Strawberry Schaum Torte

Schaum Torte is one of my favorite all-time desserts that I remember from my childhood.  We had a much smaller gathering than usual for Christmas this year so it seemed like a good time to try out this recipe.  It turned out fabulous, just as good as I remember from my youth, and it was a big hit with everyone.  The inside was a light and fluffy meringue and the outside had the delicious melt-in-your-mouth sugary crisp.  Perfect yumminess.

Strawberry Schaum Torte
Makes ~12 servings

Ingredients:

8 large egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

pinch salt

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups sugar

Strawberries:

3 cups sliced/chopped fresh strawberries

1 teaspoon sugar

Whipped Cream:

1 cup heavy whipping cream, COLD

1 tablespoon sugar (regular or powdered will work)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt.  Beat at high speed until eggs whites form soft peaks (not stiff).  Carefully fold in vinegar, vanilla, and sugar.  Mix on low speed until stiff and glossy and no longer grainy.

Spread mixture in a lightly greased 10" Springform pan (or a 9x13" pan would work).  Bake at 350º for 10 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 250º and bake another 50 minutes.  Turn off oven and leave torte in oven an additional 60 minutes.  Important: DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR during those 2 hours of baking and cooling (The torte is expected to fall a little, but it will fall a lot if you open the door and may also ruin the texture). 

While the torte is cooling, place the chopped strawberries in a medium bowl and mix in a little sugar to help create juices.  Set aside.  Put the bowl of an electric mixer in the fridge or freezer for 10-15 minutes to get it nice and cold.  When all the ingredients are cold, beat the whipped cream on medium-high speed just until it starts to get soft and is no longer liquid.  Add in the sugar and vanilla and beat until it no longer tastes grainy and has medium-firm peaks.   Don't over-beat.

Serve the Schaum Torte with strawberries and whipped cream.  

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

I brought this to serve at Christmas and it was delicious.  

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

9 slices pineapple in juice (20oz can), drained

9 maraschino cherries without stems

1&1/3 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup shortening

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

Directions:

Heat oven to 350º F.  In a 9-inch square pan, melt butter in oven.  Sprinkle brown sugar over melted butter.  Arrange the 9 pineapple slices in the pan and place a cherry in the center of each slice.

In a medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients on low speed for 30 second, scraping sides.  Beat on high speed for 3 minutes.  Pour batter over pineapples and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Immediately place a heatproof serving plate over pan and turn over.  Leave pan upside-down over cake to let the brown sugar mixture drip down.  Remove pan.  Serve warm.

Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs

One pan dinners are so easy and convenient.  This was a good one.  I used the same seasoning for the chicken, potatoes, and garden carrots.  It was excellent on the chicken, good on the potatoes, not as great on the carrots.  I should have added garlic to the carrots and potatoes.  I think I'll stick with my balsamic garlic carrot recipe in the future.  But for the chicken, the rub was yummy and the skin was crispy and the meat was juicy.  No complaints.

Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

Pat the chicken dry and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Rub olive oil into the chicken.   In a small bowl, combine all the dry seasonings.  Rub all over the chicken.  Bake in preheated 400º oven for about 30 minutes (depends on size of thighs) until internal temperature reaches 165º.

Balsamic Honey Brussels Sprouts

 

We harvested one of the two Brussels sprouts plants in our garden for dinner.  The plants didn't do as well as last year.  The sprouts were smaller and fewer.  We planted them in the back garden this time where it's a lot shadier so that might be the reason.  Anyway....  This recipe was amazing.  Yummy sweet sprouts. Definitely will use this one for my future sprouts.  

Balsamic Honey Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

1 lb Brussels sprouts, stemmed and halved

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper

1/2 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Toss the sprouts with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Bake at 425º for 20 minutes until tender and golden brown.   

In a small bowl, combine the honey and vinegar.  Drizzle or spoon over the sprouts and toss to coat.  Adjust seasonings if necessary.  Enjoy.

Ginger Carrot Soup

The only things left in the garden are lots of carrots and a couple brussels sprouts plants.  On the advice of friends, I decided to try making carrot soup.  This was an easy recipe.  I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would--which is good because the recipe made a lot of soup.   I cheated and used squeeze bottle ginger instead of grated.  It still tasted fine. It didn't need extra salt, but we did add pepper.

Ginger Carrot Soup

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients: 

2 tablespoons butter

2 onions, chopped

6 cups chicken broth

2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1 cup whipping cream

salt and pepper to taste

parsley, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium-high heat.  Add onions and cook until soft, stirring often.  Add broth, carrots, and ginger.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until carrots are tender, about 30-40 minutes.

Remove from heat and transfer to a blender in batches, filling no more than halfway.  Blend until smooth.   Return soup to pot and add cream.  Stir and heat until hot.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  

Death by Chocolate Cheesecake for Instant Pot

YUM!  I've been craving chocolate, and I've been wanting to try out cheesecake in the Instant Pot for awhile, so that's what I decided to make for my birthday dessert.  IT WAS SOOOO GOOD!   Rich and creamy and decadently delicious.  Honestly, it tasted just as good as Cheesecake Factory.   I was worried about how it would set up when finished, but it worked perfectly.  Also, I liked that it made a small 6" cheesecake.  Any bigger, and I'd feel the need to share it.... haha!  

Death by Chocolate Cheesecake for Instant Pot

Makes a 6" cheesecake, ~8 servings

Ingredients:

20 Double Stuff Oreo cookies (for crust)

2 packs cream cheese (8 oz each), room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

6 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 eggs

4 oz semi sweet chocolate, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

Ganache topping:

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

To make crust, place whole Oreos with filling in a food processor and blend until they form crumbs.  Press crumbs into a 6" springform pan.  Place in freezer while you make the filling.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese on high until light and fluffy.  Add in sugar and mix until just combined.  Add in sour cream and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.   Add the melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and vanilla, and mix until combined.  Lastly, add the eggs and mix as little as possible just until they are fully incorporated.  Pour filling over crust and cover pan with aluminum foil.  

Pour 1 cup water into Instant Pot.  Place cheesecake pan on a trivet with handles and lower into Instant Pot.  Secure the lid and pressure cook on high for 35 minutes.  When finished, allow it to naturally release pressure.  Remove pan and let it cool on counter.  Place in fridge overnight to allow it to set completely.

After the cheesecake has set overnight, make the ganache.   In a small bowl, combine the chocolate chips and cream.  Microwave in 30 second intervals until the chocolate is mostly melted.  Stir until completely melted and pour over the cheesecake.   Enjoy!

Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs

I decided to try out this Swedish meatball recipe made in the Instant Pot.  It was good, but we weren't blown away.  The gravy was delicious, but there wasn't enough of it. After cooking the meatballs, I froze half of them for another time.  Even with half the meatballs, we could have used more gravy!  I suppose if we ate them by themselves, it would have been fine, but since we served them over egg noodles, we really needed more gravy.  Cooking them in the Instant Pot made it easy and convenient for cleanup at the end.  I seem to remember really liking the Swedish meatball recipe I made 10 years ago for my Muppet party (see link).  I'd probably use that recipe for the actual meatballs and gravy instead but do it all in the Instant Pot since it seemed to work well.

Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs

Makes ~30 meatballs (6-8 servings)

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground pork

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1/3 cup milk

2 large egg yolks

1 medium shallot, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups beef stock

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (for garnish)

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, breadcrumbs, milk, yolks, shallot, garlic, spices, and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir or use your hands to combine the mixture.   Roll into about 30 meatballs.

Set a 6-qt Instant Pot to the high Saute setting.  Heat oil.  Working in batches, add meatballs and cook until all sides are browned, about 3-4 minutes.  Transfer meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.

Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.  Stir in beef stock, scraping up any browned bits. 

Return meatballs to Instant Pot.   Set pot to Pressure Cook on high for 8 minutes.  When finished, do a quick release of pressure.  Remove meatballs and set aside.

Select high Saute setting again.  Simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened, about 4-5 minutes.  Stir in the sour cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.   Return meatballs to sauce and stir to warm them up again.  Serve immediately and garnish with parsley.   

Parmesan and Panko-Crusted Halibut

The grocery store had a sale on halibut, so I bought a couple fillets on impulse.   I found this recipe and gave it a try.  It was good.  Likely, anything with parmesan-panko coating will taste good.  And it's baked, so it's relatively healthy.  I cooked green beans from our garden and made a little tomato salsa which gave some moisture to the bite of fish.  

Parmesan and Panko-Crusted Halibut

Ingredients:
2 halibut fillets, skin removed

2 teaspoons olive oil

juice from 1/2 lemon

salt and pepper

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450º F.  Line a baking sheet with foil and place a cooling rack on the sheet.  Coat the rack with cooking spray.

Drizzle the oil and lemon juice over both sides of fish and season with salt and pepper to taste.   Combine the remaining ingredients on a plate or shallow bowl.  Press the fish into the panko mixture on each side and place on the cooking rack.   Bake for 10-15 minutes (depends on size) until the fish is cooked and flaky.   Serve with a lemon wedge.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

 

We bought a plain pork tenderloin on sale at the grocery store so I found this recipe to jazz it up.  I love grilling a tenderloin because it stays juicy on the inside and gets the tasty grill char on the outside.  I think the honey in the recipe made it char a little more than usual, but it was fine. The marinade flavor was really tasty.  I'll add this to the recipe save pile.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:
1 to 2-lbs pork tenderloin

Marinade:

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/4 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

Mix together all the marinade ingredients and pour half into a large Ziplock bag along with the pork.  Seal bag and massage marinade into all sides of pork.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Grill over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, turning every few minutes to ensure even cooking.  Brush reserved marinade over pork halfway through grilling.  When done, transfer to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Instant Pot Egg Bites

 

I've been wanting to make these egg bites since I got my Instant Pot.  The egg bite silicone molds have been sitting unused in the cupboard, and I finally decided to try them out.  The Instant Pot worked perfectly and the eggs tasted great.  It's like a little bite-size omelet. They were handy to store in the fridge and pop a few in the microwave for breakfast or to take to work.  I liked that this recipe used ingredients I already had on hand and was very easy to make.  I picked some of our garden veggies to add to it.

Instant Pot Egg Bites
Makes 14-21 bites (depends on how much extra stuff you add)

Ingredients:

9 large eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

~1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste

cooking spray

Optional stuff, to taste (I added chopped chard, green onion, diced tomato, shredded cheese)

Directions:

In a 4-cup measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, milk, baking powder, salt, and pepper.

Spray two silicone molds with cooking spray.  Pour mixture into each of the 7 openings of each mold about 2/3 full.  Add whatever toppings you'd like.  No need to stir.   Close each mold with the silicone lid and stack in a staggered position on top of a trivet with handles

Add 1 cup water to a 6-qt or 8-qt Instant Pot and carefully lower trivet into the pot.  Close lid and pressure cook on low for 8 minutes.  When done, quick release.  Using oven mitts, carefully lift the entire trivet out of the pot by its handles.  Open the lid of each mold and let cool for a few minutes.  The egg bites should easily pop out.  

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.  Microwave bites to reheat for 30-45 seconds.

Freeze for up to 3 months.  Microwave 60-90 seconds from frozen.

 

Garlic Roasted Carrots

 

We plucked some carrots from the garden to give ourselves a break from the green beans and tomatoes we've been having every night.  This was a tasty side dish (you know, for a vegetable).

Garlic Roasted Carrots
Serves 2

Ingredients:
~3-4 carrots, split in half lengthwise if large

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, garlic, and thyme.  Toss carrots in oil mixture until well coated.  Place on a lined baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.  Bake at 375º for 35-40 minutes until tender.  Serve garnished with parsley if desired.

Tomato Jam

Another day, another bowl full of tomatoes.  I decided to try something a little different and made tomato jam.  I smeared some on crostini for a delicious snack.  I think adding some cheese and basil would be even better.  Or maybe as a topping for avocado toast. Delicious. 

Spiced Tomato Jam

Ingredients:
2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon peeled and grated or minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

Add everything to a heavy bottom saucepan and bring mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened to a jam consistency, about 1 to 2 hours. (Mine took 90 minutes)

Let cool and store jam in a glass canning jar.  May keep refrigerated in sealed container for up to 2 weeks.

Easy Chicken Fajitas

Our garden has an abundance of bell peppers right now, so I figured this would be a tasty way to use the peppers and also incorporate a tomato salsa with our many tomatoes.  The chicken seasoning was really tasty and the tomato salsa I added as a topping helped prevent the fajitas from being too dry.  It was a super fast and easy recipe which I appreciated.

Easy Chicken Fajitas
Makes 4 servings (2 fajitas/serving)

Ingredients:

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, sliced 

3-4 bell peppers (depends on size), sliced 

1 lime

tortillas

Optional toppings:  diced tomatoes/salsa, chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine seasonings.  Add chicken strips and toss to coat.   

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook chicken in skillet until done, about 5 minutes.  Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.  Heat another tablespoon of oil in the now empty skillet and add peppers and onions.  Cook 3-5 minutes until they start to soften.  Add the chicken back into the skillet, and squeeze the lime over everything. Stir to combine.  

Serve chicken mixture in a tortilla with toppings of your choice.

Fresh Tomato Salsa (Pico de Gallo)

 

Fresh Tomato Salsa (Pico de Gallo)

Ingredients:

3-4 medium-large fresh tomatoes, diced

1/4-1/2 red onion, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

juice of one lime

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

pinch dried oregano

pinch cumin

Directions:

Put everything in a bowl and stir to combine.  Adjust seasonings as needed.  Store covered in fridge for up to 5 days.

Cheesy Bacon-Tomato Pie

 

WOW!  This was soooo good!  I was flipping through cookbooks looking for recipes that used tomatoes and decided to try out this one.  So glad I did.  It was like deep dish pizza but better because the ingredients were fresh.   I was able to use green onions and basil from my garden.  Luckily, I had a spare homemade pie dough round in the freezer that I thawed and leftover bacon from earlier in the week so that saved me some time.   Of course, you could just buy a pie crust, but I think the homemade buttery crust made it taste extra delicious.  I didn't have any mayonnaise on hand (because I'm a Miracle Whip person), so I made my own easy mayo recipe to use for the pie.

Cheesy Bacon-Tomato Pie

From Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 single-crust pie pastry  (see recipe below)

1&3/4 lbs tomatoes, sliced and seeded

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/2 cup mayonnaise (see recipe below)

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used both cheddar and mozzarella to use up fridge supply)

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Roll dough to an 1/8"-thick circle.  Transfer to a pie plate and trim to 1/2 inch beyond rim.

In a small bowl, combine the mayo, shredded cheese, basil, salt, and pepper.

Place half the tomatoes and half the onions in the crust.   Spread the cheese mixture over the top.  Top with remaining tomatoes and onions. Sprinkle the bacon and Parmesan cheese over the tomatoes.  Fold crust edge over filling, pleating as you go.

Bake at 400º for 30-40 minutes until crust is golden.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with additional basil if desired.

*****

Homemade Mayonnaise (Immersion Blender)

Makes ~1 cup

Ingredients:

1 egg, room temperature

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 cup vegetable oil or grapeseed oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a tall slender container.  Use an immersion blender that reaches the egg until the bottom thickens. Slowly pull the blender up to thicken the rest of the mixture.  Season with salt and pepper and store in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

*****

Buttery Pie Crust Recipe 

(Makes 2 Crusts-- you can freeze half the dough for another time if not needed)

Ingredients:
2&1/2 cups flour
1&1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
3/4 cup vegetable shortening, chilled
1/2 cup ice water

Directions:
Stir the flour and salt in a large bowl.  Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter and shortening until it resembles coarse crumbs.   Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring between each addition.  Only add enough water until the dough begins to form large clumps (usually about 1/2 cup total).

Transfer dough to a floured work surface and fold the dough unto itself several times until flour is fully incorporated into the fats.  Form the dough into a ball and divide into 2 equal pieces.  Using your hands, flatten each piece into a 1-inch thick circular disc.  Wrap each disc in plastic wrap.   Refrigerate at least 2 hours (up to 5 days).  [If saving for the future, freeze disc for up to 3 months and thaw in fridge.]

Roll out dough starting from center and roll outward in all directions until it's about 12-inches in diameter.  Follow baking instructions per pie recipe.

Grilled Steak with Balsamic-Basil Tomatoes

I decided to treat ourselves to grilled steaks last night.  And since we have a bounty of tomatoes, I made a grilled tomato salsa for it.  The warm balsamic tomatoes were super delicious.  They are very versatile and would work with chicken or fish as well.   We had leftover salsa so I saved it in the fridge for breakfast and put it over an egg and everything bagel. Yummers.

Grilled Steak with Balsamic-Basil Tomato Salsa

Ingredients:

Steaks (whatever kind you want)

3 tomatoes, halved

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

1 green onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.   Grill about 3-4 minutes per side. 

Grill steaks about 4-5 minutes per side until done (Internal temp of 140º for medium steaks).  Time will depend on thickness.

Chop the grilled tomatoes and place in a medium bowl.  Add 2 tablespoons oil, vinegar, basil, parsley, and garlic; toss to combine.   Serve over the grilled steaks or anything you want.

Parmesan Baked Tomatoes and Herbed Salmon in Foil

 

Our garden currently has a lot of ripe tomatoes, so I decided to make an easy baked side dish to go with our salmon.  I liked this recipe because I was also able to use my fresh herbs.  I was never a fan of tomatoes as a kid, but I'm slowly learning to enjoy them.  I like them better cooked than raw.  The Parmesan breadcrumbs gave it a tasty little crunch on top.  The salmon was also very good.

Parmesan Baked Tomatoes

Ingredients:

2-3 large ripe tomatoes, halved

salt and pepper

3 tablespoons cup bread crumbs (I used Panko)

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, minced

1-2 tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped (I used parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme)

1-2 teaspoons olive oil or melted butter

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, garlic, herbs, and oil.

Place tomatoes on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.  Top with breadcrumb mixture.  Bake at 400º F for 10 minutes until crumbs are lightly browned.

***

Herbed Salmon in Foil

Ingredients:

2 Salmon filets

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 cloves garlic, minced

~1 tablespoon fresh herbs, chopped (I used parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions:

Place salmon in the center of a large sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet.

In a bowl, combine the melted butter, garlic, and herbs.   Season the salmon with salt and pepper and pour the herb mixture evenly all over the salmon.  Sprinkle lemon juice over the top.

Wrap the salmon in the foil and bake at 400º for about 12-15 minutes until salmon is cooked to an internal temperature of 145º (time depends on size of salmon).  Unwrap salmon and then broil for a couple minutes until the top is slightly browned. 

Presto Pesto Chicken

I needed to use some of my bountiful basil, so I made some pesto.  This recipe was an easy and tasty way to use some of the pesto.  And since I still had shredded mozzarella in my fridge from a previous recipe, I put that on top for fun.  It was so easy, I almost feel silly posting this as a recipe.


Presto Pesto Chicken 

Ingredients:
Boneless skinless chicken breasts
Basil Pesto  (see recipe below)
salt and pepper
Tomato slices
Fresh or shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Smother each chicken breast in pesto on all sides (about 1-2 tablespoons pesto per breast).  Season with salt and pepper.   Grill for 5-6 minutes on each side (or bake in oven for 25-30 minutes) until done.

When cooked through, spread more pesto on top of each chicken breast.  Top with a tomato slice and mozzarella cheese.  Grill or broil a few minutes until cheese is melty.


Pesto Recipe
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
2 cups packed basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/3 cup shredded/grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
salt to taste

In a food processor, pulse the pine nuts, basil, garlic, and cheese until finely chopped.  With the processor running, add the oil in a thin stream until the pesto comes together and is well combined.  Season with salt to taste.   Store in an air-tight jar.  Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze in lightly greased ice cube trays for 3 months.

Anne's Easy Meatball Zucchini Boats

Since my garden is producing a lot of zucchini right now, I was looking for a new recipe.  I saw something similar to this online, and I simplified it by using frozen meatballs that I already had in my freezer and then I added some fresh herbs from my garden.  It was super easy and quite tasty and we both agreed that we would make this again.

Anne's Easy Meatball Zucchini Boats
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 zucchini, halved lengthwise
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 cup pasta sauce
6-8 meatballs (depends on size)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
chopped basil to garnish

Directions:
Scoop out the seeds from each zucchini half (throw out or save and add them to the sauce).  Place on a baking sheet.   Brush a little olive oil on each zucchini and season with salt and pepper.  Bake at 350º for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat sauce and meatballs in a small pot on stove over medium heat.  I also tossed some fresh chopped oregano, basil and minced garlic into the sauce for extra flavor.

When zucchini is crisp-tender, remove from oven.  Place meatballs into zucchini boats and pour sauce over the top.  Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top.  Broil for 2 minutes to melt the cheese.  Serve garnished with fresh basil if desired.

Ravishing Radish Salad with Fresh Herbs

Our garden had a surge of radishes that were ready to be harvested, so I made this fresh salad using ingredients mostly all from my garden.  It will be awhile until the cucumbers are ready for harvesting, so I picked up one from the store, but the lettuce, basil, dill, and chives came from my garden.  It's a simple recipe, but it was a really good salad and I'll definitely add this to the "make again" folder.  When it came to writing up the ingredient list, I estimated the herbs because I just snipped a bunch without worrying about exact measurements.


Anne's Radish Salad with Herbs and Dressing
Serves 3-4 as side dish

Ingredients:
5 large radishes, chopped
1/2 cucumber, chopped
handful of lettuce leaves, torn to pieces
~6 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
~1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill 
~1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.

In a large bowl, toss together all the veggies and herbs.  Pour enough dressing over salad just to lightly coat when tossed (or more if you like it that way).

Lemon Dill Salmon in Foil

I was in the mood for salmon and this recipe was a good way to use more of the fresh dill from my garden.  The salmon was very flavorful.  I mostly got buttery lemon flavor with a hint of dill.  I paired it with quinoa and Parmesan roasted asparagus.

Lemon-Dill Salmon in Foil

Ingredients:
1 lb salmon
1/4 cup butter, melted  (I'd use less next time)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons chopped dill, divided
salt and pepper

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, lemon juice, zest, garlic, and 1 tablespoon dill.

Line a baking sheet with foil and place salmon on it, skin side down.  (I pre-cut the salmon into fillets and lined them up next to each other in the same foil.) Salt and pepper the salmon to taste.  Fold up all 4 sides of the foil, making a boat, and spoon the butter mixture all over the salmon.  Seal the foil closed.

Bake at 375º for about 20 minutes until cooked and salmon flakes easily.  Serve garnished with fresh dill.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

I saw fresh rhubarb in the grocery store so I scooped some up (cost me only 50 cents!) and also scored some strawberries that were on sale.  We don't eat dessert very often, so I decided it was time for a treat!  This pie was DELICIOUS.  I'm glad I made my own crust.  It tastes better than the store-bought ones.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Ingredients:
1 pie crust (See recipe below)
3 cups rhubarb in 1/4"-thick slices (about 5-6 medium stalks, ~12-16oz)
2 cups sliced strawberries (~12 oz)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch

Streusel Topping:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

Directions:
Roll out the pie dough to about a 12" diameter circle and place in a 9-inch pie plate, trimming and fluting the edges to make it pretty.

In a large bowl, stir together the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, and cornstarch.  As you keep stirring, it will turn thick and syrupy.  Pour the strawberry mixture over the pie dough.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and brown sugar.  Add the butter, using a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the flour until it has the consistency of coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the pie.  Place pie plate on a baking sheet (just in case filling bubbles out), and bake at 375º for 50-55 minutes until streusel is golden.   Check on the pie halfway through cooking time and place foil around crust if it is getting too brown.

Let pie cool completely before slicing.

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Buttery Pie Crust Recipe 

(Makes 2 Crusts-- you can freeze half the dough for another time if not needed)

Ingredients:
2&1/2 cups flour
1&1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
3/4 cup vegetable shortening, chilled
1/2 cup ice water

Directions:
Stir the flour and salt in a large bowl.  Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter and shortening until it resembles coarse crumbs.   Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring between each addition.  Only add enough water until the dough begins to form large clumps (usually about 1/2 cup total).

Transfer dough to a floured work surface and fold the dough unto itself several times until flour is fully incorporated into the fats.  Form the dough into a ball and divide into 2 equal pieces.  Using your hands, flatten each piece into a 1-inch thick circular disc.  Wrap each disc in plastic wrap.   Refrigerate at least 2 hours (up to 5 days).  [If saving for the future, freeze disc for up to 3 months and thaw in fridge.]

Roll out dough starting from center and roll outward in all directions until it's about 12-inches in diameter.  Follow baking instructions per pie recipe.

Ground Turkey Enchilada Casserole

I wanted something different than our typical taco night, so I decided to make an Enchilada casserole.  I found a couple different recipes online and then combined and edited them to make my own recipe.  It turned out better than I expected.  I absolutely loved the flavor.  Jeremy said it was good, but he wanted a "crunch" element.  Perhaps sprinkled tortilla chips or Fritos for Jeremy's leftovers?

Ground Turkey Enchilada Casserole
Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
1 lb Ground Turkey (or Ground Beef or Shredded Chicken, etc)
1 large red bell pepper, cored and diced
1 small onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
pinch salt
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn kernels (I used frozen)
1 can (10 oz) Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles
1 can (10 oz) Red Enchilada Sauce  (I used mild, but you can kick it up)
12 (6") corn tortillas
3 cups shredded Monterrey Jack or cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
Optional Toppings: Chopped fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, sour cream, avocado, etc

Directions:
Cook the turkey/beef in a large skillet over medium heat until done.  Transfer meat to a bowl.   Using the juices still in the skillet, saute the bell pepper and onions until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the spices and add the meat back into the skillet.  Stir in the beans, corn, tomatoes, and 1/2 of the enchilada sauce.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a 9x13" baking dish, pour the remaining 1/2 can of enchilada sauce to thinly cover the bottom.   Arrange 6 tortillas so they cover the bottom, overlapping slightly.  Spoon half the meat mixture over the tortillas.  Top with 1&1/2 cups shredded cheese.  Arrange the remaining 6 tortillas, followed by the remaining meat mixture, topped with the remaining cheese.

Bake, covered with foil, at 375º for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes.  Serve warm with toppings of your choice.

Make Ahead Note:  I think this recipe lends itself well to make ahead/freezing.   I actually prepared the casserole layering earlier in the day and then put it in the fridge, covered.  When it was time to eat in the evening, I put it in the oven to bake.  I'm sure you could make this into smaller casserole dishes and freeze some for another day.

Skillet Lemon Dill Chicken Thighs and Roasted Dill Potatoes

The dill in my herb garden is doing really well this year, so I harvested some and made these dill-flavored dishes.  The dill was pretty subtle in comparison to the lemon flavor, but the overall dish was delicious.  I'll definitely put this in my "make again" folder.  The potatoes roasted in the oven in the time it took to make the chicken dish, so the timing was perfect.

Skillet Lemon Dill Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:
1 to 1&1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat.
salt and pepper
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour, divided
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
pinch grated lemon rind

Directions:
Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Dredge in 1/4 cup flour to evenly coat.  Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165ºF, about 4-5 minutes per side.  Remove to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk 1 tablespoon flour into the skillet juices.  Gradually whisk in the chicken stock and lemon juice.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.  Stir in dill and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Return chicken to skillet, spooning sauce over thighs.  Serve and sprinkle with fresh dill and grated lemon rind if desired.

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Roasted Dill Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 lb baby gold potatoes, cut in 1/2 lengthwise
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 small lemon
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill (for serving)

Directions:
In a small bowl, stir together olive oil, butter, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper.  Add the potatoes and toss to coat.  Transfer to a baking pan and roast at 450º for 15 minutes.   Squeeze lemon juice over the potatoes and sprinkle with fresh dill.

Grilled Chicken

I loved grilled chicken because it stays so juicy.  I found this recipe online and it didn't disappoint.  Easy marinade with on hand ingredients, quick grill time, and it was delicious.  I'll definitely use this recipe again.

Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:
Up to 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
~ 1-2 teaspoons lemon zest (1 lemon)

 Directions:
Using a meat mallet, pound chicken to even ~1/2" thickness.  If thicker, grill time will be longer.

In a gallon-sized ziplock bag, combine the remaining ingredients.  Add the chicken to the bag and massage the marinade into the chicken.  Seal bag, place in bowl, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Grill chicken over medium-high heat for 3 minutes per side until meat thermometer reads 165º F  (Ours were a little thicker and required ~5-6 minutes per side).  Transfer to a platter and serve. 

Classic Chili

I was in the mood for chili, and I had ground turkey in the freezer, so I found this classic recipe and just substituted the meat.  We had elbow macaroni on hand so we made it chili-mac.  Tasted good.

Classic Chili

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
2&1/2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1&1/2 cups beef broth (or chicken broth)
1 can (15 oz) petite diced tomatoes
1 can (16 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook for a few minutes.  Add the ground beef to the pot and cook for 5-6 minutes until the beef is browned, breaking up large chunks and stirring occasionally.

Add the seasonings and stir.   Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.   Bring the chili to a low boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes.   Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes before serving.  Serve as is or with noodles, cheese, cilantro, or favorite chili garnish.

Instant Pot Red Cabbage

While the Polish Kielbasa was boiling on the stovetop, I prepared this side dish in the Instant Pot.  Next time, I'd cut the recipe in half because we were eating cabbage for several days in a row (but it still tasted good).  This was a perfect way to make this recipe which typically cooks very slowly on the stovetop. 

Instant Pot Red Cabbage
Makes >8 servings

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
1 onion, sliced
1 head (2 lb) red cabbage, thinly shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon sugar
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced

Directions:
Using the Saute setting, melt the better in the Instant Pot. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until just starting to soften.  Stir in the cabbage and cook for a couple minutes.  Stir in the salt, pepper, and allspice.  Add in the vinegar, juice, and sugar, and stir well.  Cancel Saute mode.

Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook on high for 5 minutes.  When finished, quick release pressure.  Stir cabbage, season to taste, and serve.

Cheesy Chicken Casserole

Not healthy.  Don't care.  Sometimes you just need cheese and bacon.  It was yummy.  I just cooked a whole chicken in the Instant Pot, so I shredded it and used some of that chicken for this recipe.  I also threw in some broccoli in an attempt to add at least some nutritional value.  Approximate measurements in recipe---I mostly just threw handfuls of stuff in and hoped for the best.  It worked.  Looking forward to leftovers tonight. 

Cheesy Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:
~1-1&1/2 lbs cooked chicken (cubed, shredded, whatever)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
~2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
6 slices bacon
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 packet Dry Ranch Mix (optional)
4 oz cream cheese, room temp
1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1-2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs (optional)

Directions:
Season the cooked chicken with ground black pepper.  Place in large bowl.

Cook the macaroni per package directions and drain.  Add to bowl.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet.  Let bacon cool on paper towel.  Drain all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease.

In same skillet, add the pepper, onion, and garlic.  Cook for 3-5 minutes until tender.  Add to bowl.

In same skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Whisk in flour until paste forms.  Gradually add milk while continuously whisking.  Stir in the Ranch, cream cheese, and cream cream of chicken soup until combined.  Stir in 1&1/2 cups of cheddar cheese.  Pour cheesy sauce into bowl with chicken and pasta and veggies. 

Add broccoli or other veggie to bowl and stir everything to combine.  Pour mixture into a 13x9" baking pan.  Top with crumbled cooked bacon, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, and bread crumbs.  Bake at 375º for 20-30 minutes until mixture is bubbly and cheese is melted.  Enjoy!

Instant Pot Whole Chicken

I could only find whole chickens in the grocery store a couple weeks ago, so I purchased one.  I decided to try to cook it rotisserie-style in the Instant Pot.  It worked, especially just for shredding up the meat.  The skin wasn't crisp enough for my liking though.  Next time, I might try broiling it for a couple minutes after it's done pressure cooking.   I completely forgot to take a photo until I was halfway done shredding it up.  Oh well.

Instant Pot Whole Chicken

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (~4-5 lbs), innards removed

1 lemon, cut in half

1 small onion, cut in half

Rotisserie Seasoning:

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

dash of cayenne pepper

Directions:

Rub seasoning mixture all over chicken.   Stuff the chicken cavity with the lemon and onion.

Place a trivet in the Instant Pot and pour in 1 cup water or chicken broth.  Place chicken on trivet.  Pressure cook on high for 6 minutes per pound of chicken (30 minutes for a 5-lb chicken).  Let pressure naturally release for 15-20 minutes before removing lid.  Insert a meat thermometer into chicken thigh and make sure it has reached 165º F.  Remove chicken from pot and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing or shredding.

Grilled Chicken

We felt like grilling out, so I made this chicken recipe.  It was excellent--juicy and flavorful.  I also made some foil pouches with beans and potatoes for the grill.

Unbelievable Grilled Chicken
From allrecipes

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic
1 lime, juiced (2 TBSP)
1 lemon, juiced (3 TBSP)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together all the marinade ingredients (everything except chicken).   Place chicken in a large resealable bag and pour marinade into bag, tossing to coat.  Chill in fridge 8 hours or overnight.

Remove chicken from marinade and discard liquid.   Grill chicken 6 to 8 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165ºF.