Vegetable Frittata with Herbs and Goat Cheese

Recipe from The Bon Appétit Cookbook and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
6 Servings

I made this dish for a birthday celebration dinner party. This frittata is just lovely to look at and especially tasty. Frittatas are a perfect dish for vegetarians too. I served this at room temperature with a bit of salsa on the side and Carol’s Curried Cucumbers (recipe on this blog) over fresh spinach leaves. This dinner menu would be great for a picnic! For dessert, I made Summer Fruit in Mascarpone Cream (recipe on this blog.) Everything was make-ahead so I was able to relax and enjoy my guests. I purchased the ingredients at Lost River Market & Deli.

1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
2 medium-size red-skinned potatoes (about 9 oz.) sliced 1/8” thick
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips (Use red if yellow isn’t available.)
1 Tablespoon fresh marjoram or thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or ¾ teaspoon dried
1 ¼ teaspoon salt, divided
1 Tablespoon fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried
9 large eggs
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 oz. chilled soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup) divided

Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a 12 inch non-stick oven-proof skillet over medium-low heat. Add potatoes, onion, peppers, marjoram, rosemary, ½ teaspoon salt and sage. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 more minutes. Cool vegetable mixture in skillet for 5-10 minutes. (This part can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk eggs, dill, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, and pepper in a large bowl to blend. Mix in 3 oz. goat cheese. Transfer several potato slices and bell pepper strips to a small dish and reserve. Stir remaining vegetable mixture into egg mixture.

Wipe the skillet clean and add remaining 2 teaspoons of oil; heat over medium-high heat, tilting the skillet to coat bottom with the oil. Pour egg-vegetable mixture into the skillet, carefully stirring vegetables to distribute evenly. Arrange the reserved vegetables on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1 oz. cheese. Cook until sides of the frittata begin to set, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the skillet to the oven; bake until frittata is set in the center, about 15 minutes. (If your skillet handle is not oven-proof, cover the handle with two layers of heavy duty foil.) Run a spatula around the edge of the frittata to loosen from the skillet.

Slide out onto a large platter or cutting board. Serve the frittata hot or cover loosely with foil and let stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours. Garnish the frittata with herb sprigs, if desired. Cut frittata into wedges and serve.

Summer Fruit in Mascarpone Cream

Recipe from pastry chef and cookbook author Elinor Klivan
Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen
4-5 servings

Well, you know how it’s been outside. It’s just too hot to bake anything. I made this dessert for some friends for a birthday celebration instead of baking a cake. I used a mixture of pitted cherries from Lost River Market & Deli, blueberries and raspberries from our garden and gooseberries from the farmers market. However, this mascarpone cream mixture could be used with any summer fruit. This dessert will definitely make a great impression with your guests. Assemble this dessert in glass goblets or tall sundae glasses so the gorgeous layer of fruits show through. Mascarpone is a rich, fresh, creamy cheese found in the dairy case. The original recipe called for cassis, which is a blackberry liqueur. I didn’t have any, so I substituted framboise, a raspberry brandy. You could use brandy or leave it out altogether, if you like, because the cream and the fruit are the stars of this delicious treat.

Ingredients:
2- 3 cups summer berries (gooseberries, cherries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries) or summer fruit, (peaches, nectarines, plums) cut up
8 ounces chilled mascarpone (can be found in the dairy case usually near the cream cheese)
1/2 cup chilled heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cassis (blackberry liqueur) or framboise (raspberry brandy) or brandy (optional)

Directions:
Have ready 4 or 5 glass goblets. Set aside some of the fruit for the garnish.
In a large bowl, whisk the mascarpone, heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and cassis liqueur until smoothly blended.
Using half of the mascarpone cream, divide it evenly among the 4 or 5 goblets. Dividing the fruit evenly, spoon the remaining over the cream. Spoon the remaining cream over the fruit. Top each serving with the reserved fruit. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or as long as overnight. Serve cold.

Chicken Thighs with Kalamata Olives and Tomato Sauce

Recipe from Cooking Light, March 2009 and Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 chicken thighs and about 1/3 cup sauce)

I love it when I find a recipe that my husband really likes and it's easy to boot! This is one of those recipes. After browning the chicken and sauteing the garlic in the same pan, just dump the rest of the ingredients in the slow cooker and you're good to go. I served this on top of brown rice with steamed fresh broccoli. I think this is even good enough for company with the right side dishes. All of the ingredients (included kalamata olives that are already pitted) can be found at Lost River Market & Deli where you can also find local chicken and locally grown broccoli.

12 chicken thighs (about 4 pounds), skinned (2 packages)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 to 3 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned.
Place chicken in an electric slow cooker.
Add garlic to pan, and sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Add wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 30 seconds. Place wine mixture in cooker.

Add tomato paste, crushed red pepper, and tomatoes to cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 hours. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper, olives, and parsley.


CALORIES 270 ; FAT 12.9g (sat 3.3g,mono 5.6g,poly 2.8g); CHOLESTEROL 99mg; CALCIUM 44mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8.7g; SODIUM 658mg; PROTEIN 29.1g; FIBER 2.2g; IRON 2.4mg

Thai Chicken and Noodle Salad

Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine and Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen
Serves 4

This one-bowl Asian meal made my husband's tummy "purr." He loved it! The secret's in the sauce, made from fragrant kitchen standbys. I loved the different textures with crisp carrots and cucumber, tender noodles, and crunchy peanuts. The basil and mint added great flavor and the dish was quite lovely. This recipe is definitely company worthy! All of the ingredients can be found at Lost River Market & Deli.


Spicy Asian Dressing (See easy make-ahead recipe below)
1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced crosswise
Coarse salt
3 1/2 ounces Chinese rice noodles, broken in half if long
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as safflower
2 carrots, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn
Bean sprouts, chopped peanuts, fresh mint leaves, red-pepper flakes, and sliced scallion greens, for garnish (optional)

Spicy Asian Dressing: 4 thinly sliced scallion whites; 2 minced garlic cloves; 1/2 cup soy sauce; 1/2 cup rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons light-brown sugar; 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice; 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste (or 1 minced canned anchovy); 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients.

Place chicken and half of dressing in a resealable plastic bag (reserve remaining dressing). Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to overnight).
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles until tender. Drain, and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Transfer to a platter.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Working in batches, cook chicken (do not crowd skillet) until cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes; transfer to platter on top of noodles.
Top with carrots, cucumber, and basil. Drizzle with reserved dressing, and sprinkle with garnishes, if desired.

Slow Cooker Spiced Chicken and Carrot Stew

Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine and Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen
Serves 6

I wanted to expend my energy today cleaning the screened in porch so that we can start grilling again, so I needed to find a recipe that was simple to make. This one fit the bill. You can make it even quicker if you scrub your carrots instead of peeling them. It's super easy, tasty and can be made in the slow cooker or the oven. I used the slow cooker. Do not omit the cilantro or the toasted almonds. They made the dish! I served this "stew" on couscous made with vegetable broth.

2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
6 to 8 skinless chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted if desired
Couscous, for serving (optional)


Place carrots in slow cooker. In a bowl, toss together chicken, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; add to slow cooker. Cover, and cook on high, 4 hours (or on low, 8 hours), adding raisins 15 minutes before cooking is done.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and carrots to a dish (remove cinnamon stick); top with cilantro and almonds. Season cooking liquid with salt and pepper; spoon over chicken. Serve over couscous, if desired.

Oven Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In step 1, use a 5-quart Dutch oven or ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid, adding 1 cup water. Cover, and bake until chicken is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Proceed with step 2.

Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew

Recipe from America's Test Kitchen and Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen
Serves 8

The kale at Lost River Market & Deli looks so good, so I decided to give this recipe a try. It's still a bit cool outside and this soup is made in a low oven, so making it will not only warm the kitchen, but it'll warm the tummy too. I saw the recipe tried on the television show "America's Test Kitchen." This soup was really easy to make, however, you'll need to remember to soak the beans overnight. Dried beans can be found in the bulk section of the store.
Soaking the beans overnight in salted water makes for creamy beans with tender skins. (If you're pressed for time, see the note about quick soaking the beans at the end of this recipe.)


3 Tablespoons Kosher salt
1 pound dried cannellini or navy beans (about 2 cups), rinsed and picked over
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
4 ounces (about 4 slices) bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped medium (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 medium celery ribs , cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup)
2 medium carrots , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
8 medium garlic cloves , peeled and crushed
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 bunch kale or collard greens (about 1 pound), stems trimmed and leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups loosely packed)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

8 slices country white bread , each 1 1/4 inches thick, broiled until golden brown on both sides and rubbed with garlic clove (optional)

1. Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in 4 quarts cold water in large bowl or container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.
2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Heat oil and pancetta in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pancetta is lightly browned and fat has rendered, 6 to 10 minutes. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 10 to 16 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, water, bay leaves, and soaked beans. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook until beans are almost tender (very center of beans will still be firm), 45 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Remove pot from oven and stir in greens and tomatoes. Return pot to oven and continue to cook until beans and greens are fully tender, 30 to 40 minutes longer.
4. Remove pot from oven and submerge rosemary sprig in stew. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Discard bay leaves and rosemary sprig and season stew with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, use back of spoon to press some beans against side of pot to thicken stew. (I used a submersion blender to blend a bit of the soup right in the pot to thicken it a bit.)

Serve over toasted bread, if desired, and drizzle with olive oil.

If you're short on time, you can quick-soak the beans: Place the rinsed beans in a large heat-resistant bowl. Bring 2 quarts of water and 3 tablespoons of salt to a boil. Pour the water over the beans and let them sit for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans well before proceeding with step 2.

Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine
Adapted and Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen
Serves 4

The boneless, skinless chicken thighs at Lost River Market & Deli are handy for just this sort of dish. This is a better-for-you version of spaghetti and meatballs, but that doesn't mean it isn't yummy. This passed the husband test. My hubby and I both thought these meatballs tasted even better the next day. I adapted this recipe using ingredients I had in my pantry. I've listed the changes I made in bold font. I served these meatballs along side Spaghetti Squash with Garlic (recipe on this blog) instead of pasta, which made this dinner even healthier. If spaghetti squash isn't available, serve it over whole wheat pasta.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
1 slice white sandwich bread, crumbled (I used a slice of whole wheat bread.)
1/4 cup milk (Unless a recipe specifically calls for something else, I always use skim milk.)
1 large egg white (I used a whole egg because my refrigerator was full of eggs from my friends' chickens.)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I always use fresh, NOT that stuff from the can!)
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano (You can use any mixture of dried herbs normally used on pizza.)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes in puree (I used the "Local Folks" Spaghetti Sauce with Basil.)

Place chicken thighs in a food processor, and pulse until meat is coarsely ground.
Add bread, milk, egg, cheese, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; process until meat is finely ground.
With moistened hands, shape mixture into 12 meatballs. (I was able to make many more golf ball-size meatballs.) In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add meatballs, and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes and puree, breaking them up with your fingers; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; cover, and cook 15 minutes. Uncover; simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes more.