Panzanella Salad

Summer Salad

Panzanella is a Summer Bread and Tomato Salad originating inTuscany. And if Tuscany had a taste this would probably be it!  Full of sparkling fresh flavors, this salad is main dish worthy.

There are many different versions and add-in to Panzanella, and I have my own version too! When the tomatoes and basil are overtaking the garden it is time to make Panzanella!

StoneGable Panzanella

1 loaf of dense bread~ tonight I used a Rosemary Tuscan Bread

olive oil

garlic salt

herbs de Provence

sea salt

pepper

2 boxes of assorted tomatoes~ my favorite for this salad are red grape and yellow pear tomatoes

1/2 cucumber, quartered lengthwise and chopped

1/3 cup fresh basil, cut into chiffonades

3 TBS fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 red onion, sliced paper thin

2 cloves garlic, pressed

white balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut dense bread into big croutons, about 1 1/2 inch square. Put on a rimmed baking sheet, single layer and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic salt and herbs de Provence and toss. Bake for 20-30 minutes until dry, hard and slightly golden. Remove from oven and cool.

Cut tomatoes in half and add to a large bowl.

Cut fresh basil and parsley and add to bowl. Cut cukes and onion and add to bowl. Add garlic. Toss. Salt and pepper and toss.

Drizzle with 1/4 cup good olive oil and a splash of white balsamic vinegar and toss. Add croutons and toss.

Serve immediately.

Other traditional add -in are:

mozzarella cheese

capers

bread and not croutons~ but this tends to get soggy and I don't like soggy texture.

peppers

fresh tuna

olives

I keep StoneGable Panzanella pretty basic. I love the the fresh taste of tomatoes, basil with a good olive oil! And the crunch and flavor of homemade croutons puts this dish over the top!

Panzanella is a great main course for a hot summer night!

Myers Farm Produce

The beautiful fresh tomatoes for today's Panzanella came from Myers Farm Produce (my cherry tomatoes arn't quite ready yet.)  Myers is a family opperated farm and market on Long Lane in Willow Street Pa. I thought you would like to see some photos I took of their delicious bounty!

It is such a treat to visit their BEAUTIFUL farm and friendly stand! Please support your local growers. They are our neighbors and our support keeps their farms in business (and developers away!). Here in bucolic Lancaster County we are blessed with an abundance of farms that have wonderful produce stands. Fresh from the field to the table!

If you are local, visit Myers Farm Produce. Maybe I'll see you there.

It is Foodie Friday! Meet me over at Designs by Gollum to visit our world famous novelist (she is busy at work on yet another book!) and all the other creative cooks who gather there!

Click HERE  for a visit!

Post Script:
Many of my friends asked me where I got the lanterns from yesterdays Tablescape post...

Pier 1... on sale.

I am joining Gnee at Singing With Birds for So Long Summer BBQ Party.  Click button below to join in the end of Summer fun!

Lightning Bug Lanterns

The lightning bugs are coming out to play! Just before dark, they wake up from their hidden bed chambers in the grass and make the countryside sparkle! This is my favorite time of day in the summer. Sitting on my back porch swing I have a panaromic view of the all their lighting and flitting.

Do remember catching them in a jar when you were a child? The jar would flicker and glow! What simple joy!  It was a miracle in a jar! I still feel that way when the lightning bugs come out to play!

These dear, simple and homespun lanterns remind me of  lightning bugs in a jar! They are easy to make and such a delightful welcome as summer's day melts into night.

Put bird seed ( or sand if you are near the beach) in a mason jar and drop a votive candle in a small glass votive holder. Nestle the candle down in the bird seed. That's it! Lightning Bug Lantern!

To make the handle use a 16 guage steel wire and fastened it to the rim of the jar. Use a second length of wire to make the little handle. So easy! I cut and bent the wire with wire cutters.

Hang lightning bug lanters on a crook in the garden. Line the walk with them or light up the front porch to welcome guest. Put them in unexpected places!

These little lanterns bring a warm glow to a summer evening... and a little charm too!

                                                          

Weekly Menu July 19~25, 2010

Menu Plan:

It has been been very HOT here at StoneGable! We have had an uncharacteristically large number of days over the 90 degree mark. And it is humid. I can tolerate the heat, it's the humidity that zaps my energy!

So other than picking flowers, harvesting veggies and pulling a few weeds the heat and humidity has chased me indoors. I am organizing and cleaning... and cooking!

My garden is spilling over with zucchini and eggplant! And our peach tree is yeilding delicious fruit.  On my agenda for the week will be to make and freeze countless chocolate chunk zucchini breads. I am also on the lookout for new and exciting ways to use eggplant. And I am working on a few fun Popsicle treats for the end of the week.

Make sure to check out the 2 recipes from fellow bloggers on the menu!

Monday:
Greek Salad
Tomato Pie

I remember the first time I had this heaven in a pie plate!  My friend Capi brought it to dinner as a side dish. It is beautiful and beyond delicious! And with garden tomatoes and fresh herbs... The BEST! I have tweaked it just a little for an interesting flavor.

Recipe: Tomato Pie
1 homemade pie shell- I use a vegetable shortening pie crust for this recipe, not butter
1 large onion, minced
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/3 lb panchetta or bacon, chopped
1 TBS olive oil if using pancetta
5-7 vine ripened tomatoes
salt and pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated finely
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 TBS fresh parsley, chopped finely
Fresh basil for garnish

Make pie dough and line a 9 inch pie plate. Put in frig until oven is ready.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Blind cook pie shell for 10 minutes.

In a large skillet, add 1 TBS olive oil if using pancetta. Heat. Add panchetta ( I am using bacon because I have it on hand. It will give a signature smoky flavor to the dish) . Cook until crisp. Remove and set aside. If using bacon add to pan and cook. When done, keep drippings in the pan. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Slice tomatoes and layer in the pie shell along with the onions and meat. 

In a large bowl mix mayonnaise, sour cream, cheeses, seasoning salt, garlic salt and parsley. Spoon mixture on top of tomatoes.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-50  minutes until golden brown.
Let rest for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil.

Tuesday:
Panzanella Salad
Salmon En Croute
Roasted Broccoli with Shaved Cheddar Cheese

Recipe: Panzanella Salad
Recipe will be posted on  Thursday evening for Foodie Friday. This is the perfect summer salad! Homemaded crunchy croutons, garden fresh tomatoes, and aromatic herbs!

Recipe: Salmon En Croute
Look for this on the August 6th Foodie Friday! This is an easy, elegant and so yummy recipe.

Wednesday:
Spinach with Grilled Peaches, Bleu and Sugared Pecans in a Poppyseed Dresssing
Grilled Shrimp In The Shells
Dirty Rice

Recipe: Grilled Shrimp In The Shells
This yummy recipe comes from Frog Hollow Farm Girl. Isn't that name great? And this blog is just as great. I'm always checking AnnMarie's blog for what interesting thing she is doing next! Click HERE for this summery recipe.

Thursday:
Wedge Salad
Grilled Balsamic Chicken Tenders
Bow Ties with Garlic Scape and Basil Pesto

Recipe: Bow Ties with Garlic Scape and Basil Pesto
I have recently discovered garlic scapes. They are the stems of the seed head of a mature garlic plant. They are tender, yummy and garlicky without being bitter. I am making this delightful sounding recipe and using bow tie pasta. The recipe can be found at A Little Bit Of Everything a very smart blog! Anyone who knows about scapes must be brilliant!

Friday: Company's Coming
Low Country Boil Northern Style
Peach Dumplings and Homemade Vanilla Custard Ice Cream

Recipe: Low Country Boil Northern Style
I know that it is almost a sin to mess with a Southern classic. But, I want to try something different~ no surprise here! Instead of shrimp I am adding crab legs.

This is a messy, tactile meal. My favorite kind. Make sure you hand out bibs and tea towel for napkins. If you are having company, make sure they are GOOD friends! This meal should NOT be eaten with demure table manners. Laugh too loud and talk with your mouth full. Chug down some icy cold beer. And if you are lucky, the deliciousness of the meal will literally drip from your elbows! When you are done eating wrap up all the shells and cobs in the brown paper and throw away!  But keep the raucous delights of the evening!

2 TBS Old Bay Seasoning
10-14 red potatoes
2 kielbasa sausages, cut in 2-3 inch chunks
6 ear of corn, cut in half
4 lbs snow crab legs
2 stick of butter

Bring a stock pot with enough water to cover all ingredients to a boil. Add Old Bay Seasoning. Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes. Add corn and kielbasa and simmer for 10 minutes. Add crab legs and cook for 5-7 minutes to warm the meat. Cut up butter and add to water until melted. Stir.

Drain water. And dump food out on a table covered with heavy duty plastic and brown paper. Serve with clarified butter.

Recipe: Peach Dumplings
This is a StoneGable classic! In my area we eat peach and apple dumplings for breakfast with warmed milk poured over it~ legal pie for breakfast! But I am serving it with a scoop of homemade Vanilla Custard Ice Cream as a dessert. Recipe, pictures and how-to's will be posted on Thursday July 29 for my Foodie Friday post.

Saturday:
Arugula, Shaved Parmesan and Pine Nuts In A Lemon Vinaigrette
Zucchini Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Cheesy Polenta

Recipe: Zucchini Stuffed Chicken Breasts
4~ 1/2  chicken breasts- bone in
1 onion, chopped
3 TBS olive oil
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 cups grated zucchini
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/3cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
2 TBS fresh basil, chiffonade
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat 1 TBS olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook until translucent on medium high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add zucchini and red pepper and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add cheeses, breadcrumbs and basil.  Add salt and pepper. Mix.

Rinse and pat dry chicken. Lift the skin from the meat of the chicken in one side to make a pocket. Stuff zucchini mixture under the skin of the chicken. Secure skin back onto the meat with a toothpick.

In a large skillet heat remaining oil. Brown chicken breasts. Transfer to oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until done through.

Sunday: Family Dinner
Eggplant Parmesan over Fresh Spaghetti

Our Garden is coming up EGGPLANTS! And eggplant Parmesan is one of Bobby's favorites! It is work intensive but so worth it! I'll make an extra, divide it into 2 small throw away pans and freeze them for couple of quick meals. This makes a LARGE dinner so I'll invite some family over for Sunday dinner. You can divide it into 2 smaller dinners. But make sure you have baking dishes with tall sides! Beware~ I have not tried this yet~ I am BAKING the eggplant and not frying it. I am trying to cut down on the fat and the calories. But you can make this recipe and FRY the eggplant in the traditional way! I wonder if Bobby will notice?

Recipe: Eggplant Parmesan:
2-3 eggplants
4 cups dried Italian breadcrumbs
3 TBS fresh parsley, chopped
1 TBS fresh thyme,
1 TBS fresh oregano leaves
salt and pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated finely (I use the green shaky cheese for this~ no judging!)
4-5 eggs, beaten
2 TBS water
1 1/2 cups flour for dredging
vegetable oil
6 cups very good jarred spaghetti
1 bag mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 lbs fresh mozzarella cheese
12 oz. grated fontina cheese
3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large shallow bowl mix bread crumbs, herbs, salt and pepper and Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
In a second large shallow bowl beat eggs and water. Set aside.
Put flour on a large plate. Set aside.

Cut eggplants into 1/2 inch rounds. Salt and pepper each side. Dredge eggplant through flour. Dip both sides of eggplant into eggs and then into bread crumbs. Put eggplant on a baking sheets in single layer. Bake for 6 minutes, turn and bake another 6 minutes. Remove and cool on paper towels. Bake in batches until all the eggplant is used.

Put a layer of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish. Put a single layer of eggplant over the sauce.  Cover the eggplant with sauce.  Cover with 1/3 of the grated mozzarella cheese, 1/3 fontina and 1/3 Parmesan cheese. Repeat 3 layers. Add sauce to the top of the eggplant layers to cover. Cut fresh mozzarella in rounds and place on top of sauce.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes until completely heated through and cheeses are melty and top is brown. Let eggplant Parmesan rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Sunday Scripture~ July 18, 2010

Sunday Scripture

Acacia (or shittim) tree near En Gedi, Israel

And they shall make an ark of acacia wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four feet thereof; and two rings shall be on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. And thou shalt make staves of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. And thou shalt put the staves into the rings on the sides of the ark, wherewith to bear the ark. The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it. And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. And thou shalt make a mercy-seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And thou shalt make two cherubim of gold; of beaten work shalt thou make them, at the two ends of the mercy-seat. And make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end: of one piece with the mercy-seat shall ye make the cherubim on the two ends thereof. And the cherubim shall spread out their wings on high, covering the mercy-seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy-seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. And thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. 

 Exodus 25:10-22

Plate Message Board

A Little Bit Of Fun:

Grab an old plate, some dry erase markers and your imagination and you have the combination for a fun message board!

 Turn this....

Into this...

Use your imagination! Write a  menu, sign, saying, song or notice.

How about a note, poem, bill, program, agenda or coupon.

Wipe off messages with a dry erase remover and start again! You can wipe off your messages with liquid hand sanitizer! Once a plate is used as a mesage board, do not put food on it.

I am participating in Pink Saturday at How Sweet The Sound. Thanks Beverly for hosting this PINK event. Click HERE  to visit.

StoneGable Roasted Corn and Bacon Chowder and Beer Bread

Summer Soup

Our local farm markets and roadside stands are beginning to sell fresh local corn! Hurray! The corn from Georgia has been delicious this year, but I can't help but love our local corn the very best. I get it early in the morning at the local "Corn Wagon" and it is on the table hours later!

There is something that makes me feel very healthy and wholesome and fresh-scrubbed about getting produce right out of the field and onto my table! Supporting local growers and linking to an agriculturally rich heritage are very important reasons to eat locally grown produce. Not to mention the delicious satisfaction of doing something very worthwhile for my family. All from an ear of corn! Yes, it's true!

We are big soup eaters at StoneGable. Even in the summer. This easy recipe is a StoneGable original, after tweaking many different recipes. I hope you will not discount soup in the summer, the veggies are the freshest!

I usually make a VAT of soup. Most soups freeze well and make wonderfully satisfying meals.

StoneGable RoastedCorn And Bacon Chowder

10 ears roasted corn

2 TBS good olive oil

18 slices of bacon, cooked (buy the good stuff)

3 large celery ribs, chopped finely

1 large onion, chopped finely

1 garlic clove, pressed

2 baking potatoes, peeled, and diced into small pieces

4 cups whole milk

2 cans creamed corn (or 1 cup heavy cream can be substituted)

salt

pepper

Preheat grill. Husk corn and desilk. Brush with olive oil.

When grill is preheated turn on low and grill corn turning frequently for 10 minutes. Some kernels will be browned. Do not let them char or burn.

Transfer to a plate and cool

When cool scrape corn kernels off cob using a sharp knife.

Invert a small bowl in a large wide bowl. Stand ear of corn on the stalk end. Holding the ear with one hand at the top, scrape the blade end of a sharp knife from top to bottom of the ear. Kernels will come off the cob and fall into the bowl. Scrape the corn cob clean.

 Set kernels aside.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay out bacon on 2 large rimmed sheet pans. Bake for 20-30 minutes, switching position of baking sheets half way through baking. When crisp remove from oven and cool. Do not discard grease from 1 pan.

Cut celery and onion and add to large stock pot. When bacon is done add bacon grease to stock pot with onions and celery. Cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, until onions are translucent.

Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add all grilled corn kernels but 1/2 cup to stock pot. Add potatoes, milk and creamed corn. On gentle heat bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and add extra corn and bacon to garnish along with a little fresh parsley if desired.

Serve with homemade beer bread.

StoneGable Homemade Beer Bread

This is the most requested homemade bread I make! Delicious, dense, and sooooo flavorful. The aroma alone will be worth making it. And best of all... this bread is sooo easy to make! It is great toasted the next day for breakfast, that is if you have any left!

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

3 TBS sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 TBS baking powder

dash of salt

2 TBS vegetable oil

1 bottle beer

1 TBS butter

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix to distribute evenly.

Pour oil and beer over batter and mix by hand. Only mix until all the liquid has been incorporated, about 30-50 strokes.

Turn out into a well greased loaf pan.

Dot top of batter with butter.

Bake for 45 minutes until risen and golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto cutting board. We eat this bread hot out of the oven and crumbly. YUMMY!

Enjoy a big bowl of Roasted Corn and Bacon Chowder along with a thick slice of Beer Bread! Remember to get seconds! It is a perfect and fresh summer meal!

I am joining Michael Lee, world famous author and all round great culinary mind for Foodie Friday. Visit her yummy blog, Designs By Gollum for wonderful recipes and foodie how-to's!

A Placemat Tutorial & Giveaway

How To Make a Placemat

Placemats serve mulitpurposes at the table. They are utilitarian and add beauty. They act as a barrier between a table and the elements of a meal! They define space.

Here at StoneGable placemats are an everyday part of setting a table!  Finding a placemat that is perfect for a tablescape is not always easy. When I  envision a table and cannot find the right placemats or napkins I make them myself. To view the complete daisy tablescape these placemats and napkins were made for click HERE.

Placemat, like napkins, are quite easy to make.  With a few basic materials and a sewing machine a couple of placemats can be whipped up in about an hour. To learn how to make a miter cornered napkin click HERE.

StoneGable Placemats

material for placemats

placemat batting

trim~ wider than 1/2 inch

embellishments

fabric glue

thread

Wash and dry fabric. Iron.

The placemat I made was 13 1/2 by 21 inches. Double fabric and cut out a 14 1/2 x 22 inch rectangle. You should have 2 pieces of 14 1/2 x 22. Use a 1/2 inch seam allowence for all sewing. Press.

Cut out one piece of batting 15 x 24.

 Put RIGHT sides of material together together. Make sure they are evenly matched. Stack fabric and batting,  putting the batting on the bottom and lay the material on the top of the batting. Batting will be larger than fabric, so center the 2 layers of fabric on the batting. Pin fabric to batting around the edges of the fabric.

  Mark off 2-3 inch that you will not sew on on of the long sides of your placemats. This is where you will turn your fabric to the right side. I mark this with a fabric marker (see blue line).

If you are adding trim, add it between the two layers of fabric. Make sure the edges of the trim are flush with the edges of the fabric and that the trim is more than 1/2 inch in width so it will show after it is sewn into the placemat.

I only add trim to the short ends of the placemats.

Pin, Pin, Pin! I line everything up and pin it all in place.

Sew around all edges starting and stopping at the marked openings.

Turn the top layer of the fabric to the right side through the opening.

Press placemat, and  whip stitch opening closed. Press again.

Glue embellishments to placemat with fabric glue. I used a pretty little daisy trim and cut it apart. Position the embellishment on the ends of the placemat where it can be seen!

To wash: Wash by hand or in the machine on a gentle cycle. Line dry.

Making placemats can be a fun, economical and beautiful way to enhance your table!

I am participating in Tickled Pink at 504 Main. This wonderful weekly blog party gives me a go-to for all the best and brightest blogs! Visit Holly and you will be tickled pink too!

I am participating in Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch. Susan, our hostess has a beautiful post  about an amazing house she toured. Great post Susan!