Beets for Boys and Girls

A few months ago I did a recipe called "Complete Beet Galette".  Faced with another bunch of beets and a hungry man, I devised two dishes from one main staple.  I had a complete beet salad with thinly sliced apricots on top and David had a complete beet sandwich with strips of local bacon.  Both results were memorable and delicious!

Ingredients

1 lb complete beets
1 tablespoon honey
apricots and/or bacon
baguette
olive oil
salt/pepper

1. Chop beets and their greens into bit size pieces. 
2. Heat saute pan over medium heat with a swirl of olive oil
3. When hot, add beets, their greens and finely chopped onions and saute about 7 minutes. 
4. Turn off heat and stir honey into the veggies
5. Add a dash of salt to taste
6. Meanwhile cook bacon if making the bacon sandwich version
7. Toast bread if using or slice apricot if opting for that version
8. When beets are done prepare to your liking!

Sun dried Tomato Grilled Chicken

The best thing about this dish is how easily it can be prepared and served.  You could also prep these and bring to a game day tailgate!  The flavors and best enjoyed in Autumn as you enjoy the last of the fresh basil!

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
8 sun dried tomatoes (in olive oil)
12 basil leaves
1/2 cup feta
Olive oil, salt and pepper

1. Using a heavy pan or a meat pounder, pound the chicken breast as flat as possible (be careful not to go so crazy the chicken sticks to the cutting board)
2. Top each breast with 2 tomatoes, 3 basil leaves and a sprinkle of feta
3. Roll the chicken "hamburger" style and secure with a toothpick or two
4. Drizzle olive oil over the chicken and sprinkle with salt/pepper
5. When ready to cook, heat the grill and cook the chicken on each side for about 6 minutes or until meat is nice and brown and cooked inside
6. Serve with this delicious Mini Greek Salad and our fabulous Lemon(lime) Drop Martini!

Beet and Goat Cheese Tarlets

Make these for your next potluck and you will be the favorite guest!  While I do consider it slightly cheating to use goat cheese in recipes (because it is such a delicious cheese), the beets really shine with this savory combination.

Ingredients


1 can of whole beets, drained and rinsed
1 square sheet puff pastry
2 small salad or sweet onions, thinly sliced
4 oz goat cheese (honestly you can use as much as you want)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Meanwhile prepare beets, when drained set aside and slice about 1/4 inch thick
3. Defrost puff pastry and carefully unroll.  Cut into even squares and place on parchment paper on a cookie sheet
4. Top with thinly sliced onion, beet and then sprinkle goat cheese on top
5. Cook in oven about 15 minutes or until exposed puff pastry is golden brown and cheese is slightly melted
6. These are best when served as close to baking as possible

Mini Greek Salad

The other day I got these amazing lemon cucumbers in my farm share and a plethora of basil.  With a bit of feta and olive oil I made this incredibly refreshing salad.  You could easily substitute regular cucumbers in place of the lemon cucumbers.

Ingredients


2 medium lemon cucumbers (about 2 cups chopped)
12-14 leaves of basil thinly sliced
1/4 cup crumbled feta
olive oil to taste
salt to taste

1. Combine chopped cucumbers, basil, feta in a bowl and then drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt to top!

Salad Nicoise

This salad can be made almost any season of the year and is most delicious when fresh in season vegetables are used.  I tried a new salad dressing here and it elevated this dish to a whole new level!

Ingredients


1 lb small new potatoes
1 lb romano beans
1 small red onion thinly sliced
1 small head of fennel
1 can of tuna in water (drained)
10 pitted nicoise olives chopped
2 tablespoons capers
8 oz sour cream
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
juice from one lemon

1. Start by boiling water for potatoes.  When water is boiling add potatoes and cook for about 20 minutes
2. In another pan, fill with water and when boiling add beans and cook for two minutes.  Immediately drain and blanch by running cold water over the beans.
3. Put the beans in the serving dish you will use and put in the fridge
4. Thinly slice the onion and fennel, add to the dish with the beans
5. Chop nicoise olives and set aside
6. Mix sour cream, mustard and lemon and set aside
7. Drain the potatoes and let cool for a few minutes
8. Add the potatoes to the serving dish with the other veggies then add the drained tuna.
9. Top with nicoise olives and capers
10. Serve on top of lettuce leaves and have dressing on the side so people can add as much as they like!

Chocolate Whiskey Cupcakes

I made these for my friend Hillary's birthday last month and they were a total hit!  They turned out just like chocolate lava cakes with a delicious whiskey cream topping!  You could easily swap your favorite liquor for the whiskey in this recipe!

Ingredients

Makes 12 cupcakes

Batter

1 stick butter

4 oz dark chocolate

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon whiskey

1/4 cup flour

Frosting

2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 whiskey

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line your cupcake tin
3. Place butter and chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.  Set the bowl over a saucepan of boiling water and stir occasionally until melted.  Then remove the bowl from the pan.
4. Using a mixer, whisk the eggs, sugar, and whiskey on medium speed for about 5 minutes (easiest if you do this in a stand mixer).  Reduce speed and add in melted chocolate/butter mixture.
5. Finally fold in the flour to this mixture
4. Spoon batter into the cupcake liners and bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean
6. When cupcakes are done, transfer to wire rack and cool.
7. For the frosting, separate the eggs so you only have egg whites.  Place the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl and place over boiling water similar to the way you did the chocolate.
8. When the sugar dissolves remove the bowl from the pan
7. Using the stand mixer again and whisk together the egg white and sugar mixture until egg whites have cooled.  Then add the whiskey and mix until combined.
8. Frost the cupcakes and serve IMMEDIATELY!