4 large Bermuda onions, sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, picked
1 1/2 [...]]]> The morning I gave birth to may daughter Grace, I missed a brunch. My good friend Jo brought brunch to me. This tart was included. I was famished. It was perfect.

4 large Bermuda onions, sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, picked
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 whole eggs
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1(9-inch) parbaked pate brisee tart shell
Saute onions in oil and butter until caramelized and golden brown, then add thyme and a pinch of salt. Remove from pan and allow to cool. In a bowl, add heavy cream, eggs, nutmeg, and onions, season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into tart shell and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until center does not jiggle.

Roasted vegetables are easy, fancy, and healthy. No matter what you make for dinner, a plate of roasted vegetables is always a good addition.

How to Roast Vegetables

Preheat your oven to the vegetable’s desired temperature (see table below).

Rinse and pat dry your favorite vegetable. Slice or chop your vegetable [...]]]> Cooking School/ Roasted Vegetables

Roasted vegetables are easy, fancy, and healthy. No matter what you make for dinner, a plate of roasted vegetables is always a good addition.

How to Roast Vegetables

Preheat your oven to the vegetable’s desired temperature (see table below).

Rinse and pat dry your favorite vegetable. Slice or chop your vegetable into manageable pieces (no bigger than an egg, no smaller than a grape).

Lightly drizzle pan of vegetables with high quality olive oil. Bake at recommended temperature for 10-15 minutes, depending on how crisp you like your vegetables.

Asparagus is roasted at 400 and goes well with
*Becca’s Roasted Veggie Sauce
*Shredded Parmesan cheese
*Lemon Juice, Olive Oil

Broccoli is roasted at 425 and goes well with
*Becca’s Roasted Veggie Sauce
*Cheddar Cheese Sauce

Brussel Sprouts go in at 400 and are yummy with
*Becca’s Roasted Veggie Sauce
*Pure Maple Syrup

Butternut Squash cooks at 400 and is delightful with
*Pure Maple Syrup
*Alfredo Sauce

Cauliflower likes to cook at 450 and can be bathed in
*Cheddar Cheese Sauce

Sweet Potatoes want to be baked at 375 and like
*Pure Maple Syrup

Tomatoes (cherry) are roasted at 400 and are paired well with
*Becca’s Roasted Veggie Sauce
*Fresh Mozarella and Basil

Zucchini is roasted at 450 and can be dunked in
*Tomato Sauce
*Alfredo Sauce
*Basic Vinaigrette

Becca’s Roasted Veggie Dipping Sauce
1 cup mayonaisse
fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp minced garlic
dash of salt

Peel garlic clove and cut the garlic into teeny tiny pieces. Set aside.
In mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice (just squeeze as much lemon juice as you can out of any ‘ole lemon), minced garlic and salt. Mix until thoroughly combined. Put in a pretty bowl for people to dip their veggies in!

Originally published October 22, 2009

It’s a shame how long I’ve gone without posting anything. Life has taken over. Last summer, as we drifted about enjoying [...]]]> Happy Halloween and let the cider drinking begin! Seriously, I may hand this out next week instead of candy. As my daughter Annabelle says, I am totally not kidding.

Originally published October 22, 2009

It’s a shame how long I’ve gone without posting anything. Life has taken over. Last summer, as we drifted about enjoying our free time, I looked at my growing girls and suspected that Fall would be crazy nutty. And although I usually don’t write much about my family online, I must say that this Fall has been spectacular. E and G are turning into amazing people. They enjoy their music and it’s starting to pay off. A is thinking about starting to read. P has discovered the joy of multi tools. I accomplished the one thing I knew I had to do after I finished bearing children–I ran a marathon. It was exhilarating, difficult, dissapointing, and emboldening all at the same time. I’ll do another some day. Having written all of that, here is a recipe you must have for the Fall. Fix this for the Trick or Treaters and you will be the talk of the town.

Sometimes. Just sometimes, I hit the ball out of the park. And friends, I hit the ball out of the park when I make bruschetta. Instructions below.

Becca’s Bruschetta

4-5 fresh tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes
fresh basil, cut
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic [...]]]>

Sometimes. Just sometimes, I hit the ball out of the park. And friends, I hit the ball out of the park when I make bruschetta. Instructions below.

Becca’s Bruschetta

4-5 fresh tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes
fresh basil, cut
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
salt to taste

crusty bread (I’ll keep it real here and tell you I use Costco baguettes. I buy them, freeze them, and thaw them when I need some decent bread)
More olive oil

Dice tomatoes and combine with garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and salt. Toss together and set aside.
Slice bread in 1/2″ thick slices. Using pastry brush, brush each slice of bread with olive oil. Brush both sides.
In largest fry pan, toast bread slices over medium heat (with additional olive oil in pan, just enough to cover surface).

When pieces are adequately browned, top with bruschetta tomato mixture and serve immediately.

You don’t need much for this bowl of goodness. Just grab:

fresh peaches (peeled and diced)
fresh lime (squeezed)
fresh tomatoes diced)
fresh cilantro (chopped)
fresh red onion (minced)
a bit of salt

You decide on the amounts. I did 3 large peaches, 2 small homegrown tomatoes, 1/4 [...]]]>

You don’t need much for this bowl of goodness. Just grab:

fresh peaches (peeled and diced)
fresh lime (squeezed)
fresh tomatoes diced)
fresh cilantro (chopped)
fresh red onion (minced)
a bit of salt

You decide on the amounts. I did 3 large peaches, 2 small homegrown tomatoes, 1/4 cup cilantro, 1/4 cup minced red onion, juice of one lime, and salt to taste. Man oh man. Here’s hoping your Labor Day BBQ is as fancy as ours.

Vidalia Onion Dip

3 cups chopped Vidalia onions
3 cups shredded swiss cheese
2 1/2 cups mayonaisses
garlic salt, to taste

Mix all ingredients and pour into greased 1 1/2 [...]]]> This dip is so naughty. But I don’t even care. I make it on Super Bowl Sunday and I make no apologies.

Vidalia Onion Dip

3 cups chopped Vidalia onions
3 cups shredded swiss cheese
2 1/2 cups mayonaisses
garlic salt, to taste

Mix all ingredients and pour into greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated 350 oven for 35-40 minutes until lightly brown. Serve with corn chips.

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

Fruit Salsa:
2 apples (1 red, [...]]]> The big game is coming up (we’ll miss you Tebow). I have the perfect Super Bowl appetizer for you. Why not show up at your party with a healthy party food and negate those horrible rumors about Super Bowl Fare.

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

Fruit Salsa:
2 apples (1 red, 1 green), diced
1 cup strawberries, diced
1 cup kiwi, diced,
2 cups frozen raspberries mashed or 2 Tblsp. raspberry jam
2 Tablesp. orange juice
2 Tablesp. brown sugar

Mix all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Add more brown sugar according to taste (or less).

Cinnamon Chips:
Of course you can just buy a bag nowadays but just in case:
4-6 flour tortillas
water, butter, or cooking spray
cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 475. Spray one or both sides of the flour tortillas with water or cooking spray or spread butter on both sized (depending on how low fat you want them. But I think low fat is lame.). Immediately sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Place tortillas on a cookie sheet and cut into triangles or strips (using pizza cutter). Bake for 5-7 minutes or until desired doneness, remembering that when the tortillas are removed from teh oven, they will harden as they cool. Serve with fruit salsa.

Sometimes I get stuck in a rut, and I make the same thing over and over again. This factors in most prominently on Sunday evenings.  As we gear up for a new week, we all like [...]]]> Got a bunch of tomatoes hanging around this time of the year? I’ve got just the thing for you.

Sometimes I get stuck in a rut, and I make the same thing over and over again. This factors in most prominently on Sunday evenings.  As we gear up for a new week, we all like to gather at the table and eat something comfortable, yummy, easy, and reliable. Enter my favorite bean dip in the world. Once you make this, you’ll see that’s it more of a bean dish that a dip. But we scoop it up with sturdy tortilla chips and gobble, gobble, gobble.  Add this to your rotation and you’ll be thanking me.

Mexican Baked Bean Dip

1 can black beans
1 can cannelini beans (or navy or great northern)
1 can shoepeg corn
1-2 cups salsa verde (green salsa)
6 whole roma tomatoes, diced and salted
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
4 cups mexican blend cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400. Dice and salt tomatoes and scatter in the bottom of 9×13 baking pan. Drain all beans and corn, add to top of tomatoes. Pour salsa over bean mixture. Sprinkle entire pan with cheese and cilantro. Bake in oven until cheese and salsa melt together and bubble, about 15-20 minutes. Serve with sturdy tortilla chips (Costco’s Kirkland Signature Brand Organic Tortilla Chips are by far our favorite). Enjoy.