This is a wonderful side dish and if you remember to purchase only the freshest and most tender vegetables, it will be ready in a ‘flash’.
- pinch of salt
- 1 bunch thin asparagus, tough ends removed
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1 small leek, dark green leaves removed, slicing the rounds 1/4 inch thick (1 cup)
- 1 bunch baby spinach, stems trimmed
- 4 ounces sweet baby peas
- lemon pepper
Firstly, wash and pat dry the vegetables.
Fill a large skillet with about an inch of water. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and add the asparagus. Cover and simmer for 4 minutes.
Remove the asparagus from the skillet and place on a serving plate. Pour the water out of the skillet.
Return skillet to oven and add the butter. Add the leek circles and cook for about 2 – 3 minutes until tender. Now add the spinach and peas, season with a pinch of lemon pepper . Cover and cook for about 3 minutes.
Turn the vegetables out over the asparagus and serve immediately. It takes approximately 10 minutes.
There! Told you it was quick and certainly easy.
Green Bean and Tomato Salad
We all know the nicer weather is coming and this will help you get ready for it. We all need new and different salads on hand and this one will help you out.
- 1 tbsp. fresh orange juice
- 1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
- pinch of ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
- 1/2 tsp. honey
- 1 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1/4 lb. green beans, stem ends removed
- 3 ripe tomatoes
- 1 small bunch baby spinach, stems removed and cut the leaves in half.
In a small bowl, mix together the fruit juices, soy sauce, coriander, ginger and honey until combined. Whisk in the vegetable oil and season with the salt and pepper.
Bring a pot of water to the boil, add the beans and cook until tender (about 2-3 minutes). Drain and place in ice water to stop the cooking process.
Cut the tomatoes into thick chunks. Drain the beans really well and pat dry with a paper towel. Place all in a bowl and toss with the dressing.
Arrange on 4 salad plates or simply leave in the bowl and let everyone help themselves, if it is to be a side portion.
Pizza-Spanakopita Style
If you love Greek food you will love this pizza. It can be served as an Appetizer for your party or just nibblies during hockey night viewing.
- 1 bag of fresh baby spinach, stems removed
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup, extra smooth ricotta
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1 cup crumbled Feta
- 1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 450g pkg of all butter, puff pastry (2 rolls), thawed
- 1 egg
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove middle rack, making sure one rack is in the top third of the oven and one in the bottom third. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Boil a large pot of water and add the spinach, cooking until wilted (60 seconds). Drain and rinse under cold water. Place in a tea towel and wring out excess liquid. Chop the spinach.
Heat a frypan and add the onion and garlic, cooking until the onion is lightly brown. Add the spinach and ricotta and reduce the heat. Cook until all liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat, add the dill, 1/2 cup Feta and nutmeg. Set aside.
Unroll the pastry onto the cookie sheets. Use a sharp knife to score a 1/2 inch border around each pastry sheet. Then dock the pastry all over with a fork. Beat the egg in a small bowl and brush evenly over the pastry.
Bake in the oven, switching the pans around halfway through baking time (about 14-15 minutes) until lightly golden in colour and puffy.
Remove from the oven, divide the spinach mixture between the two pans and spread out to the scored edges. Sprinkle the remaining feta over the tops and continue baking until the pastry and feta are golden in colour, again switching the pans around halfway through the 12-13 minute baking time. Slice and serve.
OMG! Yummy….
Nectarine and Baby Spinach Salad
Sure, it’s cold outside, but a beautiful looking and, better yet, tasting salad will complement any meal you are serving for dinner. This one is a winner!
- 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp. fresh lime juice
- pinch of sea salt
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 firm-ripe nectarines
- 24 thin slices of pancetta
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 1/2 oz. crumbled ricotta salata (any Italian store or specialty cheese store
- 6 oz. baby spinach (about 5 1/2 cups)
- coarsely ground black pepper (to taste)
Whisk together vinegar, lime juice and salt. Add the olive oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified.
Cut the nectarines in 6 pieces and wrap each wedge with a slice of pancetta. Heat the remaining oil in a skillet and when hot, but not smoking, cook the fruit in 2 batches until the pancetta is cooked on all sides (about 5 minutes).
Transfer to a plate and cover with tin foil loosely. Divide the spinach on 8 plates, divide the fruit onto the plates and drizzle with the dressing and ricotta sala and pepper,
Serve immediately.
Chicken Salad Sandwich
Here is a lighter version of the chicken salad sandwich. There is no heavy mayo to cloud the arteries and even children will love it.
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 14 oz. chicken tenders
- 2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
- 6 cups of baby spinach, stems removed
- 2 tbsp. fig balsamic vinegar
- 1 french baguette
- 4 oz. thinly sliced provolone cheese
Preheat broiler. Line a cookie sheet with foil and brush with some of the olive oil. Place the chicken in a single layer and drizzle the remaining oil; lightly sprinkle some salt and pepper.
Broil; for about 8-10 minutes until cooked through and beginning to brown.
In a large bowl, toss the spinach, grapes, chicken tenders and the balsamic vinegar.
Cut the baguette in 4 portions, but do no cut right through. Put on the cookie sheet and top with the cheese, allowing to melt. Layer the salad on top in equal portions.
Yummy!!!!
Grilled Pizza On The Barbecue
I told you I was getting everything ready for the Spring and Summer season that is just around the corner. You can, indeed, make pizza on the barbecue. In fact, we did this years ago and I think they are better than anything you put in the oven.
- 2 lbs. fresh pizza dough (store bought is good)
- Olive Oil for drizzle and brushing
- 2 tbsp. cornmeal
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 6-7 slices of proscuitto
- 2 fresh peaches, peeled and sliced into eighths
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup toasted pecans
- 3-4 cups baby spinach, washed and stemmed
- Balsamic/fig vinegar
- pinch of salt and pepper
Start the barbecue and heat for about 10 minutes getting the temperature up to 400 degrees. Clean and oil the grill.
Place the dough in a large bowl (oiled so the dough won’t stick) and cover with a damp towel. Let stand for about 1 hour to rise.
Brush the peaches with oil and grill for a few minutes. Set aside.
Sprinkle a cookie sheet with cornmeal and roll out the dough and set on the cornmeal. Drizzle with a little olive oil and place in the center of the barbecue. Close the lid and grill for approximately 5-6 minutes until the bottom is a golden brown.
Using tongs, turn the dough over and arrange the peaches and grill for approximately 8-10 minutes. Arrange half the cheese on the dough, add the proscuitto and pecans on top and then top with the remaining cheese. Close the lid and grill for a further 10 minutes and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Remove and drizzle with the balsamic/fig vinegar.
Remove from the barbecue and add the baby spinach.
Now gather the family and/or friends, pour a glass of wine and enjoy! As I said yummy.
Spinach Salad with a Twist
This salad will serve as a nice lunch with a fresh roll and a glass of wine on the deck or as an appetizer for a beautiful dinner ahead. Serves 4 for dinner or 6 for lunch. In this case, size DOES matter.
- 1 cup shredded crab meat
- 3 hard cooked eggs, shelled and sliced
- 5-6 white mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Hellmans mayonnaise (not salad dressing)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp. parsley minced
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 clove crushed garlic
- Fresh baby spinach, washed, spun dry, stems removed, torn into bite size pieces
On pretty serving plates, place a healthy handful of spinach leaves in the center. In a ‘neat’ way, lay out the egg slices, mushrooms and sprinkle the crab meat on top.
Mix together the dressing until it is well blended and generously drizzle over the salad.
What did I tell you? It is yummy. Oh yes, don’t forget the garlic toast or, better yet, warm slices of focaccia bread.
Spinach Salad With Mushrooms and Cranberries
Spinach is wonderful in so many ways and this is just another one. Make sure it is washed, dried and crisp when using in a salad.
Serves 6
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 6 ounce bag of fresh baby spinach
- 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
- 1/2 cup roasted cashews
Whisk the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and mustard together, gradually whisking in the olive oil.
In a bowl, combine the spinach which has been washed, spin dried and stems removed, with the other ingredients and lightly toss together.
Just before serving, add the dressing. I find that if you add just enough dressing to coat, it would be enough. Put the remaining dressing in a small dish with a spoon for guests to add more, if they wish.
So delightful and the cranberries add a touch of sweet/tang needed to bring this salad up a notch.