Food
Mushroom ravioli
Do you love mushrooms? If so, you’ll want to head straight to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients for this earthy ravioli dish.
Start to finish: 1 hour
Servings: 4
Ingredients
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3.5 ounces dried wild mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large French shallots (or 3 small ones), minced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 5.5 ounces button mushrooms, finely chopped, divided
• 5.5 ounces cremini mushrooms, finely chopped, divided
• 2 cups very hot water
• 10 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1-1/2 cups cooking cream
• Leafy greens of your choice, to garnish
• Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
1. On a clean work surface, place the flour and form it into the shape of a nest, using your fingers to create a bowl-sized divot in the center. Crack the eggs into the nest, and add the salt and a tablespoon of olive oil. Using a fork, gently whisk the eggs, adding a little bit of flour at a time, making sure not to break the nest. As the dough begins to form, use your hands to incorporate all the ingredients. If the dough is too dry, add 1 teaspoon of warm water. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, until it’s smooth and shiny. Wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest at room temperature.
2. In a small bowl pour the dried mushrooms, and add the 2 cups of water. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Saute half the shallots until they’re translucent. Add half of the garlic, 3.5 ounces of the button mushrooms, 3.5 ounces of the cremini mushrooms, and half of the thyme leaves. Continue to saute over high heat until all the water from the mushrooms has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze the skillet with white wine and reduce it until it’s dry. Pour the mushroom mixture into a bowl, let it cool for a few minutes, then add the ricotta cheese. Mix well and adjust the seasoning as needed. Set aside.
4. Drain the dried mushrooms, setting aside 1 cup of water. Place the mushrooms on paper towels or a clean cloth.
5. In a large skillet, heat the remaining olive oil and butter. Saute the other half of the shallots until they’re translucent. Add the other half of the garlic, the rest of the button and cremini mushrooms, the remaining thyme leaves, and the rehydrated dried mushrooms. Continue to saute over high heat until all the water from the mushrooms has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze the skillet with the water from the dried mushrooms and reduce it until it’s dry. Lower the heat, add the cream, and let it simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Blend the sauce in a blender until it has a smooth, uniform texture. Set aside.
6. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it’s about ¼ of an inch thick and separate it into two large sheets. On one sheet of dough place 1 tablespoon of the mushroom filling every 2 inches, and then cover it with the other sheet of dough. Using a round cookie cutter, cut the ravioli into rounds that are about 2 inches in diameter.
7. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the ravioli for 3 minutes. Drain the pasta, and divide it evenly among four serving bowls. Top with the cream sauce, and garnish with a few leafy greens.
Food
Glazed fruit skewers
Sweet and juicy, fruit makes a great summer dessert. This delicious glaze enhances the natural flavor of the fruit to create a crowd-pleasing favorite.
Ingredients
Servings: 10
Skewers
• 10 strawberries, halved lengthwise
• 10 kiwi cubes
• 10 blueberries
• 10 pieces of pineapple
• 10 pieces of cantaloupe
• 10 wooden skewers
Simple syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
Directions
1. Combine the water and brown sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. If the mixture starts to boil, lower the heat slightly.
2. Once the sugar has completely dissolved, remove from the heat and allow to cool for 45 minutes.
3. Thread the fruit pieces one after the other on the skewers.
4. Brush the skewers with the simple syrup.
Food
Al dente!
Even though pasta is usually linked with Italy, its origins, in fact, are in ancient China. Legend has it that Marco Polo brought back to Europe this culinary technique after traveling to the Far East. Wherever it comes from, “noodles” always make for a meal that is easily prepared and easily varied with limitless sauce possibilities. It’s no surprise that pasta is so popular around the world.
It usually takes less than fifteen minutes to obtain al dente pasta, which means it is tender on the outside but still firm inside. Be sure to use a large enough pan with plenty of water so that the pasta won’t stick together. When the water starts to boil, add a pinch of salt before putting it in the noodles. Use a wooden spoon to stir short pasta or a large fork for long pasta such as spaghetti, which should not be broken into smaller pieces for authenticity. Egg noodles take less time to cook than other types of pasta. Even after being drained in a colander, the pasta will continue to cook, so be sure to follow the cooking instructions as indicated on the package. You might even shorten the recommended cooking time by a bit if the pasta will be sitting for a while before serving.
One trick used by great chefs is to set aside a small quantity of cooking water before straining the pasta. They will then add this extra water to the sauce as they heat it up for service. This allows them to add volume back to the sauce as it reheats and reduces and helps the sauce stick better to the pasta.
Al dente means “firm when bitten,” or cooked ’till tender on the outside but still firm inside.
Food
Roasted tomato and goat cheese bruschetta
Are you having guests over for a casual meal? These cheesy starters are sure to be a hit.
Ingredients
Servings: 8
• 20 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 8 slices of baguette bread
• 8 tablespoons goat cheese
• Fresh basil, coarsely chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Honey, for garnish (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Toss the cherry tomatoes with olive oil and spread them into an oven-safe baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the tomatoes start to pucker.
3. Lay the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until crisp.
4. Spread a tablespoon of goat cheese on each slice of bread.
5. Add some fresh basil and roasted tomatoes.
Drizzle some honey over the bruschetta before serving for a subtle sweetness.
Food
Extra watermelon? Try these refreshing drinks
Forget broccoli and spinach for today — here’s the superfood everyone loves to eat!
The juicy pink smile of a watermelon slice (one cup diced) is actually a thirst quencher at 92 percent water. More than in a banana, its ample potassium also makes it a good preventative for heat stroke.
Additionally, it packs a giant dose of glutathione to deter free radicals and enhance the immune system.
Watermelon is second only to tomatoes as a key source of the cancer-fighting antioxidant lycopene, and it has a lot of vitamin C besides.
This superfood has as much fiber as a slice of whole-wheat bread and also features vitamin A, thiamine, and magnesium, and all of this for little more than 50 calories a cup.
Actually, it’s enough just to know you can eat this treat anytime and feel good about doing it.
Selecting: Look for one with a brown stem attached. Thump the center to see if it makes a nice thud. That means it’s ripe.
Storing: Uncut watermelons can be stored unrefrigerated for three to four days. After cutting, cover and refrigerate any leftover chunks.
For a refreshing thirst quencher, puree with apple and lemon juices, or freeze this puree for ice pops.
Though we don’t recommend eating them, watermelon seeds are a folk remedy for high blood pressure. The seeds contain the compound cucurbocitrin, which helps dilate capillaries and boost kidney function– key mechanisms to decrease blood pressure.
Is there anything more delicious than late summer watermelon, ripened in the hot sun until juicy and fragrant?
Not really, and when you find yourself wilting in the late summer heat, a cold watermelon agua fresca or icy watermelon slushie is perfect for helping you cool down and relax. Adults and kids alike will love them, and adding your own spin with extra flavorings or cantaloupe instead of watermelon is easy.
Watermelon agua fresca
Ingredients:
4 cups cubed seeded watermelon
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar (or to taste)
1 lime
24 fresh mint leaves
ice
Combine watermelon and water in a blender and puree until smooth. Add sugar to taste. Slice lime into small wedges (you’ll need about 8), then place one wedge into each serving glass and three mint leaves. Crush with a cocktail muddler (a wooden spoon handle also works), then add ice. Pour the agua fresca over the ice, stir, then serve.
Watermelon slushie
4 cups cubed seeded ripe watermelon (188 calories)
2 tablespoons sugar (32 calories)
1 tablespoon lime juice (30 calories)
About 3 cups of ice
Blend the fruit, melon, sugar, and juice until liquid. Add ice and continue to blend until the liquid reaches a slushie consistency.
In the whole blend, there are about 250 calories.
Food
3 ways to make homemade ice cream
There are many ways to make delicious homemade ice cream. Here are three easy methods for making this delicious dessert.
1. In an ice cream maker
Combine egg yolks, sugar, milk, and cream in a large bowl. Then, place the mixture in the ice cream maker and turn it on. The machine will cool and mix everything together for about 30 to 45 minutes. After that, the ice cream is ready to eat.
2. In a dish
Use a hand or stand mixer to beat cream, eggs, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Stir in frozen fruit and condensed milk with a spatula. Then, place the mixture in the freezer in an airtight dish for at least four hours.
3. In bags
You can make ice cream in 10 to 20 minutes with this easy method. Pour heavy cream and vanilla into a small plastic bag. Then, place the small bag into a larger bag containing ice cubes and salt. Vigorously shake the bags until you reach the right consistency.
If you’re craving ice cream but don’t have time to make it yourself, visit a local ice cream shop or creamery.
If you want to make vegan ice cream, you can replace the dairy products with coconut or soy milk, coconut butter, coconut oil, or soy cream.
Food
Vegan poke bowl
This poke bowl is packed with tasty and nutritious ingredients and makes the perfect healthy summer treat.
Ingredients
Servings: 4
• 2 sweet potatoes, diced
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 4 cups quinoa, cooked and cooled
• 20 cherry tomatoes, cut in half or quarters
• 2 cups arugula
• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 2 ripe avocados
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce (optional)
Directions
1. 1Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet with a little bit of olive oil and bake for 30 minutes or until tender. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place the baby spinach in the bottom of four serving bowls. Arrange the quinoa, cherry tomatoes, cooked sweet potatoes, arugula, and chickpeas in separate sections. Set aside in a cool place.
4. Cut the avocados in half length¬wise. Remove the pit and skin. Place one avocado half on a cutting board. Cut into thin slices crosswise, taking care to maintain the shape. Using your hands, fan out the slices. Make sure to keep them stuck together to create a straight line. Take one end́ of the line and roll it over itself until it becomes an avocado flower. Repeat with the other halves.
5. Gently lift each avocado flower and place one in the middle of each bowl. Sprinkle a quarter of the white and black sesame seeds over each bowl.
6. Combine the maple syrup, olive oil, and soy sauce in a separate bowl. Pour a quarter of the sauce over each bowl or serve separately.
Do you like spice? Give your recipe a kick by coating the chickpeas in sriracha.
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