July 27- August 2 Not a whole lot of cooking going on!

This week my Produce Box consisted of:

• 1 Qt. Peaches
• Green Beans
• 1 Personal Watermelon
• 6 Ears of Corn
• 1 oz. Fresh Basil
• Hot Pepper Variety
• Butternut Squash 

I never made the Peach cobbler last week.  So this week I will use my peaches to make that recipe.  

Delicious Peach Cobbler
4 cups of peeled, sliced peaches
2 cups sugar divided
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups self rising flour (if you don't have any you can easily make some- I did using a google search: 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour mixed with 3/4 teaspoon each baking powder and salt)
1 1/2 cups milk
ground cinnamon, optional

-Preheat oven to 350
-Combine peaches, 1 cup of sugar & water in saucepan and mix well. Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
-Put butter in a 3-qt. baking dish and place in oven to melt.
-Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if desired.
-Bake for approx. 1 hour
Can be served with whipped topping and/or ice cream. Refrigerate left overs.

I will roast and then puree the Butternut Squash and use it in place of the pumpkin puree in my Pumpkin Bread Recipe.  I will post this recipe separately.

Wednesday, July 27-  Between running to 2 Open Houses and it's my Birthday, I am not cooking dinner tonight.  Not sure what will be for dinner but I know for sure I won't be making it!

Thursday, July 28-  I will use some of the corn and green beans for a side salad, Orzo Salad with Corn, Green Beans and Tomatoes (recipe from myrecipes.com).  I will freeze the remaining corn to have at a later time.  I think my girls have had their fill of corn these past few weeks.  I will also make Apricot Glazed Grilled Pork Chops (whisk 2 tablespoons cider vinegar with 1/4-1/2 cup of apricot preserves, brush glaze on meat during last 5 minutes of grilling).  The meal will be rounded out with slices of watermelon.

Orzo Salad with Corn, Green Beans and Tomatoes (I will halving this recipe)

• 1 pound green beans
• 1 1/2 cups dried orzo pasta (8 oz.)
• 3 ears fresh corn (10 to 14 oz. each; see notes)
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup minced shallots
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon or 2 teaspoons dried tarragon
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes (12 oz.), rinsed, stemmed, and cut in half

1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring about 2 quarts water to a boil. Meanwhile, rinse green beans, trim off ends, and pull off any strings. Cut into 2- to 3-inch lengths. Add beans to boiling water and cook until barely tender to bite, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and immerse in ice water until cold; drain well.
2. Fill same pan with 2 1/2 to 3 quarts water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add orzo and cook until barely tender to bite, 8 to 11 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well.
3. Meanwhile, husk corn, discarding silk; rinse ears. Holding each ear upright in a large, deep bowl, cut off kernels close to the cob.
4. To make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, shallots, mustard, tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. In a large, wide bowl, mix orzo with 1/2 cup of the dressing. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Spread level. Layer corn kernels, green beans, and tomatoes over pasta. Pour remaining dressing into a container. Cover and chill both salad and dressing until ready to serve.
6. Shortly before serving, pour three-fourths of the remaining dressing over salad and mix gently to blend. Add more dressing and salt and pepper to taste. 

Nutritional Information

• Calories: 296
• Calories from fat: 46%
• Protein: 6.4g
• Fat: 15g
• Saturated fat: 2.1g
• Carbohydrate: 36g
• Fiber: 3.2g
• Sodium: 106mg
• Cholesterol: 0.0mg

Friday, July 29-  We will be attending my husband's family work event at the Durham Bulls Park.  Hotdogs, popcorn and a glass a beer are in my future tonight!

Saturday, July 30- My husband and I are going on a date night!  Again no cooking, glad those green beans will hold for a awhile!

Sunday, July 31-  Despite the fact that my husband and older daughter will be playing in a golf tournament tonight, I plan on making dinner for my little one and myself. It will simple like spaghetti and meatballs.

Monday, August 1-  I will use the remaining green beans for a garlic saute garnished with chopped tomatoes and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. (Heat olive oil, add 2-3 cloves minced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.  After washing, trimming and cutting the beans saute them in olive oil for 5-8 minutes.  You can add chopped tomatoes and saute for another 3 minutes or remove from heat and add tomatoes.  Sprinkle with cheese and serve.)  The green beans will be served with a grilled garlic seasoned steak and a loaf of warmed bread.

Tuesday, August 2- It's Mexican tonight!  I will use some of the peppers in a Mexican inspired dish and the remaining peppers will be frozen for later use in salsas and other meals.

July 20- July 26

This week I received:

• 1 quart peaches
• 1 Oriental Melon
• Bell Peppers
• 1 Sprite Melon  
• Vine-ripe tomatoes (double share)
• 6 ears of corn
• A Surprise item- which is a variety of squashes

I also ordered an Add-On of 1 qt.of  Roma Tomatoes.  The melon will great for snacks and the Roma tomatoes combined with both the Box's and my garden's crop of tomatoes will be turned into sauce.

I have adapted my recipe for Tomato Sauce to my family's preferences adding: shredded carrot, omitting celery, replace spices with 2 tsp each Oregano, Basil & Rosemary, and after 2 hours of simmering I add 2 tsp pepper & 1 tsp of salt. Also I have pureed most of the sauce since my family prefers a less chunky sauce.  I will also be adding one can of tomato paste.

Revised Tomato Sauce

• 10 ripe tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoons dried Rosemary
  
• 1/4 cup Burgundy wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2-1 can tomato paste

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Have ready a large bowl of iced water. Plunge whole tomatoes in boiling water until skin starts to peel, 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon and place in ice bath. Let rest until cool enough to handle, then remove peel and squeeze out seeds. Chop tomatoes and puree in blender or food processor.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook onion, bell pepper, carrot and garlic in oil and butter until onion starts to soften, 5 minutes. Pour in pureed tomatoes. Stir in basil, Italian seasoning, rosemary and wine. Place bay leaf in pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 2 hours. Stir in tomato paste and simmer an additional 2 hours. Discard bay leaf and serve.

I'll make Peach Cobbler using a recipe from last season which I found in The Produce Box's newsletter.

Delicious Peach Cobbler
4 cups of peeled, sliced peaches
2 cups sugar divided
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups self rising flour (if you don't have any you can easily make some- I did using a google search: 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour mixed with 3/4 teaspoon each baking powder and salt)
1 1/2 cups milk
ground cinnamon, optional

-Preheat oven to 350
-Combine peaches, 1 cup of sugar & water in saucepan and mix well. Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
-Put butter in a 3-qt. baking dish and place in oven to melt.
-Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if desired.
-Bake for approx. 1 hour
Can be served with whipped topping and/or ice cream. Refrigerate left overs. 

Wednesday, July 20-  No cooking tonight since it's Girls Night Out!

Thursday, July 21-  I have family coming into town.  We are doing a movie night with pizza and popcorn.  I'm sure we'll also snack on pieces of melon too.

Friday, July 22- Hamburgers and hotdogs served with corn on the cob.  I will also make a tortellini salad using some of the pepper from my box.  I am hoping to stop by Great Harvest Bread Company and pick up their hamburger rolls to serve the cheeseburgers on.
Tortellini Salad
Cheese Tortellini
Diced mozzarella Cheese
Diced Salami
Tomato
Diced Pepper
Italian Seasoning
Salt and Pepper to taste
Italian Dressing

Cook tortellini per bag directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Add noodles to large bowl. Add cheese, salami, tomatoes and seasonings. Pour dressing over mixture. Mix well. Refrigerate until cold. Before serving, stir salad and add more dressing if needed.

Saturday, July 23-   If their is corn leftover I will use it in this Southwest Salad.  Otherwise I will buy some more fresh corn from DJ's Berry Patch Farm Stand to use in place of the canned corn in the recipe.

Southwest Chicken Salad
1 small can corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar and Monterey cheese blend
3 tomatoes, chopped
Chopped romaine lettuce
Catalina salad dressing
Southwest Style Chicken
Corn chips

In a large bowl, combine the corn, black beans, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Add dressing and mix well. Cut up chicken and placed over salad. Add corn chips before serving. 

Sunday, July 24-  Pulled Pork Sandwiches made in my crock pot will be tonight's meal served on any of the left over rolls from Great Harvest. (if none are left I'll pick up rolls for the sandwiches)This recipe caught my eye because of the apricot preserves!

• 1/2 cup apricot preserves
• 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 2 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder, trimmed
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• Kosher salt and pepper
• green-leaf lettuce
• rolls

1. In a 5- to 6-qt slow cooker, whisk together the apricot preserves and vinegar; stir in the onion.

2. Season the pork with the cumin and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Nestle the pork among the onions and cook, covered, until pork is tender and easily pulls apart, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours.

3. Using 2 forks, shred the pork and stir it into the cooking liquid. Form sandwiches with the rolls, lettuce and pork.

• Nutrition Facts
• Servings 4
• Calories 595
• Total Fat 15g
• Saturated Fat 5g
• Cholesterol 136mg
• Sodium 671mg
• Total Carbohydrates 63g
• Dietary Fiber 5g
• Protein 51g

Monday, July 25- Grilled Steak with peppers and onions along with homemade macaroni salad and sliced melon will be dinner tonight.  I will use the peppers from my box sauteed with sliced onion and olive oil.

Tuesday, July 26-  If there is left over pulled pork from Sunday night's meal, then I will use the pork for tacos.  Otherwise it will still be a Mexican flavored dinner with chicken fajitas.

Blueberry Kuchen

Kuchen is German for cake.  This is a coffeecake made with fresh blueberries.

1 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

2 cups fresh blueberries

Topping:

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. butter

1. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a medium bowl.
2. Cut in the 1/2 cup of butter to size of peas
3. Break egg in measuring cup and beat.  Add enough milk to make 3/4 cup of liquid
4. Add to dry ingredients and stir until blended
5. Turn blueberries into batter
6. Turn batter into a 8x8 greased baking dish

Topping

1. Combine all ingredients except butter.
2. Mix
3. Cut butter into dry ingredients
4. Work mixture with hands until crumbly
5. Sprinkle over cake batter

Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.

July 13- July 19

This week's Produce Box contains:

• 1 Personal Watermelon
• 1 qt. Peaches
• 1 pint blueberries
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Butternut Squash
• Dixie Lee Peas (shelled)
• Pickler Cucumbers

I also ordered an add on of 4 ears of corn.

Smoothies and baked goodies as well as snacking will use up our watermelon, peaches and blueberries.

Wednesday, July 13- Tonight I will try my hand at homemade Moussaka.  I will take the recipe's advice and make the meat filling earlier in the day.  I will assemble everything but the bechamel in the late afternoon.  Then shortly before baking it I will make the bechamel sauce to pour on top and then bake.

Moussaka- reprinted from Simply Recipes

Meat sauce

• 2 pounds ground lamb or beef
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 chopped onion
• 4 chopped garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup red wine
• Zest of a lemon
• 2 Tbsp or more of lemon juice
• Salt to taste

Bechamel sauce

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups whole milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

The moussaka

• 3 large globe eggplants
• 1/2 cup salt
• 8 cups water
• 2-3 Yukon gold or other yellow potatoes
• 1 cup grated mizithra cheese (or pecorino or Parmesan)
• Olive oil

Prepare the meat sauce
1 Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and brown the ground meat. By the way, the meat will brown best if you don't stir it. Add the onions about halfway into the browning process. Sprinkle salt over the meat and onions.
2 Once the meat is browned and the onions have softened, add the garlic, allspice, cinnamon, black pepper, oregano and tomato paste. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.

3 Add the red wine and mix well. Bring the sauce to a simmer, reduce the heat and continue to simmer gently, uncovered for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat. Taste for salt and add more if needed. Add the lemon zest and the lemon juice. Mix well and taste. If the sauce needs more acidity, add more lemon juice.
Set the sauce aside.

Prepare the potatoes and eggplants
4 Mix the 1/2 cup salt with the 8 cups of water in a large pot or container. This will be the brine for the eggplants.

5 Slice the top and bottom off the eggplants. Cut thick strips of the skin off the eggplants to give them a striped appearance. A little skin on the eggplant is good for texture, but leaving it all on makes the moussaka hard to cut later, and can add bitterness, which you don’t want. (Some moussaka recipes leave the skin on and have you slice the eggplants lengthwise, which is an option if you prefer.) Slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds and drop them into the brine.
6 Let the eggplants sit in the brine 15-20 minutes, then remove them to a series of paper towels to dry. Place a paper towel down on the counter, layer some eggplant on it, then cover with another sheet of paper towel and repeat.
7 As the eggplants are brining, peel and slice the potatoes into 1/4 inch rounds. Boil them in salted water for 5-8 minutes – you want them undercooked, but no longer crunchy. Drain and set aside.

8 To cook the eggplant, broil or grill the rounds. You could also fry the eggplant rounds but they tend to absorb a lot of oil that way. To grill the eggplant rounds, get a grill very hot and close the lid. Paint one side of the eggplant rounds with olive oil and grill 2-3 minutes. When they are done on one side, paint the other side with oil and flip. When the eggplants are nicely grilled, set aside. To broil, line a broiling pan or roasting pan with aluminum foil. Paint with olive oil. Place the eggplant rounds on the foil and brush with olive oil. Broil for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned on one side, then flip them over and broil for a few minutes more. Set aside.

Prepare the béchamel
9 Heat milk in a pot on medium heat until steamy (about 160 degrees). Do not let simmer.
10 Heat the butter in a small pot over medium heat. When the butter has completely melted, slowly whisk in the flour. Let this roux simmer over medium-low heat for a few minutes. Do not let it get too dark.
11 Little by little, pour in the steamy milk, stirring constantly. It will set up and thicken dramatically at first, but keep adding milk and stirring, the sauce will loosen. Return the heat to medium. Add about a teaspoon of salt and the nutmeg. Stir well.

12 Put the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk to combine. Temper the eggs so they don’t scramble when you put them into the sauce. Using two hands, one with a whisk, the other with a ladle, slowly pour in a couple ladle’s worth of the hot béchamel into the eggs, whisking all the time. Slowly pour the egg mixture back into the béchamel while whisking the mixture. Keep the sauce on very low heat, do not let simmer or boil.

Finish the moussaka

13 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Layer a casserole with the potatoes, overlapping slightly. Top the layer of potatoes with a layer of eggplant slices (use just half of the slices).

14 Cover the eggplant slices with the meat sauce. Then layer remaining eggplant slices on top of the meat.

15 Sprinkle half the cheese on top. Ladle the béchamel over everything in an even layer. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
16 Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned.
Let the moussaka cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Yield: Serves 8.

 

Thursday, July 14- Dixie Lee Peas and Rice with BBQ Chicken will be dinner tonight.

Dixie Lee Peas and Rice

• 3 or 4 strips lean bacon, diced
  
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 cups fresh Dixie Lee peas
• 1/2 cup uncooked, white, long-grain rice
• 2 cups water (or half chicken broth and half water)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
  

In a deep pot, saute bacon 2 or 3 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic. Continue cooking until vegetables soften slightly and bacon is crisp. Stir peas into the pot; pour in water. Reduce heat to low. Add rice.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until the rice is done. Remove from heat and let the pan sit with the lid on 5 minutes.  Toss mixture lightly.  Season with salt and pepper.

Friday, July 15-I will use my butternut squash to make my Butternut Squash Casserole.  I will also grill some pork chops and serve it along with the corn on the cob.

Butternut Squash Casserole- from Williams-Sonoma

Casserole:

4 cups butternut squash puree

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp orange extract

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Topping:

1 cup vanilla wafers, crushed

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Lightly grease a casserole dish (4 - 6 cup capacity).

2. Combine squash puree, sugar, milk, vanilla, orange extract, salt, flour, eggs and melted butter. Pour into the prepared casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until set.

3. Meanwhile, make the topping. In a medium bowl, combine crushed vanilla wafers, melted butter and the brown sugar. Sprinkle over top of the cooked casserole and return to the oven to brown for an additional 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.

Saturday, July 16- Tonight we are going to a BBQ at a friend's home.  No cooking tonight!

Sunday, July 17-  I will make my Southern Green Beans with a grilled steak and Garlic Red Potatoes.

Southern Green Beans

4 slices bacon

1 large onion sliced

4 cans green beans

salt and black pepper

Fry bacon, remove bacon before it becomes crispy.

In bacon fat fry onion until tender.

Pour 4 cans of green beans into pot. If more water is needed add until green beans are covered.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add bacon.

Bring to boil then let Simmer for about 30-45 minutes. (add water as necessary)

Garlic Red Potatoes

2 lbs. red potatoes quartered

1/4 cup butter melted

3 cloved of garlic minced

dash of salt, basil and Tastfully Simple's Onion Onion

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven 350

Place potatoes in shallow baking dish

In a small bowl mix butter, garlic and spices.  Pour over potatoes and toss to coat.

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over potatoes.

Bake covered 30 minutes.  Uncover and continue baking an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Monday, July 18-  We still haven't had the fish I have been wanting to make.  As long as the market has something on sale, it's fish tonight!  Will re-post with the actual meal later in the week.

Tuesday, July 19-  If I have leftovers, it will be a leftover night to make room for my next Produce Box!

Zucchini Spice Cookies

I made this recipe without the raisins because I didn't have any on hand.  These are like a muffin more than a crisp cookie.  At least right out of the oven!

Zucchini Spice Cookies- reprinted from allrecipes.com

• 1/2 cup margarine, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup raisins (cranraisins can be substituted)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg then stir in the zucchini. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; stir into the zucchini mixture. Mix in raisins. Cover dough and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet. Cookies should be about 2 inches apart.
3. Bake for 10-15 minutes in the preheated oven until set. Allow cookies to cool slightly on the cookie sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Best EVER Banana Bread reprinted from allrecipes.com

from allrecipes.com

Janet's Rich Banana Bread

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 medium bananas, sliced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the butter mixture until smooth. Finally, fold in the sour cream, walnuts and bananas. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool loaf in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutritional Information

Servings Per Recipe: 15
Amount Per Serving

• Calories: 218
• Total Fat: 11.1g
• Cholesterol: 48mg
• Sodium: 219mg
• Total Carbs: 27.4g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 3.2g

July 6- July 12

This week our Produce Box contains:

• Blueberries (1 pint)
• Blackberries (1 pint)
• Cantaloupe
• Zucchini (approx 3lbs)
• Sweet Banana Peppers
• Pickling Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Cherry Tomatoes (2 pints)  

I will definitely be making a batch of Blueberry Zucchini Bread.  I have used this recipe in the past with a few alterations, 2 cups of sugar and 3/4 cup of oil baked in 2 loaf pans for 1 hour and 10 minutes.   I will also be using the blueberries and blackberries in smoothies.  My husband is looking forward to pickling the cucumbers.  I may use some of the zucchini to make "Apple" Pie if I can track down my Grandmother's recipe.  The cantaloupe makes for great snacks and sides for lunch!

Wednesday, July 6- Not sure what I am doing for dinner.  It will most likely be just me and my girls.  Maybe breakfast for dinner.  I did have the yummiest lunch of Produce Box onions, zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes sauteed with a little olive oil and seasoned with Tastefully Simple's Garlic Garlic!

Thursday, July 7-  I found tonight's meal on Allrecipes.com I thought this was a great new way to use up all my cherry tomatoes from my Produce Box.

picture from allrecipes.com

Gnocchi with Cherry Tomato Sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 minced red chile pepper
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2/3 cup kalamata olives, sliced
• 1 (16 ounce) package fresh gnocchi
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, garlic, and chile pepper; cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, and stir in the cherry tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes have lost their form and are beginning to make a sauce, about 5 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes.
2. While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the fresh gnocchi, and cook until the gnocchi float to the surface, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently strain out the gnocchi and place into a serving dish.
3. Stir the basil and olives into the simmering sauce, and cook for one minute. Pour the sauce over the drained gnocchi and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to serve.

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 273 | Total Fat: 12.2g | Cholesterol: 21mg Sodium: 222mg Total Carbs: 38.1g Dietary Fiber: 5.4g Protein: 6.5g

Friday, July 8-  I will try using this stuffed pepper recipe for my banana peppers.

Stuffed Banana Peppers

• 8 banana peppers
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 3/4 cups bread crumbs

1. Cut off tops of peppers, and remove ribs and seeds. Chop edible portions of tops; set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add peppers, reduce heat, and simmer until tender but still firm, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat butter in a medium skillet. Saute reserved chopped pepper, onion and celery until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and garlic. Season with basil, oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine egg, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan. Mix in sausage, bread crumbs and 1 cup of the tomato sauce mixture.
4. Using a piping bag or sausage stuffer, fill each pepper with the meat mixture. Place in a 3 quart casserole dish, and pour remaining tomato sauce mixture over peppers.
5. Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 1 hour. (optional- last 15 minutes sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese)

Saturday, July 9-  We haven't had fish in a while.  I may make the Italian Style Fish I have done on the past.  But if tuna is on sale I'd love to grill up tuna steaks.

Sunday, July 10-  I will grill up a steak seasoned with Tasetfully Simple's grilling seasoning.  I'll drop by the Western Wake Farmer's Market or DJs Berry Patch and pick up some corn on the cob and watermelon.  This will make up tonight's meal.

Monday, July 11-  I never made the All American Chili last week.  With the first day back at school today, I think a crock pot meal might be the best answer.  So I  will make last week's scheduled chili meal and perhaps serve it over warm noodles.  My girls aren't big chili eaters but they love their pasta!

 All American Chili

• 1 1/2  pounds  lean ground beef
• 2  onions, chopped
• 1  yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  cans  (15.5 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1  can  (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
• 1  can  (8 ounces) no-salt-added tomato sauce
• 1  cup  low-sodium chicken broth
• 3  tablespoons  chili powder
• 1  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon  dried oregano
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1  box  (8.5 ounces) corn bread mix, prepared according to package directions (optional)

1.Combine beef, onions, pepper, garlic, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, 2 tablespoons of the chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon each of the cumin and the oregano in slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours.

2.Remove cover and stir in remaining 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon each cumin and oregano, and salt. Serve with corn bread, if desired.

Tuesday, July 12-  This is the night we eat in shifts.  The kids will eat first, something simple like mac n' cheese.  As for the gorwn ups later, it will be simple and quick.  I have a free burger at Red Robin, maybe I'll ask my husband to bring take out home from there.