Summer Suppers

8/21/13 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

 So, what’s for dinner?  Well, it’s summertime and many afternoons, I look at the clock and ask myself that question. At that time of day take out pizza, KFC and even frozen TV dinners sound good…but I live too far out of town for that! So I’m forcing myself to turn over a new leaf and decide in the morning what’s for dinner.

Concentrating on dinner in the morning is not easy. I’d much rather be on the go, out in the sunshine, watering plants, picking flowers or walking the dogs down to the lake. So I decided to dedicate one morning a week planning meals. I sweetened the pot by granting myself a guilty pleasure—television.

I am not a morning TV person but I do like “Live! With Kelly and Michael.” Problem solved. I turn on Live! And use it as background to keep me focused on the task at hand. I get to laugh, get caught up with the latest Hollywood gossip and somehow focus on the task at hand—meal planning (and cooking) for the week.

The first summer dinner I planned a really tasty fresh vegetable soup and most of the ingredients came from our garden. I did all of the prep work in the morning and then finished it off an hour before dinner. Store bought sour dough rolls and fresh cantaloupe rounded out a very healthy meal. Delicious!

In a pinch, I combine quesadillas with simple soups and salads for a satisfying quick dinner. I’ve even come up with a different idea for picnic sandwiches—sliced pork loin on baguettes. I cook the pork ahead of time and put together a potato salad or a pot of baked beans. Everything comes together quickly at the last minute.

Fresh fruits have been plentiful but lurking in my freezer are some packages of blackberries and blueberries from last year. So mixed cobblers have also been on the menu. Fresh peaches and strawberries needed to be used up. Thinking outside of the box I combined them with some blueberries, sugar and flour, topped the mixture with a cinnamon-streusel topping and voila-dessert. Enjoy!

GARDEN VEGETABLE SOUP

2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, scrubbed and sliced

2 medium stalks of celery, sliced into moons

1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise; cut in 1/2 “ pieces

1 large Red or Idaho Gold potato, peeled and cubed

1 tablespoon Italian seasonings

1 can vegetable broth (or chicken)

5 cups water

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup pearl barley

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

Salt and pepper to taste

Dash or two of Tabasco Sauce

In a large soup pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion, carrots and celery; sauté stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 min. Add the zucchini and sauté until beginning to soften, about 3 min. Add the potato, sauté, stirring occasionally about 3 min.

Add the Italian seasonings, broth, water, tomatoes and barley. Bring soup to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 30 minutes. Add the beans and continue to simmer until hot. Add salt and pepper. Taste for seasonings and adjust as necessary. Add Tabasco and simmer until ready to eat. Serves 6

THREE CHEESE QUESADILLAS

4 flour tortillas (8 inches)

2 tablespoons butter

2 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions,

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced

2 teaspoons ripe olives, chopped

Garnish:

1/4 cup salsa

Sour Cream

Spread butter over one side of each tortilla. Spread cream cheese over unbuttered side on half the tortillas. Sprinkle with cheeses, onion, cilantro and olives. Top with remaining tortillas, buttered side up.

Cook on a griddle over medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side or until cheese is melted. Cut into wedges. Serve with salsa and sour cream if desired. Yield: 4 side servings.

PORK PICNIC SANDWICHES

2 to 3 pound pork tenderloin roast

1/2 cup Italian dressing

2 teaspoons garlic salt with parsley

2 teaspoons black pepper, coarsely ground

1/2 cup mayonnaise mixed with 1/8 teaspoon tarragon

Fig Jam or other fruit chutney

5 ounces Brie cheese, thinly sliced

Red onion slices, separated

Chopped Romaine lettuce

2 small baguettes French bread

Note: May substitute Lemon Tarragon Mayonnaise (recipe below) for Fig Jam or chutney.

The night before: Place pork tenderloin roast in large re-sealable plastic bag. Whisk together dressing, salt and pepper in small bowl. Pour dressing over roast and refrigerate until morning.

Drain, and place roast in Crockpot and cook several hours until very done. Add liquid if necessary. OR if you prefer, bake in the oven. Set aside to cool.

To prepare sandwiches: Slice baguettes into four-inch pieces and halve lengthwise; reserve extra bread for something else. Slice pork and cheese. On bottom bread slices, layer fig jam, sliced pork, cheese, red onion and lettuce. Spread top bread slice with mayonnaise. Serves 6.

MIXED FRUIT COBBLER

FILLING:

4 cups fresh peaches

3 cups fresh strawberries

1 cup (frozen or fresh) blueberries

3/4-1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/3 cup flour

STREUSEL TOPPING:

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup soft butter or margarine

In small bowl combine topping ingredients until crumbly.

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Mix fruits together with sugar, lemon juice and flour. Pour into 8x8x2” Pyrex baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with streusel topping and bake 35-45 min. or until fruit begins to bubble. Serves 6.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal! 

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes

 that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.