Fresh Green Bean Salad

Ingredients:
-2 pounds fresh green beans (snap off ends)
-6 cloves of garlic
-1 pound shallots
-1 cup cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-2 tablespoons butter
-salt and pepper to taste


To begin this delicious salad, start a large pot of water to boil with kosher salt. Meanwhile, in a pan heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute shallots (thinly sliced rings) with garlic cloves and a sprinkle of salt. The shallots will need 20-30 minutes to caramelize. Once your water has reached a rolling bowl, toss in the green beans and cook them for 5-8 minutes or until they have reached desired tenderness. Drain them immediately, once they have reached desired tenderness, and toss them with the tomatoes and shallots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

tip: If you are not serving immediately, once you drain the beans place them into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Also, it is best to drain the beans a little before they are at the perfect tenderness so they don't wilt before serving.

Pasta Primavera in Lemon Cream Sauce

This is a delicious that you can make anytime with fresh, in season vegetables. You can use as many fresh vegetables as you like, the amounts for the recipe are based on what I used for mine. Also, it is relatively fast for something that you can whip up to feed two people or a party.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 shallots (sliced into rings)
4 cloves of garlic (diced)
1/2 red bell pepper
4 artichoke hearts quartered (canned, but they go soooo well in the cream sauce)
1 fresh yellow tomato
1 fresh orange tomato (I used seasonal tomatoes for a variety of color in the sauce
2 cups dry pasta
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
juice of 2 lemons
kosher salt and ground pepper on hand
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (optional)


Start a large pot of water to boil. Cook the pasta to your liking after the water boils. It is easiest to time this if you cook the pasta at the same time as the sauce, which is less challenging than it seems because pasta is pretty low maintenance.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Once the olive oil is hot, add the shallots and the garlic stirring occasionally. After a few minutes add the red bell pepper and artichoke hearts. Dice the tomato and toss into the mixture. Leave the veggies on low heat and start the cream sauce by melting the butter in a small sauce pan. Add the flour to the melted butter on med/low heat and stir constantly. After a minute add the milk (hot but not boiling) to the pan. Stir occasionally and leave on medium heat until the sauce begins to bubble and thicken. You will know you have succeeded in cream sauce when if you dip a spoon in, the sauce will coat the spoon. Once delicious cream has occurred, remove from heat and add lemon juice, red pepper flake, and Parmesan cheese while stirring constantly. In mere moments you will notice that the Parmesan has melted and everything is melded together in a creamy blend of wonder. Add your wonderful sauce to your veggies and incorporate well. Now all you need to do is toss your primavera sauce with your pasta, and you have a perfect dinner!

Bananas alla Gretchen aka....mmmmmmm

This recipe is a great dessert to throw together when you need a quick dessert. Don't let the simplicity fool you though, the taste is absolutely brilliant. The measurements on this recipe are in increments for one person. So, if you are making this for you and a special someone, make it double.

Ingredients:

1 banana
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 scoops of your favorite vanilla ice cream
2-3 tablespoons of crushed walnuts (optional)

That's all you need. So simple!

In a small sauce pan melt your butter on low heat. After the butter has melted, add the brown sugar and stir continuously until the butter and sugar combine. Allow the mixture to cook on low for about five minutes, stirring constantly. Leaving your burner on low heat, add the cinnamon and vanilla. Cut your banana into cubes and add it into the mixture. Stir your bananas into your bubbling brew and allow to cook for about one minute. Remove from heat and place in your favorite dessert serving bowls. Now make this masterpiece a la mode with your favorite ice cream (mine is bluebell) and serve. This recipe is so simple, but bananas have never tasted so good!

Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients:
-1/2 yellow onion (diced)
-4 diced garlic cloves
-4 tomatoes (ripe and diced)
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1 teaspoons kosher salt
-1 can tomato sauce
-1 cup cream
-1 cup fresh basil leaves

Saute onion and garlic with olive oil in a sauce pan. After around 8 minutes add diced tomato to pan and sprinkle in salt. Cook tomatoes for a few minutes and add tomato sauce. Stir the mixture and cook on medium heat until it begins to simmer slightly. Put the soup mixture into a food processor with the fresh basil leaves. Pulse mixture 15-20 times until basil has been chopped and incorporated throughout the soup. While your tomato mix is out of the pan, put the cream into the pan on a medium low heat. Once the tomato mixture is mixed to your liking add it back into the pan with the cream. Now your soup is almost ready. Just simmer on low for ten minutes, remove from heat, and serve.

Basil Pesto

I have a slew of new summer basil recipes because a patron of Cory's work brought him an enormous bag of fresh basil. So, here is the first one.

Ingredients for fresh summer basil pesto:
-3 cups of fresh basil leaves
-1 cup walnut
-1/2 cup pine nuts
-1 cup olive oil
-1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-3 minced garlic cloves
-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

This is a very simple recipe to make. Once you have gathered all of your ingredients, put everything but the olive oil in a food processor. Pulse ingredients about ten times to mix and combine. Slowly add olive oil while processor is going. Once olive oil is incorporated, you have pesto. Toss it with pasta, substitute for marinara on a pizza, or just eat it on crackers!

Veggie Chili

Ingredients you will need:

-2 cups textured vegetable protein
-1 onion
-1 green bell pepper
-5 garlic cloves
-1 can chopped tomatoes
-1 can tomato paste
-1 can tomato sauce
-1 can beans of your choice (optional)
-2 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon ground black pepper
-2 tablespoon chili powder
-1 teaspoon oregano
-1 teaspoon cumin
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1 delicious beer

This vegetarian chili is so delicious that I have known a few carnivores who love my veggie frito pies! Start this dish by hydrating your textured vegetable protein (tvp). If you can't find tvp, you can use any vegetarian substitute that is the equivalent for 2 pounds of ground beef . TVP can be re-hydrated by putting it in a bowl with enough water to cover. You can also use beer or red wine to add more flavor. Dice onions, bell pepper, and garlic. Heat olive oil in a large pot and saute veggies for about 8-10 minutes. Add tomato paste, sauce, diced tomatoes, and tvp to veggies. If after you have thoroughly considered the "beans and no beans" debate and have decided that beans are a go, you should also add your can of beans now. After stirring well, add spices (salt,pepper, chili powder, cumin, and oregano). Pour the beer over the mixture and set the pot to medium heat. Stir occasionally until the pot comes to a boil. When your chili is boiling, reduce to a low heat and let the chili simmer for about an hour. Stir occasionally while the chili is simmering.