Green Bean Salad

This is a simple, yet tasty side dish.

ingredients:

• 1 pound of green beans, cut the ends off and then cut into 2-inch lengths.
• 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons salt/pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley

directions:

Boil green beans uncovered for 10-15 minutes. Drain green beans and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. In a small bowl combine the red wine vinegar, olive oil, vegetable broth, and salt/pepper. Whisk the ingredients together and then add the dill and parsley. Drain the green beans from the ice bath and lay out on a paper towel and throughly dry. Next place the green beans in a bowl and pour the dressing over them. Toss and enjoy!

Sweet Corn & Basamati Rice Salad

This is a very good side dish. Ryan and I had a very delicious dinner at his friend's parents' house and this was one of the dishes that was served. I haven't made it yet, but it looks easy enough and it is soooo delicious.

ingredients:

2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp olive oil
3 large ears of yellow corn, husked
1 cup chopped green onions

2-1/4 cups water
1-1/2 cups basamati rice
1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/4 cups coarsely chopped toasted pecans
3 bunches watercress, stems discarded

directions:

Whisk red wine vinegar and mustard together then gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of oil. Season with salt & pepper.

Cut corn kernels with a large sharp knife (you can probably use canned corn if you want). Heat 1 tbsp of oil in skillet over medium heat. Add green onions and saute for 30 seconds. Add corn and saute until corn is crisp-tender (about 5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.

Bring 2-1/2 cups water to boil in medium pot. Add rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boiling water. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender (do not stir) about 20 minutes- or according to your rice packet. Remove from heat and fluff with fork.

Mix rice, corn mixture and pecans in a large bowl. Mix vinaigrette and watercress. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 8 servings.

BBQ Artichokes

These are very delicious and are a great add to your barbecue fare. I just made artichokes last night, but since we have yet to get a new bottle of propane since our move I couldn't BBQ them. The trick is to boil/steam them until they are practically done (but not over done).

ingredients:

artichokes
olive oil
salt
pepper

directions:

For large artichokes you'll want to boil them for about 25-30 minutes, sometimes even longer. Then drain them(careful, because hot water can get stuck up in the leaves and can burn you). Then you want to cut them in half length wise. This is a little tricky, I like to hold them with a pair of tongs and then I cut starting from the top of the artichoke and go down. Then using a spoon scoop out the hairy junk in the middle. Drizzle them with olive oil and top with salt and pepper. Then you want to let them sit for about 10 minutes so the artichoke can absorb the olive oil. Put them cut-side down on the BBQ grill for about 5 minutes then turn over for another 3 minutes.

They come out with a delicious BBQ-y taste and you don't even need any sauce to dip it in.

bom apetite!

Dill Potato Salad

Ryan made this for lunch the other day and it is very good. I originally saw it on the Food Network and just had to make it.

ingredients:
-potatoes, peeled (I like using the potato medley from Trader Joe's, they come in 3 different colors- white, purple, and gold. This adds a little more color to the salad and it's quite pretty)
-1 cup mayonnaise
-1/4 buttermilk
-4 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
-1/2 cup fresh dill (chopped)
-1/2 cup chopped celery
-1/2 cup chopped red onion
-pepper and salt

directions: Place potatoes in a large pot of water and salt, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender (poke with a fork or knife to test). Drain pot of water. Place the potatoes back in the pot and cover with a towel, to steam the potatoes for 15-20 minutes. For the dressing: mix mayonnaise, buttermilk, mustard, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, but still warm, cut into quarters (or however you like your potato salad). Then pour the dressing over them. Add celery and onions and more pepper and salt to your liking. Toss well, then cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow all the flavors to blend together.

Serve cold or at room temperature.

bom apetite!

Crispy Lemony Asparagus

Here's an easy and yummy way to make asparagus. The trick is to par-boil it (only 2 minutes) so it still has that crunch.

ingredients:
-asparagus
-shredded lemon peel & some juice
-shredded parmesan cheese
-olive oil
-salt n pepper

directions:
-first break off the bottom tough parts of the asparagus.
-then cut the spears into 1-2 inch pieces.
-boil asparagus for 2 minutes then drain and toss with the remaining ingredients.

bom apetite!

Beet Risotto with Mustard Greens & Goat Cheese

This dish is so delicious and rich, it almost should be served as a dessert! I prefer the golden beets to the red beets, they are more sweeter and the red beets can have a very shocking red color that can be a bit discerning to eat.

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 (2 1/2- to 3-inch-diameter) beets, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1-1/2 cups chopped white onion
1 cup arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
3 cups low-salt chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
chopped mustard greens
chilled soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and beets. Cover and cook until onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Mix in the rice, vegetable broth, and vinegar. Increase heat and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer (stirring occasionally) for 15-20 minutes uncovered, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. Top with goat cheese and mustard greens.

Lentil Tacos

Lentils are great, not only are they packed with protein and fiber they are quick and easy to make. I love using this recipe in place of meat in tacos.

1- 3/4 cup water
3/4 cup lentils (rinsed- if you want, I never do this and I have yet to choke on a pebble)
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt (add near the end of cook time, since salt makes lentils cook more slowly)

In a medium saucepan stir combine water and all ingredients (except salt) and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed. I find it usually takes 25-30 minutes, but I think it's because I've usually put in salt at the beginning. Just don't forget to add the salt at the end!

bom apetite!