June 12, 2024

Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce with Greek Olives

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pt fresh cherry tomatoes

cracked black pepper (to taste)

sea salt flakes (to taste)

¼ cup chopped Italian parsley

⅓ cup sliced kalamata olives

12 oz Tonnarelli al Nero di Seppia (Black Squid Ink Spaghetti)

Directions

Heat olive oil in a 12″ skillet over low heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add garlic & cook another minute. Increase heat to medium and add tomatoes, salt & pepper. Cook, stirring to coat, until tomatoes begin to burst, about 4 minutes.
Smash some of the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to start to create a sauce. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until a chunky, thickened sauce develops, add the parsley & cook 10–12 minutes. Stir in the olives at the last few minutes of cooking time.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve over pasta.

~ Marla Meridith

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November 28, 2022

Recipe: 3-Ingredient One Pot Barley with Mixed Veggies & Pesto

Ingredients

1 lb pearl barley, rinsed and drainedhttps://rstyle.me/+g-udBeZWYAZCeSq9ATEuQA

6.50 oz basil pesto (from the jar, Barilla, Mezetto, Classico, etc.)

1 lb mixed frozen vegetables (1 bag)

Directions

Cook barley to package directions.

At the last 10 minutes of cook time mix in the frozen vegetables. Add some more water if needed.

Mix in the pesto before serving.

~ Marla Meridith

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July 11, 2022

Recipe: Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Brown Butter & Summer Veggies

Ingredients

1 lb refrigerated or shelf-stable store bought gnocchi

3 shallots, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 ½ cups sliced zucchini (1/2 inch slices)

10 oz grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half

1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernals

¼ cup olive oil

½ fresh lemon, juiced

1 stick salted butter

salt & pepper to taste

sliced fresh basil

Directions

Pre heat oven to 425˚F with the rack in the middle. Line a 18×13″ sheet pan with tin foil. Slice all the vegetables making them fairly uniform in size so they cook evenly.

Place the gnocchi, chopped shallots, garlic and vegetables onto the sheet pan. Toss with the olive oil, lemon juice & pepper. Spread the mixture in a single layer on the pan, this will ensure it all cooks evenly. Roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing half way through cooking time. Gnocchi should be golden and starting to crisp, most of the tomatoes have burst, and shallot is golden.

While the gnocchi is cooking. Place the butter in a small, light colored skillet over medium heat (slicing it will make it melt more evenly) Bring to a boil, mixing frequently, the butter will froth then the bubbles will subside. Continue cooking and stirring, brown flecks will appear. Another prompt to stop cooking is a delicious nutty aroma. If the butter turns black it has cooked too long. Be sure to watch (and smell) carefully. Immediately transfer the brown butter to a glass bowl or pitcher so it stops cooking. Be sure the brown flecks transfer over as these add the wonderful flavor you are looking for.

Drizzle the brown butter over the roasted gnocchi & vegetables. Toss again before serving. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Top plates with fresh basil.
Refrigerate & store in an airtight container if you happen to have any leftovers.

~ Marla Meridith

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April 12, 2021

Recipe: Grilled Brie with Tomatoes and Basil

Ingredients

2 wedges brie cheese, or 1 large round

1 pt grape tomatoes, quartered or 1 pound ripe tomatoes diced

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

¾ tsp salt and more to taste

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup chopped basil ribbons, chiffonade

1 loaf sliced rustic baguette or pita chips

balsamic glaze and shaved parmesan for topping

Directions

Tomato Basil Salad

Combine the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt pepper and basil in a large bowl.

Grilled Brie

Line a 10 inch cast iron skillet or griddle with foil (this makes for an easier clean up.) Place the brie in the center of the skillet. Grill over a campfire or hot grill for 15-20 minutes or until the brie softens and bubbles.

Baked Brie

This is easy to make in your kitchen too! Simply preheat oven to 375˚F with the rack in the middle.

Line a 10 inch cast iron skillet or griddle with foil (this makes for an easier clean up.) Place the brie in the center of the skillet. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the brie softens and bubbles.

Serving

Top the melted brie with the tomato basil mixture. Top with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and shaved parmesan. Serve with baguette.

~ Marla Meridith

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April 7, 2021

Recipe: Creamy Chipotle Sauce

Ingredients

¼ cup full fat mayonnaise

½ cup full fat sour cream

4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp onion powder

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until well combined and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sauce will last up to one week stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

~ Marla Meridith

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October 20, 2020

Recipe: Sheet Pan Roasted Veggies with Feta

Ingredients

2 broccoli crowns, sliced into florets

1 pt cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

½ red onion, sliced

½ zucchini, sliced into half moons

½ lemon, cut into slices

1 8 ounce block of feta cheese

6 mini bell peppers, sliced in half

¼ cup olive oil

sea salt, pepper and dried oregano

Directions

Pre heat oven to 400˚ Fahrenheit.

Slice all the veggies, lemon and feta. Place on an unlined sheet pan in a single layer.

Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with quinoa, rice or pasta.

~ Marla Meridith

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July 16, 2020

Recipe: Quick Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs ripe tomatoes

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp sugar

freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ lb whole wheat spaghetti

¼ cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for topping

freshly grated parmesan for serving

Directions

While the pasta is cooking. Roughly chop 2/3 of the tomatoes. Over a large bowl, grate the rest of the tomatoes using the large holes of a box grater.

Combine the chopped and grated tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, sugar, garlic and pepper in the large bowl. Let rest 10 minutes for the flavors to combine.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Immediately place the pasta back into the pasta pot.

Add the tomato sauce into the pasta with the 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid. Cook over medium heat until hot and the cooking liquid is absorbed. Mix in the 1/4 cup chopped basil during the last minute.

Serve immediately with more basil and parmesan cheese.

~ Marla Meridith

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June 25, 2020

Recipe: Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Ingredients

12 oz Cavatappi, macaroni or bow tie pastacook to package directions, rinse in cold water when done

1 (8.4 oz) pitted Kalamata olives, chopped

1 (8 oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil, no need to drain the oil

1 cup chopped red onion

1 yellow or red bell pepper, chopped

2 cups baby spinach

2 tbsp freshly chopped basil

2 tbsp freshly chopped Italian parsley

5 oz shaved parmesan cheese

Champagne Vinaigrette

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup Champagne vinegar

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp ground black pepper

1 pinch granulated sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cook pasta to package directions. Drain and toss with cold water. Set aside.

Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients.

Toss everything together in a very large serving bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

~ Marla Meridith

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June 6, 2020

Recipe: Vegetarian Enchiladas

Ingredients

2 cups homemade enchilada sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped red onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 crown of broccoli, chopped into small pieces

1 yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped into small pieces

½ tsp smoked paprika

1 lime, juiced

5 cups baby spinach

1 (15 ounce) can black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups mexican blend shredded cheese, divided into 1/2 and 1 1/2

½ tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper

8″ whole wheat tortillas

freshly chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions

Make the enchilada sauce.

Preheat the oven to 400˚ Fahrenheit with the rack in the middle. Spray a 9X13″ casserole dish with olive oil.

In a 12 inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once it’s hot add the chopped onion. Cook until fragrant about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes. Add the broccoli, cook 5 minutes or until the broccoli is bright green. Mix in the bell pepper, smoked paprika and lime juice. Mix in the baby spinach, allow it to wilt about 2 minutes. Mix in beans. Cook another 2 minutes. Mix in 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese.

Assemble the enchiladas. Pour 1/4 cup enchilada sauce into the casserole dish and spread it around. Top each tortilla with some of the veggie mixture. Lay it down the center of the tortilla and roll the sides up over it. Place each stuffed tortilla with the seam side down into the casserole dish until you have used up all the veggies. You will end up with 8 or 9 enchiladas.

Top with the remainder of the enchilada sauce. Pour the sauce down the middle of the enchiladas keeping the edges bare. Top with the remainder of the cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with freshly chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

~ Marla Meridith

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June 1, 2020

Recipe: The Best Red Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients

2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

4 tbsp red chili powder

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp Kosher salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

a few pinches ground red pepper to taste if you want this spicy

Directions

Be sure to have all of the ingredients measured out and near the stove. This sauce comes together very quickly.
Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk together for a few seconds. Whisk in the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Whisk in the tomato paste. The mixture will darken a bit, cook a minute until fragrant.

Gradually add in the stock, whisking the entire time. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring the sauce to a boil and then to a simmer. Mix in the vinegar. Cook 5-7 minutes. Whisk often to remove lumps and to make a smooth sauce. Sauce will appear thin at first and will thicken as it cooks. Add ground red pepper now to taste if you want a spicy sauce. Test the thickness with a spoon. It will continue to thicken as it cools.

Transfer the sauce to a heat proof container to cool or use immediately for enchiladas. Enchilada sauce can be refrigerated and used within 5 days or you can freeze it for up to 3 months.

~ Marla Meridith

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May 11, 2020

Recipe: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

¾ fl oz whole wheat pastry flour

¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

2 cups mixed chocolate, peanut butter & white chocolate chips

Directions

Brown Butter

Bring the butter to a boil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Swirl the pan a few times. The butter will bubble then foam. Once the foam subsides, swirl the pan and you will see brown flecks. The butter will have a nutty, toasty aroma. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer to a heat proof container. Let cool to room temperature.

Make the Cookie Dough

In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cooled brown butter on medium speed with the granulated and brown sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, peanut butter and vanilla. Beat on medium high speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle as needed.

Add the flour mixture to mixer bowl, beat on low until combined. Mix in the oats. Mix in the chocolate chip medley.

Transfer the dough to a clean work surface covered in plastic wrap. Divide the dough into two portions and pat them into disks. Wrap each separately in the plastic wrap. Cool the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes up to 4 days. This dough will become very firm if chilled over 1 hour. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before using it.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ Fahrenheit with the racks in the middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners. Place 2 tablespoon portions of dough 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until slightly golden brown on top.

Let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheets then transfer to cooling racks.

~ Marla Meridith

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May 4, 2020

Recipe: Fresh Raspberry Margaritas

Ingredients

¼ cup fresh raspberries

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

4 fl oz (1/2 cup) reposado or añejo tequila

1 ½ fl oz (3 tbsp) simple syrup (or add to taste)

ice

coarse or Kosher salt for rimming the glass

Simple Syrup

½ cup granulated white or light brown sugar

½ cup water

Directions

Make the simple syrup. Bring the water and sugar to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes making sure all the sugar has melted. Set aside to cool.

Using a wedge of lime, rub the rim of rocks or margarita glasses with the lime. Dip the edge of the glass into the salt. Fill 1/2 way with ice.

Muddle the raspberries with the lime juice in a cocktail shaker.

Add the tequila and simple syrup. Fill with ice. Shake until well combined. Strain into the prepared glasses. Garnish with lime wedges and more fresh raspberries.

~ Marla Meridith

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