Chili Relleno Casserole

When I was growing up, one of my favorite meals my mom made was Chili Relleno Casserole with Flank Steak and green breans. This recipe is a delicious twist on her recipe using fresh poblano peppers instead of canned green chilies. It is easy to pull together (after the chilis are blackened) and is a great side for brunch or dinner!

Chili Rellenos

Ingredients

6-8 large poblano peppers

2 cups freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese, divided

5 large eggs

1 1/2 cups whole milk

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

sour cream and salsa for serving

Instructions

• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the rack at about 6 inches from the heat source. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place peppers on the baking sheet and roast for about 10-15 minutes, using tongs to turn them occasionally, roasting until the skins are blackened and charred.
• Transfer the roasted peppers to a plastic bag for about 10 minutes, allowing them to steam as they cool. Once they are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin, cut off the stems, open them up and remove the seeds.
• Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat a 3-quart baking dish with nonstick spray.
• Lay half of the roasted chiles in the baking dish in a single layer. Sprinkle 1 cup of the jack cheese and 1/2 cup of the cheddar on top. Repeat layers once.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, baking powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined and no lumps of flour remain. Pour mixture evenly over the cheese and chiles.
• Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes until puffed up in the center and eggs are set and golden around the edges.
• Let stand and cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a little salsa,. Enjoy!

Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Roasted carrots are such an unexpected but delicious side dish. Both my husband and I love them and prefer them savory versus sweet. The herbs in this recipe offset the sweetness of the carrots perfectly!

Roasted Rainbow Carrots

• 2 pounds rainbow carrots, cut in half lengthwise and the large sections of the carrot quartered
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss cut carrots with olive oil, salt pepper, and herbs on baking sheet. Cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes. If carrots are not tender, uncover, lower heat to 375 degree and bake 10 to 15 minutes until tender.  Serve hot, warm or room temp. Enjoy!

Heirloom Tomato Galette

Taking full advantage of the peak of tomato season, I purchased some beautiful heirloom tomatoes at the farmer's market this morning. There were pre-made pie crusts in my refrigerator that were ready to use, so I decided to make a couple of galettes. Galettes are so easy to throw together with fresh ingredients you have on hand and look rustically beautiful. 

This galette makes a perfect appetizer or summer side with grilled chicken and a corn salad. I had it cooling on the counter when my daughter and her friend returned home from a trip and it was the perfect bite after their travels. They loved it!

Heirloom Tomato Galette

• One store-bought pie crust (or you could make your own)
• 1½ pounds heirloom tomatoes
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 4 oz firm cheese like Gruyere or Gouda, finely grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 large egg, beaten 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• flaky sea salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives or thyme

Preheat oven to 400°. Gently toss tomatoes, garlic and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl. Let sit 5 minutes (tomatoes will start releasing some liquid). Drain tomato mixture and transfer to paper towels.

Unroll room temperature dough and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Scatter cheese over dough, leaving a 1½"" border. Arrange tomatoes and garlic over cheese. Bring edges of dough over filling, overlapping as needed to create border; brush with egg. Sprinkle tomatoes and edge of crust with flaky sea salt and tomatoes with pepper as well. Chill in freezer 10 minutes.

Bake galette until crust is golden brown and cooked through, approximately 40 minutes. Let cool slightly and sprinkle with herbs. This is delicious hot out of the oven as well as at room temp. Enjoy!

Recipe source

Scatter shredded cheese on dough

Dry tomatoes on paper towels

Galette ready for the oven!

Cut a slice and enjoy!

"Shelter at Home" Dinner- Ina's Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloins

Our world is in such an unprecedented state as we learn one day at a time what it means to "shelter at home" and "social distance" ourselves by staying at least 6 feet away from one another due to Corona Virus.  Today was the first official day of "lockdown" in Santa Clara County (along with other spots in the US) so we here are just dipping our toes into our new separated reality. Several other countries have already been experiencing this limited way of life - I wish we could tap into their wisdom on how to best navigate this strange isolated existence.

Last night,  I made dinner for my family as well as my parents.  I made dinner INA STYLE with her Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloins and Garlic Roasted Red Potatoes recipes along side steamed green beans. Totally delish! So if you are looking for a menu for one of the many nights ahead of you that you will have "in house,"  this is a good one to try.

Wishing you all well!!

Here are the links to these yummy recipes:

INA's Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloins
INA's Garlic Roasted Red Potatoes

Getting the ingredients ready

Dinner for my parents ready to wrap up

My sweet son delivers dinner to his Grandparents on his solo wheel

Parmesan Rice Cakes

Our family loves to mix an egg with left over pasta in a bowl, sprinkle with parmesan and zap in the microwave for a quick breakfast or snack (see here for how we do it!) My husband gave me a rice cooker for Mother's Day and my daughter made a huge batch of rice last night, so we had lots of leftovers. I thought it would be tasty to make rice cakes in a similar fashion to our egg pasta, but instead of microwaving a bowl, I lightly fried them as little cakes and they turned out great! Perfect way to use up left over rice~

Parmesan Rice Cakes

1½ cups precooked rice

2 eggs

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 green onion, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Whisk eggs in medium bowl and add rest of ingredients except oil. Add 1 tablespoon of oil in non-stick pan over medium heat. Add large spoonfulls of rice mixture in pan and press lightly. Cook 3-4 minutes per side until brown. 

Serve with additional green onions and sour cream if desired (my daughter loved eating them with apple sauce, like she does with lattkes!)

Sauteed Corn with Peppers and Quinoa

My parents just returned from an amazing trip to Italy last night and first thing this morning, my dad visited his favorite Milk Pail Euro market to stock their empty fridge with produce. He is always such a dear and stops by our house on the way home to share a few extra bags of his fresh finds. Today, he brought us tasty late season corn, red and green peppers and some yummy fruit. His delivery inspired me to make a saute of corn and peppers with some quinoa to make a delicious lunch for our family.  This is a simple mix of flavors, to appeal to the plain taste of my children, but I added cumin and cilantro to mine and it was delish!

Fresh Sauteed Corn, Green and Red Peppers

Corn, Pepper and Quinoa Salad

Sauteed Corn with Peppers and Quinoa

1 shallot

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoons butter (optional, but add so much flavor!)

2 heads garlic, minced

4-5 heads fresh corn or 1 10 ounce bag frozen corn

1 red pepper, cut into small cubes

1 green pepper, cut into small cubes

kosher salt and pepper to taste

1 cup quinoa, cooked (Rinse quinoa and put in saucepan with 2 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. Fluff with fork and let sit until room temperature)

1 teaspoon cumin, optional

chopped cilantro leaves, optional

Saute shallot in olive oil until it starts to soften. Add red and green pepper, and saute for 2 more minutes. Melt butter in middle of pan and add garlic to butter and cook for 1 more minute. Add corn, kosher salt and a grind or two of pepper, and cook 2 more minutes, then take off heat.   Meanwhile cook quinoa. 

Toss all ingredients in a bowl, add cumin and cilantro if you like,  and enjoy!

Tarte Tatin a la Tomate

Tarte Tatin a la Tomate

from a

Provençal Birthday Lunch

Tart Tatin a la Tomate

2 pounds Roma tomatoes

extra virgin olive oil

fine sea salt and ground pepper

herbs de provence (mix of rosemary, basil, oregano and thyme)

1/4 cup black olive tapenade

6 ounces fresh goat cheese

1 puff pastry sheet or 1 recipe pate brisee (french pastry dough) or ready made pie dough (I used puff pastry)

several basil leaves, torn or chiffonade 

Preheat oven to 350° and grease 10 inch ceramic or glass pie pan with 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil.

Halve tomatoes length wise, core them, and use a spoon or your fingers to remove seeds and juice. Arrange in pan, skin side down, in a circular pattern. You can crowd them a little, they will shrink as they bake. Season with salt, pepper, herbs and a good drizzle of olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes until softened. Remove from oven, but keep heat on.

Roll out the dough in an 11 inch circle (I kept the puff pastry in a rectangle and just pushed the corners in when I draped it on the tart) and prick all over with a fork. Spread with tapenade, leaving a one inch margin all around.

Crumble the cheese all over each tomato half in the pan. Lay the dough, tapenade side down, on the cheese, and tuck in the overhanging flaps of dough. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the crust is golden. 

Just before serving, snip or tear the basil leaves and sprinkle over tart. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe from Clotilde Dusoulier, Chocolate and Zucchini Cookbook.