Summer Shrimp Stir Fry

I have had this recipe from Pioneer Woman pinned for years.  I finally got around to making it for Miss F and I, but I made a bunch of changes from the original.  We don't have air conditioning in Colorado, even though we are at nearly 9000 feet, it gets hot in the evening.  I prefer to spend as little time in front of the stove as possible, so I decided to cook everything at once instead of in phases.  The tomatoes melted into the butter providing the most delicious sauce which was really brightened up with the squeeze of lemon at the end.  You could easily toss a half pound of angel hair with this dish for an even more substantial meal.  But cooking angel hair means more heat in my kitchen, so that wasn't happening.

Summer Shrimp Stir Fry

3 tablespoons butter
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 zucchini, sliced
2 ears of corn, kernels removed
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Juice of ½ lemon

Melt the butter in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, zucchini, corn, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Squeeze the lemon half all over the shrimp and vegetables, toss well to coat, serve.

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Oven Baked Zucchini Cakes

When I was planning my friend's 40th birthday celebration, I knew I wanted to serve my favorite crabcakes as a main course, but I did have a guest in attendance who is allergic to shellfish. I wanted to serve some thing that had the same look as the crabcakes did, without any shellfish component. After much searching on the internet, I found these baked zucchini cakes. I pre-baked them and then just broiled them when I broiled the crabcakes when it was time for dinner, which made things quite easy.  The feta adds a richness, similar to crab.  This would be great served along side roasted vegetables or a big salad.

Oven Baked Zucchini Cakes

1 medium zucchini, trimmed, peeled and grated
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon chopped dill
1 egg
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs

Place the grated zucchini in a mesh strainer over a boil. Sprinkle with the salt and toss to combine. Let the zucchini rest for 20 minutes. Squeeze out as much liquid from the zucchini as possible. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, stir together the zucchini, pepper, garlic, olive oil, baking powder, dill, egg, feta and Panko. Use ¼ cup of the mixture and form into a patty, place the patty on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Spray each patty with cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping each patty halfway through the cook time, until golden brown.

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Barbecue Pork Tenderloin with Skillet Summer Hash

This recipe started with me trying to use up fresh veggies from my parents' garden.   They gave me zucchini, bell peppers and tomatoes...all fresh from the garden plot.  You could easily grill the pork tenderloin, but sadly, I don't have that option at our house.  I sure wish I did.  One day I will own a grill again.  What a happy day that will be!   Frozen corn can easily be substituted for the fresh corn, a small bag of frozen corn will work just perfectly in the hash.  C thought the hash was missing potatoes, but I thought it was incredibly delicious without!

Barbecue Pork Tenderloin with Skillet Summer Hash

1 pork tenderloin
¼ cup of your favorite barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
3 ears corn, shucked and kernels stripped
1 zucchini, cut into half moons
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 tomatoes, seeded and diced

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the pork tenderloin in a greased shallow baking dish. Brush with the barbecue sauce. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Let the pork rest for 10 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the corn, zucchini, bell pepper, basil, salt and pepper. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often. Add the tomatoes and cook for a minute more.

Slice the pork and serve over top of the vegetable hash.

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Zucchini Chips

I was planning on serving sugar snap peas, but that morning Miss F whined that she didn't want them for dinner. So I picked p a couple zucchini at the store and decided to make zucchini chips instead.  Miss F was not excited about zucchini either, but she tried a couple.  She has been in a food funk lately, I am not sure what is going on.  I thought these were an easy summer side and I really enjoyed them.   Any tips for kids who are reluctant to eat their veggies?  Miss F likes green beans, broccoli and peas...not much else.  These were inspired from Ellie Krieger.

Zucchini Chips

2 zucchini, cut into ¼” slices
¼ cup grated Paremsan
¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Spray the zucchini slices with the cooking spray. In a shallow bowl, stir together the Parmesan and bread crumbs. Coat each zucchini slice with the breadcrumb mixture and place on the prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the zucchini chips are crisp.

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Baked Penne with Corn, Zucchini and Basil

I am always looking for new ways to prepare zucchini. It is so bountiful in the summer and one can only eat so much zucchini bread, I can even get tired of chocolate zucchini bread, though Miss F would disagree completely. This recipe is perfect for a dinner party. The casserole can be assembled in advance and then just baked once the guests arrived. Be sure to use fresh summer corn, it really makes a big difference.  This recipe is adapted from Williams-Sonoma.  It makes a huge pan, so cut the recipe in half and bake in an 8x8 for a usual dinner.

Baked Penne with Corn, Zucchini and Basil

Kosher salt, to taste
1 pound penne pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kernels cut from 4 ears of corn
2 pounds zucchini, cut into half moons
½ yellow onion, diced
4 tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cloves garlic, sliced
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
¼ cup white wine
½ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Boil the penne for 8 to 10 minutes, drain and run under cold water. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn kernels, salt and pepper to taste and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, until just tender. Stir the corn in with the penne. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan, then saute the zucchini for 5 to 7 minutes, until just tender. Stir the zucchini in with the penne. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan, reduce heat to medium-low and saute the onion for 3 to 5 minutes, until translucent. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and white wine, cook for 3 minutes more.

Stir the tomato sauce and basil into the penne, along with the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan. Pour the pasta mixture into a glass 9x13 dish. Top with the remaining parmesan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown on top. Serve warm.

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Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas

I originally saw this recipe on the Jey of Cooking, it originated from Cooking Light. I made quite a few changes to it, adding garden fresh bell pepper and black beans for a one dish meal. Adding the salsa verde, or green salsa, was a great way to impart flavor to the chicken and vegetables mixture. Miss F is obsessed with green salsa, she always commands the whole bowl whenever we go out for TexMex. Be sure to use fresh corn if available, it adds a nice sweetness to the chicken.

Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas

1 teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ red onion, chopped
½ bell pepper, diced
1 ear of corn, kernels removed
1 zucchini, diced
½ cup green salsa
8 tostada shells
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 avocado, diced
1 tomato, diced

Preheat the broiler.

Combine cumin, salt and pepper and sprinkle over the chicken. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and saute for 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, bell pepper, corn and onion, and saute for an additional 3 minutes, until chicken is done and vegetables begin to soften. Stir in salsa and cook for 1 minute more.

Arrange the tostada shells in a single layer on a baking sheet. Scoop two tablespoons of the beans onto each shell. Top with a tablespoon of cheese and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until cheese begins to melt. Top each shell with 1/3 cup of the chicken and vegetable mixture and top again with a tablespoon of cheese. Return to oven and broil for 1 to 2 minutes more, until the cheese is melted. Top each with diced avocado and tomatoes.

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Chocolate Zucchini Bread

My mother-in-law gave me two zucchinis from their garden at the ranch. One was your regular old zucchini, the other was at least four times the size of a regular zucchini. It was huge! I made zucchini fries with the regular one, but the giant zucchini was destined for something greater...or grater...chocolate zucchini bread. Miss F did all the work for the bread with the exception of grating the zucchini. She even helped pour the batter into the pans, she is really becoming quite the sous chef. This bread is moist, rich and delicious. Miss F gobbled it right up. I got the recipe from my favorite spice shop, Penzey's. I used their vanilla and cinnamon, which I am sure made all the difference in the world.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 cups zucchini, grated
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9x5 loaf pans. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla until well blended. In a small saucepan, melt the butter, stir in the cocoa powder until smooth. Set aside to cool. Peel and grate the zucchini. Add zucchini and cooled butter mixture to the large mixing bowl and blend well. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to the batter. Stir only enough to blend in all the dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spoon the batter into the loaf pans. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 5-10 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack.

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Chili Garlic Chicken and Noodles

This started out as a traditional stir fry over rice, but when I opened up the pantry I realized I had a ton of rice noodles that were calling my name, so Chili Garlic Chicken Stir Fry morphed into Chili Garlic Chicken and Noodles. As a kid, I hated rice, so I always ate my stir fry over ramen noodles, I still prefer noodles to rice, even though I have learned to enjoy rice. Miss F was a huge fan of the noodles, chicken and carrots, this girl likes the spice. I used the Huy Fong brand of chili garlic sauce, but any chili garlic sauce will work. I may have snuck some of the leftovers cold from the fridge, which was equally delicious!

Chili Garlic Chicken and Noodles

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

Marinade for chicken:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce

½ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce

12 ounces rice noodles

½ cup sliced bell pepper
½ cup chopped broccoli
½ zucchini, halved and sliced
4 asparagus, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
¼ onion, chopped
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 slices ginger, shredded
1 tablespoon chopped garlic

Transfer chicken to a mixing bowl. Add marinade ingredients and toss to coat thoroughly. Let stand for 30 minutes or longer. In a separate bowl, mix broth, cornstarch, chili garlic, soy sauce and oyster sauce in a small bowl. Soak the rice noodles in hot water for 10 minutes.

In a wok heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat, add vegetables. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a plate. Wipe wok with paper towels. Heat the remaining tablespoon oil in the wok. When hot, add ginger and garlic; after a few seconds, add chicken mixture. Stir-fry for 2 to 4 minutes. Add the drained noodles and stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the prepared sauce. Stir until thickened. Return vegetables to the wok. Serve.

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Tropical Pork Pineapple Kebabs

When I saw this recipe pop up in the last Secret Recipe Club reveal on I Am a Honey Bee, I knew I had to try it.  It is very similar to my favorite kebab recipe, but I loved the addition of chili garlic sauce.  Next time I make these, I am going to increase it to one tablespoon, I love the heat.  I made things easier on myself by using canned pineapple, but I imagine it would be amazing with fresh pineapple chunks.  C was a fan, except for the mushrooms, which I was happy to eat off his plate.  Miss F only ate the pork and bell pepper.  I am still puzzled by her pineapple aversion.

Tropical Pork Pineapple Kebabs

¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 gloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon of brown sugar

1 pound of pork tenderloin, cut into 1″ cubes
1 20 ounce can pineapple chunks
1 red pepper, cut into 1” squares
1 zucchini, sliced into ½” thick pieces
½ pound whole white button mushrooms

Soak 10 wooden skewers for at least an hour before using them or use metal skewers.

Combine the soy sauce, juice, vinegar, garlic, chili garlic sauce and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Reserve two tablespoons of the marinade. Add the pork to the bag and marinate for 1 hour or more. Thread the pork, pineapple, red pepper, zucchini and mushrooms onto the skewers.

Grill the kebabs over medium-high heat. Using a basting brush, brush the kebabs with the reserved marinade each time you turn the kebabs grilling each side. Cook the kebabs until done with an internal temperature of the pork is 145 degrees. Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

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Ratatouille

I had never considered making Ratatouille before. It was just never on my radar, other than the kids' movie. One weekend, both Anne Burrell and Melissa d'Arabian both featured it on their shows. I was curious to try it. This recipe is a mix of both of their very different recipes. Apparently, Kroger didn't support my plans, seeing as how they were out of Eggplant. Normally, I convince them to sell me the organic at the regular price, but they didn't have any organic either. I gave the recipe a go without it. C turned up his nose initially, he thought it was all tomatoes. The tomatoes had melted into an amazing sauce. I guess his vinegar aversion wasn't in effect when we ate this, because he ate a ton. He kept sneaking more bites from the serving bowl.

Ratatouille

¼ cup olive oil, plus more as needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small eggplant, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 small tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 or 4 leaves fresh basil, chopped
Splash balsamic vinegar

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan or Dutch oven. Cook the vegetables one at a time (separately) for 5 to 7 minutes, adding a little more oil as needed and seasoning with salt, in the following order: eggplant, zucchini, pepper, onion, and tomatoes. Combine all of the cooked vegetables together in the pan, add the garlic, red pepper, and basil and let simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and then turn off the heat. Serve hot, warm, or cold.

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Roast Chicken with Vegetables

I learned all I know about roasting a whole chicken from Ina Garten. She is truly the master of it. I have made her Perfect Roast Chicken time and time again.  I love to roast a whole chicken, I especially like the crunchy skin.  It is the quest for even more crunchy skin which prompted me to create this recipe.  The chicken is flipped over halfway through cooking to double the amount of crispy skin.  I first cooked a turkey breast side down years ago for Thanksgiving, the results were mixed, but it was an interesting way to roast poultry.  I love adding zucchini and mushrooms to the traditional potatoes and carrots that accompany a roast chicken.  This is a great way to clean out the fridge of whatever vegetables you have hand. From the picture, you can tell I really need to learn how to truss a chicken.

Roast Chicken and Vegetables

1 whole chicken, 3 to 5 pounds
1 zucchini, chopped
4 yukon gold potatoes, chopped
6 carrots, peeled and chopped
½ pound baby bella mushrooms, halved
½ onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons thyme, divided
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 bulb of garlic, halved
1 lemon, quartered

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature while the oven is preheating. Toss the zucchini, potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and onions with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon thyme, salt and pepper in a roasting pan. Rub the butter all over the skin of the chicken, sprinkle with remaining thyme, salt and pepper. Insert the halved garlic bulb and lemon quarters into the chicken’s cavity. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables, breast side down. Roast the chicken at 425 degrees, flipping over halfway through cooking. This should take 1 to 1 ½ hours, until the juices run clear. Remove the chicken and tent with foil, return the vegetables to the oven and roast for 15 minutes more. Carve the chicken after resting for 15 minutes and serve with the vegetables.

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Summer Shrimp Creole

C hates all things seafood. Lucky for me, Miss F loves shrimp. So whenever C is out for the evening, I try to cook something with shrimp for Miss F and I. This is a new recipe of my own invention using fresh summer zucchini and tomatoes. I am not a huge fan of the celery traditionally found in Creoles and the zucchini is so much nicer with the tomato and bell pepper. I am going to try the zucchini for celery swap the next time I make Jambalaya 'Marylaya.'  I am so happy to have a little girl who loves to eat shrimp as much as I do, only problem, she steals them from my plate!

Summer Shrimp Creole

1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined
½ medium onion, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon corn starch
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons snipped green onions
2 cups white cooked rice

In a large skillet cook onion, zucchini, tomato, and bell pepper in butter over medium heat about 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more. Stir in canned tomatoes, paprika, salt, cayenne pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Whisk together the corn starch and water in a small bowl, stir the corn starch slurry and shrimp into the tomato mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes or until shrimp turn opaque. Salt and pepper to taste, serve over white rice and sprinkle with green onions.

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Zucchini Fries

I first saw a recipe for zucchini fries on Macaroni and Cheesecake, then days later I saw it on Confections of a Foodie Bride. It was a sign. Anything made with Panko is always delicious. I never bought Panko much because of the price. Then my friend Courtney told me that Panko was always a steal at the Foodarama. She has tipped me off to so many good prices there (20 limes for $1). So Panko has become more of a staple around here and I couldn't be happier. C ate every single one of these. Which absolutely floored me considering he pushed all the zucchini off of Chicken Bruschetta. I guess he selectively likes zucchini. Any other ideas of veggies to cover in Panko and bake?

Zucchini Fries

¼ cup whole wheat flour
1 egg
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Salt
Pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
dash cayenne pepper
2 zucchini, cut into 5” strips

Preheat oven to 425 and grease a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Place flour in a large zipper bag. Whisk eggs with 2 tablespoons water and place in a shallow dish. Place Panko, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper in a shallow dish and mix to combine. Place zucchini in the bag with the flour and shake until well coated. Dip the zucchini into the egg and then into the Panko, turning to coat well. Place breaded zucchini on the greased baking sheet. Bake 18-20 minutes, until golden brown.

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Vegetable Pizza

I hate meat on pizza, there isn't a single traditional meat pizza topping that I enjoy. I do love Thai Chicken Pizza, but that is a whole different kind of pizza. I used cherry tomatoes that my mother-in-law gave me from her garden, pure heaven. Back in college, I would "fancy" up plain Totino's pizzas with sliced tomatoes and dried oregano, I think my freezer always had at least half a dozen frozen pizzas in it at any one time.

Vegetable Pizza

1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, slice in two pieces
¼ teaspoon salt
3 leaves basil, minced

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ bell pepper, sliced
½ zucchini, sliced
2 mushrooms, sliced
½ tomato, chopped
½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ recipe, parmesan pizza crust or pizza crust of your liking

In a small sauce, bring the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic clove, salt and basil to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees with the pizza stone inside. Roll out pizza crust on a sheet of parchment paper to 10 to 12 inches. Top with the cooled tomato sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella over top, arrange toppings and sprinkle with oregano. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.

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Chicken Ghiveci

I honestly had never heard of Moldovian food before reading Innochka's Kitchen.  This recipe looked very interesting and full of vegetables that I love.  Sadly, C did not agree.  He picked out all the chicken, took two bites of zucchini and deemed the bell pepper to be overcooked.  Oh well, more leftovers for me.  He asked that I make "chicken seasoned with salt and pepper" and possibly "some plain vegetables."  No way is that ever going to happen.  I did use fresh thyme and rosemary from my happy herb bushes on our front stoop.  They are holding up well so far, but I do need to get to re-planting them.

Chicken Ghiveci

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ mild onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bell pepper, seeded and sliced
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1” cubes
6 tablespoons tomato paste
2 potatoes, diced
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
½ teaspoon dried thyme
3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
½ small celeriac, cut into chunks
¾ cup dry white wine
1 zucchini, sliced
salt and black pepper

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the onion and red peppers and cook for 1-2 minutes, until soft. Add the chicken, and cook for 5 minutes more. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more. Add the tomato paste, potatoes, herbs, carrots, celeriac and white wine; season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, covered for another 40-50 min. Add zucchini slices 5 min before end of cooking. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

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Recipe Swap: Orzo and Squash Gratin

For this swap, I got my recipe from the same person from the last swap, Spicy Artichoke and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta. I really loved the pasta dish and this dish was equally as good. C was not thrilled about the zucchini and squash, but he ate it anyhow, so that is a very good sign. I am going to try it in the future with other vegetables, any ideas? I bet it would be fantastic with tomatoes, but C doesn't like those either.  My changes are in italics.

Squash Orzo Bake

¾ cup whole wheat orzo (I used regular orzo)
3 squash, sliced
3 zucchini, sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
¼ cup veggie stock (I used chicken stock)
olive oil for sautéing
1 cup grated cheese (depending on my mood I use feta, cheddar or a parmesan/romano blend) (I used cheddar)
½ cup bread crumbs (I used a couple tablespoons)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.

Start by cooking orzo until almost but not quite al dente, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Sauté diced onion in olive oil until translucent, add garlic, red pepper flakes, squash and zucchini, and continue to sauté until tender.

Mix together orzo, veggies, cheese (reserving ¼ cup) and stock until evenly combined, then pour into a casserole dish and top with bread crumbs and remaining cheese. Bake until bubbling and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.

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Recipe Swap: Chicken Bruschetta

The theme of this recipe swap was an easy weeknight meal. This recipe is from Christine's Kitchen Chronicles.  I made a couple minor changes, but I pretty much stuck to the recipe.  No complaints from C about the vinegar, that aversion comes and goes, so that was good.  When he saw the dish he said "I don't like squash."  I told him that is not a problem, this is zucchini (technically a squash, but whatever.)  He picked off the tomatoes (expected) and zucchini.  He did like what was left, so that was nice.  I thought this dish was amazing, the flavors are bright and it would be a perfect summer meal after a long day of work, the whole thing took about 20 minutes to prepare, start to finish.

Chicken Bruschetta

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved
4 minced garlic cloves, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup sliced mushrooms
1 small zucchini, quartered length-wise and sliced
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes
¼ cup chopped red onion
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Remove chicken breasts from package and lightly season with garlic salt and pepper. Rub 2 cloves of minced garlic onto the chicken. In a large sauté pan, heat half of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken to the sauté pan and cook until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan, and keep warm. Heat the additional tablespoon of olive oil and reduce the heat to medium. Add salt, mushrooms, zucchini, and onions. Sauté 2-4 minutes (until zucchini is tender). Add black pepper, tomato, remaining garlic, basil, and balsamic vinegar. Sauté 5-7 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and warm through. Serve the vegetable mixture over chicken; sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve over angel hair pasta.

Adapted from Christine’s Kitchen Chronicles

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Sausage and Vegetable Spaghetti

This was SO good. The house still smells so wonderful, so much so that I really want to dive into another bowl full. Thankfully, for my waistline, the leftovers are in the freezer and away from my stomach. I actually cooked this covered for an extra hour because C was home late from work. The flavors really melded well together and it makes it an easy dish to have on standby. This would be just as delicious with no meat in it, but I am pretty sure C would disagree.

Sausage and Vegetable Spaghetti Sauce

½ pound ground Italian sausage
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
½ cup red wine
1 can (6 ounce) tomato paste
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

In a large sauté pan, sauté the sausage until cooked through. Remove and drain all but 1 tablespoon of grease, adding olive oil if necessary. Add the onion, carrots, zucchini, squash and bell pepper mixture, sauté until soft, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more. Deglaze the pan with the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomato paste, basil, oregano and crushed red pepper, stir it in to incorporate and cook for 3 minutes more. Return the sausage to the pan. Add the tomatoes, bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over spaghetti or your favored pasta.

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Jap Chae

As soon as I saw this recipe on My Adventures in Food, I knew I had to try it.  I had to make a couple of changes to the recipe, the biggest issue was the noodles.  I couldn't find any made of sweet potato.  We have a huge selection of Asian noodles at our grocery store, but not a single one of them was made with sweet potato.  I settled on glass noodles made from green beans, which meant I had to change how they were cooked.  They only needed soaking in hot water instead of boiling.  Miss F gobbled this up, I was shocked.  She normally doesn't like the flavors in this dish.  C liked it as well, but I doubt he would go for it without meat.

Jap Chae

12 ounce clear glass noodles

½ lb chicken, cut into thin strips
3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce

1 clove garlic, minced
3 carrots, shredded
1 zucchini, slivered
½ onion, cut into slivers
6 ounces mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce
Sesame oil
Sesame seeds

Soak noodles in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Combine meat, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, ginger, and chili-garlic sauce in a bowl, toss the meat to evenly coat. Let marinate while you prep all the vegetables.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the marinating meat. Cook until meat is done, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate. Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in the pan. Add carrots, zucchini, red onion, shitake mushrooms, and green onions. Sauté for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from pan and add to plate with meat.

Place 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, sugar, and chili-garlic sauce to pan. Stir to combine. Add noodles to pan. Stir to coat and heat through. Return meat and vegetables to pan, and toss to combine. Drizzle sesame oil over the contents of the pan. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve.

Adapted from My Adventures in Food

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Grilled Zucchini and Red Peppers

We went to a friends house for dinner last weekend and they served amazing zucchini. It had been sliced lengthways and grilled. I tried to replicate it, just tossing it with olive oil, salt and pepper, then grilling. I also did the same with some red peppers left over from the peanut chicken pasta. I served it with a grilled ribeye and grilled corn.

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