Summer Solstice

Fresh Mint at the Farmer's Market

1. Muddle mint in the bottom of a whiskey glass
2. Add 1 ounce simple syrup
3. Add 3 ounces of Bourbon
4. Add 1 ounce of lemon juice
5. Serve over crushed ice

Catfish Courtbouillon (pronounced: Coo-boo-yon)

This was the perfect meal to celebrate our first trip to the farmer's market this year.  Delish with fresh tomatoes!

Pork Chops with Sage and Tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 2 TB butter
• 1 TB vegetable oil
• 4 pork loin chops about an inch thick
• Flour to dredge the pork chops
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 8 sage leaves torn in about 4 pieces each
• 1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes and their juice
• Red wine to deglaze the pan

Directions:

• Melt the butter and the vegetable oil at medium high heat.
• After the butter has stopped foaming, dredge the pork chops in flour on either side and slide into the pan.
• Cook for about 1-2 minutes on both sides until browned.
• Sprinkle over sage leaves.
• Grind pepper and salt to taste.
• Add chopped tomatoes and juices.
• Turn down to a simmer and cover with a lid slightly ajar and cook for an hour, turning the pork chops occasionally.
• Remove the pork chops and swirl a little wine in the pan and use a spatula to stir up the meat juices.
• I serve the chops and the sauce over a bed of spaghetti.

Broccoli with Pasta

We found these interesting pasta shapes at Whole Foods and used them in a very simple recipe to really enjoy the pasta flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 LB broccoli
• 1 LB pasta
• 6 TB olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 6 anchovy fillets in oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Directions:

• Cut broccoli florets in 2 pieces.
• Bring a large pan of water to a boil.
• Boil broccoli until barely tender, about 5 minutes.
• Remove broccoli pieces from the pan to a serving bowl and do not discard the water.
• Add salt to the cooking water.
• Add pasta, stir well, and cook until al dente, in this case about 8 minutes.
• While the pasta is boiling, heat the oil in a small frying pan.
• Add the garlic, and after 2-3 minutes the anchovy fillets.
• Mash the anchovies and garlic into a paste with the back of a wooden spoon.
• Cook 3-4 minutes more.
• Before draining the pasta, ladl3 1-2 cupfuls of the cooking water over the broccoli.
• Add the drained pasta and the hot anchovy and oil mixture.
• Mix well, and season with salt and pepper if necessary.
• Serve at once.

Spaghetti, Ham and cheese casserole

I came up with this casserole to feed us during a long weekend at work.

Ingredients:

• 1 16 oz package of spaghetti
• 1 LB ham
• 1 onion
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
• 1 TB lemon juice
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 TB brown mustard
• paprika
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 10 oz package frozen spinach
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

• Cook spaghetti to specified directions.
• Grease a 13 by 9 baking dish.
• Meanwhile chop ham into cubes.
• Drain spaghetti in colander and spread it out evenly in the baking dish.
• Chop onion.
• In a sauce pan over medium heat cook onion and mushrooms and lemon juice for 5 minutes and then remove to a medium bowl.
• In same sauce pan melt remaining butter.
• When hot stir in flour, 1 TB salt nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon paprika until mixture is smooth.
• Gradually stir in chicken broth until liquid is thickened.
• Add half and half, ham chunks, and chopped spinach and cook over low heat until mixture is heated through.
• Spoon ham mixture over spaghetti in baking dish.
• Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and add a little paprika.
• Bake in a 350 degree oven 30 minutes or until spaghetti and ham mixture are thoroughly heated and surface is golden and bubbly.

Ham with Red-eye Gravy

Ingredients:

• 4 slices ham cut 1/4 inch thick
• 1 cup freshly brewed coffee

Directions:

• Trim the excess fat from the ham slices and cut it into small bits.
• Place fat in a frying pan and fry over medium heat until the bits are crisp and have rendered all their fat.
• Discard the bits of fat.
• Fry the ham in the rendered fat, turning the slices so they color evenly.
• Transfer the fried ham to a warmed platter and pour the coffee into the skillet.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, meanwhile scraping in the brown bits.
• Boil briskly, uncovered, until the gravy turns red and then pour it over the ham and serve at once.