Weekly Menu July 19~25, 2010

Menu Plan:

It has been been very HOT here at StoneGable! We have had an uncharacteristically large number of days over the 90 degree mark. And it is humid. I can tolerate the heat, it's the humidity that zaps my energy!

So other than picking flowers, harvesting veggies and pulling a few weeds the heat and humidity has chased me indoors. I am organizing and cleaning... and cooking!

My garden is spilling over with zucchini and eggplant! And our peach tree is yeilding delicious fruit.  On my agenda for the week will be to make and freeze countless chocolate chunk zucchini breads. I am also on the lookout for new and exciting ways to use eggplant. And I am working on a few fun Popsicle treats for the end of the week.

Make sure to check out the 2 recipes from fellow bloggers on the menu!

Monday:
Greek Salad
Tomato Pie

I remember the first time I had this heaven in a pie plate!  My friend Capi brought it to dinner as a side dish. It is beautiful and beyond delicious! And with garden tomatoes and fresh herbs... The BEST! I have tweaked it just a little for an interesting flavor.

Recipe: Tomato Pie
1 homemade pie shell- I use a vegetable shortening pie crust for this recipe, not butter
1 large onion, minced
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/3 lb panchetta or bacon, chopped
1 TBS olive oil if using pancetta
5-7 vine ripened tomatoes
salt and pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated finely
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 TBS fresh parsley, chopped finely
Fresh basil for garnish

Make pie dough and line a 9 inch pie plate. Put in frig until oven is ready.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Blind cook pie shell for 10 minutes.

In a large skillet, add 1 TBS olive oil if using pancetta. Heat. Add panchetta ( I am using bacon because I have it on hand. It will give a signature smoky flavor to the dish) . Cook until crisp. Remove and set aside. If using bacon add to pan and cook. When done, keep drippings in the pan. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Slice tomatoes and layer in the pie shell along with the onions and meat. 

In a large bowl mix mayonnaise, sour cream, cheeses, seasoning salt, garlic salt and parsley. Spoon mixture on top of tomatoes.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-50  minutes until golden brown.
Let rest for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil.

Tuesday:
Panzanella Salad
Salmon En Croute
Roasted Broccoli with Shaved Cheddar Cheese

Recipe: Panzanella Salad
Recipe will be posted on  Thursday evening for Foodie Friday. This is the perfect summer salad! Homemaded crunchy croutons, garden fresh tomatoes, and aromatic herbs!

Recipe: Salmon En Croute
Look for this on the August 6th Foodie Friday! This is an easy, elegant and so yummy recipe.

Wednesday:
Spinach with Grilled Peaches, Bleu and Sugared Pecans in a Poppyseed Dresssing
Grilled Shrimp In The Shells
Dirty Rice

Recipe: Grilled Shrimp In The Shells
This yummy recipe comes from Frog Hollow Farm Girl. Isn't that name great? And this blog is just as great. I'm always checking AnnMarie's blog for what interesting thing she is doing next! Click HERE for this summery recipe.

Thursday:
Wedge Salad
Grilled Balsamic Chicken Tenders
Bow Ties with Garlic Scape and Basil Pesto

Recipe: Bow Ties with Garlic Scape and Basil Pesto
I have recently discovered garlic scapes. They are the stems of the seed head of a mature garlic plant. They are tender, yummy and garlicky without being bitter. I am making this delightful sounding recipe and using bow tie pasta. The recipe can be found at A Little Bit Of Everything a very smart blog! Anyone who knows about scapes must be brilliant!

Friday: Company's Coming
Low Country Boil Northern Style
Peach Dumplings and Homemade Vanilla Custard Ice Cream

Recipe: Low Country Boil Northern Style
I know that it is almost a sin to mess with a Southern classic. But, I want to try something different~ no surprise here! Instead of shrimp I am adding crab legs.

This is a messy, tactile meal. My favorite kind. Make sure you hand out bibs and tea towel for napkins. If you are having company, make sure they are GOOD friends! This meal should NOT be eaten with demure table manners. Laugh too loud and talk with your mouth full. Chug down some icy cold beer. And if you are lucky, the deliciousness of the meal will literally drip from your elbows! When you are done eating wrap up all the shells and cobs in the brown paper and throw away!  But keep the raucous delights of the evening!

2 TBS Old Bay Seasoning
10-14 red potatoes
2 kielbasa sausages, cut in 2-3 inch chunks
6 ear of corn, cut in half
4 lbs snow crab legs
2 stick of butter

Bring a stock pot with enough water to cover all ingredients to a boil. Add Old Bay Seasoning. Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes. Add corn and kielbasa and simmer for 10 minutes. Add crab legs and cook for 5-7 minutes to warm the meat. Cut up butter and add to water until melted. Stir.

Drain water. And dump food out on a table covered with heavy duty plastic and brown paper. Serve with clarified butter.

Recipe: Peach Dumplings
This is a StoneGable classic! In my area we eat peach and apple dumplings for breakfast with warmed milk poured over it~ legal pie for breakfast! But I am serving it with a scoop of homemade Vanilla Custard Ice Cream as a dessert. Recipe, pictures and how-to's will be posted on Thursday July 29 for my Foodie Friday post.

Saturday:
Arugula, Shaved Parmesan and Pine Nuts In A Lemon Vinaigrette
Zucchini Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Cheesy Polenta

Recipe: Zucchini Stuffed Chicken Breasts
4~ 1/2  chicken breasts- bone in
1 onion, chopped
3 TBS olive oil
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 cups grated zucchini
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/3cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
2 TBS fresh basil, chiffonade
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat 1 TBS olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook until translucent on medium high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add zucchini and red pepper and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add cheeses, breadcrumbs and basil.  Add salt and pepper. Mix.

Rinse and pat dry chicken. Lift the skin from the meat of the chicken in one side to make a pocket. Stuff zucchini mixture under the skin of the chicken. Secure skin back onto the meat with a toothpick.

In a large skillet heat remaining oil. Brown chicken breasts. Transfer to oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until done through.

Sunday: Family Dinner
Eggplant Parmesan over Fresh Spaghetti

Our Garden is coming up EGGPLANTS! And eggplant Parmesan is one of Bobby's favorites! It is work intensive but so worth it! I'll make an extra, divide it into 2 small throw away pans and freeze them for couple of quick meals. This makes a LARGE dinner so I'll invite some family over for Sunday dinner. You can divide it into 2 smaller dinners. But make sure you have baking dishes with tall sides! Beware~ I have not tried this yet~ I am BAKING the eggplant and not frying it. I am trying to cut down on the fat and the calories. But you can make this recipe and FRY the eggplant in the traditional way! I wonder if Bobby will notice?

Recipe: Eggplant Parmesan:
2-3 eggplants
4 cups dried Italian breadcrumbs
3 TBS fresh parsley, chopped
1 TBS fresh thyme,
1 TBS fresh oregano leaves
salt and pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated finely (I use the green shaky cheese for this~ no judging!)
4-5 eggs, beaten
2 TBS water
1 1/2 cups flour for dredging
vegetable oil
6 cups very good jarred spaghetti
1 bag mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 lbs fresh mozzarella cheese
12 oz. grated fontina cheese
3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large shallow bowl mix bread crumbs, herbs, salt and pepper and Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
In a second large shallow bowl beat eggs and water. Set aside.
Put flour on a large plate. Set aside.

Cut eggplants into 1/2 inch rounds. Salt and pepper each side. Dredge eggplant through flour. Dip both sides of eggplant into eggs and then into bread crumbs. Put eggplant on a baking sheets in single layer. Bake for 6 minutes, turn and bake another 6 minutes. Remove and cool on paper towels. Bake in batches until all the eggplant is used.

Put a layer of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish. Put a single layer of eggplant over the sauce.  Cover the eggplant with sauce.  Cover with 1/3 of the grated mozzarella cheese, 1/3 fontina and 1/3 Parmesan cheese. Repeat 3 layers. Add sauce to the top of the eggplant layers to cover. Cut fresh mozzarella in rounds and place on top of sauce.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes until completely heated through and cheeses are melty and top is brown. Let eggplant Parmesan rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.