Zucchini Ziti

Zucchini Ziti (aimeemo)
3 minced garlic cloves or 1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 1/2 to 2 lbs zucchini, sliced (I like half moon shape slices.)
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 oz sliced white mushrooms
1 lb ziti

Saute onion in melted butter over medium heat for 3 min or until translucent in very large skillet or pot.
Add all other ingredients besides ziti.
Partially cover & cook over low heat for about 30 min, stirring every once in a while. Zucchini should be tender, but still have their shape. Taste test to see if any additional salt & pepper is needed.
Serve over cooked hot ziti.
Grate fresh parmesan cheese over top if desired.

Some Pizza Tips

Ok we have been doing pizza for two years every friday from scratch and after much trial and error we have:

Make your dough 24 hours in advance

Pizza stone. oven on HOTTEST setting. As high as it will go (7 min for us at 550). PIzza stone put in cold oven turn oven on to preheat.

No oil on dough, roll out dough to stone size with cornmeal underneath to roll. You will need a pan without sides to work as a "peel". Cornmeal allows the pizza to slide off onto the stone.

sauce, cheese, toppings bake.

remove pizza, put one an elevated rack ( we have a mesh pizza pan bought from a restaraunt supply store) to cool a bit and crisp up. Add melted butter to the outter crust and let it sit. Slide onto your pan and cut.

This will give you super crusty and thin sicilian. We roll the dough paper thin. If you want a thicker crust roll it thicker.

I use a modified recipe from wolfgang puck.

· packet 1 packet 1 packetactive dry yeast

· 1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.)

· 1 tablespoon honey

· 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil,

· 3 cups all-purpose flour we use king arthur flour

· 1 teaspoon salt

· add garlic or herbs to taste if you choose (we add fresh minced garlic)

mix honey with warm water add yeast, let sit 10 min until foamy.

mean while mix dry ingredients add oil, and water/yeast mixture. mix by hand just until a good ball forms. Let sit under a warm wet towel for 24 hous. keep towel damp.

ETA: we also put the pizza stone on the grill with both stone and grill cold, then heat to almost highest heat (we have flame up on our grill) then slide pizza on hot stone for 2-3 minutes.

Lentil and Brown Rice Casserole

Lentil and Brown Rice Casserole
(jtwinzz)
1 C. Lentils
1 C. Brown Rice
4 C. low salt chicken broth OR water
1/2 t. salt (omit if using broth)
2 T. butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 C. celery, chopped
1/2 to 1 whole bell pepper, chopped (to taste)
1 large carrot grated
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
14 oz can diced tomatoes
Optional -- 1 cup diced veggie you like (zucchini, broccoli...)

1/2 C. grated parmesan cheese

Bring broth or water and salt to a boil and add lentils and brown rice. Return to a boil, cover and simmer for 50 minutes - do not stir or lift lid. Meanwhile, melt butter in a frying pan and saute onion, celery, pepper, carrot, any other desired veggie and mushrooms till soft. Stir in the tomatoes and heat through. When rice and lentils are done, stir well, then combine with the veggies. Stir in the cheese.
You may serve just like this, but to make a prettier presentation, spread it in a baking dish, top with bread crumbs and a sprinkle of cheese and put under the broiler till bread crumbs brown.

Squash and Pasta Salad

Squash and Pasta Salad - This was delicious. It was so simple too. I used some shaved parmesan and I liked how that worked in this. Everything was just really fresh and good! The only change I made was I didn't steam the veggies. I just threw them in raw. I will make this again!

Squash and Pasta Salad
Sandy~~*~Sandy~*~

4 cups coarsely chopped yellow summer squash
4 cups rigatoni
2 cups cherry tomato halves
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large cloves of garlic, pressed
3 T balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Steam the squash in a vegetable steamer just until tender-crisp. Cool. Cook the rigatoni just until tender using the package directions; rinse with cold water and drain. Mix the squash, rigatoni, tomatoes and basil in a salad bowl. Drizzle a mixture of the olive oil, garlic, vinegar and salt and pepper over the salad. Add the cheese; toss lightly.

Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

BAKED PARMESAN TOMATOES
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ My friend Leah, via Eatingwell.com)

4 tomatoes, halved horizontally
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 450* F.
Place tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet. Top with Parmesan, oregano, salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and bake until the tomatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
* Amy's notes: I used mozzarella and just sprinkled a little on each tomato. I then sprinkled Parmesan over the entire thing.

Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

BAKED PARMESAN TOMATOES
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ My friend Leah, via Eatingwell.com)

4 tomatoes, halved horizontally
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 450* F.
Place tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet. Top with Parmesan, oregano, salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and bake until the tomatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
* Amy's notes: I used mozzarella and just sprinkled a little on each tomato. I then sprinkled Parmesan over the entire thing.

Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken Barbecue

Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken Barbecue
Amy – amylz
All Recipes - Yields: 6 servings

6 frozen skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (12 ounce) bottle barbeque sauce
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Place chicken in a slow cooker. In a bowl, mix the barbeque sauce, Italian salad dressing, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over the chicken. Cover, and cook 3 to 4 hours on High or 6 to 8 hours on Low.

Roasted Green Beans

Roasted Green Beans

For about a pound of fresh green beans:

Wash beans and trim the stem end. Toss with 1-2 Tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper to taste.

Spread on a parchment-lined cookie sheet as close to one layer as you can get.

Roast in the oven at 475 degrees F for about 15 minutes. No need to stir.

Stir Fry Green Beans and Chicken

Stir Fry Green Beans and Chicken (By: Robin Joss- allrecipes.com)

2 TBL soy sauce

3 TBL minced garlic

2 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp peanut butter

3/4 lb fresh green beans, trimmed

4 1/2 tsp olive oil

1 chicken breast diced

1 md onion sliced

- In bowl, combine soysauce, sugar, peanut butter; set aside.

- In large skillet, 2 tsp of oil and a few dashes of soy, garlic and chicken, cook- when almost done add onion and saute. Remove. Now put in rest of oil and 2-3 dashes of soy, stir fry the beans until desired crisp-tenderness, then remove from heat.

- Add sauce mixture, stir to coat. (If only doing the beans no chicken half the sauce mix..if you want)

Turkey Squash Casserole

Turkey Squash Casserole
mrsrader86 via allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 20 Minutes Ready In: 55 Minutes
Submitted By: Mildred Sherrer Cook Time: 35 Minutes Servings: 6

"I combined two recipes to come up with this casserole, and it suits my family's tastes perfectly. Using ground turkey adds to the convenience.--Mildred Sherrer, Fort Worth, Texas"

1 pound ground turkey
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups sliced yellow summer squash
1 medium onion, chopped
2 eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup crushed saltines

1. In a large skillet, cook turkey in oil over medium heat until no longer pink. Add the squash and onion. Cook until vegetables are crisp-tender; drain.
2. In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, cheese, butter, salt and pepper. Stir into the turkey mixture. Transfer to a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Sprinkle with the cracker crumbs. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until heated through

Mrsrader86’s notes: double recipe, but use only 1 lb meat. Use zucchini and yellow squash.

Baked Oatmeal

Baked Oatmeal
Kayla~KMC0415 via www.twopeasantheirpod.com

2 cups uncooked old fashioned oats
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon (I like a lot)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup raisins
Handful of dried cranberries
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups milk (I use skim)
1/2 cup applesauce
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine the milk, applesauce, butter, egg, and vanilla in a separate bowl. Add milk mixture to oat mixture; stir well. Pour oat mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve warm. I always add a dash of cinnamon to my bowl!

Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup
JDTmamma

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup chicken base
3 cups diced yellow onions
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups Masa Harina (Mexican flour)
4 quarts water (divided)
2 cups crushed tomatoes
1/2 pound processed American cheese (Velveeta works great!), cut into small cubes
3 pounds cooked, cubed chicken breast
Mixed cheese shreds, fresh pico de gallo, and crunchy tortilla strips
In large pot, combine oil, chicken base, onion, and spices. Saute until onions are soft and clear (about 5 minutes).

In a mixing bowl, combine Masa Harina with 1 quart water. Stir until all lumps dissolve.

Add Masa Harina "rue" to sauteed onions, bring to a boil. Once mixture starts to bubble, continue cooking 2-3 minutes, stirringconstantly. This will eliminate any raw taste from Masa Harina.

Add tomatoes and remaining 3 quarts water to pot. Let mixture return to boil stirring occasionally.

Add American cheese (or Velveeta) to soup. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese melts.

Add chicken; heat through.

Ladel into BIG ;) soup bowls.

Top with mixed cheese shreds, pico de gallo, and tortilla strips

Zucchini Pecan Flaxseed Bread

ZUCCHINI PECAN FLAXSEED BREAD

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/zucchini-pecan-flaxseed-bread-10000001054875/print/

INGREDIENTS

· 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

· 1 cup whole wheat flour

· 3/4 cup granulated sugar

· 1/2 cup ground flaxseed

· 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

· 1 tablespoon baking powder

· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

· 3/4 teaspoon salt

· 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

· 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

· 2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini)

· 1 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt

· 1/2 cup egg substitute

· 3 tablespoons canola oil

· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

· 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

· Cooking spray

· 3 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, granulated sugar, and next 7 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk.

Spread zucchini onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Press down firmly to remove excess liquid.

Combine yogurt, egg substitute, oil, and vanilla in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in zucchini.

Add zucchini mixture and 1/4 cup pecans to flour mixture, stirring until well combined. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle batter with 3 tablespoons pecans. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; place on wire rack.

Emeril's Acorn Squash Soup

I made this pureed soup last week. You know something, I think pureed soups are kind of a pain. I do have an immersion blender but it takes forever to actually get the soup to something close to smooth. Plus it splatters. It's too scary to put hot soup in a blender. I think next time I might make the soup earlier in the day, let it cool for a LONG time, blend it in the blender, and then heat it up again. Soups get better as they "age" anyway.

Anyway, the flavors of this soup are really really good and I *was* really happy to have it in the fridge all week for lunches. Very healthy, surprisingly filling. Next time I would roast the carrots alongside the squash, because they took forever to get soft, much longer than the recipe said. I used a pear instead of an apple and it was great.

Emeril's Acorn Squash Soup
elemenoPee

Ingredients:
3 acorn squash, halved, seed removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon allspice
4 cups low sodium chicken stock or vegetable broth

Method: Preheat oven 400 degrees F.

On a baking sheet, roast the acorn squash, cut side down, until soft, about 45 minutes. Scoop out the squash flesh and set aside.

In a soup pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Saute carrot, apple, and onion until soft. Season with ginger and allspice. Add the squash and the chicken stock. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and puree with a hand-held immersion blender.

Summer Vegetable Kabobs

Summer Vegetable Kabobs
Amy - amylz
Makes 8 servings Southern Living, MAY 2008

12-inch-long wooden skewers
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup honey
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon salt
16 cups assorted cut vegetables

1. Soak skewers in water 1 hour.
2. Whisk together wine and next 6 ingredients until well blended; reserve 1/4 cup. Combine remaining white wine mixture and vegetables in a large bowl. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Remove vegetables from marinade, discarding marinade.
3. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high). Thread vegetables onto skewers, and grill according to directions in Guidelines and Cook Times for Vegetable Kabobs below.
4. Transfer skewers to a platter. Remove vegetables from skewers, if desired. Serve with reserved 1/4 cup white wine mixture.

Guidelines and Cook Times for Vegetable Kabobs. Cut vegetables thick so they will stay on skewers as they cook. Thread one type of vegetable onto each skewer, threading so the cut sides lie flat on the cooking grate to ensure even cooking. Grill skewers, covered with grill lid, over 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat according to the times below. Your goal is to achieve tender, slightly charred vegetables.

Zucchini and squash. Prep: Cut into 3/4-inch rounds; thread onto skewers. Grill time: 7 to 10 minutes on each side or until tender.

Okra. Prep: Remove stems, and thread onto double skewers. Grill time: 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until tender.

Eggplant. Prep: Cut Japanese eggplant into 3/4-inch rounds. Cut Italian eggplant crosswise into quarters; cut into 3/4-inch slices. Thread onto skewers. Grill time: 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until tender.

Bell peppers. Prep: Cut into 1-inch-thick strips; thread skewers. Grill time: 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until tender.

Mushrooms. Prep: Trim stems, and thread onto skewers. Grill time: 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until tender.

Onions. Prep: Cut into wedges, and thread onto skewers. Grill time: 3 or 4 minutes on each side or until lightly charred.

Cherry tomatoes. Prep: Thread onto double skewers. Grill time: 1 to 3 minutes on each side or just until skins begin to split.

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

(I usually double or triple this recipe.)

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 t baking soda

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup milk

1 T lemon juice

1 t vanilla

1 cup shredded zucchini

1/4 cup chocolate chips (I usually use more)

1/4 cup walnuts (optional, I have never used!)

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Combine egg, oil, milk and vanilla separately. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips and nuts.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 20-25 minutes.

I think one recipe makes a dozen, but don't hold me to that. My sister makes these in mini muffins so there is more of them. Of course the baking time then needs to be adjusted.