No-Mayo Coleslaw

You don't need mayonnaise or even oil to make a delicious coleslaw. I had been making a slaw dressing with just oil, vinegar and sugar when my husband's aunt introduced me to her mama's recipe that didn't have any fat in it at all. I was skeptical, but it really is very good! Both dressings are included below. Cabbage is really the only vegetable you need for coleslaw, but I like to add carrots and sometimes onion, too. 

3 cups shredded cabbage

1 carrot, shredded (optional)

1/4 cup onion, chopped (optional)

Shred or chop cabbage as finely as you like it.

Add carrot and onion.

Mix up one of the below dressings and toss all ingredients.

Dressing 1

2 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. vegetable oil

1 T. sugar

salt and pepper

Dressing 2

2 T. apple cider vinegar

2 T. water

2 T. sugar

salt and pepper

Refrigerate 30 minutes prior to serving. 

Broccoli Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

This recipe is a perfect example of how simple, satisfying and delicious an all-veggie meal can be. Stir-fried broccoli, red peppers and garlic get tossed in a peanut sauce and served over rice.

1 cup dried rice, rinsed

1/3 c. peanut butter

1 T. brown sugar

2 T. soy sauce, divided

1 T. rice wine vinegar

2 T. coconut, peanut or other oil with a high smoke point

1 lb. broccoli florets

1 large red bell pepper, cubed

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c. chopped peanuts

Red pepper flakes or hot chili sauce, to taste

Cook rice according to package instructions.

Make peanut sauce by combining peanut butter, brown sugar, 1 T. soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and 1/4 cup water. Set aside.

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a wok or large skillet. Add broccoli and stir continuously for 3 to 5 minutes or until the broccoli begins to turn bright green.

Add remaining 1 T. soy sauce and 1/4 cup water to the wok along with red pepper and garlic. Bring to a boil and stir fry all veggies until lightly steamed and liquid has evaporated some. 

Remove from heat and stir in peanut sauce. Divide rice and veggies among four plates and top each with 1 T. chopped peanuts. Serve with hot pepper flakes or hot chili sauce, such as Sriracha.

Kale Slaw

For Memorial Day, if you're looking for a side-dish to bring to the cookout that won't compromise the work you've been doing to get ready for bathing-suit season, this is it! Not only is Kale full of nutrients such as beta carotene, vitamin C and calcium, but this slaw has no mayo or sugar. I have two variations of dressing that I will use depending on what else is being served, but the veggie bases remains the same.

I bunch kale, chopped

1 large carrot, shredded

1/3 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Combine all ingredients and toss with one of the dressings below. Let sit for at least 20 minutes before serving. 

Dressing 1

I make this if we're having a main course/meat that is sweet, like barbecue or salmon, or heavy, like burgers or brats. The mustard provides a nice contrast and holds up to rich foods with bold flavors.

Whisk together:

2 T. Dijon mustart

2 T. cider vinegar

2 T. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Dressing 2

I make this if we're having something lighter, like fish tacos, shrimp or grilled chicken. The citrus juice brings out the flavor in these lighter meats.

Whisk together:

2 T. olive oil

2 t. lemon juice

1 1/2 T. orange juice

salt and pepper to taste

Aunt Susie's Egg and Brie Toast

When I went to visit my Aunt Susie over Easter, she made this for breakfast and I fell in love with it. It's so easy that you could whip it up on a weekday morning and start your work day like it's a day off!

This recipe is for one, but just double, tripple, etc., depending on how many you're serving. Use a double-burner griddle and cook them all at once.

1 slice of bread

1 T. butter

1 egg

1-2 slices of brie cheese

1/2 t. fresh thyme, chopped

Heat a griddle pan over medium-low heat. 

Butter both slides of the bread and toast on the warmed griddle. 

Spray the griddle on the other side with non-stick spray and fry your egg, sprinkling it with a pinch of salt. 

Flip bread once toasted and top the toasted side with brie. Flip egg once white has solidified. Once egg is cooked to your desired firmness, place it on top of cheese while bread continues to toast on the second side.

Sprinkle tyhme on top and season with salt or pepper as desired. Serve with fresh fruit or a light salad to make it brunch or dinner appropriate.

Light Strawberry Souffles

This souffle is "light" because it is egg white only, but still melts in your mouth with a burst of fresh flavor. If you need a use for the leftover egg yolks and you have an abundance of fresh strawberries, make strawberry ice cream! The souffles will be ready to eat long before the ice cream freezes!

1 1/2 cups quartered strawberries

2 t. lemon juice

4 egg whites

1/4 cup sugar, plus more for lining the souffle cups

pinch of salt

2 T. butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Puree strawberries and lemon juice. 

Line 6 ramekins or 8 oz. oven-safe baking dishes with butter and sugar.

Whip egg whites, gradually adding 1/4 cup sugar and  pinch of salt, until stiff peaks form. Whip in half of strawberry puree. Fold in remaining strawberry puree.

Pour mixture into ramekins, filling them to the top. Level with a knife to ensure an evenly-browned top, or allow mixture to have a dollop top, but watch that they don't burn.

Bake for 14-17 minutes or until tops are lightly brown. Serve immediately. If you have leftovers, put them in the fridge and have them the next day, topped with slices of fresh strawberry. It will have compacted and be more the consistency of a light strawberry gelato. 

Fiesta Omelette

It's like a cheese enchilada for breakfast! This is also the easiest way I've found to make an omelette -- by putting all the fillings on the outside. It tastes just as good!

3 eggs

3 T. milk

1/4 t. salt

1/4 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

1/4 cup salsa

1/2 avocado

dollop of sour cream, yogurt or creme fraiche

Heat an 8" non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Hit it with some non-stick cooking spray. 

Whisk eggs, milk and salt. Pour into pan once warm. Allow to cook until you can see that it has gotten firm on the bottom, but is still slightly liquid on top.

Sprinkle cheese evenly on top of egg mixture and allow to melt for 1 minute. 

Gently fold each side of the egg mixture into the center, like folding a burrito. Cook for one minute more, then gently flip upside down. Cook for 2-3 minutes more, until eggs are cooked through.  

Slide from pan to plate and top with salsa, avocado and sour cream. Serve with a side of tortilla chips.

Chocolate, Banana and Peanut Butter Shake

This shake is so thick and creamy, you won't notice that there is no ice cream in it! Freezing the banana makes a good substitute for ice cream, the peanut butter gives it extra thickness and chocolate soy milk gives it a silky quality. It makes an equally good breakfast as dessert!

This is also a great way to use bananas that are getting too ripe. Just slice them, lay them out on a plate and put them in the freezer. Once frozen, move the banana slices to a freezer bag and then use them in this shake or other fruit smoothies as needed. 

You will need a blender that can crush ice.

1 banana, sliced and frozen

2 T. peanut butter

1 cup chocolate soy milk

Place frozen bnana slices in the blender. I try to let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes to get the frost off before I turn the blender on. I think this reduces the chance that you'll get a frozen chunk of banana in your shake. 

Add peanut butter and soy milk. Turn blender on high or ice-crushing setting for 20 secnds or until smooth.

Zucchini and Swiss Frittata

I love omelettes, but can never seem to make them successfully at home. Instead, I've started making frittatas! Same ingredients but no flipping required. Just cook your meat and/or veggies in a oven-safe skillet, add your eggs and cheese and pop it in the oven to cook. This recipe serves 2, but you can adjust the ingredients and cooking time to feed a bigger crowd. As always, use whatever veggies, herbs and cheese you have on hand. This is a guideline!

1 T. olive oil

1/2 medium onion, sliced

1/2 medium zucchini, sliced

1/2 medium yellow squash, sliced

1/2 t. thyme, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

4 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/4 t. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Heat oil in a large oven-safe non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, zucchini, squash and thyme. Sauté until tender but not mushy, about 10 minutes. 

Whisk eggs and milk and add salt. Once veggies are cooked, be sure they are spread evenly in the bottom of the skillet and pour egg mixture on top. Sprinkle cheese on top. Don't stir! Cook for a few minutes in the skillet to help the frittata solidify on the bottom. 

Pop the skillet in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese begins to brown and the eggs feel firm. Remove from oven and let frittata set for about 5 minutes.

Cut frittata in half. Flip each half in half and serve.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Nothing says "I love you" like a giant heart-shaped cookie! When I was growing up, my mom always got us Valentine's Day gifts, and one year she made my sister and me each a heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie using just the recipe on the bag of chocolate chips and her heart-shaped cake pans. I've resurrected this idea from time to time on Valentine's Day, but this year decided to try it with my husband's favorite peanut butter cookie recipe. What makes this recipe his favorite is that we add "extras" to the batter... like chocolate chips, raisins, chopped nuts, or whatever candy or dried fruit we have in the pantry.

Whether you put it in two heart-shaped cake pans or just drop the dough in spoonfuls on a baking sheet, these cookies are full of love!

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 cup peanut butter

1 t. vanilla

1/2 cup milk

 2 cups flour

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. baking soda

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1 - 1 1/2 cups of your favorite additions (chocolate chips, raisins, chopped nuts, other candy or dried fruit, etc.) - Optional

In a mixer, cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, peanut butter, vanilla and milk and continue to mix until combined. 

Separately combine flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. With mixer on, gradually add dry ingredients to wet and mix until combined. Stir in any addtional nuts, dried fruit or candy you'd like. If you want to make one for you and one for your sweetheart, divide the batter in half here and customize the additions. 

Add batter to two greased 9-inch heart-shaped cake pans and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until cooked through. You may need to put aluminum foil on top of them for the last 5 minutes if the tops begin to brown before the cookies are fully cooked.

For drop cookies, scoop out 2 T. of dough at a time onto a greased cookie sheet. You can press them down with a fork to make the traditional peanut butter cookie waffle top. Bake cookies at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Salmon with Couscous Pilaf

I love salmon any way it comes. This recipe has a Mediterranean flare with raisins, almonds and mint, making it suitable for any dinner party. But it's so simple that there's no excuse for making dinner from scratch even on the busiest night.

3 large carrots, peeled and cut julienne

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup uncooked couscous

1/4 cup fresh mint or 1 tsp. dried mint

1 t. salt

1/4 t. ground black pepper

1 T. olive oil

1 1/4 c. water

4 (4 oz.) salmon filets (boneless and skinless)

salt and pepper to taste

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium-sized baking dish (big enough to fit your salmon filets), combine carrots, almonds, raisins, couscous, mint, salt, pepper, oil and water. Mix to combine. Season salmon filets with salt and pepper and place them on top of the couscous mixture.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake it for 25 minutes or until couscous is tender and salmon flakes with a fork, or desired doneness. Transfer fish to plates and serve on top of or along side with the couscous pilaf and a lemon wedge.

Pesto

If you grow basil in your garden, you'll get to a point in July or August where you can't use it fast enough to keep it from bolting. That's when it's time to make pesto! The peppery flavor of basil combines with spicy garlic, and savory nuts and cheese to make this a rich yet bright sauce that can be used in myriad ways -- on a pizza or pasta, in a salad dressing or marinade, as the spread on a sandwich or wrap, etc.

Blanching the basil leaves will help your pesto retain its bright green color. I think it's worth the effort, especially if you aren't planning on using the pesto immediately, but you can skip this step. Pesto will stay good in the refrigerator for about 10 days or in the freezer for several months.


4 cups fresh basil leaves
2 cloves of garlic, quartered
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup good quality olive oil
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 t. salt


In a small saucepan that you can rest a mesh strainer in, boil water (about 1 inch from the top). In batches, place the strainer full of basil leaves into the boiling water for 20 seconds, then remove and submerge in ice water until cool. Squeeze any excess liquid from the basil and set it aside. Repeat until all leaves have been blanched.

Add your garlic to a food processor while it's running. Stop and add basil leaves and pine nuts. With blender running, slowly add olive oil. Once the mixture is pureed, add Parmesan and salt and pulse a few times. Store in an air-tight container with plastic wrap covering the surface of the pesto to keep air away from it, or immediately add it to your favorite recipe.

Ranch Dressing

Buy the wings, but make the ranch! Homemade ranch dressing is easy to make and so much more flavorful than what you can buy in a plastic bottle. Use it as a salad dressing or dipping sauce and you'll be glad you took a few minutes to make it fresh. Make it lighter by using low-fat ingredients or yogurt instead of sour cream.

You can easily double this recipe and save some for other recipes in the coming days. Keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

1/2 cup light sour cream or plain yogurt

1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/4 cup mayonaise

1 T. minced garlic (about 2 cloves)

1 1/2 t. chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/2 t. salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the seasonings to diffuse into the dressing. If you want it to be a more pourable dressing, add some more buttermilk.

Portobello Mushroom Parmesan

A big, juicy portobello mushroom takes the classic Chicken Parm. in a whole new direction, and it is way easier to prepare. In addition to giving it more of a steak-like quality, the underside of the mushroom cap forms a perfect bowl for holding lots of sauce and cheese. Serve it on top of pasta tossed in your favorite sauce and it's a filling dinner.

4 portobello mushroom caps

2 T. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup Roasted Tomato Sauce (or marinara)

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 lb. pasta

1 cup Pesto (or other sauce of your choice to dress your pasta)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium meat. Begin heating salted water to cook your pasta in.

Place mushrooms (gills up) in the pan and sauté for 10 minutes or until tender on the cooked side. Sprinkle the gills with salt and pepper, flip the mushrooms and sprinkle salt and pepper on the cooked side. Sauté another 5 minutes or until the gills start to soften and release the juices of the mushroom. 

Remove the pan from the heat. If your skillet is oven-safe, flip the mushrooms in the pan so the gills are facing up. Top each with 1/4 cup of tomato sauce, 2 T. mozzarella cheese and 1 T. Parmesan cheese. If your skillet isn't oven-save, move the mushrooms to a baking dish and dress the mushrooms in there.

Add pasta to boiling water. Place mushrooms in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and starting to turn brown. Turn the oven broiler on and allow to broil for 1 minute before removing from oven.

Drain pasta (reserving at least 1/2 cup pasta cooking water). Add pesto to hot noodles, and toss, gradually adding pasta water until the noodles are all coated in pesto and your sauce reaches the desired consistency. Divide the pasta among four bowls and top each with a mushroom cap.

BEV NOTE: The pesto pairs well with a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.

Fried Potato Patties

Leftover mashed potatoes can be transformed into a new side dish for the next day's breakfast or dinner. Or you can make them up and freeze them for weeks later.

Leftover mashed white or sweet potatoes

Flour

Salt and pepper

Cooking oil or reserved bacon grease

I like these for breakfast with bacon and a poached egg, so I start by cooking my bacon so I can reserve some of the grease to cook my potato patties. Heat either bacon grease or cooking oil in a cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Since the potates are already cooked, you just need enough grease to form a crust on the outside of your patties.

Form mashed potatoes into patties with your hands. Combine enough flour, salt and pepper to coat the number of patties you made. For 1/4 cup of flour, add 1/4 t. salt and pepper to taste. Coat potato patties in flour on all sides, brushing off the excess. If you are freezing your patties for later, wrap them in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer bag.

Add coated patties to your hot pan and cook for 5 minutes on each side, flipping only once to minimize the chances of them getting smooshed or breaking apart. Serve hot.

Zucchini Hummus

As you're thinking about what to bring to the traditional Super Bowl party, here's an option that will help you keep your new year's resolutions. Roasted zucchini replaces chickpeas and there's no oil or fat aside from the sesame seed oil in your tahini. Serve this dip with pretzels and it will remind you of pizza-flavored Combos. If you're feeding a crowd, go ahead and double the recipe.

1 large or 2 small zucchini

3-4 garlic cloves, quartered

1/4 cut tahini (sesame seed paste)

1 T. lemon juice

1 t. cumin

1 t. smoked paprika

1/2 t. coarse salt

Preheat oven to 425. Cut zucchini lengthwise and lay cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If seeds are large, scrape them out. Roast for 15 minutes or until tender throughout. Remove from oven and let cool.

In a food processor, chop garlic. Add the rest of the ingredients, including cooled zucchini, and process for 1 minute, or until smooth. Serve with pretzels, pita chips, tortilla chips or raw vegetables.

This recipe also freezes well, so when I have a lot of zucchini in the summer, I'll make up a few batches of this and put it in the freezer for the winter.

Poor Man's Cabbage

After a holiday season of decadence, expense and lots of hours in the kitchen, this is just what I needed to be reminded of the joy of everyday simplicity. Leftover mashed potatoes and a head of cabbage never tasted so satisfying.

3-4 cups leftover mashed potatoes or 2 lb. baking potatoes

3 T. olive oil

1 head of cabbage, shredded

2 onions, sliced

2 carrots, shredded

Salt and pepper

Reheat mashed potatoes with milk or boil 1 lb. of peeled potatoes in salted water, mash and then add milk and butter until creamy. Heat oil in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and cabbage. Cook for 20 minutes stirring often to caramelize. Add carrots and cook for another 10 minutes or until soft. Add salt and pepper. Serve cabbage mixture on top of potatoes. Make it a full meal with a side of Southern Skillet Cornbread. 

BEV NOTE: A crisp pale ale or IPA adds a nice freshness to an otherwise savory meal. 

Southern Skillet Cornbread

I have taken a nine month leave from my blog while my family moved from urban Charlotte, NC, and got settled in rural east Tennessee. The food culture, traditions and available ingredients are more foreign than I had anticipated. The cast iron skillet is now my most relied upon kitchen utensil, and dried beans my largest pantry item. I have also realized a true necessity to rely on a well-stocked pantry, living in a one-stop-light town that only offers an IGA and a general store as grocery options. Being an hour's drive from the next big city (Knoxville), growing and preserving your own food is the best way to enjoy quality meals. And when you do venture into town, you'd better stock up on things that last!

What better recipe to christen this new genre of cuisine than skillet cornbread. In the Appalachian South, this is every family's staple and each recipe is slightly different. In the past month, we have had two Cornbread festivals in east Tennessee, if that gives you any indication of the status of cornbread here. If the first thing that comes to mind is the white and robin blue box of Jiffy, you have no idea what I'm talking about. But you're about to learn!


Southern Skillet Cornbread
This recipe is for a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, serving 6-8 folks. But if you make it every day and for every occasion like my country cook mentors, you don't measure. You just know how to fix it for any sized skillet. You never know when you'll have drop ins...


Required kitchen gadget
A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet. Most come seasoned, but be sure to always use grease when cooking in it. And never wash with soap. Just wipe it out with a dry paper towel. Wet if absolutely necessary.

Ingredients
4 T. salted butter
1 cup self-rising flour
3/4 cup self-rising cornmeal
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Add butter to 12-inch cast iron skillet and set in preheating oven just until melted. Mix flour, cornmeal and soda. Add in just enough buttermilk until all dry ingredients are moistened. Add water, enough to make the mixture into a thick batter. Pour batter into skillet with melted butter. 

Bake for 25 minutes or until cornbread is brown on top and has pulled away from edges of skillet.

The fancy way to serve it is to flip it onto a plate with the bottom crust facing up. You also won't run the risk of burning your dining table!

Variation - Mexican Cornbread!

Yes, this heading needs an exclamation point, because Mexican Cornbread is just that good! It makes cornbread a main dish with the addition of a few ingredients.

• 1 8 oz can of creamed corn
• 1 lb. ground beef or sausage
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet or hot pepper
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

Before making cornbread, saute you meat, onions and peppers, season with salt at the end. Preheat your oven to 425. Add 4 T. salted butter to a 12-inch cast iron skillet and set skillet in the oven until melted. Make cornbread by combining a heaping cup of flour, heaping 3/4 cup of cornmeal, 1/4 tsp. soda. Add buttermilk and creamed corn and stir to combine. Add just enough water to make it the consistency of cornbread or pancake batter.

Add just under half of your cornbread batter to the skillet. Top with your meat mixture and shredded cheese. Cover with the rest of the cornbread mixture. Bake for 25 minutes or until cornbread is brown on the top. Cut it into 6 slices and serve from the skillet.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

The peak of summer, when our garden tomatoes are ripening so fast they're falling off the vine, is like Christmas to me! I have to admit that I don't love the taste of a raw tomato... it's got to be salted, sauced, or heated to some degree to make me crave it. This recipe for roasted tomato sauce does all three, and I can't get enough. The only trick is finding a summer day that's cool enough to want to turn on the oven! Once you've got the sauce made, you can use it in a thousand quick dinners throughout the week (like my no-bake lasagna recipe below), or freeze it to save for a winter day when the delicious taste of a vine-ripe tomato is still several months away.

Ingredients

2 lbs. Roma and grape tomatoes, cored*
8-10 garlic cloves, peeled
1 T. chopped fresh oregano
1 T. chopped fresh thyme
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

*These smaller varieties of tomatoes lend themselves to this recipe because you don't peel or seed the tomatoes here. They have thin skins, small seeds and are naturally sweeter than the larger varieties. I only core the romas. Grape tomatoes are too small to worry about a core.


Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients in an oven-safe skillet, large enough so the tomatoes are not overlapping too much. You want them in a single layer so they can roast evenly. Toss to coat the tomatoes with the oil and spices.

Roast for 30 minutes, remove from the oven and stir so any blackened areas are facing down. Return to the oven for another 20-30 minutes. Keep your eye on them so they don't char, but get lightly blackened on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to warm or room temperature.

After the first 30 minutes of roasting.

After the second 20-30 minutes of roasting.

Add tomato mixture to food processor, in batches if necessary, and pulse until chunky thick.

Before serving, reheat and add any other desired seasonings or spices to accommodate the recipe you're using it in. For my no-bake lasagna, I use it as is!

No-Bake Lasagna
Serves 4

Lasagna isn't a typical summer dish, but when you don't have to bake it, it's a quick dish to whip up on those days you wouldn't think of turning on the oven!

Ingredients
Roasted tomato sauce
1 lb. lasagna noodles, cooked and cut into squares
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lb. sautéed vegetables (zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, mushrooms)
4 stalks fresh basil

Instructions

Reheat tomato sauce over low heat. Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions, and then cut into squares. Sauté vegetables in 2 T. olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (I usually use just one veggie variety, but you could mix and match, or even use meat instead.) Combine ricotta cheese with 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/3 cup parmesan (reserving the rest of the parm for a topping).

To assemble lasagna, set out four serving plates and start with a light layer of tomato sauce on each. Top with one lasagna noodle square. The filling layer is ricotta cheese, sauteed veggies, a few torn basil leaves, and a little sauce. Repeat this two more times, making three layers of noodles and filling.

Top with one final noodle, a little more sauce, a sprinkle of parmesan and a few more basil leaves. This is so hearty and delicious, you don't need a salad or a side of garlic bread. Just a glass of wine and you're set!

Black bean salsa

When you have fresh ingredients, all you need is a little bit of salt to make them taste amazing. That is the secret to this salsa. When tomatoes, onions and peppers are in season, this salsa is a great way to make use of them. Grab some chips and a few friends, and you have a winning appetizer!

Ingredients
2 of the freshest tomatoes you can find, chopped (from either your own garden, the farmer's market, or your grocery store's "local" produce section) -- this is important because the tomatoes are the star here
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup red or white onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 16 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon coarse ground salt
fresh chopped parsley or cilantro, if desired

Instructions
Combine all ingredients and season with salt and fresh herbs (if desired). Use a slotted spoon to transfer salsa to serving dish or storage container. Fresh tomatoes will create a lot of natural juices, which you want to strain out before serving. No need to make in advance because there's really no need for this salsa to marinate. But you can keep in the fridge for about a week, if you can keep from eating it for that long! Serve with tortilla chips.

Swiss Meusli Cereal

I'd been making homemade granola all winter and spring until I went home to Pennsylvania over Memorial Day weekend and discovered Swiss Meusli at the Amish Market. It's the same base of grains, nuts and fruits, minus all the sugar and fat of granola. And it's no bake, which saves your AC from working overtime, and takes half the time to make!

I like to make up a batch of this cereal that I can store in a quart sized Mason jar and use all week long. Then each day add some of your favorite fresh fruit and milk, and you've got one amazing, healthy start to the day!

You can either prepare your daily muesli that morning, or spend a few extra minutes the night before to let your grains soak up all the milk and turn into more of a cold porridge.

Dry Ingredients
2 1/2 cups thick cut rolled oats
1/4 cup unsalted sunflower or pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sliced almonds, or other nuts, chopped
2 T. brown flax seeds
1/2 cup shredded coconut, lightly toasted
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup cranberry raisins or other dried fruit (dates, pineapple, apricots, etc.)

Instructions
Add coconut to a pan over medium heat. Let it sit undisturbed until tips begin to turn light brown. Stir for a few minutes to keep coconut from getting toasted much further, then remove from heat and set aside. Combine coconut with all other ingredients except brown sugar in a large bowl and toss to combine. Transfer to an air-tight container and store for up to several weeks.

To serve

If you want to make it up the night before, here's the process I learned from my local German restaurant who serves muesli on their menu. The below quantities serves 2, but can be easily adjusted for one or more.

1 large ripe banana, mashed

1/2 T. honey

1/4 t. Cinnamon

3/4 c. Milk

1 c. Dry muesli cereal

Mix all ingredients in the order listed and let sit in a sealed container for at least three hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Top with your favorite fresh fruit (apples, peaches, berries, etc.).

If you don't make it up the night before, add the desired amount of milk or yogurt, fresh fruit, sweetener and cinnamon and serve immediately. Or you can heat your milk and pour it over your dry muesli cereal for a hot breakfast, adding your desired fruit, sweetener and cinnamon.