Open-Face Zucchini Omelette

(serves 1)

1/2 small green zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick

2-3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

2 eggs

1/2 clove garlic, minced

2 large basil leaves sliced ‘chiffonade‘

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese

a little onion powder

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/4 of a lemon

Heat 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown zucchini slices until golden on both sides. Transfer to a plate. Brown the garlic until just golden and transfer to zucchini plate. Add 1 more teaspoon oil to the skillet. Beat the two eggs with 2 Tablespoons water. Add to the skillet, swirling slightly to evenly coat the bottom. Arrange zucchini slices and basil over the top of the omelette. Sprinkle the garlic, salt, pepper, and onion powder over. Cook until omelette is set and the bottom is golden brown. Transfer to a plate. Sprinkle the cheeses over the top and serve with a lemon wedge for squeezing over.

Enjoy!

~Melissa

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6 small, firm zucchini, grated

3 carrots peeled and grated

1 yellow bell pepper,stem and seeds removed

5 large radishes, ends trimmed

1 stalk celery, ends trimmed, chopped fine

3 ears sweet corn, kernels cut from cob

1/4 cup mixed, fresh herbs (such as basil, parsley, oregano or dill)-chopped fine

1/4 cup mayonnaise

6 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon celery seeds

1 and 1/2 Tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest

freshly ground black pepper

Grate zucchini and carrots (using the side of the grater that produces the largest veggie ribbons.) Transfer to a large bowl.  Cut the yellow pepper and radishes into 1-inch matchsticks and add to bowl. Add finely chopped celery, the fresh sweet corn kernels and fresh herbs. In a small bowl, combine mayo, lemon juice, celery seed, sugar, salt, lemon zest, and a few turns of freshly grated black pepper. Mix well. Pour over vegetables and toss to thoroughly combine all ingredients. Garnish with zucchini blossoms if desired.

Enjoy!

~Melissa

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Leisa’s Gypsy Stew

2- 14 oz. cans chickpeas, drained

1- 14 0z can fire diced, fire roasted tomatoes

2 big carrots, thickly sliced

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed

2 large red potatoes, unpeeled and cubed

9 cups rich, homemade chicken stock (or canned)

1 cup dry white wine

4 large basil leaves, chopped fine

2 Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped fine

1/2 cup Moroccan preserved lemons plus a little juice from the jar

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked and chopped

1 Tablespoon smoked paprika

1 pinch saffron threads

1 Tablespoon sweet curry

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 pinch ground cloves

2 bay leaves

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Add all above ingredients to a large crockpot

In a skillet:

heat 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Add~

3 large stalks celery, chopped (plus tops)

7 scallions, chopped (plus tops)

Cook until tender.

Add~

3 large garlic cloves, minced

Cook until golden brown.

Add celery/onion/garlic mixture to crockpot.

Turn on high until stew comes to a low boil (about 3 hours.)

Turn to low and cook an additional hour.

(If you’re going to be gone all day, just set the crockpot on low for the day.)

Serve with…

Leisa’s Gypsy Bread

1 loaf good quality French bread

1 c. grated sharp Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 c. real  mayonnaise

1/2 tsp. curry powder

1/2 c. chopped kalamata olives

1 cup mozarella cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons dried parsley

Slice the loaf of bread lengthwise. Combine the rest of the ingredients until spreadable. Spread on the bread and broil at least 6 inches from the heating unit until cheese melts.
For Picnics: Prepare as directed but don’t broil. Wrap in foil, and pack in ziplocks. place in a cooler on ice. Grill or place foil pack on a campfire until heated through.

Enjoy!

~Melissa

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“Italy is a dream that keeps returning for the rest of your life.” ~Anna Akhmatova

This is our family’s favorite Italian salad. A beautiful, simple, healthy summer dish or first course for a more elaborate Italian meal.

Insalata Caprese

6 ripe Roma tomatoes sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese sliced 1/4 inch thick

10 large, fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 large garlic cloves

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Mince garlic and add to oil. Saute until the garlic turns barely golden. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Assemble salad by alternating the tomatoes, fresh mozarella, and basil leaves in a swirl pattern on a large plate or serving platter. Sprinkle with salt and fresh pepper. Drizzle the olive oil/garlic mixture over. We like to serve this salad with slices of fresh Italian bread that have been lightly buttered and toasted on a skillet. Just pile the salad on the toast. Yum!

Enjoy!

~Melissa

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“It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.”
-  Lewis Grizzard

I wanted to make our dinner plate look like an artist’s palette.

So, I arranged a rainbow of ingredients on a white plate.

Red- oven roasted tomatoes on top of huge, grilled Portobello mushroom caps and a single radish

Orange- oven roasted carrots

Yellow-cous cous topped with Parmesan curls and a lemon slice

Green- a little ramekin of cucumber salad with fresh dill and a lime slice

Blue- tablecloth

Purple- a nice glass of Cabernet Sauvignon

*

To oven roast carrots and tomatoes-

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Wash, peel, and slice 8 large carrots about 1/4 inch thick (lengthwise.) Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet in a single layer and drizzle with a little more extra virgin olive oil. Wash and quarter 4 medium size tomatoes. Coat with EVOO, place on baking sheet in a single layer along with the carrots. (Or use another baking sheet if you don’t have room on one.) Sprinkle all with a little salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake for 30-45 minutes, checking veggies for desired doneness.

For the cucumber salad-

Wash and thinly slice 1 large cucumber. Add 1/4 cup thinly sliced sweet onion, 1 Tablespoon chopped, fresh dill, 1/4 cup real mayonnaise, a splash of white vinegar, and a little white sugar, salt and pepper (to taste.) Chill until ready to serve.

Serves 4

Enjoy!

~Melissa

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~Pablo Neruda

Yesterday when we got home from the pool we were in the mood for something with lemons. I had made a new batch of my Moroccan preserved lemons a couple weeks ago and decided to make lemon spaghetti with shrimp for dinner. So delicious.

Moroccan Preserved Lemons

12 Meyer lemons

Kosher salt

lemon juice concentrate

Wash the lemons thoroughly. Hold them over a plate to catch the juice and make four deep cuts in the lemons lengthwise, evenly spaced around the lemon, effectively dividing it into four sections attached at the ends. Keep the lemons whole.  Pack the cuts generously with salt. Put a couple of tablespoons of salt in the bottom of a jar and pack the lemons in layers, sprinkling a thin layer of salt between each layer of lemons. Push the lemons down firmly to pack them tightly and to help express some of their juice. Finish with a final layer of salt. Pour any juices that collected on the plate when the lemons were cut. Cover the jar tightly. Leave at room temperature for a few days, monitoring the level of liquid in the jar. The lemons should be submerged in juice after a few days. If they are not, add some lemon juice concentrate to the jar. Top off jar with a little extra virgin olive oil. Cover tightly with lid. The lemons will be ready to eat in a few weeks and will keep for up to a year in the refrigerator.

Leisa’s Lemon Spaghetti

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup chopped, Moroccan preserved lemons plus a little juice

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1 pound fresh shrimp, cooked until just pink

3 cloves fresh garlic, minced and cooked in butter until golden

1 lb. spaghetti, cooked al dente

2 green onions, chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.  Combine the rest of the ingredients and toss with pasta. Serve warm or chilled.

Enjoy!

~Melissa

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From the movie Big Daddy starring Adam Sandler

My friend Sandy is so sweet! She sent me this YUMMY recipe for rhubarb ketchup. I know what you might be thinking….Rhubarb KETCHUP? Well, that’s what Jeff said…and then he tried it. He’s now a rhubarb ketchup enthusiast.

Rhubarb Ketchup is sweet and tangy and vinegary and a perfect substitute for, well, Heinz. It also tastes a bit like chutney, so you could try it in place of the mango Major Grey’s that a lot of people I know, including myself, always have at the ready in the fridge. I tweaked this recipe a little and decided to make 1/4 of the original recipe….

You’re gonna LOVE this

Rhubarb Ketchup

1 cup fresh rhubarb, chopped

2 medium size, ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 cup vinegar (I used apple cider)

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 Tablespoons white sugar

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

a couple turns of freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a medium flame, stirring frequently until thick (30 to 45 minutes.)

Cool completely. Transfer to a canning jar or a salad dressing cruet. Keeps in the refrigerator up to two weeks.

Enjoy!

~Melissa

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My brother-in-law, Mike, was stationed on Oahu for four years when he was in the Air Force. He has told Jeff and I stories about mountain biking through passion fruit groves and almost swooning from the intoxicating aroma of the fruit mixed with all of the other amazing scents you encounter when you’re on a Hawaiian island. He likes mangoes too…hee hee. ‘Nuff said

Jeff and I planned a 10 day trip to Maui in 2003 and before we left we asked Mike if there was anything we needed to see or do while we were there. The only two things he said we HAD to do was go to “Cheeseburger in Paradise” and get a cold ginger chicken plate lunch. Well, we did get to see Cheeseburger in Paradise but, frankly, the 2 hour wait seemed a bit extreme for a cheeseburger. We scoured the island looking for the elusive cold ginger chicken plate lunch. A couple times we found places that served it, but they were always out. We never did have cold ginger chicken while on Maui, and I don’t think I’ve ever been brave enough to tell Mike.

When we got home I looked for a recipe for cold ginger chicken plate lunch online and actually found a couple authentic Hawaiian recipes for this mouthwatering delicacy. After some tweaking, and about 20 batches I think I might make it better than the Hawaiians, of course it is impossible for me to know for sure. I’ve added a bit of vinegar and brown sugar to my recipe, which I think makes this once very good recipe absolutely fantastic.

We just had the privilege of spending the day with Jeff’s dad Greg, his bro Mike and Mike’s wife Robin this past weekend. They are the nicest people you will ever meet, and we can’t wait to see them again. Already trying to coordinate a trip out to Spokane to visit!

Although you do have to be a ginger fan to enjoy this, don’t worry about the whopping two CUPS of ginger that the recipe calls for. Something magical happens when you mix the pureed ginger with the olive oil.

Cold Ginger Chicken-

Rub 2 fryer chickens (skin on) with a generous amount of kosher salt (about 1/2 cup)

peel of two tangerines or limes

Allow chicken to chill in fridge with the salt rub for 2 to 24 hours. Boil with citrus peel until just done.

Cool on counter. Cover and chill in refrigerator until completely cold.

Sauce:

2 cups fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

8 stalks green onion plus tops, chopped

4 cloves garlic

3 cups extra virgin olive oil (or a combination of EVOO and peanut oil)

6 Tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons salt

Puree in food processor until smooth. Chill completely. When ready to serve, plate the chicken and top with the sauce. Garnish with extra chopped green onion if desired.

Enjoy!

Aloha!

~Melissa

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I’m just waiting for the Dolly Parton jokes to start rolling in This is a celebrity recipe, which means Dolly herself may or may not have actually made this dish…At any rate, it is very good and easy to prepare. There’s a fair amount of vegetables in it and Gracie still loves it. Maybe your kiddos will too.

Servings: 8

3 large potatoes washed and sliced thin
1 lb. extra lean ground beef, browned and crumbled
1 large onion, sliced
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 green bell pepper, sliced

salt and pepper to taste (I use Lawry’s Seasoning salt and fresh ground pepper in this recipe. I also added a little garlic powder.)

Lightly grease a 9×13 glass cake pan with olive oil or butter.Layer potatoes and drizzle on a little more olive oil or melted butter. Add beef, onions, tomatoes and green peppers. Add seasonings. Cover with foil and bake for 2 hours at 350 degrees F.

Enjoy!

~Melissa

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“The trouble is, you cannot grow just one zucchini.  Minutes after you plant a single seed,
hundreds of zucchini will barge out of the ground and sprawl around the garden,
menacing the other vegetables.  At night, you will be able to hear the ground quake
as more and more zucchinis erupt.”
-   Dave Barry

We pretty much grill every night. This is an extremely easy recipe that we prepare quite often in the summer. Thank You Chantelle for the BEAUTIFUL round metal skewers! Love you!

To make: Cut your favorite vegetables and meats into big chunks. We combined baby red, yellow and orange peppers, onions, zucchini, grape tomatoes, mushrooms and a little fresh pineapple. For the meat skewers we chose chicken breast and porterhouse steaks. (Keep the meats and vegetables separate when marinating.)  We poured some extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and red wine over everything. We added minced garlic, onion powder, oregano, basil, parsley and freshly ground pepper along with some pineapple juice and Tony Cachare’s seasoned salt. Cover tightly and allow meat and veggie chunks to marinate for up to 24 hours before grilling.

To grill: Prepare grill. Drain and discard marinade. Alternately thread the steak, chicken and vegetables onto metal or soaked wooden skewers, leaving a little room between each item. Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 6-8 minutes. Turn kabobs; cook 6-8 minutes longer or until beef and chicken reach desired doneness.

Enjoy!

~Melissa

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