiago, and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. Arrange remaining 3 noodles on top of cheese; spread remaining 1/2 cup milk mixture over noodles. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Info (1/8 recipe(
Calories: 445 (30% from fat); Fat: 15g (sat 8.1g,mono 4.2g,poly 0.7g); Protein: 20.7g; Carbs: 61.5g; Fiber: 7.3g; Cholesterol: 36mg; Iron: 4.8mg; Sodium: 758mg; Calcium: 599mg

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Herb Spinach Bake

from: Miss Raena

Ingredients
1 – 10 oz. pkg frozen chopped spinach – cook & drain
2 cups cooked rice
2 cups shredded cheese
4 slightly beaten eggs
4 Tbsp. soft butter
2/3 cup milk
2 Tbsp. chopped onion
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp salt
½ tsp crushed rosemary or thyme leaves

Directions
Cook frozen spinach in the microwave – maybe 5 minutes on high then drain
Mix all and pour into greased baking casserole.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes (check center to make sure it’s not runny but don’t overcook – it will be dry).

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Fish Tacos

 


A looooong time ago, bloggy buddy Kjersten, who I got to MEET just a couple of weeks ago, wanted to know more about my fish tacos. I am happy to spill!

 

The fish I use in fish tacos is one of two things: either white fish from the freezer section at Target. Yes, that sounds sketchy, but it’s great fish and it comes in individual fillet portions, ready to cook up as desired (I get their salmon too). The other source I use is (don’t laugh) fish sticks. Fish sticks require just slightly less prep/thought and I keep a bag of them in the freezer (Target again) to have on hand. I honestly cannot say I like one more than the other … both good, just depends what you’re in the mood for. The fish sticks somehow seem more like comfort food. My kids eat both and don’t whine about either.

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To make the white fish, I heat the oven to about 400, put the fillets on a baking tray and cook them for a couple of minutes to start the de-frosting. Spices stick better when they’re not bricks.

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Then we sprinkle on garlic salt and chili-lime seasoning (my mom brought that back from Mexico, but I’m told you can get it in the grocery store too, spice or Hispanic foods aisle). This is what we use, but others simply opt for salt and pepper sometimes with olive oil, which is very tasty as well.

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Then I continue to broil them until they’re flaky as fish should be. To assemble, we use small flour tortillas, beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, etc. etc. and a squeeze of lime. The lime is particularly important to me and to Tabby as well (go figure). … we serve Ben’s in the same manner, just deconstructed a bit.

 

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Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

from: Everyday Food

Ingredients
4 Bell Peppers
1 T Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp ground coriander
salt and pepper
1 cup quinoa
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/3 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
1 cut coarsely grated Provolone

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 with rack in upper third. Slice a very thin layer from the base of the peppers so it sits upright. Slice off tops just below stem and remove the ribs and seeds. Discard stems, chop tops and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion, garlic coriander, chopped pepper tops and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion has softened, 4-5 min.

Add quinoa and cook until fragrant, 1 min. Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until water has been absorbed and quinoa is tender, 11-13 min. Remove from heat and stir in parsley walnuts, and 3/4 cup of provolone. Season with salt and pepper

Dividing evenly, stuff peppers with quinoa mixture; place in 2 qt baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until peppers are tender, about 1 hour.

Uncover and top with remaining 1/4 cup of provolone and bake until cheese melts 10-15 min more.

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Jim Lahey's Pizza Dough

from:

Ingredients
3 3/4 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons instant or other active dry yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1 1/3 cup room-temperature water

Directions
Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Add water, reserving the last 1/3 cup until you are sure the dough won't be too wet. Mix thoroughly for at least 30 seconds. Dough should be stiff and not sticky.

Form dough into a ball and leave in the bowl to rise until more than doubled in volume, about 2 hours. Split into two even pieces and use immediately or freeze for later.

Pizza bakes with raw crust, topped, for 15 minutes at 500 degrees.

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Sweet & Sour Meatballs

from:

Ingredients
turkey meatballs (from the freezer section)
stirfry veggies (right next to those meatballs in the freezer)
sweet & sour stirfry/simmer sauce
noodles of your choice (spaghetti works great)

Directions
Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, cook meatballs to done in microwave or skillet, set aside. In a large skillet, cook frozen veggies until warm. Add simmer sauce, noodles and meatballs (cut in small pieces if you like) and combine. Warm to desired temperature and serve.

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Lemony Crab Pasta

Ingredients
olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
14-16 oz lump crab meat
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup flat leaf (Italian parsley), finely chopped
12 oz spaghetti or linguine
chili oil and Parmesan to serve (optional)

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. While it is cooking, heat oil over medium high heat. Cook onions and garlic until translucent and beginning to become soft, about 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat. Add lemon zest, crab and heat through.

Toss pasta, crab mixture and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and lemon juice to taste. Serve with chili oil and Parmesan as desired.