From Garden To Table - Recipes From The Gardening Class I Taught 4/18/13

Last night I had the opportunity to teach a class for 85 on growing a successful garden and then taking what we grow and using it!  I was also able to plan a menu for the class to try certain foods that can be taken from garden to table!  The food was great and the discussion was fantastic!  For those of you just starting out with growing your own veggies, who may not feel comfortable or have the space to grow a lot of varieties, grow what you know you will use first and then add something new every year.  That way you will slowly work your way into the gardening process and have the experience needed to know what works and what doesn't.  I will be focusing my future recipes and blog posts around what is growing in my garden this year to give you an idea of what to do in yours!  Here are the recipes I shared with the class!

Caprese Salad!  

This little summer Italian dish in heavenly with the fresh basil, tomatoes and mozzarella! Drizzle a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkle some kosher salt and fresh ground pepper and you have a salad great for a gathering or fantastic lunch for yourself!

Caprese Salad

Fresh mozzarella, sliced

Heirloom tomatoes, sliced

Whole basil leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Olive oil and balsamic vinegar

On a tray with a small lip or beveled edge, layer the cheese, tomato and basil , overlapping slightly as you go down the row.  Repeat until the tray is full.  Drizzle a small amount of olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the rows and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Pesto Pea Salad!

This spring salad is so good!  Just the right balance of savory from the pesto and sweet from the peas and almonds!

Pesto Pea Salad

½ pound baby spinach leaves

1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas

½ cup prepared pesto (see recipe below)

¼ cup grated Parmesan

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 T. pine toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds

Toast pine nuts in a dry sauté pan and cook over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes until lightly browned.  Mix all ingredients together and serve immediately.  

Fresh Pesto

1 cup almonds

1 cup olive oil

4 cups fresh basil

2 cloves garlic

2 lemons juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor blend the almonds until it resembles coarse meal.  Slowly add the olive oil and basil.  Add a little more olive oil if it is too stiff.  Add the garlic and juice of 1 lemon and salt and pepper.  Check to see if it needs more lemon juice and add if desired.  Keep in an air tight container for up to two weeks.

 Sun-dried Tomato, Feta and Avocado Pasta Salad!

 My Pasta salad has all the right flavors blended together!  Make it the day before you serve it and they will all come together!

Sun- Dried Tomato and Avocado Pasta Salad

8 ounces penne or other short macaroni-style pasta

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt and pepper

1 small red onion, minced

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 cup chopped bell peppers

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

½ bunch parsley chopped

2 large avocados, chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

Cook pasta according to directions on package.  Strain and place in large bowl.  Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil and vinegar over the pasta while still warm according to your liking.  The pasta should not be dry, not saturated with oil.  About 1/3 cup oil and 3-4 T. vinegar.  Place all other ingredients in bowl with pasta except for avocado and lemon.  You can refrigerate the pasta for up to a day at this point.  Just before serving drizzle the lemon juice over the avocado and add to the pasta.  Enjoy!

Cheesy Kale Chips!

I bet you can't just have one!  These are the ultimate healthy alternative to Doritos!  They are vegan and raw and taste unbelievably good!  Try them with the kale you grow this year!  It's not to late to plant!

Cheezy Kale Chips

These are sooo good!!! They are a healthy version of Doritos!

2 bunches kale, torn into chip sized pieces

½ cup cashews

1 red pepper, chopped

½ lemon including the pulp (with your thumb and fingers, scrape and pull the pulp off the peel)

½ tsp. sea salt

½ cup brewers (nutritional) yeast

¼ cup water

2 T. minced onion

1 tsp. chili powder (or 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped)

½ tsp. turmeric

2 cloves garlic

1 T. agave

Fill a large bowl with prepared kale pieces.  Put the rest of the following ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour the topping over the kale pieces and mix together with a large spoon.  Make sure each piece is covered.  Place the kale pieces on dehydrator trays.  Do not double stack them.  Dry at about 180` for about 6 hours or until crisp.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries!

What's a party without really good chocolate covered strawberries!  These are the best!  I use a mix of dark and milk chocolate!  My secret brand of really good chocolate for everything is always Guittard!

 

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

½ pound milk chocolate melting chips from Kitchen Kneads

½ pound midnight-delight chocolate melting chips from Kitchen Kneads.

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 pounds strawberries

Melt the chocolate and oil in a double broiler.  Be careful not to get any water in the chocolate.  It will ruin it.  Be sure to dip dry strawberries only.  Once dipped place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Allow to cool at room temperature.  Do not store in fridge.  Eat within 24 hours.

 Rosemary Butter Cookies!

 These cookies are divine!  If you haven't tried rosemary in a cookie you may be pleasantly surprised! 

 

Rosemary Butter Cookies

1 cup butter, softened at room temperature

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg white, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 teaspoon coarse salt

½ cup fine sanding sugar or sugar in the raw

In a large electric bowl fitted with a paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Mix in whole egg and vanilla.  Reduce speed to low and mix in flour rosemary and salt until combined. 

Halve the dough; shape each half into a log.  Place each log on a 12 by 16-inch sheet of parchment paper.  Roll in parchment to 1 ½ inches in diameter, pressing a ruler along the edge of parchment at each turn to narrow log.  Transfer to empty paper towel tubes to hold shape, and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. 

Preheat oven to 375`F. Brush each log with beaten egg white; roll in sanding sugar.  Cut into 1/4–inch-thick rounds.  Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment.  Bake until edges are golden, 18-20 minutes.  Let cool on sheets on wire racks.  Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days. 

 Lemon Thyme Pound Cake! (original recipe from Barefoot Contessa, Parties Cookbook)

 If you like lemon you will love this recipe!  Lot's of lemon juice makes this pound cake super moist and bright!  The thyme is a really nice addition too!

Lemon Thyme Pound Cake

2 cups butter, softened at room temperature

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar (only 2 cups go into the batter)

4 extra-large eggs 

1/3 cup grated lemon zest 

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 T. fresh chopped lemon thyme

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (only 1/4 cup goes into batter)

3/4 cup buttermilk or sour cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For The Glaze   

2 cups powdered sugar

3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 

 Preheat oven to 350`.  Grease, flour and line the bottom of two 8 1/2x4 1/2 x2 1/2 - inch loaf pans with parchment paper.  

Cream the butter and 2 cups of the granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and lemon zest.  In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and lemon thyme.  In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, buttermilk or sour cream and vanilla.  Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour.  Divide the batter evenly into the loaf pans and smooth tops.  Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester (toothpick or knife) comes out clean.

While the cakes are baking combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves.  When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes.  Pour the lemon syrup over the cakes while still in the pan.  Allow to sit for a few more minutes then take the cakes out of the pans and cool completely on wire racks.  

For the glaze, combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth.  Pour over the top of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.