I took this awesome Greek-inspired salsa to a pool party recently. Dang, it’s good! I chose to make it because it’s super easy and I had all the makings for it. It’s a perfect summertime appetizer!!!

I followed the recipe for the salsa except that I didn’t have the fresh oregano so I used a little extra fresh dill and parsley. I also added some chopped red bell pepper and a few dashes of dried red pepper flakes for some zip. If you want the salsa to have a bit more tang, add a few dashes of red wine vinegar.

The recipe calls for making fresh pita chips but I didn’t feel like turning on the oven so I served it with store-bought pita chips. Next time I’ll make my own, though, because the store-bought kind were too small and fragile to hold much of the salsa. Bigger pita squares or triangles would work much better. Enjoy!

Greek Salad Salsa with Toasted Pita Chips
-recipe from San Francisco Flavors: Favorite Recipes from The Junior League of San Francisco

This zesty blend of feta cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, and parsley is a wonderful alternative to guacamole and chips. If, by chance, there is any left over, pulse it in a blender or food processor and use as a sauce for grilled fish. Serves 6 to 8.

8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1 1/2 cups)
1 large ripe tomato, seeded and chopped
3 scallions, thinly sliced, including green portions
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Toasted Pita Chips (recipe follows)

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients except the pita chips and gently mix.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to one day.

Toasted Pita Chips
You might want to double this recipe — these chips disappear quickly! Make them the night before you plan to serve them, and leave them in the turned-off oven overnight. Makes about 40 chips.

1 package mini pita breads
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Garlic powder, dried
Dill, and paprika to taste

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Cut the pita rounds in half. Cut each half again into thirds, then separate each piece to make two bite-sized chips. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat each chip with the melted butter.

Lay the chips in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Dust with the garlic powder, dill, and paprika. Place in the oven and turn the oven off. Do not open the oven door until the oven is completely cool and chips are crisp, about 4 hours or overnight. If the chips are still soft, repeat cooking process, preheating oven to 200 degrees F.

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Tags: Appetizer, black olives, cucumber, dill, Feta cheese, lemon, olive oil, oregano, parsley, pita bread, scallions, tomato

This simple yet tasty recipe is a great way to dress up humble green beans. And, it’s perfect for summer entertaining because the recipe can easily be doubled and made ahead of time.

The original recipe calls for cooking the green beans in boiling water for 8-10 minutes but I think that is WAY too long so I changed the cooking time to 4-5 minutes*. Have a bowl of ice water ready to put the cooked and drained beans into (this stops the cooking process). For the dressing, I use regular soy sauce and reduce the salt a bit. Make sure to toss the green beans a few times in the dressing so they’re evenly coated. Enjoy!

Sesame Green Bean Salad
-recipe from Taste of Home Magazine

Makes 5 Servings.

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

Place beans in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, for 4-5 minutes* or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse in cold water; pat dry. Place in a serving bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, canola oil, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil and salt. Pour over beans and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds; toss again. Serve at room temperature. Yield: 5 servings.

Tags: canola oil, cider vinegar, green beans, sesame oil, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sugar

Feta Wheat-Berry Salad, which is basically a Greek salad with the addition of wheat berries, is one of my favorite summer recipes. Wheat berries are whole kernels of wheat without the hull, are an excellent source of fiber, and have a chewy texture when cooked. My folks went through a health food kick when I was growing up so Mom snuck wheat berries into a variety of foods (homemade bread, casseroles, hot cereal, etc.).

I pretty much follow the recipe for the salad except for reducing the amount of red onions to 1/4 cup, substituting 1/2 cup fresh red bell peppers for the roasted peppers, and increasing the olives to 1/3 cup (I use kalamata olives). For the veggies, I chop them into small pieces (instead of julienning), and I usually just use Italian parsley (not a blend of herbs). I always let the cooked wheat berries cool before making the salad. Enjoy!

Feta Wheat-Berry Salad
-recipe from Gourmet Magazine

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

1 cup wheat, spelt, or rye berries (available at natural foods stores)
1/2 cup diced Feta (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion (I use 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup julienne strips of seedless cucumber
5 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup julienne strips of drained bottled roasted red pepper (I use 1/2 cup fresh red bell pepper)
1/4 cup mixed minced fresh herbs such as parsley, mint, and dill plus herb sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped pitted brine-cured black olives (I use 1/3 cup chopped Kalamata olives)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
dried hot red pepper flakes to taste

In a kettle of boiling salted water cook the wheat berries for 1 hour, or until they are tender, and drain them. In a large bowl stir together the wheat berries, the Feta, the onion, the cucumber, the oil, the roasted pepper, the minced herbs, the lemon juice, the vinegar, the olives, the cumin, the garlic, the red pepper flakes, and salt to taste and garnish the salad with the herb sprigs.

Tags: black olives, cucumber, cumin, Feta cheese, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, red bell pepper, red onion, red wine vinegar, Salad, Side Dish, wheat berry

This simple appetizer is a perfect starter for a summer dinner. I love the flavor combination of goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh thyme with the grilled zucchini…delicious!

Be sure not to overcook the zucchini on the grill…you just want nice char marks on both sides. Also, cooling the cooked zucchini stips on a wire rack is an important step so they don’t steam and get super limp and mushy. I think the roll-ups were just as good without the Parmesan/broiling step so feel free to skip it if you don’t want to bother with turning on your oven. Enjoy!

Grilled Zucchini & Goat Cheese Roll-Ups
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine
 
Make these ahead, refrigerate them if you like, and broil them briefly before serving. Serve with a first-course green salad or as a side to grilled meat, or as part of an antipasto. Draping grilled vegetables such as zucchini, eggplant, and scallions over a cooling rack prevents them from steaming and becoming mushy. Yields 8 to 10 roll-ups.

3 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch thick lengthwise strips
extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt
3 oz. goat cheese, at room temperature
1 Tbs. finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, well drained
Heaping 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tbs. freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Heat a gas grill to high. Brush both sides of the zucchini strips with olive oil and season with kosher salt. Put the strips on the grill at a 45-degree angle to the grates and grill, covered, until well browned and limp, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Check occasionally and move the slices around gently with tongs as necessary so that they brown evenly; don’t undercook them. When done, remove them from the grill and drape them over a cooling rack to keep them from steaming as they cool.

In a bowl, combine the goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, 1 tsp. olive oil and 1/8 tsp. kosher salt. When the zucchini has cooled completely, spread 1 heaping tsp. of the filling thinly over one side of each grilled zucchini strip (use a mini spatula or your fingers to spread). Roll up the zucchini (not too tightly; this is more like folding), and put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. Refrigerate if not using within an hour, but bring back to room temperature before broiling. Heat the broiler. Sprinkle with a little grated Parmigiano and brown under the-broiler, about 1 minute.

From Fine Cooking 51, pp. 55
June 1, 2002

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Tags: fresh thyme, goat cheese, Grilling, sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, zucchini

This salsa rocks! It’s easy to make and can be served with tortilla chips or as a topping for grilled chicken, pork or seafood. YUMM! Husband was skeptical of the mango/avocade combo at first but after his first bite, he was blown away by all the flavor. He then kept commenting on how good it was. I served the chunky salsa liberally spooned over slices of grilled pork tenderloin that had been marinated in a combo of olive oil, orange juice, garlic, red wine vinegar, smoked paprika, cumin and salt/pepper. Delicious!

The only thing I did differently from the recipe was substitute 1/2 a seeded jalapeno for the habanero chile. Next time, I start with less salt then add if needed. The amount of seasoning will depend on the size of avocado and mango being used.

If serving the Mango and Avocado Salsa for company, you’ll probably want to double or triple the recipe because it will disappear quickly! After you make it, let me know how you served it. Enjoy!!!

Note: Always use caution when seeding spicy chiles like habaneros and jalapenos. The seeds and veins inside the chiles can cause skin irritation. There’s lots of info on the web about seeing chiles if you’re not sure.

Mango and Avocado Salsa
-recipe from Martha Stewart Everyday Food

1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced medium
1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and diced medium
1 small red onion, diced small
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 to 1 habanero chile (stem and seeds removed), minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Makes 3 cups.

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Tags: avocado, cilantro, Dip, habanero chile, lime juice, mango, Mexican, olive oil, red onion, salsa, tropical

Now that we’re in asparagus season (oh joy!), I’m coming up with all kinds of ways to use the precious green stalks. This was the first time I’ve ever made Asparagus Soup, though. This soup would be perfect for a Springtime luncheon or first course at a dinner party, because it’s delicious, healthy and super easy to make.

I substituted 1/4 teaspoon of dried tarragon for the summer savory, which complimented the asparagus nicely. The soup is great garnished with a blanched stalk of asparagus or with a dollop of tangy sour cream.

Asparagus Soup
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

This pretty, easy-to-make first-course soup is flavorful and creamy, yet is extremely low fat-it has only one tablespoon of butter and no cream at all (except for an optional sour cream garnish). Pour your favorite beer or a fruity white wine throughout the evening.

Yield: Serves 6

1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 14 1/2-ounce cans chicken broth
1 pound asparagus, tough ends discarded, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon dried summer savory

Sour cream or plain yogurt (optional)

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually mix in canned chicken broth. Bring mixture to boil. Add asparagus pieces and summer savory and simmer until asparagus is very tender, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly.

Drain asparagus, reserving cooking liquid. Puree asparagus in food processor. With machine running, Gradually add 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Return mixture to saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. (Soup can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Top with dollops of sour cream or yogurt, if desired.

Tags: asparagus, chicken broth, onion, soup

This salad is soooo good! I love the mixture of citrus, soy sauce and sesame oil for the dressing, and the combination of moist chicken, crunchy vegetables and tender greens…delicious! I made it for my Mom’s birthday luncheon recently and everybody loved it (especially Mom)!

I substituted fresh spinach for the watercress, and added some Sriracha Hot Chile Sauce to the dressing for a little kick. To make the salad a meal, I served it with a variety of spring rolls that I got at Trader Joe’s. Yumm!

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Chicken Salad with Crunchy Vegetables and Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette
-recipe from Fresh Every Day: More Great Recipes From Foster’s Market by Sara Foster

I’m always looking for new ways to satisfy my customers’ insatiable appetites for chicken salad. This one can be made several hours in advance, so it’s the perfect thing to take to the office for lunch or on a picnic. If you like to eat lots of vegetables, toss in a handful of shredded savoy or napa cabbage, snow peas, or julienned carrots for more crunch.

Serves 4 to 6.

4 cups shredded cooked chicken (one 3 1/2 to 4-pound roasted chicken)
2 ribs bok choy or celery stalks, sliced on the diagonal into 1/4″ pieces
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
2 cups watercress, washed and trimmed of tough stems
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine the chicken, bok choy or celery, red pepper, cilantro, scallions, and 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette in a large bowl and toss to mix. Add the watercress and more vinaigrette to taste. Season with salt and pepper and toss again gently. Divide the salad evenly among individual plates or place on a large platter and serve immediately.

Note: If you make this salad to serve later, add the watercress and toss with the dressing just before serving.

Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette

Makes about 1 cup

Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
2 tablespoons light soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger (about 1 2″ piece)
2 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup canola or safflower oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Stir the orange zest and juice, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger, scallions, and garlic together in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the sesame and canola oils until they are incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the sesame seeds just before serving. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve for up to 1 week.

Tags: bok choy, Chicken, cilantro, ginger, honey, orange juice, rice wine vinegar, Salad, sesame oil, sesame seeds, sesame vinaigrette, soy sauce

I know it’s officially Spring but it’s still soup weather here in the Pacific Northwest. I made this delicious and healthy Chicken and Vegetable Minestrone recently to combat the chilly weather. It was exactly what I was craving!

I substituted white beans for the garbanzo beans (chickpeas), 1 can of diced tomatoes for the fresh chopped tomatoes, and dried Italian herbs for the fresh ones. I omitted the cabbage and used extra carrots. Serve with crusty bread or rolls. Yumm!

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Chunky Chicken Vegetable Minestrone
-recipe from Fresh Every Day: More Great Recipes From Foster’s Market by Sara Foster

Soup is the ultimate comfort food. Be sure and make extra so you can share with friends. Serves 8 to 10 (makes about 3 quarts).

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 carrots diced
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
3 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 summer squash (yellow or zucchini), diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups chicken broth
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 cups shredded cooked chicken (meat from a 3 1/2 – 4 pound roasted or poached chicken)
2 teaspoons seal salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup small shape pasta (elbow macaroni or bow tie)
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup chopped green cabbage
2 cups fresh spinach, stems removed, washed and drained
8 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or marjoram leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook and stir about 10 minutes. Add the carrots, bell pepper, tomatoes and squash and cook and stir another 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sit a minute longer.

Add the broth, chickpeas, chicken, salt and pepper and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for about 1 hour.

Add the pasta, green beans and cabbage and bring the soup back to a low boil. reduce the heat and simmer for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. add the spinach, basil and oregano and remove the soup from the heat and season to taste. Serve hot topped with the freshly grated Parmesan.

Tags: Chicken, Italian, minestrone, soup, Vegetable

I’m always on the lookout for new soups, especially recipes like this one that feature vegetables. This quick and easy Italian-inspired soup calls for store-bought cheese tortellini (or your favorite flavor) and other ingredients that can be kept on hand.

I followed the recipe except for sauteing some diced onion along with the carrots and celery. I also substituted broccoli for the zucchini and canned diced tomato (about 1/2 cup) for the fresh tomatoes. For protein, I added some diced cooked chicken. Garnish each serving with a dollop of pesto and some Parmesan cheese.

Tortellini and Vegetable Soup
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com

For a traditional Italian version of this hearty vegetable soup, garnish each serving with a spoonful of store-bought pesto. The pesto adds herbaceous notes to the simple soup. Round out the meal with a loaf of crusty Italian or whole-grain bread.

2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 lb. fresh cheese tortellini
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the 2 Tbs. olive oil. Add the carrots, celery and zucchini and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil.

Add the tortellini and cook for 5 minutes, or according to the package instructions. Remove from the heat. Stir in the tomatoes and parsley, and season with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with the cheese and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, One Pot, by Carrolyn Carreño (Oxmoor House, 2008).

Tags: broccoli, carrots, parmesan cheese, pesto, soup, tomatoes, tortellini, zucchini

Here’s a fun way to eat your yellow veggies: cooked spaghetti squash drizzled with browned butter and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. It’s simple and makes a good side dish for chicken.

Instead of boiling the whole squash, I microwaved it (saving 30 minutes of cooking time). To do this, carefully cut the top off the squash off an inch or so below the stem, split the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place both halves cut side down in a microwaveable dish (overlapping is fine), add about 1/4″ of water to the pan, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 15 minutes (or until the squash is cooked to your liking). Now proceed with the recipe.

After browning the butter, I added a dash of ground nutmeg to it (didn’t have fresh nutmeg). I then scooped the cooked squash strands into a bowl, separating it with a fork so it looked spaghetti-like and tossed with the brown butter, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. For serving, I mounded the squash back into one of the squash shells and sprinkled more Parmesan on top. Yumm!

Spaghetti Squash with Brown Butter and Parmesan
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com

Spaghetti squash derives its name from the nature of its flesh: Once it is cooked and cut in half, the flesh can be separated into strands that recall the famed Italian pasta. The squash has a delicate flavor so requires only subtle enhancement.

1 spaghetti squash, 2 1/2 to 3 lb.
4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Place the whole squash in a large pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the squash can be easily pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and cook it until it turns brown and just begins to smoke, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove immediately from the heat and stir in the nutmeg.

When the squash is done, drain and set aside until cool enough to handle. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and, using a fork, scrape out the seeds and discard. Place the squash halves, cut sides up, on a serving platter. Using the fork, scrape the flesh free of the skin, carefully separating it into the spaghetti-like strands that it naturally forms. Leave the strands mounded in the squash halves. If the butter has cooled, place over medium heat until hot.

To serve, drizzle the butter evenly over the squash. Sprinkle with the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Seasonal Celebration Series, Autumn, by Joanne Weir (Time-Life Books, 1997).

Tags: brown butter, parmesan cheese, Side Dish, spaghetti squash