ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE

Did you know that August 8th was the official "Sneak some Zucchini onto your Neighbor's Porch" day? What to do with all those lovely zucchini in the garden? You want to give some away, of course, and find new recipes to use the fresh, green vegetable growing madly in the garden. Try this recipe for an easy casserole with a delicate flavor and layers of color and texture.

ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE

Here's a simple and flavorful way to prepare a large zucchini for a family meal. If you have leftovers, it's easy to re-heat for lunch the next day.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 medium onion

1/2 cup bell pepper

1 large zucchini

4-5 medium mushrooms (optional)

1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)

2 cloves garlic

8-10 ounces tomato sauce (marinara, crushed tomatoes, etc)

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley leaves

Topping:

1 cup bread crumbs

3 teaspoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9 x 12 inch baking pan. I use glass but you can use metal.

Peel and chop the onion. Cut the bell pepper into 1/2 inch pieces. Clean and slice the mushrooms. Peel and chop 2 cloves of garlic.

Heat a large skillet over high heat, add the olive oil. Stir in the onion and bell pepper and reduce the heat to medium.

Allow to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the chopped garlic.

Stir in the tomato sauce. (use any tomato sauce you have on hand)

Reduce heat to low and stir everything together and allow to simmer while you proceed with the next step.

Wash and trim fresh basil and flat leaf parsley leaves.

Roll the leaves together, and with a sharp knife, slice through the bundle to get small pieces.

Cut the zucchini into 1/2 inch slices across the middle, then cut the rounds into four pieces. In a large bowl, season the zucchini with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Add the chopped basil and parsley.

Spread a little of the tomato sauce mixture on the bottom of the oiled baking dish.

Layer the zucchini over the tomato mixture.

Next layer the corn over the zucchini.

Now layer the sliced mushrooms over that.

Now spoon the remaining tomato sauce mixture over everything. Notice the sauce is thick and not watery. The vegetables will release quite a bit of liquid during the cooking process and so you want the tomato sauce to be on the dry side.

Bread Crumb Topping:

In a large bowl, mix together:

2 cups bread crumbs

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, pushed through a press or finely minced

Spread the bread crumb topping over the vegetables in the baking dish.

As you can see, the bread crumbs are all different sizes. This is a rustic-style dish and everything does not need to look ' oh so perfect', it will still taste great!

You should be able to see the layers on the side of the dish.

Put into a pre-heated oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until the bread crumb topping turns a golden brown and the vegetables are soft, but not mushy.

Serve immediately as a side dish. Great with grilled chicken or fish, and warm, crusty bread.

Can be assembled the day before and popped into the oven for dinner. Adjust the baking time to about 40 minutes and be sure to check to make sure the topping doesn't burn. I don't recommend freezing this because the vegetables will be mushy when it thaws.

What do you do with excess zucchini? Leave a comment below and let us know "Where Does the Zucchini Go?"

GRANOLA

GRANOLA

When I couldn't find a granola in the store that I liked, I decided to create my own. Am I glad I did! I thought it would be tricky and difficult. But, not only is this an easy recipe, it tastes SO much better than anything from the store! This is much more economical and delicious. Try this and see for yourself. You'll never buy granola again.

For a printable version of this recipe without photos click here.

Ingredients:

4 cups rolled oats (not instant)

1 cup puffed rice cereal

½ cup sliced almonds

½ cup chopped cashews or pecans or walnuts

¾ cup brown sugar

½ cup oil

1 cup dried fruit (dried apricots, apples or cranberries)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ cup honey

pinch of salt

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees.

Pour the uncooked oats, dry cereal and sugar into a large bowl. Add the cinnamon, nuts and salt, mix well.

Pour oil into the measuring cup. Spread it around the cereal mix. Pour honey into the same cup and the oil left in the cup will help get the honey out of the cup. Add the vanilla to the bowl and toss everything together until evenly coated. You may need to break up any clumps of honey with your fingers.

Pour everything out into a large cookie sheet with a lip. You may need to do this in more than one batch.

As you can see, I put a sheet of parchment paper down first. This is because I'm lazy and don't like to clean sticky cookie sheets. If you have not tried using parchment paper when you bake, TRY IT! It makes everything so much easier.

Bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes, carefully turning it to reveal the other side. Continue baking for another 15 minutes until it turns a golden brown.

When it is finished cooking, allow to cool slightly. Add the fruit and stir to combine.

Store in an air tight container. Makes 6 to 7 cups.

Try this and modify it to your taste. Add different nuts or seeds, use your favorite fruit or leave it out. How did you make this your own? Leave a comment below and let me know! Thanks for stopping by!

EASY CRUNCHY GRANOLA

CHICKEN FAJITAS

This is an easy and flavorful meal the whole family can make together. Using just a few ingredients you can put dinner on the table in about 30 minutes. Nothing to prep ahead of time and nothing complicated.

This recipe uses three large chicken breasts and can easily serve six adults. Heat up some refried beans, some rice and you have a complete meal. If you have any leftovers, they're great for lunch!

To make shopping easier, use my handy printed shopping list. Click on the Shopping List tab above and you can print the pdf document.

For a printable recipe without photos, click here.

Ingredients:

3 large chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

1 Tablespoon oil

1 medium bell pepper

1 medium onion

3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 large tomato or several cherry/grape/pearl tomatoes

salt & pepper

cayenne pepper

ground cumin

1/2 cup dry white wine

Garnish / Toppings:

grated cheese (Cacique Queso Quesadilla, cheddar, jack, etc.)

fresh cilantro leaves

sour cream

guacamole

Directions:

Prep chicken: wash and pat dry; trim any fat; cut across grain in 1/2 inch slices then across again in bite size pieces. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and cumin. Set aside.

Peel and slice onion. Wash and slice bell pepper. Wash and slice tomato.

Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in large skillet. Use the largest pan you have. It needs to be wide and deep to hold all the ingredients without crowding. Heat on medium-high and throw the seasoned chicken into the hot oil and stir around.

Reduce heat to medium and allow chicken to start to brown. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook for about 8 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink. Remove from pan and set aside.

Heat pan to medium-high again and throw in the onions and peppers. Add more oil if necessary. Sprinkle with salt. Stir to prevent sticking and cook until the vegetables are softened a bit.

Once the vegetables are softened add the cooked chicken back to the pan and turn the heat to high. Now add the tomatoes and garlic and stir everything together. Pour in the wine and allow the liquid to reduce to nearly nothing.

Now grab a tortilla and fill it with this tender, spicy and sweet combination! Top with cilantro, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa, etc. Pair with some refried beans, rice or a salad and enjoy this fast and easy feast!

CRUNCHY CONFETTI SALAD

Fresh, crisp vegetables with a tangy vinegar dressing all mixed with a surprise of crunchy ramen noodles. Easy, economical and zero fat! Makes an easy summer side dish and is a great choice for potlucks. It travels well and you can double this recipe for a crowd.

For a printable version of this recipe without photos, click here.

Ingredients:

1/2 head green cabbage

1/4 head red cabbage

2 green onions

1/4 red bell pepper

1 carrot

1 package ramen noodles, uncooked

1 cup rice wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon sugar

Directions:

Open the package of ramen noodles. Put the uncooked noodles into a zip lock baggie. Use a rolling pin or mallet to crush the noodles into small pieces, but not into dust. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix together the rice wine vinegar, the sugar and ramen noodle seasoning packet. Stir well to combine. Set aside.

Remove any damaged outer leaves and the core of the cabbages. Thinly slice the cabbage and then cut crosswise into bite-size pieces. Put all the cut cabbage into a large bowl.

Wash, dry and chop the green onion. Slice the bell pepper into strips and then across into small pieces.

Peel and grate the carrot. I use a standard box grater. Throw all the chopped vegetables into the bowl with the cabbage. It looks colorful already!

Now add the broken, uncooked noodles to the bowl.

Pour the dressing over all and mix well to coat everything.

Serve chilled. This recipe can be doubled for a larger crowd. Enjoy!

SALAD DAYS

Fresh, crisp and full of flavor! Salads just seem to taste better in the summer. Take a trip to your local Farmers Market and pick up some beautiful greens, ripe tomatoes and succulent vegetables. Put them all together and enjoy a salad you create yourself.

For this salad, prepare and assemble your ingredients:

• lettuce and other greens (spinach, arugula, etc.)
• 
  
  red or green onions
• 
  
  cherry or grape tomatoes
• 
  
  avocado

Add protein:

• 
  
  hard boiled eggs
• grated cheeses
• ham, turkey, chicken, etc.
• crisp, crumbled bacon

Add other vegetables and toppings depending on your preferences:

• 
  
  cauliflower, broccoli
• cucumber
• sprouts
• sesame seeds
• edamame
• tofu
• croutons

Dressing:

Use any dressing you prefer or offer a selection if you are serving to guests.

What is your favorite salad topping? Which dressing do you prefer for a mixed salad like this one? Leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!