Marinated Zucchini

This is a brilliant Moosewood recipe to use up any zucchini you have hanging around! I remembered to take a picture before devouring the last two bites.

Ingredients
1 zucchini, sliced about 1/3" thick and then halved/quartered.. into bite-size pieces
olive oil
1 Tbsp. vinegar (I like balsamic - especially the white balsamic from Trader Joe's)
dash salt
fresh herbs (Moosewood suggests mint; I tried parsley and oregano)

Method
In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add zucchini and fry until golden on both sides (work in batches if necessary). Transfer zucchini to a bowl and top with vinegar, salt and herbs. Stir to combine. Eat warm! Yum yum.

Tea Peas

I just found out that someone actually reads my blog. So I am going to post a recipe. Or it's more of a suggestion really. Next time you make peas to go with your traditional English roast beef dinner, after they're finished cooking, stir in some crunched up dried mint leaves and some honey. It makes them taste kind of like tea, but really good. Tea peas.

Oh yeah - ALWAYS use petite peas. Never those nasty big ones.

Pumpkin Pudding

In an attempt to create gluten- and dairy-free pumpkin pie, I came up with this pumpkin dessert which is really more like pudding, but still really good (even Ken said so). The only disappointment we had was that it is really nothing like a pie. So bear that in mind and don't try to carve this up - approach it with a spoon.

Ingredients
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 15 oz. can coconut milk (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 eggs
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ginger and a dash of cloves)
1/4 tsp. salt

Method
Mix all ingredients together. Pour into greased baking dish and bake 45-50 minutes at 375. Transfer to cooling rack and cool completely.

Potato Soup

I tried the Potato soup from Claire's Corner Copia, and it was not that good. I felt like it had way too much butter in it for it to be so boring.

So, next time I am going to try this potato soup from Simply Recipes... the website where the eggplant parmesan and potato-spinach-sausage casserole (which I tampered with here) came from. It looks really good, and I like the fact that it could quite easily be dairy free.

I think I might do regular old onions instead of leeks though... and bacon instead of ham??

Butternut Squash Soup

from Better Homes & Gardens Vegetarian Cookbook

Ingredients
1 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. ginger powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
3 c. vegetable broth
3 c. chopped peeled butternut squash
1 c. chopped peeled papaya, peach, nectarine, plum....??
Salt to taste

Method
In a large soup pot, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Add spices, saute about 1 minute more. Add broth, squash and fruit. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Simmer for 25 minutes or until squash is soft.

2. Transfer soup to blender or food processor, working in batches if necessary. Puree soup until smooth. Reheat gently and salt to taste.

Crisp

It's not quite apple season, so today I made peach-blueberry crisp. It was lovely.

I assume you know how to do crisp, and if you don't you could very easily ask Betty Crocker. But... since I'm here I'll just jot it down, in case someone out there isn't aware that a brilliant fruit dessert is well within the grasp of the most novice cook.

Ingredients
about 3 c. of fruit - sliced apples (4-5 Granny Smith), peaches, blueberries, rhubarb, to name a few
1/2 c. each of rolled oats, flour and brown sugar
1 T. (?) cinnamon
nutmeg (go easy)
1/3 c. butter (softened)

Method
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Arrange fruit in 8x8 or pie dish (no need to grease, I should think)
3. In medium bowl, mix oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles crumbs. Pour/sprinkle mixture over fruit. Bake for 30 minutes.
4. Please try eating this for breakfast topped with yogurt. You will not be sorry.

Eggplant Parmesan

While I'm on the topic of eggplant... I made this eggplant parmesan and it turned out quite deliciously if I do say so.

It's kind of a pain to make and takes a while, but if you want to simultaneously feed and impress about 10 people, this is the ticket. It makes ahead very well (kind of like a lasagna) so you can do all the slaving away the day before if you want.

I had some people over for lunch after church today who deemed it quite yummy, and then the clincher... "and I don't even like eggplant."

Score.

Sicilian Eggplant Sauce

Thank you Claire's Corner Copia cookbook for this awesome sauce recipe. It's perfect for a summer garden that includes eggplant, tomatoes, parsley and basil!!

Corner Copia Claire's grandma from Sicily serves this over fresh fettucine.

Ingredients
1/2 c. + 2 T. olive oil
6 large cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
2 medium eggplants, peeled & chopped (about 1" dice?)
1/4 c. water
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 28-oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes (TJs is good), or 6-8 fresh peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/2 c. chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt to taste
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil

Method
1. Heat oil in heavy pot over low heat. Add garlic and eggplant. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. The oil might get all soaked up by the eggplant; you can add a little bit more if it starts to get scorchy.
2. Add water, red pepper flakes and oregano. Cover, bring to a low boil and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add tomatoes, parsley, salt, pepper and basil. Simmer uncovered about 40 minutes, stirring frequently, until the eggplant is tender and the sauce is thick. Taste for seasoning.

Mama Hitchman's Pasta Salad

Dressing:
1/2 c. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. red wine vinegar (white wine vinegar or white balsamic are acceptable substitutes)
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. pepper

Mix all ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake well to combine.

Salad:
In a large bowl, mix any or all of the following:
8 oz. pasta, cooked according to package directions (rainbow rotini or bow ties are good)
chopped red or green pepper
chopped salami
fresh mozzarella balls
olives... I like kalamata
sun dried tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
fresh basil

This tastes better after the flavors have melded for a while........

Polenta Pie

Here is another hit from Cheryl Hufnagel... it is so versatile and so economical!!

Ingredients
1 c. cornmeal
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sage
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 c. cold water
1 lb. cheese (I use less)
12 oz. salsa (or make your own using tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc)

Method
1. Preheat oven to 425. Mix cornmeal, salt, sage and pepper in a 2 qt. saucepan. Stir in cold water. Cook, stirring constantly (over medium heat) until very thick. Pour into greased 9x13 baking dish (or 2 9" pie plates). Bake until firm - 15-20 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, mix cheese and salsa (or salsa-esque ingredients), reserving a little cheese to sprinkle on top. Spread on crust and return to 425 oven for 8-10 minutes or until cheese melts.

Variations
* Italian: substitute oregano for sage in crust. Use marinara sauce instead of salsa, mozzarella instead of cheddar, and mix in some pizza toppings like black olives, green pepper, sausage, etc.
* Greek: same as above but use feta cheese and cherry tomatoes... and extra garlic!