Summer vegetables

Posted on September 19, 2020 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

I have a deep appreciation for summer and all it’s ‘stuff’ – the green grass, the leaves on the trees, the hot weather, the sunshine, being barefoot, warm sand between my toes…flowers, vegetables, Maine fruit, picnics…one layer of clothing – even at times, just a bathing suit!! All of it – except for the mosquitos and ticks – those I could do without…

But overall, summer is my favorite season – hands down.

So while we are in the final days of my most favorite season, I thought I’d take advantage of some local vegetables (still) being harvested in Maine;

Zucchini, corn, onions, kale and mushrooms are just a few…

Why not just chop/dice/slice and saute?

Amounts depend on how many people you are cooking for and if you like left-overs or not. Personally, I like left-overs. They make sense to me. It saves time and energy prepping a little ‘extra. And if you don’t want to eat the ‘same thing’ the next day, then just freeze it.

(Freezing left-overs makes a lot of sense too. Even it’s a small amount – freeze it anyway. You’ll be amazed how easily it is to utilize left-overs – even in small portions. More on that in another post…)

Anyway, let’s get back to the recipe. (:

Chop – one or more zucchini – or any squash – into whatever shape/thickness you like.

Dice -one small onion – or scallions – or a shallot (whatever kind of onion you have)

Cook and scrape – an ear or two of cooked corn kernels – or a cup of frozen corn kernals if fresh isn’t on hand…

Cut – a few mushrooms (whatever type you have) or not if you don’t.

Chop and add – a good handful or two of chopped/ribboned kale or swiss chard, spinach – use what you have on hand.

Mince – a clove or two of garlic

A drizzle or more – olive oil

salt + pepper

and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. If you don’t have a lemon, try a lime, and if you don’t have either of those, a splash of apple cider vinegar will do.. (:

Heat up olive oil – enough to coat the fry pan – add the chopped onion and saute until the onion begins to brown.

Add in garlic and cook a few more minutes – enough to soften the garlic without browning it.

Then add in the mushrooms and saute until mushrooms begin to release their juices, soften and brown.

Now add in your kale (or green of choice)

Cook enough to soften, slightly.

Then add in the sliced zucchini and corn.

Saute until zucchini is of the texture you like – I like mine a little firm, so I don’t cook it for too long – but if you like soft, cook it until it softens…

And finally, add a few good pinches of course sea salt, some fresh cracked black pepper – toss and and finish with a squeeze of citrus.

Enjoy as is or use in a multitude of ways…here’s a few simple suggestions.

Add some fresh herbs if you have any (think parsley or sage), toss it all together with pasta, then top with freshly grated cheese and a drizzle more of olive oil.

enjoy as a pizza topper.

finish with a drizzle of tamari and serve with jasmine rice.

add it to some chicken stock or vegetable stock and you’ll have a lovely soup.

add it to cooked risotto and finish with a drizzle more of olive oil, fresh grated cheese.

enjoy it as is.

Plain and simple.

Fresh summertime veggies filled with the loveliness of the season – in every bite.

What’s your favorite summer vegetable? How do you like to eat it?

Be well.

Stay safe.

Enjoy.

Potatoes

Posted on September 5, 2020 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

Who doesn’t love them?

Let me count thy ways…

Fried, baked, mashed…boiled, grilled or shredded –

Breakfast, lunch or dinner… the simple spud always saves the day.

These tasty taters (above) were cut, then sliced, then sauteed in olive oil, over a low heat – slowly…

Slowly, slowly I let them cook – adding a little more olive oil as needed, without drenching/drowning in oil of course – while keeping the fry pan covered, with a lid.

I like to put a lid on the cast iron fry pan while these beauties slowly soften. The lid helps keep in the heat without drying them out. They soften while they cook due to the moisture, but the lid does need to be lifted every now and again to allow the steam to escape and while they are uncovered, be sure to toss them, gently, so each piece cooks evenly…cover again for a little while longer and stir a few more times.

*the time here depends on the type of potato you are using as well as the overall thickness and size of each cut piece

*Once they begin to soften (you’ll notice the potatoes firm consistency changing – softening with each turn…) it’s time to brown them, while crisping them up.

Add a little salt and pepper at this point + maybe a little drizzle of olive oil to help them brown and crisp nicely. Here is where you need to walk the fine line of just enough moisture (to prevent sticking to the pan) and not too much, thus preventing the perfect amount of browning/crisping…keep the heat a little higher at this point – but not so high that you risk burning them…while also keeping the lid off. Let that steam out! (:

Remember to toss them in the fry pan now and again to prevent burning and sticking…

This is also the time to add in some finely chopped onions (the amount depends on the quantity of potatoes – use your judgement – if unsure, go light on the onions) If the onions are added too soon – they burn. Add them too late, and well, they don’t have time to caramelize…

So, at this point the potatoes should be nice and browned and crispy. Let those onions cook just the right amount of time, about five minutes or so.

Remember to toss the onions with the potatoes over medium heat a few times for the perfect match – crispy homefries with caramelized/browned onions.

Finish with whatever fresh herb you have. Parsley, thyme, sage, scallions or chives are a few to consider.

Or skip the herbs if you don’t have any and just add a dollop of ketchup and call it delicious!

Enjoy.

Stay well. Be well.

What’s your favorite way to eat potatoes?

it’s been far too long…

Posted on June 29, 2015 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

I’ve needed to post.

Desperately.

So here it is.

In photographic form…

A taste of the last six months.

Yeah for summer!

What have you been up to?

enjoy

coconut curry with tofu

Posted on August 1, 2014 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

Curry. I like it a lot.

It can be hot or not so hot. It can be red, green or yellow. It can be a paste or a powder. You can serve it with meat (or not), veggies, tofu, nuts, chickpeas or a mixture of any of the above – it’s truly a versatile dish – and a simple one.

This recipe (if you can call it that) is always a little different for me, I just use whatever I have on hand…mix it with coconut milk, vegetable broth, some fresh herbs (typically cilantro) and finish with freshly squeezed lime juice and a delicious dinner is served!

Most curry dishes (in my opinion) are pretty much the curry base mixed with the ingredients of choice plus coconut milk and stock. Oh, and lime juice. Must have the lime juice.

So if your wondering what to have for dinner, why not try a simple curry?

You can find pre-made curry pastes or curry powders in just about any grocery store, for this recipe I used a red curry paste – I prefer the paste for a dish like this. Think you have nothing on hand to eat? Think again. Not a lot is needed for curries, just a bit of creativity and a little time…

I didn’t have much on hand,

(I’m so excited to be in my garden again, this post was written before my garden was in full force) – so I utilized what I did have; one red pepper, broccoli, carrots, cashews, tofu, onions, fresh parsley and limes. Basically a few staples.

Here’s a few more ideas for curried dishes – sweet potato, spinach, kale, fresh ginger, garlic…try using frozen veggies too if fresh aren’t available. No limes? Use lemons. No cilantro? Use parsley. Fish also tastes divine curried…as do a variety of meats. So, go crazy. Get out your knife, your stock, your coconut milk and whatever you have in your fridge and get currying. (:

While you are preparing the curried veggies don’t forget to start cooking your rice or rice noodles so it is ready when your curry is ready…

First, dice

and sauté your tofu (or meat of choice), until golden and crispy. Remove from pan and set aside.

In same pan sauté onions in a bit of olive oil (or butter), until golden, add carrots (or any ‘hard’ veggie), until slightly softened, then add your ‘softer’ veggies like peppers, broccoli or greens – sauté for a few more minutes.

Then I push the veggies to the sides of the pan, add the curry paste (amount depends upon how spicy you want it) and coconut milk (1 can) and mix well until all is blended – all the while simmering over a low heat…then add about 1 – 1.5 cups of veggie stock and mix well. Add cashews and the sauteed tofu and simmer for another 5 minutes or so. Salt to taste, add fresh herbs (parsley or cilantro) and finished with freshly squeezed lime juice.

Portion out a bit of rice (or rice noodles), then top with the curried veggies (or whatever it was you curried) and enjoy.

Salt and lime to taste.

Easy. Delicious. Healthy. Versatile. Inexpensive.

What’s not to love?

Enjoy.

pesto anyone?

Posted on July 23, 2014 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

It’s time to make pesto!

What’s your favorite recipe for pesto?

Happy gardening!

simple, delicious, comfort food…alfredo with veggies!

Posted on July 8, 2014 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

So, as usual, I hadn’t really ‘planned’ dinner…I used to plan dinners, well, sort of… my idea of planning was and still is, to try and incorporate a new recipe every now and again – to help with the boringness of the ‘same old, same old’ – but now that I’m only home three nights a week, I tend to ‘wing it’ and simply use what I have on hand…sometimes it works, sometimes it’s still the ‘same old, same old’…but it’s always homemade, with love.

This night I was in need of a change, do you that know that feeling?

Our bodies need change, our minds need change, and our food prep habits need change…hence, how I ended up with this recipe…

I needed to use what I had (I live 25 minutes from the closest grocery store, one-way), and I wanted to utilize the abundance of fresh kale I had just picked from my backyard garden and I wanted comfort food.

So, guess what I came up with? Pasta with kale, dripping in alfredo sauce!

It was SO good.

I think all that cheese negated the health benefits of the kale, but such is life sometimes…

A few months ago (in the cold, dark of winter) I was wanting something rich, gooey, and comforting – I needed a recipe for an alfredo sauce. A simple sauce of cheese, milk/cream, roux and salt and pepper. Nothing else would do. I connected to the internet (yes, I still have dial-up and yes, it still exists, sadly…) and after awhile I came across this delicious and easy to make recipe. I made it, I loved it and I printed it to keep – and I’m so glad I did.

I hadn’t made it since the dark days of winter, but when your in the mood for a rich and decadent alfredo sauce and you live in the woods by the sea, well, you better know how to make it, or at least have a recipe to help you know how!

So, I looked in the fridge – yeah, all the ingredients were there! All I had to do was prep.

No simple feat as a mamma of a pre-schooler, but with a little help from Michael, my partner – he entertained our four year old, while I chopped, diced, whisked and then finally, assembled – dinner!

This recipe is so flexible, it’s ridiculous.

Here’s what you need and what to do;

Sautee any veggies you have – I used peppers, mushrooms and kale – in a bit of olive oil and set aside.

Boil water for pasta and begin cooking pasta just before you start making the alfredo sauce.

Prepare alfredo sauce.

Place cooked pasta on plate or bowl, top with alfredo, then veggies and voila, dinner is served! Finish with a bit of sea salt and freshly cracked pepper and serve alongside a salad of greens and a feast is served! Enjoy.

Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo Recipe – Print this!

Slightly adapted from Jessica at Delicious Obsessions

Ingredients;

1/4 cup

1/2 tbsp. freshly minced garlic

1 -2 tbsp. flour of your choice (I used 1.5 tbsp. unbleached white)

3/4 cup whole milk*

3/4 cup heavy cream*

**(I substituted 1.5 cups half and half and 1/4 whole milk for heavy cream and milk measurements)

1.5 cups freshly shredded parmesan cheese

Kosher or sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

What to Do:

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter.

Add garlic and saute until lightly browned.

Sprinkle the flour over the butter/garlic mixture and whisk around, quickly. You want to use enough flour to absorb the butter, without over doing it. You want to create a roux (which is a mixture of flour and a fat (usually butter) used to thicken sauces and soups), which is slightly thick, yet fluid, without being gloppy.

Whisk this mixture for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning…this helps remove the ‘raw’ taste the flour could have if undercooked. The flour should be very lightly browned.

After you’ve made your roux (cooked your flour), slowly add the milk and cream, all the while continuing to whisk. Keep whisking – or else your sauce will be clumpy – until it’s slightly thickened and gently bubbling…

While whisking, add the shredded parmesan, little by little, until all is incorporated.

Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Things to consider;

Don’t have kale? Use spinach or swiss chard.

Don’t have peppers? Use caramelized onions or summer squash.

What about garlic? Or garlic scapes? Or fresh basil? What about freshly chopped parsley?

Like meat? Add sausage or bacon.

Play around with what you have and keep it simple.

Veggies and cheese over pasta, how can you go wrong?

Enjoy.

grown up grilled cheese

Posted on April 29, 2014 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

Every now and again I’m in the mood for a grilled cheese sandwich… not just cheese, melted on bread, no, I like mine with veggies, herbs and cheese or any combination thereof. Grown-up style…

This wasn’t a ‘planned meal’ by any means, I just used what I had on hand – a bit of fresh parsley, broccoli, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts. Pesto would have been good too or fresh basil, the options are endless – use what you have – get creative, have fun with an old (and easy) favorite!

Cheese, bread and veggies – what could be better? Are you vegan? Well, then, use vegan cheese!

Simply saute veggies in a bit of olive oil, add a pinch of two of salt and pepper.

Butter one side of each slice of bread (whatever kind of bread you like).

Place one slice of bread, buttered side down, onto a skillet over medium heat.

Place sauteed veggies on bread first, then top with cheese…

cover with lid (for a short time to help cheese melt), then top with second slice of bread, and flip to brown the other side.

Remove from pan, let rest a few minutes and enjoy.

Grown-up grilled cheese, yum!

Need a summer inspired sandwich – go here!

What’s your favorite sandwich?

Enjoy.

roasted beets

Posted on February 4, 2014 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

Roasted beets

These sublime beauties are a cinch to prepare.

Really.

In years past I’ve grown and harvested many, many beets;

though last years erratic weather prevented an abundant crop, sadly, I had only a few…

so, off to the farmers market I go!

Wash, scrub (if necessary) and remove green tops. (Steam or saute greens with a bit of olive oil, don’t just throw those beauties away…)

I usually cut off the tops and tails of each beet. These beets I felt I needed to cut off a bit more than usual…if they are freshly harvested, I cut a much smaller area…

Dampen each beet slightly with a bit of water and then wrap in foil.

I prefer wrapping each beet individually, though you could also prepare a foil packet and roast a few together. The key to either preparation is to be sure the foil is sealed. You want to be sure to keep all those lovely juices in!

Length of time depends on the size and freshness of the beet. Smaller beets take less time, larger beets, more. Also, the fresher the beet, the less time is takes to roast…smaller beets can take up to 25 minutes, while larger ones, up to an hour.

A beet is roasted once it can be easily pierced with a fork or tip of a small knife.

Now, you ask, “At what temperature do you roast?” Well, this can also fluctuate…beets are flexible with temperature…so, feel free to roast your beets while the rest of dinner is baking away, or on their own…beets are happiest between between 325 degrees F. and 425 degrees F.

If it’s only beets your roasting, then place those lovelies in a 425 degree F pre-heated oven.

I usually roast them in my cast iron skillet, but any oven safe pan will do. The foil keeps all the steam in, thus, all the resulting juices too…making clean-up a snap!

Do be careful while opening each packet as juice may spill out…beautiful deep purple juice. Staining juice…

Once cooled enough to touch, peeling is so easy that the skins simply slip off. If you don’t mind having your hands stained a crimson red for awhile, then by all means, slide those skins off with your bare hands. If not, you may prefer using gloved hands or you can also use a paring knife. Granted, using a paring knife will not prevent staining, it’s just another method…

Regretfully, I do not have any photos depicting the ease of slipping off the skins…by the time each beet had cooled enough to hold, the sun had set. My natural light had disappeared…

But, the following day, the sun shone bright and I enjoyed these lovelies sliced and sprinkled with a smidgen of kosher salt as well as in a salad of fresh spinach, goat cheese and walnuts.

Simple. Easy. Delicious.

Why not roast a few today?

Enjoy!

potato leek soup

Posted on December 5, 2013 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

I’d never grown leeks before, but thought I’d try…and I’m so glad I did. Mass produced leeks lack, what all mass produced veggies lack, and that’s taste.

Backyard leeks are incredibly powerful,

Less is more with these beauties…

Not a gardener? Well then stop by your local farmers market and pick up a few…or your local health food store…or the organic produce aisle of your local supermarket.

The difference is incredible and well worth the expense…see for yourself.

Potato Leek Soup

Print this recipe

1.5 lbs. potatoes

3/4 to 1 lb. leeks – chopped

1/2 onion – chopped

4-5 cups vegetable or chicken stock…whichever you prefer…

juice from 1-2 lemons

olive oil

a couple tablespoons of butter

salt and pepper to taste

That’s it.

Here’s what to do;

First, wash and peel the potatoes, then chop.

Second, clean each leek, chop white parts only.

Peel and chop onion.

Splash enough olive oil to coat bottom of a heavy bottomed cook pot.

Heat over medium heat.

Add chopped onion and a bit of butter…

Saute until browned.

Add chopped leeks…

Toss in a bit more butter…don’t be afraid…

Saute for a few more minutes.

Add chopped potatoes.

Toss and coat with buttery, browned onions/leeks…

Add a bit more butter…

Mix well.

Pour in stock.

Stir.

Add a good pinch of coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir.

Finish with freshly squeezed lemon juice…

Cover and simmer for about an hour.

From here it’s up to you;

Do you prefer a pureed version of potato leek soup? If so, then mix potato and leeks in a blender, with a bit of stock…keep blending in small batches until desired consistency is met…add more salt and pepper to taste…

Or, if that’s not your style, why not enjoy it, as is…?

Final option.

Utilize a hand mixer and puree only some…thus creating a smashed up soup, that’s what I did.

Whichever you choose…

Finish with ringlets of freshly chopped leeks (greenish part) and possibly even a splash of cream…

Serve with freshly baked bread.

Enjoy.

…the last taste of summer

Posted on September 24, 2013 by ripe ~ red ~ berries

It’s officially fall now.

The autumn equinox has come and gone and the leaves are beginning to turn here in Maine…apples and pumpkins abound, mums (the flowers) are being popped into the ground and into pots everywhere and the smell of smoke is in the air…but I’m still savoring the last taste of summer…

Vine ripened tomatoes,

fresh basil,

fresh mozzarella

and pesto.

Melt together between two slices of bread and you will taste summer in a way which no other sandwich compares…

Granted, my tomatoes have all been plucked from their vines (nights are getting a bit too chilly for them) and they now continue to ripen on my window sill and the basil (still in the garden) is starting to brown, but I picked as much as I could before the cooler nights settled in and I’m so glad I did! I’ve made batches of pesto, stored what I could in the fridge and am drying more…

So what to do with all those tomatoes, basil and pesto?

Bake some bread, buy a block of fresh mozzarella and get slicing….

Now it’s not a ‘cheap’ sandwich to make if you have to buy all the ingredients, but if you’ve been fortunate enough to grow the basil and tomatoes and have the desire to bake some bread (check this recipe out for a very simple and inexpensive recipe) all you’ll need to buy is the fresh mozzarella. The least expensive block I’ve found sets me back $4, but I can get at least 4 sandwiches from one, so that ends up being only $1 per sandwich (at least for the cheese), a far cry from what this sandwich would cost if it was to be ordered out…

Gather your ingredients;

A few leaves of basil, a few slices of fresh mozz., a couple pieces of bread, a tablespoon or two of pesto and sliced tomato. Add a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic if you wish, a bit of butter for browning and you will have the tastiest summer sandwich – ever!

Spread each half of bread with pesto,

top with a layer of basil, fresh sliced mozzarella and then tomatoes…drizzle with a bit of olive oil and balsamic (if you wish), a sprinkle of salt and top with other half of the bread…butter each side and place on hot griddle. Turn once browned and then cook the other side. Cut and serve!