Cucumber & Romaine Salad with Fresh Baked Croutons
- 2 cups sourdough bread cut in cubes (1/2-inch cubes)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 pickling cucumbers, thinly sliced.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. On a baking sheet, toss the bread cubes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and toast for about 10 minutes, stirring once, until golden. Let the croutons cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk the mustard with the balsamic vinegar. Gradually whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the romaine, cucumber and croutons, toss well and serve.
Braised Green Beans with Tomatoes
- 1 tablespoons vegetable oil, preferably canola
- 1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, 3 minced
- 3/4 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 bag green beans
- 2 tomatoes diced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- In a large, deep skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add the sliced onion and cook over moderate heat until translucent and softened, about 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic, paprika and cayenne pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the green beans and 3 whole garlic cloves and cook for about 2 minutes, tossing to coat the beans.
- Pour the fresh diced tomatoes and 1/2 cup water or vegetable stock into the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the green beans are very tender, about 40 minutes. Season the braised green beans with salt and pepper. Transfer them to a platter and serve warm or at room temperature..
Sweet Potato Fries
- 4 sweet potatoes, peeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Heat the oven to 400.
- Cut the sweet potatoes into sticks 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide and 3 inches long, and toss them with the oil.
- Mix the spices, salt and pepper in a small bowl, and toss them with the sweet potatoes. Spread them out on 2 rimmed baking sheets.
- Bake until brown and crisp on the bottom, about 15 minutes, then flip and cook until the other side is crisp, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.
