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Meal 1: Spaghetti squash with marinara sauce
Prepare Spaghetti squash
Ingredients:
Pair the spaghetti squash noodles and marinara with chicken parmesan, meatballs, or your favorite protein. Meal 2: Smashed Potatoes with Sweet Corn Relish by The Smitten Kitchen Sweet corn relish
Directions: Make the Sweet Corn Relish: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Prepare a bowl with ice water and set aside. Add the corn, bring the water back to a boil, and blanche for 1 minute. Drain the corn in a colander and immediately transfer to the ice water bath for 5 minutes. Drain the corn and slice the kernels from the ears. Place the corn kernels, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic in a 1-quart jar, or divide between 2 1-pint jars, and set aside. In the same pot you used for the corn, combine the vinegar, 1/4 cup water, sugar, mustard and cumin seeds, salt, peppercorns, and turmeric and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until the liquid is hot to the touch and the sugar has completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Pour the liquid over the corn mixture and let cool. Refrigerate the relish for at least one day to develop the flavor, or up to 1 year. Make the Spicy Spring Pea Sauce: Remove your peas from their pods. In a medium pot or saucepan, bring 1 quart water to boil over high heat. Add 2 teaspoons of the salt and gently pour the peas into the pot. Blanch until just tender, about 3 minutes, or up to 4 minutes if they were frozen. Drain the peas in a colander and rinse with cold water. Transfer the peas to a blender. Add 1/4 water to start, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, the jalapeño, and the lemon juice and puree until smooth, adding remaining 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary (the mixture should be viscous but pour fairly easily from the blender). Pour the pureed peas into a serving bowl. Season more salt, white pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Make the Smashed Potatoes and Caramelized Onion Rings: Fit a large pot with a steamer insert and fill with 2 inches of water. Put the potatoes and in the steamer, cover, and cook over medium heat until fork-tender, about 35 to 45 minutes, adding more water to the pot if necessary. Remove the potatoes from the steam and let cool for 5 minutes. While the potatoes are steaming, warm 1/4 cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Reduce the heat to low and add the onion slices, keeping them intact. Cook, gently stirring and flipping as needed for even cooking, until just starting to caramelize, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and set aside. Leave any extra oil behind in the pan. On a clean work surface, gently press each potato with the palm of your hand to flatten it to about 1/2-inch-thick. Set aside. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. In the same large skillet where you cooked the onion slices, add the remaining 1/4 cup oil over medium-high heat. Add half the potatoes in a single layer and cook until crispy and browning, about 5 minutes. Salt the potatoes, gently flip them, and fry for 4 to 5 minutes more. Salt the second side and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining potatoes. To serve: arrange the potatoes on a serving platter, top with the onions and sweet corn relish, and season with pepper. Put the pea sauce in a medium bowl and serve it alongside the potatoes.
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Meal 1: Jambalaya, adapted from MacMar
Ingredients:
Sauté Vegetables
Meal 2: Sweet Corn with sauteed Swiss Chard Prepare the Swiss Chard Ingredients:
Pair this with your favorite protein, for example… grilled chicken, meatloaf or pork chops Meal 3: Potato Kugel by Smitten Kitchen Ingredients: 1 large or 2 small yellow onions 3 pounds or about 5 large baking — Russet or Idaho — potatoes, peeled 1/3 cup potato starch (or corn starch) 2 teaspoons kosher salt Lots of freshly ground black pepper 3 large eggs 5 tablespoons olive oil, schmaltz or another oil of your choice Directions: Heat oven to 350°F. By hand: Chop onions very finely and coarsely grate potatoes. With a food processor: Blend onions in food processor with regular blade until finely ground. Switch to grating blade and grate potatoes — I like to do this one their sides, for the longest strands. Both methods: Place onions and potatoes in a large bowl. Sprinkle salt, pepper and starch evenly over potatoes and toss together with two forks or, as I do it, your very clean hands, evenly coating strands. Break eggs right on top and again use forks or your fingers to work them into the strands, evenly coating the mixture. Heat a 1/4 cup oil or fat in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet** over high heat until very hot. Pour potato-egg mixture into pan carefully (it’s going to splatter) and spread evenly in pan. I like to twist and tousle the top strands a little for a pretty final texture on top. Drizzle with last tablespoon of oil. Bake in heated oven for 75 to 80 minutes, until browned on top and tender in the middle. If top browns too quickly, before center is baked, cover with foil for all but the last two minutes of baking time, though this has never been necessary in my oven. Serve in squares, either right from the skillet or unmolded onto a platter. Kugel reheats exceptionally well in a warm oven. It keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days, and much longer (months, even) in the freezer. I like to defrost it in the fridge before rewarming it in an oven. Meal 1: Okra fries, by JJ Johnson and Zesty Arugula Salad
Ingredients
Zesty Arugula Salad Dressing Chop up arugula and toss with this dressing 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, or stone-ground mustard 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 dash freshly ground black pepper Meal 2: Tomato and Corn Pie by Gourmet Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons or 3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 teaspoons melted 3/4 cup whole milk 1/3 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 3/4 pounds beefsteak tomatoes 1 1/2 cups corn (from about 3 ears), coarsely chopped by hand (my preference) or lightly puréed in a food processor, divided 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil, divided (skipped this, no harm was done) 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives, divided 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided 7 ounces coarsely grated sharp Cheddar (1 3/4 cups), divided Directions: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 3/4 tsp salt in a bowl, then blend in cold butter (3/4 stick) with your fingertips or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Add milk, stirring until mixture just forms a dough, then gather into a ball. Divide dough in half and roll out one piece on a well-floured counter (my choice) or between two sheets of plastic wrap (the recipe’s suggestion, but I imagined it would annoyingly stick to the plastic) into a 12-inch round (1/8 inch thick). Either fold the round gently in quarters, lift it into a 9-inch pie plate and gently unfold and center it or, if you’re using the plastic warp method, remove top sheet of plastic wrap, then lift dough using bottom sheet of plastic wrap and invert into pie plate. Pat the dough in with your fingers trim any overhang. Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. If your kitchen is excessively warm, as ours is, go ahead and put the second half of the dough in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Whisk together mayonnaise and lemon juice. Cut an X in bottom of each tomato and blanch in a large pot of boiling water 10 seconds. Immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to cool. Peel tomatoes, then slice crosswise 1/4 inch thick and, if desired (see Notes above recipe), gently remove seeds and extra juices. Arrange half of tomatoes in crust, overlapping, and sprinkle with half of corn, one tablespoon basil, 1/2 tablespoon chives, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and one cup of grated cheese. Repeat layering with remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, chives, salt, and pepper. Pour lemon mayonnaise over filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round in same manner, then fit over filling, folding overhang under edge of bottom crust and pinching edge to seal. Cut 4 steam vents in top crust and brush crust with melted butter (2 teaspoons). Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes, then cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Meal 3: Breakfast Hash by Yellow Bliss Road Ingredients:
Heat a large cast iron or non stick skillet over medium low heat until thoroughly heated, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the preheated skillet, followed by the eggs. Cook and stir until eggs are soft scrambled, remove from heat to a small bowl and keep warm. Raise heat to medium. Once hot, add remaining butter, olive oil and the potatoes to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are golden brown and almost cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Push potatoes to one side and add the sausage, onion and bell pepper. Cook, breaking up sausage, until sausage is cooked through and veggies are tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add eggs back into pan and stir everything together. Top with the cheese and allow to melt, taste and adjust seasoning, then serve immediately with any desired garnishes. For sunny side up eggs: Begin recipe by cooking the potatoes, sausage and veggies as directed. Make 4 wells on the hash and break one egg into each well. Reduce heat to low, cover pan tightly, cook until whites are firm and yolks are still runny, about 4 minutes. Top with cheese, melt, serve with any desired garnishes. Meal 1: Baba Ganoush by The Mediterranean Dish
If you enjoy hummus, you’ll like baba ganoush! Try scooping it up with raw carrots! Ingredients ● 2 eggplants ● 1/4 cup tahini paste ● 1 lemon, juice of ● 1 garlic clove, minced ● 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt, optional ● Kosher salt and black pepper ● 1 teaspoon sumac ● 3/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes, optional ● Extra virgin olive oil ● Toasted pine nuts for garnish, optional ● Fresh minced parsley for garnish, optional Directions Smoke or grill the eggplant. Turn one gas burner on medium-high. Place the eggplant directly over the flame. Using a pair of tongs, turn the eggplant every 5 minutes or so until it is tender and the skin is charred and crispy on all sides (20 minutes.) The eggplant should deflate and become super tender. If you don't have a gas burner, you can use a grill. You can also roast the eggplant in the oven (see notes). Drain and cool. Remove the eggplant from the heat and transfer it to a large colander over a bowl. Cut a slit in the eggplant to help it drain excess liquid and cool more quickly. Allow it to sit for a few minutes until fully cooled and all excess water has been drained. Push on it with a knife or a spoon to help release its juices. Peel the skin. Once the eggplant is cool enough to touch, peel the charred, crispy skin off (it should come right off). Discard the skin and the stem. Don't worry if a few bits of the skin remain; that's just added flavor! Make the dip. Transfer the cooked and fully drained eggplant to a bowl. Use a fork to break it down into smaller pieces. Add the tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice, Greek yogurt (if using), salt, pepper, sumac, Aleppo pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes. Mix gently with a wooden spoon or a fork until well-combined. Chill. Cover the baba ganoush and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour. Serve. Transfer the baba ganoush to a rimmed serving dish or a bowl. Top with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, toasted pine nuts, and minced parsley, if you like. Serve with pita wedges or pita chips and veggies of your choice! Meal 2: Zucchini Lasagna by A Couple Cooks Pairs well with a side of mashed potatoes Ingredients: ● 3 large garlic cloves ● 2 tablespoons unsalted butter ● 5 diced tomatoes ● 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce, fire roasted if possible ● 1 teaspoon dried basil ● 1 teaspoon dried tarragon (or oregano) ● 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided ● 2 teaspoons cornstarch (or arrowroot starch) ● 2 pounds zucchini (3 large or 5 small medium) ● 2 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh thyme ● 2 teaspoons lemon zest (1/2 lemon) ● 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese ● ¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided ● 2 cups (7 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided ● ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ● Fresh ground black pepper Instructions: Preheat: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare the sauce: Mince the garlic. Add the butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat: once melted, add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Turn down the heat and carefully add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, tarragon, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Remove ¼ cup of the sauce and stir it with the cornstarch, then add it back to the pan (this helps to thicken the sauce). Simmer while making the remainder of the recipe, at least 15 minutes. When ready to use, remove the pan from the heat. Roast the zucchini noodles: Slice the zucchini into noodles ¼ inch thick, using a knife or mandoline (if you have a mandoline, it’s the easiest way to get uniform pieces). You can discard the pieces that are just the peel. Place the zucchini strips on two parchment-lined baking sheets and drizzle them with olive oil, then use your hands to rub it so they are lightly coated on both sides. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided across the 2 trays. Roast 10 to 12 minutes, until just tender. Remove the pans from the oven and set aside. Meanwhile, prepare the cheese filling: De-stem the thyme, then roughly chop the leaves. Add 2 tablespoons thyme to a medium bowl and reserve about ½ tablespoon for topping the lasagna. To the bowl, add the lemon zest, ricotta cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, nutmeg, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Stir to combine. Turn down the oven: Turn down the heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Assemble the lasagna: In a 9” x 9” baking dish (or similar volume baking dish), spread a ½ cup tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan. Then top with 1 layer of the zucchini noodles, half of the cheese mixture (in dollops) and about ½ cup of the tomato sauce, using a spatula to spread the sauce evenly over the cheese. Repeat again, topping with 1 layer of noodles, the remaining cheese mixture, and ½ cup of the remaining tomato sauce. Finally, top with a final layer of noodles, then another ½ cup tomato sauce. Sprinkle the entire top with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, and ½ tablespoon fresh thyme. Bake the lasagna: Bake the lasagna for 40 minutes, uncovered. Let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving (this allows the lasagna to set; you can let it sit even longer if desired). Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days and reheated in a 375°F oven. Meal 3: Bean and Vegetable Burritos by Smitten Kitchen Serve with remaining corn on the cob Ingredients: ● 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil ● 1 medium onion, diced small ● 2 large cloves of garlic, minced ● 1 fresh jalapeño or habanero pepper, minced ● 1 bell pepper, diced ● 1 teaspoon ground cumin ● 2 to 3 teaspoons ground chili powder (to taste) ● 2 tablespoons tomato paste ● 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes ● Kosher salt ● 2 (15.5-ounces) cans black, red, or pinto beans, drained and rinsed ● 1 1/2 cups corn kernels, fresh (from 2 ears), canned and drained, or frozen (no need to thaw) ● 5 ounces arugula, roughly chopped ● 1 lime, halved ● 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese ● 8 ounces (about 2 cups) coarsely grated monterey jack or pepper jack cheese ● 8 large burrito-sized flour tortillas ● Hot sauce, to taste Directions: Make the filling: Heat your largest skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add oil, and once the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, and bell pepper and cook until the the ingredients begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cumin, smaller amount of chili powder, and tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes and let simmer for 1 minute, then add the beans and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Taste the mixture and add salt; I find I need between 2 to 3 teaspoons kosher salt to get the level right but adjust it to your taste. Add last 1 teaspoon chili powder if needed for your desired heat level. Add the corn and arugula and stir until the arugula has wilted and everything is warm. Taste for seasoning again and adjust as needed. Remove from heat and squeeze the juice of half the lime over the mixture, then the second half if you like more. Let cool slightly while you get ready to assemble your burritos. Assemble your burritos: If your tortillas are unbendy from the package, you can warm them briefly in a dry skillet or for 15 seconds in the microwave to soften them. If they seem dry, I might spritz them lightly with water before warming. Arrange first tortilla on counter and spoon about 3/4 cup of the filling in the lower third, closest to you. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup jack cheese and 2 tablespoons cotija. (If you like to make some burritos spicier than others, you can shake hot sauce on at this point.) Fold the bottom of the tortilla over the filling, fold in the sides, and roll it up, setting it to cool seam side-down. Repeat with remaining tortillas, filling, and cheese. |
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