Fresh Arugula Meets Old Tomatoes

I picked about a 1/2 bushel of arugula from my garden. I used it in this yummy pasta dish. Did I mention I also use some of my old marinated dried Roma tomatoes? No? It must have slipped my mind.

Penne with Turkey, Arugula, and Sun-Dried-Tomato Vinaigrette

Source: Quick from Scratch - Pasta

Yield: Serves 4 Peppery arugula adds a distinctive bite to this appealing dish, but if arugula is unavailable, you can substitute watercress with similar results. RECIPE INGREDIENTS 6 reconstituted sun-dried tomato halves, chopped 2 cloves garlic, smashed 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound turkey cutlets, cut into 1/2-by-1 1/2-inch strips (I used one can of chicken) 6 ounces arugula (about 3 bunches), cut into1/2-inch strips, or 5 ounces (1 bunch) watercress, large stems removed 1/2 pound penne
DIRECTIONS In a blender, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Blend until a paste forms. With the machine running, add the 1/3 cup oil in a thin stream. Sprinkle the turkey with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. In a large frying pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat. Cook the turkey, in two batches if necessary, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Do not overcook. Transfer the turkey to a large bowl and add the arugula. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the penne until just done, about 13 minutes. Drain, toss with the turkey and arugula and the tomato vinaigrette, and serve warm. Since my dried tomatoes are marinated, I didn't use any of the spices. I blended my dried tomatoes, making a paste and then added the oil with the blender running. I didn't need to reconstitute them either as they are packed in oil.

Nutrition Facts per Serving Yield: Yield: Serves 4

Calories: 552 Fat. Total: 24g Fiber: 2g Carbohydrates, Total: 46g Sodium: 521mg % Cal. from Fat: 39% Cholesterol: 70mg Protein: 37g

Fresh Raspberry Pie

Raspberry Pie

4 c. fresh raspberries (frozen works as well but do not thaw)
1 to 1 1/2 c. sugar (to taste)
1/4 c. cornstarch
1-2 T. lemon juice (to taste, optional)
1/4 c. butter
 

Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry dough. Place raspberry mixture in pie shell, heaping fruit toward the center. Dot with butter. Add the top crust, crimping edges and cutting several vents for steam to escape. Brush with water and sprinkle with sugar. Or run light stream of water over pie. Pour off excess. Sprinkle with about 2 T. of sugar.

Bake 45 for 15 min. Reduce oven to 350. Lay a sheet of foil on top of pie and bake 45 minutes, until fruit is bubbly.

Pie Crust

food.com/recipe/my-no-roll-pie-crust-51537

1 1/2 flour

1 t. salt

2 t. sugar

2 T. milk

1/2 c. oil 

• Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add the oil and milk.
• Mix until it makes a ball.
• Flatten and press into the pan in pie crust shape and flute the edge.
• Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes until golden.
  
• One crust pie, excellent for cream pies and crumb topped baked pies.
• To make a two crust pie, I make the bottom and press into the pie plate. Then for the top crust just put it between wax or parchment paper and roll top crust out, pick up bottom of paper and flip on top of pie. Dampen the surface before laying down the first sheet of wax paper.  This will stop the sliding as you roll.  I also tear the wax paper long enough to hang over the edge and hold it with my body. Don't pre-bake the bottom for a 2 crust.  

Old Wheat Flour to Bitter Crackers to Yum

T made some whole wheat graham crackers only the wheat was old and bitter. And we wouldn't want to throw out those crackers now would we?

Magic Cookie Bars
AKA Grandma Fry Bars

Pre-heat oven to 350. Melt one stick of butter in a 9x13 pan in pre-heating oven. Watch carefully so as to not burn the butter.

Sprinkle on top in order:
1 section of crushed graham crackers (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup chocolate chips (can increase to 2 cups)
1 1/3 cups coconut
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 can condensed milk

Bake 25 minutes. Cool then cut into bars.


Nut Cracker Sweets

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cut packed brown sugar
12 graham crackers, broken into fourths
2/3 cup chopped nuts (can omit if small children will choke on them)

Pre-heat oven to 350. Line a 10x15 pan with foil Melt butter in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add sugar. Arrange crackers side by side on the foil. Spoon/pour brown sugar mixture over graham crackers. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Bake in oven for 7-9 minutes or until sugar mixture bubbles. Do not let crackers cool completely on foil. Remove while still warm.

Fresh Picked Strawberries

Blue skies. White clouds. Green Fields. Red Berries.

I am freezing mine for smoothies. Don't wash the berries and leave the tops on. Fill a cookie sheet with a single layer of berries. Freeze until hard. Place in Ziploc bag. Be sure to wash the berries before using them.

You Threw What Away?

That lovely jar of brown minced garlic that you've had for 10 years? What did you do that for? Good thing I kept mine so I can make delicious pasta dishes like these...

Linguine with Gremolada Food and Wine Quick from Scratch

Yield: Serves 4 Gremolada traditionally consists of minced garlic, parsley, and lemon zest. We've added lemon juice and orange zest to bring even more citrus flavor to the dish. The garlic here is raw and the quantity generous; feel free to cut back. RECIPE INGREDIENTS Grated zest from 2 large lemons (about 2 teaspoons) Grated zest from 1 orange (about 2 teaspoons) 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice 3/4 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper 1/2 cup olive oil 1 pound linguine

DIRECTIONS In a small glass or stainless-steel bowl, mix together the grated lemon and orange zests, the garlic, parsley, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil. In a large pot of boiling water, salted water, cook the linguine until just done, about 12 minutes. Drain and toss with the sauce. VARIATIONS: FOR THE LINGUINE WITH GREMOLADA AND CRAB: Toss 1/2 pound of lump crabmeat, picked free of any shell, with the linguine and the gremolada. FOR THE LINGUINE WITH GREMOLADA AND SHRIMP: Add 1/2 pound of peeled uncooked medium shrimp to the pasta during the last 1 minute of cooking time. FOR THE LINGUINE WITH GREMOLADA AND SCALLOPS: Season 1/2 pound of sea scallops with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a large, nonstick frying pan over moderately high heat and cook the scallops for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Top the pasta with the scallops. Nutrition Facts per Serving Yield: Yield: Serves 4 Calories: 554 Sodium: 642mg Fiber: 4g Carbohydrates, Total: 65g Protein: 12g % Cal. from Fat: 47% Fat. Total: 29g

Shells with Gazpacho Sauce and Avocado

Food and Wine Quick from Scratch

Yield: Serves 4 The bounty of late summer - tomatoes, red peppers, cucumber, and dill - goes into this refreshing sauce. The gazpacho is pureed in a food processor or blender so you don't need to spend a lot of time cutting the vegetables into neat dice the way you do for traditional gazpacho. RECIPE INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup chopped red onion 2 cloves garlic, smashed 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed (optional) 1/2 large red bell pepper, seeded 1 cucumber, peeled and seeded 1 pound plum tomatoes (about 5), seeded 1 3/4 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon wine vinegar 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 1 avocado 3/4 pound medium pasta shells

DIRECTIONS In a food processor or blender, combine the onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper, bell pepper, cucumber, tomatoes, salt, pepper, cumin, vinegar, and breadcrumbs. Pulse until chopped. With the machine running, add the oil in a thin stream. Add the dill and pulse once to combine. Dice the avocado and add it to the sauce. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. SPICING IT UP: If you like your gazpacho a little spicier, try one of these quick additions: Leave some of the seeds in the jalapeno. Add a dash of Tabasco sauce. Add a pinch of cayenne.

Nutrition Facts per Serving
Yield: Yield: Serves 4

Calories: 595	Sodium: 1099mg	Fiber: 8g
Carbohydrates, Total: 84g	Protein: 15g	% Cal. from Fat: 35%
Fat. Total: 23g

Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Lamb, Tomato, and Cumin Sauce

Food and Wine Quick from Scratch

Yield: Serves 4 A Middle-Eastern version of the spaghetti with meat sauce we all know and love, this pasta should find a ready audience. It's good with macaroni or with plain spaghetti. RECIPE INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons cooking oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 pound ground lamb 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 16-ounce can) 1 3/4 teaspoons salt 3/4 pound whole-wheat spaghetti 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint or parsley

DIRECTIONS In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and then the lamb. Cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cumin, tomatoes, and salt. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the spaghetti until just done, about 15 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce, pepper, and mint. Variation Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Meat Sauce You can substitute 1 pound of ground beef for the ground lamb. Use the same procedure, but decrease the cumin to 1 1/2 teaspoons and use parsley rather than mint. Nutrition Facts per Serving Yield: Yield: Serves 4 Calories: 607 Fat. Total: 24g Fiber: 12g Carbohydrates, Total: 71g Sodium: 1143mg % Cal. from Fat: 36% Cholesterol: 75mg Protein: 33g

Fresh Rhubarb Pie

This pie is straight rhubarb. It isn't mixed with any other fruit and is delicious.

Fresh Rhubarb Pie
From allrecipes.com
Serves 8

Ingredients

• 4 cups chopped rhubarb
• 1 1/3 cups white sugar
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. Combine sugar and flour. Sprinkle 1/4 of it over pastry in pie plate. Heap rhubarb over this mixture. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and flour. Dot with small pieces of butter. Cover with top crust. (I sprinkle the top with 1 T. of sugar).
3. Place pie on lowest rack in oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and continue baking for 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 610

Hankering

Someone around here had a hankering for malted milk. That was 3 years ago. The jar of malted milk is only missing about 1 tablespoon of powder. Not as good as you remember it as a child? When I saw this recipe for malted milk cookies, I jumped at it. Hmmm...more like sauntered. Two ounces of malted milk powder used up. Only 10 more ounces to go.

Malted Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

From thepioneerwoman.com
Makes 36 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter Softened
• ¾ cups Golden Brown Sugar
• ¾ cups Sugar
• 2 whole Eggs
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1-¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1-¼ teaspoon Salt
• ½ cups (rounded) Malted Milk Powder
• 1 bag (12 Ounce) Milk Chocolate Chips

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream butter, then add both sugars and cream until fluffy. Add eggs and beat slightly, then add vanilla and beat until combined. Add malted milk powder and beat until combined.
Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture, beating gently until just combined.
Add chocolate chips and stir in gently.
Drop by teaspoonfuls (or use a cookie scoop) and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Bake less if you want chewy cookies; more if you want crispy cookies.
Optional: Allow to cool completely, then use two cookies to make an ice cream sandwich. Add sprinkles to the sides of the ice cream, then wrap individually in plastic wrap.