Zucchini & tomato bake

When summer's abundance of zucchini is at it's peak, this will help answer the question of "What do I do with all this zucchini?!"

Ingredients:
3 small zucchini, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
1 onion, sliced
approx 15 grape tomatoes
1/2 pkg cream cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup Parmesan
1/2 cup feta
3 eggs
1 tsp tarragon (dried)
1 tsp thyme (dried)
1/2 tsp salt & pepper
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp agave nectar (or sugar)
1TBL olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Heat olive oil in a skillet.  Add sliced zucchini and onion.  Saute until zucchini just starts to turn translucent, about 5-8 minutes.  In a food processor, mix cream cheese and eggs.  Pour into a bowl and add Parmesan and feta.  Mix well and add spices, lemon juice, zest and agave nectar.  Spray a 9X12 baking dish with non stick spray and layer zucchini & onions, and tomatoes.  Pour egg mixture over all and top with mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 350 for about 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.  Let cool before cutting.

Stuffed shells

These are so good, and easy!

Ingredients:

1/2 box shells, cooked and drained
ricotta cheese
8 oz container feta cheese
1 egg
2 heaping teaspoons roasted red pepper dip (Trader Joes) OR
1 jar roasted red peppers
1 sprig fresh basil, sliced
3 TBL olive oil
1 16 oz. bag spinach
4 cloves garlic, smashed
4 green onions, sliced with green
3 cups marinara sauce
8 oz bag shredded provolone & mozzarella cheese
(for this recipe, I used mexican blend and it was fabulous!)
4 oz shredded parmesean cheese

Directions:
Cook noodles according to directions on the box.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Saute the spinach on med low in 2 TBL of olive oil.  Add onions and garlic once the spinach starts to wilt in the pan.  Turn off the heat and set aside when the spinach is completely wilted.  While the spinach is cooking, mix ricotta, feta, egg and red pepper dip (or red peppers) in a food processor.  Process on high till smooth and creamy.  Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon feta mixture into shells, and place into a baking dish that has been rubbed with 1 TBL olive oil.  Spoon spinach mixture over the stuffed shells.  Top with sliced basil, then spoon marinara over all.  Cover shells with parmesean cheese and cover with foil.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Pull out of the oven and top with shredded provolone/mozzarella mixture and re-cover with foil.  Bake for another 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Enjoy!

Broccoli stir fry

This was so easy and quick!  I already had the spaghetti noodles cooked and in the frig.  

Ingredients:

16 oz. spaghetti

2 TB olive oil, for saute

1 bag pre-cut broccoli

1 red pepper, diced

1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled, smashed, and rough chopped

6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed, and rough chopped

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

1 TB toasted sesame oil

6 scallion, sliced on the diagonal (for cuteness)

2-3 TB sliced almonds

2 TB sesame seeds

Directions:

Cook spaghetti according to directions on the box.  Steam broccoli for 3-5 minutes, or just until it changes color and is still crisp and set aside.  While spaghetti is cooking, bring chicken broth to a boil and add honey.  When the honey had dissolved, add the teriyaki sauce and sesame oil and reduce to simmer.  In a small skillet, heat olive oil and saute ginger, peppers, and garlic for a few minutes.  Add garlic mixture to chicken broth pan and give it a couple of good stirs.  If you like your sauce thick, you can add a little cornstarch to thicken it.  If not, plate up your noodles and top with broccoli and sauce.  Garnish with almonds and/or sesame seeds and scallions.  You could also toast the sesame seeds first in a dry skillet to bring out the flavor.  Delish!

Butternut squash linguini

I think the secret ingredient is the nutmeg!  This is creamy, thick and full of flavor!   You could make the sauce as thin or as thick as you like.

Zucchini fritters

zucchini fritters

These could be made into "patty sized" for dinner!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh ricotta
2 eggs
2 TB fresh basil, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of 2 lemons
1 medium to large zucchini, shredded
1 1/2-2 cups crushed cracker crumbs
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp sea salt
sprinkle of fresh ground pepper
olive oil, for frying

Directions:
Make ricotta cheese.  While ricotta is "thickening", preheat oven to 200.  Shred zucchini into a medium sized bowl.  Once ricotta has reached desired thickness (mine was ready in about 30 minutes), combine ricotta, eggs, basil, garlic, pepper and lemon zest in a large bowl.  Add zucchini to ricotta mixture and mix well.    Stir in cracker crumbs until mixture is no longer wet.  In a separate bowl,  add panko bread crumbs and shredded Parmesan.  Heat 1-2 TB olive oil in a large frying pan.  Take about a TB of zucchini mixture at a time and form into little patties.  Dredge in panko/cheese, and fry till golden brown.  Flip, sprinkle with salt, and brown the other side.  Keep warm in the oven while you finish the rest of the fritters.

Eggplant parmesean

I think there are two secrets to this dish.

1)  Slice the eggplant thin

2)  Soak the sliced eggplant in salt water for a bit before cooking

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, peeled and sliced thin

2 sleeves TJ golden round crackers, crushed

11/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 eggs, scrambled

sea salt

fresh ground pepper

8 oz pasta, cooked

Marinara sauce

Olive oil (for frying)

1 ball of fresh mozzarella

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300.  Crush crackers and mix with panko bread crumbs in a bowl.  Peel, slice the eggplant thin, and soak in a bowl of salt water for about 15-20 minutes.  While the eggplant is soaking, cook pasta according to directions on the box.  Put a plate on top of the eggplant so it gets covered with the salt water.  Beat eggs in a small bowl.  After the eggplant has soaked, drain and rinse well.  Heat the olive oil in a frying pan.  Dip the eggplant in egg, then the breadcrumb mixture.  Fry until golden brown, then turn.  Salt after you turn it over.  Pan fry till golden brown, and keep warm in a pan in the oven.  Slice mozzarella and put a slice on each piece of eggplant.  Melt in the oven for about 5 minutes.  Serve on top of pasta with your favorite marinara sauce and shredded Parmesan cheese.

Orzo comfort

I love orzo period.  Normally I like big, chunky food.  Tonight I diced the veggies small with my Progressive chopper.  Love the way it turned out! 

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 med onion, diced small 

1/2 red pepper, diced small

1/4 to 1/2 cup butternut squash, diced small 

1/4 to 1/2 cup acorn squash, diced small 

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup spinach, stems removed
1 cup orzo
2 1/2 (approx) cups chicken broth
2 TB Agave nectar
Juice from 2 limes
handful of cilantro, sliced
sprinkle of sea salt
fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Cook orzo in chicken broth until all liquid is absorbed.  While orzo is cooking, saute garlic, onion, pepper and squash in a 3QT saucepan till translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add spinach and cook till spinach is wilted.  Add beans, agave, lime juice, salt and pepper and mix well.  When the orzo is done and the liquid is absorbed, mix it in with the bean mixture.  Stir in cilantro just before serving.  YUM!
**variation**  Serve with a sprinkling of feta cheese.

White bean nachos

 INGREDIENTS:
 1 can white beans, rinsed and drained ( I use white kidney beans)
 1/4 cup scallions
 1/2 cup diced white onion
 1 jalapeno, finely diced
 8 oz shredded co-jack or Mexican blend cheese 
1 bag blue corn chips

 DIRECTIONS: 
Preheat oven to 350. Cover a cookie sheet with foil. (The nonstick side of foil is the DULL side) Layer nacho chips over the foil. Sprinkle beans, onions, jalapenos and cheese evenly over nachos. Bake at 350 for 5-8 minutes, or until cheese melts. **Note**  These can also be done on the grill without the cookie sheet, just on the foil. Great in the summer when you don't want to turn on the oven! 

Lemon-zuchini pasta

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz. linguine

1/2 cup fontina cheese

8 oz container feta cheese

1 container honey greek yogurt

8 oz. sour cream

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 med zucchini, sliced in  half moon shaped pieces

3 tomatoes, peeled and rough chopped

Juice and zest of 2 lemons

1 TBL olive oil

2 TBL basil, sliced thin

1/2 cup half-n-half

2 TBL red pepper spread (Trader Joes)

sea salt, fresh ground pepper, dash of  sugar in the raw

DIRECTIONS:

Cook linguine according to package directions.   Drain, rinse and set aside the pasta.  While the linguine cooks, heat olive oil till hot and saute' zucchini till lightly browned. . Thinly slice a handful of fresh basil and set aside.   Add garlic, salt, pepper and sugar to the zucchini  and saute' for another 3 minutes.  Add chopped tomatoes and let the veggies simmer.  While the veggies simmer, mix together the half-n-half, cheeses, yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice and zest in a bowl.  When the veggies are soft and browned (about 10 minutes), add the cheese mixture and heat till the mixture bubbles.  Serve over linguine noodles and top with a sprinkling of the fresh basil.   Loving the lemon!!!  

Sweet potato/zucchini cakes

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium zucchini, shredded with skin on

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded

1 med onion, shredded

2/3 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup Trader Joes baking mix (or flour)

1 egg

a handful of basil, chopped

1 tsp grated lemon peel

a couple of shakes of sea salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Heat 1 TBL olive oil in a pan.  Scoop out zucchini mixture with an ice cream scoop, or just use your hands like I do.  Make a ball, place in pan and flatten.  Cook on med low heat (gas stove) until browned and flip.  Depending on the pan you use, you might need to add a little more olive oil.  Remove from pan when browned to your liking.  I like mine a little dark.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.  I got about 8 medium sized cakes with these measurements.  


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Zucchini cakes

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup shredded zucchini with skin on

1 cup shredded onion

1 cup shredded white potatoes

1 cup parmesan cheese

1 egg

1 cup Trader Joes baking mix (or flour)

1/2 tsp sea salt and pepper

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Heat 1 TBL olive oil in a pan on med low heat.  Scoop out the zucchini mixture with an ice cream scoop or just use your hands like I do.  Roll into a ball, place in pan, and flatten.  Cook until brown, and flip.  Cook until browned to your liking and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.
**note**  the baking mix is what makes this recipe so good!
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Black bean & corn burgers

These are ah-ma zing!  The pancake mix is the secret!

Ingredients:
3 ears corn, cut off the cob
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup Trader Joe's pancake and baking mix
1/2 cup cornbread mix
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 eggs
juice of 1 lime
2 TB buttermilk
pinch of sea salt
pinch of pepper
canola oil, for frying


Directions:
 Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Heat canola oil in frying pan.  Drop batter into frying pan by a tablespoon, or use a small ice cream scoop (if there is such a thing!)  Flip when the edges begin to turn brown.  After browning on both sides, place into a baking dish and keep the burgers warm in the oven.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream, guacamole, and/or salsa on top.

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Keep your guacamole from turning brown

All day I kept thinking it was Monday.  I'm lucky enough to have the holidays off, but when that happens it really messes me up.  I've been craving corn cakes for awhile now, so in keeping with the Meatless Monday (or so I thought it was Monday) theme, I decided to make a corn cake/black bean burger type of dinner.  My husband is a meat and potatoes kind of guy, but doesn't mind going meatless on Monday.  Honestly, he would eat anything I put in front of him.  So I made my version of black bean/corn burgers with guacamole.  I have a neat little trick to keep my quac from turning brown.  After making the guacamole, put saran wrap literally on top of the guac, on the inside of the bowl.  Push out all the air so there are no bubbles.  Like this...

Guacamole recipe:

1 avocado, "smushed" ( I just use my hands)

1 garlic clove, minced

Juice of 1 lime

   1 small jalapeno, minced

1 tsp minced onion

1 TB cilantro, chopped

1 tsp agave nectar

pinch of sea salt

pinch of pepper

Roasted red pepper frittata

Ingredients:

10 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk

1 TB sugar (or Agave nectar)

4 oz. butter, softened

1 1/2 cup shredded co-jack cheese

3/4 cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 10oz. bag spinach, rinsed

2 red peppers, roasted and sliced into strips or 1 jar roasted red peppers, sliced

1 TB olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325.  Spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Saute' the spinach and peppers in olive oil.  While the spinach/peppers are cooking, mix the remaining ingredients with your Kitchen Aid mixer, or in a large mixing bowl.  Pour the egg mixture into the baking dish and add the spinach/peppers.  Stir around so they aren't all in a clump.  Bake at 325 for 45-55 min or until golden brown.

Enjoy!  

*variation* You could easily use a different cheese or veggies if you like.