Puff Pastry - Either store bought or homemade. Here's a good recipe.
2 T Olive Oil
3 Leeks, sliced thin
4 t mixed, fresh herbs (basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, your choice)
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
3 Tomatoes, sliced
4 Cloves garlic
1/2 c Parmesan Cheese
Rinse a baking sheet and let the excess water drain off. Do not dry.
Roll the pastry into a 16x12 inch rectangle, 1/4" thick. Place the dough onto the wetted baking sheet.
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over moderate heat. add the leeks, herbs, salt and pepper and cook until softened and starting to turn golden. 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cook for one more minute then remove from the heat.
Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the pastry. Place the leeks over the cheese and then top with the sliced tomatoes, overlapping slightly. Turn the corners and edges of the pastry over the filling. Brush the entire dish with olive oil. Bake until the pastry is golden and crisp, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with extra cheese and herbs if desired.
Stuffed Peppers
1 lb ground beef
2 c cooked rice
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, minced
2 ribs celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tomatoes, chopped
Herbs and spices of your choosing - basil, oregano, thyme are great candidates
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 c grated cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese
4-6 Bell peppers
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Brown the beef over medium heat. Scoop out of the pan and set aside. In the same pan, without wiping out the beef fat, sautee the onions, carrots, celery and garlic until just softened. Add the cooked beef and rice to the pan and cook until everything is well heated. Add the tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes until slightly reduced. Season with herbs, salt, and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, cut the tops off the peppers and scoop out the seeds and ribs. Stuff the peppers with the beef mixture and top with some of the cheese. Place the stuffed peppers in a baking pan that will just hold them all.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the peppers have softened and the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Serve immediately and/or freeze for winter.
Variation: Substitute the beef for lamb, the cheddar or Monty for feta and use basil and mint for the herbs for a middle eastern twist on the dish.
Chop Salad
From member Pete Racer:
Cabbage- salt after chopping.
Broccoli
Scallions, Sweet Onions- whatever is in season
Fresh herbs
Bell peppers
Carrots
Chop all vegetables finely, roughly the same size. Feel free to add or subtract any of these vegetables. For a dressing, a simple oil and vinegar works well. Sometimes I add a little bit of honey too.
Roasted Red Pepper Risotto
From Asparagus to Zucchini by the Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition
2 red or colored sweet peppers
1 med. Onion, finely diced
3 T chopped fresh herb- basil, dill, thyme...
Juice of 2 small lemons
8-9 cups vegetable or chicken stock
3 T olive oil
About 2 cups Arborio rice
1cup dry white wine
Heat oven to broiling temp. Place peppers on baking sheet. Broil close to heating element- turn peppers to char evenly. Remove from oven- put in paper bag and lose. Let peppers stand while you chop onions, herbs and juice lemons. Remove from bag, and peel skin, remove seeds and and stem. Don’t rinse them (it weakens flavor), cut in small strips.
Heat stock in saucepan over low-medium heat. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft. Stir in rice. Add wine and stir until absorbed. Add 1 cup of stock; stir until absorbed. Repeat until rice is al dente and in a smooth sauce (15-25 minutes). Remove from heat- stir in lemon juice, herb, and red peppers.
Makes 6-8 servings.
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Sweet onions
Chopped herbs
Feta Cheese (optional)
Halve two or three cucumbers lengthwise and cut into slices. Toss with a sprinkle of salt and let sit for 5-10 mins. Add an equivalent amount of chopped tomatoes and sliced sweet onions. Add chopped herbs to taste.
Toss with a splash of vinegar (white or apple cider), about one tablespoon of olive oil, and freshly ground pepper. Serve.