This corn and Shishito pepper salad gets loads of flavor from the grill. Don’t be scared away by the peppers. Shishito peppers are a mild spicy East Asian pepper that is often served in Asian restaurants as an appetizers. They incredibly versatile and work in so many different kinds of recipes. But the real star of this recipe is the summer corn, fresh from upstate New York. My best friend’s mom sent him a bunch and I was lucky enough to grab some!
Grill some chicken thighs or salmon to serve alongside. Trust me this will become your new favorite summer salad!!
Ingredients
4 ears corn, husked
6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil plus 1/3 cup, divided
2 shallots, rough chop
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
6-9 shishito peppers
3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 teaspoons honey
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
Place a grill basket on a grill; preheat on high for 10 minutes.
Toss peppers, shallots and tomatoes with 2 teaspoons of oil in a medium bowl. Transfer to the grill basket.
Brush corn with 2 teaspoons of oil.
Place the corn directly on the grates.
Grill the vegetables, turning occasionally, until lightly charred in spots, 8 to 10 minutes for the corn and peppers.
Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1/3 cup oil, vinegar, garlic, honey, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Cut the corn from the cobs.
Add the corn, tomatoes, and peppers to the dressing along with the feta; stir gently to combine.
It is refreshing and tart, with arugula, sliced red onions and creamy goat cheese, all topped with a citrusy cilantro dressing. It’s great as a side salad or add some protein to make it an entrée! It is especially delicious served alongside salmon!
INGREDIENTS
For the dressing:
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, packed, stems mostly removed
1 medium-sized pink grapefruit, juiced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
For the salad:
4–5 cups arugula
1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1 large pink grapefruit, sliced with skin on or peeled and split into wedges
1/2 medium-sized red onion, peeled and sliced thinly
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the dressing:
Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend on high until well combined but bits of cilantro still remain.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Just shake or stir before adding to the salad.
Assemble the salad:
In a large bowl, add the arugula, goat cheese, grapefruit and onion. Add the desired amount of dressing and toss to combine.
Bruschetta is easily one of my all-time favorite appetizer!
It’s eggplant season! I love this pretty, versatile vegetable and coming up with new ways to use it. Once you make this bruschetta, it will become an easy go-to for using up summer tomatoes and eggplant for years to come.
If you’re looking for a more substantial meal add this as a topping to your favorite pasta!
INGREDIENTS
Extra Virgin olive oil
Two 1-pound eggplants, chopped
½ yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon capers
1/4 cup packed basil leaves, coarsely shredded
One pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt & pepper to taste
pinch of sugar
1 loaf French bread, 1/2 inch slices
Freshly grated Parmesan
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
Add in the diced onion and eggplant and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until the eggplant is tender, stirring frequently. Add in the garlic, red pepper flakes and basil leaves half way through cooking.
Add the cherry tomatoes to the eggplant. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.
Cover the pan, wait for the tomatoes to burst for about ten minutes. Squish any whole tomatoes with a wooden spoon and let the tomatoes thicken, about 1 minute.
Stir in the capers and stir to combine.
Taste and add the salt & pepper if needed.
Heat the broiler.
Brush the bread slices with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese on both sides.
Char the bread on both sides.
Spoon the bruschetta onto the bread and top with grated Parmesan and remaining basil leaves. Dig in!
Who doesn’t love a cold glass of strawberry lemonade on a hot day. Now think about that as a delicious slice of cake. All of the same refreshing flavors, but in cake form. Count me in!
This cake is perfect for brunch, a picnic or patio party! It is made with fresh strawberries and fresh lemon zest and a sour cream cake batter, this moist and tender strawberry cake will make your day. Guaranteed!
I love fresh strawberries with this recipe but you can use frozen ones. Just make sure to thaw them before using, then dry off and toss with the flour.
INGREDIENTS
For the cake:
2 cups strawberries, chopped
2 and ¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled plus 1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon zest
¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
1 cup full fat sour cream, room temperature
For the lemon glaze:
1 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon salted butter
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Add the strawberries and 1 tablespoon of flour to a mixing bowl and toss together until all of the strawberries are coated with the flour. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar for about 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.
Mix in the eggs one at a time until well combined, then mix in the vanilla. Slowly mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and oil.
Add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients on low speed.
Mix in each addition until just combined, making sure not to over mix the batter.
Then add the strawberries and gently fold them into the batter until just combined.
Spray a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan or cake pan and evenly spread it around.
Bake at 350°F for 50-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Cover loosely with foil if needed for the last 5-10 minutes of baking to prevent excess browning.
Remove from the oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then invert the cake onto the wire rack to finish cooling.
The Lemon Glaze
While the cake cools, make the glaze.
In a large microwavable measuring cup, the 4 cup capacity ones are the best, combine the sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest.
Add in the butter then microwave on high for 45 seconds.
Take out the measuring cup and whisk until smooth, making sure there are no lumps.
Healthy tacos made with seasoned black beans, an easy corn salsa and a delicious cilantro pesto.
These Black Bean Tacos served in a tortilla or even a zucchini boat are so good that you definitely won’t miss the meat. It is a healthy meatless meal that not only tastes great, it’s budget-friendly too!
I love making tacos! One of our favorite things about tacos is how versatile they are. There are literally hundreds of taco recipes out there to choose from. It’s good to have variety! There is nothing boring about these tacos, the black beans are full of flavor and completely filling, the corn salsa adds a sweet twist and the cilantro pesto brings it all home! Trust me you will go back for seconds!
I’ve been trying to cut out carbs so instead of a tortilla, I made a zucchini boat as my vessel. You can even serve this on top of a salad. This recipe is that versatile!
Wine Pairing? Scout and Cellar GALLIVANT ROSÉ! Lively and refreshing with strawberry, red cherry and fresh melon balanced by limestone on a dry, well-textured frame with a clean finish. Click the link under the photo to order a bottle!
Combine all ingredients. Stir, adjust seasoning to taste, and set aside to marinate while preparing the rest of the tacos.
Cilantro Pesto
Add all the ingredients except the olive oil and pulse in a blender until combined. Once it is all combined, add olive oil and pulse a few times quickly until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate while preparing the rest of the tacos.
Black Beans:
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add1 tablespoon olive oil. Add in the chopped onion and saute for 3 minutes over medium high heat. Add in the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds. Add in the black beans, salsa, chili powder and cumin. Simmer mixture for about 5 -10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Slightly mash half of the beans if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Putting it all together!
Warm tortillas or a zucchini boat, and add a generous amount of the black beans mixture topped by the corn topping, and a spoonful of the pesto.
Add the rest of your favorite taco toppings like cheese, guacamole or sour cream.
Light, Fresh & Easy! I swear that could be a song title! LOL!!
This zucchini noodle spaghetti salad is tossed in a homemade honey orange dressing and loaded with flavor! Perfect for summer cookouts, or a light lunch!
If you haven’t spiralized zucchini yet, you’ve got to. In addition to it being a fun thing to do, the noodle shape somehow transforms raw zucchini into something absolutely delicious.
If you do have a vegetable spiralizer, great. If not no worries. I didn’t use one, just cut the zucchini into long strips. You can even buy zucchini already spiralized at some grocery stores.
When I was first preparing this dish, I thought I would saute the zucchini noodles in the sauce. But as I tossed the noodles in the sauce and tasted it, I decided this would be delicious as a cold salad with the tangy fish I was planning to serve as the main dish. So my point being, this dish can be served hot or cold. Totally up to you!
In a few steps, you have yourself a delicious side dish or even a lunch!
Ingredients
2 zucchini
2 garlic cloves, minces
2 tablespoon Olive Oil
¼ cup Light Soy Sauce
2 teaspoon White Vinegar
2 tablespoon Honey 1 tablespoon Orange Marmalade
1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Instructions
Cut zucchini into long strips like noodles.
Whisk the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.
Toss zucchini noodles in sauce and let sit in the refrigerator for at least ten minutes.
Ratatouille is a classic summer French style stew, it’s fun to say and even has an adorable Disney movie named after it!
Ratatouille is packed with summer vegetables: tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers and it’s pretty easy to make!
With a little imagination, there are endless ways to serve ratatouille. For Sunday dinner, toss it with pasta or alongside grilled chicken or fish. Or for an easy weeknight dinner, serve with a dollop of goat cheese or with a fried egg on top. It’s even tasty straight from the fridge as a snack (it’s delicious cold)! Seriously the possibilities are limitless!
For the tomatoes, I love the brand Pomi! They only have one ingredient: TOMATOES! You can find Pomi chopped tomatoes in the canned vegetable aisle. Pomi is usually on the top shelf.
Looking for wine to pair with Ratatouille? Scout & Cellar 2018 VEINTE MALBEC, Lush and fruit-forward with blueberry, black plum and wildberry jam balanced by mocha on a fresh, well-structured frame with round tannins and a lingering finish. DELICIOUS!
INGREDIENTS
26.46 oz Pomi Chopped Tomatoes
14.5 oz Diced Tomatoes, drained
1 medium eggplant, diced into cubes
1 large red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, cut into ¾ squares
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, more or less to taste
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper for easy clean-up, if desired.
On one baking sheet, toss the diced eggplant with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until lightly coated. Arrange the eggplant in a single layer across the pan, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and set aside.
On the other baking sheet, toss the bell pepper, and zucchini 1 tablespoon of olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer.
Place the eggplant pan on the middle rack and the other vegetables on the top rack. Set the timer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and caramelizing on the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, stir, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the tomatoes, and use a wooden spoon to stir any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan into the mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low, or as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.
Once 15 minutes are up, remove both pans from the oven, stir, and redistribute the contents of each evenly across the pans. This time, place the eggplant on the top rack and other vegetables on the middle rack.
Bake until the eggplant is nice and golden on the edges, about 10 more minutes (the eggplant will be done sooner than the rest). Remove the eggplant from the oven, and carefully stir the eggplant into the simmering tomato sauce.
Let the zucchini and bell pepper pan continue to bake until the peppers are caramelized, about 5 to 10 more minutes. Then, transfer the contents of the pan into the simmering sauce. Continue simmering for 5 more minutes to give the flavors time to combine.
Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon olive oil, the fresh basil, dried orengo and red pepper flakes.
Season to taste with additional salt and black pepper.
Serve in bowls, with additional chopped basil, or black pepper on top (all optional).
Like all stews, this ratatouille’s flavor improves as it cools. It’s even better reheated the next day. Ratatouille keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 days, or for several months in the freezer.
Whisk Away Kitchen 