- Roasted Greek Potatoes

ROASTED GREEK POTATOES


8 large red potatoes cut into wedges (skins left on)
½ c olive oil
1 T prepared mustard
½ c lemon juice
1 T oregano
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 c water
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 400°.

Place the potatoes in a baking pan and pour the oil over them. Mix and coat well. Sprinkle the garlic slices over the potatoes. In a medium size bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and pour that mixture over the potatoes. Stir to ensure the potatoes are coated. Bake for 1½ hrs, turning at least once, until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the potatoes are golden.

- Guacamole Salad

GUACAMOLE SALAD


1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and ½ inch diced
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
½ c small-diced red onion
2 T minced jalapeňo peppers, seeded (2 peppers) see note
½ tsp freshly granted lime zest
¼ c freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes)
¼ c olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
2 ripe Hass avocados, seeded, peeled and ½- inch diced

Place the tomatoes, yellow pepper, black beans, red onion, jalapeňo peppers, and lime zest in a large bowl. Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic and cayenne pepper and pour over the vegetables. Toss well.

Just before you’re ready to serve the salad, fold the avocados into the salad. Check the seasoning and serve at room temperature.

Notes:

1. If you are a guacamole lover, as I am, you will love this!
2. I left the jalapeňo peppers out.

- Crispy Potato Roast

CRISPY POTATO ROAST
3 t butter, melted
3 T extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1/2 to 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
4 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled (smaller diameter potatoes are great, if you can find them)
4 shallots, peeled
8 sprigs thyme
Garnishes (optional): Bits of goat cheese, crumbles of bacon and/or bits of crisped pancetta
Preheat oven to 375 °°.
In a small bowl, combine butter and oil. With a sharp knife or manoline, slice potatoes crosswise very thinly. The original recipe suggests a 9-inch round baking dish (a deep dish pie pan would fit this bill) but I used a cast iron frying pan.
Pour a tablespoon or so of the butter/oil mixture in the bottom and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the oil mixture with a few pinches of coarse salt and red pepper flakes, if using; this will allow you to season both the top and underside of the potatoes. Arrange your potato slices vertically in the dish.
Thinly slice shallots and slide shallot slivers between potato wedges, distributing them as evenly as possible. Brush with remaining oil/butter mixture. Generously season your dish with salt; go easier on the red pepper flakes, if using. Bake 1¼ hours, then arrange thyme sprigs on top and bake until potatoes are cooked through with a crisped top, about 35 minutes more. If casserole seems to brown too fast, cover it with foil to slow it down. Add any garnishes, if using, and serve immediately.

Notes:
1. The slicing is a pain but the dish was really nice. I used cooked, chopped bacon as a garnish.

- Apple Bacon Braised Cabbage

APPLE BACON BRAISED CABBAGE

Serves 6 as a side dish

6 slices of bacon chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 head of red cabbage, sliced thin or chopped
½ c cider vinegar
1 apple, cored and chopped
Salt and pepper

Crisp the bacon in a large pot over medium-high heat. Fry until evenly browned then add the onion. Continue until the onion softens and lightly browns, stirring up any brown bits from the bottom of pan. Add the cabbage, vinegar and apple and season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat. Stir as the cabbage begins to wilt then cover with a tight-fitting lid and slowly simmer until the cabbage is tender, 15 minutes or so.

Notes:
1. I was yakking on the phone as I was making this and tossed in the cabbage before the onions and it still turned out great. I just kept stirring until the cabbage and onions had broken down and then put the lid on. I took the lid off with about 5 minutes to go and stirred a bit more.

- Sauteed Mushrooms with Spinach

SAUTÉED MUSHROOMS WITH SPINACH


3 T butter
1 lb button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thinly
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
½ c sherry, Marsala, Madeira or port (see note)
Salt & pepper
4 handfuls of baby spinach

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt the butter. When it begins to foam, add mushrooms and onions and sauté until they begin to carmelize.

Deglaze the pan with sherry, season with salt & pepper and cook down, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

When the sherry has reduced, add spinach and stir until it has wilted. Adjust seasonings and serve immediately.

Serves 4


Notes:

1. I substituted the liquor with balsamic vinegar (about ¼ c) because there were children being served and notwithstanding that I always thought that cooking actually “cooked” out the alcohol, it doesn’t.
2. Nice, easy side dish.

- Vegetable Gratin

VEGETABLE GRATIN


6 T olive oil
1 lb zucchini, ends trimmed and sliced crosswise into ¼ inch thick slices
1 lb yellow summer squash (see note), cut like the zucchini
2 tsp table salt
1½ lb ripe tomatoes (3 to 4 large), sliced ¼ inch thick
2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and sliced thin pole to pole (about 3 c)
¾ tsp ground black pepper
2 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tsp)
1 T minced fresh thyme leaves
1 large slice white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
1 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 medium shallots, minced (about ¼ c)
1/4 c chopped fresh basil leaves

Serves 6 as a side dish

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400°. Brush a 13 x 9 baking dish with 1 T of oil and set aside.

Toss zucchini and summer squash slices with 1 tsp salt in a large bowl; transfer to a colander set over a bowl. Let stand until zucchini and squash release at least 3 T of liquid, about 45 minutes. Arrange slices on a triple layer of paper towels; cover with another triple layer of paper towels. Firmly press each slice to remove as much liquid as possible.

Place tomato slices in a single layer on a double layer of paper towels and sprinkle evenly with ½ tsp salt; let stand 30 minutes. Place second double layer of paper towels on top of tomatoes and press firmly to dry tomatoes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 T oil in a 12 inch non-stick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions, remaining ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and dark golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Set onions aside.

Combine garlic, 3 T oil, remaining ½ tsp pepper and thyme in a small bowl. In large bowl, toss zucchini and summer squash in half of oil mixture, then arrange in greased baking dish. Arrange caramelized onions in even lawyer over squash. Slightly overlap tomato slices in single layer on top of onions. Spoon remaining garlic-oil mixture evenly over tomatoes. Bake until vegetables are tender and tomatoes are starting to brown on edges, 40 to 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, process bread in food processor until finely ground, about 10 seconds (you should have about 1 cup of crumbs). Combine bread crumbs, remaining tablespoon of oil, Parmesan and shallots in a medium bowl. Remove baking dish from oven and increase heat to 450°. Sprinkle bread-crumb mixture evenly on top of tomatoes. Bake gratin until bubbling and cheese is lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes:
1. A summer squash is the same shape as a zucchini (I used an acorn squash because I thought it would have a stronger flavour).

- Crispy Smashed Potatoes

CRISPY SMASHED POTATOES


2 lbs red potatoes (2 inches in diameter)
6 T olive oil
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and black pepper

Adjust oven racks to top and bottom positions and heat oven to 500°. Arrange potatoes on rimmed baking sheet, pour ¾ c water onto baking sheet and wrap tightly with aluminum foil. Cook on bottom rack until paring knife or skewer slips in and out of potatoes easily (poke through foil to test), 25 to 30 minutes. Remove foil and cool 10 minutes. If any water remains on baking sheet, blot dry with paper towel.

Drizzle 3 T oil over potatoes and roll to coat. Space potatoes evenly on baking sheet and place second baking sheet on top; press down firmly on baking sheet, flattening potatoes until ⅓ to ½ inch thick. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and season generously with salt and pepper; drizzle evenly with remaining 3 T oil. Roast potatoes on top rack 15 minutes. Transfer potatoes to bottom rack and continue to roast until well browned, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

- Greek Panzanella

¾ c good olive oil, divided
6 cups (1 inch) diced rustic bread (I used Cob’s White Pane Di Casa)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 English cucumber, unpeeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced ½ inch thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded and large-diced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and large-diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
½ small red onion, thinly sliced in half rounds
¼ c good red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ tsp dried oregano, crushed
½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ lb good feta (I used my new favorite, Macedonian (very creamy & smooth))diced
½ c Kalamata olives, pitted


Heat ¼ c of the olive oil in a large (12 inch) sauté pan until hot. Add the bread and sprinkle with salt and pepper; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently (note I drizzled more oil during the cooking process), for 5 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned. Set aside.

Place the cucumber, bell peppers, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl and toss together.

For the vinaigrette, place the vinegar, garlic, oregano, mustard, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper in a small bowl and whisk together. Whisking constantly, slowly add the remaining ½ c of olive oil to make an emulsion.

Add the feta, olives, and bread to the vegetables in the bowl, add the vinaigrette, and toss lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes for the flavors to develop. Season to taste and serve at room temperature.

Notes:

1. This is my new favorite salad. At first glance it seems like Greek salad with some bread thrown in but the flavors are absolutely amazing.

- Potato Basil Frittata

POTATO BASIL FRITTATA


8 T (1/2 c) unsalted butter, divided
2 c peeled and ½ inch diced boiling potatoes (Yukon Golds)
8 extra large eggs
15 oz ricotta cheese
¾ lb Gruyère cheese (see note)
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp finely ground black pepper
¾ c chopped fresh basil leaves
1/3 c all purpose flour
¾ tsp baking powder

Serves 8

Preheat oven to 350°.

Melt 3 T butter in a 10 inch oven proof pan (I used my well-seasoned cast iron pan) over medium low heat. Add the potatoes and fry them until cooked through, turning often, 10 to 15 minutes. Melt the remaining 5 T of butter in a small dish in the microwave.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then stir in the ricotta, Gruyère, melted butter, salt, pepper and basil. Sprinkle on the flour and baking powder and stir into the egg mixture.

Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes and place the pan in the center of the oven. Bake the frittata until it is browned and puffed, 50 minutes to an hour. It will be rounded and firm in the middle and a knife inserted in the frittata should come out clean. Serve hot.

Notes:

1. Made this yesterday for Mother’s Day and I really liked it. I am not a fan of Gruyère so I used a mixture of it, cheddar and mozzarella. It turned out great and what an easy thing to make when you are having company!

- Pecan Citrus Green Salad

PECAN CITRUS GREEN SALAD


Dressing:

6 T safflower or olive oil
4 T freshly squeezed orange juice
Grated zest of ½ a lime
2 T freshly squeezed lime juice
1 T (real) maple syrup
½ small shallot, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients and set aside (can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week).

Salad

6 c torn mixed greens or romaine lettuce
¾ c pecans halves
½ c dried cranberries

Place greens in a large salad bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle with pecans and cranberries.

- Spicy Noodle Salad

SPICY NOODLE SALAD


Dressing:
1/3 c soy sauce
¼ c white wine vinegar
2 T sweet chili sauce
2 T white sugar
2 T sesame oil
1 inch chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and minced or grated
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp chili flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ c vegetable oil


450 g vermicelli (based on my using ½ a 900 g package)
1 c grated carrots
3 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal


In a medium bowl (or jar), whisk together all of the sauce ingredients except for the oil. Gradually whisk in vegetable oil in a thin stream. Refrigerate until ready to use (can be made up to one week in advance). Whisk again (or if using a jar, shake vigorously) just before using.

Toss with cooked pasta, carrots and green onions.

Notes:

1. I like to mix the salad together about 3 hours before serving and leave it in the fridge until ready to serve.
2. Leftovers store very well in the fridge.

- Stir Fried Broccoli

STIR-FRIED BROCCOLI


3 T chicken broth
1 T dry sherry
3 T oyster sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp brown sugar
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp plus 1 T vegetable oil
1½ lbs broccoli florets cut into ¾ inch pieces, stalks trimmed and cut into ¼ inch slices
¼ tsp sugar


Whisk broth, sherry, oyster sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch and brown sugar together in a small bowl. Combine the garlic, pepper flakes and 1 tsp vegetable oil in a second small bowl.

Heat remaining 1 T vegetable oil in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add broccoli and sprinkle with sugar; cook, stirring frequently, until broccoli is well-browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

Push broccoli to sides of skillet to clear center; add oil-garlic mixture and cook, mashing with rubber spatula, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Stir to combine garlic mixture with broccoli. Add chicken broth mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until florets are cooked through, stalks are tender-crisp and sauce is thickened, 30 to 45 seconds. Serves 4.

- Duchese Potatoes

DUCHESSE POTATOES

Russet potatoes
Eggs
Butter
Whipping Cream
Shredded Gruyere Cheese

Boil and mash potatoes.

For each 2 cups of plain, hot, mashed potatoes, add salt, pepper, 2 eggs, 3 T of butter and 2 to 3 T of whipping cream, stirring after each addition and making sure that the mixtures is not too runny otherwise they will not hold their shape.

Pipe potatoes onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle a small amount of shredded cheese on top.

Bake in the upper third of a 400° oven for about 30 minutes until lightly browned.

Serve immediately. You can also pipe these onto the sheet earlier in the day and bake at the last minute.

- Classic Green Bean Casserole

CLASSIC GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

Topping:

4 slices white bread, each slice torn into quarters
2 T unsalted butter, softened
¼ tsp table salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
3 c (2 cans) fried onions

Beans and Sauce:

Table salt
2 lbs green beans, ends trimmed and halved
3 T unsalted butter
1 lb white button mushrooms, cleaned and cut into ½ inch slices
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Black pepper
3 T flour
1½ c chicken broth
1½ c whipping cream

TOPPING: Pulse bread, butter, salt, and pepper in food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer to large bowl and toss with onions; set aside.

BEANS: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425º. Fill large bowl with ice water. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven. Add 2 T salt and the beans. Cook beans until bright green and crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain beans in colander and plunge immediately into ice water to stop cooking. Spread beans on paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain.

SAUCE: Add butter to now-empty Dutch oven and melt over medium-high heat until foaming subsides. Add mushrooms, garlic, ¾ tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper; cook until mushrooms release moisture and liquid evaporates, about 6 minutes. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and bring to simmer, stirring constantly. Add cream, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until sauce is thickened and reduced to 3½ cups, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

COMBINE: Add green beans to sauce and stir until evenly coated. Arrange in even layer in 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with topping and bake until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling around edges, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Notes:
1. We had this for Thanksgiving supper and it was a hit. I am sure there exists a recipe that is made with cream of mushroom soup rather than the sauce but I wouldn’t take the shortcut.
2. The components of the casserole can be prepared ahead of time (I did this, by the way). Store the bread-crumb topping in an airtight container in the refrigerator and combine with the onions just before cooking. Combine the beans and cooled sauce in a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. To serve, remove the plastic wrap and heat the casserole in a 425º oven for 10 minutes, then add the topping and bake as directed.

- Oriental Cabbage Noodle Salad

ORIENTAL CABBAGE NOODLE SALAD


2 T. soya sauce
½ c white sugar
¾ c peanut oil
¼ cup rice vinegar

Mix all in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute then remove from stove and allow to cool.


1 cup sliced almonds
2 T. sesame seeds
2 pkgs chicken flavoured Ramon noodles (break up before opening packages)
½ c. butter or margarine

Sauté all of the above (excluding flavour packets) in a frying pan for 5 minutes, add the flavour packets and then sauté for a further 5 minutes, remove from stove and allow to cool.


1 large Nappa (use Savoy if Nappa not available) cabbage - sliced thinly
3 green onions - (chopped)

Mix together



Mix all ingredients together just before serving.

- Pan-Roasted Root Vegetables

PAN-ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES

¼ c butter
1 white turnip, unpeeled (or portion of small yellow turnip peeled), 1-inch diced
2 carrots, 1-inch diced
2 small parsnips, peeled and 1-inch diced
½ celery root, peeled and 1-inch diced
8 Brussel sprouts, halved if large
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 celery ribs, 1-inch diced

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan with a tight fitting lid. When the butter is melted, add the turnip, carrots, parsnips, celery root, Brussel sprouts, thyme, salt and pepper and toss with the butter. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the celery and stir the vegetables. Cover the pan again and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender. Taste for seasons and serve hot.

(i) I hadn’t had parsnips since I was a kid (and detested them) and had never had celery root. This was so flavorful and you don’t have to serve potatoes or any other starch with it.

- Broccoli Salad

BROCCOLI SALAD


1 c mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
1 T white vinegar
1/4 c slivered almonds (toasted)
2 T white sugar
2 c red seedless grapes
1/2 c red onion (sliced in thin circles)
4 c bite sized broccoli flowerets
2 stalks of celery, sliced

Combine mayo, sugar and vinegar in a large bowl. Add broccoli, grapes and celery, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill 3 hours. Toss in red onion slices and almonds.

Thanks Jean!

- Tortellini Salad

TORTELLINI SALAD

12 oz pkg Herb Tortellini with cheese
12 oz pkg Spinach Tortellini with cheese
2 c blanched asparagus cut into 1 inch chunks
14 oz can artichoke hearts, quartered
12 oz can pitted black olives (sliced)
1 lb large shrimp (cooked and tails removed)
16 oz bottle Zesty Italian or Golden Caesar Dressing
2 c halved cherry tomatoes
1c freshly grated parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain well. In a large bowl, toss the pasta, asparagus, artichokes, olives and shrimp with the dressing. Marinate overnight in the fridge. Prior to serving toss in the tomatoes and parmesan cheese.

- Spinach and Orzo Salad

SPINACH AND ORZO SALAD

8 ozs orzo pasta
Salt
¼ c pine nuts
6 ozs feta cheese, roughly crumbled
2 ozs Kalamata Greek olives pitted, roughly chopped (about ½ c or 20 olives)
4 ozs baby spinach
½ cup chopped red onion
3 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried tarragon
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Using a large pot with lots of salted water, cook the pasta according to the package directions (around 9 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water, shaking off the excess water.

Toast the pine nuts by heating in a small skillet on medium heat (I used a small dash of olive oil). Add the pine nuts and stir constantly (they will burn easily so don’t take your eyes off them – they’re too expensive to burn) until the pine nuts are lightly browned.

Take half of the spinach and purée it in a food processor or blender, adding 1 T of the olive oil. Roughly chop the other half of the spinach. In a large serving bowl mix the spinach purée/olive oil mixture in with the cooked pasta until the pasta is well coated with the purée. Then gently mix in the remaining spinach, red onion, feta cheese, pine nuts and the olives.

In a small bowl combine the remaining 2 T olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, mustard, dried basil and dried tarragon. Whisk until emulsified and pour over the pasta mixture. Gently mix to combine.

Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Notes:

This is my new favorite salad.

Thanks Nicole!