Newsletters: July-August-September 2010
Cook's Corner
Natural Times July/August/September 2010
Compiled by Jean Crozier
Greek Spinach Rice
Serves 6
BBQ Corn on the Cob
Serves 6
1 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1 pinch onion powder
Cayenne pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup butter, softened
6 ears corn, husked and cleaned
Preheat grill for medium-high heat. In a medium bowl, mix together the chili powder, oregano, onion powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Blend in the softened butter. Apply this mixture to each ear of corn. Place each ear onto a piece of aluminum foil big enough to wrap the corn. Wrap like a burrito, and twist the ends to close.
From: www.allrecipes.com
Savory Grilled Onions
Serves 8
4 large onions
1/2 cup butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat grill for high heat. Peel onions, and remove ends. Cut each onion into quarters. Place 2 quarters of onion in a 6-inch square piece of aluminum foil, inserting a slice of butter or margarine between the pieces. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Close foil around onions. Repeat with remaining onions.
Set foil packets on lower rack of gas grill, or directly on top of hot coals. Cook for about 30 to 35 minutes.
From: www.allrecipes.com
Grilled Bacon Jalapeño Wraps
Serves 6
6 fresh jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 (8oz) package cream cheese
12 slices bacon
Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Fill jalapeño halves with cream cheese. Wrap with bacon. Secure with a toothpick.
Place on the grill, and cook until bacon is crispy.
From: www.allrecipes.com
Marinated Grilled Vegetables
Serves 5
1 small eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch thick slices
2 small red bell peppers, seeded and cut into wide strips
3 zucchinis, sliced
6 fresh mushrooms, stems removed
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Place eggplant, red bell pepper, zucchini and mushrooms in a medium bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, basil and garlic. Pour the mixture over the vegetables, cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.
Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
Place vegetables directly on the grill or use skewers. Cook on prepared grill 2 to 3 minutes per side until desired doneness is reached. Brush frequently with marinade.
From: www.allrecipes.com
Grilled Eggplant Sandwich
Makes 2 sandwiches
2 small eggplants, sliced 1/2 inch lengthwise
4 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp chopped, fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup cream cheese
4 pieces focaccia or other good quality bread, sliced in half, lengthwise
2/3 cup spinach, washed and dried
4 slices tomato
Preheat grill to medium heat. Add olive oil, garlic, salt, and fresh ground pepper and 1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped basil to small bowl. Stir to combine. Brush both sides of eggplant slices with olive oil mixture. Grill eggplant over direct heat, 3 minutes per side.
Mix cream cheese, 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil, salt, and fresh ground pepper in small bowl. Spread 4 halves of focaccia bread with cheese mixture. Top with spinach, slice of tomato, grilled eggplant and focaccia bread slice.
From: www.eggplantrecipes.net
Summer Corn Relish
Serves 16
1 3/4 cups cooked corn kernels, from fresh, frozen or canned
1 red onion, minced
1 small roma (plum) tomato, seeded and chopped
1 small cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 Thai chile peppers, seeded and chopped
1 T lime juice
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Stir the corn, onion, tomato, cucumber, mint, basil, Thai chile peppers, lime juice, and mayonnaise together in a bowl. Refrigerate overnight, or 8 hours before serving.
From: www.allrecipes.com
Three Pepper Salad
Serves 6-8
1 red sweet pepper, cored and seeded
1 yellow sweet pepper, cored and seeded
1 orange sweet pepper, cored and seeded
1 small sweet onion (Walla Walla, Vidalia, or Maui), peeled
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or fresh basil leaves
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 T rice vinegar
1 T sesame oil
1/4 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
Slice sweet peppers into matchstick-size pieces and place in a large bowl. Slice onion into matchstick-size pieces and add to the bowl. Add parsley or basil. Sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Add rice vinegar and sesame oil, stirring to mix well.
Cover and refrigerate approximately 1 hour before serving. To serve, toss salad again and sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese.
From: www.whatscookingamerica.net
Avocado & Corn Salsa
3 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and diced into large cubes
3 corn ears, (about 2 cups of kernels), husked
1 red onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 cup freshly chopped oregano
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp minced garlic
1 T of ground cumin
1 tsp of chili powder
4 shots of tabasco sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
Blanch the corn in boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain and cool under cold water.
Cut the kernels off the cob and mix together with all the remaining ingredients in a suitably sized bowl.
Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Serve as desired (goes well with seafood such as shrimp).
From: www.avocadorecipes.net
Mango & Roasted Cashew Salad
Serves 2
1/2 cup sweet white wine, such as a Riesling
1/4 cup maple crystals, or light brown sugar
1 large mango, cut into medium-size cubes (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 cup oven-roasted cashews (see Tip)
8 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Pour wine into medium bowl. Add maple crystals and stir until completely dissolved. Add mango cubes and grated ginger. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours to let the flavors mingle.
Drain off excess liquid; return to bowl. Add cashews and mix well. Garnish with fresh mint. Other tropical fruits such as pineapples and papayas are good alternatives to the fresh mango in this recipe.
Tip: To make the oven-roasted cashews, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spread raw cashews on a baking sheet and toast in oven about 5-8 minutes, until cashews turn a light golden brown.
From: www.recipes.kaboose.com
Stuffed Eggplant w/ Tomatoes & Butter
Serves 4
1 medium eggplant
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
2 T minced onion
1 can (14.5 ounces) tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1 cup soft bread crumbs
Wash eggplant and cut in half. Scoop out pulp to about 1/2 inch of the skin. Dice pulp. In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 2 minutes; add eggplant pulp, tomatoes, bread crumbs, and salt. Mix well; fill eggplant shells. Bake at 375¡F until browned, about 30 minutes.
From: www.southernfood.about.com
Classic Basil Pesto
Serves 4
1/2 cup basil leaves
4 large or 6 medium garlic cloves
1/3 cup shredded Romano cheese
3 T pine nuts
2 T minced parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup plus 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
Put basil in a mortar with garlic, Romano cheese, pine nuts, parsley, and salt. Pound until smooth, then add olive oil and mix until smooth. Or, whirl all ingredients in a blender or processor.
From: www.find.myrecipes.com
Light & Lovely Zucchini Fritters
Makes about 25
4 zucchini (approximately 1 1/2 pounds)
5–6 scallions, finely chopped
9 oz feta cheese
Small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
Small bunch fresh mint, chopped, plus extra to garnish
1 T dried mint
1 tsp paprika
Scant 1 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
3 eggs, beaten
Olive oil for frying
3-4 limes
Coarsely grate the zucchini with either the grating blade in the food processor or by hand. Spread the shredded zucchini out on a tea towel and leave for about 20 minutes to get rid of any excess wetness.
Put the chopped scallions in a bowl and crumble in the feta. Stir in the chopped parsley and mint, along with the dried mint and paprika. Add the flour and season well with salt and pepper. Gradually add the beaten egg and mix thoroughly before stirring in the drained, grated zucchini. Don’t be alarmed by the lumpiness of this batter; it’s meant to be this way.
Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan and drop heaped dessert spoonfuls of the mixture into the hot oil, flattening the little cakes down with the back of the spoon as you go. Cook these little patties for about 2 minutes each side until golden, and then transfer to a couple of waiting plates.
Chop up the limes and tumble them about the edges of the plates. Sprinkle over a little more chopped mint and eat them just as they are, spritzed with lime juice as you go.
From: www.recipes.aarp.org
Fig Bran Muffins
Serves 8-10
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh figs
1 1/4 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 T baking powder
2 T sugar
3 T shortening
1 cup bran
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
In mixing bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or rub in with fingers until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in bran. Combine egg and milk. Add to mixture, stirring lightly. Then, fold in figs and stir until blended but still lumpy.
Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full and bake at 400¡F for 25 minutes, or until done.
From: www.calfreshfigs.com
Fresh Fig Salsa w/ Grilled Lamb Chops
Serves 8
1 cup firm-ripe fresh figs, stemmed and diced
1 fresh green onion, sliced
1 medium tomato; peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup peeled and diced ripe fresh mango
1 T finely chopped fresh mint
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 tsp grated lime peel
1 T fresh lime juice
1/2 T balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
16 small lamb loin chops
Combine all ingredients for salsa and chill several hours to blend flavors. Broil or grill lamb chops. Serve with salsa.
From: www.calfreshfigs.com
Ultra Juicy Grassfed Goat Burgers
Serves 4
1 lb grassfed ground goat, thawed
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1 tsp dried rosemary leaves
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp dried cilantro
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp of sea salt
Black pepper to taste
2 T Dijon mustard
1 T Worcestershire sauce
5 T olive or canola oil
1 T butter
In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium to high heat. Add the onion, lower the heat, and sauté for about 20 minutes until nicely browned and caramelized. Be careful to not allow onions to stick to skillet. Set aside to cool.
Place the goat meat in a mixing bowl, mix in the onions, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, cumin, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Shape the mixture into 4 to 6 patties.
In a cast iron skillet, heat the remaining olive oil and the butter over medium-to-high heat. Cook the patties until medium to medium-well, from about 10 to12 minutes on each side. The oil is to help retain moisture and prevent sticking. Grassfed goat meat is very lean.
When done, serve with your favorite hamburger buns, sliced cheese, fresh lettuce, homegrown tomatoes, and your favorite condiment—such as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, barbeque, or other sauce.
From: www.americangrassfed.org
