We probably all get in a meal-time rut once in awhile. My in-ruttedness led me to cruising the Internet looking for ways to add some interest to our dinner time meal. Same ‘ol, same ‘ol just wasn’t cutting it anymore.
Of all the advice out there, one of the easiest pieces to follow is to “vary your presentation.” In other words, serving my weekly casserole in a different dish or on a tablecloth instead of placemats might perk things up? And serving carrot curls rather than carrot sticks might entice folks to eat them?
It’s worth a try, I thought, so I went for it. On a fun site called Recipe Tips, I found some great ideas for serving up our tried and true garden veggies that are in such abundance right now. Yes, the idea does call for more time in the kitchen, but for a fun change once in awhile, why not? Take a look:
CUCUMBER BALLS:
Cucumbers balls are a great garnish for salads.
Begin by slicing the cucumber in half.
The seeds should remain in the cucumber for sufficient flesh. With a melon baller, make balls with the flesh of the cucumber.
Place the cucumber balls in your salad or use as a garnish. This is a nice change from typical slices.
CARROT CURLS:
Garnish your salads or main entrée with a carrot curl.
Before slicing, use a vegetable peeler to cut a strip of the peeled carrot.
The carrot strip must be rolled and secured with a toothpick. Place in a cold glass of water in the refrigerator.
Wait 2 to 3 hours and remove from water. When toothpick is removed, the peel should remain curled, stretch the curl out and place on the plate as a colorful garnish.
TOMATO ROSE:
Beginning at the top of a tomato, peel the tomato skin with a sharp utility knife. The garnish works best if the peel is ¾" to 1" wide, is a continuous peel, and the peel is thin with very little flesh attached.
Lie peel flat with flesh side up. Roll up the peel.
Set peel on plate and allow it to open. If needed, shape the peel to resemble an "opening rose". For finishing touch, add mint sprigs.
PINEAPPLE BOAT:
A creative way to present your pineapple and other summer fruit is to use the pineapple as a bowl. One pineapple will provide 2 bowls.
Remove any brown and/or discolored leaves. To create a base, cut a thin slice from each half of the pineapple.
With a large cutlery knife, cut the pineapple (including the crown) in half.
Remove the core of each pineapple half by creating a V cut from top to bottom of the core. After completing a V cut, slice each end straight across, remove core.
Using a curved, serrated knife, remove the fresh pineapple from each half.
Cut pineapple into chunks and place in the pineapple bowl.
Add other fresh fruits if desired. A pineapple bowl can also be used to hold cold salads and desserts.
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