White House Vegetable Tart

      Was a boring weekend and in typical style of Mr. Binns, I was doing nothing but watching the Foodnetwork to inspire myself with some new ideas. I came across the show Barefoot Contessa and decided to watch it as she was visiting the White House and cooking with the chef there. She was also having a luncheon with Mrs. Obama. Well I stopped to watch for two reasons; 1. To see if I could cook whatever the White House chef was making and 2. Because Mrs. Obama is pure class and if she can eat it, it must be good. So I sort of followed the chef's recipe for this delicious vegetable tart, however made it my own. The chef utilized homemade pie crust and did not add tomatoes. I decided to include the red fruit along with utilizing puff pastry instead of pie crust. So here goes; White House Vegetable Tart.

Ingredients:

• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 small onion diced
• 8 ounces Swiss cheese
• 1 zucchini sliced
• 1 squash sliced
• 3 Roma tomatoes sliced
• 2 sheets puff pastry
• Salt/pepper

Custard:

• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 cup half and half
• Zest 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp thyme

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat saute onion in olive oil. Toss in the 1 tsp thyme and garlic and simmer until fragrant. Set aside to cool.

3. Lay the sliced zucchini, squash, and tomato on a tin foiled lined pan. Drizzle with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake in oven for roughly 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile in a large bowl whisk together the eggs, half and half, lemon zest, 1/2 tsp thyme, salt and pepper. Set aside.

5. Layer the puff pastry end to end in a large baking sheet that has been greased.

6. Spread the onion mixture over top and sprinkle half the Swiss cheese on top.

7. Carefully arrange the vegetables according to the picture. One layer zucchini, followed by tomato, then squash, and so forth.

8. Pour over the egg custard mixture and sprinkle over the rest of the Swiss cheese.

9. Bake for 30 minutes until cooked through.

     This vegetable dish was fantastic. Fresh, crisp, and very light in it's flavor and texture. Definitely fit for anyone including the First Lady.

Prep Time: 20 minutes.

Cook Time: 30 minutes.

Serves: 5+

Creamy Rosemary Chicken

Creamy Rosemary Chicken

 

 

 

     I am not going to bore you with a story regarding this dish. It was just something I came up with at the last minute to utilize some left over cut zucchini, squash, eggplant, and peppers. I was craving something creamy and delicious with chicken.  Creamy Rosemary Chicken.

Ingredients:

 

• 1-2 boneless chicken breasts
• Sliced eggplant
• Sliced zucchini
• Sliced squash
• Sliced peppers
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 sprig rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary
• Olive oil
• Salt/pepper

 

1. In a large saute pan drizzle some olive oil.

 

2. Salt and pepper your chicken and brown on both sides. Remove

 

3. In same skillet saute the eggplant, zucchini, squash, and peppers.

 

4. Add in diced garlic and white wine. Simmer until the wine has begun to half.

 

5. Place chicken back in. Pour in heavy cream and rosemary.

 

6. Bring to simmer over low heat. Cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes stirring occasionaly.

 

7. Salt and pepper to taste and serve over rice or pasta.

 

     This was an amazing and delicious dish. Easily made one weeknight and definitely has become a favorite. Enjoy!

 

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 2-4

Ratatouille

Ratatouille

 

 

     What is ratatouille? Have you seen that cartoon movie with the little rat? Well, they end up making this famous traditional French stewed vegetable side dish. Beautifully presented as layers and packed full of flavor, this dish is so easy and delicious that you will make it as much as possible. Especially if you have a garden full of fresh vegetables, this dish is easy to make and will feed a lot of your family. I was surprised how quick and easy this dish was. I was also surprised it turned out so pretty too. Ratatouille.

 

Ingredients:

• 2 small zucchini
• 2 small yellow squash
• 2 orange bell peppers
• 1 small eggplant
• 2-3 small tomatoes
• 1/2 12 oz can tomato sauce
• Garlic
• Onion powder
• Olive oil
• Herb de Provence
• Goat cheese

 

1.       Slice all vegetables into ½ inch thick slices. Slice pepper into ½ slice rings. You can even cut them in half if they do not fit the same size.

2.       Take half can of tomato sauce and pour into 9x13 pan.

3.       Sprinkle some garlic and onion powder

4.       Begin layering each vegetable in a sequence until all has been used up or no more room. (See picture)

5.       Drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle some Herb de Provence.

6.       Cover with parchment paper or tinfoil.

 

7.       Bake covered for 45 minutes in 375 degree oven.

8.       Sprinkle with some fresh goat cheese and serve.

     That is it! Simple delicious and full of flavor. A simple French dish that anyone can make and will not be intimidating to do.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4+

 

 

Summer Sausage Simmer

Sausage Summer Simmer

 

 

 

      Ever have those evening where you just have no idea what to make? You open your fridge and freezer and just stand there…….Thinking about what you could possibly put together that would help your craving. Do I want chicken? No! Do I want burger? No! Do I want something simple like cereal or and boxed meal? No! No! And no!. Then you see some Italian sausage. You think I could sauté them add some fresh garden vegetables and make a simple skillet simmer. Exatcly!! And you have a completely new and exciting dinner meal that you can add to your recipe box.  Summer Sausage Simmer.

 

Ingredients:

• 4 Italian sausages
• Garlic
• 1 Zucchini
• 1 squash
• Small bulb of fennel
• Handful of small yellow potatoes
• ½ cup chicken stock
• ½ cup white wine
• Olive oil
• Salt/pepper

 

1.       Dice the sausage into bite size pieces. Sauté in a skillet in a little olive oil over medium high heat until browned.

2.       Remove and set aside. In same skillet sauté diced zucchini, squash, diced fennel bulb, and bite size potatoes.

3.       Pour in the chicken stock and white wine.

4.       Add back in the sausage and salt and pepper.

5.       Cover and simmer for about 20-25 minutes on low until all ingredients are cooked through

 

     This little simmer pot was fantastic. I served with a spinach salad on the side. Fulfilling and delicious.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30  minutes

Serves: 2-4

 



Lemon Rosemary Chicken

Lemon Rosemary Chicken

 

     It is Mediterranean month on my foodies+ community on Google+. I decided to invent my own dish based on some amazing ingredients you can find in the Mediterranean. Lemons are so popular in the southern part of Italy as well as in Greece. They use lemons for almost anything. Rosemary and fresh garden vegetables are also a big part of the cuisine. I included some white wine because wine is found in almost every meal. This dish was great. I was so proud that I put this together on a whim. I was sitting at work trying to figure out what to make for dinner on the weekend but knew my schedule might change due to my other job. I hurried to the store on a Thursday evening and prepped all the vegetables that night so as to put it all together early Friday morning for a wonderful start to my weekend. Hope you enjoy this Lemon Rosemary Chicken.

 

Ingredients:

• 3 chicken breasts
• Zucchini
• 2 small yellow squash
• 1/2 green pepper
• 1/2 white onion
• Cup white wine
• Cup chicken stock
• 1 lemon
• Sprig fresh rosemary
• Salt/pepper

 

     This is so easy and amazing I couldn't believe how good it was. Simply take your zucchini and squash and slice them. Take the onion and pepper and slice them into strips. Place half the vegetables in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Salt and pepper your chicken breasts and place them on top. Lay the sprig of rosemary along side the chicken. Slice the lemon into roughly about 4 slices and lay them on top of the chicken breasts. Take the rest of the vegetables and lay them on top of that. Pour the white wine and chicken stock into the pot. Cover and place in a 200-degree oven and let cook for roughly 3 1/2 - 4 hours. That simple. Once you remove the lid the aroma that fills the air is amazing. I placed mine in the oven before I went to work and when I came home for lunch it was finished. This dish is so fresh tasting, crisp from the lemons and full of flavors from the vegetables and rosemary. This recipe serves about 3-4 people. I love it and so will you.

What it will look like before and after you place in oven

 

 



If Memory Serves- Chicken Olevano

Chicken Olevano Pasta

 

     In honor of my Aunt Joan, (my father’s sister), she emailed me this recipe years ago when she was still with us.  We used to email each other many times a month, whether it was pictures, jokes, or family history.  She was helping me at times with information pertaining to the Irish side of our family.  I have many many fond memories of my Aunt Joan.  I, with my parents and brothers, would spend many summers up at her and my Uncle Danny's lake house in PA with them and my cousins.  I loved it up there.  It was such an amazing place to learn to swim, sail, and vacation.  My Aunt Joan had such an infectious laugh and she loved to tell stories.  One such story, that she so happened to email me once, was about a local priest of their church.  In fact while I was cleaning out my email folders I came across this email and thought, what a perfect find not only because it was from her, but because it included a recipe that I could make in memory of her. 

     She titled this dish "Father DiLillo's Chicken Olevano".  As the story goes, this priest made this dish using solely the olive oil specifically from the Olevano commune in Italy where he was from.  She specifically said it was also his family that made this olive oil.  Sadly, I had to use my own olive oil that was available but made this dish according to her directions.  Her email continued on by stating that she was giving me this recipe so I could recreate it for my mother, (whom is Italian), who had this dish while staying one summer with my Aunt Joan and she apparently loved and raved about this dish.  Funny thing is that my Aunt Joan was actually eating the leftovers next to her computer as she was writing this email.  (She specifically had to inform me of that and even added the oooohs and aaaahs and yummy noises). This weekend I decided to have my parents over for dinner and make this special dish. So here goes: If memory serves, in honor of my Aunt Joan and her friend Father DiLillo- Chicken Olevano.

Ingredients:

• 3 lg Chicken breasts
• Balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil
• Lemon pepper
• 2 cloves diced garlic
• 1/2 diced white onion
• Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 2 small yellow squash cut into strips
• 1 cup diced baby portabella mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup white wine
• Pasta alla chitarra
• Salt/pepper

     Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Take the thawed out chicken and place in a dish large enough to marinate in. Brush all chicken with some balsamic vinegar, then olive oil, the diced/crushed garlic, and some sprinkle of the lemon pepper.  Toss with the diced onion and let marinate for at least an hour.   Meanwhile julienne the green pepper, red pepper, and the squash.  Dice up the mushrooms. Place chicken in a baking dish and cover with the peppers, squash, and mushrooms.  Sprinkle on some parmesan cheese.  Pour in the chicken stock and white wine.



 

 Cover with tinfoil and bake in a 375 degree oven for 50 minutes. Remove from oven toss with your favorite pasta and serve.  Serves 4 people.  Thank you Aunt Joan.  Memories of you were had by all this evening at dinner.  We talked, laughed, and even remembered the good times.  Miss you as always.

Mom enjoying dinner 

Dad remembering his sister

 

My Aunt Joan 

 

 Aunt Joan and my father