Artichoke & White Bean Dip
Quick, easy and healthy! Use my Artichoke & White Bean Dip as a dip or as a substitute for mayonnaise on sandwiches. The white beans and yogurt make a creamy dip without adding much fat.
INGREDIENTS
12 Ounces Marinated Artichokes (Drained)
15 Ounces White Beans (Drained)
2/3 Cup Non-Fat Plain Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
4 Garlic Cloves
1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Place the artichokes, garlic, white beans, kosher salt and pepper into a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Add the yogurt, olive oil, lime juice and red pepper flakes and blend. Scoop onto a serving plate or bowl. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Use in place of mayonnaise or serve with pita chips or vegetable sticks. Serves 4
French Jam Jar Salad
Here is a great idea for either a picnic or taking your lunch to work. Put your salad in a French Jam Jar for easy storage and carry. You can layer mixed green salads, fruit salads or any kind of salad you want. Here I layered a simple vegetable salad.
INGREDIENTS
Mache
Peeled Cucumbers
Sliced Tomatoes
Chopped Belgium Endive
Chopped Carrots
French Jam Jars
Peel the cucumbers, slice the tomatoes, and chop the carrots and endive. Layer up the vegetables into as many French jam jars that you need. Put the salad dressing into a separate container. Seal up the jars and pack up for your picnic or work. Enjoy!
I always stock up on French jam jars. They are versatile and quite handy in a pinch. I also use them to store left-over food in the refrigerator. Trust me; left-overs won’t look so pathetic.
Fiesta Bean & Chicken Soup
With all of the rain we’ve been having I felt like making a nice homey soup. I came up with this hearty, but not too heavy, bean and chicken soup. It turned out to be just what the doctor ordered.
INGREDIENTS
5 Ounces Pinto Beans
5 Ounces Red Beans
5 Ounces Black Beans
8 Cups Water
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Ounces Cooked & Diced Chicken Breast
1 Large Chopped Onion
4 Chopped Green Onions
8 Minced Garlic Cloves
1 Cup Corn
2 Diced Tomatoes
2 Cups Salsa
6 Small Chopped Red & Yellow Peppers
1 Large Chopped Hot Pepper
6 Cups Chicken Broth
1 Bottle White Wine
1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes,
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
Rinse and drain the beans. Soak the beans for at least 6 hours or overnight. Place the beans in a large soup pot with 8 cups of water and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Boil uncovered for 20 minutes. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 3 hours until the beans are soft. Do not drain the beans. Uncover and add the chicken broth and stir. Add the olive oil, kosher salt, red pepper flakes, ground cumin and chili powder. Stir. Turn up the heat to medium and add the wine. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the onions, chicken, garlic, green onions, corn, tomatoes, red & yellow peppers, hot pepper and stir. Cook for 10 minutes and then add the salsa. Simmer for an hour to blend the flavors. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve immediately. The soup can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. If necessary, thin with additional chicken broth when reheating. Serves 8
Chopped Fiesta Salad
Sometimes you just need a good salad. I came up with this simple, yet tasty, fiesta salad that is a meal by itself or paired with a main course. I served it with roasted chicken breasts. Serve with salsa dressing.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Chopped Spinach
2 Cups Chopped Romaine
1 Chopped Ripe Tomato
1 Medium Chopped Red Bell Pepper
1 Medium Chopped Yellow Bell Pepper
1 Cup Corn
1 Large Chopped Cucumber
5 Chopped Radishes
1 Small Chopped Zucchini
Tortilla Chips
Salsa Dressing
Chop the spinach and romaine lettuce and place in a large bowl. Chop the tomato, red & yellow bell pepper, cucumber, radishes and zucchini. Add to the spinach and romaine. Add the corn. Toss the salad. Arrange tortilla chips around the edges of the bowl and crumble a few on top. Serve immediately as the tortilla chips tend to get a big soggy if left to sit long. Serves 4
To make the salsa dressing all you need to do is to combine 1 cup of ranch dressing to 2 cups of salsa in a food processor or blender. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Peach Crisp
I came across a beautiful stack of organic peaches and ended up buying way too many. They were so juicy and flavorful, but I just couldn’t eat them all so I decided to make a peach crisp. The secret to my peach crisp is crystallized ginger. It just adds a nice little something with each bite.
INGREDIENTS
8 Large Sliced Peaches
1/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar
4 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Crystallized Ginger
Topping
1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 Cup Unbleached Flour
1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
12 Tablespoons Cold Butter
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Pour the peaches into a large glass baking dish. In a medium size bowl combine 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 4 tablespoons unbleached flour, crystallized ginger and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Pour the mixture over the peaches and gently mix. For the topping combine 1/2 cup old fashioned oats, 1/2 cup unbleached flour, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 12 tablespoons gold butter in a medium size bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. You can achieve this by using either a pastry blender or two forks. Sprinkle the topping over the peaches and bake in the oven for 50 minutes until your crisp is bubbly around the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Serves 6
Stuffed Zucchini
As the summer marches on I find myself buried in zucchini and out of cooking ideas. Stuffed Zucchini is a nice side dish or can be served as a main course. If you are buying zucchini make sure to buy firm zucchini with tiny prickly hairs around the stem end. The hairs are a sign of freshness. Seeding the zucchini allows excess moisture to evaporate during cooking. Be sure to rinse the cannellini beans before using.
INGREDIENTS
6 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Medium to Large Zucchini (Halved & Seeded)
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
2/3 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
2 Minced Shallots
6 Minced Garlic Cloves
1 3/4 Cup Rinsed Cannellini Beans
2 Large Chopped Tomatoes
6 Ounces Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Basil
Preheat your oven to 400° F and move the oven rack to the upper middle position. Put a baking sheet on the rack and heat while preparing the zucchini. Wash and cut the zucchini lengthwise. Remove the seeds by running a small spoon inside each zucchini half to scoop out the seeds. Brush 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the cut sides of the zucchini and sprinkle with the 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Put the zucchini halves, cut side down, on the hot baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes until the zucchini is slightly softened and the skins are wrinkled. Turn the zucchini halves over and set aside on the baking sheet. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the bread crumbs, remaining salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Stir often. The bread crumbs should be golden brown. Transfer the bread crumbs to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel. Heat the remaining olive oil in the skillet. Add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the cannellini beans and the chopped tomatoes. Cook for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in 1 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese and the basil. Divide the filling evenly among the zucchini halves. Pack lightly. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on the zucchini and then sprinkle the toasted bread crumbs. Bake the stuffed zucchini for 7 minutes until heated through. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving platter. Serves 4
Saint Swithin’s Day Apple Crumble Pie
My Saint Swithin’s Day Apple Crumble Pie is made with fresh apples, cinnamon and a brown sugar and butter topping.
INGREDIENTS
1 Unbaked Pie Shell (9 inches)
6 Cups Peeled & Sliced Apples
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/8 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Topping:
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Unbleached Flour
3 Tablespoons Butter
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans
Preheat your oven to 400° F. Fill the pie shell with the apple slices. In a small mixing bowl combine the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the apples. Next, in a small bowl combine the topping ingredients. Sprinkle the topping ingredients over the top of the pie. Bake for 50 minutes until the apples are tender and the topping is browned. Remove from the oven and cool. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. Serves 8
Bastille Day Croque Monsieur
Hey, it’s Bastille Day! Don a beret and some tricolor clothes and make a croquet monsieur to celebrate.
INGREDIENTS
4 Slices French or Italian Loaf Bread
2 Teaspoons Dijon Mustard
1 1/2 Cup Grated Gruyère Cheese
2 Slices Ham
2 Tablespoons Butter
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Spread 1/2 teaspoon of the Dijon mustard over each slice of the bread. Place 1/2 cup of the grated Gruyère cheese on top of the two slices of bread. Next, place the ham on top of the grated cheese. Finish with the remaining cheese on top of the ham. Place the other slice of bread on top. In a large skillet heat the butter over a medium heat until the butter is foaming. Carefully add the sandwiches and fry for 2 minutes on each side until they are golden brown. Transfer the sandwiches to a baking sheet and put into the oven for 5 minutes until the cheese has fully melted. Remove from the oven and place the sandwiches on a serving plate. Slice each sandwich in half and serve immediately. Serves 2
Celebrate All Things French!
Victoria’s Chocolate Cake
I have a real hankering for good old fashioned chocolate cake. It doesn’t take long to make and is super yummy. Everyone will be singing your praises if you decide to give this recipe a spin.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour
3 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Cup Sugar
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
3/4 Cup Buttermilk (you can use sour milk)
3/4 cup Melted Butter
3 Eggs
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9 inch cake pan and set aside. Sift the flour and then mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl. Melt butter and add to dry ingredients. Next add eggs and buttermilk to dry ingredients. Mix everything together until smooth with an electric mixer. Pour into pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean. When done remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. After the cake has cooled, slice cake in half to make 2 layers. It is easier to slice if the cake has been refrigerated for a couple of hours. Frost with Chocolate Butter Frosting. Use 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers, 1/3 on top and the rest around the cake. Victoria's Chocolate Cake should be served at room temperature. Serves 12
**To Make Sour Milk: 3/4 cup of milk and add either two tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice. Let sit for five to ten minutes
Chocolate Butter Frosting
3/4 Cup Softened Butter (1 1/2 Sticks)
2 Cups Confectioners’ Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
4 Squares (4 ounces) Semisweet Chocolate – Melted & Cooled
2 Squares (2 ounces) Unsweetened Chocolate – Melted & Cooled
In a large bowl, with a mixer at low speed, combine butter, vanilla and confectioners’ sugar. Mix until almost combined. Next add the semisweet and unsweetened chocolates. Increase the speed to high, beat frosting until light and fluffy which should be for about one minute. Makes about 2 1/2 cups
Victoria’s Vodka Sauce
Another answer to cooking dinner on a hot day. Don’t turn on the oven. Whip up my delicious and quick sauce that has a splash of vodka. Pour over any pasta of your choice; throw together a simple salad and you’ve got a nice weeknight meal.
INGREDIENTS
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/4 Pound Diced Pancetta
1/3 Cup Vodka
28 Ounce Can of Diced Italian Plum Tomatoes
1/3 Cup Heavy Cream
1/8 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Clove Minced Garlic
Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
In a large skillet heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the minced garlic and diced pancetta and sauté for 3 minutes until the pancetta is light in color. Turn the heat down and remove the skillet. Slowly add the vodka and return the skillet back to the burner. Be careful not to start a kitchen fire. Stir the vodka until it has almost evaporated. Pour in the entire can of diced Italian plum tomatoes, juice included. Stir. Add the cream, kosher salt and pepper and let simmer for 15 minutes. You want the sauce to have a medium thick consistency. I like to serve my vodka sauce over penne pasta, but you can serve it over any pasta that you like. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and you’ve got yourself a feast! Serves 4
