Category: Vegetarian

Mom’s Every Night Cucumber Salad

This recipe comes from Gaby Dalkin’s What’s Gaby Cooking cookbook. I have really enjoyed this simple salad, out of her new book, this spring. Living on the same block, I grew up eating at my friend Lucky’s house quite a bit, and her Memaw would always have fresh cucumbers in vinegar, seasoned with Lawry’s salt. We loved those cucumbers, and when I typed the title of this recipe, all of those wonderful memories came flooding back. Not long after we were through with supper at Lucky’s, my dad would whistle down the alley and that was my cue to high-tail it back home! What fun we used to have!

3 T. olive oil
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced
4 Persian cucumbers, sliced

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Add the avocado and cucumbers to the bowl and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

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Spinach and Tortellini Soup

This quick and healthy recipe, adapted from Debbie Wilson in North Carolina, is a great one to have for a speedy supper or a light lunch! Fallon and I love it and Creed eats the pasta, so we are all happy with this one. 😉 This can easily be made vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of the chicken broth.

1 tsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can Italian style diced tomatoes
3 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 pkg. (9 oz.) refrigerated cheese tortellini
4 cups fresh baby spinach
Shredded Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, broth and Italian seasoning; bring to a boil. Add the tortellini; bring to a gentle boil. Add a little salt and cook, uncovered, 7-9 minutes or just until the pasta is tender.

Stir in the spinach and adjust seasonings. Sprinkle servings with cheese and pepper.

*I always think, I might course chop the spinach before throwing it in, but for time’s sake usually don’t. But if you want smaller bites of the spinach, that might be a good idea! And the addition of cooked Italian sausage would be delicious too, I think!
Makes 4-6 servings

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Olive Cheese Bread

Some of you…. you know who you are, I know who you are, need to hide your eyes for this one. Ha! I will not comment on how this bread might just make you into an olive lover. I will refuse to say that it is really unreal that you all will miss out on this wonderful olivey, pleasure in this adventure called life. I will not expand upon the fact that olives are just nature’s wonderful way of naturally adding salt to your gooey, cheesey bread. Are you all hiding your eyes and ears now??….. One of my favorite ways to fix up a loaf of french bread is with this yummy recipe from Ree Drummond!! There, it’s over. It’s all ok now…. Now gather these ingredients.

1 loaf French bread
8 ounces pimento stuffed green olives, chopped
8 ounces pitted, black olives, chopped
2 green onions, sliced thinly
1 stick butter, room temperature
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 pound Monterrey Jack cheese, grated

Combine butter, mayonnaise, cheese, olives and green onions in a mixing bowl. Stir together until thoroughly combined. Spread mixture onto a loaf of French bread that has been sliced lengthwise. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and starting to turn brown.

Ree says the mixture can be refrigerated up to two days and used as a dip with crackers as well!

I say, make it to go alongside Italian food, a steak dinner, cut into squares as an appetizer, or cut into thick strips as lunch or supper!

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

This is Pioneer Woman’s recipe that I found on Food Network’s website, but I have added an extra step that you should know about, called the lounging by the pool method, that is helpful for whatever pasta sauce you might be making! Shhhh….it’s super important that you keep this a secret! The tip comes from an owner of an Italian restaurant in Dallas, that I had the pleasure of visiting with about food, at a hotel I was staying at, and he told me this while I was sunburning by the pool…..early in the day, chop your onion and garlic and cover it in olive oil. Let the mixture sit all day. In the evening, make your pasta sauce with the onion and garlic mixture, and it will have a wonderful flavor like you’ve simmered your sauce all day! And it is so true! I love this little trick and I really like to use it when I’m making this recipe. And this is truly one of my family’s favorite ways to eat spaghetti! Thanks PW! Thanks owner of the Dallas Italian restaurant! Thank you Aloe Vera, that I lived to share this recipe tip!

2 T. butter
2 T. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 (15 oz.) cans tomato sauce or marinara sauce (I like to use the marinara.)
Dash of sugar (or more to taste)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds fettuccine (Spaghetti is my preference.)
1 C. heavy cream
Grated Parmesan or Romano, as needed
Chopped fresh basil, for serving (Green onions or flat leaf parsley work too.)

Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook for a minute or so. Pour in the tomato sauce or marinara, add sugar, salt and pepper to taste and stir. Cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. (*Lounging by the pool method – chop your onion and garlic early in the day and cover with the 2 T. olive oil. I actually use a little extra oil and sprinkle it with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper and let it marinate all day, preferably while lounging by a pool, LOL, then start from the beginning according to the directions with this recipe.)

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. (I feel when making pasta, it is always a good rule of thumb to save some pasta water. The salty, starchy water will always be a flavorful way to keep your pasta from being too dry if you don’t have enough sauce or if your sauce needs a little extra “sauce” if you know what I mean.)

Remove the sauce from he heat and stir in the cream. Add cheese to taste (a couple of good handfuls), then check the seasoning. Stir in the pasta and thin with a little pasta water if needed. Add the chopped basil and serve immediately.

This is great with a green salad, homemade ranch dressing, and PW’s cheesy olive bread. Yum!!

Black Bean-Corn Salsa

This dip is out of my 2004 Southern Living Annual Recipes Cookbook, and it is a definite keeper! Super bowl is coming up and this would be perfect for snacking on during the big game. Fallon loves this. Creed is more quiet regarding this. I think 1 out of 2 kids is pretty good, don’t you? For green and healthy looking things… Serve with tortilla chips or fritos and watch it disappear!

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (11 oz.) cans sweet whole kernel corn, drained
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 T. minced fresh jalapeño, I used an entire large jalapeño and left the seeds (it wasn’t too spicy, but follow your gut on this depending on how much heat you like.)
3 T. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 avocado, chopped
Tortilla chips

Combine first 10 ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Add avocado just before serving. Makes 3 1/2 cups.

Cucumber Sandwiches

I cannot express how delicious these little sandwiches are! They are the perfect comfort food after heartbreak, the perfect food to celebrate with, such as baby showers or wedding showers, and they are just the perfect light and tasty bite on any day of the week, and for any reason whatsoever! This is a recipe from Southern Living’s Comfort Food Cookbook.

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 T. mayonnaise
1 small shallot, minced
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
1 (16 oz.) loaf sandwich bread
Garnish: cucumber slices

Drain cucumber well, pressing between layers of paper towels.

Stir together cucumber and next 4 ingredients. Spread mixture over half of bread slices. Top with remaining bread slices.

Trim crusts from sandwiches, and cut in half diagonally. Garnish, if desired. Store sandwiches in an airtight container in refrigerator.
Yield: 16 sandwiches

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Spaghetti alla Ceci

I absolutely adore this recipe because it reminds me that the simplest and most humble of ingredients can make for the best dish. The smell of the garlic cooking in the olive oil is amazing. Pour yourself a glass of wine or a big glass of sweet tea, relax and cook on a Sunday night. This is a definite go-to Sunday night dish. Or any weeknight, for that matter! By the way, ceci are chickpeas in Italian. Rachael Ray is one of my favorite chefs and has taught me so much about food and cooking. This is her recipe.

Salt
1 pound spaghetti
3 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 (14 oz.) can chickpeas, drained
1/2 tsp.dried thyme
Black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken stock
1 (14 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
A handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, to pass at the table

Bring a big pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt it and cook the spaghetti to al dente.

While the spaghetti cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Place the chickpeas in a food processor and pulse to a fine chop. Add the chickpeas to the skillet with the garlic and season them with the thyme, salt, and pepper. Saute them for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine or stock and cook down for 30 seconds or so, then stir in the tomatoes and adjust the seasoning. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Top the pasta with the parsley and grated cheese.

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