Zucchini Tart with Mascarpone

I'm still cooking through the vegetables from our garden. Today, my husband Lulu and the girls picked dozens of zucchini and crook-neck squash. I stuck to one of their favorite meals and made a savory tart. I pan-fried slices of zucchini and squash as the topping for the tart and made a filling with leeks and mascarpone cheese. The girls followed the directions for my homemade savory crust and I let them assemble the dish. Served with a dried sour cherry and cherry tomato relish, what more could one ask for?

In my opinion, getting children involved in the kitchen and in our everyday tasks in general (the girls' chores include watering the plants daily, for example) is the best way to teach them healthy habits. They understand what is on their plate and the effort it took to get it there!

Roasted Red Bell Pepper and Asparagus

There are few side dishes that are as intensely colorful and beautiful as a platter of roasted red bell peppers and asparagus. The flavors and textures are very distinct and complementary. They don't need much in the way of dressing; I usually only add a little lemon, pickled red onion and sea salt after drizzling them with olive oil and roasting them in the oven.

It's a great party platter because you can prepare it in advance. I usually roast the vegetables several hours before we have guests over, and then dress them right before serving. You could also serve the veggies straight out of the oven if you'd like them warm. Either way, this simple yet elegant dish is a perfect way to begin a dinner party. Enjoy!

Mediterranean Mini Pizza with Cannellini Beans and Roasted Red Bell Pepper Hummus

I made a hummus pizza a few days ago and I felt like recreating a sandwich version of the dish with a bunch of Mediterranean ingredients. The problem was that I only had pita bread at home. I could have created a pocket in the bread and stuffed it, but I decided to place the ingredients on top of the pita bread to create a meal that resembled a pizza.

Following the Mediterranean theme, I made a cannellini bean and roasted red bell pepper hummus-like spread and topped it with Greek feta cheese, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, arugula, pickled shallot, black olives and marinated artichoke hearts. For the meat lovers out there, I would add some cubes of lamb kebabs.

I'm sure you've heard of 30-minute meals, but this took me 10 minutes, tops. Try this recipe the next time you're in a hurry. Beat that, Rachael Ray!