Lentil Soup with Sausage and Kale

Lentil Soup in dutch oven with baguette on cutting board.

January 3, 2016 ~ White House Red Door ~ 19 Comments

Happy New Year!

Many cultures have very specific foods they eat on New Year’s Day, foods that are believed to put the odds in your favor for a wonderful year. So, if you’re superstitious, or don’t want to tempt fate, or just want to eat some delicious and healthy food, please read on! As I gathered information, digging through recipes and stories about these traditional foods, a pattern emerged. Certain humble ingredients are likely to lead you to a year full of wealth and good fortune. And though each culture’s final dish was different than another’s, the basic building blocks were the same.

Some key elements include:
Leafy greens (kale, chard, collards): Represent economic fortune as the greens are thought to resemble paper currency.
Legumes (beans, peas, lentils): Also represent economic fortune; the tiny round legumes are symbolic of coins.
Pork: Full of flavor and fat, eating pork signifies wealth and prosperity.

When living in Virginia and North Carolina, my family and I always ate Hoppin’ John on New Year’s Day. Hoppin’ John is a traditional southern one-pot meal made with black eyed peas, rice, and pork (bacon, ham hock, or fatback). We served it with greens on the side, usually collards. This year, after all the indulging between Thanksgiving and Christmas, my body needed a major reboot. Instead of Hoppin’ John for New Year’s Day, I tried something new. Using the same overall game plan… leafy greens, pork, and legumes, we kicked off the year with Lentil Soup with Sausage and Kale, healthy, but still full of good luck. Yes, I know there’s sausage in there, but really- it’s not a lot, less than 1oz per serving.

While the pork and kale will provide additional good fortune for the year, they are not necessary for the recipe. If you don’t want to add the sausage, don’t, but then do bump up the flavor by adding more garlic and other spices such as a bit more thyme, and perhaps red pepper flakes. Or maybe bacon or cubed ham steak is more your thing; either would be delicious. If you prefer a different green, try spinach. How about no greens? Add a bell pepper or turnips to the vegetable mix.

Hoppin’ John, a very special dish full of flavor and memories of our time spent down south, will remain in my arsenal of recipes, making an appearance once a year. On the other hand, this soup will be now be part of the regular rotation. Perfect for dinner with warm crusty bread, even tastier the next day for lunch at home or sent in a thermos to school or work. And who couldn’t use some help ensuring prosperity throughout the year, not just at the start?!?

I wish all of you a year full of health, good fortune, and delicious food shared with those you love!

Lentil Soup with Sausage and Kale

Servings: 10-12
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
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Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup diced carrots (about 3 carrots)
1 cup diced celery (about 3 stalks)
1 cup diced onion (about 1 medium onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 italian sausages, casings removed (I used 1 sweet and 1 spicy)
grape tomatoes (as many as you’d like)
2 cups green lentils, rinsed
8 cups water
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon thyme
1 bunch kale (stems removed), rinsed and chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
In a dutch oven over medium high heat, warm olive oil. Add carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté vegetables for 5 minutes or until just tender. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add sausage, breaking meat up as it browns. When sausage is cooked, stir in tomatoes and lentils. Add water, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes-1 hour, until lentils are tender. During last 5 minutes of cooking, stir in chopped kale.

Check seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty bread.

Carrots, celery, onions, garlic, sausage and lentils with dutch oven — The basics of lentil soup… carrots, celery, onions, garlic, sausage and lentils. The spices, kale, and water are waiting on deck.

Carrots, celery, and onions are sautéing. — Sauté vegetables for 5 minutes, or until just tender.

Adding sausage to sautéed carrots, celery, and onion. — Add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.

Adding green lentils to sausage and vegetable mixture. — Add the green lentils (and tomatoes) if using, stirring them into the sausage mixture. I forgot to add my tomatoes at this point, but remembered and added them while the soup was simmering.

Adding water to sausage, vegetable, and lentil mixture — Throw in a bay leaf and thyme. Add 8 cups of water to the sausage, vegetable, and lentil mixture.

Simmering lentil soup — Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45-60 minutes or until lentils are tender.

Adding chopped kale to lentil soup. — About 5 minutes before the soup is done, add the chopped kale. Continue simmering the soup until kale is wilted, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serving lentil soup from dutch oven, along with baguette on a cutting board. — Serve with crusty bread.

Thanksgiving Menu and To Do List

November 24, 2015November 22, 2017 ~ White House Red Door ~ 11 Comments

November 2017 Update: It’s been a long while since I posted. Life is busy, good busy, but busy; we have two in high school, one in middle school and a 77lb puppy who thinks she’s a lap dog. My passion for cooking and all things food related still runs strong (not to worry- we are eating over here at White House Red Door!), but finding the time to sit down to document recipes and edit photos seems to be elusive at the moment. I’m hoping to make carving out time for the blog a priority in the new year.

As I was wrapping my head around Thanksgiving prep, I pulled up this blog post. Immediately, a feeling a calm enveloped me… the day to day planning, core recipes, and to do list set my mind at ease. I’m reposting in the hope that it helps you too.

Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving! ~Jean

Throughout November, I’ve posted some of our traditional family Thanksgiving recipes. You may have noticed that there are no appetizers. This is not without thought, we have so much food for dinner, that I don’t want people to fill up beforehand! We’ll have a few nibbles out… nuts and a “relish tray.” It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without one.

At our house, a relish tray is simply a small platter of olives and celery sticks lying side by side; the celery sticks bathing in the salty brine of the olives. Every year my mom would set the tray on the dining room table before anything else. The grown-ups would walk by in passing and grab an olive or celery stick.

As a child I thought this was incredibly sophisticated, and by default, if I ate the olives and celery I, too, would be incredibly sophisticated- braces and all. I willed myself to eat the green olives stuffed with pimento, chasing them down with celery. A fake grin pasted on my face, I proudly showed my younger sister and brothers that I was well on my to adulthood. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I actually enjoyed the relish tray, the crunch of the celery alongside the saltiness of the chilled olives is terrific and definitely whets the appetite. So I will continue the tradition, setting out a tray of my own. The kids will reach for it when they’re ready, a culinary right of passage.

Do you set out appetizers? Or, is it all about the main event and desserts?

Happy Thanksgiving from White House Red Door!

Apple Cream Pie dusted with powdered sugar. — Apple Cream Pie

Thanksgiving 2015

Servings: varies
Time: easily spread out over a few days
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Ingredients:
Turkey- this year my husband will be cooking the bird on his Big Green Egg. In previous years the turkey has been fried or roasted in the oven. This is the first time doing the turkey on the Egg, I’ll let you know how it goes!
Chestnut and Sausage Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Candied Yams
Green Beans with Almonds
Peas with Sautéed Mushrooms and Roasted Red Peppers
Creamed Onions
Cranberry Pineapple Sauce
Apple Cream Pie
Sweet Potato Pie with Maple Meringue

Instructions:
Monday:
* Make cranberry pineapple sauce
Tuesday:
* Cube bread for stuffing and allow to dry overnight.
Wednesday:
* Brine turkey
* Make stuffing
* Make pecan graham cracker crust for sweet potato pie
* Roast sweet potatoes for pie and puree
* Roast sweet potatoes for candied yams and slice
* Prepare topping for candied yams- chopped pecans, brown sugar, and butter
* Sauté mushrooms and dice roasted red peppers for peas
* Toast silvered almonds for green beans
* Set table
* Organize and label serving platters/pieces
Thursday:
* Cook turkey
* Make apple cream pie (morning)
* Finish sweet potato pie (morning)
* Make creamed onions (morning- stove top)
* Make mashed potatoes (afternoon-stove top)
* Finish candied yams (afternoon- oven)
 *Finish green beans and peas (afternoon- stove top)
* Have a drink!

Italian Wedding Soup

November 4, 2015December 14, 2015 ~ White House Red Door ~ 15 Comments

This fragrant and nourishing soup quickly comes together with ingredients you probably already have on hand. Besides the meat for the meatballs and dill for the soup, the other elements are pretty standard pantry and fridge items.

The humble, but delicious broth begins with a “holy trinity” of carrots, celery, and onions; the addition of white wine and dill brings about a brightness and freshness. I especially love the meatballs, “pre-seasoned” by using Italian sausage mixed with ground turkey. And, instead of standing over a stove cooking them in hot oil, inevitably developing tiny blisters over your hands and wrists from splattering grease (clearly, I am speaking from experience), the balls are measured with a small ice-cream scoop, laid in neat little rows, and baked in the oven. I often double the meatball recipe and freeze half for future soups, pasta nights, or meatball subs. These bite sized gems are incredibly handy to have tucked away in the freezer for last minute snacks, appetizers, or meals.

The original recipe appears in Ina Garten’s Back to Basics. I’ve tweaked it a bit for my tastes (and you can, too). For example, while the original calls for ground chicken and chicken sausage, I use ground turkey and regular Italian pork sausage, one sweet and one spicy. Ina uses a tiny pasta, such as tubetini or stars, which I can’t always find. Instead I use orzo, a staple in my pantry. I cook the orzo separately and add it to the broth right before serving, otherwise the pasta soaks up too much liquid. Not that that’s the end of the world; it will happen if you have leftovers. Simply thin the soup with a bit of water or stock. Speaking of stock, you will need 10 cups- homemade or store bought. Though I love homemade stock, I’ll be completely honest, I don’t always have some stashed in the freezer. Good quality store bought stock is smart to have on hand and I do, though I am very picky about the brand. I only use low sodium Swanson’s Organic Chicken Stock (Swanson’s did NOT pay me to write that!).

On another note, while no one in my family suffers from celiac disease, one of my best friends does. Whenever I can, I reach for a recipe that with just a little tinkering, can be one everyone at the table enjoys. This Italian Wedding Soup is one of those easily adjusted recipes. Simply use gluten free breadcrumbs, and a small gluten free pasta to replace the orzo, or if that isn’t available, rice would be a fine substitute.

As always, I encourage you to “play with your food!” If your CSA pick up included lots of kale, chard, or other greens use them instead of spinach. Do you love carrots? Add more. Are there other veggies lingering in your vegetable drawer… turnips, leeks, or even a handful of cherry or grape tomatoes would be savory additions to this lovely soup. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy gathering your friends and family around the table to share a meal.

Italian Wedding Soup

Servings: 8
Time: 45 minutes active + 30 minutes inactive
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*adapted from Back to Basics, by Ina Garten

Ingredients:
For the meatballs
½ lb ground turkey (white meat)
½ lb ground turkey (dark meat)
2 Italian sausages, casings removed
2/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs (gluten free, if needed)
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
3 Tablespoons milk
1 extra-large egg, slightly beaten
salt and fresh ground pepper

For the soup
2 Tablespoons good olive oil
1 cup minced yellow onion
1 cup diced carrots (3 carrots)
1 cup diced celery (3 stalks)
10 cups chicken stock
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup small pasta, such as orzo (gluten free, if needed or use rice)
¼ cup minced fresh dill
10 ounces baby spinach

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

For the meatballs, place the ground turkey, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. Using a tablespoon or small ice-cream scoop, drop 1 to 1 ¼-inch meatballs onto a parchment lined sheet pan. You will have about 40 meatballs. Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.

In the meantime, for the soup, cook orzo (or rice) according to package directions, removing a minute or two before it’s done. Rinse and drain, toss with a little extra virgin olive oil to prevent sticking and set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium low heat in a large, heavy bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until softened, 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs and cooked orzo to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, just until the spinach is wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan cheese.

Raw Meatball Mix — Using a fork, gently combine all of the meatball ingredients.

Scooping meatballs onto parchment lined baking sheet. — Using a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop, measure out the meatballs.

Raw meatballs laid out on a sheet pan, ready for the oven — Bake the meatballs in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through.

Cooked meatballs on a sheet pan. — The meatballs are done and ready for the soup (or freezer).

Carrots, celery, and onions are the base of the broth.

Adding wine and chicken stock to carrots, celery, and onions. — Add wine and chicken stock.

Raw spinach is added to the soup. — Spinach is the last ingredient to be added and only takes a minute to wilt.

Wilted spinach in Italian Wedding Soup — Soup is ready! Serve with a warm crusty loaf of bread and parmesan for passing at the table.

Chili con Carne and Buttermilk Cornbread

Chili con carne with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream.

October 28, 2015October 30, 2015 ~ White House Red Door ~ 14 Comments

Fall and winter suppers beg for chili. Hearty, warming, and versatile, chili is a one pot wonder perfect for brisk nights that begin to get dark as early as 4:30pm, casual get togethers with friends and family to watch a game in front of a roaring fire, or coming in from the cold after time spent raking leaves or shoveling snow. Of all evenings, Halloween is the ideal night for chili, shoring up your stamina (as well as that of any goblins or ghouls spooking you) for a night of trick or treating. Whether you are out in the neighborhood or manning the candy bowl at home, a warm bowl of chili before or after a night of haunts will keep you going and be an excellent antidote to all the sugar consumed.

Depending on your preferences chili can suit a wide variety of eaters… vegetarians or vegans at your table? Skip the meat and add more vegetables or beans. Offer an interesting assortment of toppings and sides like cheeses, cornbread, tortilla chips, avocado, and sour cream (I use greek yogurt) and let your family and friends build a complete meal around your chili base. And, like most stews and soups, making chili ahead of time allows it to become even more delicious. Chili only gets tastier as it “ages.”

This recipe is my own. Most of the ingredients are typical, but there are a few surprises. Dijon mustard adds a wonderful brightness and tang; the chipotle peppers in adobe sauce add a subtle smokiness, while the cinnamon delivers a hint of sweet warmth. It is also very easy to play with this recipe. Please experiment to suit your taste. Love bell peppers? Add more. Need more spice? Add a chopped jalapeño. Can’t stand onions? Eliminate or reduce the amount. Don’t like beans in your chili (I’m talking to you, dear husband!), then don’t add them. Play with your food and have fun!

The buttermilk cornbread is adapted from Kathleen’s Bake Shop Cookbook. Kathleen King owned Kathleen’s Bake Shop in Southhampton, NY in the 80s and 90s. One summer, I was fortunate enough to visit the bakery and in addition to the cookies I bought (which were quickly consumed), I also purchased a copy of her cookbook, a lasting souvenir. It was a wise purchase. My copy of the small spiral bound book is splattered, tattered, and torn- all signs of an excellent cookbook. The book practically opens itself to certain recipes, like the Devil’s Food Cake I use for birthdays, in addition to the recipe that inspired this cornbread.

In Kathleen’s intro to the original recipe, which was for corn muffins, she explains how the recipe has changed since she first received it. Her baker altered the formula by adding half-and-half instead of milk; I’ve tweaked it again by using buttermilk, instead of half-and-half or milk. In any case, the choice is yours… buttermilk, half-and-half, and regular milk all work just fine. The buttermilk lends a wonderful tanginess that seems a natural counterpart to the sweetness of the bread; the half-and-half produces a really rich cornbread, while using regular milk leaves you with a lovely straightforward cornbread. Another occasional adjustment I make is to add frozen corn kernels to the batter, maybe a handful or two. The kernels contribute a wonderful texture to the cornbread and add pops of sweetness too.

What are your favorite sides and toppings for chili? Do you have a go to dinner for Halloween night?

Chili con Carne

Servings: 6-8
Time: 45 minutes
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Ingredients:
1lb ground beef or turkey
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 bell peppers, coarsely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 chipotle chili in adobe sauce, finely chopped
1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 28oz can of whole tomatoes, with juice
1 16 oz can kidney beans or black beans, rinsed and drained
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
In a large pot or dutch oven, heat olive over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until beginning to turn golden brown, approximately 5 minutes. Add bell peppers and sauté an additional 5 minutes. Add finely chopped garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add ground meat, and cook over medium high heat, stirring often, until cooked through.

Reduce the heat to medium low and stir in chili powder, chipotle chili, mustard, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and cinnamon and cook for 30 seconds or so.

Add beans and tomatoes with juice, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon. Stir well, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with accompaniments such as rice, tortilla chips, cornbread, shredded cheddar or Monterey jack, sour cream and chopped avocado.

*This is the perfect dish to make ahead. Like most soups and stew, the longer it sits the better it gets. Just reheat when needed.

Cornbread

Servings: 16 squares
Time: 35 minutes
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*adapted from Kathleen’s Bake Shop Cookbook

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal or corn flour
½ cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9×9 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter and mix until crumbly. If you don’t have a pastry blender, use two knives, a fork, or even your fingers.

In a separate bowl, mix buttermilk and egg. Fold liquid ingredients into flour mixture, folding just until combined. Transfer batter to prepared baking pan.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Whisking flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt together. — Whisk dry ingredients together.

Pastry blender cuts butter into flour. — Cut softened butter into flour mixture.

Rubber spatula folds buttermilk and egg mixture into dry ingredients. — Fold buttermilk and egg mixture into dry ingredients until just combined.

Cornbread batter in greased baking dish — Pour batter into prepared baking dish and bake at 400°F for 25 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Cornbread just out of the oven. — Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pancakes

October 7, 2015October 7, 2015 ~ White House Red Door ~ 6 Comments

I was going to post about Pumpkin Bread, and tie it together with the Roasted Pumpkin Puree (and I will) but I was seriously sidetracked by some Pumpkin Pancakes. And it was all quite by chance.

My husband is a wonderful cook. Weekend mornings he can be found whipping up the fluffiest pancakes; his chicken parmigiana is unbelievable and he can smoke a Boston butt or deep fry a turkey with the best of them.

This weekend the kids requested pancakes. While dear husband gathered the ingredients, I made the coffee. As I poked my head in the fridge for some half and half, my eyes landed on the last of the pumpkin purée. Eureka moment. “Hey, why don’t you throw this pumpkin in the batter?” Silence. Dead silence. I could hear crickets. Not one to give up I asked, “What do you think?” Long long pause. (Translation- don’t mess with my pancakes.) Finally a reply, “Let’s leave it up to B. Whatever she thinks.” I have to admit, at this point the deal was sealed because I knew exactly what B would say, “Pumpkin pancakes? Yum!”

The regular weekend pancakes were already top notch, but the addition of pumpkin, cider, and the classic spice combination of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves turned already stellar pancakes into something very special for fall and winter breakfasts (and dinners!). Gently warmed maple syrup with butter added a touch of sweetness, while the toasted walnuts sprinkled on top provided a satisfying crunch to contrast with the fluffiness of the pancakes.

Needless to say, pumpkin pancakes have been officially added to the rotation at White House Red Door.

Have you ever had that moment of spontaneity in the kitchen? A eureka moment that led to something delicious?

Pumpkin Pancakes

Servings: 15-20 pancakes
Time: 30 minutes
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Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup apple cider
1 cup pumpkin purée
¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For serving:
warm maple syrup with butter
toasted walnuts or pecans

Instructions:
Preheat griddle to 350°-375°.

Mix dry ingredients. In a separate container, whisk eggs, then add vanilla, cider, and milk stirring well.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until just combined.

Stir in pumpkin, then add melted butter.

When griddle is ready, spoon 1/3 cup batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Cook until the top of each pancake is dotted with bubbles and some have popped open. Carefully flip and cook until the other side is golden brown. Serve immediately with maple syrup and toasted walnuts. Though best enjoyed right away, the pancakes can also be kept warm in a 200° oven until ready to serve.

Pumpkin pancakes dry ingredients whisked together. — Whisk the dry ingredients together.

3 eggs ready for whisking. — Whisk the eggs together.

Whisking vanilla into eggs. — Whisk vanilla into eggs.

Whisk cider and milk into egg/vanilla mixture.

Pumpkin Pancakes- gently combine liquid and dry ingredients — Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently combine.

Stir the pumpkin purée into the batter. — Stir the pumpkin purée to the batter.

Pancakes on the griddle are dotted with popped and unpopped bubbles. — When the tops of the pancakes are dotted with popped and unpopped bubbles, it is time to flip.

Lasagna Roll Ups

September 23, 2015September 23, 2015 ~ White House Red Door ~ 1 Comment

Wednesday night is pasta night at White House Red Door; at the very least, that means 52 nights of pasta a year and, to be honest, I’m sure we exceed that, easily. The wonderful thing is that there are so many shapes, sizes, styles, and sauces that we could quickly go through a year without any repeats. Actually, having written that, I really should consider this a challenge. Note to self… New Year’s Resolution decided… a year’s worth of pasta.

Most Wednesday nights I use dry pasta, pairing with some seasonal veggie and sauce. Occasionally meat makes an appearance, but only in a supporting role. Favorites include:

orechiette + kale + Italian sausage
spaghetti carbonara
baked orzo + shrimp + tomatoes + feta
penne + tuna + tomatoes + capers
tortellini + sautéed zucchini + pesto

Fresh pasta is a tremendous treat; a group effort saved for a quiet day when we can dedicate ourselves to the task. The rewards are well worth the effort and seem to lend themselves to cold, snowy days.

homemade butternut squash ravioli + sage + brown butter
homemade tagliatelle + bolognese
homemade lasagna noodles + béchamel + bolognese + parmesan

One dish that turns up almost monthly is Lasagna Roll Ups. The perfect preset portions, incredible variety in terms of filling, and ease in getting this on the table make it one of my pasta night “go to” stand outs. The basic formula of ricotta, parmesan, salt and pepper remains constant, even standing alone if needed. However, when you have leftover or fresh veggies staring at you every time you open the fridge, throw them in the filling. Just about anything works- squash, zucchini, greens, peppers, mushrooms, onions are just a start.

This recipe is one to play with according to your taste. The quantities of sauce and cheese below are just guidelines. Love your lasagna gooey, saucy and cheesy? Done. Just add more sauce and cheese. Hate greens? No problem. Swap the greens for another vegetable you like. Missing the meat? Brown some sausage, ground beef, or add leftover chicken. It will be delicious. Trust yourself!

PS- If you have any roll ups left, they make excellent additions to a lunch box. Simply warm up in the microwave and immediately transfer to a thermos.

Lasagna Roll Ups

Servings: 6-8
Time: 1 hour (30 minutes active + 30 minutes bake time)
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Ingredients:
1 box lasagna noodles (15-18 noodles)
1 32oz jar of your favorite marinara sauce, 1 ½ cups reserved
2 cups ricotta
½ cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for sprinkling
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella, ½ cup reserved
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 bunch greens… spinach, kale, swiss chard or combination
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare casserole dish by covering bottom with thin layer of marinara sauce.

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles, 6 at a time, until flexible. When flexible, remove noodles with tongs and place on a cookie sheet lined with a clean dish towel. Top with another clean dish towel, and repeat with next batch of 6 noodles. Repeat until all the noodles are cooked.

Make the filling:
Saute chopped greens in 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Remove from pan and finely chop. Set aside.

Combine ricotta, parmesan, and nutmeg. Stir in finely chopped greens. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Assembly:
Spread ricotta filling lengthwise down noodle (approximately 2 tablespoons per noodle). Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons marinara sauce over ricotta and top with 1-2 tablespoons shredded mozzarella.

Tightly roll up noodle jelly roll style and place seam side down in prepared casserole. (Depending on the casserole dish I use, my noodles usually end up being in 3×5 rows. It is important for the rolls to fit snugly against one another so that they don’t unfurl.) Repeat with remaining noodles.

Pour reserved 1 ½ cups of marinara over roll ups. Top with reserved ½ cup of shredded mozzarella. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan.

Bake until heated through and bubbly, 30 minutes or so.

Chopped kale on cutting board. — Chopped kale, but use whatever greens you have… swiss chard and spinach work beautifully.

Ricotta filling mixed with chopped greens. — Mix chopped greens with ricotta, parmesan, a few gratings of nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.

Lasagna roll up ingredients are out and ready for assembly, casserole dish, lasagne noodles, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, filling, marinara sauce and salt. — All the ingredients are prepped and ready for assembly.

Lasagna noodles spread with ricotta filling. — Spread ricotta filling along the length of each noodle.

Lasagna noodle with ricotta filling and drizzled with marinara sauce. — Drizzle your favorite marinara sauce over the ricotta filling.

Lasagna noodles rolled up jelly roll style. — Tightly roll up the noodle jelly roll style.

Lasagna roll ups fit snugly in the casserole dish. — The roll ups should fit snugly in the casserole dish so that they don’t unfurl during baking.

Lasagna roll ups topped with sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. — Top with sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Bake at 350° until heated through and bubbly.

Focaccia BLT

September 9, 2015September 9, 2015 ~ White House Red Door ~ 1 Comment

With Labor Day behind us and the kids back in school, summer has come to an end. Well, not officially. We still have a couple of more weeks before fall takes over the calendar and thankfully, Mother Nature is not hastening the transition. The temperatures are still steamy and, more importantly, the tomatoes are still coming in. Loads of them!

There is no comparison to fresh local summer tomatoes and what is available the rest of the year. In winter, I’ve been fooled too many times by perfectly round, ruby red, “vine ripened” tomatoes for sale at the grocery store. They are tempting and they look gorgeous, a sight for sore eyes especially in the dead of winter, but inevitably I get them home, onto the cutting board, and slice into a mealy mess. Nothing but disappointment. It just means that as soon as the real tomatoes start coming in during the summer, I enjoy them any and every way I can: raw, baked, roasted, simmered, and grilled, in all sorts of salads, soups, sauces, pies, or straight off the vine, warm from the sun, with a sprinkle of salt. And don’t forget sandwiches.

An easy dinner this time of year is the classic BLT. Perfect for those nights when after school activities and homework seem to be all consuming- dinner needs to be quick, filling, maybe even portable. This BLT comes with a few twists and is always a hit, focaccia instead of sandwich bread, avocado replaces the mayo, and the bacon gets baked in the oven (hassle free bacon- no splatters!).

Deconstructed BLT with avocado — The makings of a beautiful BLT…

Bacon cooked in the oven is the way to go… whether for BLTs or Sunday morning breakfast. This method is hands free which means no standing at the stove patiently turning the bacon over and over while hot grease splatters and blisters your hands (and stovetop).

Simply line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a metal cooling rack in the center. Preheat the oven to 400°. Place the bacon on the metal rack in one layer. Bake for 15-20 minutes, but start checking after 10 minutes. Some people like their bacon fatty, while others want a nice crunch.

Cooked bacon on foiled lined sheet pan. — The bacon is done and clean up is a breeze.

This focaccia is well worth the time… if not for a BLT, then to be enjoyed another way. The recipe yields quite a bit, perfect for making once and freezing half to be pulled out in a pinch for appetizers, sandwiches, soups, or just enjoyed on its own. For lunch I toasted leftover focaccia, spread the halves with pesto, and topped with sliced tomato. Heaven.

Focaccia

Servings: 16
Time: 30 minutes active + 2 hours 15 minutes rising + 22 minutes baking
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*recipe adapted from Marcella Hazen

Ingredients:
For the dough
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups lukewarm water
6 ½ cups unbleached flour
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon
salt

For baking the focaccia
Heavy duty rectangular metal baking pan, about 18”x14”
Extra virgin olive oil for smearing the pan
A baking stone (optional)
A mixture of ¼ cup extra virgin olive, 2 Tablespoons water and 1 teaspoon salt
A pastry brush

Instructions:
Dissolve the yeast by stirring it into ½ cup lukewarm water, and let sit for about 10 minutes.

Combine the yeast mixture and 1 cup of flour in a bowl, mixing them thoroughly. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt, ¾ cup water and half the remaining flour. Mix thoroughly until the dough feels soft, but compact, and no longer sticks to the hands. Put in the remaining flour and ¾ cup water, and mix thoroughly again. When putting in flour and water for the last time, hold back some of both and add only as much of either as you need to make the dough manageable, soft, but not too sticky.

Take dough out of the bowl, and slap it down very hard against the work counter several times, until it is stretched out to a lengthwise. Reach for the far end of the dough, fold it a short distance toward you, push it away with the heel of your palm, flexing your wrist, fold it, and push it away again, gradually rolling it up and bringing it close to you. Rotate the dough a one-quarter turn, pick it up and slap it down hard, repeating the entire previous operation. Give it another one-quarter in the same direction and repeat the procedure for about 10 minutes. Pat the kneaded dough into a round shape.

First rise- Smear the middle of the baking sheet with about 2 tablespoons olive oil, put the kneaded, rounded dough on it, cover with a damp cloth, and leave it to rise for about 1 ½ hours.

Second rise- After 1 ½ hours, stretch out the dough in the baking pan, spreading it toward the edges so that it covers the entire pan. Cover with a damp towel and let the dough rise for 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450°. If using a baking stone, put the stone in the oven and preheat for at least 30 minutes before you are ready to bake.

After the second rise, keeping the fingers of your hand stiff, poke the dough all over, making many little hollows with your fingertips. Beat the mixture of oil, water and salt with a small whisk or a fork for a few minutes until you have obtained a fairly homogeneous emulsion. Use a pastry brush to spread the mixture all the way out to the edges of the pan. The liquid will pool in the hollows made by your fingertips.

Place the pan on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Check the focaccia after 15 minutes. If it is cooking faster on one side, rotate the pan accordingly. Bake for another 7-8 minutes until golden brown all over. Lift the focaccia out of the pan using spatulas and set on a wire rack to cool.

The focaccia is best enjoyed the day you make it, but can also be frozen and reheated in a hot over for 10 minutes.

Focaccia dough stretched out to fill a sheet pan. — After the first rise, stretch the dough out to the sides, completely filling the pan.

Focaccia dough after the second rise. — After the second rise…

Dimpled focaccia dough — Dimple the dough using your fingertips.

Brushing the dough with olive oil — Using a pastry brush, gently brush the dough with a mixture of extra virgin olive oil, water, and salt. The oil will puddle in the dimples.

Focaccia squares on a cutting board. — Cut the focaccia into sandwich sized servings, then slice again horizontally through the middle to form top and bottom crusts.

Pesto

September 2, 2015September 8, 2015 ~ White House Red Door ~ Leave a comment

You know how each summer there is THE song of the summer, the one that puts smiles on faces, gets toes tapping, and windows rolled down while everyone sings along? Well, this summer I have THE herb of the summer growing in my garden… basil. The three or four small plants that went into the ground in late spring have grown into a mighty basil forest, extraordinarily tall and lush. We cannot keep up with it; despite our best efforts, that is an enormous amount of caprese salad to eat!

Herb garden with basil, chives, oregano, thyme, and rosemary — This basil is out of control.

As the days grow shorter, I am only too aware of the cool weather that is sure to follow. Feeling a bit like the ant preparing for winter in Aesop’s The Grasshopper and the Ant, I’ve gone on a pesto making binge; not only preserving basil’s quintessential summer flavor at its best, but capturing a sunny moment in time. These green gems, pulled from the depths of the freezer, will bring warm memories to cold snowy nights sometime in the (not too distant) future.

Pesto is from the Italian word pestare which means to pound or crush. The English word for pestle shares the same Latin root. Traditionally, pesto is made by hand with a mortar and pestle, but in the quantities I’m dealing with the food processor is helping. No shame in that.

Some of the pesto is for enjoying now, but the majority is getting scooped into mini muffin tins, frozen, then transferred into storage containers for the freezer. The mini pesto “muffins” are just the right size to add to dishes all winter long.

And pesto isn’t just for pasta… here are some others ways to savor it.
• Potatoes- pesto and potatoes are a wonderful pair. Gently stir a spoonful of pesto into freshly boiled potatoes or mix a spoonful into mashed potatoes.
• Marinara Sauce- add pesto to your regular marinara sauce
• Dip- mix pesto into greek yogurt, crème fraiche, or sour cream for a dip
• Pizza- use pesto instead of pizza sauce on your next homemade pizza
• Sandwiches- spread pesto on your favorite crusty sandwich bread, top with sliced chicken and roasted red peppers

Those are just some of my suggestions. I’d love to hear from you… what are your favorite ways to use pesto?

Pesto

Servings: makes approximately 1 cup
Time: 5 minutes
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*recipe adapted from Marcella Hazen

Ingredients:
For the food processor-
2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons lightly toasted pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, chopped fine
salt

For completion by hand-
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons freshly grated romano cheese

Instructions:
Briefly rinse basil under cold water and pat dry.

Place basil, olive oil, pine nuts, chopped garlic, and a pinch of salt into the bowl of a food processor. Process to a uniform creamy consistency.

Transfer to a bowl, and mix in the two grated cheeses by hand.

The pesto can be frozen in pre-portioned amounts to be pulled from the freezer whenever you want a taste of summer.

Basil, extra virgin olive oil, and salt are placed in a food processor. — Place the basil, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, and salt into a food processor and blend.

Basil, extra virgin olive oil. pine nuts and salt have been blended to a creamy consistency. — Blend the basil, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, and salt to a creamy consistency.

Parmesan and romano cheeses are added to the basil mixture. — Transfer the basil mixture to a bowl. Add the parmesan and romano cheeses.

Mixing the parmesan and romano cheeses into the pesto by hand. — Mix the parmesan and romano cheeses by hand.

The parmesan and romano cheeses have been thoroughly incorporated.

Pesto fills a mini muffin tin — Using a mini muffin tin, small portions of pesto are ready for the freezer. After freezing, transfer them to a container for long term freezer storage.

Pre-portioned amounts of frozen pesto — Wax paper separates layers of frozen pesto “muffins” for long term storage in the freezer.

Homemade Ricotta

August 26, 2015September 8, 2015 ~ White House Red Door ~ 2 Comments

This summer, we had a phenomenal family trip to London and Ireland.
While we explored the British Museum, Hyde Park, the Churchill War Rooms and the Tower of London, observed the Changing of the Horse Guard and took a spin on the London Eye, my thoughts were never too far from food. In fact, we kicked our trip off with a tour of Borough Market (I highly recommend Context Travel).

Tasting our way down the counter... — Tasting our way down the counter…

Celebrating and tasting your way through artisanal British and Irish cheeses at Neal’s Yard Dairy is a wonderful beginning to any day. Meeting and sharing ideas with farmers, spice vendors, and even a tea importer helped us connect to London in a very real way. Continuing the unofficial theme of local foods, we planned our dinners at restaurants that embrace a farm to table philosophy, locally sourcing their products based on seasonal availability. We enjoyed delicious meals at St. John, The Harwood Arms, and Tom’s Kitchen. An absolute standout at Tom’s Kitchen was the “Homemade Ricotta [with] balsamic glaze, dried herbs, grilled sourdough.” Oh. My. Goodness. This ricotta was so incredibly luscious, smooth, and creamy- yet light and airy, that only the fear of public humiliation kept me from stealing the entire dish, huddling in a remote corner, and licking the bowl clean.

Homemade ricotta with bread from Tom's Kitchen. — The inspiration- Homemade Ricotta starter from Tom’s Kitchen.

Since our return home, that ricotta has been on my mind. We have a fairly wide selection of ricotta cheese at the grocery store, but it seems unfair to compare them to what I had in London. Even the best that I can get here is good, but not Tom’s Kitchen Homemade Ricotta good. What to do? The kitchen gods spoke. Challenged accepted. I learned to make my own.

It turns out, homemade ricotta is not hard to make. In 30 minutes you can be sitting down with your own bowl of lusciousness, ready to devour, spoon in hand. Even better, you control the ingredients. No fillers, thickeners, or stabilizers needed, just four simple ingredients- milk, cream, white vinegar and salt. It’s a bit like a science experiment, so if you have kids they are going to love this. But please don’t let “science experiment” intimidate you. My nine year old is now making the ricotta on a weekly basis.

The final texture depends on how long you leave the ricotta to drain. Ten minutes yields warm, soft curds perfect for enjoying by the spoonful; twenty minutes yields still soft but slightly more spreadable ricotta, while thirty minutes or more will leave you with a firmer, drier, ricotta that holds it shape. Between 10-20 minutes of draining is my favorite for spreading on grilled bread- savory with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle of fresh herbs and a pinch of salt, or sweet with a drizzle of honey and topping of sliced berries. The ricotta that sits longer is perfect to dollop on warm pasta or pizza, either before or after it comes out of the oven.

PS- What about the whey? From 4 cups of milk/cream you will have about 1 cup of ricotta and 3 cups of whey. That is a lot of whey. Before you toss it down the drain you could…
• Replace the water with whey in pizza or bread dough recipes
• Add the whey to soups and stews
• Feed it to your chickens, pigs, etc.

Homemade Ricotta

Servings: 1 cup
Time: approximately 30 minutes depending on how long you drain the ricotta
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*recipe inspired by several sources including Serious Eats, The Kitchn and Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:
3 ½ cups whole milk (NOT Ultra High–Temperature (UHT) pasteurized)
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup white vinegar
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions:
Line a sieve with cheesecloth and place in a bowl. Set aside.

Combine milk and heavy cream in a saucepan. Gently warm the milk mixture over medium heat until it reaches 180°. Remove from heat.

Add the white vinegar and salt, stirring gently once or twice to distribute evenly. Leave the milk mixture undisturbed for 10 minutes while the curds and whey form.

After 10 minutes, use a slotted spoon to transfer the curds to the cheesecloth lined sieve. Once the larger curds have been placed in the sieve, carefully pour the remaining curds/whey into the sieve. Let drain for at least 10 minutes, or until desired consistency is reached. The longer the ricotta drains, the firmer it will be.

Transfer to storage container and keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Enjoy as you would any ricotta, savory or sweet… in lasagna, ziti, cannoli, atop grilled bread, or just by the spoonful from the bowl!

Milk and cream heating on the stove until it reaches 180°. — Heat the milk and cream mixture to 180°.

The milk/cream mixture is curdling. — After adding the vinegar gently stir once or twice. Leave undisturbed for 10 minutes while the curds develop.

Removing the curds with a slotted spoon. — After 10 minutes the vinegar has worked its magic. You have curds and whey!

Fresh ricotta draining in a fine meshed sieve. — Using a slotted spoon, transfer the curds to a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth lined sieve. Leave to drain for at least 10 minutes. The longer you leave the ricotta, the firmer it will be.

Fresh ricotta after 20 minutes of straining. — 20 minutes later…

Fresh ricotta after a few pulses in a food processor. — *Completely optional step* You could stop after draining the ricotta and enjoy as is, or for an extra creamy texture, give your freshly strained ricotta a very brief spin in a food processor.

Basil, oregano and thyme sprigs — Snip a few herbs to sprinkle on top of the whipped ricotta. Serve with slices of grilled bread for an easy appetizer or lunch.

Homemade whipped ricotta sprinkled with herbs and served with grilled ciabatta. — Lunch

Strawberries and Ricotta on Toast — Breakfast the next day…

Zucchini Fritters, Tzatziki Sauce, and Carpaccio

Zucchini Fritters make a great appetizer or side dish.

July 29, 2015September 8, 2015 ~ White House Red Door ~ 4 Comments

I love vegetables, especially those I can cook quickly and simply. Shopping with the seasons in mind makes it easy to enjoy their flavors in their truest form… you don’t have to do much to a perfectly ripe, in season tomato, or green beans, or [insert your favorite vegetable of choice].

a typical July pick up at the farm — A typical July pick up at the farm.

Our town is home to a small organic farm and we are fortunate enough to belong to its CSA (Community Supported Agriculture); in the cold dark months of winter we pre-pay our local farm for a season’s worth of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Here in our part of the world that means I pick up our weekly share beginning in June and go through October. Each pick up day is a little like Christmas morning… what is in my share this week? How much am I going to get? Since June, this season has brought greens of all sorts, lettuces, scallions, scapes, carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, kohlrabi, onions, garlic, beets, fennel, beans, herbs, and berries. With every pick up comes the happy challenge of how to use each of these gifts before next week’s share demands my attention and refrigerator space.

Unfortunately, there is a dark side. Because of the seasonality, the downside is that “you get what you get and you don’t get upset.” Words I’ve often said to my kids and lately, find myself repeating weekly as I pick up an every growing ration of zucchini. It’s the nature of the beast and we are in prime zucchini season. I’m sure you are seeing loads of zucchini too… in your CSA, at the farmer’s market, and at the supermarket.

Despite all my veggie love, zucchini is one that I could do without. It’s my personal kryptonite. I’m not sure why this is… I don’t recall any traumatic childhood dinner table incidents involving zucchini. Maybe it’s because it looks so much like a cucumber- and I love cucumber, so that I’m always disappointed by the false pretense, a poser. Maybe it’s the tendency to quickly turn to mush if left a minute too long on the stove, in a soup, or on the grill. In any case, I must accept that we are at peak zucchini season. Each passing week larger and larger quantities are appearing in my share, stretching my creativity, pushing me out of my zucchini comfort zone. Rising to the challenge, I’ve found a few ways to prepare this green monster so that I actually enjoy eating it. Zucchini season won’t last forever, by the time I’m ready to wave the white flag, or dishtowel in this case, it’s time will be done, replaced by one of my favorites- tomatoes. In the meanwhile, enjoy these easy and delicious takes on zucchini.

The Zucchini Fritters make excellent appetizers, sides, and stand on their own for lunch (or breakfast- eaten straight from the fridge!). You’ll find plenty of uses for the accompanying Tzatziki Sauce recipe. In addition to serving it with the fritters, I use it as a topping for meat- think lamb burgers and seafood, especially shrimp; use it as a dip for veggies or pita chips; spread it on naan, add the protein of your choice and some crunchy lettuce to build a delicious wrap. The Zucchini Carpaccio recipes are incredibly versatile, and take about 5 minutes to get on the table. I’ve given measurements, but please improvise according to your taste. There is no right or wrong! If you love lemon, use more lemon! Don’t like goat cheese and thyme? Use feta and oregano! Play with your food.

Please feel free to share your favorite ways of preparing zucchini. I’m always on the hunt for more tasty ideas.

Zucchini Fritters

Servings: about 18 fritters
Time: 30 minutes
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adapted from Bon Appetit, May 2007

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups coarsely grated zucchini (from about 3 medium)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
½ cup (or more) all purpose flour
½ cup crumbled feta
1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
½ cup chopped green onion
1 ½ Tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Tzatziki Sauce (recipe follows)

Preparation:
Toss zucchini in ½ teaspoon salt in a colander, place in the sink allowing the zucchini to “sweat.” Let stand for 5 minutes. Press out excess liquid; transfer zucchini to a dry bowl.

Mix in egg, yolk, ½ cup flour, cheese and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix in parsley, onions, and dill. If batter is very wet, add more flour by the spoonful.

Preheat a cast iron skillet or griddle* over medium high heat. Working in batches, drop batter by rounded tablespoons onto skillet. Cook fritters until golden, about 5 minutes per side.

Serve with tzatziki sauce or plain greek yogurt.

*Because seasoned cast iron is non-stick I didn’t need to use oil. If you are using a regular skillet, you will have to fry the patties in a mixture of 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of corn oil, adding more olive and corn oil as needed.
**Can be made 1 day ahead. Place on baking sheet, cover, and chill. Rewarm uncovered in 350° oven for 12 minutes.

Grated zucchini waiting to be salted. — After grating the zucchini, toss it with 1/2 tsp of salt. Set in a colander and place in the sink to let it “sweat.”

prepped and chopped dill, parsley, and green onion — Dill, parsley, and green onion prepped, chopped, and ready to go.

Gently combine the grated zucchini, flour, egg, egg yolk, and feta.

adding the herbs to the zucchini mixture — Add the herbs to the zucchini mixture.

the zucchini batter is ready — After gently incorporating the herbs with the zucchini mixture, the batter is ready.

zucchini fritters cooking on the griddle — Drop batter by rounded tablespoons onto a preheated cast iron skillet or griddle.

zucchini fritters are cooking on the other side — When the fritters are golden on one side, flip them. Cooking time is about 5 minutes per side.

Tzatziki Sauce

Servings: approximately 1 cup
Time: 15 minutes
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This sauce is a delicious multitasker. Serve it as a dip for vegetables, pita chips or wedges, grilled lamb, and the zucchini fritters.

Ingredients:
8 oz full fat greek yogurt
½ a hot house cucumber, cut lengthwise, seeded, quartered, and finely diced
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Serve immediately, or let it sit in the fridge to really let the flavors come together.

Yogurt, cucumber, dill, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and salt — Combine the yogurt, cucumber, dill, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and salt. It really is that easy!

Tzatziki Sauce with olives and pita wedges. Add the zucchini fritters and a glass of rosé … a perfect way to start a summer evening.

Zucchini Carpaccio with Parmesan, Pine Nuts, and Basil

Servings: 2
Time: 5 minutes
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Ingredients:
½ zucchini, any size
1 Tablespoon toasted pine nuts
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped basil
parmesan shavings
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Using a vegetable peeler, peel zucchini vertically into thin ribbons.

Toss with lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil.

Top with parmesan curls, toasted pine nuts, and basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Zucchini ribbons tossed with parmesan, pine nuts, and fresh basil.

Zucchini Carpaccio with Goat Cheese and Thyme

Servings: 2
Time: 5 minutes
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Ingredients:
½ zucchini, any size
2 Tablespoon crumbled goat cheese
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Using a vegetable peeler, peel zucchini vertically into thin ribbons.

Toss with lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil.

Top with crumbled goat cheese and fresh thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

White House Red Door

nurturing friends and family one dish at a time

Dinner

Lentil Soup with Sausage and Kale

Lentil Soup with Sausage and Kale

Thanksgiving Menu and To Do List

Thanksgiving 2015

Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup

Chili con Carne and Buttermilk Cornbread

Chili con Carne

Cornbread

Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Pancakes

Lasagna Roll Ups

Lasagna Roll Ups

Focaccia BLT

Focaccia

Pesto

Pesto

Homemade Ricotta

Homemade Ricotta

Zucchini Fritters, Tzatziki Sauce, and Carpaccio

Zucchini Fritters

Tzatziki Sauce

Zucchini Carpaccio with Parmesan, Pine Nuts, and Basil

Zucchini Carpaccio with Goat Cheese and Thyme

Lentil Soup with Sausage and Kale

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Thanksgiving 2015

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Italian Wedding Soup

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Chili con Carne

Cornbread

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Pumpkin Pancakes

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Lasagna Roll Ups

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Focaccia

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Pesto

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Homemade Ricotta

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Zucchini Fritters

Tzatziki Sauce

Zucchini Carpaccio with Parmesan, Pine Nuts, and Basil

Zucchini Carpaccio with Goat Cheese and Thyme

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