Avocado Egg Rolls

I love avocado! Eggrolls are easy to make with avocado and the sun-dried tomatoes. You will soon have this as a quick go to meal any day of the week!

EGG ROLLS:

 1 large Avocado, chopped

 1 TBSP. sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

 1 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro

 1/8 tsp. salt

3 egg roll wraps

1 egg

DIPPING SAUCE:

 1/4 tsp. white vinegar

 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

 1/2 cup honey

 1 pinch powdered saffron (don’t skip this, it adds flavor)

 1/2 cup chopped cashews

 2/3 cup fresh cilantro

2 cloves garlic

 1 TBSP sugar

 1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, stir together vinegars, honey and saffron. Heat for one minute in the microwave.

2. Puree this mixture in a blender adding cashews, 2/3 cup cilantro, garlic, sugar, pepper and cumin. Pour into a bowl and add the oil. Stir and refrigerate.

3. In a bowl, stir together chopped avocado, tomatoes, 1 tsp. cilantro and salt. Add 1/3 of the mixture onto the center of each egg roll wrapper.

4. Position the wrapper so the corner is pointing towards you. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling. Fold remaining corners up over the filling and brushing the corners with egg to secure in place. Roll up from the bottom folding the top corner over all. Seal with egg and repeat for remaining wrappers.

5. Fry egg rolls for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.

6. Serve with dipping sauce.

Corn Salad- Esquites

Cinco de Mayo! The perfect day to incorporate a Mexican style dish. Here is a good corn salad. I use my freshly frozen garden corn this time year. Try making it in the summer with fresh grilled corn, even better!!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
• 3 cups corn (about 4 ears), cut from the cob is the best!
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 glove garlic, grated
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 handful cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime, juice
• 2 tablespoons or more of  cotija – a Mexican cheese (or feta), crumbled
• chili powder to taste

Directions

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat

Add the corn, toss and let it sit cooking until charred, mix it up and let it char again. Or use freshly grilled, charred corn on the cob, then add to skillet.

Add the jalapeno, saute for a minute and remove from heat.

Mix everything and serve at room temperature.

Kohlrabi, Fennel and Blueberry Salad

I   made this salad last year and I loved it! The sweetness of the blueberries and the anise flavor of the fennel and then the crispness of the kohlrabi make this a favorite in our house!

                                                        Kohlrabi, Fennel and Blueberry Salad

Ingredients

1/2 cup(s) sliced almonds

2 tablespoon(s) minced peeled fresh ginger

2 tablespoon(s) minced shallot

1 tablespoon(s) white balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon(s) mayonnaise

1 1/2 teaspoon(s) Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon(s) soy sauce

1 teaspoon(s) pure maple syrup

1/4 cup(s) grapeseed oil

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 1/4 pound(s) kohlrabi, peeled and very thinly sliced on a mandoline

1 bulb(s) fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced on a mandoline

2 ounce(s) (1/2 cup) blue cheese or try a  semifirm goat cheese, such as Evalon, Garrotxa or Manchester, shaved. If you are not a tart cheese, then use a fresh mozzarella.

1 cup(s) blueberries or pitted, halved sweet cherries

2 tablespoon(s) torn mint leaves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the almonds on a pie plate and toast for about 7 minutes, until golden. Let cool.

In a mini food processor or blender, or use a stick blender in a large glass,  combine the ginger, shallot, vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard, soy sauce, and maple syrup and puree. With the blender on, add the grapeseed oil in a thin stream and blend until creamy. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, toss the kohlrabi with the fennel, cheese, toasted almonds, and dressing. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Add the blueberries and mint and toss gently. Serve right away!! This will wilt if you keep it too long in the fridge. The crispness of the veggies make the salad.

 

 

 

 

 

Easy and Quick Kohlrabi Slaw

Easy and Quick Kohlrabi Slaw

• Kohlrabi, (peeled) cut into matchsticks (fresh from the garden or market) 
• Apple, cut into matchsticks Slice into some lemon juice to preserve color
• Olive oil (use the best extra virgin you can)
• Fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Mix kohlrabi and apple matchsticks (both peeled or not) with olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, then serve!!

 

I am trying some new recipes for kohlrabi, one of my favorite garden vegetables. Here is one that is different with an Asian taste!

Kohlrabi Stir-fried
Serves 2 or 3

2 kohlrabi, each about the size of a large orange (fresh from the garden or market)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small red onion, sliced vertically into thin wedges
Salt

1. Peel the kohlrabi and cut into thick julienne. Set aside.

2. Beat the eggs with the fish sauce and black pepper. Set aside.

3. Heat the canola oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook for about 1 minute until just softened.

4. Add the kohlrabi and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. It should weep some liquid. However, feel free to splash in water and/or lower the heat if the skillet looks dry.

Give the egg one last gentle beat then pour over the kohlrabi. Stir to combine and cook for another 30 seconds, until the egg has set. Remove from the heat. Season with salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Colcannon Potatoes

Colcannon is a tasty mashed potato dish made with cabbage (or kale) and sometimes bacon or ham. This is considered an Irish dish so I made them for this past St. Patty’s Day! But they are good any day of the year with some roast beef or stew.

Colcannon Potatoes
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and quartered (I used Russet but use what you have)
3 slices of bacon
1 small onion, diced
¼ medium head of cabbage, shredded (or kale)
4 tbsp butter (depends on how much you like in your mashed potatoes)
3/4 cup cream or milk
salt/pepper

In a large pot, add the potatoes, cover with water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet until nearly crisp, crumble and set aside on a paper towel. Keep about a tablespoon of the grease in the skillet and sauté the onion and shredded cabbage (or kale) over moderate heat until tender.

Reduce the heat with the potatoes to a simmer until soft then drain. In a bowl, combine the potatoes, 3 tablespoons of butter, cream or milk and a few dashes of salt and pepper. Mash it all together with a fork until the lumps are gone (or keep them if you like). Stir in the bacon and cooked onion/cabbage mixture with the grease. Top the dish with the remaining tablespoon of butter in a well in the center. Serve immediately.

These were served with a fresh parsley sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup plain flour
1 1/4 cups milk
1 pinch salt
1 pinch white pepper
2 ounces parsley, chopped finely=use Italian flat parsley
1 egg yolk (optional)
2 dashes hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

Gently melt the butter in a saucepan (non-stick is easier). Don’t let it sizzle.

Add the flour, salt, and white pepper (black pepper at a push, but you’ll be able to see black specks in the sauce).

Stir, over gentle heat, with a wooden spoon for a few minutes to let the flour cook and to amalgamate everything. If you don’t cook it long enough at this stage, the sauce will taste floury.

Add a little milk to the flour and butter mix (you have now made a roux) and stir again. When it is amalgamated, add a little more milk and mix again. Add more milk, little by little, until you have a thickish creamy sauce. Cook the sauce for 5 minutes over gentle heat, stirring to stop it sticking. If you get lumps, press them with the wooden spoon against the side of the pan to mash them. If you need to, use a whisk, but be careful not to scratch a non-stick pan. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

For a richer sauce, add a little hot sauce to a raw egg yolk in a cup, mix well, then reintroduce into the main sauce.

Add the parsley, stir and serve immediately.

White Bean Salad

White Bean Salad

This could not be a simpler salad. Fresh tomatoes are best in season, but you can purchase this time of year or skip them.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
•   Salt and pepper
• 3 (15-ounce) cans  cannellini beans, rinsed
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives

Instructions

•  Heat 1 tablespoon oil and garlic in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to simmer. Remove from heat, add beans, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes. Combine vinegar and shallot in large bowl and let sit for 20 minutes.
•  Drain beans and discard garlic. Add beans, remaining oil, tomatoes, basil, and olives to shallot mixture, and toss until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for 20 minutes. Serve.

Kombucha Brewing!

Thanks to the Lamb Shoppe (320-587-6094) for the class on Kombucha!!

My “Scoby”  is busy brewing!

Growing Celery for Fun

Growing Celery From a Bunch!!

I found this idea online and tried it last year and it worked pretty good! I am growing celery again and it so nice to have some freshly chopped pieces in egg salad, tuna salad, or all kinds of salads!!

You can grow celery from the leftover end of a bunch of celery you have already used. The end of the celery should be about 3-4 inches tall. Set it with the flat side down in a dish of water filled to about 1/2 up to top of celery bunch. Let it sit in the water until you start seeing some growth out of the middle. The first thing to appear are small leaves, let them grow for about 7-10 days.  The photo has several bunch ends set into a milk carton bottom.

Next step is to pot this growing leaf bunch! Using potting soil in a medium sized pot, put the growing celery bunch into the pot until it is almost to the top of bunch. Look at the picture, it should be covered approximately this much. Then  water to keep it moist but not soaking wet. Water again when you stick your finger in the soil and it is slightly dry. Start  to harvest the stems when they get to be around 4 inches tall. If you let them grow too long, they flop over the container. It is really fun to watch the celery grow. As the older pieces around the newly growing plant start to fade, take those off and put into your compost pail.

Eventually all stalks will be out of the stem and look like they are not doing so well. At this point you might as well start a new stalk as those older stems will not keep producing .

Plant another bunch closer to about the planting time the middle or end of May and then give it a try outdoors by placing it in the dirt the same depth as you would in the pot. Give it some mulch around the side and as the stalks grow, keep mulching or put tires around to keep the stalks growing long.

Avocado Pasta

 AVOCADO PASTA 
makes 4 servings

* add some grilled or rotisserie chicken from the deli for proteinINGREDIENTS
1 -2 pints of canned tomatoes or a dozen fresh cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
3 – 4 tbsp olive oil
4 servings of fettuccine noodles or any other noodle on hand
3 ripe avocados, seed and skin removed (2 if you like less avocado taste)
2 garlic cloves, peeled, minced
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup pine nuts (toasted)
grated fresh Parmesan cheese or slicescooked chicken leftovers or a rotisserie chicken from the deli

salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 300 ºF.

Wash and quarter the tomatoes. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with 1 – 2 tbsp olive oil, just enough to coat.  Bake for 1 hour in the oven or until tomatoes are soft and a bit golden.

Ten minutes before tomatoes are finished, fill a large pot with water and a sprinkle of salt. Bring to a rapid boil. Add the dry fettuccine to the water and cook until al dente.

OR open a can of whole tomatoes. I used my canned cherry ones from the garden.

While the pasta is boiling, add 2 tbsp olive oil, avocado, garlic, salt and lemon juice to a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are smooth and creamy.

Strain the pasta, and combine with the sauce and chicken in a large bowl, until all the pasta has been covered.

Add the roasted tomatoes, sprinkle with  slices Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. Add some salt and black pepper to taste.

Winter Minestrone

This incredibly hearty winter soup falls somewhere between a soup and a stew.The texture and flavor are amazing—it’s filled with chunky vegetables, pasta,beans, and spinach.

Pesto and Parmesan swirled in at the end make it even better. Serve it in big shallow bowls with garlic bruschetta on top.

 Winter Minestrone

Serves 6 to 8

Good olive oil

4 ounces pancetta

1/2 -inch-diced

1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions

2 cups (1/2-inch) diced carrots (3 carrots)

2 cups (1/2-inch) diced celery (3 stalks)

2 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) diced peeled butternut squash

1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

26 ounces canned or boxed chopped tomatoes, (I use my home canned)

6 to 8 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

1 bay leaf Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups cooked small pasta, such as tubetti (see note)

8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup good dry white wine

2 tablespoons pesto ( I use my frozen pesto from my garden in the summer)

Garlic Bruschetta (recipe follows)

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

To cook the pasta, put 1 cup of pasta into a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook according to the directions on the package, drain, and set aside.

You can make this soup ahead and reheat it before serving. It will need to be reseasoned.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy  Dutch oven. Add the pancetta and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add the tomatoes, 6 cups of the chicken stock, the bay leaf, 1 table-spoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Discard the bay leaf. Add the beans and cooked pasta and heat through. the soup should be quite thick but if it’s too thick, add more chicken stock. Just before serving, reheat the soup, add the spinach,and toss with 2 big spoons (like tossing a salad). Cook just until the leaves are wilted. Stir in the white wine and pesto. Depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock, add another teaspoon or two of salt to taste. Serve large shallow bowls of soup with a bruschetta on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and serve hot.

Garlic Bruschetta

1 baguette

Good olive oil

1 garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Slice the baguette at a 45-degree angle in 1/2 inch-thick slices. Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and bake for 6 minutes, until lightly toasted. Take the slices out of the oven and rub the surface of each one with the cut clove of garlic.