Ina Garten’s Summer Borscht

INA GARTEN’S SUMMER BORSCHT

5 medium fresh beets (about 2 pounds without tops)
Kosher salt
2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
16 ounces sour cream, plus extra for serving
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons Champagne vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 cups medium-diced English cucumber, seeds removed
1/2 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus extra for serving


Place the beets in a large pot of boiling salted water and cook uncovered until the beets are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the beets to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve and also set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the beet cooking liquid, the chicken stock, sour cream, yogurt, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, 1 tablespoon salt, and the pepper. Peel the cooled beets with a small paring knife or rub the skins off with your hands. Cut the beets in small to medium dice. Add the beets, cucumber, scallions, and dill to the soup. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Season, to taste, and serve cold with a dollop of sour cream and an extra sprig of fresh dill.

Haylee’s Note:

I found a list of 100 foods to try before you die, and borscht was on the list.  I thought it was going to be nasty, and I was just going to eat it so say that I had, but it was actually VERY good!  So good in fact, that I would make it again!  You can find the original recipe HERE.

Greek Potatoes

GREEK POTATOES

8 large potatoes, peeled, cut into large wedges (about 6-7 wedges per potato)
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup water
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 lemon, juiced
sea salt
fresh coarse ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 420°F.  Put all the ingredients into a baking pan large enough to hold them. Season with salt and black pepper. Toss everything to distribute evenly. Bake for 40 minutes. When a nice golden-brown crust has formed on the potatoes, give them a stir to bring the white underside up. Add 1/2 cup more water if pan appears to be getting dry, and pop back into oven to brown other side of potatoes for another 40 minutes or more if needed.

Haylee’s Note:

These are the best potatoes I think I have ever made!  We made these to go with a Greek meal, but I think these would be great with ANYTHING!  This is definitely a keeper!  For the original recipe click HERE.

Ioana’s Peach-Tomato Salad

IOANA’S PEACH-TOMATO SALAD

2 Roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
2 small peaches, pitted and cut into wedges
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Toss tomatoes, peaches and onions in a salad bowl. Drizzle with vinegar and oil, and season with sugar,salt and pepper. Mix well. Let it stand for about 10 minutes, for the flavors to combine.

Haylee’s Note:

Wow!  The flavors in the salad are amazing!  And this recipe is truly perfect for summer!  I love that it is so quick to fix, and it is a flavor powerhouse!  I doubled the recipe and took it to a family dinner!  It was a hit, everyone loved it!  Thanks for the recipe Ioana!

Miranda’s Italian Sausage Charlotte

MIRANDA'S ITALIAN SAUSAGE CHARLOTTE


Meat Mixture

1 1/2 lbs mild Italian sausage links
1 medium zucchini, sliced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced (I leave this out)
1 medium red or green bell pepper
1 jar (16 oz) white Alfredo pasta sauce, divided

Topping:
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 tsp Italian seasoning, divided
1/8 tsp salt
16 slices firm white bread (give or take)
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
2 Tbls fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400'. For meat mixture, remove casings from sausage links; discard casings. Cut sausages crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Cook sausage in a skillet over medium heat until well browned and no longer pink, turning as meat browns.

Meanwhile, slice zucchini and mushrooms. Cut bell pepper into 1/4-inch strips. Remove sausage from skillet; drain well on paper towels. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and add 1 cup of the Alfredo sauce; bring to a boil. Stir in sausage and vegetables. Pour mixture into a baking pan, mounding slightly in the center.

For topping, in a small bowl, whisk together remaining Alfredo sauce, milk, and eggs using a whisk. Add pressed garlic, 1 tsp if the Italian seasoning, and the salt. Cut crusts off of bread. Dip bread into egg mixture, coating lightly; overlap in a circular pattern over sausage mixture, leaving center open.

Drain tomatoes; transfer into a small bowl. Add remaining 1 tsp seasoning mix, mix well. Spoon tomato mixture into opening. Grate cheese over top. Bake 25-30 minutes or until edges of bread are deep golden brown.

Haylee’s Note:

Well played Miranda!  This recipe was a hit for the whole family!  And summer is the PERFECT time for this recipe!  I gave some to my neighbor to try and she loved it too!  This recipe is definitely a keeper!  We were all fighting over the few leftovers that remained!  Thanks Miranda!

Fabio Vivani’s Cold Gazpacho

FABIO VIVANI’S COLD GAZPACHO

1 quart tomato juice

2 red bell peppers

1 green jalapeno

1 large English cucumber

20 leaves of fresh basil

pinch salt

3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

6 Canned plum tomatoes

additional basil leaves for garnish

extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Pour tomato juice into a jar blender. Slice one red pepper, the entire jalepeno, and half of the cucumber, and add to blender. Add basil leaves, pinch of salt, and red wine vinegar.  Slice three of the canned plum tomatoes, and add to blender.  Puree until no chunks remain.  Transfer soup to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until ready to serve.  To serve, ladle soup into bowls.  Dice the remaining red bell pepper, cucumber, and plum tomatoes.  Chop basil for garnish.  Generously garnish each bowl with diced tomatoes, cucumber, basil, and red peppers.  Drizzle with olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Haylee’s Note:

My husband, Darin, saw this recipe on Yahoo.  When he told me about it, honestly I didn’t think is sounded very good, but I was AMAZED at how delicious it actually was!  I don’t think it gets much healthier, especially since we made our own tomato juice, and everything had JUST been picked out of our garden!  For the original recipe click HERE.

Japanese Salad

JAPANESE SALAD

2 c. cooked chicken
1/2 head chopped cabbage
1 pkg. top ramen broken
1 pkg. ramen seasoning
2 tbsp. silvered almonds
2 chopped green onions
2 tbsp. sesame seeds toasted

Dressing:

1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp vinegar
1/2 c. oil
1/2 tsp. pepper

Haylee's Note:
This salad is really yummy too! I like to cook my chicken in a skillet with a little olive oil and minced garlic! It gives the salad a little more flavor. Darin and I love this salad as a whole meal, but this is also a "classic" for potlucks! Everyone always loves this salad, it goes fast! Enjoy!

Spring Rolls

SPRING ROLLS

1 (8 ounce) package rice vermicelli
8 ounces cooked, peeled shrimp, cut in half lengthwise (Or chicken)
rice wrappers (They are round disks that have a basket weave texture on them. You can find them just about anywhere.)
1 carrot, julienned
1 cup shredded lettuce (I used spinach)
chopped Napa Cabbage or purple cabbage (I used both. It was pretty.)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or mint or cilantro

Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Remove from heat. Place rice vermicelli in boiling water, remove from heat, and let soak 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Drain, and rinse with cold water. I then added a can of coconut milk, a little sugar, curry powder or paste and a dash of fish sauce. I cooked the noodles until they had absorbed the coconut milk. Fill a large bowl with hot water. Dip one rice wrapper in the hot water for 5-10 seconds to soften. You don't want them too soft. They'll be totally soft by the time it is ready to roll up. Lay wrapper flat, and place desired amounts of noodles, shrimp, carrot, lettuce and basil in the center. Roll the edges of the wrapper slightly inward. Beginning at the bottom edge of wrapper, tightly wrap the ingredients. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve the spring rolls with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce

Chopped garlic
Sambal chili paste
sugar
lime juice or vinegar
fish sauce or soy sauce

Add little amounts of the above ingredients and stir until sugar is dissolved. Taste before using and add what you think it needs. I like it a bit sweeter. Experiment!

Haylee’s Note:
I saw this recipe on Studio, and had to try it! It was so good, and I LOVE recipes that call for things that I always have on hand. I had everything on this list except the wraps! I love any recipe that is a “build your own” and let people chose their own toppings and amounts. Give them a try—they are pretty healthy and super delish!!

Caprese Salad

CAPRESE SALAD

3 vine-ripe tomatoes, 1/4-inch thick slices
1 pound fresh mozzarella, 1/4-inch thick slices
20 to 30 leaves (about 1 bunch) fresh basil
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Coarse salt and pepper

Layer alternating slices of tomatoes and mozzarella, adding a basil leaf between each, on a large, shallow platter. Drizzle the salad with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste

Haylee’s Note:
This is such an easy salad, but it is soooo good!! This is really not a salad you need a recipe for, but I did take this recipe from Rachael Ray here. I love that you can present it is so many ways! I think it is such a pretty salad, and tastes as good as it looks. I also like mine with a little balsamic vinegar! Enjoy!

Rachael Ray’s Apricot-Balsamic-Glazed Chicken with Grilled Beets

RACHAEL RAY’S APRICOT-BALSAMIC-GLAZED CHICKEN WITH GRILLED BEETS

1/2 cup apple juice or cider
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup aged balsamic vinegar
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
4 chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper
4 large beets, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
8 ounces ricotta salata, feta or goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat a grill to medium-high. In a medium saucepan, bring the juice, preserves and vinegar to a boil. Lower the heat and cook until thick and syrupy, 7 to 8 minutes.

Drizzle EVOO all over the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Grill until cooked through, 6 minutes on each side.

Coat the beets with EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Grill until well marked and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Slice the beets and top with the cheese.

Brush the chicken with the apricot glaze and serve with the beets.

Haylee’s Note:
I was SOOO excited to try this chicken. I will admit that the chicken was good, but the beets were the star of this meal!! I am not a huge beet fan, but this recipe converted me! Darin and I were both raving all night! Sooo good! I think that I would like to try this whole thing again, but next time I would marinate the chicken. But these beets I would do over and over again! Also, don’t just use the beets—use the greens too! They are super yummy! Just like swiss chard. Hope you enjoy!! For the original recipe click here.

Split Pea Soup

SPLIT PEA SOUP

1 lb (2 1/4 cups) green split peas
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 large potatoes pealed and chopped
Salt and Pepper
Splash of Worcestershire sauce

Boil split peas for 1-2 hours until soft. Boil the rest of the vegetables until soft. Puree all ingredients in blender until smooth. Season to taste.

Haylee’s Note:
This soup is really easy, and delicious on a cold day with a warm slice of homemade wheat bread! My family also likes to add ham, me not so much. But, we did add a little sour cream to ours and that was a tasty change!

Apricot Glazed Carrots

APRICOT GLAZED CARROTS

1 bag carrots
1/2 c. apricot jam
1/2 c. butter

Peel and cut carrots. Boil until tender. In a saucepan combine butter and jam. Pour over carrots

Haylee’s Note:
These are a family favorite!! It just gives a little variation off of your traditional side of carrots! Give it a try—I’m sure you will get tons of complements! We always do!! And people always want the recipe….then they are amazed at how easy it is! Enjoy!

Fried Green Tomatoes

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

Sliced Green Tomatoes
Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper
Italian Seasoning
Olive oil

Fry tomatoes in oil and sprinkle with seasoning.

Haylee’s Note:
I had a recipe I wanted to try for fried green tomatoes, but then Darin just wanted to make one up, and this is what he came up with. It was pretty good, but I would still like to try making them again with another recipe! I really wanted to try the kind that was breaded then deep fried! Any good recipes out there?...Oh and as a side note, I know that people say that tomatoes are technically a fruit, but I am still labeling this as a vegitable

Halloween Food

Witch Hat
So EASY and SOO cute!!!!! I got this idea from my sister-in-law Jadi. Just take Hershey kisses and shortbread cookies and stick them together using melted chocolate. Then finish the edge with a little piped frosting. Yum!


Bean Dip Spider Web
Mix black beans, salsa, and Monterey jack cheese in the food processor. Bake in the oven until warm. Spiral sour cream on the top then pull out to make a spider web effect.


Candy Corn Quesadillas
This idea was my sister Heather’s. She just uses tortillas and uses 3 different colors of cheese and layers them in towards the center, then cuts them into triangles to look like candy corns.


Spider Web Cream of Wheat
Make your cream of wheat, then swirl in a dark jam (I used grape jam) start in the middle and pull outward using a knife


Cyclops Egg Eye
Just make a regular sunny side up egg and make squiggly lines using ketchup! I also served these with toast cut in Halloween shapes (a pumpkin toast with peach jam, and a cat with the grape jelly)


Lady Finger Breadsticks
Also my sister’s idea!! Just use your favorite breadstick recipe, then shape them like fingers, make knuckle marks, and add an almond for the nail!


Celery Mummies
Cut celery and fill with Old English Cheese. Then, make “bandages” across the mummy using string cheese or grated mozzerella. Use dried fruit for the eyes.


Pumpkin Veggie Tray
Use an assortment of veggies and arrange to look like a Jack-o-lantern!

Grilled Veggie Pizza

GRILLED VEGGIE PIZZA

Tortillas
Shredded cheese (I used a cheddar/Monterey jack blend)
Olive Oil
Any veggies you have. I suggest:
Carrot
Green pepper
Red pepper
Crookneck squash
Celery
Onion

Chop veggies into very small pieces. Saute veggies in olive oil until slightly tender. Grill one side of the tortilla, flip, then add cheese and veggies. Serve warm.

Haylee’s Note:
Another amazing pizza. This was my favorite pizza I have ever made, until I made the feta pear pizza!! Both were incredible!! Maybe I was super hungry that night, but I absolutely loved this pizza! It is a great way to use up those fresh garden veggies! Enjoy!

Stuffed Zucchini

STUFFED ZUCCHINI

2 medium zucchini (about 12 ounces total)
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 1 beaten egg
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Place, cut side down, in a microwave-safe 2-quart square baking dish. Micro-cook, covered, on 100 percent power (high) for 1-1/2 to 3 minutes or until nearly tender. (Or, cook in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes.) Scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell. Set shells aside. Finely chop the zucchini pulp; set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan cook onion in hot oil until tender but not brown. Add chopped zucchini; cook 1 minute more. Stir in flour, basil, and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Gradually add zucchini mixture to the egg product or egg. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Spoon mixture into zucchini shells; place in a 2-quart baking dish.

3. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F. oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until filling is lightly browned. Makes 4 side-dish servings.

Haylee’s Note:
I got this recipe from recipe.com, or you can click here for the original recipe. I used this as a base, but then I made quite a few changes (ie, added more veggies) I also used one huge zucchini from Darin's brother's garden! Nothing better than fresh veggies from the garden! There is another stuffed zucchini recipe I want to try that has chicken in it!

Shish Kabobs

SHISH KABOBS
Citrus-Tarragon Chicken:

1 orange, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
1 lemon, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
1 lime, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

Whisk together all of the citrus-tarragon chicken ingredients (except the chicken) in a bowl. Toss the chicken in the mixture until evenly coated. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours.

Veggies For Kabobs:

Bell peppers
Onions
Cherry tomatoes
Mushrooms
Italian squash
Baby potatoes, boiled until cooked through
Corn on the cob, husked and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds Balsamic Basting

Vinaigrette for Veggies:

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 1 hour to retard charring.

Cut vegetables into bite-size pieces.

Puree balsamic basting vinaigrette ingredients in a blender for 30 seconds.

Place meats and veggies in individual bowls and set out buffet style. Instruct your guests to skewer their own kabobs and baste veggies with balsamic vinaigrette.

Grill kabobs directly over heat source for about 10 to 15 minutes, turning 1/4 rotation every 2 to 3 minutes, or until the meat is cooked throughout.

Haylee’s Note:
I got this recipe from Food Network and we loved it!! They also have a recipe for Dijon-Rosemary Steak and Lemon Garlic Shrimp!! We will have to give those a try next time! For the original recipe click here.

Ham Fried Rice and Veggies

HAM FRIED RICE AND VEGGIES

Rice
Soy Sauce
Eggs
Ham
Carrots
Snow Peas
Broccoli
Red pepper

Cook rice and add soy to taste. Fry eggs and ham and add to rice. Cook veggies and add to rice. Serve warm with spring rolls.

Haylee’s Note:
This was really fast and easy (especially because I used a prepackaged stir-fry vegetable mix). Give it a try!

Cucumber Relish

CUCUMBER RELISH

4 cucumbers diced
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 c. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 c. seasoned rice vinegar
1 tbsp. diced red onion

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Serve immediately.

Haylee’s Note:
We love to have this relish as a side dish to Dan Dan (one of our absolute favorite meals!!) Just be sure to not get carried away with the red pepper flakes it gets way too hot! Enjoy!

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

6 potatoes
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. milk
Salt
Pepper
Dried parsley

Wash and chop potatoes. (I like to use red potatoes and leave the skins on). Boil until tender. Mash and add remaining ingredients. Mash until smooth.

Haylee’s Note:
This recipe is not exact. I am just guessing about how much I use. I always just play with it until it looks right. I also roasted my garlic ahead of time and that seemed to make a difference. Enjoy!

Funeral Potatoes

FUNERAL POTATOES

10 small potatoes
1 diced onion
1 c. sour cream
1 c. shredded cheese
1 c. cream of chicken soup
1 c. corn flakes
1/4 c. melted butter


Peal and chop the potatoes into bite size pieces. Boil for about 20 min until soft but not so soft that they mash easily. Sauté onions. Mix sour cream, cheese, chicken soup, onions, and potatoes and place in a casserole dish. Mix cornflakes and melted butter and spread over the top. (You can lightly crush the cornflakes if you want.) Bake at 350 until hot and bubbly (30-60 min.)

Haylee’s Note:
If you are not from Utah or LDS the title of this dish is probably really weird. About half the people I worked with thought it was so strange to call this dish “funeral potatoes.” If you are from Utah and LDS, you know exactly what this dish is! We could also call this dish “Amazing.” I love these potatoes! I am proud to say however, that the ward I am in now does not do this for funerals!! They have been doing sandwiches!! Are you so impressed!!? Anyway, back to the potatoes. I looked at a few recipes for “funeral potatoes,” combined them, and came up with this version. I have also seen recipes including cream cheese, cream, butter, ham, hash browns, etc. Everyone seems to have their favorite. I thought these turned out pretty good, but I’d like to play around with it a little more to get it “perfect.” Unfortunately, this is not the healthiest meal—far from—so I will have to wait a while before making them again.