Letting the Side Dish Shine

Every single holiday, Thanksgiving in particular, the side dishes are always my favorite part!  So I wanted to use our sugar snap peas, tomatoes, and garlic from our CSA box to make a delicious side.  I added a bit of starch to pull the meal together with grilled balsamic chicken.

Garlic Snap Peas and Tomatoes with Orzo
- 15-20 sugar snap peas
- 1 tbsp. water
- 10-12 small tomatoes
- 2 small or 1 large clove of garlic
- cooking spray
- 1/2 cup uncooked orzo
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1 tbsp basil
- salt and pepper for seasoning

Decided to add basil from our plant at the last minute

Start by starting a pot of boiling water.  Meanwhile, cut the ends off the snap peas, cut the tomatoes in half, and coarsely chop the garlic.

Once water begins boiling, add salt for flavor.  Add orzo and cook according to package directions.  Meanwhile, heat a pan over medium high heat with the cooking spray.  Add the snap peas and the tbsp. of water and saute for 1-2 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add tomatoes and cook for another minute.  Season with salt and pepper.  Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water and add to the vegetables.  Drain the orzo when ready and add the orzo in with the vegetables and the butter and stir until butter is melted and ingredients are combined.  Season with salt and pepper.
 Serve and enjoy!   

Oh, P.S. for the chicken, all I did was marinate it in balsamic vinaigrette for about an hour and cooked on a hot grill.

Vodka is not just for drinking :)

Well, I am apologizing in advanced for my lack of pictures for tonight's recipe!  I was cleaning all day and we went to the pool because its HOT HOT HOT outside!!  We stayed longer than planned and rushed home to make dinner nad taking pictures totally slipped my mind!  Anyway, tonight's dinner was Pasta with Vodka Sauce and the CSA items used included Vine-ripe tomatoes, basil, and garlic.  Tom and I both love Italian food, (I mean really, who doesn't!?!)  Here's the recipe!

Basil plant we potted from our CSA

Garlic from this week's CSA

Boyd and Blair Vodka...this did NOT come in our CSA :)  But it it local!  It's made in Glenshaw, PA.  It's fabulous.

Pasta with Vodka Sauce
- 12-16 oz. of pasta (or less if you don't want leftovers)
- 2 vine-ripe tomatoes, crushed...or a can of crushed tomatoes (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 3-4 sausage links of your choice (I used the al fresca roasted garlic chicken sausage)
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- 1/3 cup vodka (I used Boyd and Blair, my favorite, and made right in Glenshaw, PA!)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (just a little!!)
- 5-6 big leaves of basil, chopped
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste/season

Fill a large pot with water and set on high until it comes to a boil.  Salt the water generously, and add your pasta of choice. (I used penne).  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain, and return to hot pot.

Also, the recipe calls for crushed tomatoes.  I had fresh ones and made them into crushed tomatoes.  Cut the tomatoes in half.  Hold the tomato with the skin side out and slide back and forth on the large grater of a box grater until you get to just the skin.  This sure beat boiling and peeling them and you are left with crushed tomatoes!  Add 1 tsp. of sugar and 1/2 tsp. of salt.  Set aside.  

Use this side of the grater, then you are left with just the tomato skin, as shown!

Meanwhile, add 1-1/2 Tbsp. of olive oil to pan on medium to medium high heat.  Slice the sausages into pieces on a bias.  You could also just remove it from the casing all together and brown it that way.  Add it to the pan and brown it until golden brown on both sides (about 2-3 minutes per side)  Next, dice 1/2 of an onion and add to the pan.  You may need to add a bit more olive oil here.  Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne.  Cook for 3-5 minutes until onions are translucent.  Then, grate 2-3 cloves of garlic over top and cook for another 30 seconds or so. 

Add the crushed tomatoes from earlier (about 3/4 cup from 2 tomatoes).  Let it simmer and reduce for 3-5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the vodka (best part!).  Allow that to reduce another 4-5 minutes or so.  Add the heavy cream and stir occasionally, allowing that to reduce 3-4 minutes.  Finally, add the chopped basil and Parmesan cheese and stir in with the hot pasta until covered.  Enjoy!!

Salad Night!

Salad night...boring, right?  I have a "go-to" salad base that consists of lettuce, dried cranberries, goat cheese, and some sort of nut.  I exchange proteins as needed.  As I mentioned in the last post, I got a TON of Romaine lettuce in our CSA, I knew I would have to have a salad night.  I also had some beets from our CSA that I decided to make into chips, because let's face it, who doesn't like something crispy and crunchy in their salad?!?  Salad night doesn't have to be boring!  Keep reading for my little creation! 


Shrimp Salad with Beet Chips
- 4-6 cups of Romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
- 10-12 shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 4 oz. goat cheese
- 1/4 cup of your nut of choice (I used Emeralds Pecan Pie for a little extra sweetness)
- dressing of your choice (I used champagne vinaigrette)
- 1 clove of garlic

-2 beets
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp salt

Beet chips: I just got a mandolin for my birthday from my mom and dad, so I was pumped to use it for the beet chips.  If you don't have a mandolin, just slice them as thinly as possible. 

Preheat oven to 350.  Peel the beets and cut off the ends.

Be prepared to have red hands :)

Slice beets between 1/16 and 1/8 of an inch thin.  Toss with the olive oil and salt and line in a single layer on a rimmed sheet pan. 

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the beets start to turn lighter in color.  Lay them on a wire rack to cool for a few minutes.  They will crisp upon cooling.

 

For the Salad:

 Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a pan on medium heat.  Add one clove or garlic, minced.  Add the shrimp and cook on both sides for 2-3 minutes per side until pink.  Set aside.

 

Toss the lettuce, cranberries, crumbled goat cheese, and pecans together.  Add shrimp and beet chips on top with dressing, and enjoy!

 

 

Buffalo Chicken Wraps, a bit lighter

My husband, Tom gets buffalo chicken wraps at work every Tuesday.  It's your typical fried chicken wrapped in a flour tortilla.  It inspired me for this meal.

I got a HUGE head of Romaine Lettuce this week in our CSA.  I had no idea what I was going to do with all of it!  As I was washing it to put it away and pulling off the leaves, I thought, these would make a good wrap for a lettuce wrap.  Then Tom started talking about Buffalo Chicken Day at work, and BING--dinner!

Romaine Buffalo Chicken Wraps
- 4-6 chicken breast tenders
- 1/4 cup Ken's Buffalo Wing Sauce and Marinade (or whatever you like)
- 6-8 romaine lettuce outer leaves, intact
- shredded cheddar
- ranch dressing

 Marinate the chicken in the sauce for about 30 minutes, or longer.  Bake in a 350 oven for about 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken.  Place chicken in leaves, add cheese and dressing, wrap, enjoy!  Pretty easy!!

Smoothie experiment

What better way to get your fruits and veggies than to drink them?  And not in some sugary, syrup filled juice either!  Tonight I experimented with our fridge and made a smoothie that had 3 full servings of fruits/vegetables in it.

Strawberry-Kale Smoothie
- Handful of kale (from our CSA)
- 8-9 strawberries (from our CSA)
- 6 frozen blueberries (I randomly had on hand)
- 1/4 cup greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup POM juice
- 4-5 ice cubes
- 1 banana, slightly soft

1. Blend it all up in a blender
2. DRINK!
3. Feel a little bit better about yourself.

Cool- Rabi

I have found a new favorite vegetable!!  Kohlrabi!  I had heard of it but never actually eaten one and probably could not have picked it out of a vegetable lineup.  It is a perfect replacement for potatoes!  Has the same texture as a potato and has a slight cabbage taste to it.

Kohlrabi and Ham Gratin
- 1 kohlrabi bulb, thinly sliced
- 1 piece ham steak
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup half n half
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumb
- salt and pepper

Sorry, forgot to take a picture of all of the ingredients!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Using a knife, cut away the outer, tough layer of the kohlrabi.  Thinly slice it like you would potatoes in a gratin.  Put into a small casserole dish.  Cube ham and add with kohlrabi.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Pour half n half over until everything is just about covered, and combine all ingredients.  Top with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.  Bake it for about 50 minutes.  I added a little bit of cheddar cheese the last 10 minutes.  I know this isn't the healthiest meal, but hey its all about moderation, and at least I cut back on the carbs from potatoes, right??  :)

By the way, this was reallllllly good.  Tom asked me to make it again soon!

Say Cheese!

Today's stars: KALE and RADISHES!  I rarely have seen radishes in many place other than veggie trays and salad.  It's a food I typically wouldn't buy, but since it was in our CSA I had to put on my thinking cap!  As far as kale, that never comes in small batches, so I did a few different things with the kale.

I made a Goat Cheese Spread with Kale and Radishes.  I got the inspiration from Pinterest, but I knew radishes and kale would go together well with their bitter and peppery flavors mixed with the tang of the goat cheese.  And, who doesn't love goat cheese!?!?

Goat Cheese Spread with Kale and Radishes
- 12 oz. Goat Cheese (1 small log and 1 big log)
- 3 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp. dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. garlic salt
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 4-5 small radishes, finely sliced
- 1/2 bunch of kale, thinly sliced

Chop the kale and radishes and add to a medium bowl.  Add the goat cheese, mayo, mustard, garlic salt, and garlic.  Mix it all together and form a ball. (I used my hands, it was the easiest).  Serve right away or wrap in press n seal and put in the fridge.  Serve with your choice of bread or cracker.  I used a baguette and those delicious gluten free crackers that you find in the deli at the grocery store.  I took this to our friend, Adam and Dabney's daughter, Shiley's baptism today.  It was a hot one!  I did get quite a few compliments on the spread, which is always good!!  Have a great Sunday night all....try to relax before the week gets here!

Shiley had a great time, but man it was hot!!

Oh, P.S.  I also made kale chips with some of the leftover kale.  I love easy, salty snacks, so this is perfect!

Kale Chips
- kale (as much or as little as you want), torn into bite sized pieces
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Put kale on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and mix with salt.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until kale starts to get crispy an slightly brown, but not burnt.  Enjoy!  Easy, right?