Lemon and Basil Eggs over Foccacia

Fresh loaf of foccacia bread (or whatever yummy fresh baked bread you can find - I used black olive semolina)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
3 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Cut the top off the foccacia and hollow out the bread inside. Tear the top of the foccacia and the inside bread into 1-inch pieces and save for the egg mixture. Brush the inside of the foccacia with the lemon olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the basil, cheese, salt, pepper, and milk. Whisk lightly. Stir in bread pieces. Carefully pour the egg mixture into the toasted foccacia bottom. Return to the oven and bake until the eggs have cooked, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cut the baked foccacia into 8 pieces and serve.

From Giada de Laurentis, Everyday Italian

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Vegetarian Taco Salad

2 cloves garlic
1 tomato
1/2 onion
1 can pinto or black beans
salt
pepper
crushed red chili pepper
hot sauce
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated.
Couple large handfuls of tortilla chips, crushed or broken into small pieces
Mixed greens


Dice garlic, onion and tomato and sautee over medium low heat in extra virgin olive oil. Rinse beans and add to sautee pan. Cook until onions are soft and tomatoes and beans begin to disintegrate. Add salt, pepper, crushed red chili pepper, and hot sauce, to taste. Add grated cheese and chips. Stir mixture. Serve over mixed greens. Serves 2.

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Upside-Down Berry Cornmeal Cake

2 cups fresh blueberries, raspberries, and/or blackberries
1 1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of cake pan. Arrange berries in bottom of pan.
In bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, milk, and oil. Add liquid mixture to flour mixture. Stir until combined, pour batter over berries, and spread evenly.
Bake approximately 40 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in cake pan 5 minutes. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen sides. Place a plate over the pan, flip upside down, so that cake is now on plate instead of pan. Remove paper. Top with remaining berries.

From August 2007 Better Homes & Gardens

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Grilled Monkfish and Vegetable Kebobs

2 monkfish fillets (or other white fish)
2 large carrots
3 white turnips
Seafood Magic (spice similar to Old Bay)

Rinse and chop monkfish, carrots, and turnips into bite size pieces. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add vegetables and boil until semi-soft. Drain in collander. Place monkfish, carrots, and turnips on skewers. Sprinkle with Seafood Magic.

Grill kebabs over medium heat about 15 minutes, or until monkfish turns from translucent to bright opaque white and starts to split open. Makes four skewers.

Note: Served in picture over beer steamer broth, recipe below, for dipping.

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Beer Steamers

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp margarine
5 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 1/2 lb steamers (or clams or mussels)
1/2 bottle lager beer (ex. Budweiser, Molson, etc)

Sautee olive oil, margarine, garlic, and onion over medium-low heat in a deep pan or pot. Add steamers and beer, cover, and let steam until steamers open up.

Serves two as an appetizer, with toasted bread to dip into the broth.

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Swiss Chard Stuffed Chicken

1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1/2 small onion
1 tomato
1 bunch swiss chard
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp lime juice
rosemary
salt
pepper
2 oz goat cheese
2 chicken breasts

Dice garlic, onion, and tomato, and sautee over low heat. Rinse swiss chard, break into small pieces, and add once tomato is tender. Let swiss chard wilt. In a bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lime juice, rosemary, and salt, and pepper. Pour over swiss chard mixture.

With bottom of small skillet or mallet, pound chicken breasts until thin. Place small amount of swiss chard mixture on each breast, add a few pinches of goat cheese, and roll up.

Cook chicken over approximately 15 minutes at 350 degrees, or until done. Serve over remaining swiss chard mixture. Serves two.

Note: This is a great summer dish, and I was able to incorporate local ingredients, since chicken, swiss chard, Jersey tomatoes, and goat cheese are all readily available at my farmers market.

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