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Savory Baked Ham, Tomato, Cheese, and Herb Cups

I have seen quite a few breakfast recipes made with ham and eggs in muffin tins but now that I have a ton of fresh garden produce, I thought that I would use that concept to make a savory dinner.

This morning I picked fresh heirloom tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, sage, and basil from my garden for the recipe below. This is a great recipe that can be served as an appetizer, lunch, or dinner but don't tell anyone that I ate the leftovers for breakfast! Yum! I loved how they were cheesy and fresh tasting. Oh and the little dark tips of the ham slices tasted like well-done bacon. I love well-done bacon!

Savory Baked Ham, Tomato, Cheese, and Herb Cups

24 small ham slices, about 4"x 4" each
2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
3 Tbsp. minced yellow, red, or white onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 fresh jalapenos, seeded and minced
3/4 c. ricotta cheese
1 1/4 c. shredded cheddar, Colby, Monterey jack, and/or mozzarella cheese
1 egg
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh sage, minced
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 c. butter, melted
12 Ritz crackers, crushed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375*
2. Grease two 12 cup muffin tins with non-stick spray
3. Line each cup with a slice of ham
4. Place a few pieces of chopped tomato in each cup
5. In a medium bowl, mix together the onion, garlic, jalapenos, ricotta cheese, shredded cheese,  egg, basil, sage, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and black pepper
6. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the cheese mixture in each cup
7. In a small bowl stir together the melted butter and crushed crackers
8. Sprinkle topping on the cheese mixture
9. Bake for 20 minutes
10. Remove from oven and let sit a few minutes before removing from the muffin cups

Makes 24

Fried Zucchini Blossoms + Garden Veggies w/ Jalapeno Goat Cheese Cream

Jalapeno Goat Cheese Cream

2 Tbsp. goat cheese
2 Tbsp. sour cream
3 Tbsp. buttermilk
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
Kosher salt to taste

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mash the goat cheese and sour cream together
2. Stir in the remaining ingredients until smooth

Fried Garden Veggies

Male zucchini blossoms, washed and dried
Zucchini, quartered lengthwise
Whole okra
Jalapenos, seeded and quartered lengthwise into strips
1 1/2 c. Buttermilk
1 c. Flour
1 c. Cornmeal
1 tsp. Garlic powder
1 tsp. Hot paprika

Directions:

1. Pour buttermilk into a bowl
2. On a large plate, stir flour, cornmeal, garlic powder, and paprika together
3. Heat vegetable oil in a fryer to 365*
4. In batches, place like vegetables into buttermilk and shake off excess
5. Toss in flour mixture and shake off excess
6. Fry in this order- blossoms, zucchini strips, okra, and jalapenos until golden
7. Remove and drain on paper towels
8. Sprinkle with salt
9. Serve with jalapeno goat cheese cream

Baked Heirloom Tomatoes with Goat Cheese

Place fresh garden tomato slices on parchment paper
Drizzle with olive oil
Top with fresh chunks of goat cheese
Sprinkle with basil and dill
Bake 350* for 10 minutes or until warmed through

Creamy Blackberry Soup

Creamy Blackberry Soup

4 c. fresh blackberries
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. water
1 - 2 c. vanilla yogurt or 1 c. half & half

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil
2. When the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and chill
3. Place blackberries and sugar syrup in a food processor
4. Pulse until blackberries are broken down
5. Press and scrape mixture in a fine wire mesh strainer over a bowl
6. Stir yogurt or half & half into the mixture and serve chilled

I made this with the half & half but I think it would be better with vanilla yogurt

Fresh Garden Tomato Salad

Fresh Garden Tomato Salad

To help use up my fresh garden produce, I took this salad to a party and it was a huge hit. I ran out of fresh mozzarella so put some cubes of that in yours.

Toss together:
Yellow pear tomatoes, halved
Sweet 100 tomatoes, halved
Husky cherry tomatoes, halved
Roma tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
Zucchini, chopped
Kalamata olives
Green olives
Fresh basil, chopped
Dried basil
Dried dill
Your favorite vinaigrette

Chilled Summer Peach Soup

I went to the downtown farmer's market and bought all kinds of goodies that I am not growing in my garden. Fresh peaches were everywhere. I haven't made peach soup in over 10 years. Forgot what I was missing!

Chilled Summer Peach Soup

8 fresh large peaches, peeled and sliced
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. half & half

Directions:
1. Place water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil
2. When the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and stir in the cinnamon and vanilla
3. Chill syrup
4. Place peaches and syrup in a food processor and whirl till smooth
5. Add half & half and pulse till combined

Serve chilled with fresh berries and/or pound cake croutons

Makes 4-6 servings

Fresh Figs

I tasted my first fresh fig two summers ago...oh yummy! I saw some at the store so of course they went into my cart.

Fresh Figs with Brie, Strawberry Jam and Honey

Trim the tops off of the figs and cut an 'X' 3/4 of the way down the length of the figs and gently pull open without splitting the bottom open
Place figs in a baking dish
Top each fig with a piece of brie cheese, walnuts or pecans, and a few sprinkles of blue cheese
Bake at 350* for 10 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is soft
Remove from oven and top with chunky strawberry jam, fresh black pepper, and a drizzle of honey
Serve warm

Fresh Figs with Goat Cheese, Raspberry Jam,  and Caramel

Cut half way down the length of the figs and gently pull open without splitting the bottom open
Place figs in a baking dish
Top each fig with a Tbsp. of raspberry jam and some chunks of goat cheese
Bake at 350* for 10 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is soft
Remove from oven and top with a drizzle of caramel
Serve warm

Which one was my favorite? The top recipe!

Easy Cream Cheese Danish

Easy Cream Cheese Danish

Ingredients:
2- 10oz. Cans Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Rolls
2- 8oz. Packages Cream Cheese, room temperature
3/4 c. Granulated Sugar
1 Egg
1 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions:
1. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 glass casserole dish
2. Unroll one can of crescent dough, place across bottom of dish, pinch seams closed
3. Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg, lemon juice, and vanilla extract together until smooth
4. Pour mixture over dough in casserole dish and spread with a rubber scraper
5. Unroll second can of crescent dough, place over cream cheese mixture, pinch seams closed
6. Bake 350* for 20-30 minutes until lightly browned
7. Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar
8. Let sit at least 30 minutes before cutting
9. Can be served warm, room temperature, or chilled

Note- would also be delicious topped with strawberries, blueberries, almonds, walnuts, warmed marmalade or fruit preserves, lemon zest, chocolate shavings, or a drizzle of powdered sugar icing

Candy Kissed Cookies

Candy Kissed Cookies

Ingredients:

½ c. softened butter
½ c. peanut butter
1 c. granulated sugar, divided
½ c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. milk
1 ¾ c. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
30 Hershey kisses or miniature peanut butter cups

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375*.
2. Cream together the butter, peanut butter, ½ c. granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
3. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and milk and beat together with the creamed mixture.
4. Stir together the dry ingredients and gradually add to the creamed mixture.
5. Chill dough for 30 minutes.
6. Shape dough into 30 balls.
7. Place ½ c. granulated sugar in a small bowl and roll each ball in the sugar.
8. Place balls on cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.
9. Remove cookies from the oven and immediately press a kiss or peanut butter cup into each cookie.

 Makes 30 cookies.

Savory Butternut Squash Soup

Savory Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup chopped yellow onion
3 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 quarts chicken stock (see Note)
1 cup half and half
3 to 4 dashes Texas Pete hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Melt butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or so to make a light roux. Stir in the onion, squash, apples, celery, carrot, garlic, basil and oregano. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft, 20 to 30 minutes.

Stir in cream, Texas Pete, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Puree until completely smooth with an immersion blender, or transfer soup to a food processor and puree, working in batches. Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, garnished with chopped chives and bacon or toasted pumpkin seeds.

Note: Homemade chicken stock is preferred, but canned will do.

Makes 8 servings

*Recipe adapted from the Angus Barn