Ricotta Dip Topping is the perfect topping for a Date Nut Bread, cake or grilled peaches  

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
• 8 ounces (full or part-skim ) ricotta strained at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon of a sweet peach or orange jam
• Pinch kosher salt
• 1/2 cup dried apricot halves finely diced
• 1/4 cup shelled roasted pistachios, chopped
• Base of for the topping: Crackers, Pyhllo sheets, Pound cake, grilled fruit etc

Preparations

1. In a medium mixing bowl, blend together the cream cheese, ricotta, honey, jam and salt until smooth.
2. Taste and add additional salt or honey as desired.
3. Gently stir in the apricots.
4. Transfer to a serving dish of using as a dip and  sprinkle with pistachios and drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon honey.
5. or Smooth on to your prepared Phyllo bases or my favorote way spread on Date-Nut Breads
6. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

As a topping the options are endless. This is great on grilled peaches and other fruits as much as a topping for toast, pound cakes or as an addition to a Cheese and fruit course

I was working with a new version of this classic pickled salad I affectionately call “Sherry’s Special Giardiniera Salad” in honor of Sherry Skinner‘s birthday and decided to rework it with some different vegetables, including a southern, classic okra.

The Giardiniera (pronounced jar-din-AIR-a) salad is a common side dish that Italians and Italian Americans often have sitting ready for snacking and as a side, much like it’s American cousin, the pickle. It can often be found in the stores, in the jarred vegetable section, but it’s such an easy dish to make and it’s perfect when you have an abundance of vegetables that do well with the bite of herbs, spices and vinegar.

This version is not heat processes so it’s only good up to a week, if it lasts that long. (There are many recipe that will allow you to heat process these to keep them longer and make them shelf stable.)

Ingredients

Part 1 -the Veg

• 4 to 8 Serrano chiles, seeds removed and thinly sliced or leave hole for less zing (Quick tip- use a fat straw to remove the seeds and ribs easily)

• 1 Red  Bell Peppers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

• 2 Celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

• 2 Carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

• 1/2- 1 small head Cauliflower, cut into small florets

• 2 cloves Garlic, minced

• 1 Fennel bulb ( medium)

• 1/2 lb Okra

• 1/2 Onion Red or sweet, sliced thin

• 1/3 cup kosher salt

Part 2 – Seasoning Mix

• 1 tablespoon dried Oregano

• 1 teaspoon crushed Red Pepper flakes

• 1/2 teaspoon Celery seeds

• 6-8 whole black Peppercorns

• 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds

• 1 teaspoon Fennel Seed

Part 3 – Marinade

• 1-2 Bay Leaves

• 1 cup white Vinegar

• 1 cup Olive Oil

  Notes:

  • If your celery or fennel has leaves on them, reserve the leaves in a damp paper towel in an open plastic zip bag over night and include in the part 2 step.

    Optional add ins include sliced green or black olives, hot cherry peppers, small green tomatoes, whole ginger.

Directions:

Step 1

1. Clean, peel and chop your vegetable to your preference.

2. Combine the chiles, red peppers, onion, celery, carrots, okra, fennel, cucumbers and cauliflower in a large ceramic or glass bowl.

3. Add the salt gently mix well into vegetable mixture.

4. Add enough water to cover the vegetables.

5. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about 12 hours or overnight.

Part 2

1. Drain and rinse the vegetables under cold running water to remove the salt. Set aside to drain in a strainer.

2. In a small bowl, add the remaining ingredients and blend (garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, assorted seeds, peppercorns, etc.).

3. Add some of the seasoning to the bottom of a clean dry jar

4. Add the drained vegetables being careful not to break up the vegetables (Note: you can also do this in an large bowl and using your hands – use gloves if you hands are sensitive to peppers and garlic and then add to the jar)

5. Pour the vinegar and oil in.

6. Tuck in 1 -2 Bay leaves, leftover celery leaves and any fennel fronds.

7. Add additional vinegar to cover the mixture.

8. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 days before serving.

9. Stir the mixture or gently rotate the jar once or twice during that time.

When it’s ready to be eaten, remove the jar from the refrigerator about 30 mins prior. Plate and serve as a snack plate or topping on a salad or grilled meats.

Note: The same mixture could be diced up, with olives, drained and added to cold cut sandwiches, similar to the classic muffaletta  italian sandwich invented in New Orleans with cured meats (ham and salami), provolone cheese, olive dressing and the best local breads.

Bacon, Onion, Cheese and Walnut Muffins

There is something about savory muffins that I love.

These Bacon, Onion, Cheese, and Walnut Muffins are perfect for dipping in soups or gravy, or smeared with butter or honey I did on my @Foodtoktv’s “Rainy Day Comfort Lunch” live .

This combination is a old favorite, I often see it in scones. But was excited to try in a muffin version, from this vintage recipe out of the  Best of the Best from New England: Selected Recipes from the Favorite Cookbooks of Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire. Take advantage of its basic recipe and get creative to make it your own.

Ingridients

• 1¾ cups flour

• ⅓ cup corn oil ( or bacon fat melted or combined)

• ¼ cup sugar

• 1 cup of green onion, coarsely chopped (aprx 8-10)

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese

• 1 beaten egg

• ¾ cup milk

• ½ cup chopped walnuts

• ½ cup chopped bacon

• 1/4 tsp Salt (optional)

• Optional extras; if you want to make these more robust, add 1/4 tsp of garlic powder, and/or Everything But The Bagel seasoning or your favorite dried herbs. Start with 1/4 tsp and add to your tastes. You can also consider switching out the cheddar for pepper jack.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, sugar, (salt and seasonings, if using) and baking powder. Make a well in the center.

3. Combine egg, milk, and oil(s).

4. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture; stir just until moistened.

5. Fold in onions, cheese, (bacon if using) and walnuts until just combined.

6. Grease or line muffin cups and fill approximately ⅔ full.

7. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Makes 12 muffins.

Adapted from:

Best of the Best from New England: Selected Recipes from the Favorite Cookbooks of Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Plastic Comb – August 1, 1994

This is one of the dishes  I made previously on @foodtoktv live. You can see that live on the @Foodtoktv Youtube channel

Follow me on Tiktok under @KitchenBearSF (in addition to my original profile Frank_Mentorsf) as work up to the 1k needed followers to start going live cooking again

My version for a Spring Fresh Pasta & Vegetables is loosely based on some versions also known as Pasta Primavera. Either way you cut it; it all comes down to a simple pairing of pasta, cheese, cream and seasonal vegetables and herbs. Fresh is key here – but dried herbs and even some frozen veg will work. In this case I am using frozen peas since I couldn’t get them fresh yet here.

• Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound sugar snap peas, stems trimmed

  • ½ pound asparagus, ends snapped

  • 1 cup of broccoli florets

  • 1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes

  • ¼ cup thinly sliced spring onion, white part only (or use shallot)

  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, more as needed

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • Black pepper, more as needed

  • 12 ounces your preferred pasta

  • ⅔ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, at room temperature

  • 1/2 cup dairy (your choice; crème fraîche or whole milk Greek yogurt, thick sour cream or marscapone cream) at room temperature

  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, thyme, and and/or other fresh herbs in season

  • zest and juice of one lemon

  • 1 tablespoon  herbs de province

  • Red Pepper flakes to taste

  • Fresh Basil for garnish

  • Optional: ¾ cup fresh English peas

  • Optional garnishes: Toasted Pine Nuts, chopped bacon bits

  Preparation:

  1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.

  2. Prep all the vegetables; halve tomatoes and snap peas, wash and rough chop amperages, onions, etc into 1/4 in pieces

  3. Chop your Herbs

  4. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

  5. Add snap peas, asparagus, broccoli and onions/shallots, peas (if fresh)

  6. Cook until vegetables are barely tender 3 minutes.

  7. Add red pepper flakes (to taste), garlic and cook 1 minute more.

  8. If using frozen peas add them now

  9. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

  10. Drop pasta into boiling water and cook according to the instructions

  11. Drain well and transfer pasta to a large bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta liquid. DO NOT RINSE THE PASTA

  12. Immediately toss pasta with warm vegetables,

  13. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano, your selected dairy creams, lemon juice and herbs, tomatoes lemon zest

  14. Season generously with salt and pepper, more red pepper flakes if needed.

  15. Plate and top with bacon bits and lightly toasted pine nuts and fresh basil

This is one of the dishes  I made previously on @foodtoktv live. You can see that live on the @Foodtoktv Youtube channel

Follow me tiktok under @KitchenBearSF (in addition to my original profile Frank_Mentorsf) as work up to the 1k needed followers to start going live cooking again

Perfect for a cocktail party, a tapas night or simply a side dish – this retro inspired remake for Cocktail Potatoes is a standard favorite which is why I did this recipe for @foodtoktv as @Frank_MentorSF before shifting over to my new food account  @KitchenBearSF