Hot day-um was this a delicious meal!
Tomato Pie with leeks
1 refrigerated pie crust
2 medium red tomatoes, 2 medium yellow tomatoes, 1 green tomato
Kosher salt
1 medium leek
fresh cracked pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
6-8 slices bacon chopped, browned and drained
Grated Cheddar cheese
Directions:
Preheat over to 450. Fit pie crust into 9 inch pie pan. Bake 8-10 minutes until brown. Let cool 5 minutes. Reduce oven to 375.
Cut tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices. Place on a paper towel lined wire rack. Sprinkle with Kosher salt. Let stand 20 minutes. Pat dry with paper towel.
Slice leek length wise to clean, discarding ends and cook in bacon drippings over med heat, sauté 3-5 minutes or until tender.
Layer leek and bacon on bottom of pie pan. Top with tomato slices and sprinkle with pepper. Stir Parmesan, mayonnaise and egg in a bowl until blended.
Spread cheese mixture over tomatoes
Sprinkle with grated cheddar.
Bake 375 for 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing
Garnish with flat leaf parsley.
Zucchini Carpaccio
2 zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds total), sliced into paper-thin rounds
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 young leek, white and light green parts only, sliced paper-thin into rings and thoroughly cleaned
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as chervil, dill, chives.
1 cup ricotta cheese
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish, optional
Directions:
Shingle the zucchini slices in a single overlapping layer on a platter. Dust with salt and pepper, then drizzle with a 3-count of olive oil and the lemon juice. Put that into the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to give the flavors a chance to get into the zucchini. Now scatter the leeks over. Sprinkle with the herbs. Garnish garnish with the ricotta cheese and mint leaves, if using; serve.
Okra
8 pieces of bacon
½ cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1lb frozen cut okra
160z crushed tomatoes
Dash each of salt and pepper
Dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions:
-fry bacon in pan until crispy and remove
-add onion and garlic and sautee about 5 minutes until starting to brown
-add okra tomatoes, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes
-crumble bacon and add to pan
-lower heat to medium. Cover and cook until soft, about 30 mins.
-serve immediately
Mac and Cheese
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for casserole
stale baguette hardened and cut into cubes
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more for water
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 1/2 cups (about 18 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar cheese
2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Gruyère or 1 1/4 cups (about 5 ounces) grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 pound elbow macaroni
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place the bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour the melted butter into the bowl with the bread, and toss and brown. Set the breadcrumbs aside.
2. Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When the butter bubbles, add the flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.
3. While whisking, slowly pour in the hot milk a little at a time to keep mixture smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick, 8 to 12 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyère (or 1 cup Pecorino Romano); set the cheese sauce aside.
5. Cover a large pot of salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook the macaroni until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir the macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyère (or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano), and the breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer the dish to a wire rack for 5 minutes; serve.
Meatloaf Wellington
2lbs ground beef
2 Tbl ketchup
½ yellow onion
1Tbl Brown sugar and more for the top
½ Cup of bread crumbs or finely crushed crackers
1 egg
1Tbl milk
Salt, pepper to season
Directions:
Mush up until your hand hurt in a bowl and form in loaf pan. Bake at 375 for 50 minutes
Let cool for 10 minutes on rack.
Wellington:
Pepperidge Farm Pastry Sheets (use both and defrost)
Form around the loaf (you may need to mold back together w/ fingers) and brush w/ eggwash (1 egg white and water)
Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.
Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches (easiest summer dessert ever!)
Ingredients:
Pepperidge Farm Shortbread Cookies
Good quality strawberry ice cream
Directions:
Spoon (and mold) ice cream on one cookie and place the other on top. Freeze in container until ready to use.
Minted Vodka Lemonade
Source: Epicurious
1 cup (packed) mint leaves, chopped
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups vodka
Crushed ice
Fresh mint sprigs
Directions:
Combine chopped mint and sugar in large bowl. Stir in lemon juice and vodka. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Strain mixture into pitcher. Fill six 6- to 8-ounce glasses with crushed ice. Pour mixture over. Garnish with mint sprigs.
