Greek Cucumber Salad

Last cucumber from our harvest at my sister's while they were away.

We do not have cucumber salad very often. This recipe was in a newsletter from Food Talk.

We had burgers for dinner so this was a perfect side. The dressing was quite good. I made half the recipe and it was plenty for us.

Ingredients-

Cucumber  Salad

1 cucumber, sliced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Salad Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

salt, and pepper to taste

Method-

In a large bowl, combine cucumber, diced green peppers, sliced red onion, and halved grape or cherry tomatoes.

Toss in the Kalamata olives. Crumble the feta cheese over the salad.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine. Allow the salad to sit for 15-30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld together. 

Sprinkle extra feta on top, if desired.

Skilllet Chicken Bruschetta

Tonight night, dinner was an absolute hit! I whipped up a skillet bruschetta chicken that earned serious praise. The chorus of "mmm's" was music to my ears!

This dish was a total game-changer. Ready in just 20 minutes, it's the perfect weeknight meal. And the best part? It clocks in at only 365 calories per serving, leaving plenty of room for a delicious dessert. Click here for more on that.

Ingredients-

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, plus leaves for garnish (optional)

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

3/4 teaspoon ground pepper, divided

1/4 teaspoon salt, divided

2 (4-ounce) chicken cutlets

4 (1-ounce) slices part-skim low-moisture mozzarella cheese 

4 teaspoons balsamic glaze

Method-

Place tomatoes in a small bowl; add 1 tablespoon oil, shallot, basil, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt. 

Toss to combine; set aside.

Pat chicken dry using paper towels; sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over high heat. 

Add the chicken; cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. 

Flip the cutlets and top each with a cheese slice. 

Cover the pan with a lid or baking sheet; cook until the cheese is melted and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F, about 1 minute, 30 seconds.

BEHIND THE SCENES.
DINNER TIME AT OUR HOUSE.

YES, CATS RULE.

Creamy Sausage Pasta

Sometimes, the best recipes come from unexpected places! While scrolling through my usual online haunts, I stumbled upon a recipe that instantly caught my eye. It was from a blog called Crunchy Creamy Sweet. This recipe promised a quick, satisfying dish that could be whipped up in just 30 minutes – perfect for a weekend dinner!

Intrigued, I clicked through and found myself captivated by the simplicity and flavor combinations. I knew I had to give it a try.

Since it was just the two of us for dinner, I decided to halve the recipe. Amazingly, even with the reduced amount, the dish yielded just the right amount for two, with a small leftover portion for a satisfying lunch the next day.

This is the halved recipe that I made.

Ingredients-

6 oz penne pasta

1/2 lb Italian sausage mild or hot, ground or links

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium yellow onion

6 oz zucchini

1/4 white wine

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method-

Finely chop onion and slice zucchini. Set aside.

If you are using sausage links, remove the casings.

Cook pasta according to the instructions on the package. 

Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, drain the pasta and set aside.

In a deep skillet or a Dutch oven, heat up oil over medium heat.

Add onion and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often.

Add Zucchini and sautee.

Add sausage to the pan and cook until browned.

Mix cream and milk with cornstarch.

Add wine to the pan and deglaze the bottom, by scraping any cooked-on bits with a wooden spoon. 

Add milk and cream, season with salt and pepper, and simmer until thickened.

Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Add pasta to the sausage sauce. 

Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted. 

Add pasta water if the sauce is too thick for your liking.

Garnish with chopped parlsey and serve.

Easter in July

Yes, it is that time of the year. In the heat of the summer, I reach into the freezer and pull out... Easter Meat pie.  I forgot how many pies I baked at Easter but I knew there was some in the freezer. I put the pie in the freezer for a hot and humid day like today.

The crust is still my favorite part.

The cats had the right idea on how to stay cool today -

A Rainy Saturday Morning

Garden Update! Zucchini is taking center stage! While the sneaky rabbit seems to be on vacation, his absence has paved the way for a week of delicious zucchini creations. 

And there were peppers. They are called Fryers. I have a recipe that I have no idea where it came from. I put this recipe at the end of this post.

Getting back to the Zucchini. Zucchini fritters! The crispy exterior gives way to a tender, flavorful interior - a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.  The recipe is at the end of this post.

And while the oven was on I made Chicken Cutlet for dinner this week.  And they were fried! Next time we will get back to the "healthy" oven-baked preparation.

With all this zucchini, a loaf of bread was inevitable! This week, I opted for a zucchini and pecan bread, from An Italian In My Kitchen site. The recipe is on my other blog, Friday Night Baking.

Yes I Will Check in on the Garden

I am watching over the garden for an acquaintance while they are away.

The first thing was being greeted by the garden rabbit.

I was surprised to find an abundance of zucchini.

When I get home I tell Chris he must bring some veggies to work because
there are only 2 of us.

Next, I have to find something to do with the larger zucchini. 

Stuffed Zucchini 2 ways.

The usual, well usual for us, ground beef and rice.

And something different. Sausage and pepper stuffed zucchini.

But there were still more zucchini.

Zucchini and cheese tarts. Individual sized. Perfect for lunch.

But wait there is more...

Air Fried Zucchini Sticks.

Air Fried Recipe. The original recipe is from RecipeCritic.com.

Keep this one on repeat if you grow zucchini.

Ingredients-
3 small zucchini or 2 large
1 cup panko crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
1 tablespoon water

Method-

Slice the zucchini into sticks.

Add the flour to a bag with the zucchini and shake it to coat them.

In a medium bowl stir together the Panko, parmesan, Italian seasoning, and salt.

Add the eggs and water to a small bowl and whisk them together.

Remove the zucchini from the bag and dip them in the egg mixture then into the Panko.

Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil then place in zucchini in.

Spray the zucchini with olive oil and air fry at 350˚ F for 7-12 minutes or until golden and crispy. Flip half way through cooking time.

Stay tuned for our next trip to the garden...

Green Bean and Potato Salad

Today's recipe can be found on the site, Memorie di Angelina. The recipes on Memorie di Angelina feel like a culinary hug. They're full of simple, authentic flavors that remind me of the way my Mom and aunts used to cook. There's a focus on fresh ingredients, traditional techniques, and creating dishes that nourish both body and soul, just like the meals I grew up with.

Green Bean and Potato Salad

Ingredients-
500g (1 lb) yellow-fleshed potatoes, preferably small to medium-sized
400g (14 oz) green beans, trimmed
100 ml (1/2 cup) olive oil
2 Tbs white wine vinegar
1 small shallot, finely minced
A handful of fresh green herbs such as parsley, basil, mint, or marjoram or a mix, minced
Salt and pepper

Method-
For the vinaigrette:
Place the potatoes unpeeled in a large pot, add enough water to cover them well. 

Bring the water to a boil. 

Cooking until the potatoes are tender but not mushy, usually about 20 minutes for medium potatoes.

Remove the cooked potatoes from the water with a skimmer and place in a colander to cool.

Now add the green beans to the same pot along with a good pinch of salt. Boil them until they are crisp-tender. 

This can take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes depending on the bean. 

Remove them to another colander and rinse them with cold water to cool them quickly. 

Let them drain.

While the vegetables are cooling/draining, you can turn to your vinaigrette. 

Whisk the oil and vinegar together in a small bowl until they have fully emulsified. 

Stir in the minced shallot, along with the minced herbs and a good pinch of salt and a grind of pepper. 

Taste and adjust for seasoning, then set aside until needed.

As soon as the potatoes are cool enough to handle but still warm, cut them into bite sized pieces and place them in a mixing bowl. 

Add the green beans. 

Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables then toss well, until they are well covered with the vinaigrette.

Give the salad a final taste and adjust for seasoning if need be.

Let the salad rest for at least 30 minutes before serving.

First Lettuce

 

Beautiful! Fresh from my sister and brother-in-law's garden. 

I do love this time of the year.

Cold Noodle Salad With Spicy Peanut Sauce

The grill is open. Started the season with T-Bone Steaks. But the side was the star!

I found this recipe on the New York Times app.

Similar to cold sesame noodles but a little spicier.

We both went back for seconds, or was it thirds?

Who's counting.

FOR THE SALAD

Ingredients-

Kosher salt

10 ounces soba noodles

1 medium zucchini or cucumber (about 6 ounces)

5 radishes (about 4 ounces)

1 bell pepper (any color)

1 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts (about 2 ounces), roughly chopped

2 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped

1 lime, cut into wedges for serving

FOR THE SPICY PEANUT SAUCE

Ingredients-

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (not natural)

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp lime juice (from 1 lime)

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tsp chile oil or hot sauce, plus more to taste

Method-

Step 1
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. 

Add the soba, stir to prevent sticking, and cook according to package instructions until just tender.

Rinse under cold water until the noodles are completely cold.

Step 2
Meanwhile, make the sauce:
In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, lime juice, sesame oil, chile oil or hot sauce, and garlic. 

Add ¼ to ½ cup water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and whisk until the sauce is a pourable consistency. 

Taste and add more chile oil or hot sauce as desired; set aside.

Step 3
Cut the zucchini or cucumber and radishes into ⅛-inch thick slices, then cut into thin matchsticks. 

Slice the peppers into ⅛-inch pieces. 

Place them all in a large bowl.

Step 4
Loosen the soba noodles by running them under some water, then allow to drain again. 

Add them to the vegetables, add the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil and toss to combine.

Step 5
When you are ready to serve, drizzle with spicy peanut sauce and top with peanuts, and scallions. 

Serve immediately, with lime wedges alongside.