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Category Archives: Recipes
From the Garden: Tomato Tart
In keeping with our meatless meals, this has become a family favorite. While we certainly are far from vegetarians, we do strive to go as meatless as possible due to the fact that I have become both a meat snob and a meat scaredy cat. From where I sit, meat prices have gone up while quality has gone down. Simply my opinion. No scientific research studies or side dishes. So when I do purchase meat, it’s high requirements come with a high price tag. See…a snob.
In our own garden, our tomatoes did not do too well this year but the basil went out of control.
This Tomato Tart recipe has become a regular at our house. The kids enjoy it and it is a win-win if you can find the cheese on sale. Here are the ingredients:
Pie Crust, Mozzarella cheese, ripe tomatoes, olive oil and basil. Simple. Simple.
Spread the pie crust out in a casserole dish. If you have a tart pan and want to get all fancy and impress the neighbors, go for it. Me? I aim low. The old pyrex casserole dish and I are friends that go way back.
Next spread the entire bag of shredded Mozzarella cheese and then layer the thinly sliced tomatoes on top of the cheese.
Finally, spread chopped basil over the tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake, eat and then kick yourself for not doubling the recipe.
It is just as good on day 2 heated up as left overs.
| From the Garden: Tomato Tart |
|
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 35 mins
Total time: 50 mins
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
- Pie Crust
- 3 or 4 Ripened Tomatoes
- 1 8oz. bag shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Handful of chopped fresh Basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Spread Pie Crust in 9 x 13 baking dish
- Add shredded Mozzarella cheese
- Cover with tomato slices
- Sprinkle with chopped basil
- Drizzle with Olive Oil
- Bake 30-40 minutes
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Enjoy!
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From the Garden: Blackeyed Pea Salad
Cilantro.
My hubby’s cologne scent of choice. He is seriously over the top in love with the stuff. So what does any well meaning, slightly OCD, wanna-be farmer go and do? He plants enough of the herb to qualify us for the agriculture tax exemption. Sort of.
In my continuing effort to keep “thrifty”, “tasty” and “healthy” in the same recipe, I turned to the ever faithful but often forgotten protein, the blackeyed pea.
Don’t blame him for his name. He didn’t choose it.
Although this recipe involves some knife skills, even the older kiddos can throw it together.
In fact, they did. (my promise to my future daughter-in-laws…I’m working for ya here!!)
Although intended as a side dish, I have been known to be selfish with this one and make it my entire meal. The longer this salad sits in the refrigerator, the better the flavor.
Keep it thrifty by buying local or growing your own. Need some cilantro? C’mon over.
| Blackeyed Pea Salad |
Recipe Type: side dish
Prep time: 15 mins
Total time: 15 mins
Ingredients
- 2 15 oz cans blackeyed peas
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 1 small bunch cilantro
- juice from one lemon
- dash of sea salt
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the blackeyed peas and add to large bowl.
- Add tomatoes and red onion.
- Using kitchen scissors, snip cilantro leaves into bowl, disgarding stems.
- Juice one small lemon over mixture.
- Add a dash of sea salt.
- Mix well.
- Serve chilled.
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1 LB Grass Fed Beef + Organic Barley = 12 Servings + Happy Teens !
I’ve made it no secret I am not a huge fan of red meat. In fact, I ‘m not a fan of much meat at all. It’s just not my thing. If I spend more than a few minutes thinking about it I feel driven to go crunch a celery stick. I’m more than a bit distrusting of the current controls of our meat supply. And since I really don’t care much for meat, it’s easiest for me to just gravitate away from it.
Not so much for the teens walking around my house that don’t share my appreciation for a good celery stick. Go figure.
So this last weekend, unbeknownst to my children, I experimented in the kitchen. I went to Whole Paycheck Foods and bought a pound of grass fed 95% lean ground beef at $8.99 a pound. I know…obscene and I was totally thinking this little experiment of mine had better work.
I added cooked organic barley to the beef. The precooked amount of barley was only 1 cup if anyone is keeping track.
I browned the ground beef with the barley in hopes the beef would share some of it’s flavor with the grain. After it was browned, I added a package of Taco Seasoning which is the official “kid whisperer” at our house. Suddenly teens and tween appear and offer to help get out accompaniments like cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, chips, etc.
They looked in the pot and questioned briefly but I think the taco smell set them at ease.
The final results were a success in my book. Not only were we able to spread the mixture over 12 servings of nachos and burritos, but the teens requested a do over and gave it a thumbs up.
Do you have any tricks to spread out your meat servings? I would love to hear them.
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Black Bean Corn Salsa: Hands Down Favorite at our House
Ugly, huh? I have heard some people actually call it “ugly dip” but officially at our house it is filed under Black Bean Corn Salsa. Appearances aside, this stuff is hands-down, an absolute crowd pleaser around here. It is one of those recipes we don’t dare make without doubling. And *if* there are any leftovers, it is even better the second day.
We make this several times during football season and it is a requirement when we gather during the holdays. Make it one time and you will see what I mean. Consider yourself warned, however, it will fill you up before the main meal so practice restraint. Seriously.
The ingredients are not necessarily at the top of the “Thrifty” category, but thankfully, some are probably sitting in your pantry right now.
Yep, those are Frito Lay Scoops. The kids totally think I am not paying attention when I am buying these as they are not on our regular shopping list. Like, ever.
Again, I have doubled this recipe. It is really important to drain AND rinse the black beans. Otherwise the entire salsa will appear uglier than it already does. Also, as your read the recipe for the sauce, I tend to make a bit less than the recipe calls for. I don’t like my salsa “swimming” as my little one calls it. Chunky, yes. Submerged? No thanks.
The saltiness on the Scoops blends perfectly with this salsa. Trust me!
| Black Bean Corn Salsa: Hands Down Favorite at our House |
Prep time: 10 mins
Total time: 10 mins
Ingredients
- 2 cans shoepeg corn, drained
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 bunch green onions, diced just into the green part
- 1 container crumbled feta cheese
- Sauce: (equal parts)
- 1 cup Extra Virgin Light Olive Oil
- 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 cup sugar
- Frito Lay Scoops Chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the drained cans of shoepeg corn, the drained and rinsed can of black beans, the onions and the feta cheese.
- Mix thoroughly.
- In a separate dish, combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar and sugar.
- Pour over the salsa mixture and mix well.
- Enjoy with Scoops
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Pumpkin Spice Latte: A “Must Try” Recipe !
Fall. My favorite season. At least, as far as I remember, it is my favorite season. Down here in S. Florida the seasons all pretty much look the same. Summer is definitely warmer but they still all basically share the same tropical colors.
I miss Fall.
So I have to bring Autumn to myself. I breakout decorations, candles and Fall treats. By far, hands down, the treat that is a crowd pleaser at my house is the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Even my older tweens and teens can whip up a batch, although they are really most interested in the whipped cream. Kids!
This recipe is extremely easy and low on the “spice”.
The ingredients are simple. You probably have most of them. Not pictured is good old fashioned sugar and milk. And of course, the whipped cream.
Do you like my cake plate? It is my handy-dandy $1.49 Thrift Store DIY project I posted about HERE.
The hardest part about this process is waiting for the mixture to come to a frothy boil and then deciding how much whipped cream to top it off with.
Ahhhh…..
| Pumpkin Spice Latte: A “Must Try” Recipe ! |
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 15 mins
Serves: 2
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 2 Tablespoons can pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup “strong” coffee, brewed
- whipped cream for topping
Instructions
- In a sauce pan, combine milk and can pumpkin.
- Whisk continually as it is heating through.
- Add vanilla, sugar and pumpkin pie spice.
- Continue to whisk as mixture boils and becomes frothy
- Add coffee
- pour into 2 mugs and top with whipped cream and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice
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