Grilled Veggie and Pasta Dinner

 

Well, we are well into garden season and we are having an abundant harvest!  This is a super easy Sunday Supper of whatever your garden (or grocery) has to offer plus a base of pasta.  I've tried a lot of new things this year but this one will definitely be a repeat dish and often!

 

You'll Need:

 

2 Zucchini Squash

2 Yellow Squash

6 Fresh Carrots

1 each, Red, Yellow, Orange and Green Bell Peppers

1 bunch Asparagus

1 pint Cherry Tomatoes

1/2 head Red Cabbage

1 box bow tie pasta

Butter

Salt and Pepper

Red Pepper Flakes

Garlic Flakes

Onion Flakes

 

This is the easiest thing in the world and one of the tastiest things I've done in a long time!  Start with your pasta, boil until al dente' and put in the base of your dish.   Clean and slice your squash lengthwise, clean and half your peppers and trim your asparagus to just the tender tips.  Scrub your carrots and slice your cabbage into "steaks". 

 

I started with my carrots top trimmed and on the grill for about 25 minutes.  Add asparagus and tomatoes in a grill wok for about 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to blister.  Remove and set veggies aside.

 

Grill your peppers until they start to blister - about 15-20 minutes.  Add your cabbage steaks to your grill wok and after 15 minutes, season with a dollop of butter with a shake of onion and garlic flakes.  Cook cabbage 5 more minutes then flip them over in your grill wok.

 

Finally, grill your zucchini and squash - season with salt and pepper.  I learned to make cool grill marks today!  Start with your squash at 10 o'clock then rotate them to 2 o'clock.  So pretty!

 

When your veggies are all done, slice them into bit size pieces and top your pasta.  Some may want a vinaigrette, but I just did butter, salt and pepper with a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes. You could add toasted almond slivers or even shredded parmesan cheese. 

 

This dish doesn't require any fancy ingredients.  Just use what your garden gives you and what suits your family's taste.  This is very economical and delicious!  Do it your way and enjoy!

 



 

 

 

Prize Pig

Oh Boy!  Is this a good one!  Quarantine down time equals new cookbooks and new things to try.  This one caught my eye with the very first ingredient... BACON!  With Father's day coming up soon, this would be an excellent part of a special breakfast!  You can even make them and freeze them ahead of time without having to thaw before baking. 

You'll Need:

1 lb. peppered bacon - cooked and diced

4 cups self rising flour (plus a little extra for working your dough)

2 Tablespoons Baking Powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 sticks of cold salted butter (cut into 1/2 inch cubes)

3 large eggs 

2 cups buttermilk

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

1/2 cup freshly minced chives

3 inch biscuit cutter

You can cook you bacon any way you choose.  A lot of people bake it in the oven or even in their microwave, but not me.  I put on my apron and fry it in the skillet the same way my mama always did!  Drain the grease from your bacon then dice it with a sharp knife and set it aside.

Whisk 2 eggs with the buttermilk and set that aside as well. 

Flour a working surface or baking pan with about 3/4 cups of flour - you'll need this ahead of time as your hands will be a doughy mess soon!

Mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda.  Add the butter pats and use a pastry blender (or your fingers) to incorporate the butter into the flour mixture.  You want that butter into pea size pieces and well worked into the flour.  Add the egg/buttermilk mixture and stir it all together with a wooden spoon.  Add both cups of cheese, bacon and chives and mix well.  I have to admit that this is where I just dove in with both hands! 

Turn your dough onto your floured work surface and kneed it into a large round about 14 inches wide.  The dough will be about 1/2 - 3/4 inches thick.  Dip your biscuit cutter into flour then cut your dough.  Place each biscuit (sides touching) on a parchment lined baking pan.  When you have dough scraps after the initial cut - kneed it back into a new round and keep cutting more biscuits.  Use all your delicious dough - don't let any go to waste!

Beat your last egg with 1 Tablespoon Buttermilk and brush the tops of each biscuit.  Slide the baking sheets into the fridge and let the biscuits chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 400*.  Bake your chilled biscuits for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.  Best served hot straight from the oven.

You can freeze these by placing your fresh cut biscuits in the freezer then sliding the frozen discs into a freezer bag.  Best if used within 2 weeks of freezing.

This makes about 20 regular size biscuits.  I don't have a biscuit cutter so I just used a tea glass so my biscuits were quite large and my batch made 14. 

It's important to prep as much as you can before you start your dough.  Once your hands are in it, you won't want to be touching everything in your kitchen!  You might want to take your rings off too!

If you serve this up with a big plate of scrambled eggs, you'll have some happy campers at your breakfast table - I promise!