This is a very belated post for me… and I am talking about almost 3 months late 
Our friend generously offered to share her tomatoes from her garden this past summer, and I took her up on it. Nothing beats homegrown vegetables! These tomatoes were sweet and delicious on their own, but I generally love them better cooked, especially roasted. When you roast them in a low-temperature for at least a few hours, they dehydrate which in turn intensifies their flavors. I had seen them everywhere in Italy when Red and I traveled there a couple of years ago. This summer was my first time trying it at home on my own.
I had to play around with the temperature, to make sure that they get to the right level of dehydration. It also depends on the size of the tomatoes. The roasted slices keep well for up to two weeks in refrigerator. They make great toppings for salad, sandwiches/panini, soups, pizza, you name it! This is definitely one of those great pantry staples to have around the house. You don’t know when exactly you may need a little something special on your dinner table. If you run into abundance of tomatoes, pick up some and make this.
Ingredients
1 lb of tomatoes, sliced about 1/2-inch thickness
2 tbsp of olive oil plus 1 tsp of olive oil
A big pinch of salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Lay all of the sliced tomatoes flat, cut side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt. Bake for 2-3 hours, depending on the size of the tomatoes, and how hot your oven gets. For smaller tomatoes, I would say an hour or two. Some of the bigger tomatoes may require 3 hours before they slices are dehydrated enough from the heat.
Store in a tightly covered container, drizzle a little bit of olive oil (~1 tsp), and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
I know that for some of you, the corn season has probably been over for a month or two. But for those of you who are lucky and still can find sweet corn in your grocery stores… make these now! Seriously. Growing up in Southeast Asia, I have had a secret adoration toward fritters for as long as I can remember. It seemed to me that everything could be turned into fritters, from fruit to veggies. This recipe is very similar to the type of corn fritters that I grew up eating, except the addition of cheese (which I don’t mind in this recipe). I didn’t have any cilantro on hand (original recipe called for it), so I chopped up the basil leaves and mixed them into the batter (instead of just sprinkling them on top, again like the original recipe called for). They browned up nice and golden, crispy, sweet and delicious. Make sure that you sprinkle some salt at the end, the saltiness added a great flavor contrast with the sweetness from the corn. They were so addictive that we gobbled up two batches in one day. The final caution that I must mention was the popping of the corn kernels during frying, make sure that you wear closed-toed shoes and have a lid or a spatter guard ready to cover your frying pan. I actually wore my safety glasses when frying these 
Nerd right? But oh, they were so good. So worth it.
Slightly Adapted from My Father’s Daughter by Gwyneth Paltrow
Ingredients
4 ears of corns, slice the kernels
1/4 cup of all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp corn starch
1 organic egg, beaten
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 tsp sea salt, and more for sprinkling
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1/4 cup of canola oil for frying
~10 large basil leaves, torn up
Directions
Mix all ingredients together until well combined in a bowl. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan set on a medium to high heat. Using 1/4-cup of measuring cup, spoon the mixture into the frying pan in batches. Fry each fritter on each side for around 2 minutes or until they turn a nice dark brown, do not flip before the patty is browned or it will fall apart.
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Drain the fritters on paper towel and keep warm in the oven (on an oven safe plate) while you fry the remainder of the mixture.
Yield: 8 fritters
While I absolutely love summer; I have a little soft spot for fall. I love the cooler weather, the changing colors in trees, the abundance of fall fruits, and ….it is officially SOUP weather!!! Summer has its great fruits and produce, but fall also presents wonderful collection of root vegetables and stone fruits that I love to cook and bake with as well. This is a soup that I just sort of came up with a few years ago when I had abundance of root vegetables. The recipe is so simple, and so flexible… you can basically use whatever root vegetables that you have in hand and make them into whatever consistency fits your family’s preference. If you have leftover roasted vegetables or potatoes-throw them in there as well. This soup is really special because of the addition of delicious sun-dried tomatoes. If you want to make this a bit more hearty, feel free to add in some pasta as well. And if you want an added creaminess, add a splash of heavy cream in the last few minutes of cooking. Enjoy a big bowl of this hearty soup with a crusty bread; and you would be glad that fall is here too!
Ingredients
6 cups of chopped root vegetables, about an inch cube (carrot, sweet/regular potatoes, squashes, etc)
2 cups of chopped onions, about an inch cube
1 cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil (preferably homemade)
~ 3-1/2 cups of vegetable broth (depending on your desired consistency)
1 tbsp of olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp of chopped fresh garlic
Sour cream and grated cheese, optional for topping
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place chopped vegetables together on a baking pan, drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, toss together. Roast for approximately 50 to 60 minutes, turning the baking pan once and flip the vegetables halfway through. You want the vegetables to be slightly browned and soft, but not mushy yet.
Once the vegetables are cooked, transfer them to a large sauce-pan. Add garlic and vegetable broth into the pot. Cook over medium heat until boiling, and then reduce the heat to low. Add sun dried tomatoes, season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for another 20 minutes.
Cool for approximately 10 minutes, and either using immersion blender or a regular blender, blend the soup to your desired consistency.
Yield: 5-6 servings
I love fritters; both savory and sweet. In the late summer, zucchinis are beautiful and inexpensive at the farmer markets. And if you’re one of the lucky ones with backyard vegetable garden that has zucchini plants, this is a great recipe to use up your produce. These fritters make awesome appetizers, side dish, or even a vegetarian lunch–and I actually also like them as snacks. Since zucchinis are very watery, wringing the shredded vegetables would make sure that you get the water out as much as possible before mixing them with the rest of the ingredients, which in turn make crispier fritters. The cheeses and fresh herbs really make them taste and feel extra special.
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living, August 2011
Ingredients
2 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces each), trimmed
1 medium onion
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (1 ounce)
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Extra virgin olive oil for frying
Plain yogurt and apricot jam for serving (optional)
Directions
Grate zucchini on the large holes of a box grater, then squeeze dry in a clean kitchen towel or press in a ricer. Repeat with onion.
Mix together zucchini, onion, cheese, flour and herbs. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir in eggs just before frying.
Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Working in batches, coat skillet with 1-2 tablespoons oil. Scoop mounds (~2 tbsp each) of the zucchini mixture into skillet; flatten slightly using a spatula. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side.
Transfer fritters to paper towel-lined plates to drain. Serve with dollops of plain yogurt and apricot jam if desired.
Yield: 20 fritters, serve 6-8
With all of the ice-cream that I have made recently, I ended up with tons of egg whites that I wanted to use up. I decided to try making my own Frittata using the leftover egg whites. A while back, my sister kept on raving about egg-white omelets that she used to enjoy with her friends on Sundays, usually after their early morning spin class. I wanted to create my own version using a similar concept . I had tried making a frittata before and it’s a little bit tricky without the right proportion. I didn’t have enough egg mixture and filling, the fritata came out pretty thin, and maybe a bit too crusty for my taste. I think I used a pan that was too large as well.
Through trial and error, I found out that about 8 whole eggs make a pretty good consistency of egg mixture. I also like to have about 4-5 cups of mixed vegetables sauteed to be able to provide enough thickness for the frittata (a great way to get your veggies for the day!). Some vegetables I have used in the past were squashes, mushrooms, eggplants, and I have also thrown in some leftover roasted or grilled potatoes or vegetables (they were so delicious with the added seasoning!). This recipe has now became my go-to breakfast “clean the fridge” meal that is satisfying when enjoyed warm, or cold at lunch with a big bowl of crispy salad. I think it would even make an awesome appetizer, on top of toasted baguettes. I remember enjoying a similar dish as well at a Tapas bar in Spain a few years ago.
Blissfully Delicious original
Ingredients
12 large egg whites (or, 8 egg whites and 3 whole eggs, or 8 whole eggs)
1 small onion, chopped (you can substitute or mix with shallots as well)
1 medium tomato, seeded, and chopped (if using cherry tomatoes, no need to seed)
1 small potato, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese(or your favorite cheese)
1/4 cup of crumbled cooked bacon or prosciutto, or Parma ham (optional)
2 tbsp of olive oil
Directions
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until it foams slightly. Set aside.
In a 12-inch oven proof skillet, heat the olive oil. Saute onion for a few minutes, toss them so they’re slightly browned. Add chopped potatoes, and cook another couple of minutes. Continue tossing them. Add the rest of veggies (tomatoes and zucchini), and cook until everything looks slightly browned, another 3 minutes or so. The total sauteing time should be about 6-8 minutes total depending on how hot your stove is.
Move oven rack to the top or second from the top position. Turn your oven broiler on at high.
After all of the vegetables look like they are cooked thoroughly, pour the egg over the vegetable. Let the egg cook for about 5 minutes, do not touch, let it sit and cook. When the edges are starting to look slightly browned and pulling away from the pan, put the pan into the top rack of the oven. Let it bake for about 2-3 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
Using oven mitts, carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Let stand for about 3 minutes, and slice with rubber spatula or turn over to a large serving platter. Enjoy warm or cold.
Yield: 6-8 wedges
My daughter who just recently turned one, started to be really interested in feeding herself right around ten months. She liked her semi-pureed meals; but got very inpatient when being spoon-fed, and wanted to feed herself halfway through her meals. This recipe below was one of my now go to meals that I came up with for her lunch. I used the inspiration from these very delicious Chicken and Sage Sausages that I often make for myself. I substitute some of the ingredients to make them toddler-approved and make smaller patties for her lunch and dinner. I can then take one patty, cut them into smaller pieces, and she can happily feed herself during lunch… No meltdown, and she gets both her protein and vegetables. Since I didn’t add any salt or pepper, I decided to add a little bit of Parmesan Cheese for extra flavor. These were so delicious that I ended up making double batches so I could have some for myself and some in the freezer for last-minute meals.
Ingredients
Generous 3/4 lb of organic ground turkey (or chicken)
1/2 cup of grated carrot (if you use chicken, replace this with apple)
2 tbsp of grated sweet onion
6-8 purple or green sage leaves, sliced
2 tbsp of Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp of olive oil
Directions
Mix all of the ingredients together in medium mixing bowl. Make about 2-inch round patties, about 1/4-inch in thickness, using all of the turkey mixture. You should end up with about 10-12 patties.
Heat the oil in a medium saute pan. Fry the patties, about 2-min on each side, or until they are golden brown. Continue with all of the patties.
Yield: 10-12 mini patties
Happy Easter ! I have been so behind in my blog update that I wanted to quickly post this really super duper easy quiche that has been a staple at my house for the past decade or so. I’m not even sure where the source of this recipe; I have this recipe hand-written on my recipe book, with pages that are slowly turning yellow. This is my basic quiche recipe for many variations of quiches. For the spring; I wanted to include delicious asparagus and leftover honey ham. Some other delicious combinations are ham and spinach (use frozen spinach, to replace the asparagus). I have also at times, increased the amount of sliced onions and add some fried crumbled bacon. For your meat and potatoes lovers, you can use use sauteed potatoes with caramelized onions, with shredded prosciutto for added saltiness. My favorite to date is that I have also made them into mini crust-less quiche that are divine, great for brunch, quick lunch, and can even be frozen… how convenience , right?! I hope everyone is having a fantastic Easter!
Ingredients
9-inch one crust pie
1 c. sliced or cubed ham
1 c. shredded natural Swiss cheese
1/3 c. finely shredded yellow or white onion
4 large eggs
2 c. heavy whipping cream
1 c. thinly sliced asparagus
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
Directions
Roll the pie crust onto a pie dish carefully.
Layer the dish with onion, ham, and asparagus.
Top with shredded cheese. Set aside.
Whisk eggs, cream, salt, pepper, and ground red pepper together in a medium size mixing bowl until they are combine.
Pour the egg mixture onto the dish.
Bake in the oven at 425 deg for 35 minutes, covered with aluminum foil.
Reduce temp to 350, and bake for another 10 minutes.
Remove quiche from the oven. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
Yield: 6-8
Red credits me for being able to come up with food ideas with the ingredients on hand. (Ehhmmm…, that’s probably because I’m either reading hard copy cookbooks or surfing through hundreds of food blogs on the internet). One weekend, I just saw a pack of mushrooms sitting in the refrigerator; and my mind was spinning trying to think of what to make with them without having to go out and get some more ingredients. I finally decided to make these sausage stuffed mushrooms because we try to make one night a week to be a movie and appetizer night. These little morsels were amazing; so delicious and the house smelled incredible when the filling was being prepared. I didn’t have “extra-large” mushrooms, so I only made half of the filling; but still ended up with tons of leftover filling. I looked through several other recipes while making this; and a couple of them used a couple other type of cheeses that I didn’t have in hand. But I loved this version with cream cheese instead of mascarpone. I wouldn’t change a thing! Oh, and since I only had about 16 small to medium size mushrooms, I only baked them for about 30 minutes and they were perfect. Happy eating!
Adapted from Ina Garten, through Food Network
Ingredients
16 extra-large white mushrooms
5 tablespoons good olive oil, divided
2 1/2 tablespoons wine or medium sherry (Did not use them)
3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage removed from the casings
6 scallions, white and green parts, minced
2 garlic cloves minced
2/3 cup panko crumbs
5 ounces mascarpone cheese, preferably from Italy (I used cream cheese)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop them finely. Set aside. Place themushroom caps in a shallow bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and Marsala. Set aside.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, crumbling it with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it’s completely browned. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in the scallions and garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the panko crumbs, stirring to combine evenly with all the other ingredients. Finally, swirl in the mascarpone and continue cooking until the mascarpone has melted and made the sausage mixture creamy. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste, Cool slightly.
Fill each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture. Arrange the mushrooms in a baking dish large enough to hold all the mushrooms in a snug single layer. Bake until the stuffing for 50 minutes, until the stuffing is browned and crusty.
I was flipping through my stacks of cookbooks the other night and saw this recipe for onion dip. It sounded so tasty that I had to make it that night. Fortunately, I had all of the ingredients in the house I wasn’t sure how much this recipe was going to make (it says 2 cups, but normally Ina’s recipes make A TON of batches).Therefore I made a half of the recipe! Yes… you heard me, I decided to just half the recipe. But then after trying it, what was I thinking? Red and I loved this dip recipe so much that I made a full batch the next night! It was that amazing!!!!
The onions were slowly caramelized in the pan, and made them very sweet and tender. This was one step that I would definitely not short-cut (it took close to half an hour total) because it was totally worth it!! The second time I made it, I also chopped the onions strings shorter than what the recipe called for to make it easier to eat. I also didn’t wait until the onions were completely cooled to room temperature before mixing them; and they mixed just fine with the sour cream and cream cheese (make sure the cream cheese is room temperature though!). This dip recipe is fabulous–if you need a new dip recipe to love!!
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
Ingredients
2 large yellow onions
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup good mayonnaise
Directions
Cut the onions in half and then slice them into 1/8-inch thick half-rounds. (You will have about 3 cups of onions.) Heat the butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, cayenne, salt, and pepper and saute for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized. Allow the onions to cool.
Place the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise in the bowl of an electric fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until smooth. Add the onions and mix well. Taste for seasonings. Serve at room temperature.
Yield: 2 cups
Holidays at our house always means tons of food and leftover mashed potatoes! I have a rotating mix-in for the mashed potatoes, depending on who’s making it, but they’re usually choke full of butter, garlic, and sour cream. This recipe was just something that I came up with on my own while trying to rejuvenate our leftover mashed potato. It is great addition for breakfast, brunch, and of course dinner–and even better for just an afternoon pick me up snack. Sometimes I add different things like leftover bacon bits or ham, or cheese… but they’re also great just with a handful of chopped green onions. I have always made them with panko instead of regular bread crumbs, which I think really helps the mixture stay together and not fall apart during frying. They’re so addictive and versatile that sometimes I throw in extra potatoes when making mashed potatoes to ensure that I have leftover for these….Happy eating!!
EDIT: A great sauce to accompany these wonderful little snacks is Garlic Mayonaisse that I used with my Sweet Potato Fries w/ Basil Salt.
Ingredients
3 cups stiff mashed potatoes (preferably cold)
2 medium-size eggs
1/4 cup of sliced green onions
1-1/2 cups of panko
Oil for frying
Directions
Heat about 1-1/2 inch of flavorless oil to about 375 degree in a shallow frying pan (you want something with a pretty good surface area since the balls need to be fried in smaller batches to ensure that they’re not crowded).
Beat the two eggs lightly in a medium-sized bowl. Mix in the mashed potatoes and green onions. Using a 1-1/2 inch ice-cream scoop, make potato balls. Roll them onto a plate of panko.
Fry the potato balls a few at a time, and let each side turn into golden brown color, about 2-3 minutes total. Don’t attempt to flip them until the crust is developed and browned. Then flip to the other side, and let brown. Serve warm.
Yield: 28 potato balls
