Summer Spaghetti

Our CSA has been overloading us with squash--summer squash, zucchini, 8 ball squash, Patty Pan squash (on which I cannot comment, being that my husband passed this to his father)--and my dad passed us what I think is a Rolet squash, which means we are swimming in squash around here!  Add this to the fact that my husband does not eat anything anywhere near the squash family, and this is a big problem.

So when I was assigned The Boys Made me Do It in this week's recipe swap, I was thrilled to see this recipe, which uses a few types of squash as well as other ingredients my husband does eat.  Even better, it's fast and keeps the kitchen sort of cool and we have a winner!

I did not use broccoli as Cara suggested and really wish I had.  It would have added more heft to my husband's squash-less plate.  The trick is that you can use any fresh veg you have on hand!  Hoping to add a little more flavor, I added a splash of Pinot Grigio (ok, maybe a glug) when adding the pasta water.  I think this was a great addition and brought even more sweetness to this dish.  I used a summer squash and an 8 ball squash here.

Summer Spaghetti  Source: Better Homes and Garden Magazine, June 2012 via The Boys Made me Do It
    8 oz. spaghetti noodles
    Dry white wine
    1/4 cup olive oil
    3 cloves garlic, pressed
    Pinch of crushed red pepper
    1 1/2 cups grilled zucchini and/or other summer veggies
    1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved at the equator
    Small handful fresh basil, torn
    Salt and pepper, to taste
    1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Prepare spaghetti to al dente in a large pot of boiling water (about 9-10 minutes boiling time). Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

In a large saute' pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the zucchini, tomatoes, and torn basil. Season with salt and pepper.

Reduce heat to low. Add as much wine as you'd like with reserved pasta water to make 1/2c of liquid; add liquid and spaghetti to skillet. 

Heat thoroughly, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan.


 Transfer to large serving bowl and garnish with chopped basil.

Party menu

We are having our annual summer party this weekend.  Here's what I've planned so far for the menu; your thoughts are welcome!

We are currently expecting 15 adults and 9 kids.

Appetizer (being brought, don't know what it is)
Crudite 
Chips and Dip (Hot Corn Dip, Skinny Poolside Dip, Artichoke Dip)
Clams (maybe, being brought)

Potato Salad (being brought)
Cole Slaw (being brought)
Meatballs and Sausage (being brought)
Chicken Teriyaki Burgers
Hot Dogs
Tomato Cucumber Salad
Grilled Corn

Raspberry bars (being brought)
Cupcakes (being brought)
Dessert (not sure, being brought)

Sausage and Clams with Kale

Our CSA this week included a bunch of kale.  In addition, my son, father, and I had gone clamming last weekend, and came home with about 2 dozen clams.  Intending to find ways to use up the CSA basket and clams this week, I chose this recipe to do both.

When I first mentioned "sausage and clams" together, my husband actually shriveled his nose and said that they did not sound like things that would go well together.  Awesome.

I went ahead and made the recipe anyway.  My boys LOVED the clams and the sausage.  Both were asking for more and more and more.  THIRDS on the clams, and still asking for more.  The little one also went to town on the spaghetti I served this over, while his brother really wouldn't touch it.  Neither would eat the kale.

My husband, on the other hand, also enjoyed the clams and sausage, but thought the pasta had no flavor and did not enjoy the kale.

I enjoyed it well enough, and wish I'd added some crushed red pepper to the mix (alas, the almost 5 year old would NEVER have gone for that!)

Give it a try; maybe your family will love it more than mine!

Sausage and Clams with Kale Source:  Cooking Light

Ingredients

• Cooking spray 
• 12 ounces sweet turkey Italian sausage 
• 1/2 cup chopped onion 
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Madeira wine or dry sherry
• 8 cups chopped kale (about 10 ounces)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt 
• 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 
• 16 littleneck clams

Preparation

1. Heat a Dutch oven over high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage to pan; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in chopped onion and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add Madeira; cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates. Add kale, salt, and chicken broth; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in clams; cook, covered, 10 minutes or until shells open. Discard any unopened shells.

Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison, Cooking Light
OCTOBER 2008

Corn and 8 Ball Squash Quesadillas

This weird squash looking thing appeared in my CSA basket a few weeks ago.  Not knowing what it was, I turned to knower-of-all-things, Mom, and asked her.  She agreed that it was probably a squash, but had no idea other than that.  So, the next time they appeared in the basket, I asked.

The folks at the farm said it's delicious on the grill or stuffed with meat.  Feeling lazy, I grilled it up and added it to quesadillas (the original plan was to serve this on the side; instead it went right in).

I've made this recipe before, but never with fresh grilled corn, or grilled zucchini.  I thought it was a delicious addition (though I haven't had the original in more than a year); the grilling brought out a sweetness and richness to the squash and the corn (as well as to the tomatoes) and made it outstanding. 

Here's the recipe with my modifications; the original recipe is from Robin Miller's Robin Rescues Dinner:

CORN AND ZUCCHINI QUESADILLAS WITH CHARRED TOMATO-BASIL SALSA Source:  Robin Miller's Robin Rescues Dinner

• 1 8-ball squash, cut into 1/8-inch thick rounds 
• Vinaigrette (I used the leftovers from this)
• 1 ear fresh corn, shucked
• 2 beefsteak tomatoes, cut in half at the equator
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray
• 4 fajita size whole grain tortillas
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese
• 4-ounce can minced green chilies, drained

1. Spray outdoor grill with cooking spray, and heat grill to medium.  Meanwhile, toss sliced squash with vinaigrette and let hang out.  Place corn on the grate (you may brush with olive oil or spray with cooking spray if you wish), turning frequently, until tender, which should take about 15 minutes. Grill the tomatoes, skin side down first, until skin blisters, about 3 minutes a side.  Grill the squash until soft, about 2 minutes a side.  Set all aside and let cool before moving on.  Dice the tomatoes; dice the squash; remove the corn from the cob.
2. To make the salsa, in a medium bowl, combine charred tomatoes, onion, basil, lemon juice, and cumin. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Coat a stop-top griddle or large skillet with cooking spray and preheat to medium-high.
4. Arrange tortillas on a flat surface. Top half (one side) of tortillas with both shredded cheeses, squash, reserved corn, and green chilies. Fold over un-topped side, making a half moon. Place quesadillas on hot pan and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, until tortillas are golden brown and cheese melts. Serve quesadillas with salsa on the side.

Serves 4
"Mommy, can I take a picture of MY food?"

Meal Plan Monday

Oh my goodness, do I ever have an overabundance of fresh produce this week!  Instead of sharing our CSA with a friend as I usually do, I got the WHOLE basket.  It's overflowing with corn and yellow squash, 8-ball squash, and cucumbers.  Meanwhile, my dad handed me a basket yesterday from his friend's garden of cubanelle peppers and a pumpkin shaped squash.


This week's menu reflects my (poor) attempts to use it up, try some new recipes, keep it healthful and easy!

Monday:  Pulled Pork with Cucumber Salad
Tuesday:  Sausage and Clams with Kale
Wednesday:  Corn and Zucchini Quesadillas with Eight Ball Squash Parmesan
Thursday:  Triggerfish with Spicy Lemon Caper Sauce
Friday:  Garlic Lime Chicken with Olives with Roasted Red Potatoes with Rosemary
Saturday:  Summer Spaghetti
Sunday:  Chicken Suiza Pockets

Have a great week; I just saw on the morning news that we're getting our fourth heat wave of the year this week.  Stay cool!

Santa Hat Brownies

Over the weekend, we attended a Christmas in July party. The hostess was serious--we were NOT celebrating summer but rather the holidays; we all wished each other a Merry Christmas and Santa even made an appearance.

I had no idea what to bring, because it was to be a 100 degree day (so who would want to have a hot appetizer or Christmasy dessert?) but should be Christmas themed as well.  To make things slightly more difficult, I was planning to prepare the dessert at my parents' house, so wouldn't have all my normal tools.

A friend suggested this, which has been making the rounds of Pinterest.  I went lazy and used pre-made brownie bites and purchased frosting.  Lazy.

I'm not over-the-moon about how they turned out; I used a zipper sandwich bag with the corner cut off and the piping didn't come out at nicely as it should have.  They were, however, delicious, and flew off the table at the party!

Here's the original recipe, should you (or I!) want to make the brownies and frosting from scratch.

Santa Hat Brownies Source:  Daisy's World

Santa Hat Brownies
Yields 12-16 brownies
Ingredients:
1 pan of your favorite brownies, cooled and cut into desired size and shape (I used a round cutter)
12-16 small strawberries, cleaned and hulled
vanilla-mascarpone buttercream (recipe below)
Mascarpone Buttercream
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
2-1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Method:
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and mascarpone cheese until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.  Add vanilla extract and salt.  Add 2-1/2 cups of sugar, half a cup at a time and continue beating until smooth.  Add more sugar, if needed to reach desired consistency and sweetness.
To assemble, pipe a ring of vanilla buttercream on top of each brownie.  Cut off the base of a strawberry so it is flat and place it upside down on each brownie, pushing slightly to secure in place.  Top the tip of the strawberry with a dot of buttercream to finish the santa hat.
Adapted from this recipe found on Erica’s Sweet Tooth

Dijon Chicken, Zucchini, and Lemon Kebabs

When it's so hot, you don't want to leave your air conditioned spot, what do you make?  Something super simple that can be cooked outside and doesn't need to be tended while on the grill sounds like a good solution to me!

I found this recipe from Everyday with Rachael Ray in the midst of a bad heat wave when I'd just received red onion and zucchini from our CSA.

These were so good.  My boys wouldn't touch the onion, but my husband and I loved the sweetness the grill brought out in them.  The chicken came out so well, we saved the leftovers for a grilled chicken salad later in the week. 

Make these ASAP.  You will not be sorry!

Dijon Chicken, Zucchini, and Lemon Kebabs Source:  Everyday with Rachael Ray

• 1/4 cup dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried herbes de provence, crumbled
• 1/4 cup EVOO
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into one-inch pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 1 zucchini, halved lengthwise, then sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons
• 1 large red onion, halved crosswise, then cut lengthwise into 1-inch sections
• 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar and herbes de provence. Whisk in 2 tbsp. EVOO. Reserve 1 tbsp. of the marinade for the vegetables. Add the chicken to the bowl with the remaining marinade and coat well using a rubber spatula. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
2. Preheat a gas grill to 400 degrees . Whisk the remaining 2 tbsp. EVOO and 1/8 tsp. each salt and pepper into the reserved marinade. Add the zucchini and onion and toss to coat.
3. Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper. Onto each of eight 12-inch skewers, thread 1 piece of chicken, 1 zucchini slice, a section of onion, a lemon wedge and a second piece of chicken; repeat with the remaining vegetables and chicken.
4. Brush the hot grill grate clean, then lightly oil. Add the kebabs crosswise across the grate, cover the grill and cook for 3 minutes. Using a sturdy metal spatula, turn the kebabs over, releasing the meat from the grate and rolling away from you. Cover and cook until the meat is firm and browned all over, about 5 minutes.

S'mores Brownies

One of the first times my friend Lishie came to my house, she brought S'mores Brownies.  They were so very yummy and I begged for the recipe.  She then brought them to one of our large summertime parties and everyone went NUTS for them.  We finally got around to making them when my husband decided they would be the treat we sent into school to celebrate my son's fifth birthday!

He decided to skip the homemade brownie part and used a box mix (the brand of which I have no idea.  Trust me, homemade brownies take only a few minutes later, though the box kind was delicious too if you're short on time!)  I'm posting Lishie's original recipe, including the homemade brownies.

These were a huge hit; A's teacher said that EVERYONE loved them, from the five year olds to the teachers.  My husband and I pretty much were unable to stop "tasting" them and said five year olds and teachers almost didn't get any.  I digress.

Give these delicious and easy brownies a try!  And stop in a visit Lishie's blog and say howdy!

S'mores Bars Source:  Delish

• 1 & 1/2 sticks Butter, @ room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups crushed (food processor) graham crackers 
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 3 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

Pre-heat oven to 350°, grease or spray 13x9x2-inch baking pan (or two, 8x8 brownie pans). 

Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together crushed graham crackers, flour, and salt. Stir the graham cracker mixture into the butter/sugar/egg/vanilla mixture. Should become one, big crumbly clump.

Press about 1/2 cup or more, if needed, of the graham cracker mix over the bottom of the greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Sprinkle half (1 cup) of the chocolate chips on top. Sprinkle 3 cups of the mini marshmallows on top. Crumble, by hand, the rest of the graham cracker mix on top. Sprinkle last 1/2 cup of the mini marshmallows on top and finally, sprinkle the rest (1 cup) of the chocolate chips on top.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until brown.

 

Greek Veggie Wraps

My oldest baby is going off to Kindergarten in the fall, so I plan to try out a bunch of lunchbox friendly recipes this summer for him as well as for his teacher parents.  It was Kismet that right around the same time my search began, Annie from Annie's Eats began a series of lunch recipes called "Let's Do Lunch," and this was one of the first featured recipes.

I made this exactly as written for myself, and removed the banana peppers for my husband and me.  The two of us REALLY enjoyed this and will be packing it in our lunchboxes, though we both love the idea of adding olives; we disagreed on whether those olives should be black or kalamata.  The boys weren't enthused, and neither really ate much.  The oldest liked picking out his tomatoes and carrots, but wouldn't touch anything else, and of course they both loved the pita chips and hummus I served on the side.

Greek Veggie Wraps Source:  Annie's Eats

Ingredients

For the dressing:
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
5 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

To assemble:
4 (10-inch) wraps or tortillas
Hummus
Cooked whole wheat couscous
Baby spinach leaves
Diced fresh tomatoes (or halved grape tomatoes)
Julienned or shredded carrots
Chopped banana peppers
Sliced Black olives
Crumbled feta cheese

Directions

• Make the dressing by whisking together the oil and vinegar.
• Build your wrap:  place tortilla on a flat surface and spread a thin layer of hummus around.  Spread a thin layer of couscous around on top of the hummus.  Top this with a handful of spinach, some tomatoes, and some carrots.
• For the next layer, add a handful of banana peppers, a handful of olives, and a sprinkling of feta.  Drizzle with dressing (store the remaining dressing in an airtight container).
• Roll your wrap like a burrito and slice in half.  Store in an airtight container and serve within 6 hours. 

Meal Plan Monday

Trying to get back into this!  Almost everything is a remake.

Monday:  Greek Veggie Wrap
Tuesday:  Portobello Parmesan
Wednesday:  Pulled Pork
Thursday:  Mexican Stuffed Shells
Friday and Saturday:   Minor league ball games!
Sunday:  Eggplant Panini

Have a great week!

Sea Bass alla Fiorentina

Summertime, and the eatin' is free!!  This meal was made of locally grown zucchini from our CSA and locally caught sea bass from my parents!  Can't get much cheaper than that!

My parents are avid anglers, so in the summertime, we get pretty much all the fresh fish we could want.  My husband, on the other hand, doesn't really enjoy fish that much, so when I came home with a bundle of sea bass, I turned to the internet to find a recipe that would be tasty to all of us.

I found this one on the Food Network website and was really pleased to find a reviewer who noted that her family doesn't really like fish, but they loved this.  Even better, I had everything to make this.

We LOVED this.  My husband enjoyed it, but noted that he probably would have preferred it in a lemon-white wine sauce, which was my original intent.  I really liked it, and thought the sauce was amazing over the zucchini.  My four year old DEVOURED his fish, and told my parents how great it was and how much he likes to eat fish!!!

Sea Bass alla Fiorentina Souce:  Giada de Laurentiis via Food Network Website

Ingredients

• c4 (6-ounce) pieces sea bass
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning fish
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning fish
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a shallow bowl, dredge the fish, tapping off the excess flour to create a light coating.

In a medium nonstick fry pan, heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook the fish until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fish to a plate.

Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, tomatoes, water, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook at a simmer for 10 minutes. Add the basil and the fish and heat for 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Creamy Chicken and Corn Chowder

I've clearly been on a Rachael Ray kick lately, and it's because she sets things up so that you use things throughout the week, meaning smaller grocery bill and less waste (and I definitely need help in both of these areas). 

This week, I made a number of recipes from the July/August 2012 issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray in a segment called "One Grocery Bag, 3 Great Meals."  The recipes revolved around chicken, crusty bread, and corn.  Yum-o, as it were.

I was hesitant about this one, not because of the meal itself, but rather about a hot soup's appearance in a summer issue.  I went ahead and made this on what ended up being the hottest day of the summer so far (we are currently in our second heat wave of the 10 day old summer, with temperatures near 100 in both waves).  We cooled it quite a bit, but it was a still a warm/hot soup; I frankly don't think it would be quite as tasty if it were lukewarm or cool.

I enjoyed making the soup and most especially liked making homemade croutons, which are so incredibly easy to do with a good bread on hand.  I omitted the milk to keep it a little lighter, but think it would be even better with a little bit; I don't think I would add the whole cup for a summer soup, though definitely would keep it for winter-time.

Definitely use this as an opportunity to take advantage of the super delicious and super cheap fresh corn in your market right now!

Creamy Chicken and Corn Chowder  Source:  Everyday with Rachael Ray July/August 2012

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
EVOO, for drizzling
Salt and pepper
3T butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1lb yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
32 oz chicken broth
4 large ears corn, husked
1 cup milk (omitted)
1/2lb crusty bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 pinch cayenne

Directions:
1.  Preheat your grill to medium heat.  Drizzle oil over chicken, then season with salt and pepper.  Grill chicken, flipping once, until just firm, around 8 minutes.  Let cool on a plate and cut into small cubes.
2.  Melt 2T butter over medium heat in a soup pot.  Saute onion until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add potatoes and broth, and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to simmer for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Remove from the heat and puree with an immersion blender.
3.  Meanwhile, remove the corn kernels from the cob; scrape with a spoon to remove the "milk" from the corn.  Place all into a large bowl, then stir into the pot.  Add the chicken and milk (if using) and warm over medium heat until heated through.  Transfer to bowls.
4.  Prepare croutons by melting 1T butter over medium-low heat in a nonstick skillet.  Add the bread and toss with the butter.  Season with cayenne and toast until golden, about 10 minutes.  Serve croutons over thte chowder.

 

Meatless Monday: Pizza Frittata

If you're anything like me, you struggle with meal planning, trying to balance budget friendly, kid friendly, waistline friendly with tastebud friendly.  Like me, you may have different tastes to accommodate.  In my house, eggs are on the danger list, because my husband does not like them, but I figured there was enough other things in this frittata that he might not mind, and I've also had moderate success in feeding him frittatas in the past.  It just so happened, though, that he ended up cooking this one and thus knew exactly what went into it--not that I was trying to fool him, since I know he knows frittata means egg dish, but hoped he would enjoy it anyway.

I really enjoyed this dish; it tasted a lot like a pizza because of the similar flavors, but can really be eaten at any meal and makes great leftovers too. 

Would this fool you into thinking you were eating pizza?

This makes a really nice, vegetarian meal, and I encourage you to give it a try.  The sauce is quite tasty (though my husband highly recommends using jarred marinara sauce and doctoring it rather than making it from scratch), and it looks to be pretty decent for you (though I have no nutritional info, so won't assert anything for certain!)

Pizza Frittata:  Source:  Everyday with Rachael Ray July/August 2012

Ingredients

• 12 eggs
• 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half
• 1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tobasco
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup EVOO
• 1/4 pound hot soppressata or pepperoni, finely chopped, or 2 fresno chile peppers (for vegetarian option), sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons grated onion
• 1 sprig oregano, finely chopped, or 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 6 ounces fresh mozzarella, shredded on the large side of a box grated or thinly sliced
• A small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• A few leaves fresh basil, torn

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees . In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk (or half-and-half), parmigiano-reggiano, hot sauce, salt and pepper.
2. In a large, ovenproof skillet, heat 2 tbsp. EVOO over medium to medium-high heat. Add the eggs and keep moving and settling them as they cook. When the eggs begin to firm up, transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake until light golden and puffed but not cooked through, about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in another skillet, heat the remaining 2 tbsp. EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the soppressate (or chiles), garlic, onion and oregano and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine and cook to reduce slightly, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and simmer to thicken, 10 minutes.
4. Remove the frittata from the oven and top with the tomato sauce and mozzarella. Bake to melt the cheese, 8 to 10 minutes more. Top with the parsley and basil.

Roasted Tomatoes with Shrimp and Feta

The theme of a recent recipe swap was pasta, and I received this recipe from Real Simple.  Although the original recipe does not contain pasta, the sender puts it over pasta.  Despite this recommendation, I wanted a nice light meal for the brutal heat we've had the past few days, and instead served it with bread to sop up the yummy juices.

This was a pretty big hit, considering the 2 year old couldn't get enough shrimp--I think he ate more than I did--but my little tomato fan wouldn't even touch the roasted tomatoes.  My husband loved the juice with the bread, but wasn't over the moon about the shrimp and didn't really like the tomatoes.  The 4 year old was in a funk and wasn't much interested in eating, though he did say the shrimp was good.

As for me, I thought it was a great meal; the tomatoes were so sweet and a perfect complement to the shrimp.  I don't typically like feta, but it was a wonderful flavor choice here.  If I was making this for just my husband and I, I would probably add some spice next time with a dash or two of crushed red pepper.

In all, this is a nice and light, solidly good recipe!

Roasted Tomatoes with Shrimp and Feta  Source:  Real Simple

Ingredients

• 5  large tomatoes, cut into eighths
• 3  tablespoons  olive oil
• 2  tablespoons  minced garlic
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 1/2  pounds  medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2  cup  chopped fresh parsley
• 2  tablespoons  lemon juice
• 1  cup  Feta, crumbled
• crusty bread, for serving

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450° F. Place the tomatoes in a large baking dish and spoon the olive oil and garlic over them.
2. Sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon each salt and pepper and toss. Roast on top rack of oven for 20 minutes.
3. Remove baking dish from oven and stir in the shrimp, parsley, and lemon juice. Sprinkle with the Feta.
4. Return the dish to oven until the shrimp are cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm with the bread.

Chicken Caesar Kebabs with Grilled Corn

We had an abundance of lettuce from our CSA (like standing on the side of the road, handing out heads of lettuce abundance), so I decided to turn the Romaine into something Caesar salad, since my husband enjoys it so much.  I stumbled across this recipe on the Rachael Ray website; my husband actually ended up making it, too. 

This was an absolutely delicious meal.  My husband raved about it; it was his first time grilling corn, and while I don't think it came out as well as he'd hoped, it was delicious nonetheless!  The dressing on the chicken and the salad was the perfect balance of tart and sweet.... this from someone who is not a fan of Caesar salad!

A perfect summer meal!

Chicken Caesar Kebabs with Grilled Corn Source:  Rachael Ray

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 2 large cloves garlic, smashed
• Salt and pepper
• 3 large boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 ears corn, husked and halved crosswise
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
• 2 romaine lettuce hearts, cut crosswise into ribbons

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, the vinegar, mustard, anchovy paste, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper; transfer half of the vinaigrette to a small bowl, discarding any large pieces of garlic. Add the chicken to the remaining vinaigrette and toss to coat; cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
2. Preheat a grill to medium. Brush the corn with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Thread the chicken onto four 10-inch skewers and discard the marinade. Place the chicken kebabs and the corn on the grill, cover and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and the chicken is firm, 10 to 15 minutes. Brush the corn with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the corn and chicken with 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese.
3. In a bowl, toss the romaine with the remaining vinaigrette and 2 tablespoons cheese. Serve the kebabs with the salad and corn.