Spelt (Farro) Panzanella

Source: My Head
Serves: 6

1 1/2 c spelt (also known as farro)
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
3 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
4 green onions, chopped
2 T red wine vinegar
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T finely chopped Italian parsley
1/3-1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Bring 1.5 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1 T salt and the spelt. Return to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, partially cover and simmer 30-40 minutes or until spelt is tender (it will still have a slightly chewy texture). Drain well and cool to room temperature.

Combine cooked spelt, cucumber, tomatoes, and green onions in a large bowl. Whisk together vinegars, garlic, parsley, a generous grind of black pepper and enough olive oil to make an emulsion. Pour over spelt & vegetables and mix well. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

Source: My Noggin
Yield: 20 bars

Blueberry Sauce (1 recipe is enough for two batches-leftover sauce may be frozen)
1/3 c sugar
1 T cornstarch
1 pint blueberries
2 T fresh lemon juice
1/3 c water

Crust
2 c all-purpose flour
1/3 c sugar
1 t salt
2/3 c butter, cut in cubes
6-7 T cold water

Filling
2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
2/3 c sugar
2 large eggs
1 t lemon zest
1 t vanilla
2 T fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all sauce ingredients in a medium sauce pan. Heat over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until berries have broken apart and sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set aside until cool.

Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add butter and pulse until it forms small peas. Add just enough cold water to bring the dough together. Do not over mix. Press evenly into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Dock with a fork to let off steam and bake for 25-30 minutes or until very lightly browned. Cool completely.

Combine the filling ingredients with an electric mixer. Beat well. Pour into cooled crust. Drop spoonfuls of cooled blueberry sauce randomly across the surface. Run a clean butter knife through to create marbled swirls. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely then cut into bars. Refrigerate.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Source: Barefoot Contessa Parties! by Ina Garten
Serves: 8-10

Cake:
12 T unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 c granulated sugar
3 extra large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1 1/4 c sour cream
2 1/2 c cake flour (not self-rising)
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t kosher salt

Streusel:
3/4 c light brown sugar, packed
1/2 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t kosher salt
3 T cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 c chopped walnuts (optional)

1 c fresh or frozen blueberries (optional)

Glaze (Optional):
1/2 c confectioners' sugar
2 T maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar until light. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Add vanilla and sour cream. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture and stir until just combined.
For the streusel, combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in walnuts, if using.
Spread half of the batter in the pan and sprinkle with 3/4 c streusel and the blueberries (if using). Spread with remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining streusel. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes then carefully transfer cake streusel side up to a serving plate.

Glaze if desired by whisking together confectioners' sugar and maple syrup. Drizzle over cake.

Strawberry Ice Cream

Source: Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Book
Makes: 1 Quart

2 pints strawberries, hulled and diced
1/3 c sugar
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

2 eggs
3/4 c sugar
2 c heavy whipping cream
1 c half & half

Place half the strawberries in a medium bowl and reserve the rest. Sprinkle with 1/3 c sugar and lemon juice. Refrigerate for at least one hour, tossing occasionally. Once strawberries have macerated and given up their juice, mash with a potato masher and keep cold.

Beat together eggs until light. Gradually add sugar. Add cream and half & half and beat well. Refrigerate mixture for at least 3 hours. Combine mashed berries and cream base. Freeze in an ice cream freezer per manufacturer's instructions. When ice cream is almost frozen, add reserved berries. Freeze in airtight containers.

Fusion Veggie Rolls

Source: Mom
Makes: About 40

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1/2 small head cabbage, thinly shredded
4 large carrots, shredded
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 T canola oil
1 T fish sauce (nuoc mam, patis, whatever you prefer to call it)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
12 oz shredded mozzarella
2 packages spring roll wrappers
Oil for frying or baking

Heat 2 T oil over medium heat and add garlic, onion, and celery. Cook until soft and translucent. Add cabbage, carrots, a healthy pinch of salt, and a generous grinding of black pepper and cook until soft. Add garbanzo beans and fish sauce and combine well. Remove from heat and cool completely. When cooled, mix in the cheese.
Fill spring roll wrappers per package directions. You can freeze them at this point if you'd like.
To fry: heat oil to 350 and fry until golden brown and delicious.
To bake: Preheat oven to 400. Lightly brush or spray rolls with oil and bake 20-30 minutes until golden, turning about halfway through.
Serve with bottled sweet & sour sauce or with cider vinegar mixed with minced garlic.

Potato Basil Frittata

Source: Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten
Serves: 8

8 T unsalted butter, divided
2 c peeled & diced boiling potatoes
8 extra large eggs
15 oz ricotta cheese
3/4 lb gruyere cheese, grated
1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c fresh basil, chopped
1/3 c all purpose flour
3/4 t baking powder

Preheat oven to 350.
Melt 3 T butter in a 10 inch oven proof skillet over medium-low heat. Add the potatoes and fry until cooked through, turning often. Melt the remaining butter in the microwave.
Whisk the eggs and stir in the ricotta, gruyere, melted butter, salt, pepper, and basil. Sprinkle on the flour and baking powder and stir in.
Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes and bake in the center of the oven 50-60 minutes until brown and puffed. Serve hot.