One of the thrills for me is when my friends shoot me a picture of a great lunch (need I say healthy for this dynamo!) that includes some KB LOVE. In this case that gorgeous Grilled Cheese is laced with the Amazing Herbes…she’s loving it and so am I! A sprinkle with do! Thanks Lezlie, our KB Guest Cook of the Day!
From the Amazing Kitchen of Pam Pickett, Vermont
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
*Add Decadence, serve with Avocado Lime Aioli, and Spicy Salsa
These Herb encrusted Baked Sweet Potatoes served warm but stuffed with a cool Black Bean Salad are the bomb! (ESP for Meatless Monday). You get the Ying and Yang from a hot/cold food served together…as well as the perfect vehicle for
The natural sweetness of well baked sweet potatoes and the slight spicy bite of the bean salad is perfect. To up your “A” game make the Avocado/Lime Aioli and kick in the spicy cheese sticks and/or Salsa!
Enjoy!
SERVES: 4
LEVEL: Presto-easy!
INGREDIENTS:
4 Medium Sweet Potatoes
Olive for rubbing
Amazing Herbes to coat
Salt & Pepper
Preheat Oven at 425 degrees
Wash and dry sweets. Cut light center in top of each, rub potatoes with olive oil. Roll or sprinkle with AMZ Herbes, salt n pepper. Bake 45 minutes until very soft, crunchy outsides. Set Aside.
INGREDIENTS:
1 15 oz can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
2 ears of fresh corn, kernels cut off or one can of corn drained
1 small red pepper finely diced
1 small red onion finely diced
2 Tbsp Amazing Rub (here is where you get brown sugar/spices)
1 tsp (or more) of Blazing Belle (this controls heat, a great blend of peppers incl. cayenne)
4 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 lime, fully zested and juiced
½ c fresh cilantro or parsley chopped (whichever you prefer)
1 avocado medium chopped (reserve ¼ for Aioli)
Combine all ingredients (Avocado goes in right before serving) in bowl, mix well. Cover and chill from an hour to overnight. Before serving salad, add the Avocado and check seasonings.
When Sweet Potatoes are fully cooked, complete the seam slice down the middle (but not through) and separate and squeeze a little to fluff inner potato. Stuff with the Chilled black bean salad.
Serve with Aioli, Salsa (if desired) and maybe some fine spiced cheese!
This dish is also great stuffed first with taco meat, spicy shrimp or any of your favorites!
*Avocado Lime Aioli
1 C mayo
¼ chopped avocado
1 Tbsp Lime Juice with zest
chopped parsley (or cilantro)
finely minced garlic 2 cloves(optional)
salt/pepper to taste.
That’s it!
Terri
Try this delicious recipe using the beautiful spice and herb blends from The Kitchen’s Bounty.
Check out this quick recipe using the beautiful bounty of August’s cherry tomatoes!
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
So I was looking for a great fun delicious dish for kicking off the Father’s Day Weekend. What guy doesn’t love meatloaf? Okay can we be honest? If you are not a vegetarian, the chances are great that you love meatloaf. So here is the recipe I love, a basic old world meatloaf, packaged in a mini individual loaf and wrapped in bacon that crisps (with the help of The Amazing Rub) and just sets this dish off!
We are gluten-free on this recipe, because way back when, the Frenchies in my neck of the woods always made meatloaf or meatballs with oatmeal that had been ground…a little like an oat flour.
So tender, so delicious….hope you enjoy! My plating suggestion is the perfect baked potato, maple glazed carrots and KB’s Spicy Ketchup (recipe also below)!
SERVES: 6
LEVEL: Intermediate – you got this!
INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup of your favorite medium chunky salsa
2 ½ pounds of ground beef/pork (I like 1 ½# beef, 1 # pork)
1 cup instant oatmeal, I like to buzz in blender to make finer grounds
2 large eggs, beaten with fork
½ C parmesan, or your favorite finely ground cheese
6 thin strips of bacon
2 Tbsp of The Amazing Herbes (this is all flavor)
2 Tbsp of The Amazing Rub (this will enhance and crisp the bacon)
*Options: Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce and 1 tsp beef bouillon or concentrate (These last 2 ingredients are optional, but I always include!)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat olive oil and sauté chopped onion over med-low heat for about 8 minutes, at the finish add the 2 Tbsp of the Amazing Herbes to allow spices to blossom and warm. Set aside.
In large bowl add ground beef/pork mixture, add onion mixture, salsa, oatmeal, beaten eggs, cheese, and the optional ingredients if desired. Use a fork to toss and mix, careful not to over mix and do not compress – better to toss to create the tenderness desired. This mixture can be divided in 6 with 1 generous cup of meat mixture each, and should create 6 mini meatloafs. Use mini loaf pans, or just form mini loaves. When formed loaves, wrap each loaf in the bacon strip and sprinkle the loaf and especially bacon with the Amazing Rub. (This again helps that great taste and crispness of the bacon wrap). Bake for 45 minutes until cooked through. Serve hot or cold, and kick up your Ketchup as described below!
SAUCE
KB’S Spicy Ketchup
1 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp The Amazing Rub
1 tsp Blazing Belle…it’s our heat, folks
1-2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Combine all ingredients in a small glass bowl, and heat in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each 30 seconds until hot.
Now that will wake the plate up!
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
SERVES: 15
LEVEL: Intermediate
INGREDIENTS
Lasagna:
1 lb of Lasagna Noodles cooked al dente (or no bake noodles)
1 lb of Mixed Shredded Cheeses (Mozzarella & Monterey Jack is great)
1 lb Whole Mike Ricotta
8 oz Boursin Cheese (Garlic and fine herbs)
1 egg
½ cup chopped fresh parsley or ¼ cup dried
2 Tbsp Amazing Herbes
1 lb pork sage spicy sausage (OPTIONAL-omit for vegetarian version) *cooked, drained and crumbled!
2 red peppers, julienned
3 summer squashes, julienned
3 zucchini Squash, julienned
3 carrots, julienned
1 cup of whole sage leaves if available (can be omitted)
3 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp of olive oil
2 Tbsp of The Amazing Rub
**Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce *recipe follows
DIRECTIONS
Set oven to 400F degrees. (Plan on 40 minutes large, or 25 mins individuals)
Cook Lasagna Noodles in Salted Water approx 10-12 minutes, add a little olive oil at the finish boil, drain and separate noodles on tray, set aside. You can also use no bake lasagna noodles for this.
Mix Ricotta, Boursin, Egg, Parsley, Amaz Herbes – Season with Salt and Pepper.
Slice all vegetables julienned style (Julienne is a culinary knife cut in which the food item is cut into long thin strips, similar to matchsticks) , and mix Red Peppers, Squashes, Carrots, (Whole Sage Leaves if available) and any other veggies you would like with Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil and Amazing Rub (or use your own seasoning blend). Brown veggies in hot 400 degree oven for approx 15 minutes stirring once or twice…if you want more crisp or browning keep in an extra 5 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
For Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
2 cups milk
1 cup white wine (optional)
1 cup chicken broth
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 – 2 Tbsp of Amazing Herbes (or salt/pepper/oregano blend)
¼ cup grated Parmesan (more if desired)
1-2 cans pumpkin purée
DIRECTIONS
Combine oil and butter and warm, add all other ingredients and do a consistent stir, bring to a low boil, when thickened, remove from heat and add 1 can of puréed pumpkin. If you like it more Pumpkiny – add more purée! Taste for seasonings and adjust according to your palate.
Now Line all ingredients like an assembly line:
Spread pan bottom with sauce, arrange a single layer of lasagna noodles on top, next spread ricotta cheese mix, another layer of lasagna noodles. Next layer sauce and roasted veggies, add a little shredded cheese. Next sauce, crumbled sausage, a little shredded cheese, and more lasagna noodles, sauce, veggies—keep going till you have used all ingredients and the Lasagna Noodles and finish with sauce and a decorative garnish of veggies and cheese.
Bake in warm in oven for 45-50 minutes. You can add more cheese and Amazing Herbes to the top of the Lasagna for the last 5 minutes of cooking. If you would like, create individual lasagna in oven proof individual cassoulets. This recipe freezes wonderful – so make two or three! Highly delicious!
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
SERVES: 4
LEVEL: Presto – Easy!
INGREDIENTS
Base:
Popped popcorn (So we can do this presto, you can use your favorite pack of microwave popcorn full popped [not an individual bag] or you can pop your own: ½ cup popcorn, 2 Tbsp high heat oil)
Place in a large bowl, finish your popcorn with:
Melt 2 Tbsp of butter, when melted add
1 Tbsp of Truffle oil (white)
Drizzle the butter/truffle oil over popcorn, toss
Then add: 1 – 2 Tbsp of The Amazing Herbes
Toss, taste test and add: Salt & Pepper, if desired
THAT’S IT! The simplest, most delicious, aromatic starter for a meal, a wine tasting, or your favorite Movie viewing. It’s a keeper!
Salad Nicoise has been a favorite of mine for decades and I was first introduced to this salad by our family “Salad Master,” Joyce. However, it is really my travels in France and experiencing the variations of the Nicoise Salad in anywhere from the finest restaurant to gas service stations (yes, really!) Nicoise is a “composed” salad, the ingredients are served side by side, rather than tossed. There is something wonderful in the art of this salad. So with my Fall Flag flying and my love of these late market gardens, I bring you my version of HARVEST SALAD NICOISE with Salmon!
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
SERVES: 4
LEVEL: Intermediate—you got this!
INGREDIENTS
Base:
4-6 cups Fresh Salad Greens
4 Hard Boiled Eggs (10 min boil)
1 ½ Cups of petite potatoes
2 Cups of String Beans, ends snapped, keep long
2 Cups of Butternut Squash, peel and cubed, 1” cubes
1 ½ Cups Red Pepper, cored, seeded and cubed 1” squares(1 large pepper)
2 Pcs. Of Salmon
Olive Oil – Balsamic Vinegar
Amazing Rub Seasoning (Amazing Heat/Amazing Herbes)
For the Dressing:
1/3 Cup Olive Oil (great quality)
¼ Lemon squeezed
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
*optional 1 – 2 Tbsp Champagne Vinegar
**optional chopped parsley/fresh basil
Salt & pepper
For the Aioli Dressing:
½ C Mayonnaise
1 tsp of the Amazing Herbes (that’s it!)
For the Garnish:
Chopped Parsley
Chopped Basil
Amazing Heat (especially over the eggs)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat Oven to 400 degrees, convection.
In a large glass bowl, place potatoes, string beans, butternut squash, not mixed but layered. Sprinkle with a few Tbsp water, wrap with plastic wrap and microwave for 5 minutes. Remove, drain water, set aside.
On a parchment lined baking sheet, place 2 entrée size pieces of Salmon that has been brushed with Balsamic Dressing in Center. Arrange the Potatoes, String Beans, Butternut Squash and the uncooked chopped red pepper pieces in the same baking sheet. Give a sprinkle of Balsamic Vinegar to all ingredients, a nice drizzle of Olive Oil, and a generous sprinkling of the *Amazing Rub Seasoning (this will make ingredients golden and seasoned)
Place into preheated (400) oven for 15 minutes, until all ingredients are toasty cooked. With the precooked Microwave time on first ingredients, this play like a symphony and all should crescendo together!
Peel boiled eggs, and half or quarter for salad plates.
Prepare 2 Dressings: Traditional vinaigrette is Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Dijon Mustard, with optional of Champagne Vinegar couple Tbsps, chopped parsley and basic – and salt and pepper (1/4 tsp of both). Herbed Aioli– ½ C or more mayonnaise with 1 tsp Amazing Herbes, stir together and set.
Plate 4 medium salad plates or 2 large plates, spread salad greens generously to create a base.
Center plates with Cooked Salmon (if 4 plateshalf salmon pieces), then create a frame of string beans, eggs, potatoes, red peppers, and butternut squash. Dress salad lightly by drizzling top with vinaigrette. Serve extra dressing and Herbed Aioli on the side. Is you would like, garnish plates with extra chopped parsley and basil.
My recommendation is to compose and serve this salad while roasted ingredients are still warm, absolutely delicious. However, you can make ahead and chill away. Just delicious also!
This Salad reminds me of an artists’ palette, so compose to your liking! Enjoy!