Bruschetta Dip

I love my fresh garden ingredients. Just made this for dinner, originally I was going to spread over Italian bread and grill. But my daughter and I liked it as is so much we decided to grill the bread with a little olive oil and then dip it. It was so good we could have eaten it as a cold soup.

Pulse in mini chopper, food processor-

3 ripe tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
handful fresh parsley
handful fresh basil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper, I use McCormicks pepper grinders with garlic
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp oregano (I used dried)

We may even spread some over our grilled chicken tonight.

Spicy Glazed Salmon and Sweet Spicy Corn

Tonight was "Spice Night" at our house. We really like our spice! The salmon had a spicy sweet Jalapeno glaze and the corn was spiced up with cayenne.

Spiced Salmon Glaze
Ingredients:

1 tsp (or more) chopped fresh jalapeno
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp soy sauce
1 inch piece ginger, peeled
1/2 lims squeezed
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
Chop in mini chopper the jalapeno, ginger, garlic. Add soy sauce, sesame oil and lime juice and pulse until everything is well blended. Add the salt and pepper.

Season salmon filet with salt and pepper. In a skillet brown 1 lb salmon filet on unskinned side. PLace in casserole dish and pour sauce over. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 min until salmon is firm but not overcooked.

Spicy Corn
ingredients:
 corn cut from 3 ears of fresh corn
1 tbsp butter
1 clove gasrlic, smashed
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne
juice from half a lime
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper

Saute the corn in butter for 3 min, add salt, pepper,garlic and cayenne. Saute for additional 3 min, then turn off heat and add lime juice. Serve warm with salmon.

This meal was perfect with romaine and fresh tomatoes from the garden salad, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and a little olive oil.

Cherry Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Recently I had to stay in for a few days and keep an eye on our dog who was under the weather. Daughter and I had planned to go to breakfast, but we made the best of ity. Instead, she made a big pot of coffee and I made this breakfast cake. What a treat, for both of us!
serves 4-6
Ingredients-
2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup fresh blueberries
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
zest from 1 lemon
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, let sit at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup cut up sweet cherries
1 container blueberry yogurt
½ cup buttermilk
1 tsp brown sugar

Mix dry ingredients and add blueberries, toss to coat.

In Mixer blend butter and sugar and beat well. Add egg, vanilla and lemon zest, mix well. Add yogurt and buttermilk, then add dry ingredients to wet in mixer and beat on low until just blended.Mix in cherries by hand. Pour batter in a buttered 9" casserole or glass baking dish. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top before baking. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 min until toothpick comes out clean and top is browned.

Chicken Cacciatore

This is one of my fav recipes and Ive been making this my own for quite a while. You can add/delete any ingredients you want, but we like  it a little spicy and full of "stuff".

Ingredients:
1 28 oz can Avallone jersey tomato puree (or you can use any other brand but I particulary like this one, or at least san marzano)
1 Vidalia onion, sliced (they're very sweet)
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 cubanelle frying pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, cut into pieces
1 small jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained but save a little of the marinade
1/2 cup small black olives
1/2 cup green olives
1 cup button mushrooms, quartered
2 tbsp xtra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp capers
2 boneless chicken breasts
1 sprig fresh rosemary
handful chopped basil
3/4 cup freshly grated romano cheese
2 tbsp xtra virgin olive oil
2 boneless chicken breasts
1 sprig fresh rosemary
handful chopped basil
3/4 cup freshly grated romano cheese

Heat olive oil in a Dutch Oven or large sautee pan that has a lid. Season chicken, both sides, with salt and pepper. Brown in oil for about 2-3 min each side. Remove from pan and add peppers, onion and saute for 3 min until soft. Add garlic, and sautee 1-2 min more. Add tomatoes, artichokes, mushrooms, olives and cover with chicken, pushing it down so it's almost covered by the sauce. Put rosemary sprig and basil on top. Place lid on and bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 20 min. Take a peak and if it looks dry add 1/2 cup of water and place lid back on. Cook for an additional 5-8 minutes. I like to cut the chicken into bite size pieces before serving. Top with grated romano cheese and serve with whole grain spaghetti or other shape.

*Note- I just did a little research on Avellone tomatoes- turns out they are from a town not far from me and affiliated with Frankie Avalon! How cool is that!!

Spicy Smothered Pork Chops

Do you ever look in the fridge and say, "what the heck can I make with this?" That's what I did tonight- I had garden vegs: cubanelle peppers, 1 cherry pepper, 1 shallot, 1 vidalia onion (not from garden), zuchini and 2 potatoes. Oh, and 4 boneless pork chops. The result is spicy smothered pork chops.

*Note- with the cherry pepper this is very spicy, if you don't want it too spicy you can omit it or just add 1/2 of one. I used a tiny pepper and it was very spicy!

 Cut all the vegs in chunks. Peel and grate or dice the potatoes. Saute the vegs (except zuchini and potatoes) in olive oil. Remove and add pork chops, season both sides with 1/4 tsp cumin, salt, garlic pepper (from the grinder), 1/2 tsp paprika and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Brown pork and remove. Add potatoes and zuchini, saute for a few min and add rest of vegs. Top with pork and cover. Bake in oven at 375 for 20 min, until pork and potatoes are done. Ill take a pic if hubby doesn't eat it as soon as it's done.

Southwest Chopped Chicken Salad

A version of this is making the rounds on Pinterest. Since I always make a recipe my own, here is my version. ALso, I prefer to use my own spice mix- no preservatives and much less salt.

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded chicken(I used a Rotisserie chicken from the deli)
1 can black beans, rinsed
2 ears of jersey corn, cooked and chopped form the cob and chilled)
2 jersey tomatoes, diced
4 green onions, sliced
1 head iceberg lettuce, washed and chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup small black olives
1 ripe avocado, diced
1 cup crushed tortilla chips
1 lime- juiced- half for salad and half for dressing
dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp ranch dressing
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 lime juiced
1/2 tsp chili powder

Squeeze half thelime on avacado as soon as you dice it. Combine the salad dressing ingredients. Mix salad ingredients in a large bowl and pour dressing over, mix well. Chill until ready to serve then add  1 cup crushed blue torilla chips.

Grilled Greek Turkey Patty Sandwich

I made these for dinner, originally intending to make Cat Cora's version, but didnt have all her ingredients, didnt want the sauce...etc. Here's my version.

Ingredients:

 3/4  cup bread crumbs (I used whole grain baguettes that were leftover, pulsing        them in the mini chopper)
1 pound ground turkey

• 1/2 cup minced shallot
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt1 tsp dried oregano
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Flatbread, cut into squares
• thinly sliced seedless cucumbers
• plain greek yogurt
• arugula
• avacado slices

Preheat grill to medium-high heat 

Combine first 12 ingredients in a large mixing bowl, stirring until well blended. Divide mixture into 16 portions; shape each portion into a cylinder. Brush each meatball evenly with olive oil.
Grill meatballs, turning once, 8-12 minutes or until cooked through. Or, you can  sautee in olive oil in nonstick pan, finish cooking in a 350 degree oven.
Take a piece of flat bread and spread with yogurt, cucumber, avacado and arugula. Place a patty on top and fold in half.