Roasted Root Vegetables

Nothing better than a fabulous fall/winter vegetable dish. You can use any combination of root vegetables, the choice is yours and the amounts can vary according to your preferences or what you have on hand.

INGREDIENTS
3 large beets, scrubbed and quartered
12-15 brussel sprouts, halved
3-4 parsnips, peeled, cut into large chunks
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
4 shallots, peeled and halved
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbs. pure maple syrup or honey
several sprigs each of rosemary & thyme, chopped
kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
dried cranberries, just a handful, optional
3 scallions, sliced (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS
First, preheat the oven to 425°.
Then, put all vegetables (not the scallions or cranberries, if using) onto a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer, drizzle with the olive oil and maple syrup or honey, if using. Next, add the herbs, sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and then mix to coat everything evenly.

Bake for about an hour, tossing occasionally. Definitely check on them, to make sure they are not browning too quickly. Although you do want a bit of char on some, it just deepens their flavor. Check doneness with a fork. Then, transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with the scallions and a few of the rosemary and thyme sprigs, serve immediately.

NOTE:
This can definitely be done earlier in the day, kept at room temperature, transferred to a baking dish and finally, pop them back in the oven to reheat and finish them off just before serving.

Marinated Goat Cheese

Adapted from Ina Garten’s Marinated Goat Cheese recipe. You can never go wrong with one of her recipes! Incredibly quick to make and served with fresh made crostini, this will be an instant favorite. I love to have leftovers and use it in scrambled eggs for a decadent morning treat. Additionally, this is great on any sandwich, panini or pizza. Most recently, I have loved using this in my Heirloom Tomato Tart recipe. Great combination of quick, easy and a show stopper.

INGREDIENTS
6-8 oz. goat cheese, sliced into rounds
extra virgin olive oil
crushed red pepper
kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
fresh basil, julienned
fresh dill, chopped

In a glass container, drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom. Add one or two slices of goat cheese, sprinkle with a little of the salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, basil and dill. Top with a drizzle of olive oil and repeat the layers with the remaining goat cheese, seasonings and oil. Finish with the seasonings and herbs on top. Cover and let marinate about an hour or overnight. Serve at room temperature with crackers or crostini.

Marinara Pizza Sauce

Use for the topping on grilled pizza, as a simple sauce over pasta or as the sauce for chicken parmesan. This freezes quite well, with no loss in texture or flavor.

INGREDIENTS
3 cloves garlic, sliced, not chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch crushed red pepper
28 oz. can San Marzano whole tomatoes
fresh basil branches, 4-6

DIRECTIONS
First, sauté garlic briefly, at medium heat in the olive oil. Then, add the crushed red pepper (more if you really like a kick) to the garlic oil and simmer for a minute or two.

Next, break the tomatoes up with a wooden spoon or by squeezing with clean hands. Alternatively, if you have an immersion blender, that works quite well also. Add the crushed tomatoes to the garlic oil and then add the basil branches as well. The basil will infuse the sauce and then, when finished simmering, take the branches out.

Simmer for about 10-15 minutes or longer if you have the time.

Tomato, Basil and White Bean Salad

Super quick, incredibly tasty, versatile (use as an appetizer with crostini or a side dish) and eye catching as well. Definitely a winning combination, that never disappoints!

INGREDIENTS
1 can navy beans or other small beans, drained, rinsed
1/2 lb. plum or cherry tomatoes, cut into small dice
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 small cloves garlic, minced
generous portion of basil, julienned

DIRECTIONS
First, combine the beans and the tomatoes in a bowl. Then, season them with kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and set aside.

Next, heat the oil in a skillet, over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, but not browned, for about 1-2 minutes. You are just looking to infuse the oil with the garlic flavor.

Pour the warm garlic oil over the bean, tomato mixture and let stand for about 30 minutes. This will allow the flavors to meld. Finally, add the basil, toss to combine and serve with homemade crostini or crackers and serve as an appetizer. However, this can be served as a yummy side dish. It pairs quite well with any grilled meat or poultry dish. In addition, this can be kept at room temperature for several hours.

At first glance, this seems too simple to be so good. However, trust me, this really is amazingly tasty and it will soon become a favorite.

Classic Sugar Cookies

Without a doubt, the best tasting sugar cookies out there! I know, I know, everyone says that, but I promise you, my assertion is legit. Don’t you find that most sugar cookies taste rather bland? Well, these are decidedly not bland and I assure you, they do not disappoint. Please try them at least once and I don’t think you’ll ever revert to your old recipe. This one is a slight adaption from an old Betty Crocker cookbook that dates back literally decades…to 1969, a true relic!

My little ones love to decorate these for whatever the season or holiday. Whether it is just tinted sugar or a little fancier with royal icing, we all agree that they are the best tasting sugar cookies around. I hope you agree and don’t be shy about letting me know, either way.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 egg
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
tinted garnishing sugar

DIRECTIONS
Mix powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract and egg in large bowl. Mix flour, baking soda and cream of tartar together and then add to bowl and combine until smooth. Wrap mixture in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Divide dough in half. Roll each half 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes with 2- to 2 1/2-inch cookie cutters. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

Alternatively, don’t use the tinted sugar, but let cool and then use royal icing to decorate.

Baby Back Ribs

This is an instant favorite. A definite crowd pleaser and all the preparation is done ahead of time, which makes it a hostess favorite as well.

My granddaughter proclaimed more than once, when out at a restaurant having ribs, “these aren’t as good as GG’s!” She is now old enough to help me with the preparation and other than the actual grilling, she has done it all. BTW, those front teeth have finally reappeared.

She is rather proud of how well she applied the spice rub.

Grilling is the adult job and then it is time for her to apply the bbq sauce.

After doing a great job slathering the ribs with all that tasty sauce, we wrap the racks in parchment, then in the heavy-duty foil, and pop them in the oven for a bit. The aroma permeating the house makes it torture until it is time for the actual consumption. I hope you agree that these are better than anything you have had in a restaurant!

BBQ SAUCE
18 oz. jar of good bbq sauce, Bullseye is a good one
1/4 cup of molasses, preferably Grandma’s Original unsulphured
1 to 2 Tbs. cayenne pepper (depending on how hot you like it!)
2 Tbs. Hungarian or smoked paprika
1 Tbs. dry mustard
Combine the above ingredients and mix well to combine.

RIBS
Two racks of baby back ribs.
First, rinse and dry the ribs. Then, rub them with olive oil and cover the ribs quite heavily with your favorite spice rub. Brown the ribs for 5-7 minutes per side on a preheated grill. Next, lay out sheets of heavy-duty foil with parchment paper on top (1 for each rack of ribs).
Then, when finished browning the ribs, bring inside and place each rack on the parchment sheets. Slather the sauce on the ribs, don’t skimp here, you want good sauce coverage on both sides of the ribs. Next, wrap and seal the parchment around the ribs and then wrap the heavy-duty tin foil around that, making sure that you have sealed it well.

Finally, put the ribs in a large roasting pan with a rack (I use my turkey roaster) and add a little water to the bottom of the pan to keep things moist.

Bake at 325º for 2 to 3 hours, they should be “fall off the bone” tender. Serve with coleslaw, baked beans, and cornbread.

Greek Orzo Salad

This is a terrific recipe for a crowd, a great side dish for a barbecue or as a stand alone lunch. Always a hit and even better the next day!

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested & juiced
kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
1 lb. orzo
15-20 pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on size
sliced pepperoncini, roughly chopped
1 english cucumber, quartered lengthwise, then sliced
5 oz. feta cheese, I use Trader Joe’s in brine
LOTS of chopped mint, parsley and basil

DIRECTIONS
First, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Then, stir well to combine and set aside.

Next, cook the orzo according to the package directions. When done, drain, but don’t rinse the orzo, and immediately pour the dressing over the orzo and stir to combine. By pouring the dressing over the warm orzo, it helps absorb the flavors better. Finally, add all the remaining ingredients, to taste and preference.

NOTES
If you have them on hand, toasted pine nuts are a tasty addition. I also often use some of the juice/brine from the pepperoncini, olives and/or the feta; it cuts down on how much olive oil you need and adds wonderful flavor.

Grilled Vegetable Platter

This is a wonderful summer vegetable and a great do-ahead dish for a crowd. I love serving this, because it is a terrific way to highlight summer’s bounty and everyone loves it. However, do take care to choose an array of colorful vegetables for an attractive presentation.

INGREDIENTS
1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cored and sliced
1 fennel bulb, cored and cut into wedges
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 large vidalia onion, peeled and cut into thick slices
1 small eggplant, cut into thick slices
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, peeled & crushed
fresh sprigs of rosemary
fresh sprigs thyme
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
First, whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic in a small bowl. Add a few sprigs of the thyme and rosemary and set aside to let the flavors meld while preparing the vegetables.

Then, brush the olive oil mixture on the vegetables and grill on medium high (depends on how hot your grill gets) for about 4-7 minutes per side. The peppers and onions will take a bit longer than the eggplant.

Beware and be sure to stay close by, because the veggies can go from perfect to charred in no time!

Finally, arrange on a platter, add a garnish of fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs. Cover with tinfoil and leave at room temperature until you’re ready to serve. This can stay on the counter for several hours, but if you are not serving for six or more hours, I would refrigerate it and take out up to an hour before serving to bring to room temperature.

Kale Salad with Quinoa, Feta, Apple & Dried Cranberries

This is a huge hit every time it’s served. Can easily be done the day before and won’t wilt.

SALAD INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup white quinoa
1/2 cup water
6 cups kale, stems removed, finely sliced, see Notes below
1 large apple, finely sliced (Braeburn, Pink Lady, Fuji)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup feta, crumbled

DRESSING INGREDIENTS
3 Tbs. cider vinegar
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs maple syrup
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp curry powder
salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Rinse and drain the quinoa, add the water, bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, simmer for about 15 minutes until the water is absorbed. Turn the heat off and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the walnuts at 350º for 6-8 minutes, set aside to cool.
Combine the sliced apple, kale, quinoa, dried cranberries, walnuts and feta together.

Next, mix the vinegar, oil, garlic, maple syrup, dijon, curry, salt and pepper. Finally, whisk well to combine and pour over salad to taste. Let sit for a few minutes to let the flavors meld. This is also great the next day!

NOTES
An alternative to slicing the kale, you can pulse it, in batches, in a food processor to make smaller pieces. Also, once you have sliced/chopped the kale, massage it with your hands. This helps to tenderize and break down the kale which can be rather “chewy”.