Happy Friday lovebugs! Here are my favorite recipes this week!
Watermelon Agua Fresca
Ingredients
5 cups cubed seedless ripe watermelon
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup water
the juice from one lime
optional: additional lime slices to garnish
Directions
1. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses over ice and garnish with lime slices if desired.
Summer Weekend Pasta
Ingredients
Salt
1 pound orecchiette or small shells
6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces
3 medium zucchini, ends trimmed
2-3 ears corn, kernels cut from the cobs, juices and all
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons roughly chopped or torn basil
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Directions
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Save 1 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and set aside.
Grate the zucchini on a box grater. Gather the gratings in a bowl and salt the squash, about 1 1/2 teaspons coarse kosher salt. Toss to mix. Let sit for at least 10 minutes, and up to 30 minutes. Place zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and ring dry. You want to remove as much of a liquid as you can.
Meanwhile, spread the bacon in a large saute pan over medium heat and cook until the bacon is crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. If there are more than 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan, remove the extra fat so you are left with only 2 tablespoons. Add the zucchini, corn and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the red pepper flakes.
Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss. Adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper. Add the bacon and basil. Toss again. If the pasta seems dry, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water. Spoon into shallow bowls and top with grated cheese.
Whole Grain Strawberry Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup spelt flour
- 1 cup unbleached white flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped dates (optional)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana, about 3 large bananas
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup whole milk plain yogurt (greek yogurt works well)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup sliced fresh strawberries
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a standard bread pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Stir in the chopped dates.
- In a medium bowl, combine wet ingredients and mix well.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the banana mixture. Stir until just combined. Gently fold in sliced strawberries.
- Bake for 55 mins or until golden brown and cooked through. Cool on wire rack before serving.
.jpg)
