Roasted Bell Peppers

I love bell peppers but have either eaten them raw or stewed into a sauce. For this batch of lasagna, I decided to roast them and the results are delicious! I didn't know how, so I borrowed this recipe from About.com: Southern Food:

How To Roast Bell Peppers

By Diana Rattray, About.com Guide

Roasted peppers are peppers which have been charred over an open flame or under the broiler, then peeled. Red bell peppers are especially good roasted.

Difficulty: Average

Time Required: 30 minutes

Here's How:

1. Cut whole peppers in halves or quarters; remove seeds and membranes.
2. Place peppers on a baking sheet, skin side up.
3. Place the baking sheet on a rack in the oven, about 4 inches from the broiling unit.
4. Broil until skins are blackened.
5. Immediately transfer the peppers to a plastic or paper bag; seal and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes. The steam within the bag will help to loosen the skins.
6. Remove from the bag. When cool enough to handle, remove peel with hands or a knife.
7. Place the peppers in a screw top jar; cover with olive oil. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Tips:

1. Tiny charred bits of skin are normal on roasted peppers, but you can scrape off stubborn pieces with a vegetable peeler.
2. You can use roasted red peppers in a variety of dishes, such as dips, soups, casseroles, and pasta sauces.

Zesty little Cucumbers

An EXTREMELY easy way to eat fresh cucumbers:
My friend Naomi Davis at Davis Farms brought us a ton of cucumbers this past week and I wondered what to do with them besides putting them on a salad. I remembered something my grandmother does with them: she slices them longways and then lightly dusts them with dried Zesty Italian dressing from the packet. It's delicious and an uber easy way to enjoy the delights of the season. Seasons' Eatings!

Gaga for Roma Tomato Pizza za za

(Sorry for the bad pun in the title)
The tomatoes are starting to come in here in south Georgia and I made a pizza with some Roma tomatoes and fresh basil that I wanted to share with you.

Ingredients:
Pizza crust (some people have fancy pizza crusts. Others, like me, use Kroger Pizza Crust out of the package)
One small can of tomato sauce and 1/2 packet italian dressing mix
3 Roma Tomatoes
8 large leaves from your basil plant
Mozarella Cheese Balls (fresh, that come in the liquid)
1/2 medium red bell pepper
Basil pesto sauce to taste

Directions:
Prepare pizza crust as package or other recipe indicates, including preheating the oven to the temperature indicated on the package or recipe. While that's rising, mix tomato sauce with 1/2 packet of dry italian dressing mix in a sauce pot on the stove. While the dough is rising and the sauce is heating up, chop Roma tomatoes and the mozarella into medallion slices. Chop the red bell pepper and basil into smallish slices. After spreading out the dough for the pizza on a greased cookie sheet, top with desired amount of basil pesto (not too much! You're going to be putting more basil on it soon). Then top with sauce mixture. Top the sauce with mozzarella cheese, basil, Roma tomatoes, and red bell pepper. I baked mine in the oven at 475 for 10 minutes.

MMMM! Fresh basil, tomatoes and mozzarella really make this an excellent pizza!

Family Tradition

Yesterday, my sister and I embarked on our annual trip to the blueberry patch.  We pick blueberries every summer, but this year's heat prevented us for picking more than a basketful each - plus the bellyful that I ate while picking. When we arrived at the packing shed to pay, the professional pickers were logging in their morning's work. I was sunburned and dripping in sweat after an hour in the field, but these families had been picking all morning and would be heading back after lunch.  May we remember these families and the work that goes into our produce in our table prayers.

Blueberry Cobbler for Two

This is a modification of the recipe that has been a staple in southern kitchens for generations. I hope you enjoy.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup of flour
• ¼ cup of splenda or sugar
• ¼ cup of milk
• 2 tablespoons of butter, melted
• 2 handfuls of blueberries
• 2 ramekins or small bowls

Directions:

Cover the bottom of each ramekin with blueberries. In a separate bowl mix the remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour the mixture evenly over the berries. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown (about 20 minutes).

Note: Any fruit may be used in place of the blueberries. If you are baking for a crowd, use a 9 ½’ x 11’ pan and the proportions that my mother always used: 1 cup flour, 1 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk, and as much fruit as you want. This is a crowd pleaser at church potlucks and summer cookouts.

Magda Squash Delight

I just wanted to submit this new post to let you know about a variety of squash I discovered while at Davis' Farms yesterday. It's called a Magda Squash and it's light green and delicious. There are subtle flavor differences from yellow squash - it's sweeter and some websites describe it as a nuttier taste. I really liked it. Yesterday, I cooked it on the stove with some okra, onions, and green beans from the garden, tossed in with some chopped tomato and red bell pepper I had. It was delicious!



I also have to let you in on my favorite seasoning blend, which I added a bit of to the magda squash and okra combo. I'm normally not a fan of Cajun food (please don't hold this against me - I tend to have a low tolerance for spice!) but I love the full flavored kick of Tony's Creole Seasoning. I bought a huge bottle of it because I used so much - it really brings great flavor out of anything.

Easy Cukes

Most of the meals in my kitchen is composed. I grab a main ingredient, pair it with a friend or two, and see what happens. This approach to cucumbers, coupled with a strong southern pallet, led me to this simple recipe for table pickles.

Ingredients:

• Cucumbers
• Onions (Vidalia, preferred)
• White Vinegar
• Splenda
• Mason Jar (other other suitable container)

Slice, and peel if desired, enough pickles to fill about 2/3 of the jar. Sliver enough onions to fill the other 1/3. These amounts are estimates. Use whatever ratio you like. Pour enough vinegar in the jar to cover all of the cucumbers and onions. Dump a heaping tablespoon of Splenda on top of everything. Put the lid on the jar and gently roll the jar a few times. The ingredients will blend quickly. You may consume immediately, but the mixture tastes best after a few hours in the refrigerator. You can add cucumbers and onions to the jar without changing the brine for most of the cucumber season.

This is a tasty side dish for tomato sandwiches, BLTs, or veggie night.

Roasted Goodness

One of my favorite treats starts with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and what ever vegetables I have on hand. Sometimes I stick to one vegetable and sometimes I throw the entire vegetable draw on to a cookie sheet. This dish serves as a great side for almost any meal. Or, fill up the roasting pan and have a veggie feast. I especially like to serve it with a side of beans and rice. Yum. Yum.



Here's the basic method:

1. Cut the veggies into seemly appropriate shapes - sticks for carrots, cubes for potatoes, rounds for squash

2. Place the cut veggies in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

3. Sprinkle olive oil, salt and pepper over the veggies. Remember that a little olive oil goes a long way.

4. Add additional seasoning as desired. Below are some of my favorite combinations:

• Potatoes - Garlic and Herb Salt-Free Blend
• Carrots - black pepper
• Squash - onion powder
• Asparagus - course ground sea salt

5. Place the cookie sheet in a 425 degree oven. Cook until the vegetables begin to turn golden brown. Starchy vegetables like potatoes should be fork tender and wrinkly. Cooking times vary, but asparagus is usually ready in 10-12 minutes and potatoes generally take 25 minutes or so.

6. Enjoy. Experiment with types of vegetables and seasonings in order to create your family favorite.

Squashranion Casserole

Here is my modified version of a squash casserole to incorporate a few pieces of okra I had in addition to an unidentified medium hot pepper:

Squashranion (Squash-Okra-Onion) Casserole

Ingredients:
3 medium Squash
1/2 Onion
Okra (I only had three to use, could use more if you've got it)
1/2 medium heat pepper
1/2 cup Milk
1 egg Egg
1 tbs of sugar
24 Crumbled crackers
roughly 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese (reserve half of it to put on the top)
1 pat plus enough butter to grease the sides of a casserole dish
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice pepper, onion, squash and okra into smallish medallions. Cook in a skillet until tender. Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients except for half of the crumbled crackers and half of the cheddar cheese. Fold in cooked squash, onion, and okra. Pour into a buttered casserole dish. Top with remaining crackers and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes. With 15 minutes left, pull out the casserole and top with remaining cheese. Remove when cheese is melted and casserole has browned.

Stacey's Simple Squash

I have discovered a great and simple way to cook squash from the garden.

Stacey's Simple Squash

Ingredients:
Yellow Summer Squash
Orange Juice
Cinnamon
Cloves
Nutmeg
Ginger

Directions:
Cut squash into 1/4 inch thick medallions. Place squash into an appropriately sized pot and fill the pot 1/4 full of orange juice. Season to taste with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger. Bring pot to a boil then reduce to medium low heat with the lid on. Cook until tender. Last week, I did this recipe with two medium sized squashes and it took roughly 30 minutes to get to the tenderness I like, but keep an eye on it.