Roasted Squash & Sweet Pepper Pie
Ingredients
3 Cups squash cut up (such as zucchini, butternut, pattypan etc.)
2 Sweet peppers cut into strips (yellow, red or orange)
1 Large sweet onion cut into wedges
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Ounce block of Parmesan cheese
½ cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 Teaspoons fresh thyme, snipped
1 Cup creamy Parmesan dressing
¼ Cup sweet onion, finely chopped
½ Frozen puff pasty sheets (17.3 ounce package), thawed
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Oil a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Spread squash, sweet peppers and onion wedges in pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and toss with olive oil. Roast, uncovered, until vegetables are slightly tender, stirring once. While veges are roasting, using a vegetable peeler, cut Parmesan cheese into thin strips and set aside. On lightly floured surface, roll out puff pasty into a 13x9-inch rectangle. Remove veges from oven and add tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and half the Parmesan cheese. Toss all to mix, then spread evening in pan. Place pastry over the vegetables and tuck in edges. Return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes or until pasty is puffed and golden. Remove pan and cool for 5 minutes. Place a baking pan or jelly-roll pan (something at least 1-2 inches larger than the 13x9 baking pan) and carefully invert pans so pastry is on the bottom and veges on top. Transfer any stuck veges to mixture. Sprinkle remaining cheese and 2 teaspoons of the thyme on top of veges. Mix remaining thyme into a bowl with the dressing and finely chopped onion, stir together. Cut pie into squares and serve with dressing. (Makes 12 servings.)
Roasted Beef & Sweet Potato
Ingredients
2 Teaspoons EACH fresh oregano, fresh basil, fresh thyme, minced
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 Teaspoon salt
½ Teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges
1 Cup cherry tomatoes
1-1/2 to 2 Pounds beef tenderloin
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine garlic, salt, herbs and crushed red pepper in a bowl and mix. Stir in olive oil. Divide seasoning mixture between 2 bags or plates. Coat sweet potatoes in one and meat in the other. In a skillet brown beef over medium-high heat, turning so all sides are browned evenly. Take a greased roasting pan and place the beef in the center of the pan. Take the potatoes and arrange around the pan edges. Roast for 20 minutes, then add the tomatoes. Roast for an additional 15 minutes more or until a meat thermometer placed in the thickest part of the meat registers 140 degrees for medium rare, 155 degrees for medium. Remove and let stand for 10 minutes before carving. (Makes 8 servings.)
Option: Can be topped with a mixture of ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, 2 teaspoons orange zest, 2 cloves minced garlic and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
Chicken Panzanella Salad
Ingredients
1 Can (14-1/2 ounce) diced tomatoes with green pepper, celery and onions. Reserve the liquid.
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Whole roasted chicken; cooled. Remove meat from bone and shred into bite-sized pieces
4 Cups cubed Italian bread
2 Medium cucumbers halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced
1 Cup fresh basil, torn up
2 Heads romaine lettuce torn into pieces
Directions
Take the liquid from the diced tomatoes and combine with ¼ cup olive oil and a dash each of salt and pepper, whisk together and set aside to use as dressing. In skillet heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, stir in bread cubs and heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently until golden brown. Toss together chicken, diced tomato mixture, romaine and bread cubes. Divide onto plates. Add cucumbers and basil. Top with dressing mixture. (Makes 4 servings.)