You’ve had your tart, and your panini, so now it is time for a big helping of roasted veggie lasagna.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

16-ounce container ricotta cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Dash of nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 large jar of your favorite marinara sauce
1 box no-cook lasagna noodles
1/2 of the Roasted Vegetable yield from HERE, roughly chopped
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

In a medium bowl combine the ricotta, 1/4 cup of the mozzarella, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, garlic, egg, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg; mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with olive oil.

Spread 1/4 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the dish then place lasagna noodles down to cover the bottom of pan. Add half of the ricotta mixture and spread evenly over the noodles. Next add half of the roasted vegetables. Cover the veggies with lasagna noodles then again with half of the remaining sauce. Add the last of the ricotta mixture then the remaining veggies.

Cover with lasagna noodles. Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil. Finish with the rest of the sauce then sprinkle the top with the remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella, and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes; remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown.

Set aside for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy.

Serves 6 to 8

Roasted Vegetable and Mozzarella Panini

1/4 of the Roasted Vegetable yield from HERE
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ciabatta rolls (from Trader Joe’s) or other bread of your choice
1/4 cup purchased hummus or pesto
4-ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, drained and sliced
6 large basil leaves
Olive oil

Cut the roasted vegetables into strips. Cut both of the rolls in half horizontally.

Spread both sides of each roll with the hummus or pesto. Working with the bottom half of each; cover first with roasted vegetable strips, then with 2 or 3 slices of mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper, and finally with a 3 fresh basil leaves on each. Place top halves of rolls on top and press together firmly.

(The sandwiches can be made to this point, 6 hours ahead. Wrap each tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)

Lightly brush the outside of both sides of the sandwiches with olive oil.

Heat a panini press or a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Place one sandwich at a time on the bottom of the press and close the lid on the panini press (or in the grill pan, press down with a large heavy skillet weighted down on top with cans, such as cans of beans). When the sandwiches are brown and crisp and the cheese has melted, cut in half and serve.

Makes 2 sandwiches

Last night was the first time I’ve cooked any sort of food for Dave and myself… in… let’s see… 11 days. Unbelievable! I think that is the longest stretch of “no-cook” time for me since back in 2008 when we were traveling through France and Italy with the kids. But, I’m back and the recipes will again be flowing, thanks for hanging in there with me through the trip to Sedona, the foot injury, and birthdays. :-D

On Wednesday, my dad took me to True Food Kitchen at Scottsdale Quarter for my birthday lunch. I usually order the light and luscious Edamame Dumplings, or their delicious Herb Hummus, or the fabulous Wild Ahi Sliders… but this time I decided to try the Mediterranean Chopped Salad. Good choice! Actually, I’ve never had anything I didn’t enjoy from the menu. The photo at the top is the True Food salad – taken with my new iPhone 4s, which I LOVE!  Once I got home, I just had to recreate it for Dave.  He, of course, loved it… and you will too.

True Food uses red quinoa in their salad, I had the white on hand (you can also find black quinoa), otherwise, this salad tasted exactly like the one you’d be served at the restaurant. They also offer the salad with the addition of grilled chicken or salmon, obviously you can too.

True Food Kitchen’s Mediterranean Chopped Salad Knock-off

2 cups cold water
1 cup uncooked quinoa

Lemon-Oregano Vinaigrette
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 of an English cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 large handfuls green beans, trimmed and steamed
2 cups cherry or teardrop tomatoes
3/4 cup Marcona almonds
3 cups arugula or spinach leaves
1 cup crumbled feta or queso cotijta cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the quinoa and stir, simmer over medium heat, stirring often, until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, cover, and set aside for 15 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and spread out on a plate to cool to room temperature.

While the quinoa is cooking and cooling, make the vinaigrette. Place the garlic, lemon zest, juice, vinegar, mustard, honey, oregano, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and blend well.  While continually whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, until dressing is emulsified.

In a large salad bowl, toss together the cucumber, olives, green beans, tomatoes, almonds, and arugula. Add the cooled quinoa, cheese, and vinaigrette.  Toss until all ingredients are coated with the vinaigrette, taste for seasoning, and serve.

Serves 4

I’ve been on a blue cheese kick recently. Maybe there is a nutrient in it that my body is short on.  Let’s see, it is a good source of protein, calcium, and phosphorus. No, that’s probably not the reason. It is also high in sodium and is very high in saturated fat… hmmm – that doesn’t sound good. This recipe redeems the blue cheese a little bit with its main ingredient, cauliflower. Cauliflower is low in fat, high in dietary fiber, folate, and vitamin C.  Leave off the bacon garnish and use vegetable broth, and you’ve got yourself a delicious good-evil, yin-yang, angel-devil vegetarian soup.

Cauliflower-Gorgonzola Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, peeled and chopped
4 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 head cauliflower, leaves removed, then cut into 2-inch pieces
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cup tripe cream blue cheese
Cooked and crumbled bacon for garnish, if desired

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent. Season well with salt and pepper.

Add the cauliflower and sauté, stirring often for another 5 minutes. Pour in the broth, stir and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the cauliflower is very soft.

Pick out the bay leaves and thyme stems and discard. Add the sour cream and stir to combine.

Pour the mixture into a blender or food processor and blend the soup until it is very smooth.

Return the soup to the pot and stir in the blue cheese, reheat gently. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.

Ladle into bowls and serve topped with crumbled bacon, if desired.

Serves 6

For far too long, I have been discarding fennel fronds.  You know, those pretty dill-like leaves attached to the stalks of a funnel bulb.  Sure, I’d pick off a few fronds and use to garnish a dish, but then I’d toss out the remaining fronds still attached to the tough and inedible stalks. What a shame! I decided to see if the fronds could be made into a pesto, and sure enough, delicious! Use this vibrant pesto in a pasta, as a dip with crudités, or drizzled on a fennel salad.  Salad recipe to follow tomorrow. If the fennel you purchase does not have a full 2 cups of fronds, cut the recipe in half and use only 1 cup of fronds.

Fennel Frond Pesto

1 fennel bulb (choose the bulb with the most fronds)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4  cup olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Pick off fennel fronds, you should have about 2 cups (loose, not packed down). Discard the stalks and save the fennel bulb for a salad, pasta, or slice and dip into the pesto with other assorted crudités.

Place the fronds in a food processor. Add the garlic, pine nuts, lemon zest, salt, and pepper and process until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the processor bowl.

With the machine running, add the olive oil and Parmesan through the feed tube and continue to process until the mixture is well combined.

Makes about 1/2 cup

See that cutting board full of mustard greens, kale, radicchio, and Napa cabbage?  That was what I had purchased to use a liners and decoration for the platters of food at Terrie’s birthday party on Saturday night. Why is it on my cutting board today, 3 days after the party? You guessed it, I forgot to use them.  In the rush to dish out and serve the food, the greens in the refrigerator produce drawer were forgotten.  And as is typical, I remembered later that night as I lay in bed trying to fall asleep.  Peggy and Terrie discovered the drawer full the next morning while they were cleaning up, and brought them to me.  This recipe is what I came up with for using the kale, mustard greens and some of the radicchio. Tomorrow I’ll use the remaining radicchio and Napa cabbage for a crisp fresh salad or maybe a slaw for fish tacos.  P.S. I had planned on topping this dish with crumbled feta cheese, but when I opened the package… mold – eww.  So I shredded on some Jarlsberg instead – Yum!

Wilted Greens with Pasta and Beans

1 large bunch mustard greens
1 large bunch kale thick stems removed and cut into 1-inch strips
6 large radicchio leaves
12 ounces farfalla pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup peeled and diced onion
3 garlic clove, peeled and minced
14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
15-ounce can pinto beans, drained, liquid reserved
1/4 cup black olive tapenade
Crumbled feta or shredded cheese of your choice

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add greens and cook just until tender, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a spider, transfer greens to colander to drain.

Return water to boil. Add pasta and cook just until tender but still firm to bite, about 11 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain over a bowl or measuring cup, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.

Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the pot, swirl to coat the bottom.  Add the onion and garlic and sauté until onion is soft and translucent. Add the drained tomatoes and beans to the pot and cook until just heated through, stirring often, about 3 minutes.

Return pasta to pot; add greens and the remaining tablespoon olive oil and toss. Stir in tapenade and the reserved pasta cooking liquid. Stir in 1/4 cup of the reserved tomato liquid and 1/4 cup of the reserved bean liquid to moisten.

Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl or individual plates and sprinkle with cheese.

Serves 4

I love tomatoes. I love asparagus. I love sugar snap peas. I love capers. I love Sherry vinegar. I love this recipe ~ hope you love it too!

Asparagus and Sugar Snap Peas with Tangy Tomato Vinaigrette

1/2 pound sugar snap peas, strings stripped
1 pound asparagus spears, ends snapped
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Sherry vinegar
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and patted dry
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 hard-boiled egg, grated

Blanch sugar snap peas in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 3 or 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Drain. Refresh peas in a bowl of ice water and drain thoroughly.

Blanch asparagus in the same boiling salted water until just tender, about 4 or 5 minutes. Drain and refresh in the same ice water, adding more ice, if needed. Drain thoroughly.

Arrange asparagus and pea pods on large platter. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

Whisk oil and vinegar to blend in a small bowl. Add tomato, bell pepper, green onion, capers, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the vinaigrette over asparagus and peas. Garnish with grated egg.

Serves 4

Today we’ll use two more of the 10 “cheap super-foods” I introduced you to on Sunday; sweet potato and mango.  I’ll leave it up to you on how to use the remaining “everyday” five; low-fat milk, eggs, oatmeal, black tea, and dried cranberries.  Although, tossing a few “craisins” on top of this salad, wouldn’t be such a bad idea.  And… you could pump it up a bit more by serving this color-packed salad on a bed of very thinly sliced fresh kale. That would give you four of the ten “supers” in your supper.

PLUS, Happy Birthday to my dear friend and mentor, Barbara Pool Fenzl! Can’t wait to celebrate a week from today. Until then, have a lovely birthday week. I love you and adore you! xoxo

Roasted Sweet Potato, Edamame, Fennel, and Corn with Fresh Mango Salad

3 large sweet potatoes
1 cup shelled edamame
2 ears of fresh white corn, kernels removed
1 medium fennel bulb, sliced; fronds minced and reserved
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 large mango
1/4 cup minced fresh basil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Scrub the sweet potatoes and then dry well.  Cut into 2-inch cubes and place on a foil lined baking sheet.  Toss until well coated with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season generously with salt and pepper.  Place in preheated oven and roast for 10 minutes.

Add the edamame, corn, and fennel slices and return to oven.  Roast for another 10 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender.

During the last 10 minutes of roasting time, prepare the dressing. Whisk together the agave nectar, vinegar, lemon zest, and lemon juice until well combined.  Slowing whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, until emulsified.

Cut the mango into cubes (CLICK HERE if you need a reminder on how to easily do so) and place into a large bowl along with the basil and reserved fennel fronds.  When the vegetables are finished roasting, cool for 5 minutes; add to bowl with mango and toss with dressing.

Serves 4

Happy Bastille Day. I wish I would have thought ahead and made something Frenchy, oh well, next year! Above is one of the many gorgeous photos my talented daughter, Marissa, took while in Paris for her semester abroad back in 2008.  And I couldn’t help myself, another of her photos is at the bottom of the post…

Of course you can make vegetarian tostadas with just beans, but if you have die-hard carnivores and vegetarians sharing a meal or simply want to build a bigger tostada, just add in a little chicken substitute and the carnivores honestly won’t know the difference.  Making your own seasoning blend instead of using a taco seasoning packet, seriously cuts down on the sodium. Also be certain to look for refried beans labeled vegetarian. Obviously beans are already vegetarian, but some refried beans are made with chicken broth instead of water or lard instead of oil.

Vegetarian “Chick-n” Tostadas

Seasoning Blend
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt

10 to 12 ounce package frozen vegetarian chicken substitute
(such as Gardein chick-n scalloppini) defrosted and diced
12 corn tortillas
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
2 large tomatoes, chopped
3.8-ounce can sliced olives, drained
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Two 16-ounce cans vegetarian refried pinto or black beans
2 large, ripe avocados, sliced
Salsa
Sour cream

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, blend together 1/4 cup water and all the seasoning blend ingredients (chili powder through 1/2 teaspoon salt) until well mixed.  Stir in the diced chick-n substitute, toss well to combine, cover pan and heat through over low heat for about 4 minutes.  Remove from heat, keep covered.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place tortillas on a baking sheet, spray tortillas lightly with Pam and bake for 10 minutes.  Turn tortillas over and spray with Pam, return to oven and bake for 10 more minutes, or until tortillas are crispy and lightly browned.  Turn off oven, leaving tortillas in oven to keep warm.

Whisk olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl, toss in lettuce to coat.  Add tomatoes and olives and toss to coat.

Place refried beans in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring often, to heat through, for about 8 minutes.

To assemble:  Place a warm crisp tortilla on a dinner plate.  Spread with a layer of warm refried beans, then a sprinkle of both cheeses. Top with the warm chick-n mixture, and then the lettuce-tomato-olive mixture. Repeat with remaining tortillas and ingredients to make 11 more tostadas.

Top with avocado slices, salsa, and sour cream and serve immediately.

Makes 12

I thought I’d had good homemade hummus before, but then I had hummus made from dried chickpeas, instead of canned, and now I know what good hummus is!

Nick Malgieri, former Executive Pastry Chef at Windows on the World and cookbook author, is a frequent teacher at Les Gourmettes.  Last session he made this recipe by another teacher and author, Paula Wolfert, who has three fabulous Mediterranean cuisine cookbooks.  The difference between hummus made from canned chickpeas and the hummus made from dried is incredible. It’s not hard to do, it just takes a little more forethought, since the beans need to soak overnight.

You can find dried chickpeas in bulk at Whole Foods and health food stores and I get the tahini at Smart and Final, but it too can be found at health food and Mediterranean stores.

Bonus:  There is a food processor tip at the bottom of the recipe.

Paula Wolfert’s Hummus

1  1/2 cups (about 3/4 pound) dried chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans)
1 medium onion, peeled and halved
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 cup tahini, well stirred before measuring
4 small garlic cloves, peeled and mashed with a teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, and more to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
Ground cumin
Additional olive oil for drizzling

Soak the chickpeas in water to cover, overnight.  Drain and rinse, then return to pot and cover with fresh water, the onion, and 1 tablespoon of the salt.  Cook over low heat until very soft, about an hour to 1 1/2 hours.

Reserve separately 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and 1/2 cup of the cooked chickpeas.  Drain the remaining chickpeas, discarding the rest of the cooking liquid and the onion.

Combine the remaining teaspoon salt, tahini, garlic, and lemon juice in a  food processor; process until the mixture whitens, about 2 minutes or more.  With the machine running, drizzle in the 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid and the 1/4 cup olive oil.

Add all the chickpeas except the reserved 1/2 cup and process again until very smooth.  Taste and season with more salt and/or lemon juice as needed.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, spread the hummus on a shallow patter.  Make a shallow well in the center and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, ground cumin, and the reserved chickpeas.  Serve with pita chips, flatbread, and/or crudites.

Makes about 5 cups

I’ve actually given this tip before, but it is worth repeating.  Also worth repeating is that there is a “Tip Index” over there on the left, under the “Pages” list.  Lots of valuable and time-saving tips for you, check it out sometime.

TIP:  After you have gotten a mixture out of the food processor and you still  have a food processor blade the has a bunch of thick goop on it, the best way to get it clean is to put the bowl back on the machine and turn it on for just a second or two.

Centrifugal force will clean off the blade and spin all the remaining stuff up onto the sides of the bowl.  Just lift out the blade and use a rubber spatula to clean out the rest of the mixture from the work bowl.

Today is Phase 2 of Marissa moving away from me! Don’t get me wrong, I am so happy for her, so thrilled for this new and exciting chapter in her life!  This is what you wish for; for your children to be independent, on their own, living their lives, chasing their dreams! But I’m going to miss her! She is a perfect daughter and a gorgeous, caring, smart, and amazing woman and I am proud.  I shall be putting her on a plane to San Francisco today at 3:30.  When she arrives there, she has a place to stay for the next three nights, and then… not 100% sure. On Sunday she has an appointment to go see an apartment that hopefully (more like praying to God!) she will be able to sublease, beginning on the forth day.  If that doesn’t go through, oh I can’t even begin to think about that! And on Monday morning, she starts her new job.

When I get home from the airport I think I’ll just get on the internet and start planning my trip to visit her, to see her in her new wonderful home by the bay.  Either that or sit down and have a good cry!  Honestly, I am so excited. I am so very proud. And mostly, I am exceedingly blessed! Blessed and honored to be her mom.  Marissa, I love you!

I promised you a recipe today and a great recipe you shall get … not only am I a proud mom, I am also a carnivore.  I am not a vegetarian, vegan, raw vegan, or any other such noble person.  I am more of a Big Night,  Like Water For Chocolate, Babette’s Feast, or Mostly Martha sort of movie girl rather than a Food, Inc., Fast Food Nation, Forks Over Knives, or Earthlings movie girl.  I like to live with my head buried deeply in the carnivore sand.

That said, I don’t think I’ll ever make a beef, chicken, or pork taco again!  Obviously, not because I have anything against beef, chicken, or pork… but because these red lentil tacos are so much better.  Really they are!  If you make them and you don’t agree, I’ll give you your money back.  Honestly, every penny you’ve ever spent coming to my free blog, I shall refund to you, in full, if you don’t think these are the best tacos ever!!!  Now that’s a money back guarantee if ever there was one. xoxo

Oh, and I also think the latest greatest best new invention is these flat bottomed hard taco shells. Why on earth did it take so long for somebody to come up with this?? Duh!!

Red Lentil Tacos

1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed in your palm
2  1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup your favorite salsa

12 taco shells
Shredded cheddar cheese
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Chopped fresh tomato
Salsa
Sour cream

In a large nonstick skillet, sauté the onion and garlic in oil until tender.  Add the lentils, chili powder, cumin and oregano; cook and stir for 1 minute.  Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Uncover and cook for about 8 minutes or until mixture is thickened.  Mash lentils slightly.  Stir in salsa.

Place shredded cheese in the bottom of each taco shell, spoon about 1/4 cup lentil mixture atop cheese. Top with lettuce, tomato, salsa, and sour cream.

Makes 12

If you’re feeling that it’s too hot to turn on the stove or even worse, the oven, then it’s time for summer rolls; also known as Vietnamese salad rolls or spring rolls.

Now, due to my lack of time to explain it myself,  (I have the teen class graduation lunch today, hosting not only the students themselves but additionally two guests for each student) I turn to trusty Wikipedia to define spring or summer rolls.

“Vietnamese spring roll  – ingredients include slivers of boiled or fried pork, shrimp, chicken, beef, fresh herbs, lettuce, sometimes fresh garlic chives, rice vermicelli or bean threads, all wrapped in moistened rice paper, served cold with dipping sauce. The salad roll is easily distinguished from a “minced pork roll” by the fact that it is not fried, the ingredients used are different. Spring roll refer to the freshness of the spring season with all the fresh ingredients, therefore frying would take away that feeling.”

Summer Rolls

5 ounces bean thread (cellophane) noodles
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
Spring roll wrappers (rice paper rounds), 8 1/2-inches in diameter
1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled and sliced in half horizontally
Fresh mint leaves, washed, dried, and sliced thinly
Fresh basil leaves, washed, dried, and sliced thinly
Fresh cilantro leaves, washed, dried, and coarsely chopped
Peeled and shredded or julienned carrot
Romaine or red lettuce leaves, rinsed and dried (tough ribs discarded)
Sweet chili sauce or other dipping sauce(s) of your choice

Cover bean thread noodles with boiling water and let soak 15 minutes; drain well in a sieve or colander. Pat dry between paper towels and toss with rice vinegar.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Fill a pie plate or flat bowl with lukewarm water. Immerse rice paper in warm water for a few seconds to soften them up just until soft but still flexible (work with one rice paper at a time, being gentle as they break easily when brittle).  Remove from water and place rice paper on a damp kitchen towel and let rest approximately 30 seconds until it’s more pliable.

Arrange some of the shrimp, noodles, mint, basil, cilantro, and carrot on bottom half of soaked rice paper; leaving a 1-inch border along edge.  Make sure the ingredients are not clumped together in the center, but evenly distributed from one end to the other, take care to not overfill.  Then place a piece of lettuce atop.

Pressing down on the filling with your fingers (pressing down on the ingredients is particularly important because it tightens the roll), fold the bottom end of the sheet, side nearest you, over the top of the fillings and roll into a cylindrical shape halfway.

Fold the left and right sides inward and complete rolling the remaining half (If rice paper is too dry to seal, moisten unsealed edges with a little more warm water).

Transfer summer roll to a plate or baking sheet, seam-side down, and cover with dampened kitchen towels. Make additional rolls in the same manner.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Bring rolls to room temperature before serving. To serve, halve rolls on the diagonal and place the rolls  on your serving platter.

Serve with sweet chili sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day for yours truly. First off, my sister and niece, Sloane and Raina, along with Marissa and I, are going to get up at the crack of dawn and drive to Tempe to participate in Pat’s Run. Pat’s Run honors American Hero, Pat Tillman and benefits The Pat Tillman Foundation which raises funds benefiting Tillman Military Scholars. If you don’t already know Pat Tillman’s story, you really need to learn about him!

After the run, (in all honesty we are walking, but walking fast!) Marissa and I will race home, pack up, and get ourselves to Berridge Nurseries on Camelback and 46th Streets for the Art in the Garden event that I will be cooking at, beginning at noon.  This is the recipe I’ll be making, I realize it may look a bit intimidating with 25+ ingredients, but the majority of those are vegetables, herbs, and olive oil, so give it a whirl. I hope you’ll stop by the event and say “hello”.

Mediterranean Grilled Chopped Vegetables and Herbed Chèvre Crostini

Grilled Vegetables
1/2 cup olive oil, plus additional for oiling the grill rack or grill pan
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
10 fresh large basil leaves, cut into a chiffonade
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 zucchini, cut on diagonal into 1/2-inch slices lengthwise
2 yellow squash, cut on diagonal into 1/2-inch slices lengthwise
1 red onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 2-inch strips
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 2-inch strips
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes; drained, patted dry, and diced
2 ripe tomatoes; cored, seeded, and diced
Herbed Balsamic Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Juice and finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons minced mixed fresh basil, parsley, and thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons canola oil
Herbed Chèvre
1/4 cup finely minced mixed fresh herbs; thyme, rosemary, parsley, and dill
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
8 to 11-ounce log of chèvre (soft mild goat cheese)
Crostini
1 baguette
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt, to taste

Grilled Vegetables: Brush the grill grates or grill pan lightly with the olive oil. Heat to high.

Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, basil, garlic, and a few pinches of salt and pepper in a large bowl until well blended. Toss the zucchini, yellow squash, onion, and bell peppers, in the olive oil mixture.

Place the vegetables on a hot grill or grill pan and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side until crisp-tender.

Chop vegetables and place in a serving bowl. Mix in sun-dried and fresh tomatoes and season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Herbed Balsamic Vinaigrette: Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, herbs, and pepper in a small bowl and stir to mix.

Slowly add the olive oil and the canola oil and whisk until all the oil is incorporated.  Set aside.

Herbed Chèvre: Mix the herbs and pepper together on a plate. Roll the chèvre log in the mixture, pressing lightly so the seasonings adhere. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 1 to 2 hours.  Remove the log from the refrigerator and unwrap. Cut into thin slices with dental floss.

Crostini: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Slice the bread on a slight angle into 1/4-inch-thick slices and place on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Mix together the olive oil, butter, parsley, dill, and pepper in a small bowl.  Brush one side of each piece of bread and sprinkle lightly with the salt. Toast in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.

Drizzle the vegetables with the vinaigrette and either place the bowl out for guests to help themselves, or make each individual crostini by placing a slice of chèvre on each toast and topping with the vegetables.

If leaving the vegetables in the bowl for your guests to assemble their on their own; Place the bowl in the center of a large platter and then place a slice of chèvre on each toast and ring the platter with the crostini. Garnish entire platter with parsley and basil sprigs, and season with salt and pepper.  Place small forks with the vegetables and allow guests to top their own crostini with the vegetables as desired.

Makes about 30 crostini

(Any remaining chopped vegetables are wonderful added to freshly cooked pasta.)