Wild Mushroom Frittata

An assortment of wild mushrooms this time of year, along with a salad, and this dish works for brunch or dinner.
Oyster, Crimini, Shiitake (stems removed), baby Portobello, Chanterelle, and button mushrooms can be used, just slice larger mushrooms to similar cut as the smaller ones.

Wild Mushroom Frittata

Preheat oven to 325F.

2 Tablespoons butter
1 shallot, diced
1/2 onion, diced
5 cups assorted mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon Alfie's seasoning
5 large eggs
1 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1 1/2 cups Fontina cheese, grated and divided

In a saute pan over medium heat, melt butter.
Add shallot and onion, stirring until softened.
Add mushrooms and cook until tender, sprinkle with Alfie's seasoning.
Cool mixture slightly.
In a bowl, whisk together, eggs, half and half, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Stir in 1 cup of cheese and mushroom mixture.
Pour into lightly buttered pie pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over top.
Bake frittata until golden brown, and just cooked in the center, about 45 minutes.
Cool and serve.

Togarashi Sauce

Togarashi is a Japanese spice mixture. I am not sure of all that is in it, but there is a blend of chilies, sesame seeds, citrus...mmm, I will have to work on the rest of it. I am not sure of ALL the ingredients listed in Japanese.
This sauce has a little heat, and a little sweet! It pairs well with lots of Asian dishes.
In a future post, I will share a shrimp potsticker recipe but today I hit Trader Joe's and they had potstickers ready to go in the freezer section.

Togarashi Sauce with Potstickers

3/4 cup mayonnaise or Vegenaise
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 1/2-2 Tablespoons honey
3-4 teaspoons Togarashi
1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek
1 Tablespoon Mirin

Mix all ingredients together until well combined.
Best if flavors are allowed to meld for a few hours in the refrigerator.
Serve as a dipping sauce or put in a squeeze bottle and drizzle over top.

Spinach-Basil Pesto

 We are harvesting the last of the spinach and basil.
This pesto can be used as a condiment for sandwiches, slathered over roast chicken, or as a sauce for pasta.
It comes together quickly and can be stored in the refrigerator about a week or frozen.

Spinach-Basil Pesto over Pasta with Chicken

3 cups fresh spinach leaves
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 garlic cloves
pinch of red pepper flakes
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil

Put spinach, basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper, and Parmesan in a food processor.
Turn on and while running, pour in olive oil. Process until combined, scraping down sides as needed.
Put pesto in a small bowl, use as needed.

Caramel Apple Crunch Muffins-Bigelow Tea

Now that fall has set in, a steaming, aromatic cup of tea, that you can wrap your hands around, brings classic comfort. Whether it is after a football game, reading a good book, or visiting with friends tea is a long standing ritual.
The Bigelow Tea company are family tea blenders since 1945.
Along with their original tea, Constant Comment, they have a variety of black, green, and herbal teas.
They also have seasonal favorites like Pumpkin Spice and Apple Cider.
This muffin recipe is from their website, and sounds like a great start to a fall morning.

Caramel Apple Crunch Muffins-Bigelow Tea

6 Bigelow Vanilla Caramel tea bags
1 cup boiling water
1 3/4 all purpose flour (I used gluten free)
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1 cup tart apple, peeled and grated
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup apple sauce or apple butter
brown sugar, for topping, if desired

Preheat oven to 375F.
Grease or line muffin cups with liners.

Place 6 tea bags in heat proof measuring cup, and add 1 cup of boiling water.
Allow to steep for 3 minutes, remove tea bags and let tea cool.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
Stir in grated apple. Set aside.
In another bowl mix butter, egg, apple butter, and tea together.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mix until just combined.
Spoon into muffin cups, about 3/4 full.
Sprinkle with brown sugar, if desired.

Bake for 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before removing from cups.

Roasted Purple Carrots with Dijon-Thyme Vinaigrette

The CSA delivered a bunch of purple carrots, I wonder if the darker skin has the same nutrient properties of blueberries? The core is orange and the skin a deep purple.
A quick roast and a splash of vinaigrette, side dish completed.

1 bunch of purple carrots, peeled

Roasted Purple Carrots with Dijon-Thyme Vinaigrette

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon olive oil

Dijon-Thyme Vinaigrette

1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme
pinch of sea salt and pepper
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 400F.
On a baking sheet lined with foil, toss carrots with salt and olive oil, and roast until tender, about 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine thyme, salt and pepper, vinegar, mustard, and maple syrup.
Whisk in olive oil.

Turn the warm carrots out to a serving dish, drizzle with vinaigrette and sprinkle with additional fresh thyme leaves.

Eggplant and Tomato Salad

The CSA delivered some medium size eggplants and the neighbors have been showering us with tomatoes from their gardens.
A quick broil, with a little cheese, and a salad or appetizer for dinner is ready.

Eggplant and Tomato Salad

2 medium eggplants, sliced 1/2 inch
4 medium size tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan
4 ounces feta cheese
salt and pepper
5 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, sliced
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Garnish: fresh basil leaves

Score the eggplant lightly and sprinkle with salt and let sit in colander for about 15 minutes.

Preheat broiler.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and brush with 1 Tablespoon of oil.
Broil the eggplant, turning until lightly browned.
Top each eggplant with shredded Parmesan, and broil until melted.
Top with tomato and feta cheese and broil again, until cheese is softened.
In a small bowl, combine 4 Tablespoons of olive oil, basil, garlic, and lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Place eggplant and tomato stacks on serving platter and drizzle with olive oil, basil mixture.
Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired.

Raincoast Crisps with Tapenade

I am off to Seattle to attend the International Food Bloggers Conference and one of the sponsors is Raincoast Crisps.
We are huge fans of these crackers. They elevate any cheese plate and are delicious on their own.
They come in a variety of flavor combinations and now also have several wheat free options, Thank You!
Today, along with some cheese, I am serving the Raincoast Oat Crisps with Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Tapenade. The Raincoast Crisps hold up to any dip or pate.

1-9 ounce jar roasted red pepper, drained and chopped

Raincoast Crisps with Tapenade

1-12 ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup parmesan, grated
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until mixture resembles a chunky pesto.
Allow the flavors to meld for a few hours.
This could also be used over pasta, as a sauce or on top of grilled fish.

Grilled Donut Peaches with Ice Cream-Caramel-Lavender

These cute little donut peaches are eaten out of hand, like a donut. To make for a festive dessert these were grilled and served warm with ice cream and toppings.

Grilled Donut Peaches with Ice Cream-Caramel-Lavender

for each serving;
1-2 grilled donut peaches, sliced in half, horizontally
3 Tablespoons vanilla ice cream (Bakes favorites are Trader Joe's or Tillamook)
1 Tablespoon caramel topping, heated
1 teaspoon dried lavender

Grill the donut peaches on a medium-high heat, about 2 minutes on each side.
Put peaches on a plate and spoon ice cream over top.
Drizzle with caramel and sprinkle with lavender.
Serve immediately!

Lemon Cucumber Salad

The dear ones signed me up for a CSA box to be delivered throughout the summer. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and supports local farmers and this particular one is all organic.
I live in anticipation of what fresh, local treats are going to be left at my doorstep!
This week Bartlett pears, Donut peaches, lots of vegetables, and something I had not used before, Lemon Cucumber.
The photo shows one in the background. They taste like cucumbers, and they do not taste like lemon, named just for the color. So, this is a Greek like salad, with lemon cucumber and basil.

Lemon Cucumber Salad

The cucumbers can be peeled or used with the peel, which I did, because they were small and tender.

2 small Lemon cucumbers, washed and sliced
1/4 cup sweet onion, sliced
1 small orange pepper, sliced
1 cup baby Heirloom tomatoes, sliced in half
6 Kalamata olives, sliced
several small fresh basil leaves
3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon olive oil
pinch of dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
fresh ground pepper, to taste


Combine cucumbers, onion, pepper, tomatoes, olive, and basil together in a bowl.

In another bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, oregano, and salt.

Drizzle 2 Tablespoons dressing over salad and toss. Add pepper and more basil, if desired.

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

The farmers market featured these bright blossoms that I could not resist.
We stuffed them, baked them, ate them! They were accompanied by some lightly sauteed baby heirloom tomatoes, drizzled with reduced balsamic, and fresh basil.

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

10-12 zucchini blossoms, washed
5 ounces goat cheese, softened
3 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
2 teaspoons shallot, fined chopped
2 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped
2 teaspoon olive oil
squeeze of lemon juice
a few flakes of red chili pepper (optional)
freshly ground pepper and salt, if needed

Preheat oven to 350F.

Line a baking sheet with foil and grease olive oil.

In a medium bowl, mix the goat cheese, Parmesan, shallot, basil, olive oil, lemon juice, and pepper until well combined.

Spoon or pipe about 1-2 Tablespoons of cheese mixture into base of each blossom. Twist the tops and tuck under. Place on greased baking sheet.

Bake about 10-12 minutes. Lift each blossom with a spatula and transfer to serving dish.
Note: for garnish or salad, quickly saute tomatoes in a little olive oil, top with a drizzle of reduced balsamic and basil leaves.

Kale Chips with Nutritional Yeast

This is just a little twist on the kale chips. We like a little kick to it, so we add some red pepper flakes. They can be omitted if the heat is not desired.

Kale Chips with Nutritional Yeast

Preheat oven to 300F.

5-6 cups kale leaves, centers removed and loosely chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 heaping teaspoon nutritional flakes

On a foil or parchment lined baking sheet, toss kale with olive oil and sea salt (massage in well)!
Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, if desired.

Bake kale about 20-30 minutes until crispy, but not burnt.
Remove from oven and sprinkle nutritional yeast over top.

Rosemary Corn Bread with Coriander Butter

This corn bread can be made in 2 skillets, 2-9 inch pie pans, or 24 muffin pans. I love using the silicone baking muffin pans, as they require no vegetable spray.
Traditionally served alongside chili, these muffins can also be used like a sandwich.
For a more savory corn bread, jalapeno can be added and sugar omitted.

1 pound corn muffin mix ( I like Trader Joe's)
1/2 pound frozen corn kernels
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped

Rosemary Corn Bread with Coriander Butter

2 cups heavy cream
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
4 eggs
1 Tablespoon shallots, minced
granulated sugar, optional

Preheat oven to 350F.
Spray two 9-inch pie pans or skillets, or two muffin pans. Coat the bottoms with granulated sugar, if desired.
In a mixing bowl, combine corn muffin mix, corn, rosemary, cream, red pepper, eggs, and shallots, mix well.
Pour batter into prepared pans and bake about 40 minutes, less for muffins, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Coriander Butter:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2-3 teaspoons coriander
2-3 teaspoons brown sugar
1-2 teaspoon salt
Mix all ingredients together, to taste.
Serve a scoop on top or alongside corn bread.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Dill Cream

Tis the season for potato salad but don't over look these roasted fingerlings. The dill cream is also a great addition to grilled salmon off the barbecue.

Dill Cream:

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Dill Cream

1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
1 Tablespoon shallot, minced
2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
zest of small lemon
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, mix well.
Allow dill cream to come to room temperature before serving over warm potatoes.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes:
2 pounds of fingerling potatoes, cleaned and halved lengthwise
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 425F.
In a large bowl, toss potatoes with oil, salt, and pepper.
Place in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake, turning once, until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, about 25-30 minutes.

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Tomatoes are looking great at the farmers market, and this salad has an Asian flair to it. The Persian cucumbers I saw recently at Trader Joe's would also work well, sliced and tossed with the dressing

Tomato Cucumber Salad

4 medium tomatoes, sliced
1 English cucumber, sliced
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Sweet Soy Dressing
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon sweet soy sauce
1 Tablespoon mustard
pinch of wasabi powder
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 Tablespoons rice bran oil
(could substitute canola oil)
sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

In a bowl combine the garlic, vinegar, soy, mustard and wasabi.
Whisk in the sesame and rice bran oil until well emulsified. Add salt and pepper.
Lay tomatoes and cucumbers on serving platter and drizzle dressing over top.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Corn Tacos with Avocado Cilantro Crema

If you like Mexican food, fresh vegetables, and peppers, you are going to really enjoy this!
Fresh corn is now in the market but frozen will work well also.
The avocado crema is also good as a tortilla dip or slathered on a sandwich. I just saw Bake using it as a dip for grilled shrimp.

Corn Tacos with Avocado Cilantro Crema

Avocado Cilantro Crema
1 bunch of cilantro, washed
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 green onion, sliced
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 large avocado, pitted and cubed
1 large lime, juiced
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Combine cilantro, garlic, green onion, and sugar in a food processor until finely chopped.
Add sour cream, vinegar, avocado, lime juice, salt and pepper, blend until smooth.
Adjust seasoning to taste, more sugar, lime juice, salt or pepper, as desired.

Corn Tacos
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sweet onion, diced
2 cups corn
1 cup zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
1red chili pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup baby heirloom tomatoes, halved
6-8 corn tortillas

In a large saute pan over medium heat olive oil and add onion, cook until soft (about 5 minutes). Add corn and zucchini, cook about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add peppers and cook about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add 1/2 of tomatoes.
In a large non-stick pan or over gas burner, heat corn tortillas until warm. Remove and spoon in vegetable mixture, top with avocado crema, and tomatoes.
Serve with additional avocado crema and lime on the side.

Strawberry Burrata Basil Salad

The local strawberries are everywhere; sweet and juicy. Pair them with fresh summer basil, right out of the garden, and you know I am always on the lookout for dishes where I can use burrata.
A good quality olive oil, fresh ground pepper, and sea salt finish the dish.

Strawberry Burrata Basil Salad

8 ounces strawberries, washed, hulled and halved
4-8 ounce ball of burrata
3 basil leaves, sliced
pinch of sugar
pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper
2 teaspoons reduced balsamic (balsamic syrup)
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
pinch of sea salt

Place the burrata cheese in the middle of a serving bowl.
In another bowl, toss strawberries with basil, a pinch of sugar, a pinch of salt, and fresh ground pepper.
Spoon the strawberries around the burrata cheese. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar over the strawberries.
Top with a drizzle of olive oil and sea salt over cheese.

Caramelized Onion Hummus

So many of my faves in one dish, caramelized onion, garlic, lemon, and cayenne pepper!
Lydele served a similar, commercial hummus with an appetizer before dinner one night. I had so much of it, she sent me home with some.

In a future post, I will describe Lydele's kitchen in Provence. The amazing food that comes out of a 2 foot kitchen with something that looks like a microwave but is some kind of oven. There are a lot of balls in the air to make meals work but Lydele does it flawlessly and the outcome is simply fabulous food.

Ok, back to the hummus recipe that the appetizer inspired.

Caramelized Onion Hummus

2 sweet onions, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup Tahini (ground sesame)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper

In a saute pan over medium heat, add olive oil and onion. Cook until browned but not burned, about 20 minutes. Take off heat and add garlic, and stir to warm garlic.
Combine chickpeas, Tahini, lemon juice, cumin, salt and peppers in a food processor. Add onion and garlic olive oil mixture to food processor and mix until smooth.
Spoon into serving dish.
Note: a handful of sauteed chickpeas and extra caramelized onions can be used to garnish.

Grilled Zucchini-Two Dishes

Zucchini is abundant during the summer months. I like to use the small, tender ones before they become large and seedy. The first post is like a warm zucchini salad and the second, could be served as a vegetarian main course, with that delicious sun dried tomato basil butter.

Grilled Zucchini Mozzarella Salad:

Grilled Zucchini Mozzarella Salad

2-3 zucchini, ends trimmed and sliced 1/4 inches lengthwise
1 Tablespoon olive oil, divided
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1 Mozzarella, sliced
6 oven dried tomatoes, halved
1 Tablespoon reduced balsamic
basil leaves to garnish

In a glass pan, toss the sliced zucchini with 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper.
Preheat grill pan and lay the zucchini across in a single layer. Cook about 5 minutes on each side and return to glass pan. Add the remaining 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil and sherry vinegar, lightly toss.
Place the zucchini on a platter, top with mozzarella and tomatoes. Drizzle with any remaining oil from glass pan and spoon balsamic over all. Garnish with basil leaves.

Grilled Zucchini with Sun Dried Tomato Basil Butter
Prepare the zucchini as in the previous post with olive oil and salt and pepper.
Grill and then top with 2 Tablespoons Sun Dried Tomato Butter.

Grilled Zucchini with Sun Dried Tomato Basil Butter

Chilled Carrot Soup with Herb Float

Perfect for a warm summer day. Remember to chill the soup bowls also.

Chilled Carrot Soup with Herb Float

Soup:
4 carrots
2 cups fresh carrot juice
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon honey
pinch of curry powder
pinch of sea salt

In a saucepan place carrots, carrot juice, water, butter, honey, curry powder, and salt.
Heat to a boil and lower heat to simmer; continue to simmer until carrots are tender.
Transfer carrot mixture to a blender and blend until smooth.
Place blender in refrigerator until chilled, at least an hour.

Herb Float:
1/3 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
2 chives, finely chopped
2 sprigs of tarragon leaves, finely chopped
2 sprigs of parsley, finely chopped
Whip sour cream and stir in chives, tarragon, and parsley

To serve, put chilled carrot soup in chilled bowls and top with a teaspoon of herb float.

Whipped Coconut Cream with Almonds

Joy, Joy, Joy!
For those of you who are vegan or avoiding dairy, but missing your whipped cream, here it is!
The coconut cream is spooned over top of chocolate pudding held in a graham cracker crust.
But the real star of this post is the Whipped Coconut Cream.
I am already planning this on top of flour less chocolate cake or fresh raspberries.

1 can coconut cream ( I used Trader Joe's) well chilled
pinch of sea salt

Whipped Coconut Cream with Almonds

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 Tablespoon organic maple syrup

Whisk all ingredient together until well combined and fluffy.
Cover and refrigerate for an hour to combine flavors.
Top with toasted almond slices, if desired.

Graham Cracker Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham crackers, crushed finely (I used gluten free)
1/4 cup sugar
6 Tablespoons butter, melted
Combine all ingredients and mix well, spoon into cups or pie plate and press bottom and sides.
Chill for an hour to set.

Chocolate Coconut Cream Almond Pudding:
1 can coconut cream
12 ounces chocolate chips
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a bowl, combine chocolate chips with almond and vanilla extracts.
Pour the can of coconut cream in a saucepan over medium heat and heat to boiling. Remove and add coconut cream to chocolate chips. Whisk well until combined and smooth.
Pour into prepared graham cracker crust cups and refrigerate for several hours.

Serve with whipped coconut cream.