Freezer Meal Group - March 2010

For the freezer meal swap this month I made Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup. We have not eaten it yet but boy did it smell good!

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Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
adapted from Meal Planning 101

1 onion
2 stalks celery
3 carrots
2 cloves chopped garlic
4 cups vegetable broth, low-sodium (or chicken broth)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can mixed beans
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp Italian seasoning (or 1 tsp oregano, 1tsp basil)
pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato pesto (from a jar)
1 cup macaroni

Finely chop onion and slice carrots and onion and add them to your slow cooker. Chop garlic and add. Gradually add stock, tomatoes, mixed beans, tomato paste, spices, Parmesan cheese, and pesto. If making right away, turn on low heat until dinner (6-8 hours). When almost ready to serve, fill a large stove-top pot with water and season with salt and bring to a boil. When boiling add macaroni and simmer according to package directions. Add to soup and serve.

To freeze: Combine ingredients as directed above. (Can be combined in the freezer bag for fewer dishes.) Keep macaroni separate.

From frozen: Defrost soup. Place in slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. When almost ready to serve, cook pasta for 7-9 minutes; until al dente. Add to soup and serve.

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Recipe Report - March 22 plus 2 days

Again, I apologize for not posting this on Monday. Hopefully the recipe selection below will help make up for it. Enjoy!

Sour Cream Enchiladas
This is yet another wonderful recipe from Ree (The Pioneer Woman). It was pretty simple and very delicious. I made half with corn tortillas and half with flour. They were both good. The addition of chicken would be delicious too.

Cheddar Cheese Soup with Vegetables
I enjoy making this soup. It is a great way to use up vegetables. I have made this several times, each time the vegetables were a little different and each time it was fantastic.

Leftover Mashed Potato Soup
This was a great addition to our soup recipes. It is a good use for leftover mashed potatoes.

Cherry Chocolate Cookies
I have been making these for years and they are always a big hit. I don't particularly like maraschino cherries but I like these cookies. The addition of the almond extract is delightful.

Ellie's Sugar Cookies
These cookies were tasty but not as soft as I would have liked. The almond extract in the dough was perfect to go with the rather plain royal frosting.

Royal Frosting
This was fun to use. The kids and I made some heart cookies for Valentine's Day. I took some to work to share with my coworkers and they were enjoyed.

Sugar Cookies
This is Jabba's sugar cookie recipe that I have been eating for years yet never made myself. They were easy to make and not finicky. These cookies were soft and that is what I prefer in a sugar cookie.

Powdered Sugar Glaze
This glaze played the role of royal icing but had flavor and tasted delicious. I think it was a wonderful choice to pair with Jabba's Sugar Cookies.

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Click the links below for the printable recipes.
Sour Cream Enchiladas
Cheddar Cheese Soup with Vegetables
Leftover Mashed Potato Soup
Cherry Chocolate Cookies
Sugar Cookies
Powdered Sugar Glaze
Ellie's Sugar Cookies
Royal Frosting

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Recipe Report - March 14

(Not sure why this did not post on Monday. Blogger has been a little weird lately.)

Thick Oven-Baked Chili
Yummy, yummy, yummy! A couple months ago PE and I made our first batch of chili and it was ok. Ever since then I had been craving chili. So, when this recipe appeared in my Reader I couldn't resist. I am so glad I couldn't. It was delicious. Thick, just like the title indicates and it was pretty easy to make. Delicious and easy! Who could ask for more?

Asian Orange Chicken
This was part of our Chinese New Year meal. It was pretty good other than I would have liked a crispier breading on the chicken. I have made other types of breaded chicken so I can remedy that quite easily. I would make it again.

Pork Dumplings and Beefy Chinese Dumplings
These were also part of the Chinese New Year meal. We love dumplings/potstickers and these delicious. I liked the steaming method without the frying that the Pork Dumplings had in the instructions. The frying is delicious but this is just as good and a bit easier. I made two kinds because I ended up not having enough ground pork for the recipe so I found a recipe for beef. One thing I love about dumplings/potstickers is how well they freeze then cook. We spent a bit of time making a bunch of dumplings and put quite a few in the freezer for other meals.

Baked Egg Rolls
This finished off the Chinese New Year menu. Technically the egg rolls started it. After we had all the rolls made we baked a batch and had them for lunch. Yummy, yummy. The one shortfall is I haven't found a worthy sweet and sour sauce. We purchased one at the store and ick. Double ick. I made some and it was better but still not I was looking for. Luckily the rolls were good enough to stand on their own.

Creamy Bacon Ranch Chicken Pasta
Yet another easy and delicious meal. One thing that made it easier was using canned chicken. I purchased a bottle of the Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning at the local warehouse store and use two tablespoons of that in place of a packet.

Chicken and Spinach Tortilla Bake
I had some ricotta in the refrigerator from a recipe earlier in the month so when I went looking for a spinach recipe to use up some fresh spinach from the co-op I was drawn to this recipe. I am sure glad I was. It was fantastic. I think in place of ricotta (if you happen to have an aversion to it) you could use whipping cream. Or if you like it really spicy you could use the salsa verde straight.

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Click the links below to get the printable recipes.
Thick Oven-Baked Chili
Asian Orange Chicken
Pork Dumplings
Beefy Chinese Dumplings
Creamy Bacon Ranch Chicken Pasta
Chicken and Spinach Tortilla Bake

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Soup, Laziness, and Change of Plans

In sticking with the meal plan I have made quite a few new, relatively easy recipes the past two weeks. Here are three from the past couple of days. There have been a couple of modifications. . .instead of Baked Brown Spanish Rice I made Rice Cooker Spanish Rice and instead of Pepsi Pot Roast we are going to make Pulled Elk (instead of pulled pork). I changed the rice because I was baking Lazy Chiles Rellanos and the temperatures were different and I didn't want to wait for the rice to bake at a lower temperature when it was already supposed to take 80 minutes at a higher temp. We are making Pulled Elk to take to a football shindig at a friend's house on Sunday--plans that arose after I had made the weekly menu.

On Monday I prepped everything for the week. I roasted butternut squash for the Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. While that was roasting, I blanched spinach and made cream cheese crust for the Spinach Pie (on taps for tomorrow), and prepped for the Chicken Curry (recipe to follow) I was making for dinner that evening by making a cream of chicken substitute. After roasting the butternut squash I roasted the chiles for the Lazy Chiles Rellanos. While they roasted I simmered the squash in broth and blended it with a hand blender then I put it in the refrigerator for later in the week. I then made the Chicken Curry. It was a productive day.

I had received three butternut squash from the co-op over the past month so I tried to find a recipe that sounded like it would take away some of the sweet since that is what PE dislikes about butternut squash. I succeeded (for the most part) with this soup. I didn't blend the squash, onions, and garlic as thoroughly as I could have so he encountered a few chunks that were the sweet he doesn't enjoy but said a little salt nipped that in the bud. The directions are lengthy but that is because they are more detailed. Don't let the length scare you away.

I also received chiles from the co-op this past week and wanted to use them. Once again The Pioneer Woman came to the rescue and I had a delicious recipe bookmarked that was perfect. . . Lazy Chiles Rellenos. I love Chiles Rellenos. I have wanted to make them for quite awhile but didn't know that I cared to make the individual version. So the Lazy in the title of the recipe really spoke to me. It was all I had hoped for. I even had delicious corn tortillas from the co-op to enjoy with that and the Rice Cooker Spanish Rice. The meal was excellent. PE said the leftovers were great too.

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Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
from The Hungry Mouse
Print Recipe

20 oz. butternut squash, cut up into chunks (that’s about 4 cups)
1 large sweet onion
1 clove elephant garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
7 fresh sage leaves, minced
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat your oven to 350. Line a sheet pan with foil and/or parchment paper. Spread cut squash out on your prepared pan. Add the chopped onion to the squash on the sheet pan. Next, peel your clove of elephant garlic. Slice it thinly and sprinkle it over the onion and squash. Drizzle the olive oil over the veggies on your pan. Mix the veggies up with your hands to cover them with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and fresh minced sage to taste. Pop the pan into your preheated oven. Roast the veggies, stirring a few times during cooking, for about 1 1/2 hours. You want them to slow cook and develop nice, caramelized edges. Transfer the veggies into a large-ish soup pot. Pour in the chicken broth. Turn the heat on to medium-high and bring it up to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Check your veggies for doneness. Fish out a larger piece of squash with a wooden spoon. Smoosh it against the side of the pot. If it breaks up, it’s done. If it’s hard and refuses to come apart, simmer the soup for a few more minutes, then try again. If it breaks up easily, keep going. Once your veggies are cooked through, it’s time to puree them. I do this with a handheld stick blender. (If you don’t have one, you can totally use a regular blender. Just transfer and puree the soup in batches to ensure that you don’t overload your blender.) Put the stick blender in the pot. Make sure that the head of the blender is completely submerged, or else you’ll have a splatter fest on your hands. (Remember, your heat should be off at this point.) If you can’t get your stick blender completely submerged, tip your pot a little and use the stick blender in the deep end of the pot. Blend the soup until it’s completely pureed. When you’ve blended up all the chunks of veggies, your soup should be pretty smooth. Add the cream to the pot. Puree the soup again with your handheld blender to combine it. Ladle out into bowls. Garnish with chopped chives.

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Lazy Chiles Rellenos
from The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Print Recipe

8 whole roasted, peeled, and seeded green chiles (can be canned)
1 1/2 cups Monterey jack cheese, grated
5 whole large eggs
2 cups whole milk
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 325. Mix together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne. Cut chilies in half and add a single layer of chilies on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Top chilies with half the grated cheese. Repeat with another layer of chilies and another layer of cheese. Pour egg mixture all over the top. Place into a larger baking dish or rimmed baking sheet. Pour in 1/2 inch of water and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until completely set.
Cut into squares and serve with warm corn tortillas!

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Rice Cooker Spanish Rice
from Sparky
Print Recipe

2 cups long grain rice
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp chili powder
salt, to taste

Spray rice cooker with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in rice cooker and stir. Run rice cooker cycle. When the cycle is almost completed check the rice. If necessary, add additional 1/2 cup water. The amount you need will depend on what kind of rice you use.

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Like a Virgin. . .

Margarita that is (what were you thinking?). The other night for "dessert" I made Blended Virgin Margaritas. Once I had it blended I poured some in a glass for PE then added some mango to the rest for Moo and I. PE decided to make a big boy margarita by adding a little tequila to his. We used the Lime Margarita Mix so it took two mangoes before I could even taste it. Last time we made these we added strawberries and that was quite delicious. In the future if we are going to make virgin margaritas I think we will purchase the Strawberry Margarita Mix TOO. I say too because PE only enjoys the lime version and I think the kids would like the sweet flavor of the strawberry mix better. I am not going to post a recipe for the margaritas as you simply throw some ice in the blender pour in the margarita mix then blend. More ice or mix can be added to get the desired consistency.

As to not disappoint I will post a recipe for Creamed Peas and New Potatoes. This was a favorite meal of PE's growing up so I felt a little pressure trying to find a good recipe. I knew the foundation was a simple butter, flour, milk combination; however, I struggle with seasonings and quantities especially the first time I make a meal. I succeeded the first time around producing a meal that rivaled what PE remembered and he said it was equally good the second time.

The peas and potatoes came fresh from our garden but frozen peas could be used in place of those delectable little gems from the garden. The first time we ate this I served it over toast and the second time I served it over leftover hamburger buns that I buttered then broiled in the oven until golden brown.

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Creamed Peas & New Potatoes
from RecipeTips.com
Print Recipe

1 lb small new potatoes
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen shelled peas
1 Tbsp minced onion
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup milk

Peel potatoes and cut larger potatoes in half. Skins can be left on, if desired. Place in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil for approximately 10 minutes. Do not overcook. When the potatoes are done, drain the water off and set them aside. Boil the peas and drain them when finished cooking. Set aside with the potatoes. In a saucepan, add the onion and butter. Cook until the onion is tender, but hasn't browned yet. Add flour, salt, and pepper. Stir until mixed and then add in all the milk and stir into flour mixture until all ingredients are well blended. Continue to stir and cook until the mixture has thickened and begins to bubble. Cook for 1 more minute. Add the potatoes and peas to the cream sauce. Stir until well distributed and thoroughly heated. Season to taste and serve while hot. Serve over toast.

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Baked Ziti

A couple weeks ago I was hanging out with KB and had Moo bake a freezer meal for her and the boys. They had Baked Ziti. PE and Moo enjoyed it (Bob didn't eat any of course). I then enjoyed it for lunch on Monday. The noodles were a little mushy but even with that it was delicious--I bet it was even better fresh.

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Baked Ziti
from Freezer Meal Swap
Print Recipe

3 cups ricotta cheese
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, cooked
1/3 cup Parmesan
26 oz jar of spaghetti sauce
16 oz ziti, cooked
16 oz shredded mozzarella

Blend together ricotta, egg, salt, and spinach until smooth. Stir in Parmesan. In a 9 x 13 pan, spread enough sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Layer 1/2 of the pasta, 1/2 of the ricotta, and half of mozzarella. Repeat the layers. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

For freezer: Once assembled cover with aluminum foil and freeze. To bake either defrost in refrigerator overnight and bake as directed or until warmed through or from frozen bake covered for 30 minutes, uncover and bake for 30 minutes or until warmed through.

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Big Girl Food

I made Roasted Butternut Squash & Caramelized Onion Pizza. (Doesn't it sound so grown up?). I caramelized onions--never done that before. I roasted butternut squash--haven't roasted anything in a long time. I felt like such a big girl making somewhat sophisticated food. Of course, PE didn't really like the grown up food but I guess you can't have it all. (K1 and K2 at work both enjoyed it as did K2's Hubs.)

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Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Pizza
from Homemade Happiness
Print Recipe

Squash:
2 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Caramelized Onions:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1-2 sweet onions, peeled and thinly sliced

Sauce:
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

To prepare-Spread dough to desired size and thickness and lightly toast for 7-10 minutes before adding toppings.

Squash: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a baking sheet, toss butternut squash, brown sugar, oil salt and pepper. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes and then flip squash. Bake another 15 minutes or until tender. Set aside.

Onions: While squash is baking, heat oil and butter in pan. Add onions and saute until they begin to caramelize. Cook on med-low for about 30 minutes to get them golden and sweet. Set aside.

Sauce: Melt butter in saucepan. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk, bring to boil over med-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens. Whisk in nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Assembly: Preheat oven to 425. Spread sauce evenly over lightly toasted crust. Evenly distribute the onions over the pizza. Likewise with the squash. Spread an even amount of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over squash. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is melted and bubbly.

++You can purchase a crust or you can make this crust.

++I really like caramelized onions, I can't believe I haven't ever done that before. (Of course next time I plan on getting it right the first time instead of the second.) The leftovers reheated nicely.

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Thanks for the Introduction, PE

About three years into our marriage PE introduced me to a wonderful meal. I was skeptical when he first mentioned what he was making. Doubted even more when I saw the process. Willingly took a small portion to try it. Became a believer and now crave the meal at times. What is the wonderful meal? . . . Are you ready? Meatloaf. Seriously. Meatloaf. (I don't recall eating meatloaf growing up and I know for a fact that between leaving my parent's house and marrying PE (an eight year span) I never cooked the stuff.) PE just has the magic touch with this stuff and each time he makes it the flavor just seems to get better and better. He made it the other night and I told him he was going to have to help me write up a recipe for "the blog." He kindly went slow and even measured a few things (he rarely measures anything). With the meatloaf we had Rice Pilaf.

Last night I went over to KLB's for the first of our Monday "date nights". I made Artichoke Alfredo Sauce, Red Lobster's Cheddar Biscuits (I used mozzarella instead of cheddar), steamed broccoli, and Millionaire's Shortbread. I had a great time acquainting myself with her kitchen. Hopefully I didn't misplace anything. (I am at her house for a couple hours before she gets home from work. It works out great because I can catch up on the latest episodes of Dexter and my blog posting. This is a better use of my time than driving home and back.)

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Meatloaf a la PE
from Sparky
Print Recipe

1 lb hamburger
1 lb pork sausage
2 carrots, diced or shredded
2 potatoes, diced or shredded
1 onion, diced
3-4 garlic cloves
2 eggs
2 cups oatmeal
2-3 cup ketchup or barbecue sauce, divided

Combine hamburger and sausage. Add carrots, potatoes, onion, and garlic and stir until combined. Add eggs; combine. Add oatmeal and 1 cup ketchup/barbecue sauce; combine. Spread in casserole dishes, bread pans, muffin pans, whatever you would like. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (adjust according to pan) or until almost done. Remove from oven, pour ketchup/barbecue sauce over the top and return to oven until internal temperature reaches 160.

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Artichoke Alfredo Sauce
from Sparky
Print Recipe

4 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
2 cups whipping cream
garlic powder, salt, and pepper--to taste
2 Tbsp cream cheese
3/4- 1 cup (total) grated/shredded Parmesan , Asiago, and/or Parmigiano-Reggiano

Melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and saute until tender. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add artichoke hearts and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in whipping cream, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add cream cheese; cook until incorporated. Add cheese and stir until melted. Server over pasta.

++You can use your own discretion regarding the cheese (add more or less as your tastes dictate).

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Millionaire's Shortbread
adapted from Food Network
Print Recipe

Shortbread:
1 stick butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for preparing pans
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for preparing pans
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Caramel Layer:
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 Tbsp butter

Chocolate Topping:
3/4 pound good-quality milk chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter 1 (8-inch) square nonstick pan and coat with flour, tapping off excess. Place the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl and combine. Add butter and using fork mix in until mixture resembles peas. Press the shortbread mixture into prepared pans and bake until golden brown around the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the condensed milk and 2 tablespoons of butter. Slowly bring the mixture to a boil, stirring continuously. Continue stirring over the heat until mixture becomes thick and amber in color, about 15 minutes. Pour the caramel over the cooked shortbread and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Cool to room temperature.In a glass bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate. Once chocolate has melted, pour it over the cooled caramel layer. Cool at room temperature for about 10 minutes, and then place in the refrigerator to cool completely, allowing chocolate to slightly harden but not get hard. Cut into 2-inch squares and enjoy, or store in an airtight container, at room temperature.

++I used semi-sweet chocolate chips and didn't love the taste. KLB enjoyed it though. I scraped some of it off and it did taste much better. Next time I think I will use milk chocolate. Heck, the shortbread and caramel would be just fine alone too.

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Random Sharing

Below are two great recipes that we have made in the past. The Crisp Bean Burritos are a quick and easy lunch or dinner idea. I love the Blackened Salmon! It reminds me of the Blackened Salmon we sometimes purchase at Sam's Club. Cook up some of the salmon and make your own fish tacos. A favorite combination in our family is to serve the blackened salmon in (or along side) tortillas with spinach and/or romaine lettuce, croutons, shredded Parmesan cheese, and Cesar dressing (this is a favorite in our house).

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Crisp Bean Burritos
from Sparky
Print Recipe

1/2 cup oil
5 soft flour tortilla shells
1 cup refried beans
1/4 cup cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Heat oil in a medium-sized skillet. Spread about 2-3 Tbsp of refried beans on each tortilla, sprinkle with cheese, then roll up. Fry in oil for about 15 seconds on each side. Then place on baking sheet and put in the preheated oven for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from oven and serve. Dip in enchilada sauce, guacamole, sour cream, or salsa.

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Blackened Salmon
from The Sisters Dish
Print Recipe

4 salmon fillets, ~1/2 inch thick
3 1/2 Tbsp butter
juice of one lemon
2 1/2 Tbsp paprika
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper, or course ground

Melt butter in an oven safe skillet, add lemon juice. Mix all seasonings together in a bowl. Dip each salmon fillet (both sides) in the butter and lemon juice. Dip both sides in seasoning until well coated. Cook the salmon fillet for about 2 minutes per side in the skillet, until blackened. Remove salmon and place on a plate. Repeat with the remaining salmon until all are blackened. Place the salmon fillets back in the skillet. Bake at 400 for approx. 8 minutes, until cooked through.

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Not Healthy

Tonight we had Squash Casserole and since we don't have school or work tomorrow I made Blondies. This is not a good thing. I mean Blondies are a good thing but they aren't a good thing when you are trying to eat healthier. (In our house we don't diet, we eat healthier.) All in all I think that was shot to hell this weekend anyway. Cheese (in the amounts we used it) is not healthy. Blondies and cupcakes. . . definitely not healthy. Oh well, Tuesday is another day.

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Squash Casserole
from Sparky
Print Recipe

4 cups diced yellow squash
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 sleeve buttery crackers (Ritz)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp salt
ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Steam squash and onion until tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Place squash in a bowl. In a medium bowl, crush crackers and stir in cheese. Add salt and pepper and stir. Stir half of the crack mixture into the squash. In small bowl, mix together milk and two eggs. Pour into squash mixture. Stir well. Pour into casserole dish. Top with remaining crumb mixture and bake and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until top is browned.

++This was pretty good. Not as good as the spoon bread but a good change. The skins did not soften all the way on the older squash so next time I will peel the old ones.

++Remember to reserve the water and use it for your houseplants.

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Blondies
from Sparky
Print Recipe

1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour, sifted
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/3 cup butter or margarine (melted)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat the oven to 350. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt to the already sifted flour. Then sift dry ingredients again. Add chopped nuts and mix well. Set aside. Add brown sugar to melted butter and mix well. Then add egg and vanilla extract. Mix well. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, until mixed well. Stir in white chocolate and peanut butter chips. Spread out dough in a 9-inch pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Use a toothpick or fork to test if it is cooked in the center.

++You could use any type of chips and nuts.

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The blondies are delicious! When PE will take seconds of a dessert I know it must be good.

A Cheesy Day

The kids and I had a pretty laid back day. We worked on chores, visited the local and University library for Bug. All in all, a pretty good day. (Hunting W. is bonding with nature while trying to get a deer.) This is what we had for dinner. We ate early so I think I may find a yummy dessert to make.

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Yellow Squash Puree Macaroni and Cheese
from Everyday Food Storage
Print Recipe

2 cups elbow macaroni
1/3 cup Magic Mix
1/2 cup water
1 cup yellow squash puree
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz cream cheese (can be reduced fat or non-fat)
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander. while the macaroni is cooking, combine Magic Mix and water in a saucepan. Stir rapidly over medium heat until it starts to bubble and thicken. add the squash puree, cheddar, cream cheese, and seasonings, and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the macaroni and serve warm. Tomatoes can be added. Garnish with a little paprika and grated cheese.

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Broiled Zucchini with Cheese
from What's for Dinner?
Print Recipe

1 zucchini, 10-12 inches long
seasoned salt
finely grated cheese, enough to cover zucchini

Preheat broiler and put rack into middle position. Wash zucchini and cut off ends. Cut into crosswise slices (the thinner the slices the shorter the cook time). Spray a large round or rectangular baking sheet with non-stick spray. Cover baking sheet completely with zucchini rounds, putting them as close together as possible. Sprinkle with season salt. Completely cover top of zucchini with grated cheese. Broil until cheese is browned and zucchini is tender, about 5-10 minutes depending on thickness of slices. Serve immediately.

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I may be back later with another recipe.

More Garden Goodness

Zucchini/squash is delicious! (Technically zucchini is a squash so that is a bit redundant but some of my plants said squash and some said zucchini and I used both. And now that I have mentioned it when a recipe calls for zucchini, yellow zucchini or yellow squash can be used interchangeably ) We love it. Of course we haven't gotten to the point of sneaking it onto the neighbors porches either. In truth, I have had to beg for some from my sister. My three/four plants just aren't producing as I had hoped they would. I have still had ample opportunity to try out many zucchini/squash recipes.

Over the weekend I baked Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, Zucchini Bread, and Zucchini Spoon Bread Casserole (second appearance on the menu--already a family favorite). Everything turned out great at least in tastiness. As far as looks went. . . boy oh boy you should be very glad I do not post pictures. While tasty, the cupcakes looked HIDEOUS.

K2, a friend at work, questioned me as to what spoon bread is. So, I looked it up and from what I can find, the recipe I am going to share is not technically a spoon bread as it does not contain corn meal. If you want to read more click here.

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Zucchini Spoon Bread Casserole
from Sparky
Print Recipe

5 medium zucchini, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 cup Copycat Bisquick mix
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
3 eggs beaten in 1/2 cup oil

In a large bowl, combine zucchini, onion, and cheese. Add copycat Bisquick mix, salt, pepper, and oregano. Add eggs and oil and mix thoroughly. Bake in a greased casserole dish at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. 2 cups of lobster or crab meat can be added to make it a meal instead of a side dish.

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Chocolate-Zucchini Cupcakes
adapted from allrecipes.com
Print Recipe

2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat eggs with sugar for about 10 minutes or until thickened and pale. Blend oil and cooled chocolate into the beaten egg mixture. In a small bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir flour mixture into egg mixture until just blended. Stir in zucchini and mini chocolate chips. Using an ice-cream scoop, spoon batter into 24 paper-lined or greased muffin cups, filling the cups 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; let cool completely. Spread with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting and garnish with walnuts.


Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick) at room temperature
4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder

Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Mix in powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Mix in cocoa powder. Spread or pipe onto Chocolate-Zucchini Cupcakes.

These looked hideous because they sort of spread out and then sunk. I have a few theories as to why that occurred and I will be making these again so I will let you know if they look less hideous next time. Of course I will also have to greatly improve upon my frosting technique by then too.

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Zucchini Bread
from Sparky
Print Recipe

3 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups raw, peeled, grated zucchini
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 loaf pans. (9 x 5 pans are fine too, the loaves will just be a little shorter.) Beat eggs in a large bowl with electric mixer until foamy. Add oil, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in zucchini. Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add into zucchini mixture and beat on low until combined. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Run a butter knife around the edge of the loaves, cool for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

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Everything was delicious and again it was nice to use items from my garden, not to mention it is easier to justify eating a chocolate cupcake when it has zucchini in it. Best thing of all is I can get Bob to eat zucchini when it is in bread or cupcakes. Now I just need to figure out something like that for broccoli.

Have a great day!