Jalepeno Popper Orzo Mac n Cheese

Jalapeno Popper Orzo Mac n cheese
The-Skipper-Bunch

Kosher salt 
1lb orzo
1 stick butter (8 tablespoons), divided 
6 jalapeño peppers; 4 seeded and finely chopped, 2 sliced with seeds 
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
1 onion, finely chopped 
3 tbsp all-purpose flour 
2 1/2c milk 
Freshly ground pepper 
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese 
4oz cream cheese 
2c panko 
2 Fresno chili peppers, sliced

-- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and cook the orzo until al dente, about 6 minutes; drain. Meanwhile, heat 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped jalapeños, the garlic and onion and cook until the jalapeños and onion are soft, 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the milk and stir until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cheddar and cream cheese and stir until melted. Combine the orzo with the sauce and transfer to a casserole dish. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and toss with the panko to coat. Sprinkle over the casserole and top with the sliced jalapeños and Fresno chili peppers. 

Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Spinach

Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Spinach
tboyd72
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

4 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced
2 boxes chopped spinach, defrosted
4 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup cream
Salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Salt water and boil potatoes until tender 12 to 15 minutes. Squeeze the water from spinach in a clean dish towel. Drain potatoes and melt butter in the hot pot, then add the garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in cream, add the spinach, separating the greens as you do. Season greens with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add potatoes to the pot and mash to desired consitency. 

Stovetop Mac-N-Cheese

Stovetop Mac-N-Cheese

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs
• 6 ounces evaporated milk
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 10 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

Directions

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Return to the pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes or until creamy.

Baked Zucchini Coins

Baked Zucchini Coins (Serves 4)

1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Panko or Bread Crumbs
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Large Egg
1/4 Cup Flour
2 Medium Zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch coins
 

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Mix the first 4 ingredients in a bowl.
3. Whisk the egg in a separate bowl.
4. Place the flour in another bowl.
5. Make an assembly line with the bowls, and first dip the zucchini coins into the
flour, then the egg and finally into the bread crumb mixture, coating evenly and repeating with all the zucchini coins.
6. Place all of the coins on the baking sheet/rack. Arrange so they’re not touching, spray with oil and bake for 20 minutes or until the
bread crumbs are golden.
7. Serve.

Zucchini Pancakes

• 1 C. all purpose flour
• 1/2 C.  whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 C. shredded zucchini (about one medium zucchini)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 Tb. light agave nectar
• 1 1/4 C. whole milk
• 1/4 C. vegetable oil
• 1 C. mini chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  Add the shredded zucchini and toss with your hands to coat each piece with flour.  This will help the zucchini from clumping.  It should look like this-

and then this-

 In a small bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients except for the chocolate chips.  Whisk

 until it's thoroughly combined.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is incorporated. 

Add the chocolate chips and stir.

Cook the pancakes in a skillet on medium high heat for 6-7 minutes per side.  You can tell when it's  time to flip them over when little bubbles form on the surface.

This recipe makes 12 medium size pancakes,but can easily be doubled.  I like to make a big batch on a Sunday and then freeze them in a Ziploc bag for easy breakfast all week long- you just need to pop them in the microwave. 
See?  All full of fiber and none the wiser-

Zucchini Fritters

Zucchini Fritters
The-Skipper-Bunch 

2 cups grated zucchini squash 
1/4 cup all purpose flour 
1/3 cup cornmeal 
1 small onion,finely chopped 
1 clove of garlic,finely minced 
1 egg 
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Place zucchini inside a tea towel or flour sack towel and squeeze out excess moisture. 3. In a bowl,add zucchini and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the remaining ingredients. The mixture with be sticky and thick. Continue to stir,it will thin down. You want it to look like a thick cake batter. 4. On a parchment lined baking sheet, divide batter into 6 mounds on the parchment using a spoon or ice cream scoop. Then flatten each mound with a spoon or your hand to form 4 inch rounds. 5. Bake for 15 minutes or so,until the fritters are deep golden brown on the bottom. Then turn to broil and place on the second highest rack in your oven. Broil on high for a few minutes, you want to crisp them up but watch carefully so they won’t burn. Serve with rach dressing or marinara.

Stuffed Zucchini Cups

Stuffed Zucchini Cups 
The-Skipper-Bunch

2 large zucchini or yellow squash, about 12 inches long 
2 tsp. + 2 tsp. olive oil (may need more, depending on your pan)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion 
1 green pepper, finely chopped 
2 T finely minced fresh garlic 
1 lb. ground beef 
12 oz. ground turkey 
1-2 tsp. Favorite seasonings 
2 C tomato-basil pasta sauce 
2 cups low-fat mozzarella or other mild white cheese (I used low-fat blend of six cheeses called Italian blend.)

Preheat oven to 350F. Chop onion and green pepper. Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in a non-stick pan, then saute onion and pepper for 3-4 minutes, until just starting to soften. Add minced garlic and saute about 1 minute more, being careful not to brown the garlic. Remove the onion, pepper, and garlic mixture to a bowl. Add 2 tsp. more olive oil to the pan. Crumble in the ground beef and ground turkey, season with seasoning, and cook over medium heat until the meat is well browned. Tilt pan to see if there is any extra fat, and remove with a spoon if there is, then stir cooked vegetables and garlic back into the meat. Add tomato sauce and simmer until the mixture has thickened and liquid has cooked off, about 10 minutes, then turn off heat. While meat cools, cut zucchini into 2 inch thick slices, discarding ends. Use a sharp spoon or melon baller to hollow out a cup in each zucchini slice, leaving just over 1/4 inch of zucchini flesh. Be careful not to get too close to the skin or the cups will leak liquid when they cook. Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray and stand up zucchini cups, open end up. Stir 1 1/2 cups grated cheese into the cooled meat mixture (it doesn't need to be completely cool), then spoon the meat-cheese mixture into zucchini cups, pressing down with the spoon and mounding it up a little over the top of the zucchini. Bake zucchini cups for 20 minutes, then remove from oven and use remaining cheese to top each one with a generous pinch of cheese. Put back in oven and bake 10-15 minutes more, until zucchini is slightly soft when pierced with a fork and cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Farfelle with Zucchini and Parsley-Almond Pesto

Farfalle with Zucchini and Parsley-Almond PestoMichelle (MMmom)

This pasta dish is terrific served warm, but it can also be refrigerated and served as a cold pasta salad. 

1 pound farfalle
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup unsalted roasted almonds
1 1/2 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound zucchini (2 medium), halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/8 inch thick
Pinch of crushed red pepper
water from cooking pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the farfalle and cook until it is al dente. Drain the farfalle. 

Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the garlic clove until it is finely chopped. Add the almonds and pulse until they are coarsely chopped. Add the parsley and 1/2 cup of the olive oil and process until the parsley is finely chopped. Add ¼ c of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and pulse just until the pesto is combined. Season with salt and pepper. 

In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering. Add the zucchini and cook over moderately high heat until tender and browned in spots, about 8-10 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper and season with salt and pepper. 

Combine the pasta, zucchini, and pesto.  Add cooking liquid from pasta if the mixture is too dry.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve and top with additional  Parmigiano-Reggiano.

MAKE AHEAD The pesto can be refrigerated overnight.

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich w/ Herbed Mayo
Michelle (MMmom)

1 Japanese eggplant sliced lengthwise about 1/4" thick
1 small zucchini sliced lengthwise about 1/4" thick
1 small yellow squash sliced lengthwise about 1/4" thick
1 small red onion cut into rings
 2-3 Portobello caps
 extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
1 loaf crusty bread, cut into 1/2" slices
 red leaf lettuce
1 large roasted red pepper, sliced lengthwise   (I use jarred)
Herbed Mayo (below)

Heat a grill or grill pan.  Lay all the vegetables on a large sheet pan.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Flip all slices, drizzle with more olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill until the vegetables are tender and have grill marks.  When the vegetables are almost done, drizzle a little olive oil on the slices of bread and grill on both sides.

Slice the Portobellos.  Spread mayo the slices of bread. Assemble the sandwiches with the grilled vegetables, lettuce, and roasted red pepper.

Herbed Mayo
1 clove garlic
about 3/4 c mayonnaise
juice of 1/2 lemon
a few drops of hot sauce
2 Tbsp thyme leaves
2 Tbsp flat leaf parsley
2 Tbsp chopped chives

For a smooth spread, smash the garlic and add it, along with the rest of the ingredients to a food processor.  Pulse until smooth.

Or, mince the garlic and add to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients.  Stir to combine.

Best of made a few hours ahead.

Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake

EASY CHEESY ZUCCHINI BAKE

kkb75703 via pinterest Kalynskitchen recipe adapted from a recipe by Karen Niessing in Penzeys Back to School 2011 Catalog, with suggestions from my sister Pam.

Ingredients:
2 medium-sized zucchini, cut in slices or half-moon slices
2 medium-sized yellow squash, cut in slices or half-moon slices
2-4 T chopped fresh basil (or even less, depending on how much you like the flavor of basil)
2 T thinly sliced green onion
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup + 1/2 cup low-fat white cheese (I used Pizza Cheese, which is a low-fat blend of Mozzarella, Provolone, Romano, and Parmesan)
1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmesan (I would use a little less if you only have the very finely grated Parmesan from a can)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Spray an 8" x 8" baking dish with olive oil or non-stick spray. Wash the squash and cut in slices or half-moon slices. Wash basil, spin dry or dry with paper towels and finely chop. Slice green onions.

Combine the sliced squash, chopped basil, sliced green onions, dried thyme, garlic powder, and both kinds of cheese and stir together until the veggies are coated with cheese and the herbs are well-distributed. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Put the mixture in the baking dish and bake uncovered for about 25-30 minutes.

When the zucchini is nearly cooked through, take the casserole dish out of the oven and sprinkle over the remaining 1/2 cup of grated cheese. Put the dish back in the oven and bake 10-15 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted and nicely browned and zucchini is fully cooked. Serve hot.

This kept well in the fridge overnight, but mine was gone the next day so I don't know if it would last longer than that!