Half Assed Kitchen

How to grill corn on the cob

We've adored grilled corn on the cob since our grandfathers used to cook it over hot coals in a half barrel every labor day.

It was just this year that we finally tried it ourselves.

The delicious smokiness took us right back. And tasted like summer epitomized.

Here's how you do it

Soak your corn cobs (still in husks) in a bowl of water for 1 to 3 hours. (Really, there's no need to shuck silk and twine husks together as some recipes advocate.) Place on grill at low heat, turning often, like hot dogs. To evenly cook, make sure to keep on grill for 20 to 30 minutes.

Shuck, slather with your choice of toppings and enjoy.

Carrot ginger soup

This is our new favorite soup. We made it for the first time last night and couldn't stop raving about it (modest, aren't we?) This soup. This soup! It's an amazing combination of butter, white wine, lemon juice, carrots, lots and lots of ginger, and other things too.

It can be served hot or cold. It's zesty and complicated and comforting. And it's pretty inexpensive to make a big vat. The only drawback is that there's some chopping to be done. But it's worth it. It's WAY worth it.

Here's what you need and how you do it

6 Tablespoons butter or margarine

1 large onion

1/4 cup fresh ginger, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 to 4 cups chicken or veggie stock

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup milk or cream (optional)

1 pound carrots (we used four big ones), peeled and chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon curry powder

Salt and black pepper to taste

Fresh parsley or chives for garnish

Melt butter in soup pot. Add onion, ginger and garlic and sauté for 15 to 20 minutes.

Add stock, wine, milk or cream (if using) and carrots. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered over medium heat until carrots are very tender (about 45 minutes).

Puree soup in a blender or food processor.

Season with lemon juice, curry powder, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley or chives. Serve hot or cold.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Zucchini chocolate chip cookies

This recipe comes from an old Sunset and gives the impression of making halfway nutritious cookies (if you don't count all the butter and sugar--we prefer to focus on the zucchini).

They are cakey, moist and complex. They work equally well with egg or egg replacer and are a must try.

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 cup butter or margarine, room temperature

1-1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs (or the equivalent egg replacer)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups zucchini (unpeeled, shredded)

2-3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts (optional, chopped)

1/2 cup raisins (optional, we left them out)

1 cup sweetened, flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs (or egg replacer) and vanilla. Stir in zucchini.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add to zucchini mixture. Stir in nuts, chocolate chips, raisins and coconut.

Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Bake until lightly browned, 8 to 12 minutes.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Ravioli with spinach and bacon

Another Real Simple recipe? you ask.

Well, yes. That's what happens when Real Simple is delivered to our house every month. We see the recipes. We drool a little. We buy the ingredients and cook them up.

We blog about them.

This is a tasty little number that takes about 20 minutes to pull together (and we really mean 20 minutes. None of the 10 minute meals that, in actuality, require an hour.).

We used Rising Moon's Butternut Squash ravioli (though you can use whatever variety you prefer) and the sweetness of the squash contrasted nicely with the tangy lemon and salty bacon.

If you buy pre-cooked bacon, which we highly recommend, the prep time goes that much faster.

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 pound ravioli, fresh or frozen

6 slices bacon

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon garlic (or 2 cloves, sliced)

5 to 6 cups fresh baby spinach

Salt and pepper

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Cook ravioli according to package directions.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Cool and crumble (or use pre-cooked and microwave for 30 seconds then chop into small pieces).

Using the same skillet (wiped clean), heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden. Add spinach, salt and pepper. Cook until just wilted.

Stir bacon and lemon juice into the spinach. Mix with ravioli.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Cornish pasties

Image courtesy of Our Cornish Pasty Shop.

Pronounced with a short A, pasties originated in Cornwall, England. Despite their name, they are not the sexiest food in the world. But they are hearty. And tasty.

Pasties (not paaaasties, people), are meat pies that are also very popular in Northern Michigan, where Cornish ex-pats turned-copper-miners used to take them underground for meals.

The traditional recipe for pasties is good, but, in our opinion, a little dry.

In honor of our upcoming trip to our homeland of Michigan, we whipped up a batch, but added...(plug your ears you purists)... gravy.

This version we like a lot. A whole lot.

Here's what you need and how you do it

4 rounds of prepared pie crust (we buy the rolled, frozen kind)

1 pound ground beef or cubed steak

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

1-2 cups potatoes (any kind), cubed

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

Ground black pepper

Gravy:

Drippings from cooked meat

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup flour, whisked into a small amount of water or broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

Splash of white wine (?) (Which is not at all traditional, but sure adds something.)

In a large skillet, brown meat, onion and carrots. Pour off drippings into a separate sauce pan.

To the drippings, add broth, flour (mixed with water to keep it from getting lumpy), salt and wine (?). Heat until warm and thick.

Add potatoes, parsley, salt and pepper to meat in the skillet. Pour in gravy and stir until well mixed.

Spoon some meat mixture into one-half of each pie crust half circle, leaving a generous margin. Fold over and crimp edges. (You can use a fork for this, or just roll with your fingers.) Continue until each crust is filled and crimped.

Place pasties on cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for about a half hour.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Strawberry shortcake

Summer means fresh, local strawberries and old fashioned strawberry shortcake. We made some this past weekend and it was gone by the end of Day One.

Here's what you need and how you do it

Biscuits:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons sugar

1 stick butter or margarine, chilled

2/3 cup half and half, milk or soy creamer

Filling:

1 quart strawberries, washed and cut into halves or quarters

1/3 cup sugar

Topping:

1-1/2 cups whipping cream or non-dairy whipped topping

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a bowl, sprinkle 1/3 cup sugar over berries and let sit.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Slice butter into 8 pieces and, with a pastry blender, mix into dry ingredients until it resembles a coarse meal. Stir in milk or cream and work with your hands until just moistened. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead 2 or 3 times.

Pat the dough into a rectangle about 3/4-inch thick and, with a circular cookie cutter, cut out biscuits.

Transfer to buttered cookie sheets and bake for 10 to 12 minutes (do not overbake or you will have rocks).

Let biscuits cool some, then slice in half, top first layer with berries, replace top, Drizzle on more berries and finish with whipped cream.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Watercress sandwiches

They're not just for tea anymore!

We passed watercress at our grocery store the other day, and it looked so fresh, so summery, that we had to buy some. We know watercress makes a mean salad, but we love it even more in sandwich form. Cream cheese tempers the peppery flavor of the 'cress. And who doesn't love chives and cucumbers?

Also, we leave the crusts on. Because they're good. The end.

Watercress has enjoyed some amazing health claims lately. This perennial plant contains calcium, iron, folic acid, vitamins A and C as well as phytochemicals and antioxidants.

Serve these watercress sandwiches with soup and they'll make a great light supper.

Here's what you need and how you do it

1-1/2 cups watercress, stems removed

3 Tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

1/2 cup cream cheese

Six slices bread

1/2 cup cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced

Spread cream cheese over bread slices and layer with watercress, chives and cucumbers. Cut into small squares and serve.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Zucchini pie

We're pretty much suckers for anything containing the word 'pie'. It conjures comfort food and country windowsills.

Zucchini pie is no exception, except that it's actually more quiche than pie.

Still, we love it. It's simple, delicious and filling in the way only egg, cheese and pie crust can be. And, at 6 to 8 servings, it can feed a small group or be saved for another night.

This recipe came from The Six O'Clock Scramble, which we highly recommend if you want your weeknight meals on auto pilot. We changed it up a little (though not much) and love the results.

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 Tablespoon butter

2 large Zucchini, sliced thinly

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 9-inch pie crust (do yourself a favor and buy them ready made)

2 Tablespoons dijon mustard

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups shredded swiss cheese or mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the zucchini, onion and garlic until soft. Add salt, pepper and oregano.

Press pie crust into a pie dish and spread dijon mustard evenly over the crust.

Combine the eggs, cheese, zucchini mixture and basil in a large bowl. Spread evenly into pie crust.

Bake for 30 minutes, until lightly browned.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Tomato mozzarella basil salad

This is one of our favorite summer salads. A snap to throw together and a succulent, fresh delight to eat.

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes

1/2 pound fresh mozzarella

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Mix all ingredients together and serve.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Chicken skewers with orzo salad

This is the perfect summertime meal: Not too much effort; it can be eaten warm or cold; and the flavors are sensational. Our friend Cindy helped us piece this together when we were foiled by a woman who made something similar but would not divulge her secrets.

For this recipe, you're required to marinate the chicken for several hours ahead of time, so be forewarned that some up front prep is necessary (the orzo can be made ahead of time too), but the results are so worth it.

Here's what you need and how you do it

3 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

Chicken marinade:

8 ounces plain yogurt (dairy or soy)

1 Tablespoon curry powder

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 Tablespoons sherry or chicken broth

Orzo salad:

4 to 6 ounces uncooked orzo (in the pasta aisle)

1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped

1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and seeded

1/2 cup feta

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup fresh, flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Juice from a 1/2 lemon

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pepper

Mix first 7 ingredients (yogurt through sherry). Add chicken and marinate in refrigerator for several hours to overnight.

Cook orzo in boiling water for 7 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Drain. Combine with olives, cucumber, feta and onion.

In a separate bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour into orzo and stir to mix.

Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes. Then thread chicken onto skewers. Grill until chicken is done (10 minutes or so). Serve over top of orzo salad.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.