Apples

Now that much of the summer's fruit is no longer available .... except for the amazing berries, peaches and plums I have in the freezer ..... apples are the fresh fruit mainstay for the next couple of months.  Pears are still around too.

Nothing makes an easier breakfast or snack than a crisp apple!  mmm!

the reason for my silence

Lazy Mashed Potatoes and Mushroom Gravy

OK, not a traditional summer meal, but I served it with fresh slices tomatoes and boiled green and yellow beans, that got cooked in the potato water .... who has the time for two pots!  It was just Little Critic and I tonight, so we ate up some of the current produce that Big Critic avoids.

• 1 LBS of potatoes
• 2 cups sliced white button mushrooms
• 3 TBS of butter
• 1 TBS fresh thyme
• 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup milk

Place the potatoes in a pot filled with water and bring to a boil until cooked through.  While the potatoes are cooking heat the butter in a pan and throw in all the mushrooms.  Allow the mushrooms to cook until they are well browned and have shrunk to half their size.  Add in the thyme and the worcestershire sauce and reduce heat.  Slowly stir in the milk and turn off the heat once heated through.  Do not allow the milk to boil.  Remove the potatoes from the pan and place them directly into the bowl you will be serving them from.  Use a masher and mash them right in the bowl.  If you are a lump avoider, use a potato ricer.  Dump the mushroom gravy on top.  The potato will absorb the sauce and will become a traditional mashed potato.  Now you know why it is called Lazy!

Sundried Tomatoes

These should really be called oven dried tomatoes, but I suspect that the ones we can buy in the store are not actually dried in the sun either.  Big Critic was very nervous about leaving the oven on all night.  I woke up at 3:30 to check on them, but all was well and they turned out perfect!  I didn't want to buy a food dehydrator just for a few tomatoes a year, so the oven worked just fine, but if you are big into dehydrating, then it might be a worthy investment.

Take a full bushel of Roma or Plum tomatoes.  Cut them in half and place them cut side up on a cookie sheet.  Some recipes indicate that you should sprinkle with sea salt, drizzle with oil and dust with fresh thyme.  I didn't do any of these, as I want to keep sodium low and I will add flavour when they are used in recipes. Place the cookie sheet in a 200 degree oven for 10-12 hours.  You will need to keep them in longer if you want to store in a container on the shelf, but this was long enough to concentrate the tomato flavour but they were still a little soft.  Place all the tomatoes into ziplock bags and put 'em in the freezer.

My freezer is now about 60% full and it looks like a rainbow in there!

Meatloaf Burgers

My brother came over to help with the out of control weeds in the garden and I fed him these.  I thought I call them Carrot Onion Burgers, but when we tasted them my brother said they tasted like meatloaf ... hence the name.

•  1 LBS ground beef (you could easily make these with ground turkey as the they are very moist)
• 2 TBS fresh thyme
• 2 grated carrots
• 1/2 a grated onion (I used a strong Capelli Onion)
• pinch of salt

Mix all the ingredients and form into four patties.  BBQ until cooked through. Eat it with a bun like a burger is meant to be enjoyed!

Roasted Red Peppers

Nothing beats a roasted red pepper that was harvested in its prime, roasted, tucked away in the freezer and then eaten in the deep of the winter when red peppers come from afar and taste like water.  This quick preserving recipe was learned from a very traditional Italian woman I worked with once, so there must be some authenticity.

Fill a cookie sheet with whole washed red peppers.  Make sure the peppers are not touching.  Place them in the oven at 450 for 45 minutes.  The peppers should be blackened on most of the pepper, but not burnt.  Allow the peppers to cool on the counter, put them whole into a ziplock bag and put them in the freezer.  When you want to eat them simple take them out of the freezer and allow them to thaw.  The skin should slide right off and the innards can be discarded by scrapping the inside with the back of a knife.  Do you run under water to clean. 

Can't wait to use these babes in my winter recipes.

New Potato Salad

The new potatoes in the summer are so different to the ones we eat in the winter, so enjoy them now.  They make a nice potato salad, but careful not to overcook or they will get mushy quickly.

• 1 LBS of new potatoes
• 1 cup of chopped green or yellow beans
• 1/4 cup chives
• 2 TBS fresh thyme
• 1 clove of garlic
• one egg yolk
• 1/2 TBS white vinegar
• 1 tsp of dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup sunflower oil

Bring a pot of water with the potatoes in it to a boil.  When the potatoes are just soft enough to eat add the beans and cook for another five minutes.  Drain and allow to cool.  Combine the rest of the ingredients in a magic bullet or mini chopper.  If you have a unit that allows you to slowly add the oil, do so, but if not, it'll be fine without.  Not really trying to make mayonnaise, but just a good sauce for the potato salad.  Combine sauce with the potatoes and beans and allow to completely chill in the fridge. 

Little critic liked the beans, but choose to spit the potato on the floor.  A sign of dislike I guess!