Tomato Mozzarella Sandwiches with Ramp Pesto

Tomatoes and Mozzarella with Ramp Pesto

I recently planted some tomato plants and although we are a long way away from harvesting tomatoes in our own backyard, just the thought that fresh, local tomatoes are right around the corner got me craving some sliced tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.

Real food has dirt

Today, I had the good fortune to split an order of ramps with my friend, Mandy - she had ordered 6 bunches and was more than willing to spread the wealth around a bit. These ramps came to us via our weekly farmers market delivery and, truth be told, had Mandy not offered to split her order, I might not have dared to get some of these on my own. As a relative newcomer to the Carolinas, I am not familiar at all with these pungent little onions. I am positive that these are not readily available anywhere up north, however, I am so glad that I took the plunge! They are only in season for a short time each year - a harbinger for a more plentiful produce supply on the horizon. What a unique taste they have! The flavor is a little like a cross between a shallot, a scallion and garlic - a little sweet with a lot of kick and a little bit of a smell like my grandmother's cellar.

I had planned to layer some basil on my tomato and mozzarella slices and call it a day but when I saw these ramps I knew I had to try something with them right away. I recently read a recipe on Food 52 for Wild Ramp Pesto and it got me thinking... what harm could it do to throw a bunch of ramps and some olive oil into the food processor?

Ramps ... All cleaned up

The hardest part of the process of making ramp pesto was cleaning the ramps. As I mentioned above, these are locally grown - from the ground - real food has dirt, right? Just rinse the ramps off and peel off the loose outer covering of the bulb. I was able to snap the very tip of the root off with my finger - no knives required. Make sure that the grit is gone from between the leaves as you rinse the ramps under the water. Roughly chop the ramps and toss them into the food processor. Use the entire plant - I only discarded the hairy roots. Give it a few pulses and watch it turn bright green.

Add in some olive oil. I used half of a large bunch of ramps - probably 12 or so were used to make this batch of pesto - so I gradually added in about a tablespoon of olive oil at a time. In the end, I probably used almost 3 tablespoons of olive oil. I seasoned the pesto with sea salt and pepper and then decided to throw in a handful of chopped pecans. Delicious. Pulse a bit more, scrape down the sides of the food processor, and transfer to a small serving dish.

To Make the Sandwiches: 

I found beautiful sourdough rolls nearby and couldn't pass them up. I layered two slices of tomato and two slices of mozzarella on one side of the sliced roll and spread a heavy tablespoon of ramp pesto over the tomato and mozzarella. On the other side of the roll, I drizzled some red wine vinegar. The red wine vinegar softened the roll a bit and added a really nice flavor to the sandwich. Cut in half and serve! Enjoy.

Ramps have a little kick ... I wasn't so heavy handed with the ramp pesto on the kids' sandwiches!

3 Minute Fudge

My friend recently had a baby and I asked her if I could bring her anything. She quickly replied, "Fudge. Fudge with marshmallows." Such a simple request! This fudge really takes 3 minutes to make if you melt the ingredients in the microwave. I have tried making fudge on the stove with a candy thermometer and every time it is a grueling process with limited success. I have found that if I stick to some general combination of chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and sweetened condensed milk, I will have success. Always.

If you prefer creamier fudge, increase the marshmallows and decrease the chocolate. And, of course, the better the quality of the chocolate, the better the fudge will taste... that being said, nobody turns this down just because I used Hershey's instead of Scharffen Berger. Ghirardelli chocolate was on sale recently so I had an assortment of Ghirardelli chocolate to choose from for this fudge making endeavor. Delicious.

Ingredients: 

In the microwave ...

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
2 cups mini marshmallows (divided)
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Directions: 

Combine chocolate chips, 1 cup of mini marshmallows and the can of sweetened condensed milk in a glass bowl. Heat on high for three minutes in the microwave. Stir well to combine ingredients until it resembles fudge and becomes slightly hard to stir. Gently fold in the remaining 1 cup of mini marshmallows.

Spread the fudge in a 9x9 (or 8x8) pan lined with parchment paper. I cut off a piece of parchment paper to help push the fudge evenly into the corners with my fingers - no sticking! After the fudge has been spread evenly into the pan, I like to stick a few mini marshmallows into the top of the fudge and press them in with my finger so you can actually tell there are marshmallows in the fudge.

Mini Bites of Fudgy Goodness

Chill the fudge for a few hours and then turn the fudge onto a cutting board and cut into small pieces using a large, sharp knife - I truly cut my fudge into bite-sized pieces. Less mess when the kids help themselves to a piece and less guilt when you go back for a second or third bite! Enjoy!

Ham and Cheese Quesadillas

Another night of tennis practice, another make-ahead meal... ham and cheese quesadillas! Sometimes I think a recipe is too simple to actually be called a recipe and I hesitate to post it. However, can anything ever be "too easy?" The easier the better ... right?

You can't get much easier than this. Corn tortillas, muenster cheese, sliced deli ham. (We are partial to Boar's Head deli meats from our local Harris Teeter - no extra colors, fillers, etc. and gluten free!) Layer a slice of cheese and a piece of ham in between two corn tortillas. Lightly spray a pan with olive oil or melt a little butter in it. Once the pan is hot, cook the quesadillas for a few minutes each side.

Set aside - serve warm or cold. We ate ours at room temperature after tennis served with leftover beans and rice from last night's dinner and some sliced apples. Easy peasy. Enjoy!

Mini Meatball Soup

My friend texted me from Cleveland yesterday that it had been raining so much she was thinking about building an ark. This recipe is perfect for one of those rainy, ark-building days. It is very easy to make and children and adults will love it.

Making the Mini Meatballs ... 

I had a pound of beef in the freezer that I got from C-Saw Hill Farm - grass fed, no hormones, no antibiotics - bright red color with very little fat - it was perfect for making little meatballs for this soup.

I crushed up some corn tortilla chips and sprinkled the beef with oregano and salt and pepper. I poured about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and let it heat up a bit. While it was heating, I quickly rolled about 2 to 3 dozen mini meatballs - about the size of marbles. I dropped them into the pan as soon as the oil was hot enough and then cooked them on medium high for about 5 to 10 minutes. (I was tossing in the meatballs as I rolled them so some were in there for about 5 minutes and others were in there for about 10.) After they finished cooking, I put the meatballs on a paper towel on a plate to absorb any excess oil - due to the meat I used, there really wasn't any excess grease but if you use less lean meat you might want to do this before adding the meatballs to the soup.

Making the Soup ... 

Spinach in our garden

1 bunch of fresh spinach or 1 package frozen spinach
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
1 carton (about 4 cups) chicken stock
1/2 to 3/4 cup mini pasta (I used gluten free corn pasta from DeBoles)
2 carrots, sliced into thin disks
1 can (14 oz.) cannellini beans
1/2 pound to 1 pound Mini Meatballs

Local carrots

Since I used frozen spinach this time, I let the frozen spinach thaw on the counter for a bit before I made the soup. I put the semi-frozen spinach in the bottom of my large heavy bottomed soup pan and broke up the spinach with my spoon. I added the can of diced tomatoes, 1 carton of chicken stock, and the carrots. I got the carrots locally and the skin on the carrots is so thin that I don't even need to peel them - save yourself the effort and just thinly slice them after you scrub off the dirt.

The final product

Break up the spinach and stir to combine all the ingredients. Bring the soup to a boil and add in the pasta. Cook on high for about 10 minutes until the pasta is cooked. Add in the cannellini beans (white kidney beans) and the meatballs. Reduce heat and cook for another five minutes or so. If you like your soup to be more "soupy" you can add additional water. I prefer thicker soup so I used 3/4 of a cup of pasta and added no additional liquid.

To be honest, I made this soup at about 3pm in the afternoon, covered it and set it aside so I could take the kids to tennis. I just let it sit for the hour we were gone and then served it just slightly warm when we got home at 5. It was delicious. You can sprinkle some grated parmesan over the top or serve this with crusty bread. Enjoy!

Crustless Quiche Lorraine

Got leftover Easter Ham? Make some crustless quiche lorraine! This recipe is super simple and is a great use of leftover ham and any veggie (or no veggie).

We had Easter dinner a week early with my parents so we have been experimenting with leftovers for the past week or so. My dad made a traditional quiche lorraine with a crust and I decided to make one crustless. For anyone interested in the nomenclature of quiche ... quiche lorraine generally contains chopped ham while quiche that contains both ham and onions is actually quiche alsacienne. So I guess this post should really be called Crustless Quiche Alsacienne.  Whatever you decide to call it, it will taste great! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

6 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup half and half
2 slices leftover ham, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

Directions:

1. Saute the chopped onion and ham in a little bit of olive oil. Place in the bottom of a deep dish pie pan sprayed with Pam. Add 1 cup of the shredded cheese.

2. Whisk the eggs. Add the sour cream and half and half (you can also use milk). Lightly whisk. Pour the egg mixture over the ham and cheese. Sprinkle the top with about 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

3. Cook at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Notes ... **If you have any type of greens - spinach, kale, collards - saute them with the ham or just put them in the bottom of the pie pan when you add the cheese. **You can use any type of cheese you have on hand. I love swiss cheese in my quiche but I rarely have it in the fridge.

French Lentils and Brown Basmati Rice

Top with diced tomatoes and cucumbers

This meal is as delicious as it is healthy! If you have a grocery store that leans a little bit to the healthy side, chances are that they have a bulk food section. I am lucky enough to live within walking distance of Earth Fare, a local NC healthy food store that has an excellent bulk items section. Don't let bulk items intimidate you. Get a closer look - check out the prices! The low price alone should be reason enough to inspire you to test out a new grain or legume.

A few weeks ago, I was drawn to the French lentils for no other reason than that they looked harmless and I liked the name. When I got home I found a webpage devoted to lentils - truly someone took the time to identify a dozen (or more) different types of lentils. I learned that French lentils have a great flavor and hold their shape better than other lentils although they do take a little bit longer to cook. I have previously cooked with the basic brown lentils that you see on supermarket shelves everywhere - those are quick and easy to cook, but if you forget about them simmering on the stove they do turn a bit mushy. Since I planned to cook my French lentils with brown basmati rice, I figured both the brown rice and the sturdier lentils would probably be a good combination and take about the same amount of time to cook. Luckily for me, I was right.

For the lentils and brown basmati rice ... I combined two cups of lentils and 1 cup of rice in a small pan and added 3 1/2 cups of broth, brought the broth to a boil, reduced the heat to low, covered the pan, and let the lentils and rice simmer for about 40 minutes. Season the lentils and rice with garam masala if you want a little Indian flavor, or add some cumin, or even just a little salt to keep it simple.

Ready to be caramelized...

Caramelized onions: If you would like to fancy up this side dish and turn it into a main course, caramelize some onions. Every time I caramelize onions, I worry that I am cutting up too many onions and every time I actually could have safely cut up even MORE onions. Slice about 4 onions so that you get nice thin rings. Toss the onions in a heavy handed amount of olive oil in a sturdy bottomed pan and bring the heat up to medium/medium high. It usually takes me about forty minutes to caramelize onions. To reduce the amount of time I am in the kitchen, I try to prep the onions ahead of time and have them ready and waiting when it is time to cook dinner. At that point, the only attention they will need is for you to stir the onions as they cook. You want them to get very, very dark and brown - almost burnt. When the onions are sufficiently caramelized, you can use them to top your lentils and brown rice alongside some freshly diced tomatoes and cucumbers.

Diced tomatoes and cucumbers: Finely chop one large tomato and one large cucumber. We added some chopped garlic and onion greens as well as some fresh parsley from our garden - you could also add scallions, cilantro, or other fresh herbs. Toss everything with a little bit of olive oil, red wine vinegar, and sea salt. Serve over the lentils, brown rice, and caramelized onions. Enjoy!

General lentil information: Lentils can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to a year. Cooked lentils can keep in your fridge for a few days.

Egg Pizza

Egg Pizza

So the name of this dish might sound a little bit odd ... but it does kind of look like pizza, doesn't it? Today was an unusually warm and humid spring day and I didn't really want to put an exceptional amount of effort into dinner so I scanned the fridge and saw A LOT of eggs. If you read this blog frequently, you know that I love my local, farm fresh eggs - Amish, free range eggs... I buy them by the flat and 30 eggs usually lasts me two weeks. However, we were out of town this weekend so I need to get crackin, so to speak... I currently have an egg surplus. 


This recipe was impromptu and so easy. It also was a quick way to use up 8 eggs and feed 6 people.


Ingredients: 


8 eggs
6 ounces plain Greek yogurt 
2 cups shredded cheese (any type)

Plain Greek Yogurt 

1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles 


Directions:


Lightly whisk the eggs. Add the yogurt. Whisk to combine. Add the cheese and diced tomatoes. Pour egg mixture into a 9 x 12 lightly greased baking dish. Cook for about 40 minutes at 375 degrees. Cut into pizza sized slices and serve with fresh fruit or raw veggies (or both)! Enjoy! 


Suggestions ... if you are concerned that the heat from diced tomatoes and green chiles might be too strong, use plain diced tomatoes. If you would like a cheesier egg pizza, add in some extra cheese or sprinkle some on top. There were only a few leftover slices (pictured above) - they will be found in the lunchboxes tomorrow! 


Note about yogurt... Since Greek yogurt is thicker than standard yogurt, if you use traditional yogurt, your egg pizza will be a little bit lighter and rise a little bit more. It might not be so pizza-like but it will still taste great! If you would like to turn your own plain yogurt into thicker, Greek-style yogurt, just pour your yogurt over a cheesecloth and let the excess whey strain into a container for a few hours. The result will be thicker and creamier yogurt! 


  

Black Bean Quesadillas and Cilantro Lime Rice

It probably doesn't need to be pointed out that I love food and I love cooking, but I guess I often take for granted that this love is not shared by all. Today, a friend said to me, "I don't like cooking, I think of food just as fuel and I want the process to be as quick as possible." She did follow this comment up by saying, "But I love your blog - it's good for food dummies like me." She's not really a food dummy, but I understand her reluctance to let food preparation take time away from her little girls. In her honor, tonight we made black bean quesadillas and cilantro lime rice. Quick, easy, delicious.

Black Bean Quesadillas

Ingredients:

Refried black beans
Shredded Mexican blend cheese
Chopped garlic chives
Corn tortillas (or small flour tortillas)

I like to prepare a few quesadillas and then cook them two at a time. Think of a quesadilla like a grilled cheese sandwich - the possibilities are endless. Tonight I spread some refried black beans (about 1 large spoonful) on a corn tortilla, sprinkled some shredded cheese over the top, and finished it off with some garlic chives from a fabulous herb gardener in Rutherfordton, NC - Carolyn Elgin. Top off your ingredients with another corn tortilla and press down so the two tortillas stick together. Try to make the cheese extend almost to the edge of the tortilla to help the quesadilla seal together while it is cooking.

Kid-sized pieces of quesadilla

Cook over medium to medium high heat for a few minutes, flip it over and continue cooking for a few more minutes. I like to snip my quesadillas into bite-size, kid friendly pieces (using my handy kitchen shears) so my children basically can have a free-for-all when it comes to the table. Quesadillas also make an excellent after school snack and they taste great packed in a lunch box for the next day (although we rarely have any extra - but, in theory, it's a nice idea.)

Serving size ... Four quesadillas (using 8 small corn tortillas and about 1/2 cup refried beans) fed three small children.

Serving suggestion ... top the quesadillas with a little bit of sour cream and serve with cilantro lime rice and a side of cherry tomatoes for a quick and easy meal.

To make cilantro lime rice ... prepare rice (I cooked 1 cup of brown rice in my rice cooker) and then add a few squeezes of lime (about 1/4 of a lime), a handful of chopped cilantro (mine came from the Greene Family Farm), and some salt (I like kosher salt or sea salt) to your cooked rice. Lightly combine together using a fork. As summer approaches, there are a lot of things that taste great with lime and salt - why not your rice? Enjoy!

Healthy Cooking Recipe Contest

Greens... but not spinach greens

A short while back, I wrote a blog post about one of my favorite casseroles - Spinach, Sausage, and Pasta Bake. It is the perfect kid-friendly, generally healthy, super-easy, weeknight meal. As a bonus, it is also the perfect dinner to deliver to friends and neighbors in need of a night off from the kitchen!

I recently entered a Healthy Kids Recipe Contest using that recipe. I would love it if you could click here and vote! Voting closes this Thursday ... the top three recipes will go head-to-head in a cookoff. I am getting close to the top three!

Please vote and share with your friends! Many thanks, Erin