Vegetable Tian

Recipe from Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This lovely dish not only tastes terrific, but it has a wow factor with the pretty layers of colors.  It looks complicated to make, but it’s very easy.  Just slice the veggies, layer them in a pretty pattern, sprinkle with cheese and bake. It can be served hot or at room temperature and would make a nice dish to take to a summer gathering of friends and family. 

Good olive oil

2 large yellow onions, cut in half and sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound medium round potatoes, unpeeled

¾ pound zucchini

1¼ pounds medium tomatoes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs (or use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.)

2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (Swiss cheese would also work.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Brush a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with olive oil. In a medium sauté pan, heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.

Slice the potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes in ¼ -inch thick slices. Layer them alternately in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them tightly, making only 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme leaves, and thyme sprigs and drizzle with 1 more Tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the dish with parchment paper and then aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Uncover the dish, remove the thyme sprigs, sprinkle the cheese on top, and bake for another 30 minutes until browned. Serve warm.

Sriracha Quinoa Bites

Yield 12 quinoa bites (regular muffin size)

Recipe from http://leafandgrain.com

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Okay, I really don’t need another food to be addicted to. These little bursts of goodness are perfect for a Meatless Monday dinner or as part of a delicious lunch.  They would make a really, really nice first course for a dinner party.

2 cups cooked quinoa

3/4 cup Gruyere cheese, grated

2 large eggs, beaten

2 green onions, thinly sliced or 1 small shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon cilantro or parsley, chopped

1 Tablespoon honey

1 ½ Tablespoons Sriracha

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350°F

Using cooking spray, oil the cups of two 6-count muffin pans. Set aside.

Stir all of the ingredients together in a large bowl.

Spoon the mixture into one cup. Press down firmly with your fingers. Add more, if necessary, to fill even with the top.

Continue filling the cups in this manner.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then turn out on a cooling rack.

Serve immediately.

Notes:

*If you object to using cooking spray, try rolling the quinoa mixture very tightly into balls, or small patties, and bake them free form on parchment paper.

*You can substitute red curry paste for Sriracha.

*Add some shredded sweet potato. 

*Try using your favorite barbecue sauce instead of Sriracha and use blue cheese instead of the Gruyere.

Sweet Potato and Pancetta (or Bacon) Gratin

Recipe from Food52.com

Adapted and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 12

These were just scrumptious!  How could they not be with layers of sweet potato, Gruyere cheese, shallots and bits of bacon baked in a little cream!  These can be prepared in advance, chilled and then baked just before serving.  Leave out the bacon for a vegetarian version.  Serve these as a very special appetizer or as a holiday side dish. 

(See notes. **)

2 medium sweet potatoes (1 pound)

4 ounces Gruyere cheese, finely shredded (1 cup)

4 ounces pancetta, diced small (or 1 cup diced bacon, cooked and drained well on a paper towel.)

1 large shallot, minced

3/4 cups heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper (I used freshly ground black pepper.)

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Peel the sweet potato and slice into 1/8-inch thick rounds.  Generously coat two muffin tins (I used the standard muffin tins each with 6 muffin cups) with nonstick cooking spray. Put one slice of the sweet potato into each cup. Top each with about a teaspoon of the shredded Gruyere, shallot bits and diced pancetta/bacon; sprinkle with a little salt and white pepper.

Repeat twice, overlapping small sweet potato slices if necessary to make a layer and use all slices.  Add any leftover cheese, shallot bits, and pancetta/bacon on top.  Spoon a Tablespoon of heavy cream on top of each cup.  Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover pan loosely with the foil, sprayed side down. (I covered the muffin tins with a piece of parchment and then covered them loosely with foil so that the foil didn’t touch the food with no need to spray with cooking spray.)  Bake 20 minutes. Remove the foil (and parchment paper, if using) and bake, uncovered, for an additional 20 to 25 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender.  Allow to cool 10 minutes before removing from muffin tin.

*Note:  When using bacon, be sure to cook it until brown and almost crisp.  Place the finished sweet potatoes stacks on a paper towel to drain before serving to absorb any grease.

Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese

Serves 8

Recipe by Jill Melton from Relish Magazine

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

By adding pumpkin to this all-time favorite dish, you’ll not only be adding a very subtle pumpkin flavor, but also fabulous color to your meal, fiber, lots of vitamin A, calcium, iron and vitamin C.  Toast some pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet until they begin to pop and turn brown and then top the dish off with those instead of using breadcrumbs. Eat this right off the stove or bake it in the oven.  ***Note:  This tastes great and especially creamy right from the stove, so if you could definitely skip baking this dish in the oven.

3 cups uncooked penne pasta or fusilli pasta (I used whole-wheat fusilli pasta.)

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons flour

2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk (I used skim milk.)

3/4 cup canned pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ teaspoon Kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted (Optional)

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.*** (I used cooking spray.) Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain.  Place into a large bowl. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until foamy. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk, making sure there are no lumps. Cook until thickened.  Add pumpkin puree and mix well. Remove from heat. Add cheeses, salt, nutmeg and black pepper. When cheese is melted combine with drained noodles. Pour into baking pan.  (You can make the dish to this point and then chill up to a day.)  Bake uncovered 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly.  Top with toasted pumpkin seeds, if using.

Nutritional information per serving:

(There will be more fiber and less fat in each serving if you use whole wheat pasta and skim milk.) Calories 411; Fat 19g; Saturated Fat 11g; Cholesterol 59mg; Sodium 302mg; Carbohydrate 38g; Fiber 2g; Sugars 5g; Protein 21g

Prosciutto and Mushroom Quesadillas

Quesadillas Before Adding the Top Layer of Cheese and Tortilla

Serves 4

Everyday Food, March 2010

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Make these quesadillas for a special lunch with family or friends. Serve with Local Folks Hot Sauce or your favorite salsa.

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 medium red onion, diced medium

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and pepper

2 packages (20 ounces total) button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto

1/4 pound grated Gruyere cheese or other favorite cheese

6 cups baby arugula (4 ounces) or baby spinach

4 pieces lavash bread or 10-inch flour tortillas

           

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, and cook until mushrooms are browned, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with lemon juice. Wipe skillet clean.

2. Divide prosciutto, Gruyere, mushroom mixture, and arugula among bottom halves of lavash bread or halves of tortillas; fold other half over filling to close. Heat remaining oil in skillet over medium-high and cook a quesadilla until cheese melts and lavash or tortilla is crisp, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining quesadillas.