Roasted Root Vegetables

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium carrots (about 3/4 pound), cut into 1 1/2-inch thick circles
1 1/2 cups Brussels sprouts (about 1/2 pound), halved
4 cups red potatoes (about 1 pound), quartered
3 medium parsnips (about1 pound), cut into 1 1/2-inch thick slices
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
4-5 springs of fresh chopped rosemary
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cover baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Place vegetables on baking sheet and add the dried herbs, rosemary, salt and pepper. Toss well, evenly coating all the vegetables with the seasonings and oil. Add more oil if the vegetables seem dry. Place on middle rack in oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Toss once during cook time.

Sweet Potato-Stuffed Kreplach

Makes about 24 kreplach

Filling:

•1 lb. sweet potatoes
•1 large onion, sliced
•1 tablespoon olive oil
•2 tablespoons butter
•Salt and pepper to taste
•1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

Dough:

•2 cups flour
•2 eggs, beaten
•2 tablespoons water
•1 beaten egg for sealing kreplach

Make the filling:

Microwave potatoes until tender.

While sweet potatoes are cooking, heat oil in a medium skillet over a medium-low flame. Add onions and cook, stirring regularly, until they are lightly golden, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat.

When potatoes are cool, peel them. Place them in a medium mixing bowl and mash them with a hand masher. Add onions, butter, salt, pepper and coriander and mix well. Set aside. (Or cover and refrigerate if making ahead.)

Make the dough:

Place flour on a large wooden board or in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the flour and add beaten eggs and water. Gradually work the flour into the liquid, using first a fork and then your hands, until it is fully combined. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic, at least 5 minutes.

Divide the dough into 2 portions. Roll each out into a square no more than 1/8-inch thick. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 2 1/2-inch squares. Roll each square out a bit thinner before filling it.

Make the kreplach:

Set out a small bowl filled with one beaten egg. Place one teaspoon of filling in the center of a dough square. Dab your finger in the egg and then around the inner edges of the dough. Fold the dough over to form a triangle. Pinch dampened edges together and seal by pressing along edges with fork tines. Repeat with remaining kreplach. You will have some filling left over. (Kreplach can be frozen uncooked.)

Drop kreplach in a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, between 20-25 minutes. Remove from pot, drain, and garnish with chopped chives or float in soup.

Sagaponack Corn Pudding

Ingredients:

1/2 stick unsalted butter
5 cups fresh yellow corn kernels cut off the cob (6 to 8 ears)
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
4 extra-large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup ricotta cheese (I use light)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (6 ounces) grated extra-sharp cheddar, plus extra to sprinkle on top (this is a white cheese ... not the orange super sharp cheese)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease the inside of an 8 to 10-cup baking dish.

Melt the butter in a very large saute pan and saute the corn and onion over medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Cool slightly.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, and half-and-half in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal and then the ricotta. Add the basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked corn mixture and grated cheddar, and then pour into the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with more grated cheddar.

Place the dish in a larger pan and fill the pan 1/2 way up the sides of the dish with hot tap water. Bake the pudding for 40 to 45 minutes until the top begins to brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Confetti Couscous

Ingredients:

1 box plain couscous
1 bottle Garlic Expressions Marinade (available at Dierberg's)
1/2 cup chopped yellow, red, orange peppers
3 tablespoons chopped green onions (or to taste)
ground pepper to taste
Chopped basil to garnish

Dump dry couscous in bowl. Dump bottle of Garlic Expressions over couscous. Cover and refrigerate overnight, stirring a few times when you remember. Next day stir in peppers and season with ground pepper. Garnish with chopped basil before serving.

Contributed by Granny.

Coconut Rice

1 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup coconut milk (I use Light Coconut Milk - available at Trader Joe's)
1/2 cup sweetened cream of coconut (this is in the baking aisle at your large grocer)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons toasted coconut

Heat the oil in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, shallots, and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the rice, stir to coat with the oil, and cook for 1 minute. Add the vegetable stock, coconut milk, sweetened cream of coconut, salt, and pepper, and bring to a light boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed, about 20 to 22 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let sit 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, sprinkle with mint and toasted coconut.

Note: I always toast extra coconut and store in air tight container. Sprinkle extra on mango sorbet for dessert with this meal.

Grilled Plantains with Spicy Brown Sugar Glaze

Ingredients:

4 very ripe plantains (as ripe as you can find), peeled and sliced on the bias 1/2-inch thick
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Preheat grill. Brush the plantains with the oil and grill until caramelized, about 2 minutes on each side. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, orange juice, honey and cilantro and brush on plantains. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Herb Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 pounds russet Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chunked (about 5 large potatoes)
Kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
4 ounces, 1/2 cup garlic and herb cheese (recommended: Reduced Fat Boursin)
1/2 non-fat Greek yogurt

Directions:

Cover potatoes with cold water. Add tablespoon of kosher salt. Boil until fork tender. Meanwhile, heat milk and butter in sauce pan. When potatoes are done strain and return to pot. Add hot milk and butter mixture to potatoes and mash. Add Boursin and yogurt. Mash some more. Salt and pepper to taste. Keep covered until ready to serve adding additional hot milk to maintain desired consistency.

Spicy Creamed Spinach

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
1/2 red onion, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 3/4 cups half and half
1 cup shredded Parmesan
1 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup packaged fried onions

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 8-inch baking dish. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Saute for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and red chili flakes and saute for 2 more minutes. Add the half and half, Parmesan, and nutmeg. Heat until the half and half is just beginning to bubble, stirring often. Turn the burner off and stir in sour cream and spinach. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top evenly with fried onions. Bake until golden and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes.

(Note: Can be made day before and refrigerated. Add additional cooking time.)

Grilled Flank Steak & Portabella Fajitas with Chimichurri

Ingredients:

For the chimichurri marinade:

1 bunch fresh parsley, leaves only
1 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only
Fresh squeezed juice from one lemon and 1 lime
5 cloves garlic
1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons hot paprika
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds flank steak
5 portabella mushroom caps
12 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Drunken Peppers, recipe follows

Directions:

To make the chimichurri: In a food processor, add parsley, cilantro, garlic, juice of lemon and lime, hot paprika, vinegar, 1/2 cup olive oil and salt and pepper and blend until smooth, Reserve half for drizzling on fajitas. Place remaining marinade in a resealable plastic bag and add steak. Marinate overnight.

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Remove steak from marinade and discard marinade. Brush mushroom caps with marinade. Season both with salt and pepper. Grill steak over medium-high heat until cooked to medium-rare, about 6 minutes per side. Grill mushrooms. Let steak rest for 10 minutes, loosely covered with aluminum foil, before slicing.

Meanwhile, warm tortillas on the grill. Slice the steak and mushrooms on the bias into thin slices. To serve, place meat and/or mushrooms on each tortilla and top with Drunken Peppers. Drizzle chimichurri sauce over the filling and form into a loose fold.

Drunken Peppers:


2 tablespoons olive oil
2 poblano peppers, seeded and cut into strips
2 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips
2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and cut into strips
1 large onion, sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 bottle lager beer

In a large saute pan heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add peppers and onion. Season with salt and pepper and saute until softened and caramelized around the edges, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add beer and cover. Cook a few minutes more until the peppers and onion are tender.

Greek Caponata

Ingredients:

1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes (I use Muir Gold)
2 zucchini, cut into 1-inch rounds
2 summer squash, cut into 1-inch rounds
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges (seeded)
1 red onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges (or mini-red onions are even prettier)
1 potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 handfuls pitted kalamata olives
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 feta cheese
4 to 6 slices grilled sourdough bread, optional for main dish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Pour the canned tomatoes into a 3 1/2-quart baking dish and spread to cover the bottom. In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients (excluding the bread). Toss to coat. Pour the vegetables over the canned tomatoes in an even layer. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the edges of the vegetables are golden, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Brush bread with olive oil and rub with garlic. Grill.

Serve alone as a side, or with grilled sourdough bread for a main dish.