This recipe is a simple and easy dish to prepare pleasing many different young taste buds. No spices… like no little ‘green things’, no veggies, no sauce; just pasta and parmesan cheese.

1 LB pasta de jour

4-6 quarts of water

1/2 tsp salt

4 Tbsp butter

1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta per instructions on the box in 4-6 quarts of salted water. Strain pasta after desired cook time is reached and add to serving dish. Add butter and Parmesan cheese. Stir until butter melts and is completely blended… delicious!

Tip: Cook extra pasta and add a squirt of olive oil to keep pasta from sticking. Refrigerate stored in a ziplock bag for future meals. Heat by dropping in very hot water for a 10 -15 seconds. Add butter and cheese and serve.

This is a favorite companion dish to a Fenway Frank or two for all those little members of Red Sox Nation.

All you need is a cold glass of whole milk! And maybe a hot roll with butter, no garlic please!

Recipe Serves 4

4 Cups of uncooked Campanelli pasta, cooked al dente

1.5 Tbsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp all purpose flour

3 Cups whole milk

2 egg yolks

1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 Cup Asiago cheese

1.5 Cup sharp cheddar

1/2 Cup Fontina cheese

1/3 Cup parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp fresh parsley

1/4 Cup bread crumbs

2 Tbsp butter, melted

Cook pasta in 2 quarts of water with small amount of olive oil to keep pasta from clumping, drain and set aside.

Shred all cheese into one bowl, reserve 1/4 cup.

Saute 1.5 Tbsp minced garlic over medium-high heat in 2 Tbsp of olive oil until golden brown. Whisk in 3 Tbsp of flour making a roux. Add 3 cups of whole milk whisking until thickens. Separately beat two egg yolks and add to thicken sauce.

Remove sauce from heat and add 1 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme and cayenne pepper. Add shredded cheese to sauce and blend until cheese melts. Add pasta to ovenproof baking dish pouring cheese sauce over top, mix well.

Combine bread crumbs, melted butter and reserve cheese. Sprinkle on top mac & cheese cooking at 375F for 15 minutes.

Recipes serves 4

1/2 Cup cider vinegar

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1 teas sea salt

Fresh ground pepper

1 teas garam masala [coriander, cumin, cardamon and cinnamon]

3 Tbsp olive oil

3 – 4  medium size garden cucumbers

Combined vinegar, spices and sugar

Slowly add olive oil while whisking to make dressing

Slice cucumbers into 1/4inch

Add fresh sprigs of tarragon

Drizzle dressing over cucumbers

Toss gently, refrigerate for 30 minutes

This year we could use more rain!  But our garden is faring well with water from the garden hose. We hope to enjoy the same bountiful yields as years past.

We are seeing signs of lil zucchini and summer squash.  So I can’t wait to make my panko fried squash thins. Wow, just like candy.

Very soon, we hope to add 12 heads of cabbage, many ears of sweet corn, beef steak tomatoes, eggplant, watermelon and much more. Our herb garden is growing steady as well; I have to pinch off flowers almost every other day. I love fresh basil, thyme and the rest added right to… well almost everything!

July 2010

Recipe Serves Two

12 oz firm tofu

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

4 Tbsp apple butter

1 rome apple

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp seasalt

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Cut tofu into 1-inch sections. Compress tofu by placing the cut sections between two clean cloths on plates for 30 minutes and weighted; this will squeeze out any excess water.

Core apple and slice into bite size pieces placing into a bowl then sprinkle with lemon juice. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and walnuts. Toss gently.

Place unsalted butter in saute pan on medium high heat. Add apple mixture and saute for 3-5 minutes. Remove from saute pan.

Brush tofu sections with apple butter and then place sections in saute pan until golden brown on both sides.

Place a bed of lettuce on your plates adding apple mixture, then add tofu sections. Top with a dollop of apple butter.

Sprinkle with fresh ground cinnamon.

Recipe serves two

One medium butternut squash, skinned, remove seeds and cube

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/8 Cup Brown sugar

1 Tbsp pure maple syrup

2 Tbsp butter, melted

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp sea salt

4 oz walnuts [optional]

Preheat oven to 325F. Whisk together olive oil, sugar, maple syrup, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg. Add butternut squash to liquid mixture tossing to coat squash well. Pour into an oven proof dish and roast for 30 minutes @ 325F.

Top with chopped walnuts and serve.

Nutritional facts per serving [daily value]: Calories 321Kcal; Protein 4g [9%]; Total Fat 31g [47%][Sat. 6g [32%]; Chol. 15mg [5%]; Carb 11g [4%]; Fiber 2g [8%]; Sugar 7g; Calcium 39mg [4%]; Iron 1mg [6%].

1/2 Cup of brown rice, cooked

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/3 Cup chopped [vidalia] onions

1/2 Cup fresh cilantro, chopped

4 – 1inch sliced fresh pineapple rings, core removed

1/3 Cup slivered almonds, toasted

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cumin

Cook brown rice per directions, remove from heat leaving in pan with lid tightly secured. Chop cilantro adding to brown rice. Toast almonds for 3 minutes in 350F toaster oven, cool and add to brown rice. Saute onions, cinnamon, cumin in 1 Tbsp olive oil until onions are translucent, add to brown rice.

Add 2nd Tbsp olive oil to saute pan and grill pineapple until both sides are scorched, remove from heat and chop into bite size pieces. Add to brown rice. Toss and serve warm.

for jesse…

3 medium tomatoes [local is best],
1 medium vildalia onion [preferred]
1 small jalapeno pepper
1 large green pepper
8 oz can of black beans, rinsed
8 oz can of mixed yellow and shoepeg corn, rinsed
Two limes
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp Jamaican jerk spice
3 Tbsp fresh cilantro
1 tsp sugar
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Dice by hand all fresh vegetables to bite size where a good mix will fit on a chip.

Add rinsed beans and corn. Mix in chopped cilantro and minced garlic. Sprinkle in sugar.

Cut limes in 1/2 after rolling with your hand and then squeeze into your salsa. Add sea salt and back pepper to taste.

Toss, toss, toss… then taste, taste, taste.

There is a splendid burst of flavor when balancing heat with sweetness so don’t be afraid to try these other additions like mangos, melons, pineapple and even diced English cukes.