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Pork Scallopini with Spaghetti Squash

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Ever had blistered cherry tomatoes? A hot skillet warms them through, encouraging all of their sweet juices to burst in your mouth. Tender spaghetti squash joins this healthful summer party and lends even more texture and sweetness. A vibrant pan sauce of capers, wine, lemon, chives, parsley and broth livens up the plate and you have yourself a perfectly delightful gluten-free dinner.

Let your kids scrape the seeds and pulp from the spaghetti squash. They will find this task disgustingly thrilling.

As you prepare and enjoy this dish with those you love, teach them a few things about some of the ingredients:

  • Spaghetti squash contains antioxidants which are awesome for your eyes.
  • Tomatoes, eaten fresh, have tons of vitamin C, which helps your skin look good.
  • Capers (flower buds picked before they begin to bloom) provide your body with fiber, which helps your blood absorb sugars properly.

Tip: You know your squash is done when it is scrapes easily into strands with a fork (you shouldn’t have to force this).

If you’re like us and don’t drink wine but cook with it, we have found 4-packs of mini bottles at Walmart. They are about a cup each and are just perfect to keep on hand for cooking so you don’t waste a whole bottle:

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Alternatively, you can buy a bottle and freeze the rest in ice cube trays. Measure how much liquid each compartment of your trays hold by filling a half cup of water and seeing how many compartments equal a half cup. Write that on your gallon freezer bag of wine cubes (for example, 3 compartments in our trays equals a half cup of liquid, so we write “ 3 cubes = ½ cup” on our bag of wine cubes so we don’t forget). Because it’s wine, the cubes won’t stay 100% frozen, but this method works fine. Most recipes call for “dry” wines, so we buy Chardonnay for white and Cabernet for red. We buy wines that are middle of the road in price; nothing dirt cheap and nothing over $15/bottle. Costco has good prices on wine, as does Trader Joe’s (unsponsored). If you aren’t comfortable buying wine, just omit it. Cooking wines are usually pretty acidic and salty and will add nothing to your dish – and may actually make it worse. As Julia Child once said, “If you do not have a good wine to use, it is far better to omit it, for a poor wine can spoil a simple dish and utterly debase a noble one.”

Since this dish is somewhat Italian in feel, let’s learn a few things about Capri, Italy:

  • Caesar found Capri so captivating that he returned over and over again for vacation.
  • Capri offers some of the most breathtaking caves and colors of water in the world.
  • Many authors have gone to Capri to enjoy the serenity and landscape, and have used it for the setting of their writings.

Adapted only slightly from: Pork Scallopini with Spaghetti Squash

Pork Scallopini with Spaghetti Squash
 
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Est. Cost: $21
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 spaghetti squash (about 3 pounds)
  • 8 pork scallopini or thin cutlets (about 11/4 pounds)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 21/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley and/or chives
  • 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
Instructions
  1. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, then halve each piece crosswise; remove the seeds. Transfer to a large glass bowl and add ¼ cup water. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave until just tender, 12 to 16 minutes. Uncover and let cool slightly.
  2. Meanwhile, season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, then add the olive oil. Working in two batches, add the pork and cook until browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.
  3. Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the capers and cook until sizzling, 1 minute. Add the wine and lemon juice. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the broth; boil until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Drain the squash and scrape the flesh into strands with a fork; discard the skin. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir the herbs into the pan sauce and transfer to a liquid measuring cup. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly blistered, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve the pork with the squash and tomatoes; drizzle the squash and pork with the pan sauce.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 500 Fat: 32 g Saturated fat: 12 g Carbohydrates: 22 g Sugar: 9 g Sodium: 319 mg Fiber: 5 g Protein: 32 g Cholesterol: 104 mg

 

Shrimp Remoulade Sliders

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Mini versions of anything are charming, but there’s something ridiculously adorable about mini sandwiches. Sliders make for the perfect (yet substantial) party food because guests don’t have to commit to a full-size sandwich or burger in favor of being able to enjoy a wider variety of offerings. Still, there is the option of going for a second slider if the guest feels that the sandwich is worth indulging in again. These Shrimp Remoulade Sliders are light, fresh, and a little sophisticated, thanks to the addition of grated celery root, which imparts the lovely flavor of celery without the (sometimes) obnoxiously stringy texture of celery. Fresh tarragon and lemon juice lend even more brightness while dijon and briny capers & cornichons provide that tang which constitutes remoulade anything. These appealing little packages come together in very few minutes so grab some toothpicks that represent your party’s theme and prepare to impress.

Cute as buttons in a row:

Tips (unsponsored): We always find celery root and fresh tarragon at Sprouts. Mini brioche buns aren’t as easy to find, so if you find yourself mini-brioche-buns-less, go for a small roll that is soft, such as a Hawaiian roll. Seafood is more delicate than a burger and a bun that’s on the firmer side will leave your slider felling smashed and won’t compliment your shrimp mixture well. Cornichons (tiny, sour, French pickles, not to be confused with sweet gherkins, which are super gross) can be an elusive ingredient as well, but we found ours at our local Kroger brand store in the deli section. Trader Joe’s is worth a try as well.

Here are some health benefits of a few of the ingredients you will be using:

  • Shrimp is a good source of copper, which strengthens your body tissue.
  • Tarragon is an herb containing one of the highest counts of antioxidants.
  • Celery root is said to be great for your digestive tract.

Since remoulade sauce is linked to Cajun cooking, let’s learn a few things about Cajuns:

  • The word “Cajuns” is probably just the mispronunciation of the word “Acadiens” (migrants from Canada to Louisiana).
  • So much of the Cajun lifestyle did and continues to revolve around the Roman Catholic religion.
  • Cajun food is largely influenced by the crops available close to home, such as rice, peppers, shrimp and crawfish.

From: Shrimp Remoulade Sliders

Shrimp Remoulade Sliders
 
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Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 8 servings
Ingredients
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cornichons
  • 2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
  • 1 pound chopped cooked shrimp
  • 2½ cups grated celery root (about 8 ounces)
  • 8-10 buttered toasted mini brioche buns
  • Bibb lettuce
Instructions
  1. Combine the mayonnaise with the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, capers, chopped cornichons and tarragon in a large bowl.
  2. Fold in the chopped cooked shrimp and grated celery root.
  3. Serve on buttered toasted mini brioche buns with Bibb lettuce.

 

Roasted Tomato Tartines with Prosciutto (and Roasted Tomato Tapenade)

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If you’ve ever tasted a ripe tomato straight from a proper garden (as opposed to a garden where freaky, unnatural things take place), you know how tomatoes are supposed to taste. Too many times, store-bought tomatoes are watery and flavorless. Heirloom tomatoes are what a tomato should taste like: they are juicy without being mushy, and they taste… well, like they came from a garden – sweetly robust and earthy.

roasted tomato tartines - from directly above, farther out-4

THIS recipe takes tomato flavor to a whole new level because, not only do you use slices of vibrant, fresh heirlooms, but you also roast some, concentrating that summery flavor, and make them into a rich tapenade. *My friend, Jessy, brought me some gorgeous black lava salt from her trip to Iceland last week. Wasn’t that thoughtful of her? It makes for a lovely finishing salt.

roasted tomato tartines with prosciutto - heirlooms on baking sheet-1

Slices of toasted baguette are slathered with tapenade, followed by fresh mozzarella, slices of heirloom tomato, crisp prosciutto, peppery arugula and liquorice-y basil. If that doesn’t look like summer, we don’t know what does.

roasted tomato tartines with prosciutto - ingredients-2

The tapenade is intensely flavorful. It makes a gorgeous and simple appetizer if made in advance. We had some items leftover so we spread it on crostini, topped with cheese and basil. It was to die for:

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Tip (unsponsored): Don’t let the cook time scare you here – make the tapenade and fry the prosciutto the day before and all you’ll have to do come time to serve is toast the baguette and layer with ingredients. This dish would be wonderful cut into smaller pieces and served as an appetizer, or left in longer slices and served at lunch or even dinner (just serve with fruit to bulk things up). If you can find heirlooms at a farmer’s market, they are likely to be delicious (grab a fresh baguette from the market if you can find one as well). We often buy ours from Trader Joe’s, and they are usually pretty satisfactory. We usually get our arugula at T.J.’s as well. If you don’t have access to a European-style bakery, we like the baguettes we find at Costco well enough.

roasted tomato tartines - from side, blurry-5

Have your kids help you layer ingredients on the baguette halves. As you prepare and enjoy these tartines with those you love, teach them a few things about some of the ingredients:

  • Olives are super high in antioxidants, which help keep your body “clean” from harmful toxins.
  • Basil gives your body vitamin K, which help your blood clot correctly so you don’t bleed too much.
  • Arugula provides your body with folic acid, which helps it make healthy new cells.

roasted tomato tartines - from above, close-up-3

Clearly a French word, a tartine is an open-faced sandwich and is usually spread with something (tapenade, in this case). Let’s learn a few things about France and it’s people:

  • The French are extremely proud of their country and language.
  • French onion soup really is a traditional soup made with beef broth and topped with toast with melted cheese.
  • There are hundreds of kinds of cheese made in France, and they eat much more cheese than we do in the U.S.

roasted tomato tartines collage

From: Roasted Tomato Tartines with Prosciutto

Roasted Tomato Tartines with Prosciutto
 
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 10 heirloom tomatoes (about 2½ pounds)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 8 sprigs thyme
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup pitted kalamata olives
  • 1 anchovy fillet
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
  • 1 baguette
  • 1 12 -ounce ball fresh mozzarella, halved and sliced
  • Baby arugula and fresh basil, for topping
Instructions
  1. Make the roasted tomato tapenade (this can be done a day ahead): Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Halve 4 tomatoes and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Place the tomatoes cut-side down on the baking sheet, tucking 1 thyme sprig under each. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and roast until the skins start to loosen, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven; set aside until cool enough to handle, then pinch off the skins and discard. Return the tomatoes to the oven and continue roasting until slightly dried, about 1 hour. Discard the thyme and set the tomatoes aside to cool. (Keep the oven on.)
  2. Puree the roasted tomatoes, olives, anchovy, garlic, capers, vinegar, 3 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons water in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and set aside. (The tapenade can be made 1 day ahead; transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate.)
  3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Working in batches, add the prosciutto slices in a single layer and cook, turning once, until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
  4. Cut the baguette in half crosswise, then split each half open to make 4 pieces. Place cut-side up on a baking sheet and bake until golden around the edges, about 5 minutes. Slice the remaining tomatoes. Spread the roasted tomato tapenade on the baguette. Arrange the mozzarella and sliced tomatoes on top. Season with salt and pepper, then top with the prosciutto and some arugula and basil.

 

Arugula Pesto Pizza with Zucchini

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arugula pesto pizza with zucchini - 1

There’s something really appealing when the colors of a dish are in the same color scheme. This pizza, with it’s varying shades of green and white, is quite fetching, and it tastes as good as it looks. We love homemade pizza dough, but to be honest, there are some delicious store-bought pizza doughs out there and they taste just as good. Why not skip this step and make your life a little easier, especially if it means you’ll be more inclined to make pizza at home instead of ordering Domino’s? Hazelnuts, arugula, capers and parmesan make this pesto really flavorful, and you can make it up to a week in advance and store it in your fridge, making your life even easier come dinnertime. Using fresh mozzarella means your pizza with have enough moisture, and we usually make 2 smaller pizzas – one with regular fresh mozzarella and the other with fresh smoked mozzarella (they are both fabulous). Very thinly slicing your zucchini with a mandolin or by hand will ensure that your pizza won’t be too moist, as zucchini contains lots of water. Fresh torn basil to top it off adds extra vibrance and even more freshness.

arugula pesto pizza with zucchini ingredients - 1

Tips (unsponsored): We like the pizza dough balls we’ve used from Trader Joe’s and Fresh and Easy. They are a dollar or two per 1 lb ball and are usually already thawed so you can use them right away. If you make a lot of pizza or have friends and neighbors who would want to split with you, Sam’s Club Food Court sells their dough balls frozen and you get like 20 balls for around $16, which is an amazing price. Just make sure to call ahead to make sure they aren’t out.

The bulk section at Sprouts is a great place to buy nuts when you only need a small amount, such as the ¼ cup hazelnuts needed here. You can just get your ¼ cup without having the excess cost and waste of having to buy a larger quantity in a bag.

Our favorite place to get basil is Trader Joe’s. You can get a whole plant for just a bit more than buying a tiny container of it. You don’t need much here, so buy the plant and use it again in a few days to make another recipe calling for basil (search for “basil” on this blog) or a healthful caprese salad (fresh tomatoes sliced with fresh mozzarella, basil, olive oil and salt and pepper). We find our smoked mozzarella here as well.

Have your kids help you roll out the pizza dough, spread the pesto, and layer toppings. As you prepare and eat this dish together with your family, teach them about some of the health benefits they are providing their bodies:

  • Hazelnuts provide your body with copper, which helps your blood pressure stay normal.
  • Zucchini has vitamin C, which helps your blood cells do their job well.
  • Basil contains oils that can help fight off bad bacteria.

A few facts about Italy and it’s people:

  • Children are only required to attend school until they are 16 years old.
  • Italy is mostly hilly and mountainous.
  • Italy is mostly hilly and mountainous.

Adapted slightly from: Arugula Pesto Pizza with Zucchini

Arugula Pesto Pizza with Zucchini
 
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $16
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup hazelnuts
  • 3 cups baby arugula
  • 1 cup fresh parsley
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • For the pizza:
  • 1 par-baked pizza crust (unless you like really crispy crust, then bake it fully). Smaller pizzas are easier to handle, so divide the crust in ½ for 2 smaller pizzas, if desired.
  • 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese (preferably buffalo mozzarella), drained and sliced
  • 1 medium zucchini, very thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • Torn fresh basil, for topping
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
  1. Place a pizza stone or inverted rimmed baking sheet on the lower oven rack and preheat to 500 degrees F.
  2. Make the pesto:
  3. Lightly toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes; let cool.
  4. Transfer to a food processor and add the arugula, parsley, garlic and capers; pulse until almost smooth.
  5. With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil and process until combined.
  6. Add the parmesan and pulse to combine; add 2 tablespoons water to loosen.
  7. Season with salt and pepper.
  8. Assemble the pizza:
  9. Keep the prebaked crust on the baking sheet. Spread with the pesto and top with the mozzarella. Arrange the zucchini in overlapping rows on top.
  10. Sprinkle with the parmesan and drizzle with the olive oil.
  11. Transfer the baking sheet to the hot pizza stone and bake until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown, start checking at 7 minutes.
  12. Remove from the oven and top with basil; season with salt and pepper.

 

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