Herb and Cream Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes
Ingredients:
20-24 large cherry tomatoes
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives (save 1 tablespoon for garnish)
8-10 basil leaves, cut into small pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Take a very thin slice off the top of each tomato. Using a small melon baller, gently remove the guts from the tomato.
- In a stand mixer, mix together cream cheese, garlic, chives, salt and pepper (to taste) until smooth.
Orange-Braised Carrots & Parsnips
Serves 6
This is a great winter vegetable dish to make in advance and reheat on top of the stove. Instead of roasting vegetables, braising infuses the carrots and parsnips with the flavors of shallots, orange, and fresh thyme and makes them incredibly tender.
Ingredients:
1 lb carrots with the greens attached
1 lb thin parsnips
1/3 cup small-diced shallots (1 large)
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 ¼ cups freshly squeezed orange juice, divided (3 oranges)
1/3 cup olive oil
6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen string
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley, for serving
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
- Trim and scrub or peel the carrots and parsnips. If the parsnips are thick, slice them in half or in quarters lengthwise so they are about the same width as the carrots.
- Place the carrots and parsnips in a pot or Dutch oven that’s large enough for the vegetables to lie flat. Add the shallots, orange zest, ¾ cup of the orange juice, the olive oil, thyme, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover tightly with a lid or heavy-duty foil. Transfer to the oven and cook for 1 ½ hours, until the carrots and parsnips are very tender. Discard the thyme bundle. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of orange juice and the parsley and season to taste. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
Rhubarb Salsa
Ingredients:
2 cup of rhubarb, diced small
1 cup chopped apples
3 green onions, chopped
2 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons honey
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
Directions:
- Boil a pot of water over medium heat and stir in rhubarb. Simmer for 2 minutes to blanch. Drain in a colander and let cool.
- Stir together the cooled rhubarb, apple, green onion, lime juice, honey, and jalapeño pepper until thoroughly combined.
Strawberry Salsa
Ingredients
1 pint of fresh strawberries diced
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 lime, juiced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon salt (add more or less to taste)
1/4 teaspoon pepper (add more or less to taste)
Directions:
- Put all ingredients in a bowl, and carefully mix together.
Balsamic Onion and Thyme Carrots
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil (divided)
2 cups of sliced yellow onion
1/2 cup of water
dash of baking soda
14oz carrots cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Directions:
- Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high add a dash of baking soda and cook onions for 10 mins.
- Add water and carrots to pan; bring pan to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for mins.
- Increase heat to medium-high and cook for 4 mins or until liquid evaporates.
- Mix together balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbsp of olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper then add that to the carrots and onions.
Green Beans with Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
2 pounds green beans
2 bacon slices
1/4 cup minced shallots
3 tablespoons corsely chopped almonds
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
Directions:
- Cook beans in boiling water for 2 minutes.
- Drain and rinse under cold water to prevent the beans from continuing to cook.
- Cook bacon in a small skillet over medium high heat until crisp, remove from skillet and crumble into a bowl.
- Take shallots and sauté for a minute in bacon grease then add the chopped almonds to this mixture and sauté for another minute. Remove and cool.
- Mix sugar and vinegar together until sugar is fully dissolved, then add the crumbled bacon.
- Pour vinaigrette over beans, tossing gently to coat.