BLT Chicken Lettuce Wraps

This recipe comes from 100 days of Real Food.  One of our freinds, also longtime CSA member, shared this recipe.  Her family of 6 has been enjoying this all season.  It’s a great way to get a reluctant family member to eat their lettuce. :) If you’re feeding more than four adults, you’ll want to double this recipe!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
• 6 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 16 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons milk
• ¼ cup sliced green onions (use white and green parts)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 head romaine lettuce, washed and leaves separated

Method:

1. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, bacon, and tomatoes and set aside.
2. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, green onions, dill, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the chicken and toss to combine.
3. Spoon the chicken salad into the lettuce leaves and serve.

Spinach Aritichoke Lasagna -- adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 9+ no-boil lasagna noodles
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 14.5 oz can chicken broth ( ~1 2/3cup)
• 1 tb. chopped fresh rosemary 
• 1 (14 ounce) can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and choppe
•  (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry or use a large bag of fresh spinach and saute with the onions when they are about done cooking.
• 32oz jar tomato pasta sauce
• 2-3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• (4 ounce) package herb ot plain feta cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil for 3 minutes, or until onion is tender-crisp. Stir in broth and rosemary; bring to a boil. Stir in artichoke hearts and spinach; reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in pasta sauce.
3. Spread 1/4 of the artichoke mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish; top with 3 cooked noodles. Sprinkle 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese over noodles. Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with artichoke mixture and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle crumbled feta on top.
4. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, and bake 15 minutes more, or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

  

Baked Acorn Squash or Sweet Dumpling

Ingredients: 

Acorn or Sweet Dumpling Squash

Butter and Salt & Pepper

Brown sugar and cinnamon or maple syrup     

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place squash in a shallow baking pan, cut side down.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until tender.
4. Turn cut side up; season with salt and pepper, dot with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon or drizzle a little maple syrup.
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes more.

Minestrone Soup

This soup recipe is adapted from Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.  I use this as a base and use whatever veggies I have on hand such as green beans instead of zucchini, all onions when I don't have leeks, etc..  It always turns out great and my boys love it.  I also always cook bacon whole first, take it out, and sprinkle it on at the end of cooking.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 strips bacon, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 carrots, washed and chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 leek, washed and chopped
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 x 13.5 ounce cans chopped plum tomatoes
1 large potato, scrubbed and diced
1 x 15.5 ounce can garbanzo, drained and rinsed
4 cups (1-quart container) low-sodium vegetable broth
3 cups curly kale, stalks removed, chopped
½ cup mixed small pasta shapes a bunch of basil (optional) 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
large pinch freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese;optional

Method:

• Heat a large pot over a medium heat and add a lug of olive oil. Throw in the bacon and fry it gently until it starts to turn brown and smell fantastic. Add the garlic, onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, leek, oregano and bay leaf and cook slowly for about 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the vegetables have softened.
• Add the tomatoes, potato, chick peas and vegetable broth, then cover with a lid and bring everything slowly to the boil. Simmer for about 30 minutes, then check (with the tip of a paring knife) that the potato is soft and cooked through.
• After that, add the kale and pasta, and cook for 10 more minutes, until the pasta is cooked. If the soup is too thick for you after cooking the pasta, thin it with a little more broth or water.
• The basil is optional but I think it is a nice little addition. If you decide to use it, stir some chopped leaves into the soup. Finish by seasoning with a little salt and black pepper and pass the Parmesan around the table for people to sprinkle on their soup.

Grilled Peaches over Arugula with Goat Cheese

 Ingredients

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3 peaches, pitted and each cut into 6 wedges
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil $
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Dash of kosher salt
• 10 cup trimmed arugula (about 10 ounces)
• 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 1/4-inch strips
• 2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese

Preparation

1. Bring vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer until vinegar is reduced to 2 tablespoons (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in honey. Cool to room temperature.
2. Prepare grill to high heat.
3. Place peach wedges on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 1 minute on each side or until grill marks appear but peaches are still firm. Remove from grill; set aside.
4. Combine oil, pepper, and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add arugula, tossing gently to coat. Arrange arugula mixture on a platter. Top with peach wedges and prosciutto. Drizzle with balsamic syrup; sprinkle with cheese.

This recipe comes from Cooking Light 

Black Bean Dip with Avocado

 

 

 

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine avocados and lime juice; let stand for 10 minutes. In another large bowl, combine the corn, beans, red pepper, onions, cilantro and garlic.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Drizzle over corn mixture; toss to coat. Gently fold in the avocado mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until chilled. Serve with tortilla chips. Yield: 4-1/2 cups.

Ingredients

• 2 medium ripe avocados, peeled and diced

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• 2 cups frozen corn, thawed or fresh blanched corn cut off cob

• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped

• 6 green onions, chopped

• 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• Tortilla chips

Charred Corn Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

Serves 6 to 8 

My mom makes a version of this salad every summer. I'll never forget just how sweet the locally grown corn on the cob is. She often tosses in whole fresh basil, but I like to put the herb into a vibrant green vinaigrette that gets even better as it sits. The salad really does become more flavorful over time, so I like to make it a few hours in advance before serving -- this makes it perfect for a summer picnic or barbecue. For an even easier version of this summer salad, you can use leftover ears of cooked corn. Simply skip the step where you char the corn on the grill and instead cut the kernels off the precooked cobs. 

Corn
6 ears corn, shucked
oil
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

Basil Vinaigrette
1 1/2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1 garlic clove, grated
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

1 (10-ounce) container small heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved (about 2 cups)
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1. For the corn: Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high heat.

2. Brush or rub each corn cob with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the corn on the grill and char each side, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Set aside until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Stand each ear up, stalk end down, in a wide, shallow bowl and, using a knife, slice the corn kernels off the cob. Set aside.

3. For the vinaigrette: In a food processor or blender, pulse the basil and garlic until the basil starts to break down. Add the vinegar. Continue pulsing while adding the oil in a steady stream, then process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

4. In a large bowl, combine the corn, tomatoes, and red onion. Drizzle the basil vinaigrette over the vegetables and toss well to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature or chilled.