South of the Border Squash Casserole

My sweet and gracious friend Carolyn at "A Southerner's Notebook" shares such wonderful recipes, and this is one of them.  The main ingredient is yellow crookneck squash, (I think zucchini might also be good in this recipe) and the good news is no canned soup as many squash casseroles call for. 
As Carolyn notes many times we think of squash casseroles in connection with winter holiday dinners, but I agree with her that this goes fabulously well  in the summertime. I think it is an exceptional accompaniment to grilled meats or chicken, etc. 
It makes a wonderful meatless entree as well ~ I served it with sliced tomatoes from the garden doused with a light vinaigrette for dinner and it was very satisfying. 



I halved the recipe and baked it in a 10-inch pie pan, it worked out perfectly ~ which served 4 very generously.
The recipe calls for canned Ortega chilies which I am sure would be delicious, however I had some roasted New Mexico Hatch Chilies on hand in the refrigerator so I used those.  It made the casserole a bit spicier (I was a little apprehensive to use them as someone at our table cannot tolerate very spicy food, but the casserole was enjoyed by all.) However if you are cooking for children or people who don't like a little heat, I would recommend making the recipe just the way it is written.  

This received solid thumbs up at my house, and I look forward to making it again.
Thank you Carolyn for sharing another delicious recipe!
You can click on over to Carolyn's blog for the details.
If you give this one a try I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  Thank you for stopping by.
xo~m.

Garden Vegetables and Italian Sausage Spiedini

If you planted a vegetable garden this year you might find, as the season winds down, that you are left with odds and ends, maybe not quite enough of any one thing to make a recipe.
One of the things that we like to do is cube up the vegetables, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast them off until done to our liking. At this point you can cool, place the veggies in a bowl, add a little wine vinegar (or your favorite) and toss with some fresh herbs, additional raw tomatoes, peppers, etc.
It's delicious as a accompaniment alongside the main course; excellent with meat, poultry or fish, or tossed with some cooked pasta; served hot or room temperature.



The other thing I like to do when I have just a few remnants from the garden, is cut or slice into appropriate size for grilling, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and grill. Most recently I had some Japanese eggplant, zucchini, Italian peppers, and Bell peppers. I also had some cherry tomatoes (which were oven roasted earlier-- I had set some aside from making another dish) and ripe yellow tomatoes.



I wanted to assemble it all into Spiedini. You probably know that Spiedini are the Italian equivalent of Shish Kebabs (a Turkish meal on a stick.)
I sliced some partially boiled* and cooled Italian Sausage into 1 1/2-inch pieces and skewered them; alternating with red onion pieces and Italian Peppers, brushed them with olive oil and set on the grill. You will want to turn them every few minutes for even grilling.
*Well, not actually "boiled"; I just place the whole sausages in a skillet with about 1 to 1-1/2 inches of cool water, bring to a gentle simmer over medium to medium high heat. You can pierce the sausage casings with a toothpick or tip of a sharp knife to allow some of the fat to escape and to prevent the  casing from bursting. I allow them to just barely simmer for a couple of minutes, turning once. Cook just enough for the sausage to lose the pink,  as they will finish cooking on the grill. Allow them to cool a bit before slicing into portions (as they will slice in a neater fashion when cooled.)



Alongside the skewers on the grill, I placed some Japanese eggplant  and zucchini-- sliced diagonally (to make a larger suface area)  about 1/2-inch thick, and brushed with olive oil,  and sprinkled with salt)  then grilled until tender.

When it comes time to serve you can either serve the grilled skewers (everything left on the skewer) accompanied by the eggplant, roasted cherry tomatoes, and diced fresh tomato and sprinkle  with fresh herbs if desired.  
This time I served appetizer-size portions on small plates.   If you have access to really good Italian sausages, and happily I do-- I like to serve this as is ~ because it's really flavorful.   You can also serve with a squeeze of lemon or drizzle with your favorite vinaigrette. 
Good for a party or get together as you can assemble and prepare ahead, then just grill everything when you're ready.




Other summer squash would work well in this preparation, just cut to shape/size that you can skewer securely.
Cubes of chicken, beef, pork, seafood or prawns are fabulous served this way too.




I do love Fall, however I am sad to see Summer winding down (but I do not think any of us will miss the forest fires.)
I hope you are having a good week~
~mari  xoxo

Summer is Jam Making Time

I believe homemade is the best!
We had several fruit trees in our backyard while I was growing up, my grandpa and my dad planted them soon after Mom and Dad bought our house which was a couple of years before I was born.
The suburban land there was fertile, located in what was once called "The Valley of the Hearts Delight" in Santa Clara County, California.
Known then for its prolific fruit orchards and farmland, it is known as the (original) Silicon Valley today.
The Valley of the Hearts Delight  ~ the name sounds so much sweeter to my ear than 'Silicon Valley' (and those days were sweeter, as well.)
My parents also nurtured our vegetable garden, plus chickens and rabbits in our backyard plot. But that is another story for another time...
The crops were incredibly abundant from just those few  backyard trees, and what fruit we didn't eat fresh my folks either canned or made into into jam.
Apricot, Plum, Peach and Strawberry were my favorites. My parents canned the jam in 16 ounce jars.
These days I use the  8-ounce capacity jars ~ more manageable for smaller households.



We enjoyed that delicious jam throughout the year, on toast, pancakes and waffles from the good old waffle maker. I think one of my favorite meals was having 'breakfast for dinner' ~ what a treat, especially for my sister, brother and me.



When I married and we began our own household, I continued the tradition nearly each summer since then.
 I can probably count  --on one hand-- the number of  summers that I have missed making jam for one reason or another  through the years.  And during those years I was always  thankful when my family would share what  they had "put up" with us.



I usually always made traditional jam, but then sometime in the late 1960's to early 1970's the innovative idea of making Freezer Jam and Refrigerator Jam became popular.  Made with less sugar and with a shorter cooking time it brought jam to a new level ~ fresher tasting and not cloyingly sweet. I love it!



That was when we lived in the "city".
I still enjoy the freezer/refrigerator jam, but these days I usually make only a couple of jars of that kind for just two of us.  
Living out in the country-side we  occasionally frequently face power-outages at any time of the year. It's risky to invest all of the jam to the freezer  or refrigerator; so I find it safer to can most of it in the  traditional way (hot water bath) so it is shelf stable.  


Most recently I made red raspberry jam ~ which I dearly love for its intense color, flavor and deep, delightful perfume.  However, some that I cook for cannot tolerate the seeds so for the past couple of years I began straining the seeds out ~ it takes a little more time, but the results are so worth it. Pure raspberry goodness.



You can just press the slightly cooked berries through a medium-fine mesh sieve by pushing through with the back of a wooden spoon, or use a food mill, then proceed with your favorite jam recipe.  
I always trust the recipes that come in the pectin packages.  You can find pectin in most well stocked grocery stores.  (Pectin is a natural ingredient to thicken jams, jellies, made from apples.)

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For a good tutorial on traditional jams, low sugar, lower sugar and no-sugar jams, click here.
Please note: The only thing I disagree with is -- I would advise against is using a "non-stick" coated pot for cooking the jam.  
Cooking surfaces such as  stainless steel, porcelain coated cast iron, or  natural copper are my cooking vessels  of choice for jams, jellies, preserves, etc.

You probably know, if you have made jam, there might be a little left over when making a batch.    Cook's Treat!  
I love to have it on warm toasted bread (butter is optional for some, but not for me!) A length of warm, toasted baguette is superb... (it must be the French in my blood...)

It's soo good and the aroma of jam simmering on the stove takes me right back to my  childhood summers. The little bit of left over from the jam making process has the same effect.
:o)
The wild blackberries which grow on the property have been picked and I'll be making seedless Blackberry Jam next. Photos to follow if I have a chance.


It's wonderful of you to have stopped by, please say 'Hi!'
I love to read your comments and enjoy hearing your thoughts.
xo~ mari

Caprese Salad to go . . .

To me, the flavors and colors of Salad Caprese are the essence of  summer  ~ Vine ripened tomatoes, fresh Mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, red wine vinegar, good olive oil and salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Usually it is neatly arranged either stacked, or in fanned layers of sliced tomatoes and slices of Mozzarella, then drizzled with dressing and showered with chopped basil leaves.
It's a beautiful presentation when served that way,  but a little fussy to serve on a picnic or on the buffet table. I've made it served on skewers, but that is a little time consuming especially if you have to make many of them.




This version has all of the glorious flavors, and is easy to serve on the buffet table plus it travels well.
Just halve the little tomatoes, cut the Mozzarella into cubes, or buy the little "pearl" size as I did. Add some minced parsley, the red wine vinegar and olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
This time I added some capers in brine (drained). Sliced scallions, chives or slivers of sweet red onion are also a good addition.
I pluck the smallest basil leaves and add them just before serving in order to retain their bright color and flavor.





It's best served at room temperature to enjoy the full goodness of all the flavors.

~*~*~*~*~ Additional ways to enjoy it: Bobby Flay does a very similar version which he serves as a rough 'relish' with grilled Italian sausages on rolls.  I probably would cut the tomatoes and cheese into smaller pieces in that case, for easier eating, but I'm sure these flavors would taste delicious on grilled sausage or chicken.
If you give it a try, I hope you love it.


Thank you for coming by today!
Cheers ~ mari xo 

Vanilla and Cream Cupcakes with Fresh Fruit Toppings

Since July 26th, smoke from the nearby forest fires   continues to move in and out of the area, and those in the know tell us that it will likely be like this way until the rainy season arrives.
As you might guess, conditions have put a damper on many summer outdoor activities . . .
On days when the air is in the unhealthy, very unhealthy, or hazardous range it's just best to remain indoors  as much as possible.


If we must be out in the smoke on bad air days ~ use of one these are strongly recommended. We've got our supply. Yes, a pain in the bee-hind to wear, but breathing is difficult without one ~  even for people with excellent respiratory health.

Thankfully, recently we've had more good air days than bad, but it has been so sad to see the destruction the wildfires have done to the wild and scenic areas.

Soo . . . to help cheer spirits up a little bit I made these easy cupcakes.  I used the recipe for Nigella Lawson's Fairy Cakes. I have posted about them before and  you can find the printable recipe here or here.
But your favorite recipe or even a boxed cake mix will produce similar results. Because when it comes down to it ~ it's really all about  the whipped cream and fruit toppings.  :o)


This is one of the last ones I piped. I should have whipped the cream a little stiffer (or added a bit of gelatin) so the cream would retain form.

I just slightly sweetened the whipping cream and added a little vanilla for flavor, then topped with some fruits of the season.
Spoon the whipped cream on the cupcakes or pipe it on. I used the Wilton M1 tip.


You know those talented people who are masterful with piping tips and decorating?
Well, I'm not one of those...  I'm still in the 'practicing' stage after all of these years.




But Wilton has good tutorials on line, and here is the one for this particular tip ~ and if you use a stiffer frosting, (rather than the whipped cream I used) the detail will be much sharper:

step 1

Hold tip 1M approximately ½ in. above cupcake top at a 90° angle to cupcake surface. Squeeze out icing to form a star.

step 2

Without releasing pressure, raise tip slightly as you drop a line of icing around the star in a tight, complete rotation.

step 3

After completing the first rotation, move tip toward center and up and around to make a second spiral around the inside edge of the first spiral.

step 4

Release pressure to end spiral at center of cupcake.

Tutorial from Wilton.com

I found the tutorial very helpful ~

(though it's apparent I need a lot more practice.)

Thanks for stopping by for a visit today~

Cheers!

~mari xo

Hot Chicken Meatball Sandwiches with Marinara, Mushrooms and Cheese

Remember those Cheese Stuffed Chicken Meatballs I posted about earlier this year?
I've made them a couple of times since then, and most recently I used them to make these hearty meatball sandwiches. 
I had some of the chicken meatballs in the freezer  so I just thawed them and warmed them up before assembling the sandwich.
If you saute the sliced mushrooms, warm the marinara and meatballs and keep everything warm while preparing the rolls, the sandwich assembly takes only minutes.
These require a sturdy rolls, a split and sliced baguette, or bolillo rolls. I used Telera rolls from the store (similar to bolillos, but a bit softer.)
It's best if you toast the cut side of the rolls under the broiler element of the oven until golden brown. After lightly toasting, I spread cut side of the rolls  with garlic butter and popped them under the broiler for another few seconds, then placed the cheese on the roll, and placed  under the broiler again until the cheese just began to melt.)  I used provolone cheese, but anything goes ~ your choice. If you like peppers ~hot or mild, by all means, add some.
I find the sandwiches are easier to manage if you cut each meatball in half (no rolling off of the bun.)
Just layer the rest of the ingredients any way you wish and enjoy. I serve them with a sharp knife and fork for easier eating ~ but if you're brave you might prefer eating them as you would a traditional sandwich, and with napkins!
Since it's summer and basil is growing, I tucked in a few leaves. If you don't care for it, or it's not in season just omit.
Thank you for coming by today I hope you're having a great week!
Bon appétit !
~mari

Bismarck Pizza (with no knead dough crust)

When you raise chickens, it's a given that you'll search for ways to use their fresh eggs, and this is one way that we accomplish that.

There is an authentic Italian pizza that is similar to this one ~ and a knock off here in the states that is named The Bismarck (I'm not sure where that name originated), but I just call it that pizza with an egg on top. :o)

This time I used the "Artisan Bread in 5-minutes a Day" olive-oil dough for the crust (it's a no knead crust.) You can find the recipe here. But you can use any favorite dough for the crust.

Aside from the egg, the other ingredients that sets this apart from any other pizza I've made (or have eaten), this one includes salt and pepper on the pizza dough, topped with homemade garlic butter ~ those two ingredients really add a nice flavor punch.
 

I baked these on a preheated pizza stone on the outdoor gas grill, but you can also bake them in the oven on your pizza stone.

If someone you know is allergic to eggs, you can just omit ~ but I hope you will try the technique of sprinkling salt and freshly ground pepper on the crust, and definitely try the garlic butter method!

For additional details and the printable recipe you'll find it here on my recipe blog. Have a wonderful day everyone! xo~mari

Mystery Ingredient Club ~ Roasted Nori Salmon with Crispy Potatoes and Wasabi Mayonnaise

Using ingredient number two of three, sent to Mystery Ingredient Club members by Michael at Rattlebridge Farm.  (Michael is the creator and host of the club.)

To learn more click the image below:

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I chose to use the Citrus Salt from Cyprus in this recipe from Donna Hay's current magazine edition.  (The original version uses plain sea salt.)





The recipe is very simple and would make a great weeknight dinner as it can be on the table in  less than a half hour.



The sauce is made by blending Wasabi paste with a good quality whole egg mayonnaise and fresh lemon juice. 
The method is to smash the parboiled potatoes with your fingers a little to crush them, drizzle with oil and salt, then roast them on an oiled, shallow rimmed baking sheet  for 10 minutes in a 475ºF/250ºC oven. After the 10 minutes, the seaweed wrapped salmon filets are placed skin side down on the hot baking sheet, (scooting the potatoes to the edge of the pan) then continue roasting the potatoes and salmon together for an additional 8 to 10 minutes.
The filets I used were on the smallish side, so they barely took 6 minutes to cook. (There is carry-over cooking after you remove the pan from the oven.) 
You can make the Wasabi Mayonnaise, and par boil the tiny potatoes  a couple of hours ahead to cut last minute prep time.



I served the salmon with fresh pea sprouts (love those ~ all the flavor of fresh peas, but with a delicate crunch). No prep at all, just rinse them well under cold water and arrange on the plates or platter.
It received a hearty thumbs-up at our table,  and I would definitely make this again.

I've posted the printable recipe over on my  recipe blog ~ click here.
Please hop over to Rattlebridge Farm for The August 2nd edition of Foodie Friday.
Have a wonderful day!
~mari