Sweet Potatoes With Fresh Rosemary

Sweet potatoes with fresh rosemary is a colorful and nutritious side dish packed with vitamin A. The fresh rosemary and kosher salt bring out a wonderful aroma that will get your kids taste buds going.  Once you get started eating these sweet treasures you will not be able to put down your fork.

Sweet Potatoes With Fresh Rosemary:
Serves:  6

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, trimmed and chopped
Kosher salt
1/8 cup Canola oil

1.  Peel and cube the sweet potatoes.  Place the sweet potatoes in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down and allow the potatoes to simmer in the hot water for 6 minutes or until fork tender but still are firm in the middle. (Hint:  don't over cook the potatoes or they will fall apart when you pan saute them).  Drain all the water off the potatoes.

Preparing Fresh Rosemary

Cooking The Sweet Potatoes In The Iron Skillet

2.  In a hot iron skilled add 1/8 cup canola oil.  Allow the oil to heat up then add the drained potatoes to the hot oil.  Brown the sweet potatoes on all sides turning after 3 minutes then turning them again after another 3 minutes.
3.  Drain the potatoes on a paper towel then sprinkle with the fresh rosemary and kosher salt.  Serve hot or warm.

Sweet Potatoes With Fresh Rosemary

Pickling Cucumbers With Cherry Tomatoes And Fresh Herbs

Cucumber salad with fresh tomatoes and herbs is the perfect side dish or salad during the summer months.  This recipe can be made up ahead of time or made at the last minute.  Using the pickling cucumbers makes this salad crisper then a normal cucumber salad because you can leave on that nice green skin.  If you can't find these types of cucumbers at your local store you can substitute regular cucumbers.  Regular cucumbers have a wax on them so make sure you peel the regular cucumbers.

Pickling Cucumbers With Cherry Tomatoes And Fresh Herbs:
Serves:  6

4 pickling cucumbers or 2 regular size cucumbers (peeled), cut length ways and sliced
15 cherry tomatoes, cut in halve
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped fine
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
fresh ground pepper

In a bowl, mix the sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, chives, dill, salt, pepper and olive oil together. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator.

Pickling Cucumbers With Cherry Tomatoes And Fresh Herbs

Buffalo Meatballs

Buffalo meatballs are tasty and delicious.  I was looking in a cooking magazine this month and found a recipe for traditional meatballs.  I had some ground buffalo meat in the refrigerator and decided to take a chance and made up this new recipe.  I made the meatballs for dinner with spaghetti but my twins immediately took the small meatballs and ran to the counter and placed them in a hot dog bun.  They said they were mini-hamburgers and my husband said "no you just made a meatball sub."  Try these buffalo meatballs tonight and see how you like them?

Buffalo Meatballs:
Makes:  20 meatballs

2 pieces of wheat sandwich bread, crust removed and cut into small pieces
1/8 cup milk
1 egg
2 teaspoons dried basil or 1 teaspoon fresh chopped basil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and pressed
1# ground sausage
1/2# ground buffalo meat
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh pepper
1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs

1.  In a large bowl, place the milk and cut up pieces of bread. Allow the bread to soak up the milk.  Add the egg, basil, garlic, sausage meat, buffalo meat, salt and pepper to the bread mixture and mix together.  Place the bread crumbs in a small bowl.  Use your hands to make small quarter size meatballs, roll the meatball in the bread crumbs.  Repeat until all the meatballs have been made.

Rolling The Meatballs In The Bread Crumbs

2.  Working in batches, add the meatballs to a hot greased skilled.  Don't over crowd the pan or the meatballs will not brown evenly.  Brown the meatballs for 4 minutes on one side then turn to brown on the other side.  Serve buffalo meatballs with hot tomato sauce over spaghetti or a meatball sub.

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Southern buttermilk biscuits are heavenly to eat for dinner or breakfast.  The southern trick to making really great biscuits is good soft wheat, cold lard and a very hot oven.  I have made this recipe several times this month and I have been pleasantly pleased with these mouth watering biscuits.  Spread some homemade strawberry jam on these biscuits or make a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit.  My twin 8 year old boys love these southern biscuits for dinner with lots of honey dripping from them.  This recipe comes from The Gift Of Southern Cooking by Scott Peacock.  The only change I made was regular baking soda instead of using Scott's homemade baking soda.  I also found making this recipe that you needed to increase the amount of buttermilk then the book called for.  Poor the buttermilk slowly into the recipe that way you can adjust the amount you need.

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits:
Pre-heat oven:  500 degrees
Makes:  15-20 2 1/2 inch biscuits

5 cups sifted White Lily flour or bread flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 cup  (1/2 pound) packed lard, chilled
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1.  In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt together.  Add the cold lard in small pieces into the flour mixture. (Hint: cut the lard into small pieces and place on a plate.  Cool in the freezer for 5 minutes or until cold.)   Using a pastry knife or your fingers blend the lard with the flour until it resembles small pieces.  Pour in the buttermilk slowly until the dough just comes together, don't over mix.  Adjust the amount of buttermilk you will need (if the dough is dry and will not come together add more buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time.  If the dough is to wet and will not come together add a little more flour 1 tablespoon at a time).

Cutting The Lard Into the Flour Mixture With A Pastry Knife

2.  Flour a work surface, then place the dough on the floured surface and knead the dough 8 times.  Flatten the dough with your hands or rolling pin until it reaches 1/2" thickness.  Using a biscuit cutter cut the biscuits out but don't twist the cutter.  Place the biscuits on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake in a 500 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove the biscuits from the oven and brush with melted butter.

Bringing The Biscuit Dough Together To Form A Ball

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Summer Peach Crostata

This summer time peach crostata is a fast and easy dessert to throw together when those unexpected guests show up for a last minute dinner.    Crostatas are rustic free form tarts filled with summer fruit.  The dough is buttery and delicious.  Remember to use fresh seasonal fruit and chill the dough thoroughly.  This recipe comes from Frank Stitt's book, Southern Table. The only thing I changed was exchanging the all purpose flour for the King Arthur's Whole Wheat White Flour.  This not only make this dessert healthier for you I think it gives the crust a nuttier flavor.

Summer Peach Crostata:
Pre-Heat Oven:  450 degrees
Serves:  6

Crust:
2 cup King Arthur's Whole Wheat White Flour
1/4 cup sugar or organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 1/4 sticks cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup ice water

In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar and mix together.  Cut the cold butter into small pieces. Using a pastry knife cut the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like small pea size pieces.  Add the cold water and mix the dough until it comes together(I ended up needing about an additional 1/4 cup cold water to make this dough come together).  Place the dough ball in plastic wrap and allow to cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Cutting The Flour And Butter With The Pastry Knife

Filling:
1/4 cup King Arthur's Whole Wheat White Flour
1/4 cup sugar or organic cane sugar
4 tablespoons cold butter
2 pounds ripe peaches, pitted, peeled and sliced into 3/4" thick wedges
1 large egg yolk, beaten with 1 teaspoon cream for egg wash
1 tablespoon coarse sugar for topping

1.  In a large bowl, mix the flour and sugar together.  Then add the cold butter pieces to the flour mixture.  Using a pastry knife cut the butter into the flour until you have small pea like pieces.  Add the peach wedges and mix together.

Summer Peaches

Mixing The Summer Peaches With Flour And Butter Mixture

2.  Cut the cold dough in half (save the other half for another crostata).  Roll out 1 dough ball with a rolling pin between two pieces of parchment paper until it reaches 13" across.  Peel off one piece of the parchment paper throw it away.  Place the remaining parchment paper down on a cookie sheet with the dough facing up.
3.  Place the peaches in the middle of the dough.  Making 4 pleats in the dough bring the dough up and over and sealing the dough so no peaches or juice can run out.

Pleating The Crust And Brushing The Dough With Egg Wash

4. Brush the dough with the egg wash and then sprinkle with sugar
5.  Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes or until browned all over. Allow the crostata to cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Summer Peach Crostata

Broiled Salmon Finished With Maple Syrup

Broiled salmon with maple syrup is a simple but tasty treat to serve your family.  I started this recipe from the cover of Cooking Light this September and realized I did not have most of the ingredients.  Therefore, I came up with my own recipe version and ended up with this simple recipe that is very quick to prepare any night of the week.

Broiled Salmon Finished With Maple Syrup
Serves:  5
Pre- Heat Broiler:  High  (about 15 minutes)

2# Salmon
2 teaspoons Magic Salmon Seasoning by Chef Paul Prudhommes, (Costco)
2 tablespoons real maple syrup

1.  Rinse the salmon under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
2.  Season salmon with Magic salmon season (herb and spices: mustard seeds, paprika, garlic, sugar, onion, etc.).
3.  Broil the salmon on a oven proof pan for 5 minutes under a very hot broiler.  Remove the salmon and drizzle the maple syrup over the top of the salmon.  Return the salmon to the hot broiler for another 2 minutes.  Salmon should flake apart with a fork when done.

Seasoning The Salmon With Magic Salmon Seasoning

Broiled Salmon Finished With Maple Syrup

Spicy Zucchini Quick Bread and Muffins

Spicy zucchini quick bread and muffins make a great snack or a quick gift to your favorite teacher.  This recipe is fast to make and delicious for you.  This summer the zucchinis have been growing to larger then life sizes so I decided to shred it and make some wonderful gifts.  This recipe uses whole wheat flour and 2 cups of shredded garden zucchini so don't feel bad about eating this delicious bread.  I dressed these small zucchini breads and muffins up by drizzling melted chocolate over the top.

Spicy Zucchini Quick Bread:
Makes 3 small loaf pans and 12 mini muffins
Pre-Heat Oven:  350 degrees

3 cups King Arthur Whole Wheat White Flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups organic cane sugar or white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (for the top of the muffins)

1.  In a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the oil and sugar.  Then add the eggs one at a time beating after each addition.  Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, vanilla and shredded zucchini and mix all together.

Zucchini Batter

2. Grease 24 mini muffin tins and 3 small bread pans with cooking spray like pam with flour.  Fill the muffin tins and mini bread pans 3/4 of the way full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes for the muffins and 20-25 minutes for the mini breads or until the  muffins and breads come out clean when poked with a toothpick. Allow the muffins and bread to cool on a wire rack. In a small microwaveable bowl place the chocolate chips and microwave on high for 45 seconds and stir.  Microwave for another 45 seconds and stir.  Drizzle melted chocolate on the top of the muffins and bread.

Filling The Mini Muffin Tins

Spicy Zucchini Quick Bread Muffins With Melted Chocolate

Crisp Southern Corn Fritters

Crisp southern corn fritters are a happy memory of mine from childhood.  Growing up in the south friends would invite me over for dinner and all I could think about were these delicious crispy sweet corn fritters.  Try to find the sweetest corn you can find from your local farmers market to make these fritters.  These fritters are great for a brunch menu or with your favorite dinner.  Don't forget to sprinkle them with powdered sugar!

Crisp Southern Corn Fritters:
Makes: 2 dozen

4 ears corn, shucked and cut off the cob
1/2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
pinch red pepper flakes
2 eggs
3/4 cup none fat milk
3/4 cup fine ground cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons King Arthur's Whole Wheat White Flour or all purpose flour
Canola oil for the griddle
1/8 cup powder sugar for dusting

1.  Shuck the corn and then using a sharp knife cut the kernels of corn off the cob (using a knife cut the corn off into a bowl). Stir in the chopped thyme, pepper, red pepper flakes and mix all together.

Corn Kernels With Herbs

2.  Whisk together in a small bowl the eggs until frothy.  Whisk in the milk, flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt into the egg mixture. Stir in the corn mixture with the egg mixture (If the batter is too thick add a tablespoon of milk. If the batter is too thin add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until the batter is a good consistency).
3. Heat a large griddle or pan on medium high heat.  When the pan is hot add a few drops of canola oil to the pan or skillet. Using a tablespoon drop the batter onto the hot grill.  Cook until golden brown on one side and then flip the fritters to brown on the other side.  Transfer to a paper towel when cooked.  Sprinkle with the powder sugar just before serving the hot fritters.

Flipping The Corn Fritters On The Griddle

Crisp Southern Corn Fritters

Sally Lunn Herbed Rolls

This herb roll recipe just bursts forth with summer time smells of fresh herbs.  This simple southern time roll is easy to make and tastes great.  This recipe comes from William Sonoma's cook book The South:  New America Cooking.  Feel free to add your own mixer of fresh herbs from your garden to this recipe.  I choose to add fresh dill, basil and cilantro from my garden.  I also used 1/2 King Arthur's white whole wheat flour and 1/2 King Arthur's white bread flour to the recipe.  This ratio of bread flour to whole wheat flour increases the rolls fiber content, making the rolls more nutritious.

Sally Lunn Herbed Rolls:
Makes:  18 rolls
Pre-heat Oven:  350 degrees

5 teaspoons active dry yeast (2 packages)
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup warm milk (100-110 degrees0
4 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups King Arthur's White Whole Wheat Flour
2 cups King Arthur's Bread Flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
1/2 cup mixed chopped fresh herbs such as cilantro, dill, basil, sage, rosemary and thyme
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk (egg wash)

1.  In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon sugar, warm milk (100-110 degrees) and yeast.  Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes until frothy.

Frothy Yeast

2.  In a mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and salt until fluffy about 5 minutes.  Add the yeast mixture and continue to beat the mixture.  Add the flour one cup at a time alternating with the melted butter.  Fold in the fresh herbs.

Chopped Cilantro

Herb Roll Dough

3.  Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap.  Place the dough in a warm place for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
4.  Punch the dough down and divide the dough into 18 rolls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Cover the rolls and allow to rise for 45 minutes - 1 hour.  Egg Wash the rolls with a pastry brush by mixing the egg yolk and milk together in a small bowl.

Egg Washing The Rolls

5.  Bake the rolls in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow the rolls to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  Serve hot.

Baked Sally Lunn Herbed Rolls

Peach Cake With Dulce de Leche Frosting

This peach cake with dulce de leche frosting is a spectacular 3 tier summer cake.  I bought 30 pounds of Colorado grown peaches from the local high school for a fundraiser this week and needed a great recipe to go with my peaches.  The original recipe comes from chef Rebecca Rather's book Pastry Queen. This cake is worth all the effort since it is moist from all those summer peaches and sweet from the dulce de leche frosting. I changed a few ingredients from the original by lowering the saturated fat content, lowered the sugar content and increased the fiber content by using whole wheat white flour. Invite some friends over tonight for dessert and enjoy this summer treat.

Peach Cake With Dulce de Leche Frosting:

Serves:  14
Pre-heat Oven:  350 degrees

Dulce De Leche:
1 (14 ounce ) can sweetened condensed milk
Remove the paper from the can of condensed milk then puncture 3 wholes in the top of the condensed milk with a can opener. Place the sweetened condensed milk can in a small saucepan. Fill the pan with water to 2/3 of the way up the sides of the pan.  Cover the saucepan with a lit and bring the water to a boil.  Then turn the heat down and allow the water to simmer for 1 hour (some milk might leak out the top). Remove the pan from the hot water.  Remove the lid of the can and spoon out the cooked milk and place in a small bowl.  Allow the milk to cool in the refrigerator.

Peach Cake:
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans (divided)
1 cup pecan halves
3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature
3/4 cup canola oil
2 3/4 cups sugar or organic cane sugar
6 large eggs
1 cup fat free yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour or all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup peeled, chopped peaches, fresh or frozen

1.  Toast the pecans in a 350 degree oven for 9-10 minutes or until browned.  Keep the chopped pecans separate from the halves.  Allow to cool.
2.  Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, oil and sugar together.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat after each addition. Add the yogurt and vanilla, flour, salt and baking soda.  Fold in 1 cup of chopped pecans and 1 cup chopped peaches.
3.  Grease 3 9 inch cake pans with cooking spray.  Pour the batter evenly into the 3 pans and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.  Allow the cakes to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Run a knife around the edges of the cake and invert the cakes onto a wire rack to completely cool.

Toasting The Pecans

Folding In The Peaches And The Chopped Pecans To The Cake Batter

Peach Filling:
1 3/4 cups peeled, chopped peaches, fresh or frozen (if frozen defrost and drain any liquid).
Keep the peaches in a small bowl and 1 cup chopped pecans for the filling.

Box Of Colorado Peaches

Chopped Colorado Peaches

Delce De Leche Buttercream Frosting:
1 1/2 cup butter (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups powder sugar
Deulce de leche, cooled (recipe above)

1.  In a mixer with a whip attachment, whip the butter until light and fluffy.  Add the whip cream, vanilla and the powder sugar to the butter and beat until light and fluffy.  Add the cooled Deulce de leche and beat until fluffy about 2 more minutes.

Delce De Leche Frosting

Assembling The Cake:
Place one cake layer on a cake plate or platter.  Top the first cake layer with a small amount of frosting then sprinkle with 1/2 cup of peaches and 1/2 cup of chopped pecans.  Add the 2nd cake layer and add a layer of frosting the peaches and the rest of the chopped nuts.  Add the 3rd cake layer and frost the entire cake. Decorate the top of the cake with the toasted pecan halves. The cake will last for 2 days covered in a dry dark place and 5 days in the refrigerator.  Bring the cake to room temperature before serving.

Adding The 1st Layer Of Frosting, Pecans And Peaches

Peach Cake With Dulce de Leche Frosting