Stuffed Peppers with Tofu

Scoop through the golden crust and you will find that these don't taste at all what you may imagine tofu to taste like. Great with roasted swiss chard, you can also make a quick red sauce if you like for the peppers.  The same tofu preparation for tofu cakes can be used to stuff peppers and make a great entree.
I like to use a sweet pepper--whether that means a red or yellow bell pepper or one of the "ancient sweets".  The thickness of bell peppers hold up well to roasting though.
You can fill these and bake them filling side up or place the filling on the pan and cap those with the peppers-- same taste just different presentation.

Below is the recipe for the tofu cakes, I don't use the lime juice or baking powder when I make these and occasionally I add some grated cheese. 

Tofu Cakes with Minted Corn Relish

Most people I know have an aversion to tofu.  Or at least they think they do, perpetuated by the many bland preparations of this bean.  I have come to enjoy it just cubed and tossed with grains and a dressing but know that is not the case for most people.  Along the way I have come up with a multitude of ways to prepare tofu-- as a "shake and bake" style entree, to tofu lasagna with tofu slabs baked and replacing the noddles or using tofu to make a ricotta like filling and using homemade lasagna noodles.  The adaptability of tofu to take on many flavors and textures allows an almost endless variety of dishes.
These tofu cakes can be made with whatever vegetables you like, just be sure to cut them in pieces small enough that the cakes won't break apart when you turn them during the cooking process.  I use a firm tofu that I drain but you could also freeze your tofu first--that will give a much more dense cake that absorbs a lot of flavor.  Tofu when frozen becomes almost sponge like--when you defrost it you can practically wring it out!  I prefer to use this when I am going to cut it in cubes and marinate it--it will suck up the marinade and the tofu gets infused with flavor.

Polenta Scones

Blueberry Polenta Scones



Apricot Polenta Scones

Apricot or Blueberry Polenta Scones....
Or any fresh fruit or preserves you care to flavor these with!
I made these last summer with some ingredients I had around after the polenta cake I make (recipe on blog).  Alter however you like, easily adaptable.  I think some thyme leaves would be nice in the batter.

All the Best Summer Salad

Too hot in the kitchen?  Take a day off from cooking and toss together a salad with a light vinaigrette, have some wonderful crusty bread with your favorite cheese and a glass of wine.  Cheers to summer....

I absolutely love this time of year when all the hard work of spring and early summer pays off in a bounty of vegetables!  Even with a hotter than normal summer the salad greens are still going strong.  I've picked fresh lima beans and keep blanching them and putting them on salads and in side dishes.  The tomatoes have had an early start and are already so prolific that I am drying and freezing some--or in this case using them on salad too.

Go with what you love--No recipe needed!

Blueberry Polenta Cake

Blueberry and cherry blend

I adapted this from the Cherry-Olive Oil Polenta Cake published on oprah.com
I reduced the amount of sugar, used most whole wheat pastry flour where it called for all purpose flour and added more lemon.  I have made this with blueberry, raspberry, sour cherry or a mix. 

Made with black raspberries and served with goat yogurt and berries

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes with Key Lime Chevre

So continuing on the daily blueberry fest here--of course pancakes are a natural fit!  I still had some stone ground buckwheat flour in the freezer from the farmers market.
Before each holiday Lake Erie Creamery makes their key lime chevre.  I'm addicted I admit it!  There are so many uses for this from sweet to savory.  Here I put it on the pancakes with some blueberry sauce--summer on a plate!
If you cannot get the key lime chevre: mix some fresh chevre with vanilla, key lime juice, powdered sugar and lime zest to taste.

Rosemary Roasted Beet Salad

Beets right now are abundant at the farm stands around here.  It's one of those vegetables I don't grow as space is limited and I can find them throughout the summer everywhere.  At the beginning of summer you will notice how easily they peel and they are candy sweet!
I like them roasted with a bit of shallot or onion and rosemary and then dress them for this salad, but thyme would work equally well.

Red, White and Blue Arugula Salad

In honor of the Fourth of July holiday I'm posting this recipe.  And frankly I have so much arugula I have been making salads everyday.  Combine that with the 25 pounds of blueberries I just picked and there you have it!  So this is as much a recipe of necessity as a recipe of good flavor combinations!
I've made the vinaigrette with white balsamic, but you could use any vinegar you like: regulat balsamic, seasoned rice vinegar, etc.