Eggplant Pepper Pizza

Homemade pizza is probably my favorite thing to make for dinner. There are so many variations of toppings for pizza and its a pretty quick meal to make. The dough needs to rise awhile but you can be wrapping presents while it rises. Making pizza is a good way to get the whole family involved too and we often make several for different tastes.
The toppings here are roasted eggplant, sweet peppers and feta cheese. To do this, slice the eggplant about 1/4 inch thick, sprinkle with a little salt and let set for at least 15 minutes to 'sweat'. After 15-20 minutes you will see liquid bubbled up on the eggplant; blot this off with a paper towel, put eggplant on an oiled baking sheet and cook at 375 for about 15 minutes or until soft. Be careful not to overcook and char the eggplant. The peppers get roasted in the oven at the same time. Roast these a little longer until the skin chars a little. Remove from oven and let cool enough to peel the skin off the peppers. Slice both the eggplant and the peppers and top your pizza with them followed by some feta cheese. I put some banana pepper rings on this pizza too.

Pizza Dough Recipe

2 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons yeast
3 cups white flour
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon honey or sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoons salt

Mix the water and yeast together, then add the rest and mix. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or so (times are only a guideline). Knead, split in two (or more) and roll dough out on a floured surface to the size/shape pizza you want.

Brandied Potatoes Gratin

We've been busy here getting products ready for Christmas so I haven't posted. But on the eve of Thanksgiving I thought I'd let you know one of the recipes we will be making for the big dinner.
We saw this recipe in Sunset Magazine many years ago. Since I always look for sweet potato recipes that avoid all that sugar we gave it a try. It was a big hit and we have made it probably every Thanksgiving for the past 12 years or more.

2 pounds white potatoes cut into thin slices
2 pounds sweet potatoes or yams cut into thin slices
¾ cup vegetable broth
½ pound jack cheese (plus a few slices of smoked gouda0
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup brandy

Layer white and sweet potato slices and jack cheese (along with
smoked0 in a buttered casserole dish lightly salt and pepper each
layer. Mix hot broth and brandy together and pout over potatoes.
Bake covered at 375 degrees F for 75 minutes ( 1 ¼ hour) or until
potatoes are tender. Uncover, top with grated parmesan, bake until
browned. You can then top with chopped chives from the freezer.

Some of what I am thankful for this year is the opportunity to have a large property that I can care for and help blossom, my husband and sons, my siblings, and herbs.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Gremolata

I was surfing today looking for something for dinner and found something I had never heard of, Gremolata. I was surprised yet excited that there was an herb condiment that I was unfamiliar with. Because I was looking for a protein dish (as I often do being vegetarian) I used a version of gremolata with nuts in it. Here is the recipe:

3/4 c pecans
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1/4 c parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon oil (optional)

Pulse in a blender/grinder until ground and mixed. Add salt and pepper. I mixed this with chunks of roasted butternut squash but it can be served with any vegetables or as a spread for bread. It reminds me somewhat of pesto with the combination of herb, nuts and cheese. I think you could substitute any type of nut, especially roasted walnuts or any kind of herb. Have you ever made this and how have you used it?

Pesto and Peach Rhubarb Crisp

Its hard for me to pick a favorite summer food, but pesto certainly ranks high on the list. Its easy to make and can be served as a sauce for pasta, a spread for baguette slices or on roasted potatoes. Try spreading it on bread for a grilled cheese sandwich! Here is a recipe I use:

Pesto


2 cups of fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 medium garlic cloves
salt and pepper

First put basil and olive oil in a small food processor and pulse until basil is ground. Then add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until ground. Although I never seem to have enough to satisfy my summer cravings some people do make enough to freeze. There are many variations you can make on pesto also. Try substituting some of the basil for parsley or arugula or other herbs that you have growing.

I like to serve it with chopped fresh tomatoes and pan charred zucchini. To make the zucchini:

Slice a zucchini in 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices. Put slices in a hot fry pan with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high heat. Cook a few minutes on each side until zucchini is lightly charred or browned on each side. Of course this tastes best with one of Colorado's fine microbrewed beer such as Left Hand's Sawtooth or New Belgium's Fat Tire.

For desert try a peach rhubarb crisp.

Peach Rhubarb Crisp

5 large peaches, peeled and sliced
5 large stalks of rhubarb, sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

Add the above to a greased 9 inch square pan.
Mix together and sprinkle over fruit:
3/4 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 c butter

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes.

Enjoy the harvest and eat well!

Minty Peach Drink

Earlier this week it was quite hot while I was working outside so I was looking for a cool drink. I noticed the peaches on the counter and made this drink:
In a blender container put:
4 peaches (peeled and quartered)
2 tablespoons of honey
juice of one lime
fill blender with ice
Add 4 mint leaves

Blend all together and pour into glasses. This is a great icey, refreshing drink for a hot summer afternoon. Try it.
By the way, Colorado peaches make the best drink!

Cranberries for Health and Taste

If you haven’t already, read my short news article in “The Herb Companion” this month; “Cranberry Juice Soothes Stomachs.” Cranberries, as well as other fruits including blueberries, bilberry, black currant and chokeberry contain polyphenol compounds known as proanthocyanidins. These proanthocyanidins are beneficial flavonoids that help maintain collagen and elastin; important proteins found in skin. They are also anti-stick agents for bacteria. This property has previously been documented as being responsible for inhibiting urinary tract infections and has now been found to inhibit stomach infections due to Helicobacter pylori bacteria.

Before a bacterial infection can occur, the bacterial cells must adhere or stick to the epithelial surface of the urinary tract. Bacteria are able to do this through a specific molecule on its cell wall called adhesin. These molecules bind to a specific receptor on the surface of the epithelial cell of the body which is usually a type of carbohydrate. Once bound to this mucosal surface, replication of the bacteria begins and the infection grows. By interfering with that interaction, infection can be greatly reduced.

Treating urinary infections early while they are still in the lower urinary tract is important because they tend to move up the urinary tract towards the kidney. Obviously a kidney infection is much worse than an infection in the urethra. So, if you get those first tell tale signs of an infection in the urethra, such as itching or slight pain on urination start drinking cranberry juice immediately to prevent its movement up the urinary tract. Oftentimes the success of herbal or food medicine is in getting to it right away.
However, if there are signs that the infection is worsening; cloudy urine, back, side or groin pain, fever, urine retention or frequent urination with pain, seek medical help for antibiotic treatment as kidney infection are serious.

Here is my Mom’s cranberry relish recipe that she made every Thanksgiving and Christmas and now I make (but do continue to have cranberry relish after the Holidays!).

1 orange, grated whole
¾ cup sugar
½ cup water
3 cups fresh cranberries
½ tsp fresh ground nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
2-3 whole cloves

Put everything in a pan and boil, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. If you want a thicker relish, simmer longer to decrease water. Cool and refrigerate for flavors to mix.