Holiday Appetizer

               It’s time for the holidays and anytime you can do a make-ahead appetizer it helps you out.  Here is where I hope you froze some of the Ratatouille I talked about in September.  If you didn’t, you can always make a new batch.

Ratatouille Vegetable Spread Appetizer

2 c. Ratatouille

1 loaf of French Bread

4 Tbsp Butter, softened

1 c. grated Italian Blend Cheese

1. Heat oven to 350°.
2. Put Ratatouille into food processor.  Let the food processor run until the Ratatouille is slightly chunky.
3. Cut the French Bread in half the long way.
4. Spread Butter onto each half of the Bread.
5. Put the Bread into the oven and let it toast for about 10 minutes.  Check on the Bread periodically so it doesn’t burn.
6. Remove the Bread from the oven and spread the Ratatouille on top of each half.
7. Sprinkle the Italian Cheese on top and return the Bread to the oven.  Bake until the Cheese melts, about 5 minutes.
8. Remove the Bread from the oven and cut it crosswise in slices.  It is now ready to be served.

The amount of servings is determined by how many slices are able to be cut from each half.

Substitute a Soy Cheese for the regular Italian Cheese in this recipe.

    
       Happy Holidays

Now It's Colder Outside

                It’s December and it’s become cold.  This time of year everyone’s mind thinks of hot chocolate to warm them up.  This is how I make mine.

Hot Chocolate

2 servings

2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder

4 Tbsp Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

3 cups Milk

1. Heat the Milk.
2. Blend the Cocoa and Sugar together.
3. Once the Milk is hot enough, add the Cocoa and Sugar.  Stir until it is blended.
4. Add the Vanilla and stir.
5. Keep Hot Chocolate warm until it is served.

 Lactose free Almond or Soy Milk can be used as a Dairy Milk substitute.

Baby It’s Cold Outside

            While I was at the farmer’s market this fall, it was time to buy the new crop of Yukon Gold Potatoes.  I love the fresh taste of these potatoes whether they are baked, oven fried, or twice baked.  Here is a way to enjoy potatoes and stay warm.

Potato Leek Soup

2 Tbsp Canola Oil

4 c. Leeks, cleaned and chopped

2 lb Potatoes, cut into small cubes

4 c. low sodium Chicken Stock

1 c. Half and Half Cream

Salt and Pepper to taste

Sharp Cheddar Cheese and fresh Chives for garnish

1. Heat Canola Oil in a large Dutch Oven.
2. Cut off the rough leaves on the Leeks then cut Leeks in half and clean them under running water.
3. Chop Leeks into half rounds and sauté in the hot Oil.  Sauté until the Leeks are softened.  This takes about five minutes.
4. Add the Potatoes and stir into the Leeks.
5. Add the Chicken Stock and simmer until the Potatoes are tender.  Test the tenderness of the Potatoes with a fork.
6. Let the soup cool about ten minutes.
7. Put the Potato mixture into a blender with the Half and Half Cream.  Now puree.  This may need to be done in batches if you want all of the soup to be smooth.  For a chunkier soup, only puree half of the Potato mixture.
8. Return the Potato puree to the pot and warm it.  Add the Salt and Pepper to taste.
9. Serve with Sharp Cheddar Cheese and snipped fresh Chives on top.

Lactose Free Half and Half is available in stores as well as Soy Cheese.

     
      Stay warm.

The Maligned Vegetable

                It’s that time of year when the Farmers’ Market is winding down.  You see thing such as fall squashes, potatoes, and stalks of one of the most maligned vegetables: Brussels sprouts.  I personally love Brussels sprouts and have fond memories of cutting them down on Thanksgiving Day when they looked like a Christmas tree.  All the large leaves were covered with snow which made it look like a winter wonderland of small trees.  We would take the stalks into the kitchen and snap off the sprouts from the stalks.  Then we put them into the steamer so as not to cook them to mush.  The mush is why many people don’t seem to like Brussels sprouts.  But I have a new way to enjoy them.

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

About 4 Servings

1-1/2 lb Brussels Sprouts with rough outer leaves trimmed off and cut in half

¼ lb chunk of Pancetta diced into small pieces

2 Tbsp aged Fig or Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar

1. Sauté Pancetta until crisp.
2. Add Brussels Sprouts to the Pancetta and stir until Sprouts are tender.
3. Add the Vinegar and stir.  Deglaze the pan by picking up the flavor bits on the bottom while stirring.
4. Serve immediately.

This is a great Thanksgiving side dish.

Apple Crisp

               It’s apple season and you have so many choices, from baking apples to just a good apple to eat.  A popular use of apples for my family is Apple Crisp.  I have tested this gluten free version of our old classic.

Apple Crisp

Topping

1 c. Oats

¼ c. Brown Sugar

½ c. Toasted Nuts of your choice

4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) Butter cut into small cubes

½ tsp Cinnamon

1. Preheat Oven to 375°.
2. Put Oats in a food processor and process until Oats have a flour like consistency.
3. Remove 2 Tbsp of the Oats for later use.
4. Add Nuts, Sugar, Cinnamon, and Butter to the food processor.
5. Switch processor off and on until the ingredients look like a coarse meal.

Fruit Filling

1-1/2 lb Apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

2 Tbsp Sugar (add more if apples are tart per your taste)

2 Tbsp Oats

1. Take Apple slices, Sugar, and the reserved 2 Tbsp of Oats and toss in a bowl until Apples are coated.
2. Put Apples into a 9” x 9” pan.
3. Spread Topping over the Apples.
4. Put pan into the oven and bake until the juices bubble and the topping is browned.  This takes about 35-45 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes to serve warm.  The other option is to let the crisp cool completely for a later use.

Suggestions for serving accompaniments: Ice Cream, Vanilla Yogurt

We enjoy the crisp warm with the Vanilla Yogurt.  I hope you enjoy it.

Ratatouille

             I went to the farmers’ market this last Saturday and found eggplants, squash, and tomatoes.  I thought it’s time to make ratatouille.

2 lb Eggplant-chopped

1 lb Zucchini-chopped

1 large Onion-medium chop

2 c. fresh Tomatoes-chopped

1 Tbsp. dried Italian Herbs

28 oz. can diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes

½ c. Roasted Red Peppers-chopped

1 c. Kalamata Olives-sliced

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1. Heat Olive Oil in a large pot.  Add Onions and sauté until translucent.
2. Add the Eggplant and Zucchini.  Sauté until the vegetables soften.  This takes about 15 minutes.
3. Add Roasted Red Peppers and fresh Tomatoes.  Let soften.
4. Add the Italian Herbs, canned Tomatoes, and Kalamata Olives.
5. Stir everything together and turn the burner down to low.  Let the mixture cook down for 45 minutes.

      I serve the Ratatouille with rice, accompanying it with Feta and toasted pine nuts.

End of Summer

           Tomorrow it will be the last legal holiday of the summer.  In the farmers’ markets you will see baskets of tomatoes, the last ones of the year.  I like to get a quarter bushel of Roma tomatoes and make roasted tomatoes.

Roasted Tomatoes

2 lbs Roma Tomatoes

3 Tbsp Olive Oil

Fresh Ground Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Slice the Tomatoes in half the long way then seed them.
3. Place the Tomatoes on a sheet pan with the cut side up.
4. Drizzle Olive Oil onto the Tomatoes and sprinkle with Ground Pepper.
5. Place into the oven and let the Tomatoes roast for one hour.
6. Remove from the oven and allow the Tomatoes to cool before use.

Roasted Tomato Uses

1. Puree to become a soup or a sauce.
2. Either remain whole or chop to use as topping for Bruschetta.

Tip: I store the Tomatoes in a jar with a little Olive Oil to keep them moist. They will last about three or four days in the refrigerator.

Caprese Salad

               Now is the time of year when all those lovely, fresh tomatoes are at your farmers’ market.  Nothing like fresh tomatoes in a salad.  This is a salad that is one of my daughter’s favorites.

Caprese Salad

(4 servings as an appetizer, 6 servings if used as a salad with a meal)

Pesto Sauce

2 c. Fresh Parsley (I only use the leaves)

2 Tbsp Dry Basil

1 c. Oil (Canola, Olive, or a combination of both)

¼ c. grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese

¼ c. Walnuts

2 cloves Roasted Garlic

1. Put Garlic, Walnuts, Cheese, Basil, and Parsley into a food processor.  Turn the food processor on and off until the ingredients are chopped.
2. Turn on the food processor and put the Oil in the feed tube as it runs.  Keep processing until all the ingredients are blended.

Salad

Pesto Sauce

3 large balls of Fresh Mozzarella

3 large Tomatoes

1. Slice the Mozzarella and Tomatoes.  Try to get the same number of slices from each.
2. Arrange the slices on a platter alternating the Cheese and Tomatoes.
3. Drizzle the Pesto Sauce over the ingredients on the platter.
4. Garnish with fresh Basil if you have it and serve.