Italian Salsa

This is just a "top-it-yourself" bruschetta. You can flavor it to taste. We prefer more balsamic vinegar than olive oil, try equal parts at first, then adjust.

Italian Salsa

5-6 tomatoes, diced (we used a variety of heirloom tomatoes from Matt's Garden)

8-10 fresh basil leaves, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

pinch coarse salt

few turns of the pepper mill

Combine tomatoes, basil and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with a thinly sliced, toasted baguette.

Quick! Make this before the first frost gets your tomatoes!

Margherita Pizza on Honey Wheat Dough

Homemade pizza is one of my favorite dinners. We love to make this variety in the fall, when the basil and tomatoes are ripe in our garden. You'll love this dough. The whole wheat flour gives it a great flavor, and the chewy texture......mmmmmmm......

Invest in a pizza stone* and peel. These two tools will help you turn your kitchen into a pizzeria.

Margherita Pizza

one recipe pizza dough (this will make one large, thick crust pizza, or two thin crusts)
1-2 large, garden tomatoes, thinly sliced (we used a delicious Black Krim tomato...grown in our garden, from one of Matt's seedlings)
Fresh Basil (we cut some thinly and cooked it on the pizza, then garnished with fresh leaves after removing it from the oven)
Fresh Mozzarella, sliced as thick as you want it (find it packed in water. We also topped the whole pizza with a little of the shredded variety)
Balsamic Reduction (this stuff is excellent on pastas and veggies as well.)

Honey-Wheat Pizza Dough

from The California Pizza Kitchen Cookbook

1 teaspoon yeast

1/2 cup + 1 teaspoon warm water (105-110 degrees F)

1 cup bread flour (can use all-purpose in a pinch)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

5 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus 1 teaspoon for coating
Cornmeal, for dusting

Dissolve the yeast in the water and set aside for 5-10 minutes.

If using an upright mixer, use the mixing paddle attachment because the batch size is too small for the dough hook to be effective (I tripled the recipe to serve a crowd, so I used the dough hook). Add the flours, honey, salt and 1 T olive oil. Mix gradually using the lowest 2 speeds. Mix for 2 to 3 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. If mixing by hand, place the dry ingredients in a 4- to 6- quart mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle and pour in the liquids (reserving the 1 teaspoon olive oil). Use a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients. Once initial mixing is done, you can lightly oil your hands and begin kneading the dough. Knead for five minutes. When done, the dough should be slightly tacky (barely beyond sticking to your hands).

Lightly oil the dough ball and the interior of a 1-quart glass bowl. Place the dough ball in the bowl and seal the bowl with clear food wrap. Set aside at room temperature (70-80 degrees F) and allow to rise until double in bulk ; about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

The dough can be used at this point, but it will not be that wonderful, chewy, flavorful dough that it will later become. Punch down the dough, re-form a nice round ball and return it to the same bowl. Cover again with clear wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.

About 2 hours before you are ready to assemble your pizza, remove the dough from the refrigerator. Use a sharp knife to divide the dough into two equal portions. Roll the smaller doughs into round balls on a smooth, clean surface, being sure to seal any holes.

Place the newly formed dough balls in a glass casserole dish, spaced far enough apart to allow for each to double in size. Seal the top of the dish with clear plastic wrap. Set aside at room temperature until the dough balls have doubled in size (about two hours).

About one hour before you assemble your pizza, put your stone in the COLD oven and preheat to 400 degrees. If you put your room temperature pizza stone into a hot oven, it will probably crack.

To form the dough, sprinkle flour over a 12-inch by 12-inch smooth surface. Use your hand or a rolling pin to press the dough down, and roll or stretch into a 9-inch circle. Pinch the edges to form a lip. If you are adventurous, you can try the "toss and stretch".

Dust both your pizza stone (it's heating in the oven by now) and your peel with cornmeal.
Put your pizza dough on the peel and pierce all over with a fork (this will prevent those huge bubbles from forming). Shake the dough on the peel back and forth just to make sure that you have enough cornmeal. The dough should slide around on the peel. If you don't have enough cornmeal, the dough will not slide and will be a mess when trying to get it into the oven after you have already put all of the toppings on.

Arrange tomato slices and mozzarella over dough. Slide the pizza onto the stone. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the crust is done (you may need to use your peel to peek at the underside or rotate) and the cheese just begins to brown. Remove from oven using the peel. Drizzle with balsamic reduction, garnish with fresh basil, cut and ENJOY!

*I use my pizza stone for more than just pizza.

Zucchini Cranberry Bread

I am always looking for ways to use up zucchini. This bread is delicious.

recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup finely grated zucchini (I got more than enough from one medium sized garden zucchini)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen whole cranberries (I always buy a few extra bags during the holidays and toss them right into the freezer for later use. I think you can find them in the freezer section of your supermarket. If not, substitute blueberries, sour cherries, use your imagination...)

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a bread pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla. Stir in the zucchini. Add the flour mixture, and stir to combine; do not overmix. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the cranberries.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake, rotating halfway through, until top is golden and cake tester comes out clean (45-50 minutes). Transfer to wire rack to cool before serving.

Can also make 12 muffins with this batter, just decrease the baking time to 25 - 30 minutes.

Mixed Greens with Baked Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

Any of you who have been reading for a while know about my garden woes. We live right next to the mountains, so wandering deer get a lot of our veggies. However, we have never had to go without garden fresh produce, thanks to brother-in-law Matt from Magpie Gardens. Almost weekly through the summer, I get a call to pick up an overflowing basket of tomatoes, peppers, herbs, melons, zucchini, you name it.

Last summer we ate purple, orange, yellow, red, pink and striped tomatoes. All from Magpie Gardens.

Some of you may know Matt. For those of you who don't I'll let him introduce himself:

"I'm a teacher during the winter months and a gardener during the summer. I grow over 20 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, each with its own unique flavor. I also grow over 30 varieties of chiles and bell peppers, from mild Cal Wonder Green Bells to the Bhut Jolokia, widely regarded as the hottest chile in the world. I'm committed to local, sustainable food that doesn't deplete our natural resources...and tastes good.
"One of my friends once told me I ruined her life. I was quite stunned bu such an accusation. I asked her why. She told me that once she had tasted one of mu fresh, heirloom black krim tomatoes, she could never go back to eating hot-house store tomatoes again because they tasted like cardboard. It's nothing unique I do that makes the tomatoes taste so good, rather it's honoring and cultivating the varieties that were bred for taste (rather than how uniform in size they are, how fast they grow, or how well they ship), that generations of farmers, gardeners and others have been committed to."

He starts everything he grows from seed in his office/greenhouse...the chilies as early as February. Who thinks that far in advance? Matt. (P.S. all of his seeds are purchased from certified organic seed suppliers.)

This summer, his garden is looking so promising, he is offering his produce to the masses along the Wasatch front (hopefully that includes you). Already he has a variety of salad greens for sale. Soon he will be offering peas, beets, carrots, and in another month or so, the tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers will be ready. Throughout the summer, he will have onions, chilies, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, pumpkins, beans, peas, eggplant, and greens. He also has oregano, cilantro and seven varieties of basil.

If you would prefer to grow your own, go pick up some little seedlings...he has several varieites of heirloom tomato plants, various herbs, and many types of peppers.

His garden is completely organic. The only fertilizer he uses comes from the chickens that roam his garden. (He is not USDA certified, because that takes an enormous amount of paperwork.)

I got my first sampling from Matt this week. A variety of salad greens: lettuce, spinach, mustards, romaine freckles, lolla rossa, four seasons, bloomsdale spinach, bourdeaux spinach, arugula, black seeded simpson, osaka purple mustard (these are the rounded purple/greenish leaves, try just nibbling on one and wait for the spicy afterkick), spoon mustard, and mizuni mustard. The osaka purple mustard greens were my very favorite.

Contact Matt through his blog. You will LOVE the things he grows!

Mixed Greens with Baked Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette
adapted from Colorado Colore

Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette
1 (8 oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained
3/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

Proces the red peppers in a blender or food processor until pureed. The puree should measure 3/4 cup. Add the oil, vinegar, cilantro, salt, black pepper, sugar and red pepper. Process until blended.

Baked Goat Cheese
1 (5 oz) log soft fresh goat cheese, such as Montrachet, chilled
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs
olive oil for sauteing


Slice the goat cheese with dental floss (unflavored, obviously). Chill, covered, in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Coat the slices with the flour, then dip them in the eggs. Coat them with bread crumbs (if during this process, the cheese starts to get too soft, cover it and stick it back into the freezer for a bit).

Saute the cheese slices in hot olive oil in a skillet for 30-60 seconds per side (until lightly browned). Freeze on a baking sheet for 40 minutes, or until firm. You may prepare up to this point 2 weeks in advance. Store the frozen cheese slices in a seal-able plastic bag in the freezer.

When you are ready to serve the salad, arrange the frozen slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

Salad
12 oz mixed greens (grown by Matt of course)

Divide the salad greens evenly among serving plates. Arrange the warm goat cheese on top of each serving. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

This salad is unique and delicious. Not something you would take to the neighborhood potluck...this is sit-down-dinner-party salad.

Matt also offers landscaping services (he is an expert on native, drought tolerant plants), he builds grow boxes...heck, he'll even build you a hen house.

Zapple Crisp

Do you like apple-cinnamon desserts?

Do you have an abundance of zucchini?

Most importantly...do you like to be sneaky?

I saw this recipe demonstrated on a local television news show.

"Interesting," I thought.

Two days later, when Dr. Gardens-For-Fun * offered us some freshly picked zucchini, I knew it was fate stepping in, telling me to bake.

We served this to a sister-in-law who enjoys an apple dessert or two (ask her what she did when Costco stopped making the Caramel Apple Pie). I waited until she had tried it and liked it and then I dropped the bomb.

Try this with your family and friends. If you don't tell them it's zucchini, they'll never guess.

Mock Apple Crisp

6 cups chopped zucchini (*I got enough from one gigantic zucchini...I'm telling you, this guy has a green thumb. I want to live in his garden come late summer-early fall).
1 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 to 3/4 c sugar
3 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1 1/2 T cornstarch
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 t. salt
2/4 cup cold butter

Filling:
Peel zucchini and scoop out seeds (scoop out all of the softer center--I used a soup spoon and scraped until I got to the firmer flesh). Cut into bite size pieces. Measure out six cups.
In a saucepan, combine zucchini, applesauce, and lemon juice. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cornstarch. Add to zucchini. Heat over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly.

Crust and topping:
Combine flour, 1 cup sugar and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two sharp knives, cut butter into flour until butter is about the size of peas. Press half of this mixture into a 9 by 13 inch pan. Don't worry that is VERY dry. It will come together as a nice crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and top with the hot filling. Sprinkle the remaining flour mixture over the zucchini mixture. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown.
Serve hot with vanilla ice cream.

Seriously.

Try it.

Spicy Pumpkin Soup for the Fall Harvest Smackdown

The doctor-in-law invited us to participate in an iron-chef inspired recipe showdown at his place. The cyclist and I were a team. The D-I-L distributed a bag of fresh produce from his garden (think mostly hot peppers and juicy tomatoes). He then revealed the secret ingredient. Fresh pumpkin. I love to bake and I love pumpkin, however, I had never cooked with it. I always use the trusty canned stuff. My eyes have been opened. Have you ever roasted a fresh pumpkin? (Pie or Sugar Pumpkin, not the Jack-o-Lantern variety). Boy does it smell good!

This was the cyclist's entry in "the soup category".*


4 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

pinch cayenne pepper
6 cups of chopped roasted or pumpkin (To make pumpkin purée, cut a sugar pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff, lie face down on a tin-foil lined baking pan. Bake at 350°F until soft, about 45 min to an hour. Cool, scoop out the flesh. Freeze whatever you don't use for future use.) 
or 3 (15 oz) cans 100 percent pumpkin
5 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup milk
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add spices and stir for a minute more.

Add pumpkin and 5 cups of broth; blend well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer soup, in batches, to a blender or food processor. Cover tightly and blend until smooth. Return soup to saucepan. Or use an immersion blender in the soup pot.

With the soup on low heat, slowly add milk while stirring to incorporate. Adjust seasonings to taste. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

*Did I mention he won?

Stay Tuned for more delicious recipes from the Party.

Roasted Zucchini and Tomato Pasta

This is a great pasta dish to make in the late summer, when your garden is full.

2 1/2 pounds zucchini, chopped
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound linquine
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, 5 tablespoons oil, salt, and pepper, spread into a single layer, and roast until the vegetables are cooked through and the zucchini is beginning to brown, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente according to package directions, about 12 minutes. Drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl.
Remove vegetables from oven and add to pasta. Toss to combine. Add basil and cheese. Toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Dr. B's Superaddicting Spicy Chocolate Z-Bread (a favorite of the Superamiga support crew)

I like spicy food. The Doctor-in-Law like likes it. He's a great cook, so I must sample everything he makes...only sometimes my reaction is not so favorable.
This year at LOTOJA, the D-I-L packed his superamiga support crew some of his homemade spicy chocolate zucchini bread. (Sure beat the half eaten Clif bars the cyclist was leaving me in his musette bags.) I knew I must try it. I also knew there was a chance I might regret it. I didn't. This bread was moist, fudgy, absolutely delicious... And as I was eating it, I felt my mouth just start to tingle.

Chocolate and Cayenne pepper? Don't knock it until you try it.
Dr. B's Superaddicting Spicy Chocolate Z-Bread (a favorite of the Superamiga support crew)--his title, not mine

1 oz. unsweetened chocolate
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 C veggie oil
2 C grated Zucchini
1 t vanilla extract
2 C flour
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder (I like Hershey's Special Dark)
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 t ground cinnamon
3/4 C semi-sweet chocolate chips



Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans and dust with cocoa powder. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate until melted. Stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil, grated zucchini, vanilla and chocolate; beat well. Stir in the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Fold in the chocolate chips.

1/4 C water
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp chopped pecans
1 Tbsp Cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt

In a small skillet combine the water and sugar and stir over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add the pecans and stir well with a wooden scraper as the water evaporates. After 3-4 minutes add the cayenne and salt and toss well to coat the pecans evenly. Continue stirring for a few minutes more until all the water is evaporated, the pecans are coated, and the pan is dry. Stir the pecans into the bread batter.*

Pour batter into prepared loaf pans and bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean.

*As a rule, I generally omit nuts from baked goods. I love them in trail mixes and salads, but not breads, cakes or cookies. So when I made this, I just added the cayenne and extra 2 T of sugar (no water or 1/4 t salt) when I added the dry ingredients.
Also, Dr. B's original recipe doesn't call for the cocoa powder, but I like mine with a little deeper chocolate flavor.

Zucchini Tomato Bites

The cyclist has a brother. We'll call him "the doctor". He grows a mean vegetable garden. He introduced me to this delicious recipe. I'd feel bad about stealing it, but it is from a cookbook of mine that he borrowed and didn't return for 5 years.

When he makes these little bites, the vegetables and herbs are all from his garden. Well, we grew the zucchini and the basil was from a dear friend. But out of the fourteen tomato plants we planted this year, the deer have eaten all but one tiny cherry tomato (I ceremoniously ate it with a little sprinkling of kosher salt).

Do you have a garden? Do you grow zucchini? Or tomatoes? Or basil? If not, run to the farmers market. These are delicious. P.S. If you DO grow tomatoes, bring some to my house and we'll have tomato sandwiches.

Zucchini Tomato Bites

5 small zucchini, cut into 1/2" slices (not too big around or the zucchini to cheese ratio is off)
4 oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled and chilled
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
Fresh small basil leaves, or larger ones, torn
Freshly ground pepper to taste
6 oz fresh Parmigiano cheese, finely grated

Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silpat. Scoop out the center of each zucchini slice carefully with a melon baller, creating a shell that resembles a bowl. Fill each shell with about 1/2 teaspoon of the Gorgonzola cheese. Top each bite with 1 tomato half and 1 basil leaf. Sprinkle with pepper and Parmigiano.

Arrange the bites on the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese melts. Do not allow them to brown.

You can prepare these ahead of time and store them covered in the refrigerator. Bake just before serving.