Homemade Pesto

I love basil so much that I am growing a huge pot of it on my patio. It is ridiculously easy to grow, but to keep it growing well, you need to prune it judiciously. So what to do with all that basil? Make pesto, of course!

Traditionally, pesto was made with a mortar and pestle, but I don't have time for that. Cue my Vitamix (a food processor or mini-chopper also works well). Most pesto recipes call for pine nuts, but it is harder for me to find them now, especially since I don't want to buy the ones from China. So I used almonds instead and the result was just as delicious.

Pesto can be used in all sorts of recipes. This recipe makes about 8 servings worth, so the first night, I used half of it to top some cheese tortellini. Then I spread some on tortillas to make veggie wraps, mixed some into egg salad, and added some to scrambled eggs. It's also delicious on white pizza, as a topping for grilled chicken or fish, or as a spread for a crusty baguette topped with fresh tomatoes. Yum!

Ingredients:

• 2 C. basil leaves
• 1/2 C. slivered almonds
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/4 C. crumbled cheese (pecorino, parmigiano reggiano, romano, etc)
• 1/2 C. good quality extra-virgin olive oil (do not skimp on this)
• pinch of salt

Add the basil, almonds, and garlic to a blender or food processor and pulse for several minutes until chopped finely. Add the cheese and pulse to combine. Slowly add the olive oil and blend until combined. Taste and add salt as desired. Store covered in the refrigerator - it will keep for a few days.

Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken / Grilled Zucchini

Here's a yummy healthier alternative for the grill. It's super easy to prepare, and if you don't feel like firing up the grill outside, you can use a grill pan or broiler.

Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken - this marinade/sauce is so simple but tastes amazing

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C. dijon mustard
• 1/2 C. honey
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 breast halves)

Cut each chicken breast in half (across) so that you have about 8 relatively equal sized portions and place them in a shallow dish suitable for marinating. In a small bowl combine the mustard, honey, oil, and worcestershire sauce. Pour half of the sauce over the chicken and reserve the other half for basting later. Refrigerate the chicken for several hours.

Heat your grill (or grill pan or broiler). Grill the chicken for 6 minutes, flip and grill for 6 minutes more. Baste with the reserved sauce and grill for 3 more minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Grilled Zucchini - this method works for lots of different vegetables: peppers, onions, mushrooms, eggplant, or asparagus

Ingredients:

• 2 zucchini, cut in half (across), then sliced lengthwise into rectangles
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

• 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh herbs (I used a combination of rosemary, basil, and flat-leaf parsley)
• salt and pepper to taste

Drizzle 1 Tbsp. olive oil over the prepared zucchini and turn to coat. Grill the zucchini for 8-10 minutes, turning once. Meanwhile, mix the balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, herbs, salt, and pepper. Remove the zucchini from the grill and drizzle with the dressing before serving.

Summer Side Dishes: Cole Slaw and Green Bean Salad

Here are two quick and yummy seasonal side dishes that are perfect for a BBQ or picnic. These are best made in advance and refrigerated for several hours to let the flavors meld. And here's the best part: all of the produce and herbs I used were from the CSA, farmer's market, or my own backyard!

Cole Slaw - I have been tweaking this recipe for a while and I think I finally have it perfect

Ingredients:

• 1/2 head of cabbage, thinly sliced
• 2-3 carrots, shredded
• 1/4 onion, grated
• 1/3 C. mayonnaise
• 1/3 C. fat-free greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. dry mustard
• 2 tsp. celery seed
• salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, and onion. In a separate bowl, mix the mayo, yogurt, sugar, vinegar, dry mustard, and celery seed. Pour over the cabbage mixture and stir thoroughly. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Chill before serving.

Green Bean Salad - Be careful not to overcook the beans. You want them to be a little crisp.

Ingredients:

• 2 C. fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1/2 C. chopped kalamata olives
• 1 C. quartered cherry tomatoes 
• 1/2 C. crumbled feta cheese
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Steam the green beans in a small amount of water for 5 minutes - they should be a bright green color and still crisp. Immediately drain the beans and run cold water over them until they are cool (this stops the cooking process). Dry the beans and place them in a bowl. Add the olives, tomatoes, and cheese and toss gently. Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes, so that the garlic infuses into the oil. Remove the garlic from the oil and discard. Allow the oil to cool slightly, then mix it with the lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the green bean mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Blueberry Crumble

This crumble recipe is the best! It works well for all sorts of summer fruits: berries, peaches, pears, plums. It is best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients:

• 2 C. blueberries
• 1/4 C. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. corn starch
• juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1 C. AP flour
• 1/2 C. sugar
• 1/2 C. brown sugar
• 6 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 C. rolled oats
• 1/2 C. chopped pecans (or other nuts)

Butter the bottom and sides of an 8x8 baking pan. Add the berries, 1/4 C. sugar, corn starch, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla to the pan and stir to combine. In a large bowl, mix the flour and sugars. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbles. Stir in the oats and pecans. Pour the crumble topping on top of the blueberry mixture. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

CSA Week 5: Yellow Plum Jam

This week's CSA box contained yellow plums, lettuce, onions, beets, a lemon balm seedling, and cabbage.

Yellow plums are small and a little tart. They can be eaten out of hand in just a couple bites, but they also make a delicious jam. The skins have plenty of pectin so you won't need to add any.

Some day I'll learn proper "canning" methods, but for the time being, when I make jam, I just make a small quantity that I know will be eaten quickly. This recipe makes one jar of jam, which probably won't last more than a week in my house!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of chopped yellow plums (pits removed)
• 1 1/2 C. sugar
• 1/3 C. water
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low to keep the mixture at a simmer. Stir constantly for about 20 minutes, until the skins have dissolved and the mixture begins to thicken slightly. You need to watch the pan constantly or it may boil over. 

Pour into a mason jar and allow to cool before refrigerating. Note: The jam will resemble a syrup when it's done cooking, but will thicken to the proper consistency as it cools.

Easy Homemade Chocolate Pudding

One thing that I've been trying to do more is make homemade versions of things that I would buy pre-packaged or use store-bought mixes for (granola bars, muffins, brownies, cakes, breads, etc).

Next to be tackled was chocolate pudding. This is an easy, relatively healthy dessert. And it's a great recipe for kids to help with.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C. sugar
• 1/4 C. cocoa powder
• 1/4 C. corn starch
• pinch of salt
• 3 C. milk
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla

In a medium-sized saucepan, mix the sugar, cocoa, corn starch, and salt. Turn on the heat to medium and slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly so that no lumps form. Continue whisking for about 10 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and is starting to bubble. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Allow the pudding to cool completely before serving or refrigerating. The pudding will thicken more as it cools, so don't worry if it still looks a little thin. If you have some of those small reusable containers, it's great to store the pudding in the fridge in those. Makes 6-8 servings.

CSA Week 4: Beets

We got one of my favorite ingredients this week: beets! If you've only had pickled beets and didn't like them, reserve your judgement until you've had fresh beets. They are so yummy. And the beet greens are probably my favorite green - simply saute them like you would spinach.

The rest of this week's box: cilantro seedling, blueberries (already used them for muffins), spring onions, lettuce, and kale.

I think beets are best when served simply, like this fantastic salad with beets, maple-glazed nuts, and goat cheese.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 beets, trimmed and halved (save the greens for another use)
• 1/4 C. walnuts or pecans
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 2 oz. goat cheese
• vinaigrette of your choice (I used my favorite maple balsamic vinaigrette)

Put the beets in a small saucepan and cover with water. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the beets have softened. Meanwhile, toast the nuts in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the maple syrup and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring to cover the nuts. Set aside to cool. When the beets are finished cooking, drain them in a colander and run cold water over them. When they are cool enough to handle, use your fingers to remove the skins - they should come off easily. Slice the beets and arrange them in bowls with the nuts and goat cheese on top. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.