Summer Squash Gratin

Martha came through for me for ONCE. Although summer squash is pretty perfect on its own, who can resist parmesan, butter, and bread crumbs added to the mix? The only change I would make would be to slice the squash smaller than suggested. I wouldn't mind if they somewhat lost their form in the whole cheesy goodness. This dish was better than good, but I think I would like to eat my squash near to naked from now on.

Gratin= widely used culinary technique in food preparation in which an ingredient is topped with a browned crust, often using breadcrumbs, grated cheese, egg and/or butter. (wiki)

That is for me btw... on a quest to learn correct culinary terms!

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Veggie Hoagie with Pesto Mayonnaise

Hoagie! This word reminds me of a trip to Phili when I was trying to explain to the street cart vendor that I wanted a Phili cheese steak without the steak (vegetarian version? hello?!). He kept saying "you want a cheese steak...without the steak??? (in a strong Middle Eastern accent) He straight up laughed at me and so, after all of that I ended up with a cheese hoagie! Now that Iam past my irritation, a Phili cheese steak without the steak does sound sort of idiotic, no?I came up with this version of a hoagie because, well, I had veggies handy. I minced some garlic, chopped some basil, olive oiled and salt and peppered the veggies before roasting them at 425 for about 30min. The mayo idea came from good ole' Emeril. Thanks Lagasse it was a delightful accompaniment to the roasted vegetables. I left out the pine-nuts since we don't get along. The parm. was especially good in this. I'd make it again tomorrow!

Mayo recipe to follow...

Pesto Mayonnaise:

• 1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves (about 2 ounces)
• 1/3 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise (good quality store bought, or homemade)

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt, and pepper and puree, scraping down the sides as needed. With the machine running, add the oil through the feed tube and process until the mixture is thick and smooth. Add the Parmesan and process for 15 seconds.

Transfer to a bowl and add the mayonnaise, stirring to blend well. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to serve. (The pesto mayonnaise will keep for 3 days refrigerated.)

Yield: 3/4 cup

Summer Squash and Corn Chowder

A week long jury trial calls for something AWESOME for dinner. And so I made Cooking Light's Summer Squash and Corn Chowder. The only thing I may tweak next time is the thyme amount. It definitely enhances the soup but I am not a huge fan of the herb. We're getting to know each-other more... :) I did leave out the bacon but listened to their veggie option but omitting the bacon and substituting the drippings for 2 tsp. olive oil.

Great soup and I made a similar side dish to their recommended Tomato Bruschetta. I just made a simple cucumber, tomato, basil and fresh mozzarella salad with toasted bread.

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Tofu Broccoli Stir Fry

I was wanting some MEAT and in my case that means tofu or cheese. Cheese is meat-like to me. Maybe it's the consistency, (hah!) obviously it's been a long time since I've gnawed on a carcass. Martha Stewart's recipe actually for once came through. Man, I really have issues with that woman. I didn't even really need a recipe, but I enjoyed her sauce. I will make this again soon. Thanks Rat Bastard!

Recipe to follow...

Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry

Serves 4

• 1 package (14 1/2 ounces) firm tofu, drained, cut crosswise into 6 slabs (about 3/4 inch wide), each slab halved horizontally and cut into triangles
• 1 1/2 pounds broccoli, stalks trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch rounds, florets separated into bite-size pieces
• Coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup cashews, toasted

Directions

1. Arrange tofu in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with several layers of paper towels. Top with more paper towels and another baking sheet; weight with canned goods. Let tofu drain, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook broccoli (stalks and florets) in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green, 2 minutes. Drain; set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu; cook until golden brown, turning gently halfway through, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to paper towels.
4. Meanwhile, make sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, garlic, cornstarch, and 3/4 cup water; set aside.
5. Add broccoli to skillet; cook over high heat, stirring often, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk reserved sauce to combine; pour into pan. Return tofu to pan; stir to coat, about 1 minute more. Serve topped with cashews.

from : http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/tofu-and-broccoli-stir-fry

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Spent some time in a coffee shop where they offered Tomato Basil Soup. I didn't want to spend 5 bucks for a cup but it did inspire me to make my own! I looked for a recipe online and found a good one from Ina Garten. 140+ positive comments- so I went for it. The only thing I couldn't do was puree. I wish I had an immersion blender or a Cuisinart that actually holds liquids (it seeps!) so I used a masher instead to break it up. It turned into a hearty meal. I also added a little cream at the end and reduced the amt. of salt, Ina is a sodium freak! I cut a fresh mozzarella ball in slices and garnished the soup with it.

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Citrus Queso Salad

This recipe was in a Cacique cheese ad within my newest Cooking Light. I loved the unexpectedness. The chipotle in adobo made the salad quite fiery. I enjoyed it, but my fellow dinner eaters had some issues with it. One thought his tongue was going to burn out of his mouth. Oops! Well we need more culture in our cuisine anyways. :)

Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad

I was BLOWN away by this little salad! I completely recommend this recipe. Once again, Smitten came through. This salad is a perfect start of summer companion :)

Recipe to follow...

Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad
Adapted from Chez Panisse Vegetables

Serves 6

1 pound green beans, though if you can find a mix of green and yellow beans, it will be all the prettier
1 pound cherry tomatoes
1 large shallot
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Basil or other herb (optional)

Prepare the vegetables: Top and tail the beans and cut them into large segments. Parboil the beans in salted water until just tender, about four to five minutes. Drain and immediately spread them out to cool. Stem the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half.

Make the vinaigrette: Peel and mince the shallot and put it in a bowl with the vinegar and salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Taste and adjust the balance with more vinegar, oil, or salt, as needed. Toss the cherry tomatoes in with the vinaigrette; this can sit for a while. Do not add the green beans until just before serving or they will discolor from the acid in the vinaigrette. For variety, the salad can be garnished with basil or some other fresh herb such as parsley, chervil or hyssop.

Zucchini Latkes

I loved these! I got a little discouraged because they don't stay together well, but I love the fresh taste of these. I added lime juice instead of lemon juice to the veggie mixture. I would make these again definitely. I used the same toppings as potato pancakes (applesauce and sour cream). Warming them in the oven helped to crisp them up. I made a spinach/grated carrot side dish with a little garlic and lime juice to match the taste of the latkes. Thanks Smitten!

Recipe to follow...

Zucchini Latkes

Makes about 4 dozen 1 1/2-inch latkes

1 pound medium zucchini
1 large baking potato (3/4 pound), peeled
1 small onion (4 ounces), peeled
1/2 cup matzo meal
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying

1. Halve the zucchini crosswise. Cut the zucchini flesh off the seedy center and coarsely grate it in a food processor. Or grate it on a box grater until you reach the seedy center. Discard the center. In a food processor or on a box grater, coarsely grate the potato and onion. Transfer the grated zucchini, potato and onion to a colander and squeeze dry. Let stand for 2 minutes, then squeeze again. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a large bowl. Add the matzo meal, egg, lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

2. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until shimmering. Drop packed teaspoons of the zucchini mixture into the skillet and flatten them with the back of a spoon. Cook the latkes over moderately high heat until the edges are golden, about 1 1/2 minutes; flip and cook until golden on the bottom, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining zucchini mixture, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.

Do ahead: The fried latkes can be kept at room temperature for up to 4 hours. Reheat them on a dark baking sheet in a 375°F oven for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through and crisp.