B is for Butternut

Simple Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 medium-sized butternut squash, about 2 pounds, prepped and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups unsalted chicken stock, warmed or room tempurature
3 tbsp evoo
2 bay leaves
1 tsp all-purpose seasoning
a pinch of dried sage and/or 10 fresh leaves [optional - see note]
freshly cracked pepper, to taste
coarse sea salt, to taste

Note: If you have access to fresh sage, one of the most delightful [albeit a little unhealthy] things to do with sage is to fry it. Yes, fry it. You can make it before you start to use as a garnish for the soup... and for a little snack while cooking. Simply heat a few tbsps of evoo in a small saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Rinse and very thoroughly dry sage by pressing between a couple paper towels. Add sage leaves to pan and toss with wooden spoon until crisp and dark green. Transfer to a paper towels to drain excess oil and cool. Simple as that!

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tbsp of evoo over medium heat. Add bay leaves and onion. Cook until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and squash to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, another 5 minutes. You may add another tbsp of evoo during the process if the vegetables need more coating.

2. Add dried spices and stir as you gradually pour in the chicken stock. Bring up to a simmer and let cook til squash can be easily mashed against pot with a wooden spoon, 25-30 minutes.

3. Let cool slightly before puréeing. If using a blender, make sure to allow the heat to escape from the lid's removable cap. Cover hole with kitchen towel or paper towel while blending to prevent spattering. You may use an immersion blender if you have one. [Either way, remember safety first! It's much easier to reheat cold soup than it is to clean up a real hot mess.]

4. Transfer back to pot and serve hot.

Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt and freshly ground black pepper... and of course, a few crisp sage leaves.

A is for Asparagus

Pepper Roasted Asparagus

This is almost too simple to be a recipe, but I made it for lunch today [along with some amazingly refreshing shimp cocktail- see note] and had to share it with you. The roasting process brings out such a wonderful sweet/savory combo from each spear and crisps up it's elegant crowns. Of course, all vegetables can be magically transformed when roasted, but one of the best things about roasting is how simple and easy it is! Add cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and minced garlic for an company-worthy side dish, or add Kalamata olives and lemon juice [with grated peel] to serve alongside fish. Enjoy!

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 lb asparagus, washed and trimmed
1 tsp all-purpose seasoning
pinch of red pepper flakes [a pinch more if you like things spicy]
freshly cracked pepper, to taste
coarse sea salt, to taste
1 tbsp evoo

Notes: For a simple and healthy lunch, arrange garden-fresh lettuce on a medium platter. Fill a bowl with crushed ice and place smaller bowl on top of that to hold cocktail sauce. Place 1 lb of cooked shrimp on the perimeter of platter with tails facing outward. Chop a few sprigs of tarragon to add a bit of fressness to cocktail sauce and pour into small bowl. Serve with asparagus spears and tall glass of iced tea. Serves 4.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and shower asparagus evenly with herbs and spices.

2. Shake pan vigorously from side to side to coat spears and place in the middle rack of oven. Roast for 15, until tender, yet crisp. Asparagus should still have a brightness to it. [See pictures]

3. Serve hot from oven or at room temperature.

Classic Summer Comfort Food

Summer Corn Chowder

Tah-dah!!! Introducing the new and improved, ultimate non-dairy chowder! It has taken me several tries and various methods, but what I'm sharing with you is the easiest, tastiest, smoothest [yet toothsome] chowder I've tested. First recipes took hours of purée-ing and transfering between bowls and pots, using leeks and a gazillion potatoes... and the texture was there, but flavor had been lost in all the steps.

So I decided to really strip this recipe down to it's bare essentials: corn, potatoes, and that oh-so-comforting creamy flavor that can only get from real cream, but wait... is there no way around using some form of creamer?! In trying all these versions I realized that the creamy flavor comes not directly from the diary, but from the corn and it's gloriously starchy cob. Finally a solution!

Take full advantage of the season by getting farm fresh corn and cutting off the kernels yourself. By adding both the kernels and the cob, you create that satisfying sweet/salty/buttery combination that needs no help from the dairy isle. Of course, if you're entertaining with this dish, just have a small saucepot of warmed half & half or cream on the stove for guests who prefer the more traditional recipe. Keep a ladle nearby for when it's time to serve.

I will be posting more family-style dinners as the harvest gets more and more bountiful. I actually added some minced radishes to this chowder as a way to use them up. We planted more than we had originally planned for, but that has forced us to use them in various recipes. [They add a great peppery flavor that balances out all the sweet notes of the chowder. It's sooo good!]

Waiting for some squash, cukes and tomatoes to ripen... any day now!

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

4 thick-cut bacon slices
1 large onion, diced
3 ribs celery, diced
1 tbsp unbleached flour
2 bay leaves
organic all purpose seasoning
bundle of fresh thyme sprigs, tied with kitchen twine
3 ears fresh corn, shucked and silk removed
3 medium red russet potatoes, diced
3 cups unsalted chicken stock, warmed or room tempurature
4 cups original rice milk [not vanilla!!]
4 radishes, minced
fresh parsley, chopped
olive oil

oyster crackers, optional (but adds nostalgia!)

Note: This is one of those times when owning a large Le Creuset pot is a huge advantage. Yes, they are heavy and some can be expensive, but the good ones... boy oh boy, are they good... provide a just-like-grandma-used-to-make vessel for everyday comfort food. A well-seasoned cast iron pot is easy to clean and, with proper care, will last a lifetime - if not several!

Directions

1. Cook bacon in large, heavy-bottomed pot, until most of the fat has rendered and bacon is browned and crispy. Remove from pot and set aside on paper towels to drain.

2. Add onion and celery to pot. Season with salt, pepper and all-purp. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and celery is soft, 8-10 minutes. [You may add a couple tablespoons of butter or margarine if more fat is needed.]

3. Add flour to vegetables and stir thoughoughly to prevent clumps in broth. Once combined, add bay leaves, thyme, potatoes, and corn cobs. Gently stir in stock. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium and let simmer until potatoes are almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Add corn kernels, radishes and rice milk, cover pot, and let mixture simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes more.

4. Turn off heat. Remove thyme and bay leaves from pot. Transfer 2 cups of chowder [minus the corn cobs] to blender and purée. Add purée back to chowder and stir to combine. [This will thicken the chowder - you may add more or less depending on your preference.]

5. Bring heat back to medium and, once again, stir occasionally til heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serving Suggestion: After plating, garnish with fresh chopped parsley and a drizzle of good olive oil. Serve oyster crackers and crumbled bacon on the side.

A Family Favorite

Marilyn's Olive Dip with Fresh Dill

This is one of those recipes that will forever be a part of my culinary repertoire. Yes, it's dip, but this is the perfect recipe when it comes to last minute entertaining [and late night snacking]. My mother's friend Marilyn gave her the recipe after tasting it at a get-together and it's been in our family ever since. The original recipe included real cream cheese, miracle whip, olives, and walnuts, but I've made some substitutions to make it a bit healthier. The addition of fresh dill adds a new life, but the soul of the dip definitely still there. Salty, sweet and easy to prep - this recipe is truly a family favorite.

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

8 ounces Tofutti Cream Cheese
8 ounces Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup Spanish olives
1 tbsp olive juice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp organic all purpose seasoning
2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped or 2 tsp dried dill

Note: If you don't have [or like] dill, feel free to substitute fresh chives or parsley. Actually, I would suggest you mix it up with whatever herbs are freshest that day. Each herb will lend a delightfully verdant flavor in contrast to the smooth tanginess of the yogurt/cream cheese mixture. Yum...

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, yogurt and olive juice. Blend until smooth.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients: olives, walnuts, dill and seasoning.

3. Refridgerate until ready to serve.

Serve alongside Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps [beware - they are super addicting!!] or garden-inspired crudité like radishes, celery and carrots. Enjoy!

Iced, Iced Baby...

Raspberry Lemon-Thyme Iced Tea

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 earl grey tea bags

2 raspberry tea bags [I used Stash's Wild Raspberry]

1/2 cup fresh lemon thyme, rinsed

6 cups boiling water

1 tsbp sugar

3 lemons; 1 juiced and 2 sliced for garnish

ice cubes, for chilling and serving

Note: You may find it helpful to tie the thyme up with kitchen twine before steeping. When it comes time to pour the steeped tea into your pitcher, you just pull the string out - no mess, no fuss, just time for a tall glass of iced tea. If you don't have any twine, you can use a double mesh stainless-steel strainer as you transfer liquid to pitcher... obviously this could make more of a mess, so it is wise to do so over a sink. [I tried the previously mentioned "mesh method" last week and oops! we had a lovely sticky mess all over the dining room table, so trust me - use a sink.]

Directions

1. In a large ceramic bowl, combine tea bags, thyme, and boiling water.

2. Steep for at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes. You may refrigerate tea to speed up the process.

3. Fill pitcher with half a tray of ice cubes. Remove tea bags and thyme from bowl. Then carefully pour cooled mixture into prepped pitcher. Add lemon juice and sugar and stir with wooden spoon.

4. Top the pitcher off with a few slices of lemon.

Serve over ice and garnish glass with lemon wedge, if desired.

Hope you enjoyed all the pictures! As you can probably see, I couldn't wait to have a glass [or three] before taking the close-ups... it was soooo muggy out. Twas the perfect accompaniment to a hot summer's day... Enjoy!