#BestSummerEver

Country Living magazine put out a list this year: 50 Ways to Have the Best Summer Ever. My family has been checking items off this list throughout the summer. We drank lemonade on our front porch, visited our farmer's market, made our own popsicles, and made something with fresh peaches.

Two items on the list are "make a dish with your backyard bounty" and "make a summer soup."

And we checked both of those off the list with this vegetable and polenta soup.

I got some push back from my husband when I told him I was making this. To say he is not a fan of polenta would an understatement. But this soup won him over. The polenta, despite the recipe title, is not a star ingredient. It sings background, thickening the soup, perfect harmony to the fresh vegetables up front and center.

So as summer days become fewer and fewer, make the most of what the days and your garden have to offer. Dive into a steaming bowl of this soup.

Rustic Vegetable and Polenta Soup

Recipe slightly modified from Giada De Laurentiis
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 plum tomatoes, seeds removed, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 medium zucchini, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth for a vegetarian dish)
• 1/3 cup instant polenta, such as Gia Russa
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
• Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

1. In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onions, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to brown, about 6 minutes.
2. Add the basil, rosemary, garlic, tomatoes, and zucchini, and cook for 3 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a slow boil. Slowly stir in the polenta and cook until the soup thickens and the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
3. Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.

Grandma Would Be So Proud!

Growing up, nothing was better than "Grandma's Pizza." She would buy the dough from her favorite pizzaria, top with her homemade sauce, cheese, and any other toppings our hearts desired, and we would devour it like we hadn't eaten in years.

Her pizza was so popular, the kids on the cul-de-sac would come over for pizza as well. I remember one summer, hot as anything, and while we were swimming my grandmother was it the kitchen, no A/C, making pie after pie for us. Now that's love -- of food and kids.

So it seemed only natural after I had my son that I make homemade pizza for him, just like my grandmother did for me. We started out with store-bought dough, like my grandmother did. But we weren't particularly impressed. We tried different brands, but it just didn't seem to measure up to us. So we decided it was time to finally bite the bullet and make our own dough.

We started with The Pioneer Woman's basic pizza dough recipe. It was good, better than the store-bought dough, but we wanted to make it special. Remembering a pizza we had a friend's house, we decided to try making an herbed dough.

Jackpot!

The addition of some herbs was just the ticket. It elevated the dough to the next level, making it special, making it our own.

Grandma would be so proud.

Herbed Pizza Dough

Based on a recipe from The Pioneer Woman
Makes one crust

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon (scant) Active Dry Yeast
• 3/4 cups Warm Water
• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 3/4 teaspoons Kosher Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

It doesn't look like much now, but in an hour it's going to be delicious!

Directions:

1. Sprinkle yeast over 3/4 cups warm (not lukewarm) water. Let stand for a few minutes.
2. In a mixer, combine flour, salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined, and the dough comes together in a sticky mass.
3. Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside for 1 to 2 hours, or store in the fridge until you need it.

Note: it’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance.

Ta-da! The finished product!

A Pot Full of Memories

Growing up, we had pasta once a week, minimum. Tuesdays were the main pasta day, having either spaghetti or penne. And when I was really young, I would have pasta once a week with my grandparents. Actually, if it was Wednesday we had macaroni, and if it was Sunday we had pasta. Because that's the way my grandfather wanted it. I vividly remember those dinners, my grandfather scraping his fork along the plate to get every last bit of my grandmother's sauce, and my grandmother scolding him. "Stop that! That's what the bread is for!"

Not that anyone could blame him. My grandmother made such a wonderful sauce. Growing up she would make her slow sauce on Sundays. It's wonderful aroma would fill the house, and we would all take turns sneaking a slice of Italian bread and dipping it in the simmering sauce. My dad has even said one of his favorite things about dating my mom was dropping her off back home on a Saturday evening. They would go see a movie, get burgers at the diner, and even though they were packed, my grandmother would have her sauce on the stove, and they would dip a slice or two of bread in for a taste.

Yes, we have such wonderful memories of pasta and sauce.

And I want to share those memories with my son. And I do ... over a bowl of pasta.

But I'm not content to have the same sauce week after week. (Maybe it's because it's not as good as my grandmother's.) One week we'll have a meat gravy. Another week, a bolognese. And another week, a marinara.

I've found marinara sauce harder to master, though, on my own. So after a few failed attempts it dawned on me: Giada De Laurentiis. So I pulled out her Everyday Italian and turned to the Sauces section. Lo and behold, there was a wonderful recipe for a marinara sauce!

I've made it a few times, serving it over spaghetti, and it's been a huge it -- especially with my son. It's also lighter than the traditional sauce I grew up with, and as the warmer weather settles in and makes itself at home, I'm happy to indulge in this fresher sauce.

Marinara Sauce

Recipe from Giada De Laurentiis
Makes about 2 quarts (8 cups)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 small onions, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 2 dried bay leaves

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Sauté until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour.
4. Remove and discard bay leaves. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste.

Note from the chef: The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.

Country Cooking Meets Diner Food

My mom is a great cook. But I never had a full appreciation of how great a cook she is until I went away to college. Yup, nothing like campus food -- specifically weekend campus food -- to make you long for mom's home cookin'.

So once the dorm furniture was rearranged and my bags unpacked, the task at hand was to find other sources of food. I didn't have a car on campus my freshman year, so "real food" was how I described take-out pizza and chinese -- two places that delivered to campus. When my parents came down to visit they would treat me to dinner off-campus, usually the Olive Garden. Unlimited salad and breadsticks? It would make my week!

My sophomore year I brought a car back to campus, and I was able to branch out more with my off-campus dining experiences. But it was my junior year when I was introduced to the diner of all diners -- Mastoris.

For those of you who don't know, New Jersey is the essentially the diner capital of the U.S. (A diner, by definition serves breakfast at any hour. So if your diner doesn't, then it's not a real diner.) And while they may not be the most glamorous and the uniforms the waiters and waitresses wear won't be on the cover of Vogue, diners are known for having some of the best food and at a reasonable price. Music to the ears of any college student.

And Mastoris takes "diner food" to a whole new level.

I call it the glorified diner. The cheese bread and cinnamon bread they serve while you wait for your food ... the loaded potato skins ... chicken parm sandwich served on their fresh-baked sunflower bread ... and my favorite meal, #61. A grilled chicken breast with dijon mustard and apple slices, served on a torpedo roll and topped with melted cheddar cheese. Biting into it is an experience like no other.

But it's been 12 years since I've graduated from college, 12 years since I've tasted the wonder that is #61, and I still think about that sandwich. So last year when I saw an article in an issue of Martha Stewart Living on making "grown up grilled cheese," I knew immediately the flavors I wanted to use. Good ole #61!

So before I deconstruct my sandwich for you, I leave you with the lessons I learned from this endeavor:

1. Play with your food. Experiment with flavors and textures. Putting a new spin on childhood favorites is fun.
2. Just because you may live in a different state from where you can get one of your favorite meals doesn't mean you should go without. Find new ways to bring the flavors you love to the table. Twelve years is too long to go without. Trust me.
3. Even young taste buds, like those of my son, can appreciate a variety of flavors. Kids are a great to experiment instead of sticking to the same old menu.
4. You're never too old for grilled cheese.

Autumn Grilled Cheese
Based on Mastoris' #61
Makes 2 sandwiches (because 1 is not enough)

Ingredients:

• 4 slices of your favorite bread (I use honey wheat)
• Dijon mustard
• 4 slices sharp cheddar cheese
• Thin slices of your favorite apple (I like Gala)
• Butter

Directions:

1. Spread mustard, to taste, on each slice of bread.
2. Top each slice of bread with a slice of cheese.
3. Cover 2 slices of bread with the thin apple slices.
4. Put sandwiches together and butter both sides of each.
5. Toast bread on a griddle until cheese is melted and bread is golden.

Risotto Primavera

For the longest time, I feared risotto. It seemed so difficult to make, and I felt I didn't have the skills. But one day Giada De Laurentiis made a Dirty Risotto, a play on Dirty Rice, and I knew I was going to have to overcome my fear and take the plunge.

Yes, risotto is time-consuming. And it requires both your undivided attention and patience. But it's not difficult. It only goes wrong if you lose your focus.

And to be honest, I find it therapeutic to stir the risotto. After a long day there's something soothing and comforting in the repetitive motion. And when the dish is complete, it's emotionally comforting to eat, too.

A double whammy.

What makes this dish so fantastic is its versatility and the goat cheese. So, feel free to swap out the veggies below for others, but there's no substitute for the creamy, salty bite of goat cheese.

Now go take the plunge and discover the wonder that is risotto cooked in your own kitchen.

Risotto Primavera

Recipe modified from The Pioneer Woman
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 5 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 additional tablespoon
• 2 tablespoons butter, plus 1 additional tablespoon
• 1/3 Vidalia onion, finely diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 1 small yellow squash, finely diced
• 1 small zucchini, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 1/2 cup arborio rice
• 1 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• fresh dill, for garnish

Directions:

1. Pour chicken broth into a small saucepan. Heat to a simmer.
2. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive and butter. Add diced onions and carrots. Stir a cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add squash, zucchini, and pepper and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove vegetables from pan and set aside.
3. Add remaining olive oil and butter to the Dutch oven. Heat over medium-low heat. Add rice and stir, cooking 1 minute. Add half the wine, stir, and cook until liquid is absorbed.
4. Over the next 30 to 45 minutes, add 1 cup of simmering broth at a time, stirring and cooking until each addition of broth has absorbed. Add the other half of wine and cook until absorbed.
5. Taste to make sure rice is cooked; add another helping of broth if rice has too much bite to it. Once rice is cooked, remove from heat. Stir in goat cheese, Parmesan, and vegetables until all the cheese is thoroughly combined. Top with dill.

Note: Swap vegetable broth for the chicken broth for an vegetarian dish.

Pizza, Caprese-Style

Sometimes, everything just comes together. It's the timing, the mood, anything and everything, and the next thing you know, you have the perfect dish.

And that's how this dish came to be.

It started with fresh mozzarella. My husband had some up from Fairway Market in New Jersey the day before. I saw it when I did my quick "fridge check" for my weekly shopping list. And while I didn't pay any immediate attention to it, it stuck in the back of my mind.

Next I hit the farmers market. My first stop each week is Gould's Produce. When I saw the beautiful tomatoes, I flashed to the mozzarella in my fridge, and immediately knew what I wanted to make for dinner. Feeling adventurous I picked up some summer squash and zucchini, a side dish in mind.

After all my usual stops, I made one last stop: Mountain View Vineyard's booth. I sampled a few wines, ultimately leaving with the Split Rail Red. Because with all this fresh produce and the beautiful weather, I knew a glass of wine was the perfect way to cap it all off.

The dish that came to me that Saturday morning? Pizza Caprese. A spin of the caprese salad I decided to use the flavors to give our usual weekend pizza a unique twist. I swapped basil pesto for the traditional basil leaves, but took advantage of the fresh tomatoes and mozzarella available to me.

I served the pizza with zucchini and squash -- sauteed with shallots, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano -- and a chilled glass of wine out on our deck. There was not one drop of humidity in the air and a gentle breeze blowing.

Everything just came together: the idea, the ingredients, the wine, the weather. It was the perfect meal, capping off the perfect day.

Pizza Caprese

A Country Cooking Original Recipe
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 (10-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
• Cooking spray
• 3-4 tablespoons basil pesto
• 2-3 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
• fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Unroll crust dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat into a 13x11-inch rectangle. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes.
3. Remove crust from oven and spread basil pesto over it, leaving a 1-inch border. Then arrange tomato and mozzarella slices on crust.
4. Bake at 400 for 12 minutes or until cheese melts and crust is golden.
5. Cut pizza into 8 pieces.

I know this isn't the best photo. Please be patient with me; I'm still learning.

Say Cheese!

Two weeks ago I was on The Pioneer Woman's site and in the cooking section she had pulled a recipe out of the vault -- 2008! -- in honor of her trip to New York City: Veggie & Cheese Bagel Sandwich.

And as soon as I saw it -- photos from 2008 and all -- I knew I had to make it.

With some modifications, of course.

The original recipes calls for a scallion cream cheese, only I'm not really a fan of scallion cream cheese. I am, on the other hand, a huge fan of vegetable cream cheese. So the swap was a no-brainer. The original recipe calls for sprouts and raw red onion, neither of which I'm a fan. So I just omitted them completely. And finally, she included some lettuce on her sandwich, but I was out and since there were already cucumbers and tomatoes on the sandwich, I didn't think it would suffer if I omitted the lettuce. It didn't.

But I think the true testament to this sandwich is my husband's comment when he saw me put it together: "There's an $8 sandwich."

So go ahead and treat yourself to an $8 sandwich ... in the comfort of your own home.

Veggie & Cheese Bagel Sandwich
Recipe modified from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

• Vegetable Cream Cheese
• Tomato, thinly sliced
• Cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1/4 Avocado, mashed with salt
• 1 whole Bagel (I like onion or sun-dried tomato)
• 2 slices Muenster Cheese
• 1 slice Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

1. Slice bagel in half, then slice each half open. Spread the cream cheese generously on both sides of the bagel.
2. Slice the tomatoes and cucumbers thinly.
3. On the bottom halves of the bagel, layer the cucumbers and tomatoes on top of the cream cheese. Next layer the cheese: muenster, cheddar, muenster. On the other half of the bagel spread the avocados right along the cream cheese.
4. Put the whole thing together and Presto! The perfect summertime sandwich awaits!
5. Warning: Do not eat in front of anyone you're trying to make a good first impression. While delicious, it's not the easiest sandwich to eat.

Tip: I mashed the remaining 1/4 avocado with some salt and used it as a spread on Garden Vegetable crackers from Archer Farms. Delicious!

Not My Mama's Mac-n-Cheese

Who didn't eat macaroni and cheese as a kid? I started with the box variety as a youngster, and graduated to my mom's baked macaroni and cheese as a young adult.

Oh, that baked macaroni and cheese!

The Italian-Style breadcrumbs is what sells this dish. The savoriness, the texture ... It's the kind of food you arrive home from college begging for.

And then, you grow up.

And while I still love my mom's macaroni and cheese, I want to put my own spin on it as well. As if to say, "I'm here and I cook!"

So that's exactly what I did one day as I was looking at the half-filled bags of shredded pepper jack and colby jack cheeses, wondering what the heck I was going to do with them. Macaroni and cheese, but of course! And the sweetness of the grape tomatoes in my veggie drawer were perfect way to cut some of the spice from the cheeses.

Grape tomatoes? Spicy cheeses? My mother wouldn't take such liberties with her macaroni and cheese! She's a purest. But on the other hand, isn't that a daughter's job, to take a few liberties every now and then?

Macaroni and Cheese ... With a Kick!
A Country Cooking Original

Ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (about 7 ounces)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
• 1 cup shredded colby jack cheese
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook macaroni to al dente as directed on package.
3. While water for macaroni is coming up to a boil, add olive oil to a skillet. Sauté onions and tomatoes on medium-low heat until tomatoes are just about to burst. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Then melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, seasoned salt, pepper, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in cheeses until melted.
5. Drain macaroni and put back into pot. Add sautéd onions and tomatoes and stir. Add cheese sauce to macaroni mixture and stir to combine.
6. Pour into an ungreased 2-quart casserole dish. Top with breadcrumbs. Drizzle with olive oil and bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Red, White and Blue

Red, white, and blue makes a monkey out of you!

This childhood rhyme played in my head as breakfast unfolded one Sunday morning. It started out as a typical morning: my son asking for pancakes. I made the batter the night before -- a little trick I picked up when my son was a toddler, in an effort to get them to the griddle that much faster -- so it was just a matter who wanted what in their pancakes. Blueberries for my husband, blueberries and strawberries for my son, and inspired by my son, I decided to take mine to another level.

Like my son, I put both strawberries and blueberries in my pancakes. But when it was time to serve, that's when I let my creativity shine. I drizzled honey -- fresh from the farmer's market -- over the pancakes. Then topped them off with a dollop -- "Well, hello big dollop!" of fresh ricotta.

This was a breakfast treat like no other! If you haven't had fresh ricotta, you need to change that. Stat. Don't try this with Polly-o from your local supermarket; it's not the same. Fresh ricotta ... I could eat it with a spoon! And combining it with the fresh fruit and honey just took breakfast to a whole new, unbelievable level. You'll never go back to whipped cream.

Red, White, and Blue Pancakes
Original Country Cooking recipe
Makes about 9 pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted, plus more for the griddle
• 1 egg
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 cup whole or buttermilk
• blueberries
• strawberries, halved or sliced, depending on size
• fresh ricotta

Directions:

1. Beat melted butter and egg.
2. Add dry and wet ingredients. Beat until smooth.
3. Melt a tablespoon of butter on a griddle over medium heat.
4. Ladle batter (3-4 cakes) onto griddle. As edges begin to set, add fruit to cakes.
5. As the batter bubbles and pops, flip them. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
6. Plate pancakes. Top with fresh ricotta, and drizzle honey. Garnish with additional blueberries and strawberries.

Pizza! Pizza!

We're big pizza-lovers in my house. And it's no surprise, really. I'm sure if I searched for the stat of the amount of pizza consumed in America, the total would be staggering.

I grew up eating pizza. It was a staple at birthdays and other parties. It was served every Friday for lunch from elementary through high school. And it was a popular Friday night dinner during Lent.

Everyone has their favorites: plain, pepperoni, sausage, vegetable, white. I'm no exception. Except my favorite was my grandmother's homemade pizza. She didn't make her own dough; she would buy it from the local pizzeria. What made her pizza so special was her sauce -- which, unfortunately, I can't replicate -- and all the love and care that went into every pie. I remember a few backyard parties as a child. The neighborhood kids would be sitting around the table in my backyard, and my grandmother would be in the kitchen baking pie after pie until the kids couldn't eat another slice.

Now I'm grown, married, a mom, and we frequently make our own pizza. Typically we make traditional pies and top them with everything from ricotta to pepperoni. But in the late summer, when the tomatoes are at the height of their sweetness, we switch gears.

Looking for something to do with all the tomatoes my dad harvests from his garden, I found this recipe on myrecipes.com. It's simple, full of flavor, and the perfect way to combine my love for pizza with summer's bounty.

Quick Pizza Margherita

Recipe from Cooking Light
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 (10-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
• Cooking spray
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 clove garlic, halved
• 5 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced (about 3/4 pound)
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Unroll crust dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat into a 13x11-inch rectangle. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove crust from oven, and brush with 1/2 teaspoon oil. Rub crust with cut sides of garlic.
3. Arrange tomato slices on crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake at 400 for 12 minutes or until cheese melts and crust is golden.
4. Combine 1/2 teaspoon oil and vinegar, stirring with whisk.
5. Sprinkle pizza evenly with sliced basil, salt, and pepper. Drizzle the vinegar mixture evenly over pizza. Cut pizza into 8 pieces.

Winter with a Taste of Spring

It's March, the weather is getting warmer -- it's been usually warm for March for two weeks now -- and I am just itching for the flavors of spring and summer. Trouble is, the produce is not in season. And while I can find some of it in my local supermarket, it's just not as good as when it's in season and I get it fresh from my local farmer's market.

How to I satisfy the crave then? Sun-dried tomatoes. I swear, you can taste the sun in this chewy treat. And since the first time I cooked with sun-dried tomatoes was on a warm April day, the flavor is forever associated with good weather for me. So the sun-dried tomatoes stir up memories of spring and summer, all the while utilizing produce that's in season: winter squash.

It's the best of both worlds.

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken Sausage, Broccoli, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Original recipe from Health magazine
Modified by Country Cooking blog
Prep time: 15 minutes; Cook: 92 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash (about 3 1/4 pounds)
  
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
  
• 1 cup hot water
  
• 1 lb. fresh chicken sausage, casings removed (I like to use Nature's Promise's sun-dried tomato chicken sausage)
  
• 1 16 oz. package steam fresh broccoli florets/cuts
  
• 3/4 cup marinara sauce
  
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
  
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  
• grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
   
2. Pierce spaghetti squash 7 or 8 times with a fork. Place on a baking sheet; bake for 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Cool. Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Scrape inside of squash with a fork to remove spaghetti-like strands. Keep warm.
   
3. While squash bakes, combine sun-dried tomatoes and 1 cup hot water in a bowl. Let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup liquid. Chop the tomatoes.
   
4. Heat oil in a pan. Add sausage to pan, breaking up with a wooden spoon.
   
5. Once sausage has browned, add onions, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté. Add marinara sauce and heat through.
   
6. Cook broccoli according to package directions. Add to sausage mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
   
7. Combine the squash with the sausage mixture and toss gently. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Notes from the Chef:

• The recipe originally called for 2 cooked chicken breasts, cut into thin strips. I used the sun-dried tomato chicken sausage instead, to keep that tomato flavor.
  
• I always have oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes in the house. When I'm done with the tomatoes, I save the jar with oil, and use for sautéing sometimes, to mix it up from straight olive oil. When cooking the sausage, I used the oil from a jar of sun-dried tomatoes instead of straight olive oil.
  
• This recipe is pretty easy to veganize. Simply omit the sausage or substitute tofu.
  
• The original recipe called for steamed fresh broccoli. I used frozen broccoli in the steam fresh bag instead, just to make life a little bit easier.

Crunch and Munch

Bar nuts -- a staple to serve with beer. You may have noticed, though, the price of peanuts has gone up due to a poor crop this year. Looking for an alternative, or just willing to give something new a try? How about roasted chickpeas?

These are a favorite in our house. My son and I can snack on them all day long. They are creamy on the inside but have a crunch to them, making them a great alternative to nuts. They're also a great addition to salads, if you're looking to substitute crutons.

Definitely give these a try at your next gathering. I'm confident they'll please the crowd.

Roasted Chickpeas

Ingredients:

• 2 15 oz. cans chickpeas
  
• olive oil
  
• ground cumin

Directions:

1. Rinse and drain chickpeas. Remove the skins.
   
2. Place chickpeas in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Toss with olive oil and ground cumin until coated.
   
3. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Tip: Be sure the chickpeas are completely dry before roasting, to ensure the outside gets nice and crisp.

The Perfect Contrast

As I've spent more time in the kitchen, trying new ingredients, dishes, and techniques, my palate has grown. I've come to like new ingredients, flavors, and textures, and sometimes even look for them in my meals. When I saw Giada DeLaurentiis make this recipe last year, I knew it was a dish I had to make. It had a new ingredient (butternut squash), a contrast in flavors (sweet and savory), and a contrast in textures (creamy and crunchy).

And this meal did not disappoint!

I did alter is slightly, though, enhancing both the tang and creaminess. (At least I think so.) And the best part is the roasted squash and onion makes a wonderful side dish all on its own, if you're looking for an easy accompaniment for a main dish. What's better than two for one?

Penne with Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese
Adapted slightly from Giada DeLaurentiis
Cook time: 1 hour
Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
  
• 1 2-lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  
• 1 onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
  
• Olive oil, for drizzling
  
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
  
• 1 lb. penne
  
• 4 oz. goat cheese
  
• 1/2 cup (about 4 oz.) mascarpone
  
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
  
• 1 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves
  
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Put an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
   
2. Spray a baking sheet, liberally, with cooking spray. Set aside.
   
3. Mix the squash and onion together and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the vegetables are golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
   
4. While the squash mixture is cooling, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water. Put the pasta, goat cheese, mascarpone in a large serving bowl. Stir until the cheeses have melted and forms a creamy sauce. Thin sauce with pasta water if necessary.
   
5. Add the squash and onion mixture, walnuts, and basil. Toss well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Note: To toast the walnuts, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until lightly toasted, about 6-8 minutes. Cool completely before using.

Pumpkin Palooza, Part 2

The great thing about pumpkin? It's not just for baking. It's wonderful in savory dishes, too.

Back in October I had decided I wanted to make pumpkin cupcakes to celebrate my birthday. And it was in the October issue of Country Living where I found a recipe for Pumpkin-Ricotta Stuffed Shells.

And Pumpkin Palooza was born!

I have to admit, I was a bit wary of this recipe at first. I have a recipe for manicotti that I don't make very often because of the work involved. Same goes for lasagna. (Actually, in the interest of full disclosure, I've never actually made a lasagna simply because of the work involved.) Did I really want to embark on this adventure?

In the end, the appeal of the pumpkin was too strong so I made the recipe.

And it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be! It was quite easy and very delicious. As a bonus, I used a the 32 oz. container of ricotta and cooked the whole box of shells. I froze the extras and am looking forward to an easy weeknight supper, when all I have to do is bake the shells in the oven. Serve an Autumn Salad on the side, and presto! You have an fantastic meal!

Pumpkin-Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Recipe from Country Living
Working time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 24 jumbo pasta shells
  
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 22 ounces fat-free ricotta (2 1/2 cups)
  
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
  
• 2 1/2 ounces Pecorino Romano, grated (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
  
• 1 large egg white
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  
• 1 (26 ounce) jar store-bought tomato sauce (I used Del Grasso Three Cheese)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta shells according to package directions; drain. Transfer to a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Set aside and let cool.
   
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, pumpkin, 3/4 cup Pecorino Romano, and remaining ingredients, except tomato sauce.
   
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread sauce in bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with about 3 tablespoons ricotta-pumpkin mixture and arrange in pan. Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle shells with remaining Pecorino Romano, and bake for 15 minutes more.

Note: If desired, stuff shells the night before and refrigerate overnight in an airtight container, in between layers of plastic wrap; arrange shells on sauce right before baking.

Soup's On

The calendar has turned to October, the weather has begun to cool, and I need shut the windows at night before I go to sleep. Autumn has arrived. Which means one thing in our house: soup on a weekly basis -- or thereabouts. I could easily eat soup everyday, but last winter I settled for once a week. And as I made soup more and more, I found canned soup less and less appealing. So this season I've started making a pot of soup every Sunday to eat through the week.

I've discovered this recipe last year from an old issue of Taste of Home -- although when you read the ingredients you might think it's a Paula Dean recipe -- and it quickly became one of my favorites. It's cheesy, has fresh produce, and just enough pepper to warm you from the inside out as you eat it. Give this one a try on a cold, rainy night, and you'll quickly add it to your list of favorites, too. (But your cardiologist will probably tell you not to eat it on a regular basis.)

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

Recipe from Taste of Home
Yield: 8 - 10 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup each finely chopped carrot, celery, and onion
  
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
  
• 8 tablespoons butter, divided
  
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  
• 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
  
• 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
  
• 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper *
  
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  
• 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
  
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheedar cheese
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven, sauté carrot, celery, onion and red pepper in 4 tablespoons butter until vegetables are tender. Stir in broth, broccoli florets, potato, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10-15 minutes or until the broccoli florets and potato are tender.
   
2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt remaining butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in cheese. Continue to stir just until cheese is melted.
   
3. Slowly stir cheese sauce into vegetable mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with additional shredded cheese if desired.

* I use 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, since my son eats this too. Also keep in mind that the soup will get spicier the longer it sits. So if you plan on eating this over the course of a week, you might want to cut back on the cayenne as well.

Simple Summer Supper

Who doesn't love lasagna? It's a great meal, but a heck of a lot of work. And who wants to turn on the oven in the middle of the summer? This recipe is the remedy to all of that. All the great flavors of a lasagna, but without the oven. The sauce is very refershing, and lighter than your typical lasagna sauce. But why limit yourself of a few months of the year? This recipe is good enough to make all year long.

Lasagna Rolls with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Recipe from Cooking Light
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves 4 (serving size: 2 rolls)

Ingredients:

Lasagna

• 8 uncooked lasagna noodles
  
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
  
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  
• 1 (8-ounce) packed pre-sliced mushrooms
  
• 1 (6-ounce) package baby spinach
  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
  
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
  
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil, divided
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Sauce

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  
• 1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, undrained
  
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions:

1. To prepare lasagna, cook noodles according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse noodles under cold water. Drain.
   
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, mushrooms, spinach, and 3 garlic cloves; sauté 5 minutes or until onion and mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat; stir in cheeses, 2 tablespoons basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper.
   
3. To prepare sauce, place vinegar and the remaining sauce ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.
   
4. Place cooked noodles on a flat surface; spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture over each noodle. Roll up noodles, jelly-roll fashion, starting with short side. Place the rolls, seam sides down, in a shallow 2-quart microwave-safe dish. Pour 1/4 cup sauce over each roll, and cover with heavy-duty plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil.

Note: I don't like mushrooms so I just omit them.

Homemade Take-Out

Homemade take-out. Those words are an oxymoron for sure. But that's exactly what this recipe is.

Now, I'm someone who likes the occasional little kick to her food. The key word being "little." But when you order food out, it impossible to control the ingredients, and you take what you get. So one thing I never get to order from Chinese restaurants is sesame noodles because they're always too spicy for me.

Enter a recipe for sesame noodles by Martha Stewart. It's just perfection. Because I'm making it myself I have complete control over the ingredients, not just the heat. While the original recipe calls for cooking the vegetables in the pot with the pasta, I opt for using my steamer basket. The vegetables cook to a perfect crisp-tender, and the colors are vibrant, making the meal appealing not just to my palate, but visually as well.

This meal is great hot, warm, or cold for lunch the next day. Another reason I love this meal is because it makes such a great next-day lunch. Keep in mind, though, the longer it sits the spicer it gets, so plan accordingly when measuring the red pepper flakes.

Lighter Sesame Noodles

Recipe from Martha Stewart
Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 12-14 oz. light carb or whole-wheat spaghetti
  
• 2 bunch broccoli crowns, but into florets
  
• 2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
  
• 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
  
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  
• 3 tablespoons dark-brown sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

Directions:

1. In a large pot of boiling water salted water, cook spaghetti 5 minutes less than al dente. Place vegetables in a steamer basket and sit on top of pot. Steam vegetables while pasta finishes cooking. When pasta is al dente drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
   
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together peanut butter, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Add hot pasta and vegetables; toss to coat, thinning sauce to desired consistency with pasta water, if necessary.
   
3. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Rata-Yummy!

Ratatouille. It's not just a movie. It's also a delicious dish, and a great way to use all the vegetables in your fridge. For my Dad, it's a great way to use all the extra zucchini and tomatoes from his garden. I love it because you can get at least half of your daily servings of vegetables in one meal.

I have made many variations of this over the years with whatever vegetables I have handy, and always zucchini and tomatoes. I found this particular recipe in a book I was reading -- The Quilter's Kitchen by Jennifer Chiaverini -- and knew I had to give it a try. And put my own spin on it, too, of course!

Ratatouille
Adapted from The Quilter's Kitchen
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 large vidalia onion, chopped
  
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 medium eggplant, peeled and diced
  
• 4 small or 2 large zucchini, diced
  
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
  
• 2 cups diced tomatoes, canned (with liquid) or fresh
  
• 1/4 cup white wine
  
• 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  
• grated parmesan

Directions:

1. Place a medium-size stockpot over medium-low heat and when it is hot, add the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook 10 minutes.
   
2. Add the eggplant and zucchini, cover and cook 10 minutes.
   
3. Add the bell pepper, cover and cook 10 minutes.
   
4. Add the white wine. Let simmer until wine reduces by half.
   
5. Add the beans and tomatoes. Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes if tomatoes are canned, and 20 minutes if fresh.
   
6. Serve by itself or over rice, couscous, or a short pasta such as orzo or ditalini. Sprinkle cheese over each serving.