Recipe for Lily

Rosemary-Lemon White Bean Dip
Yield 2 cups
Time 10 minutes using precooked or canned beans

By MARK BITTMAN

The secret to this puree, which Lidia Bastianich taught me about 10 years ago, is grated lemon zest, which transforms it. And though its most obvious use is as a dip, it can also form the basis of a wonderful sandwich. Or serve it at the center of a plate of lightly and simply cooked vegetables.

 
Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked white beans, like cannelini, drained but moist
• 1 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
• Grated rind of 2 lemons

Directions:

• 1. Put the beans in the container of a food processor with 1 clove of garlic and a healthy pinch of salt. Turn the machine on, and add the 1/4 cup olive oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until the mixture is smooth. Taste, and add more garlic if you like; then, puree the mixture again.
• 2. Place the mixture in a bowl, and use a wooden spoon to beat in the rosemary, lemon zest and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Taste, and add more salt and pepper as needed. Use immediately, or refrigerate for as long as 3 days.

Recipe for Lily

Roasted Eggplant Salad with Smoked Almonds & Goat Cheese
serves 4
Thanks, The Kitchn

Ingredients:
2 large eggplants, about 2 pounds
Kosher salt
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lemon, about 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup flat parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup smoked almonds, roughly chopped
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled and divided
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions

Directions: 
Heat the oven to 400°F. Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes and put in a large bowl. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and set aside while making the marinade.

Whisk together the olive oil, cider vinegar, honey, smoked paprika, and cumin. Dab away any extra water that has beaded up on the eggplant and toss with the marinade. Stir in the garlic. Spread the eggplant on a large baking sheet, lined with parchment and slide onto a rack placed in the center of the oven. Roast at 400°F for 40 minutes, or until very tender and slightly browned. (Stir every 15 minutes and check after 30 minutes to make sure it isn't burning.) Remove from the oven and cool slightly.

Whisk together the lemon juice and soy sauce. Return the eggplant to the bowl and toss with the lemon juice mixture. Stir in the parsley leaves, smoked almonds, and most of the goat cheese, reserving a little.

Spread the finished salad in a serving bowl and sprinkle the reserved goat cheese crumbles and scallions on top.

Recipe for Lily

The French 75! 

It's cocktail time!

Food 52 Notes: Not being a big cocktail drinker there are only a few I relish, in part because of their historical provenance. The French 75 goes back to between the two World Wars and was named for a French artillery piece. I like the Negroni also, the cocktail of the Italian Futurists, but it doesn’t make for a great pool side beverage. The 75 can be served in a sturdy tumbler rather than a dainty Sex in the City martini glass. I strongly recommend using Hendrick’s gin, as it has a great blend of botanicals. After that the ingredients are simple. And this is NOT a blender drink.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 shots Hendrick’s gin (or other to your preference)
2 shots Cointreau
Big squeeze of lime
1-2 teaspoons sugar
Sparkling wine; Champagne or Prosecco, chilled
Ice

Directions:

Add enough ice to your cocktail shaker to fill about 1/3
Add the gin and Cointreau, lime and sugar, cover and shake well
Into tumblers chilled with ice, strain in the cocktail mix
Finish off each glass with a big splash of sparkling win
An additional lime wedge is optional
Keep pouring ‘em 

Recipe for Lily

Garden-Fresh Chopped Salad with Herb-Ranch DressingThanks, Good Housekeeping and Aunt Bev for reading Good Housekeeping

The ultimate in refreshing summer sides, our chopped salad is brimming with garden-fresh green beans, cherry tomatoes, and bell peppers. Plus, we lightened the ranch dressing by substituting light mayo for full-fat.

Ingredients

• 1 pound(s) green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup(s) buttermilk
• 1/3 cup(s) light mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoon(s) cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoon(s) snipped fresh chives
• 2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh parsley
• 1  green onion, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) coarsely ground black pepper
• 8 ounce(s) hearts of romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped
• 4 pint(s) red and/or yellow cherry tomatoes, each cut in half
• 2  red, orange, and/or yellow peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2  avocados, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

Directions

1. Heat 3-quart saucepan of water to boiling on high. Add green beans and cook 5 minutes until tender-crisp. Drain beans in colander and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking.
2. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, chives, parsley, green onion, salt, and pepper until blended; set dressing aside.
3. In 4-quart or larger cylindrical glass bowl or trifle dish, place half of lettuce, then half of tomatoes; top with all of beans, all of peppers, remaining lettuce, then remaining tomatoes. Arrange avocados on top. Spoon dressing over avocados to cover completely. If not serving right away, cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate salad until ready to serve or up to 4 hours.
4. If serving bowl is not large enough for mixing, transfer salad to very large bowl and toss until well coated with dressing. Makes about 14 cups.

Recipe for Lily

Cucumber-Feta Toasts!

Toasted bread spread with feta and topped with sliced cucumber makes a cool and refreshing appetizer. 

Thanks, Martha 

Ingredients:

1/2 baguette 

2 teaspoons plus 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 

3 ounces feta 

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 

Coarse salt and ground pepper 

1 small English cucumber, thinly sliced crosswise 

Directions:

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 450 degrees. Split baguette lengthwise and lightly brush cut sides with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Bake until golden around edges, 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mash together feta, 4 teaspoons oil, and lemon juice with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. Spread feta mixture evenly over toasted baguette and top with cucumber. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and a drizzle of oil. Cut into pieces to serve. 

Recipe for Lils

I mentioned yesterday that I needed some feedback on how to add some ZaZaZu to this lil old blog. 

Lils mentioned she would love to have some more recipes. 

Done and Done.

We all know Pam101 loves to cook so I am always excited to find recipes I want to try and more importantly find recipes I feel are worth sharing. 

Here is one of them. 

The Pioneer Woman's Easy Flatbread Pizza. This recipe looks delicious, is easy and it is a great way to use up some of those summer time veggies! 


Happy Cooking!