ON THE MENU MONDAY LINKY PARTY! Week Of July 4, 2011

Happy July 4th! I hope you are having a fun filled and patriotic long weekend! Thank you to all our military and their families for your service and sacrifice!

The weather tells me that we are going into mid-summer . The 3 H's are here! HAZY, HOT AND HUMID! Although I am not fond of this type of weather, my garden is crazy about it! It is growing so fast, I swear I can hear it! At this point I am on top of the weeds, but when the weather turns this humid, they grow even faster than the veggies!

The zucchinis are the stand-out of the garden right now! I pick a couple each day. So zucchini is ON THE MENU this week.... and for the next few.

I'll be making recipes like zucchini coffee cake, chocolate chunk zucchini bread, zucchini latkes, zucchini rellish (FABULOUS!),  zucchini muffins, grilled zucchini... I sound like Bubba from Forest Gump!

Zucchini Plant With Blossoms

Monday: Independence Day Picnic
Steaks On The Grill
Corn On The Cob
Ceasar Salad
Potato Salad
Mixed Berry Cobbler With Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Tuesday
Grilled Salmon with Dill Sauce
On Crooked Creek Salad


Recipe: On Crooked Creek Salad With A Creamy Mustard Vinaigrette
I am always on the lookout for a new and delicious salad dressing. This one from On Crooked Creek is a WINNER! And visiting On Cooked Creek is also a delight! Click HERE for this recipe and a lovely place to visit!

Wednesday
Zucchini Latkes
Anchovy Toast



Recipe: Zucchini Latkes
If zucchini were worth it's weight in gold I'd be the wealthiest woman on earth! The zucchini in the garden are prolific! The literally grow inches in a day. Here at StoneGable we will be eating a whole lot of zucchini in so many ways. Zucchini latkes are wonderfully scrumptous as well as being quick and easy. Look for a recipe and how-to on Foodie Friday!

Thursday
Chicken And Cheese Ravioli With Fresh Artichokes
Panzanella Salad

Recipe: Chicken And Cheese Ravioli With Fresh Artichokes
1/4 plus 2 TBS  cup fresh lemon juice
1 TBS olive oil
1 TBS fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp fresh dill, chopped
1/2 tsp mustard
3 fresh artichokes
1 pkg. chicken and cheese ravioli
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
4 TBS toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup black olives, pitted and cut into thin rounds
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Make a vinaigrette by mixing 1/4 cup lemon juice, olive oil, oregano and dill in a jar with a tightly fitting lid. Shake well. Reserve.

Fill a large pot with water, adding 2 TBS lemon juice.

Strip outter leaves of the artichoke until the pale green leaves are exposed. Cut off the base of the artichoke up to where the leaves are snapped. Cut the top off of the artichoke where the indent occurs. Cut the artichoke in half lengthwise.

Scoop out the choke of the artichoke with a spoon. Cut artichokes again lengthwise, cutting each artichoke in quarters.

Put the artichokes in the pot with lemon water. Turn on the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add ravioli to the pot and cook according to instructions, until done. Drain well.

In a large bowl toss ravioli, artichokes, tomatoes, pine nuts, black olives and vinaigrette together. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.
Printable Recipe



Recipe: Panzanella Salad
As fresh vine grown tomatoes are ready to be harvest in gardens or brought to local food stands and grocers, making Panzanella salad is the perfect way to use them! I love this salad with a combination of baby pear and grape tomatoes! It is also a great way to use up stale crusty bread! Click HERE for this favorite StoneGable recipe!

Friday
Prosciutto Wrapped Tilapia
Sauteed Spinach
Homemade Rice-A-Roni

Recipe: Prosciutto Wrapped Tilapia
4 tillapia fillets
4 slices prosciutto
8 sage leaves
olive oil
salt and pepper

Fire up the grill to medium high.

Using a paper towel, dry tilapia fillets and salt and pepper. Lay 2 sage leaves on each fillet.Wrap 1 slice of prosciutto around the fillet and sage leaves. Secure with a toothpick. Liberally brush with oil.

Grill covered until cooked, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve on a bed of spinach. Drizzle with balsamic reduction.

Recipe: Balsamic Reduction
1 TBS good honey
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Combine honey and vinegar in a small sauce pan and let it reduce by half, about 10 minutes. Drizzle a small amount over fish.

Recipe: Sauteed Spinach
2 bags fresh, washed baby spinach

1-2 TBS garlic oil (recipe below)
kosher salt
pepper
champagne vinegar

In a large skillet, heat garlic oil over medium high heat. When oil is hot, add all of the baby spinach. You may have to pile it up, but it will wilt down quickly. Toss with tongs. Salt and pepper. Put a lid on the spinach and cook until JUST wilted. DO NOT OVERCOOK! Serve. I love to serve spinach with a splash of champagne vinegar.

Recipe: Garlic Oil
1/2 container of peeled garlic cloves (not the huge one from Costco!)
2-3 cups good olive oil

Put garlic and oil in a saucepan. SIMMER garlic in the oil for 30 minutes. Strain out the garlic cloves and put them in the freezer. They taste just like roasted garlic. YUMMY! Put the oil in a jar and refrigerate. This is my favorite go-to oil!
Printable Recipe

Recipe: Homemade Rice-A-Roni
3/4 cups rice

1/2 cup angel hair pasta, broken into pieces
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 TBS oil
1 TBS butter
2 3/4 cups hot water
2 chicken bullion cubes (or more if you like a real hearty chicken flavor)
2 TBS chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add rice and pasta. Cook until slightly browned.

Meanwhile, add bullion to hot water and dissolve. When rice is slightly browned, add water and put a lid on the skillet. Cook until gently simmering. Cook about 20 minutes until the water is absorbed and the rice and pasta are soft. You may need to add a little extra water if it gets too dry. Take off heat and add parsley.
Printable Recipe

Saturday
Garden Collard Greens With Ham
Boiled Potatoes With Brown Butter Sauce



Recipe: Collard Greens
1-2 large ham hocks ( use 2, better flavor)
1 TBS garlic salt
1 tsp pepper
1 TBS hot sauce
1 large onion, chopped
2 large bunches of collard greens
2-4 TBS butter.

Bring a large pot with 3 quarts of water, ham hocks, garlic salt, pepper and hot sauce to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.

Wash collard greens and strip the leaves from the center vein by holding the end of the vein in one hand and stripping the leaves with the other hand. Stack 6-8 leaves and roll up. Slice into 1 inch slices. Add to the pot and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Strain off water, rough chop ham and add a couple of TBS butter.
PRINTABLE RECIPE

Sunday
Picnic Peanut Noodle Salad
Grilled Pork Chops Teriyaki


Recipe: Picnic Peanut Noodle Salad
When the hazy dayz of summer are upon us, hearty salads are so satisfying. This packed full of flavor recipe is one I am so excited to try! It comes to us from Simply... This, That And The Other a delightful blog full of creativity and delicious recipes!

Zucchini Blossom

Now it's your turn... What's on your menu?

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