ASIAN SUGAR SNAP PEAS

 

                                                                         

I love sugar snaps.  In fact when I am serving a dip they are my favorite dipper.  However, I prefer them blanched rather than raw when used as a crudite.  Years ago when I was on the South Beach Diet, I came across this recipe.  Now they are my favorite side dish when serving an Asian-influenced meal, and they are so quick and easy to make.  Yesterday I wanted to make a healthier meal so I served the Asian Ground Turkey in lettuce cups (on the blog under Poultry)  and made these as a side dish.  It was a light meal, but we were ready for something light so it was perfect!  Today I will probably use that ground turkey in a salad and toss some of these into it.  

1 lb fresh sugar snap peas

2 TB light soy sauce

Scant t sesame oil

1 t Sriracha sauce (or more if you like spicy)

3 slices fresh ginger root

2 lg garlic cloves, sliced

1 TB peanut oil

1 t black sesame seeds or toasted sesame seeds for garnish, optional

Remove the strings from each sugar snap pea then slice each one on the diagonal.  Mix the soy sauce, sesame oil and Sriracha sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

Cut slices of ginger and garlic to use for seasoning the oil.  Preheat a wok or heavy frying pan for at least a minute.  Once the pan is hot, add the oil and let it heat until it is shimmering (about 15-30 seconds).  Add the sliced ginger and garlic and stir-fry just long enough so they become fragrant and season the oil, then remove and discard.  Be careful not to let them brown or they will have a bitter taste.

Add the sugar snaps and cook over high heat, stirring constantly until the peas turn bright green and are just starting to cook, about 2 minutes.  Pour in the sauce mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce just starts to coat the peas, about 2 minutes more.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

SCOTT'S TOMATO PIE

 

Also on the blog is Carla's Tomato pie that I have made for years, and it is delicious!  Scott recently made this one, and I love it too!  The tomatoes in this one are sliced instead of chunked like in Carla's, and this one is more of an Italian flavor, with basil, red wine vinegar, and the addition of Parmesan.  I have made it several times this summer, and everyone loved it every time I made it.  Full disclosure -- I made Carla's one time and it was loved as well.  Try them both if you love summer tomatoes as much as we do.  Neither will disappoint!  The picture is Scott's, and I chose to add Parmesan on top of my pie so it will look like this picture except with a little melted Parmesan on top.

6-8 medium tomatoes, either heirloom or fresh from a farmer's market

3 t salt divided

2 t red wine vinegar

Unbaked pie crust

2-3 c shredded sharp white cheddar cheese

1/3 c mayonnaise

1/4 c chopped green onion

1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

2 TB all-purpose flour

2 TB chopped fresh basil*

1 TB chopped fresh oregano*

1 TB chopped fresh dill, optional*

1/2 t black pepper

Place tomato slices on 3 layers of paper towels, and sprinkle with 1-1/2 t salt.  Let stand for 1 hour.  Pat tomatoes dry.  Drizzle with vinegar.  Reserve 7 slices for top.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine cheddar, mayo, green onion, flour, herbs and remaining 1-1/2 t salt.

Sprinkle half of Parmesan in bottom of prepared crust.  Top with half of tomato slices, half of cheddar mixture and repeat with other half of tomatoes and cheddar.  Top with reserved tomato slices and sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese.  

Bake until edges of crust begin to lightly brown, about 55 minutes to an hour, covering edges with foil to prevent excess browning, if necessary.  Let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before serving.  This step is necessary or the pie will be too soft.

*The dill in my herb garden bolted so I didn't have it any of the times I made this pie, but the original recipe called for it so I listed it as optional.  The second time I made it I wasn't at home and didn't have fresh herbs so I sprinkled Italian seasoning instead, and it was still tasty.

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

Eric loves fried green tomatoes, and since he was here last week and we found green tomatoes at Lou's farm stand in Luling, it was a no-brainer that we were going to make them.  Most recipes we had made in the past didn't keep the breading on them when fried, so we were thrilled with this one we found on-line.  Eric made them twice while he was here, and both times they were perfect and delicious.  I had made a mustard sauce a couple days before, and we enjoyed dipping them in it.  However, the Jalapeño Ranch Dip (also on the blog) was our favorite dipping sauce.  If you can find some green tomatoes, these are definitely worth making!

3 large, firm (unripe) green tomatoes

kosher salt

3/4 c all-purpose flour

1-1/2 t. kosher salt

1/2 t. smoked paprika

1/4 t. garlic powder

1/4 t. onion powder

1/4 t. black pepper

1/2 c. buttermilk

1 lg egg white

1/2 t. hot sauce (such as Texas Pete's)

1/2 c. panko bread crumbs

1/3 c. cornmeal

1-1/2 c. vegetable oil, for frying

Using a serrated knife, slice tomatoes in 3/8" thick slices.  Sprinkle both sides with salt and let stand for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture.  This helps the breading stick better.  Gently pat dry with paper towels.

Set up the breading station with 3 separate shallow dishes.

1st dish: Whisk together flour with all 5 spices.

2nd dish:  Whisk together buttermilk, egg white, and hot sauce.

3rd dish:  Combine panko and cornmeal.

Fit a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels.  Dip each tomato slice in the flour mixture and shake off excess.  Next dip in the buttermilk mixture and finally the cornmeal mixture, pressing gently to adhere.  Place the breaded tomato slices on the rack in a single layer and let sit while you heat up the oil.  This allows tine for the breading to set.

In a large cast iron skillet warm oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees and shimmering.  The oil should sizzle immediately if you sprinkle water into it. Starting with the tomatoes you breaded first, carefully add 4-5 slices to the hot skillet, taking care not to over-crowd them.  Fry until golden-brown, 3-5 minutes per side, regulating the heat if the oil gets too hot.  Transfer the fried tomatoes to a paper towel-lied plate to drain.  Fry the remaining slices and serve immediately with a dipping sauce.

SAUSAGE AND GREENS WITH CHEESE GRITS

                                        
Knowing how much my boys and I love collard greens I knew I had a winner for dinner.  We were ready for a change of pace, and this combination of andouille sausage, cajun seasoning, and cheesy grits was just what we needed.  I frequently tear recipes out of magazines, and this one didn't have the name of the magazine at the bottom so I have no idea where I got it.  They stack up and eventually one of them catches my eye when I want to make something new.  We were all very pleased with it.  I knew I would love it because I love grits, but I wasn't too sure my boys would love the grits.  They surprised me and really enjoyed them too.  It was definitely a Southern comfort food meal.  

l lb. andouille sausage or your favorite smoked sausage link, sliced
1 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped red bell pepper (I only had yellow)
1 lb. fresh collard greens*
3 c. chicken broth
1 TB white vinegar
1 t. Cajun seasoning
Cheese Grits (recipe follows)

In a large Dutch oven, cook sausage in batches over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 7 minutes.  Remove sausage using a slotted soon, and let drain on paper towels, leaving drippings in pot.

Increase heat to medium-high and add onion, celery and bell pepper to Dutch oven. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are slightly softened, about 3 minutes.  Add the broth and deglaze the pan to get all the flavorful bits left behind from the sausage.  Stir in the vinegar and Cajun seasoning and then add the greens a little at a time, stirring between each addition.  Add the sausage and reduce heat to medium low.  Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until greens reach desired tenderness, 25-30 minutes.  Serve over Cheese Grits.

CHEESE GRITS**

4 c. heavy whipping cream
4 c. water
2 c. quick-cooking grits
1-1/2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
3 c. shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cubed

In a 4 qt saucepan, bring cream and water to boil over medium heat. Slowly stir in grits, salt, and garlic powder.  Cover and reduce heat to medium low.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, until grits are thickened, about 7 minutes.  Serve immediately and top with collard green mixture and some of the cooked liquid.

*The recipe called for a 1 lb bag of washed and chopped collard greens, so that is what I used.  In those bags are a lot of the thick stems, and they are chewy and overpower the dish.  We found ourselves picking them out while we ate.  I prefer to buy bunches of collards, take out that big stem/vein that runs down the middle, wash and chop them myself.  I will definitely do that the next time I make this dish.

**This makes tons of grits, so you might want to half the recipe for the amount of collards and sausage.  I enjoyed having the leftovers popped in the microwave for breakfast with an egg on top.  If you like grits like I do then make the whole recipe.

KIM'S CORN AND ZUCCHINI PIE

                                   
This pie can be served multiple ways -- as a quiche, a side dish, or a main for vegetarians.  I loved it but wasn't sure my boys would like it, because neither is wild about zucchini.  How wrong I was!  JT had seconds and Logan thought it was tasty, and that the zucchini wasn't too overpowering. Since it is so thick it goes a long way too.  It is so nice to have a side dish that covers all the bases.  Grill a piece of meat and serve this pie, and you have dinner.  You could also make a salad and have it for lunch.  Like I said this is a multi-functioning dish!  Thanks for the recipe Kim!

1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 ears corn, cut off the cob
2 large zucchini, sliced thinly, preferably with a mandoline, 
       (about 4 cups)
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 TB dried basil
1 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. Kosher salt
Fresh black pepper to taste
12 oz. shredded cheese (I used 4 oz. mozzarella and 8 oz. Swiss)
About 1/3 c. grated Parmesan (or more if you wish)
4 eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a pie plate with Pam or line it with parchment paper.

Heat the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat.  Add the onions, zucchini, and mushrooms.  While the veggies saute, cut the corn off the cob.  Add them to the pan and continue to saute until the veggies are soft, 5-10 minutes.  Remove from heat and gently drain off any excess liquid.  Cool the mixture for a few minutes.

Stir in the basil, oregano, salt, pepper, beaten eggs, Parmesan and all except one cup of cheese.  Transfer the mixture to the pie plate. If desired, arrange some of the zucchini on top so it looks decorative.  I didn't because I didn't want my boys to immediately see zucchini. Top with the remaining cup of cheese.

Cover loosely with greased foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or so, until the top edges brown and the mixture is firm.  Let stand about an hour before cutting into slices.  Refrigerate leftovers.

COLLARD GREENS

I made these for New Year’s Day along with black-eyed peas, and they were devoured.  I like to mix greens sometimes (see Winter Greens), but my favorite greens are collards.  I also posted another recipe for collards that are not cooked long, which I love.   In this recipe the collards are cooked longer and get much softer, similar to the ones the old-time country cooks used to make.  Both are good, and the more I make these and tweak them the better I like them.  My friend Scott tells me these greens would be on his "last meal" list.  What a compliment!!

Olive oil

4 slices center-cut bacon, diced, optional
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 ham hock
About 2 cups chicken broth

1-2 diced fresh tomatoes
2 TB white, red wine, apple cider or balsamic vinegar*
2 TB light brown sugar
1 TB red pepper flakes
3 bunches collards, rinsed, center vein removed, and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

In a Dutch oven heat a small amount of olive oil.  If using bacon, cook it until it is shriveled but not crispy.  If trying to be healthier skip the bacon, but the bacon does add another layer of flavor.  Add the onion and sauté it until it is carmelized, adding the garlic in the last couple of minutes.  Put the ham hock in the pan and then deglaze the bacon remains with the chicken broth.  Add tomatoes and stir in the vinegar, sugar and red pepper until the sugar is dissolved. 

Add the collards a little at a time, stirring until they begin to soften enough to be able to add more.  Once all the collards have been added, season with black pepper and lightly season with salt because the chicken broth is somewhat salty.  At this point you may need to add more broth but you just want about an inch and half of broth – you don’t want it soupy at all.  Cook the collards about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more broth if they are running out of liquid.

*I have tried all the different vinegars.  Experiment to see which you prefer!  I like them all but lately I have preferred red wine or apple cider vinegar.

GRILLED CABBAGE “STEAKS”

If you like cabbage, you will enjoy this version of it.  Leo told me about it while we were grilling chickens, and I decided to try it.  Last night I was grilling my chicken over indirect heat at 300 degrees so I set these on the direct heat and cooked them about 15 minutes, turning them once.  If I was just grilling it I would probably do it at 350 degrees and it might get done a little faster and with a little more brown.  It wasn’t extremely tender, but I really liked the flavor – and also how easy it is for a side dish.  We had to cut it with a knife to eat it, but that didn't really bother us. 

1 head of green cabbage, rinsed with outer leaves removed

Olive oil
Season-all seasoning of choice – I used Uncle Chris’s Gourmet Steak Seasoning by Fiesta

Slice the cabbage into “steaks” about 1” thick.  Brush olive oil on both sides or spray them heavily with a spray olive oil if you have it.  Heavily season both sides.  Put them directly on the grill or on a grill pan.  The trick will be to keep them from falling apart, hence one reason for slicing them so thick.  Once the bottom has browned a bit, carefully flip them over until the other side has browned.  I cooked them about 15 minutes at 300 degrees, but if you like your cabbage more tender you might want to cook them a little longer or at a higher heat.

LAUREN’S MEXICAN CORN

If you love corn, this is a dish you definitely will want to make – we all love it!  It is a wonderful side dish for a Mexican themed meal, but we also love it with grilled meats.  Every time I want to make this I can never remember how to do it exactly so when  Lauren made it for our Easter Sunday meal I tried to watch her as best I could while running back and forth from the grill.  I am blogging it so I remember the ingredients, but as usual I forgot to take a picture and that would have helped so much since of course she doesn’t measure her ingredients.  The amounts are my best guess estimates.   I will try and make it myself sometime soon and take a picture and hopefully get better amount estimates.   We had bought 5 ears of corn because we were originally thinking of just grilling it, so the estimates are based on that.  Lauren says when she makes it she usually considers 1-1/2 ears per person.  Once the corn is charred and cut off the cob, the cooking time is only about 3 minutes, so definitely do this dish at the last minute.

5 ears fresh corn on the cob

Butter

Salt and pepper

About ¼-1/3 c. Mexican Crema, table cream*

About ¼-1/3 c. chopped cilantro

Juice of ½ -1 whole lime, depending on how juicy the lime is

About ¼-1/3 c. Cotija cheese, grated

Tajin**

Shuck the corn and rub it with softened butter; season with salt and pepper.  Put it on a hot grill, watching it carefully, and turn it when some of the kernels are charred.  Once there are charred kernels on all sides remove it from the grill and let it cool enough to handle.  Cut all the kernels off the cob and set aside.

In a nonstick skillet heat the crema and cilantro until it is bubbling.  Stir in the corn and cotija cheese and leave it just long enough to heat through.   At the last minute add the lime juice and lightly sprinkle Tajin all over it and stir.  The total cook time should only be 3-5 minutes.

*The Crema is usually located with the Mexican cheeses.  There is also a Mexican Crema, sour cream.  Be sure and get the table cream.

**Tajin is usually found in the produce area near fruit, since Mexicans like to sprinkle it on their fruit.

TIPS:  To keep the corn from getting mushy don’t use too much crema or leave the corn on the stove top too long.

GNOCCHI WITH GREENS

If you enjoy gnocchi as much as we do and love greens as much as we do, then this is a great dish to try.  It is so quick and easy yet really tasty!  Grill a protein and you’ve got a meal.  Your family won’t have to know how fast you made it, because they will think you did something fancy.  We loved it.  If this is your first time to taste gnocchi, it is a soft dumpling usually made with mashed potatoes -- YUM!

1 – 17.5 oz. pkg gnocchi (found in pasta section near polenta)

1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped

½ c. chicken broth

¼ c. grated parmesan + more for topping

3 TB olive oil

1 garlic clove, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 1-1/2 qt baking dish with Pam.  Toss together all of the ingredients and spread into the baking dish.  Cover and bake until the gnocchi is cooked through, about 30 minutes.  Uncover; sprinkle with more parmesan and broil until golden.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS GRATIN

This recipe came from Cooks Country magazine, and once I saw it, I knew it would be a “moaner”, and it did not disappoint.  I originally wanted to make it for Thanksgiving, but I couldn’t wait that long and made it for dinner last night.  (I made half the recipe since it was just the three of us.)   It is very rich with the heavy cream and cheeses, and I already have several rich things planned for our feast, but I will definitely make this again soon.  My boys loved it as well.

2-1/2 lbs. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved through stem

1 TB olive or canola oil

Salt and pepper

3 TB unsalted butter

¼ c. panko bread crumbs

1 shallot, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 TB flour

1-1/4 c. heavy cream

¾ c. chicken broth

1 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded (1/2 c.)

1 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 c.)

Pinch ground nutmeg

Pinch cayenne

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Grease a 13x9 baking dish. 

Toss sprouts, oil, ½ t. salt, ½ t. pepper together in prepared baking dish.  Bake until sprouts are well browned and tender, about 30-35 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt 1TB butter in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add panko and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 3 min.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in ¼ t. salt and ¼ t. pepper; set aside.  Wipe saucepan clean with a paper towel.

Melt remaining 2 TB butter into the now-empty saucepan over medium heat.  Add shallot and garlic and cook until just softened, about 1 minute.  Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.   Stir in cream and chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil.  Once boiling take off heat and whisk in ¼ c. Gruyere, all the Parmesan, nutmeg, cayenne, ¼ t. pepper and 1/8 t. salt until smooth.

Pour cream mixture over sprouts in baking dish and stir to combine.  Sprinkle evenly with panko mixture and remaining ¼ c. Gruyere.  Bake until bubbling around the edges and golden brown on top, about 5-7 minutes.  Let cool about 10 minutes before serving.

ERIC’S SAUERKRAUT

For years Eric has made this fresh sauerkraut, and it is so much better than store-bought.  In fact I didn’t like sauerkraut until I tried Eric’s.  He made it because it is healthy, but I like it because it is so fresh!  We eat it on hot dogs, on nachos, just about any place you want a relish.  I finally made a batch that I was pleased with so I made Sauerkraut Balls with some of it, and they were delightful too!

2 lg. heads of cabbage

2 TB sea salt

2% Brine solution*

Distilled water**

Peel outer leaves of cabbage off; rinse and save.  Wash cabbage and grate it. (I have an attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer that grates it finely.)  After the first head of cabbage sprinkle 1 TB of salt on it and mix it with your (very clean) hands.  Grate the second head of cabbage and repeat with the final TB of salt, mixing well.  Let sit about 15 minutes then massage the cabbage to draw out more of the moisture.  Put in a large glass bowl or crock and put enough brine solution over it that it is about 1” over the cabbage.  Cover with the saved cabbage leaves.  Fill a ziplock bag with distilled water and place it over the leaves.  It is critical that you keep the grated sauerkraut covered with brine the entire time it is fermenting.  Put the bowl in a dark place and keep the temperature in the 70’s.  (I did a guest room closet with a tray under it so no solution would spill anywhere.)  Stir it once a day.  You will notice it bubbling.  When there aren’t as many bubbles (about 3-5 days), take it out and put the sauerkraut in jars and refrigerate.  Once it has chilled it can be eaten.

*The brine solution is made by stirring 1 TB sea salt into 4 c. distilled water

**It’s important to use distilled water even in the zip lock bag.  Eric’s zip lock leaked one time and the tap water contaminated the whole batch of sauerkraut.  It developed a pink mold on it.