Pick up herb and veggie plants on May 16

The Ozaukee Master Gardeners annual plant sale is truly a feast for the nose, eyes and taste buds.

The herbaceous scent of Genovese basil and mountain mint await those attending the sale, which runs from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 16, at the Expo Center at the Ozaukee County Fairgrounds in Cedarburg.

Joining the traditional line-up of hundreds of herbs, tomatoes, peppers, perennials and native plants will be 54 newcomers. Those include Ambassador Allium, one of the tallest and longest blooming — five weeks — of the alliums. Its showy, intense purple, tightly compacted, 7-inch-wide globes are comprised of starry florets that likely count in the hundreds.

For late season flowers, there’s Aster, Chicago, an “Intrinsic Introduction.” This substantial plant is covered with lavender-blue blooms from late summer to early fall and its fragrant foliage keeps deer and rabbits from browsing.

This is the year of the hot pepper. For those who like heat, there’s Magnum habanero pepper which registers 150,000 to 350,000 Scoville Heat Units.

There are also two jalapeños. Traveler Strain Jalapeño is the hotter at 2,500 to 8,000 SHU. As the name suggests Thai Hot is also hot, from 50,000 to 100,000 SHU.

For those who don’t like heat, there will be plenty of cool peppers, such as Orange Bell, King of the North, Jimmy Nardello Italian and California Wonder.

Other tasty temptations include Dinosaur and Red Russian Kale. Once you try Kale Sauce Pasta, you’ll want to grow two plants. Waltham Butternut squash is returning, and new is spaghetti squash.

Make sure to stop at Table 4 for tomatoes and a spaghetti squash plant and Table 1 for basil to make Pesto Spaghetti Squash.

For dessert, stop at Table 5 to pick up a rhubarb plant. Rhubarb is easy to grow and offers the first tart and tangy taste of spring.

To download a copy of the Plant List or for more information about the organization or sale, visit www.ozaukeemastergardeners.org.

 

 

Kale Sauce Pasta

Kosher salt

Water

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1 pound lacinato (dinosaur) kale, thick ribs cut out

Freshly ground pepper

1/2 pound rigatoni or similar pasta

3/4 cup coarsely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

Combine two to three quarts water and add 1 tablespoon salt in a large pot, then bring to a boil over high heat.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine olive oil and garlic. Cook until garlic begins to sizzle. Reduce heat to low and cook five minutes, until garlic is soft and light brown. Remove from heat.

Add kale leaves to boiling water and cook about 5 minutes, until leaves are tender but not mushy. Pull hot leaves out with tongs or slotted spoon, let drain and put into a blender. Do not drain the liquid from the pot.

Add garlic and oil to the blender. Blend on high to form a thick green puree. If too thick, add a splash of cooking water. Add pepper and salt to taste.

Add pasta to boiling cooking water and cook according to package directions. Set one cup water aside, then drain pasta in a colander and return to dry pot. Add kale puree, about 1/2 cup of cheese and a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss until the pasta is coated. Add more water if needed so sauce is loose and creamy.

Serve in bowls immediately, topping with grated cheese and a drizzle of oil.

 

 

Easy Baked Butternut Squash

1 butternut Waltham squash

Olive oil

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons butter

Cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and discard them. Rub the skin and insides with olive oil. Place, cut side up, on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Dust with salt and pepper. Place one tablespoon butter in each cavity and cover each half with foil.

Bake in a 375-degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes, until flesh is soft and top caramelized.

Serve in skin, letting people take out a serving, or scoop out and serve in bowl. Discard skin.

 

 

Spaghetti all’Assassina

(Assassin’s Spaghetti)

For tomato sauce:

3 cups tomato puree or about 3 pounds fresh, cored tomatoes

3 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

For spaghetti:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons red chili flakes

6 ounces uncooked spaghetti

Salt

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, for garnish

Put tomatoes or puree into blender with water and salt. Blend until smooth.

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook one minute, until golden brown and fragrant. Stir in tomato puree and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce to low and keep warm.

Pour olive oil into a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and season with chili flakes. Heat one minute, until chili flakes start to sizzle. Add spaghetti, breaking it in half if it hangs over the skillet, and toss until well coated with chili oil.

Add three cups warm sauce to pan. Using tongs, gently move pasta from side to side to evenly distribute sauce. Cook, occasionally moving pasta from side to side with tongs, until most of the sauce has been absorbed. Add remaining sauce and repeat stirring process until spaghetti is cooked to desired doneness. Keep cooking until the pasta starts to brown or lightly chars, if desired.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and more chili flakes, if desired.

This is a spicy dish with heat/flavor from the chili flakes. For additional flavor, add Italian herbs or other herbs to the tomato puree. Top with chopped basil and grated Parmesan cheese right before serving.

 

 

Frosted Rhubarb Custard Bars

For crust:

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup cold butter

For filling:

2 cups sugar

7 tablespoons flour

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 eggs, beaten

5 cups diced fresh rhubarb

For frosting:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Combine flour and sugar in a bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Press into the bottom of a greased 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes.

Combine sugar and flour in a large mixing bowl. Add cream and eggs, then whisk until well mixed. Add rhubarb and stir to evenly coat. Pour filling over the crust and bake 40 to 45 minutes, until filling is set. Cool completely before frosting.

Whip heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form, then set aside. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth, then fold in whipped cream just until well mixed. Spread over the top of the cooled bars. Cover, chill and refrigerate. Cut into 24 bars.

 

 

Pesto Spaghetti Squash With Optional Chicken

1 medium spaghetti squash

1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

1/2 cup basil pesto

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Sea salt

Black pepper

Protein options:

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced into 1-inch pieces.

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt

Pepper

Garlic powder

Cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds with a spoon. Brush the insides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place, cut-side down, on a baking sheet and roast in a 350 to 400-degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes. Squash is done when the skin feels soft when pressed and a fork easily pierces the flesh.

If using chicken, heat one tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Season chicken with salt, pepper and a pinch of garlic powder. Sauté chicken six to eight minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add halved tomatoes to a skillet, and cook two to three minutes, just until they start to soften and blister. Remove from heat and set aside.

Let squash cool five minutes, then use a fork to scrape the flesh into long “spaghetti” strands. If squash seems very watery, place strands in a strainer for a minute and press lightly with a paper towel to drain.

In a large mixing bowl, combine squash strands, chicken and sautéed tomatoes. Add pesto and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.

You may mix everything and scoop back into the empty squash shells for a beautiful presentation. Garnish with cheese and basil.

You may also toss everything into the skillet and warm over low heat two minutes. Serve in skillet or bowl. Garnish with cheese and basil.

 

 

Rhubarb Salad

3 cups rhubarb, chopped small

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 3-ounce package strawberry gelatin

1 3-ounce package vanilla instant pudding

1-1/2 cups milk

4 ounce whipped topping, thawed

Combine rhubarb, sugar and water in a saucepan, Cook until soft and mushy. Add gelatin and stir well. Let cool.

In a separate bowl, mix pudding and milk until thick. Add thawed whipped topping and stir until blended. Add cooled rhubarb mixture and stir well. Refrigerate until set.

 

 

 

Cauliflower Jalapeno Popper Casserole

1 pound chicken breast

6 jalapenos for mild or 9 jalapenos for spicy dish, halved and seeds removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt

6 strips thick-cut bacon

1-1/4 cups cheddar cheese

8 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese

1/2 cup light sour cream

1/4 milk low fat

1 teaspoon cayenne, optional

3 cups cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces

Place chicken breast and jalapenos on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and salt. Place bacon strips in a row on another baking sheet. Bake in a 375-degree oven 20 to 25 minutes, until bacon and chicken are cooked.

Mix 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, milk and cayenne in a large mixing bowl.

Crumble bacon, shred chicken and dice jalapenos. Add three-quarters of the chopped jalapenos, the shredded chicken and three-quarters of the bacon to the cream cheese mixture. Mix.

Place cauliflower in the bottom of a  9-by-12-inch baking dish and top with cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese, jalapenos and bacon. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Cauliflower will be crunchy. For a softer texture, parboil cauliflower in boiling, salted water for three to five minutes, until crisp-tender. Drain and pour into baking dish.

 

 

Zucchini Stuffing Casserole

4 medium zucchini, sliced 1/2-inch thick

6 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup carrots, shredded

1/2 cup onion, chopped

2-1/4 cups herbed stuffing cubes

1 10.5-ounce can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup sour cream

In a large pot, combine two to three quarts water with 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Add zucchini and cook four to five minutes, until tender. Drain.

In a saucepan, melt four tablespoons butter, then add carrots and onions and cook until tender. Remove from heat.

Stir in 1-1/2 cups stuffing cubes, soup and sour cream. Gently stir in zucchini. Pour into a 1-1/2-quart casserole bowl.

In a skillet, melt remaining butter. Toss with remaining stuffing cubes until coated. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake, uncovered, in a 350-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes.

 

 

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

4 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons shortening, softened

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Spread rhubarb in a greased 9-inch-square baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup sugar and cinnamon. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour and shortening. Whisk with a fork. Mix in remaining sugar, baking powder and salt. Add well-beaten eggs. Mix well.

Drop batter by the spoonful over the baked rhubarb. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 40 minutes. Cool.

Turn out on plate and serve with cream or ice cream.

 

 

Hearty Italian Bean Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 pound cooked ham, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

2 medium celery stalks, chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 6-ounce can Italian-style tomato paste

14 to 16 ounces diced tomatoes

13 to 14 ounces chicken broth

1/2 medium bunch spinach, stems removed, rough chopped

2 cups water

2 15-to-19-ounce cans white kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Put 1-1/2 cups of beans into bowl and mash with potato masher. Set aside.

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, heat oil. Add ham, celery, carrot, onion, zucchini, basil, pepper and garlic. Cook 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Stir in tomatoes, broth, mashed beans, spinach and two cups water. Increase heat to high and cook until boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes.

Stir in remaining beans. Heat until hot. Serve in bowls, sprinkling with Parmesan cheese if desired.