Sunny Summer Salad

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Try this yummy, refreshing and healthy salad when produce is at its’ peak during the summer. It’s a snap to put together, and stores well for a few hours, or is delicious served right away. The only special tool you need is a good sharp peeler. I prefer a Y style peeler, and I think Rösli is the best brand, it stays sharp. I love zucchini this way. It has such a different flavor than when cooked. If you don’t think you care for squash, try this recipe, you just might change your mind!

This serving size is for a generous 2, so double it for more servings.

Sunny Summer Salad

1 Yellow Squash, small
1 Zucchini, small
1/4 a medium sweet onion (Vidalia or Walla Walla)
1/2 each of 1 Red and Yellow Roasted Bell Pepper, sliced into ribbons. (store bought or homemade)
Parsley, minced
1 large clove of Garlic, peeled, minced

Dressing:
1 Tbsp fresh Lemon Juice (about a 1/4 of a lemon)
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Salt, Pepper to taste
Optional: 1/2 tsp of any mediterranean style spice mix

Optional: Fresh Ricotta Cheese.

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1. Cut the top and bottom off the squat. Using your vegetable peeler, ‘peel’ it into ribbons working from top to bottom. I peel down just to the seed core, then rotate it 90 degrees and slice the next side, working your way around the vegetable. Toss the core.
2. Cut your whole onion in half, then in half again. Lay on its cut side and holding one of the root ends, slice into thin quarter rings.
3. Whisk the olive oil into the lemon juice, add the garlic and seasoning.
4. Toss all the ingredients together.
5. If desired, top with a dollop of ricotta, fresh as possible.
Tip: If storing for longer than a 1/2 hour, do not salt it until serving. Squash has a lot of water. Salt will pull that water out and your salad dressing will be diluted and weak tasting.

This is one of those dishes where there are very few ingredients, as such, buy the highest quality produce you can find. And if your store doesn’t carry fresh Ricotta, any decent Italian Deli will carry it.

Summer in Minnesota is short, so I don’t like to dawdle in the kitchen. Toss this together, pair it with a protein and head outside for a picnic!

Tomato Salad, with a Twist

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Tomato Salad, with a Twist

It is, oh, so hot here right now. Minnesota, land of extremes. Given it is ‘freeze the snot in your nose’ cold in the winter, and winter lasts for what seems like FOREVER, you’d think I’d have nothing to complain about when summer finally rolls around. But, being the bi-polar state it is, if it’s not -20 and so dry your skin turns to shoe leather, it is blistering hot, humid and buggy. We get a smattering of lovely days, but it’s not till fall that the bugs die off (vicious, biting, carry your baby off, nasty bugs) and it becomes a ‘pleasant’ place to be. By then, the days are short and the nights longer.

I can’t bear to think ahead to that LONG, COLD winter, so instead I’ll muddle through this heat, taking advantage of the locally grown produce, and make a refreshing salad. This one is a twist on a traditional Caprese Salad. Enjoy!

Heirloom Tomato Salad with a Twist

Heirloom Tomatoes
Goat Cheese
Fresh Mint & Basil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
1 clove garlic minced or put through a press
Salt & Pepper

Whisk the oil & vinegar together, add the garlic, season to taste.
Chiffonade (slice in to thin ribbons) the mint and basil, and add to the dressing.

Pour over thick sliced tomatoes, sprinkle with goat cheese.

Enjoy as a light lunch or as a side with grilled meat for dinner. Heck, this is so good, I’d eat it for breakfast…and I have!

Leftover GF Toast ‘Planks’

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Leftover GF Toast 'Planks'

I had a few leftover loafs of gluten free bread from the other nights Gluten Free Peppers and Brats (click photo to be taken to that post) and wanted to share a great way to use up this little odd shaped bread.

I sliced my bread in to planks, melted some butter in a pan, sprinkled in some Penzey’s Sandwich Sprinkle and then laid them flat side down to be toasted in the pan. Add a little more butter and salt when your flip over.

Sometimes, it’s the most simple of techniques is the most tasty! Crispy, buttery, crunchy, salty, on the outside, soft on the inside, …now that’s heaven in a bite!

Serve as an easy side to soups, stews, eggs, or grilled meats. Yum.