Baked Tomatoes

Baked Tomatoes

 So this is what my windowsills look like: 

 

 To make summer or at least my summer tomatoes last as long as I can I have picked them and have them on my windowsills.  This means of course that I have been thinking of ways to use tomatoes.  I have made salsa, salads, sauce, you name it.  I came up with this the other night and it is simple but really tasty.  Would go great with a steak or pretty much anything as a side.  I used pretty large tomatoes to alter this to a little less if you are using smaller tomatoes. 

• 2 - 1/2 inch slices of tomato per person
• 1 Tbs mayo per slice
• 1 Tbs shredded mozzarella per slice
• 1 Tbs buttered breadcrumbs per slice (2 Tbs melted butter to 1/2 c breadcrumbs)
• 1/8 tsp Italian seasoning per slice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Put the slices of tomato in a baking dish and spread on the mayo then sprinkle with mozzarella, breadcrumbs, then the Italian seasoning.  Bake for about 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the breadcrumbs are slightly crisp and brown.  Season with a bit or salt and pepper before serving. 

I'm back with Carbonara!

So I took a bit of a hiatus from blogging partially due to just the craziness of farm life and other things but mainly we have been cooking up a new addition to the family.  I am settled into things now though and want to get back to cooking and creating recipes that I love.  

I want to kick it off with my favorite pasta dish of all time!  This is a great version of carbonara and it has mushrooms which is also a favorite in our home, so it is fabulous in my opinion.  Hope you like it as well.  To make a basic carbonara you could just leave the mushrooms out.  Just be ready to eat when you are doing this because it is the best when it is eaten at once. 

Mushroom Carbonara

Makes 2 hearty servings:

• 2/3 pound linguine
• 4 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
• 2 c slices mushrooms, I used Crimini but you could do one or a combination of varieties. 
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2/3 c heavy cream
• 1/2 c Parmesan, plus some extra for topping
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• salt to taste

Get a large pot of water boiling and cook pasta.  In a medium sized skillet get your bacon cooking and saute until almost crisp.  Then add your mushrooms and cook until tender and bacon is crisp.

In a small bowl whisk to combine yolks, cream, Parmesan and black pepper.  Set aside. 

Once the pasta is cooked, drain and put back into the pot and sent on the burner but have the burner turned off. Toss in your bacon and mushrooms.  Put the yolk and cream mixture in and toss well.  If it is real thick add a bit more cream, you want it to be a bit creamy because the pasta will absorb some of the sauce. Taste and season with salt if needed.  Serve immediately topped with additional Parmesan. 

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

For the local county fair I decided to invite a couple little friends over to enter in the Baking Buddies competition. We had a great time in the kitchen together and made some tasty brownies! It is so easy to make them from scratch and no need to use a mix but you could if you like and just do the steps for the topping.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

• 5 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
• 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
• 1 stick butter
• 3 Tbs cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 c sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 c flour 

• 1/2 tsp salt

•  1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 Tbs creamy peanut butter
• 3 Tbs Reeses Pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 9X9 glass baking dish and then line in one direction with foil and then oil again. In a small bowl combine both chocolates, butter and cocoa. Microwave for 1 minute a stir, then 30 seconds longer or until all melted together. Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl mix together the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. When well combined add the chocolate mixture and blend together. Mix together the flour, salt and baking powder then add to the other ingredients and stir until just combined. Spread evenly in your prepared pan. Dollop peanut butter a teaspoon at a time evenly across the top of the batter. With a butter knife draw your knife through the batter about 1 inch apart lengthwise and then crosswise to make a swirl. Sprinkle evenly with the Reese's and bake for 35 minutes until set but some crumbs still adhere to a toothpick. Let cool for an hour or two and then pull from pan by foil and cut.

Truffled Corn on the Cob

This is a great grilling recipe now that corn is starting to be in season. You don't have to use truffle items for this, I just have an affinity for them. You could use different grill seasonings and lime juice instead of the oil. Have fun with it and you can impart a lot of good flavor.

Truffled Corn on the Cob

• 4 ears sweet corn
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
  
• 1/2 tsp salt or truffle salt
• pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp truffle oil

Shuck back ears of corn careful to leave them attached. Clean all of the silks out and then rinse. Dry thoroughly and set aside.

In a small bowl combine the remaining ingredients and mix to a smooth paste. Rub generously over the corn. Bring the husk back over the corn and cover back as much as possible. Place on a hot grill turning occasionally for 15-20 minutes.

Strawberry Banana Muffins

Strawberry Banana Muffins

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 c flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 2 bananas, mashed
• 1/2 c sour cream or yogurt
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 c strawberries, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put liners in a standard muffin pan or jumbo like I used above. With a mixer beat the butter and sugar until creamed and then add the eggs one at a time until well combined. Combine the dry ingredients together in a small bowl and whisk until light and mixed well. Add slowly to the butter mixture and mix well. Add the banana, sour cream and vanilla until just mixed together. Fold in the strawberries. Divide amongst the muffin pan filled about 2/3 full. Bake 35 minutes or until toothpick has some crumbs clinging.
Great served warm!

Breakfast Burritos

So my lovely chickens are finally laying eggs! I have been really excited about it actually and above is a photo of my first carton of eggs. I decided I would make some lighter breakfast burritos with ingredients from my garden and fresh eggs! They turned out pretty yummy so I thought I would share. Sausage or bacon would be a good addition but I left them without, we did have breakfast sausage on the side though, can't be too vegetarian in my house:)
Enjoy!

Breakfast Burritos

• 4 flour tortillas


• 1 c grated cheddar cheese


• 1 Tbs butter
  


• 4 green onions, chopped


• 2 Tbs red bell pepper, chopped
  


• 2 Tbs cilantro, chopped


• 6 eggs, beaten to a froth
  


• Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat melt butter. Saute green onion and bell pepper until tender. Add the seasoned eggs and stir occasionally until cooked but not dry. Add the cilantro and stir till combine and remove from heat. Lay out your tortillas on a platter and divide cheese amongst them evenly. Place int he microwave for 30 seconds to melt the cheese. Divide your eggs between the tortillas and roll up burrito style. Serve with salsa, and sausage links on the side if you wish!

Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

Well for LaPine this year over the 4th I made this for dessert and it turned out well and could be expanded well for a crowd. It was also fairly light which is nice when it is really warm outside. This is versatile because you could use any fruit really. I also made it in 13X9 pans in a single layer and it worked great for picnic fair.

Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

• 1 loaf pound cake sliced, homemade or I used store bought frozen at LaPine
• 2 cups vanilla wafers
• 2 pints Strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 4 Tbs sugar, divided
  
• 1 pint heavy cream
• 1 large box of vanilla pudding, prepared and chilled to set

Combine your strawberries with 2 Tbs sugar and set aside. Whip the cream to soft peaks and add remaining sugar then whip to stiff peaks. In your trifle dish you will make 2 full single layers in the following order.

Pound cake, Strawberries, Pudding, Vanilla Wafers, Whipped Cream

Layer together and I garnished with more sliced strawberries and mint. Make sure you can refrigerate it for at least an hour before serving.

Strawberry Salad

Strawberry Salad

With the Strawberry season here I have been doing a lot with them! I will be posting a few different ones but this one is good for starters. An easy salad for a side with dinner or would be a great alternative for an ice cream topping.

• 1 pint Strawberries, cleaned and quartered



• 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar



• 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper



• 1 Tbs fresh mint, torn

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. It is delicious, simple and not your usual strawberry recipe!

Crayfish Fried Rice

I had a wild hair to catch some crayfish last week. I hadn't done it since I was a kid but I had caught them back then so why not now? I put the trap out and waited a couple days and I ended up catching 5 decent sized ones. Now I had to figure out what to make with them. I thought fried rice would be a good choice and it actually turned out really good. You could substitute shrimp or leave the meat out all together and it would still be tasty.

Crayfish Fried Rice

10-12 Crayfish, cooked and meat picked, roughly chopped (See Below)

2 Tbs canola oil
3 c cooked white rice, cooled
1 c chopped mushrooms
3 green onions, chopped
3 Tbs cilantro, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tbs soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Bring pot of water to boil, drop crayfish into boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove and drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to shock. Once cool enough to handle, pull off tails and claws and remove meat. Then chop large pieces roughly and set aside.

Heat a large skillet on medium high heat and add canola oil. Saute mushrooms for 1 minute then add green onions and cook until wilted. Stir in rice and let cook stirring occasionally for 2 minutes. Next add cilantro, soy sauce and egg and stir to incorporate. season with salt and pepper to taste. Once egg is set plate and garnish with more cilantro.

Blackened Salmon with Mango Salsa

Blackened Salmon with Mango Salsa

• Portioned Salmon fillets with skin on
• 1 tsp per portion olive oil
• 1-2 tsp per portion, Traeger Blackened Saskatchewan Seasoning

Heat grill to high heat or 400-450 degrees. Take a double layer of foil and fold up the edges to make a pan of sorts to hold in any juices. Place the salmon skin side down on the foil and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with the seasoning and rub into the fillet.

Place on the grill and cook for 12 minutes or until firm to the touch. While the salmon is cooking make the salsa that follows.

Mango Salsa

• 2 large mangoes, chopped
  
• 1/2 to 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 2 Tbs minced red bell pepper
• 2 tsp lime or lemon juice
• 1 tsp sugar or honey
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

In a bowl combine all ingredients and let set aside for about 10 minutes to let the flavors meld. Serve over the fish or can be used as a salsa with tortilla chips.

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

So I have been very absent lately! We moved and have limited Internet access among other things and just have not found time to blog lately but really want to get back into it. I thought this was a good opportunity to start it up again. I saw a recipe that inspired this in CountryLiving magazine. They really did turn out great and are not a dry scone which I love!

2 c flour
3 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs poppy seeds
1 tsp powdered lemon peel (from Penzey's)
(If you don't have this you can use 1 Tbs fresh zest)
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c butter, cold and cut into cubes
1/2 c milk
1/4 c lemon juice

In a large bowl combine the first 6 ingredients. Working with your hands combine the butter into the flour mixture until it is like coarse crumbs. Pour in the milk and stir until just combined then add the lemon juice to make a soft dough.
Turn out on a lightly floured surface and form into a disk where the dough is about 1 1/2 inch thick. Cut into eight wedges and transfer to a lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes. Let cool.
Make a glaze with about 1 c powdered sugar and 1 Tbs lemon juice. Alter the ration until you get the consistency you like for drizzling. Drizzle the glaze over the scones and let dry about an hour. Serve at room temp or warm. Fabulous!

Creamed Corn

We went to Las Vegas last year and had a corn dish like this and it was fabulous. When we came home I immediately worked on making a version of it. I have come pretty close and it is great to use the fresh corn we have available now. I have also used frozen corn and it works out really well. I prefer to use a white corn but any good corn will work.

Sauteed Creamed Corn

• 4 c whole kernel corn
• 3 Tbs butter
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• salt to taste
• 1/2 c half and half or cream

In a large skillet melt the butter and saute the corn until hot through and starting to get tender. Season with the salt and pepper. Pour in the cream and let it simmer until the cream has reduced and just coats the corn.

It is really a simple dish and so easy to make but it tastes so savory and is not your gooey creamed corn you may have had before.

Shrimp Salad

I made this shrimp salad for dinner last night and it turned out really good. I liked the dinner portion but this would probably be better as a side. Would be great at a picnic or potluck and it tastes really good on a hot day. For the life of me I couldn't get this picture to load right.. Is a bit sideways but you get what it looks like.

Shrimp Salad

Dressing:
1/4 c sour cream
1/4 c may0
2 Tbs rice vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
2 Tbs chives, chopped
1 Tbs lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Salad:
1-1.5 lb easy peel shrimp
1 lemon, quartered
2 Tbs seasoned salt (I used Traeger salmon shake)
1 rib of celery, chopped
1/2 of a hothouse cucumber, chopped
1 avocado, coarsely chopped
2/3 c tomato, roughly chopped
1 small carrot shredded


In a salad bowl combine the ingredients for the dressing and blend well. Set aside.
In a large saucepan 2/3 filled with water add the lemon and seasoning to the water. Bring to a boil and then add the shrimp. Allow to cook 3 or 4 minutes if frozen, 2 if fresh until they are pink and slightly firm. drain in a colander and shock with cold water to stop the cooking process.
Allow to cool completely and then peel.
Add shrimp and all of your vegetables to the bowl with the dressing and toss to coat completely. Refrigerate for an hour to chill through or longer if you have the time.
I served it for dinner on a bed of lettuce or you can eat it alone as a side.

Mason Jar Pies

A while back Jake brought home a idea sheet for using half pint mason jars and I saw this and had to try it. The site it was from was www.ourbestbites.com.

All I did was make my favorite pie crust recipe and cut it into strips. I then lined the clean half pint jars with the dough. I made up a simple filling of raspberries, blueberries, 1/2 c sugar, 1 Tbs flour and 1 Tbs cinnamon. Fill each jar with the filling and then I cut strips of dough and did a little lattice top. I brushed with milk and then baked at 375 for 45 minutes. Once they are cool put the lids on and give away to friends or keep for yourself.

It said if you don't want to bake them right then you can make them up, put the lids on and then freeze! I thought it would be fun just as a serving idea to do little cream pies for a party too. Lots of options, what a fun idea.

Shrimp Scampi

I thought I would post a recipe I did to use the compound butter I posted about. We had this for dinner on Friday night and it was really good. I served it over rice but traditionally this kind of sauce would be served over pasta like angel hair or spaghetti. Enjoy!

• 3 Tbs compound butter
• 3/4 pound medium shrimp, more or less depending on what size you buy
• 1 c roughly chopped bell pepper
• 1/2 c cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 c dry white wine
• salt and pepper to taste
• white rice or pasta for serving

In a large skillet melt the compound butter over medium heat. Once it is hot add the bell pepper and saute until tender.
Add the shrimp and saute until they turn pink, add the tomato let cook for about 30 seconds. Add in the wine and cook until reduced slightly and the sauce in the pan is glossy and the flavors have melded a bit, about 2 minutes. Taste and season then serve over the rice or pasta.

Compound Butter

A friend works for 4B Farms near us and they raise garlic. They had a surplus this year and Nate brought a couple boxes to us at the office I work at. Thank you Nate! I decided I would make some compound butter to put in the freezer and use some of it up. It works great for garlic bread, sauteed veggies or melted on a steak. All kinds of great options! You can also change it up and add in whatever flavors you like. Here is the base recipe I use and then just use what you have to change it up.

Compound Butter

• 1 lb unsalted butter, room temperature
  
• 1 head elephant garlic, skins removed and cut into chunks
• 4 Tbs fresh herbs
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt

In a food processor place the garlic in the bowl and chop finely. Add the herbs and salt and pepper and mix until diced and well combined. Add in the butter and pulse until things mix together well and it pulls away from the side of the bowl. This can also be done by hand if you like.

Lay out 4 pieces of plastic wrap on the counter and divide the butter mixture evenly between them. Roll into a log shape and twist the ends to seal the air out. Label if you like and place in the freezer or refrigerator to store.

Lemon Pistachio Cake

This is one of my favorites and I think I can say it is a favorite of Jake's as well. It is a super moist cake and is a lighter version to a chocolate cake. I normally do it in a bundt cake pan but I decided to do a 13X9 this time and it worked really well. You get more coverage of the glaze so that is a plus!

Lemon Pistachio Cake

• Lemon Cake Mix
• 1 1/4 c water
• 1/3 c vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 small box pistachio pudding mix
• 1/4 tsp lemon extract
• 2 drops green food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray your baking pan well with non stick spray. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients and beat with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until well combined and not lumpy. Spread in prepared pan and cook for 35 minutes for 9X13 or 45 for a bundt pan or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool slightly and in the mean time combine 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 Tbs lemon juice in a small bowl. Mix until well blended and then spread over slightly warm cake. Let cool from this point and then enjoy. Keeps well for several days.

Steak and Pear Salad

Jake and I really like this salad. It is part of the rotation of dinners in our house and it is a great lighter dinner but still has a lot of substance. We had a salad similar to this at a restaurant that had no meat in it and we have since tweaked it a bit and made it a dinner salad. This recipe can be multiplied easily to accommodate more servings. I use Girard's raspberry vinaigrette on this salad and it is really well balanced with the other ingredients.

Steak and Pear Salad

• 1 rib eye or New York strip steak
• 2 Tbs soy Sauce
• 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 Tbs olive oil
  
• 1/2 lb spring salad mix
• 1 ripe pear, cored and sliced
• 1/2 c pecan pieces
• 1/2 c blue cheese crumbles
• 3 Tbs Raspberry vinaigrette

In a shallow dish marinate the steak in the soy sauce and black pepper for 30 minutes at room temperature. The meat should be close to room temp when you cook it.
Once your steak is marinated, preheat a grill pan or skillet to medium high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade to dry a bit and drizzle with the olive oil. Put in the pan and cook to your desired doneness. While the steak is cooking toast your pecan pieces in a dry skillet over medium low heat. Make sure you keep them moving in the pan so that you don't burn them, the fat in them makes them burn very quickly! You will know when they are toasted because the smell of them changes. Once they smell toasted remove to cool on a saucer. It takes around 5 minutes to toast them but can take less depending on your pan and stove. While the steak is cooking prepare the other ingredients. In a salad bowl place the greens, blue cheese, cooled pecans and slice pear. Right before you are going to serve, toss with 2 Tbs of the raspberry vinaigrette. Divide between two dinner plates or can be 4 side salads.
Once the steak has finished cooking let it rest for about 10 minutes and then slice in thin strips and drizzle with 1 Tbs of the dressing. Toss to cover and then divide between the servings of salad. You can sprinkle with additional blue cheese if you like and cracked pepper.

Baked Tortilla Chips

So I am kind of in love with these tortilla chips. I am generally not into chips that much or I try not to be I guess I should say. These chips make me feel a lot better about eating them! I have been playing around with a baked tortilla chip for a while because we often want them to go with meals and the ones we have are opened and a bit stale and that is terribly disappointing. Hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

Baked Tortilla Chips

• 6-8 medium sized flour tortillas
• salt and pepper to taste
• Canola oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges. Scatter out on a Silpat lined baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle fairly liberally with salt and pepper. Toss around to coat and then spray with a little more spray.

Bake in the oven for about 8-10 minutes until they have started to brown. Turn over and bake for another 5 minutes or until evenly browned. I will generally try and do 2 batches if they are overlapping too much. Remove from oven and eat warm or at room temperature. I love this with Guacamole!

Spring Quiche

This is a yummy option for breakfast or a brunch and of course you could use a number of options for the filling. I chose a combination that has a nice savory flavor and is very seasonal for this time of year.

Spring Quiche

• 1 blind baked single pie crust

• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

• 1/4 lb brussel sprouts, sliced

• 1/4 bunch asparagus, cut up into 2 inch pieces

• 6-8 crimini mushrooms, sliced

• 3 eggs

• 1 1/2 c milk

• 1/2 c sharp white cheddar cheese

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1-2 Tbs butter, cut up
  

Preheat oven to 400. Place veggies on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes until tender and slightly browned. Cool and set aside. In a medium bowl beat together the eggs and milk until blended. Stir in the salt, pepper and cheese then fold in the bacon and veggies. Pour into prepared pie crust and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes until set and just jiggles in the middle.
Let cool completely before slicing.