Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup

Serves 4 
(Makes 4 cups)

Ingredients:

4 TBS olive oil
4 red peppers, seeded and cut in half
8 plum / roma tomatoes, cut in half
6 cloves of fresh garlic
1 white onion, quartered
salt & pepper
1 tsp fresh oregano or thyme
1 tsp fresh basil
1 tsp fresh parsley
or 2 tsp of dried Italian seasoning
1-2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth (for vegan option)
1- 2 TBS milk or cream, or milk substitute (added at the end)


Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Drizzle some olive oil in a baking pan. Slice the tomatoes in half and place them in the pan. Slice the red peppers in half and remove the seeds and center core. Place them in the same pan and spread them out.

Add the garlic, quartered onion, salt & pepper, and herbs. Drizzle with a bit more oil.

Bake for about 45 minutes to one hour until peppers and tomatoes are soft.  Cover, and cool slightly.
Removed the skins from the tomatoes. They should peel off easily.
To remove the skins from the red peppers, put the peppers in a plastic bag for about 15 minutes. Then remove them and using a paring knife, lift the skin and peel it off the pepper. The 'sweating' in the bag makes this very easy to do.

Put all the ingredients and juices from the pan in a food processor or vitamix/blender and blend till smooth. Add about 1 - 2  cups of broth to make the soup the consistency you like. Some people like it a bit thick, so add less liquid as you blend it. For a thinner soup, add more broth.  Salt & pepper to taste.  Add the cream or milk substitute, and blend. The cream makes a richer, smoother consistency.

Top with fresh chopped basil to serve.

This is a great winter soup and you can substitute different roasted vegetables like sweet potatoes or cauliflower. Make it the same way.

Janette's Caesar Dressing

If you buy a whole romaine salad, cut the end off and separate the leaves. Lay the romaine leaves on top of each other whole,
 largest to smallest.
You can wash them or using a wet paper towel, wipe any sand or dirt off.
Run your knife down the center stem, then cut along each side. Then cut across as shown to make bite-sized pieces.
Cut gently so you do not bruise the leaves.

You can also serve the romaine leaves whole with the dressing drizzled on top.

Serves 4 -6

Ingredients: 

Janette's home-grown romaine

2 whole eggs
3 tsp Dijon mustard
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp salt
Juice of one lemon
3 drops of tabasco sauce
1/8 cup of red wine vinegar
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 cup of croutons
8-10 anchovy fillets, chopped (optional)
bacon bits or pan fried pancetta, chopped
Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top


Directions:

Add all the ingredients except the olive oil, cheese, croutons and anchovies to a blender or vitamix. Process till smooth.  Then slowly drizzle the olive oil into the mixer and process till creamy.  Add the parmesan cheese and process till mixed.  If you do not have a vitamix, use a large bowl. Whisk the eggs, mustard, garlic, Worcestershire, salt & pepper, lemon, tabasco and vinegar together.  Then very slowly drizzle the olive oil while continuing to whisk. This will give you a creamy dressing.  Add the parmesan and whisk again. If you're making the dressing ahead, store it in a jar in the fridge. Use in a day or two.

Sprinkle the croutons on the salad, just before tossing it with the dressing. Add a bit of dressing at a time. Toss and serve immediately. Salad will get very soft and soggy if left with the dressing on it too long. I like to serve the chopped or whole anchovies on the side, as not everyone loves these little fish. Top with freshly grated cheese, or put some in a bowl to pass around.

If you want to add bacon bits or pancetta, chop the bacon/pancetta and fry in a dry pan till crisp. Cool and set aside. Add on top of the salad.

If you're having a party, prepare the romaine in advance. Chop it up and put it into a plastic bag in the fridge. Always cut the ends off if you buy it pre-washed as it tends to go a little brown.

Homemade Croutons

Focaccia bread will give you light croutons which are not too dense. Chop the bread into 3/4" cubes.
Heat a non-stick pan on medium and add 2 TBS olive oil. Add the bread cubes and toss in the oil till covered. Stir, tossing them in the pan to brown on all sides. Sprinkle with salt and Italian seasoning.
Remove when done and cool. Set aside in a dish, covered with tin foil so they stay crispy.

Jellied Meat - Hyshka

 This is a traditional Ukrainian dish we would make at
Christmas and Easter. Once it is cold and set, I like to scrape the fat off the surface. Serve sprinkled with vinegar and salt & pepper. You can cut it into squares or a wedge.

Great with a side salad with some pickled beets for a light lunch.

Ingredients:

2 lbs chicken wings
4 Pork hocks - smoked or plain
1/2 tsp salt
8 - 10 peppercorns
1 medium onion, leave the skin on and cut in half
3 stalks of celery
3 bay leaves
4 cloves of fresh garlic

1 TBS gelatin & 1/4 cup of cold water

Directions:

Rinse the chicken and pork hocks.  Put them in a soup pot and cover them with water.  Bring to a boil.  Drain and cover with fresh water again.  Bring to a boil again. Skim off the foam on top.  Add the spices, salt & pepper, bay leaves, garlic and onion.

Simmer very slowly uncovered for 3 hours, until the meat falls off the bones.

Remove the meat from the broth with a slotted spoon. Discard the bones and cut the meat into pieces.  Remove the skin from the chicken wings, and separate the meat. Place the meat into a pie plate or glass dish.  Strain the stock.

For a firmer jelly, dissolve 1 TBS gelatin into 1/4 cup of cold water.  Add it to the stock and mix well.
Then add this to the pie plates, pouring it over the meat. Move the meat around with a spoon so it is equally distributed.  Let it stand until it is cool. Refrigerate until firm.

Serves 4 - 6.

Crock Pot Baked Beans

This is an easy recipe that will leave your home smelling wonderful!  Soak the beans overnight - 24 hours. Then assemble the recipe in 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of dried navy beans
1/2 - to 1 onion chopped
4-6 strips of bacon chopped, uncooked (omit for Vegan Beans)
   (try pancetta or salt pork for a variation)
3 1/4 cups of tomato juice
1/4 cup of tomato paste
1/4 cup of maple syrup, or brown sugar
3 Tablespoons of fancy molasses
4 teaspoons of soy sauce or tamari
1 Tablespoon of garlic powder
1 Tablespoon of dried mustard, or regular mustard
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper

Directions:

Soak the dried beans for 24 hours or overnight, at room temperature, in a large bowl, covered with about three inches of water. This prevents the beans from splitting and speeds up their cooking time.

Drain the beans and add them to the crock pot. Add all the remaining ingredients.
Put the slow cooker on high and cook for 6 hours. Check occasionally and add water if necessary.

Delicious as a side with chicken or sausages. Also great for breakfast with eggs and roasted tomatoes.