photo credit: izik

While we were having our family outing, we stopped by Briar Patch in celebration of  “Eat Local”.  The challenge is officially on, for the whole month of August. The challenge for everyone is to buy local ingredients for all of your recipes, snacking only on local fruit, building meals around foods that are available right now and right here. Can you do it?

I also look forward  to visiting our local farms or farmer’s markets for great quality, super fresh, and local food. It’s like having your own personalized grocery store and they add that personal touch. There’s nothing quite like meeting the people in your community who are growing your food.

Here’s a  wonderful and simple recipe you can make with fresh ingredients from your local community grocery store:

Basil and Walnut Pesto

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup walnuts, chopped

3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor or blender. Add the garlic, pulse a few more.

Slowly add the oilve oil in a constant stream while the food processor or blender is on. Stop occasionally to scrap down the sides of processor or blender with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended.

Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Serve on pasta, french bread or with cheese as a soft cheese spread.

Join me! – let’s see who can eat the localest!

Enjoy!

As always, my quick and easy recipes for Busy Moms can be found on my website Noel’s Kitchen Tips.com.

Visit my new Amazon Kitchen Store  for some of my recommeneded appliances, storage and kitchen needs along with some of my favorite cookbooks and aprons to help you with your family meal planning.

Would you like to join our growing Family Cooking Club? Share recipes and tips with others? Join the Family Meals Matter Cooking Clubon Facebook.  

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My garden is overwhelmed with the smell of fresh herbs growing and I wanted to incorporate some of those flavors to create an all time American favorite salad for our Memorial Day celebration. Three Bean Salad is a simple dish that can easily be transported to any family picnic and one that is very flavorful. I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Three Bean Salad with Garden Fresh Herbs

Ingredients:

1 15 ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups frozen green beans, slightly cooked, chill in cold water and drained (frozen green beans are more colorful than the can)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

1/4 cup Italian parsley

1 sprig of lemon thyme

1 sprig of dill

1 sprig of oregano

 Dressing:

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, add kidney, garbanzo and green beans. Add onion, cucumber and fresh herbs. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Add dressing to the bean mixture.

Chill for several hours to allow the flavor of fresh herbs and dressing to incorporate into the beans. Serve with your favorite family picnic or BBQ dishes. 

As always, my quick and easy recipes for Busy Moms can be found on my website Noel’s Kitchen Tips.com.

Visit my new Kitchen Store  for some of my recommened  appliances, storage and kitchen needs along with some of my favorite cookbooks and aprons to help you with your family meal planning.

Would you like to join our growing Family Cooking Club? Share recipes and tips with others? Join the Family Meals Matter Cooking Clubon Facebook.

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This recipe is an excellent side dish hot or cold.  On Sunday, we grilled the vegetables and the leftovers I turned into a great tasting salad.

Tomato Vegetable Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 Tomatoes, chopped(You don’t want the pieces too small if you’re putting on the grill. I have a Grill Basket that cooks the vegetables perfectly.)
• 2-3 Zucchini, chopped
• 2-3 Yellow Squash, chopped
• 1 Red Onion, chopped
• 1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped

Directions:

1. After grilling vegetables, store in a container and chill well. Overnight in the refrigerator works best. Remove from refrigerator and add1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon spicy brown mustard.

Your family is sure to love this colorful Tomato Vegetable Salad with their hamburgers.

As always, my quick and easy recipes for Busy Moms can be found on my website Noel’s Kitchen Tips.

Would you like to join our Family Cooking Club? Share recipes and tips with others? Join the Family Meals Matter Cooking Club on Facebook.

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Quick Easy Salad Dressing

If your garden is showing an abundance of cucumbers and your wondering what else you could do with them besides putting in them in your salad, how about a quick, creamy dressing? You won’t believe how good it tastes too. Try this delicious summer salad dressing today!

     Creamy Cucumber Dressing

Ingredients

1 cup light mayonaise

1 cup skinned, seeded, chopped cucumbers

2 Tablespoons minced parsley

1 clove garlic

1 Tablespoon chopped chives or scallions

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt

Directions

Process all ingredients in an electric blender or food processer until smooth. Chill.

Makes approximately 2 3/4 cups.

Why purchase your salad dressings from the store? Why not make your own? It’s very easy to do. Homemade salad dressings are always fresh and delicious.  Preparing your own dressing at home is not only easy, but very quick, and healthy. It’s also very cost-effective on your grocery budget. This dressing is very light and brings great flavor to a bed of greens.

       Light Balsamic Dressing

Ingredients

1/4 cup imported balsamic venegar

1/4 cup tomato or tomato vegetable juice

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons water

1 garlic clove, mashed

Dried thyme and dried marjoram (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Combine ingredients in covered jar and shake before serving. Makes 3/4 cup of dressing.

The West Coast has always been blessed with all the elements of a great summer picnic. Since moving to the Sierra Foothills from the Bay Area, we don’t get over to the gorgeous beaches or the lake in the area as much as we would like. But that doesn’t stop me from creating a fantastic picnic recipe.  After three years of watching how our land would handle summers and winters, we decided on organic farming. We are not only cutting down our food costs, but we are eating healthier home grown foods. Tomatoes are great to grow in your garden. We’re trying our hand at four different kinds this year. 

Since childhood, I have always loved to picnic. Memories of the roar of the ocean calling, my family would carefully load our feast of picnic food and head into the California sunshine for a sunny-day beach picnic.

Here’s a recipe you can create with your fresh garden tomatoes and perfect for a picnic day. Whether it’s a picnic at the beach, lake or park, it’s definitely on our picnic menu! Time in the kitchen: About 20 minutes Cooking Time; About 20 minutes Prep time. Makes: 4 servings

Tomatoes Casablanca

Ingredients:

4 large ripe tomatoes (2 1/2 pounds total)

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup diced carrot

1/2 cup minced onion

1 cup cooked long-grain rice

1/4 cup diced jicama

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped Italian parsley

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt

Pepper

Directions:

 1. Slice off tomato tops; set aside. Hollow centers with spoon, leaving a thin wall; reserve flesh. Generously sprinkle hollow tomatoes with salt, turn upside down, set aside.

2. In an 8- to 10-inch skillet pan over medium heat, stir oil, carrot, and onion until vegetables are golden, about 8 minutes.

3. Chop enough tomato flesh to make 1/4 cup (save remainder for other uses); add to vegetables with rice, jicama, parsley, lemon peel, and juice. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into tomatoes; cover with tops.

Tip: When packing your picnic, keep foods cold and hold at room temperature no more than two hours.