Cones for the Cure Winner and Grilled Zucchini, Yellow Summer Squash and Red Onion with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

Hi fans!  I'm here to announce the Cones for the Cure Giveaway Winner and while I'm at it, I wanted to share a recipe for Summer's last hurrah as Fall seems to be rapidly upon us!  Oh, and in other news, we finally took the plunge and bought one of those fancy dSLR cameras so we could take lots of great pictures of our little cutie.  This also means better (hopefully!) food photography coming your way.  What do you think??

First thing's first, congratulations Kesha G. for winning the prize pack.  I've sent you an email with details on how to claim your prize.  I hope you enjoy the goodness!

Now for this recipe.  I loved grilled veggies but it never fails that when I send my husband out to grill em up, many of them end up as grill casualties when they slide down between the grates during transfer and/or flipping.  With this recipe, I skewered the vegetables for him so that they'd stay intact.  Good thing too because while the recipe said it served 4-6, I doubled it and it still only seemed to serve 4-6 which was a bummer considering I was trying to serve 10.  I made changes to the below so that you can get sufficient quantities and not be disappointed with your yield.  The flavor was wonderful so it was too bad we had to ration it...loved that caramelized flavor with the brightness of the lemon!  You can use whatever veggies you have on hand.  The farm had sent us zucchini and yellow squash so that's what I used.  I would have loved to add eggplant if we had it.  Yum!

One Year Ago: Chicken Fajita Lettuce Wraps
Two Years Ago: Foil-Baked Fish with Black Beans and Corn
Three Years Ago: Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken
Four Years Ago: Sausage, Pepper, Onion, and Green Pepper Fra Diavolo

Grilled Zucchini, Yellow Summer Squash and Red Onion with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette 

Ingredients

• 1 lb zucchini, sliced into 1/3-inch rounds 
• 1 lb yellow summer squash, sliced into 1/3-inch rounds
• 1 red onion, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds 
• 1/2 cup + 3 Tbsp olive oil 
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• Zest and juice from 1 lemon (preferably organic)
• 2 tsp spicy brown mustard 
• 6-8 large basil leaves, chopped

Directions

1. Heat grill to medium and prepare skewers by soaking in water per the instructions on your package.
2. Carefully thread the onion rounds onto prepared skewers, taking care to ensure the skewer goes through every onion ring.  If desired, thread the remaining vegetables onto skewers as well.  
3. Brush onions, zucchini, and yellow summer squash rounds with 1/2 cup olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. 
4. Grill vegetables 9-10 minutes each side, until nicely caramelized. 
5. In a small bowl, whisk garlic, lemon juice, zest, mustard, remaining 3 tablespons oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper together.
6. Place cooked vegetables on a platter, drizzle with dressing, and top with chopped basil leaves.

Source: Barely modified from Confections of a Foodie Bride

Spicy Beef and Basil Vermicelli Noodles

By facebook fan request,  I'm sharing today recipe.  I know I said I'd share it on Friday but things got a little hectic in my household.  I'll make it up to you all by sharing a decadent dessert next week, how's that? :)

This dish is where worlds collide and have a balance of ying and yang.  There's hot and spicy meat mixed together with crispy, cool raw vegetables.  The lime gives it a fresh pop while the fish sauce gives it savory oomph.  It has AMAZING flavor overall and is a bit unique to my tongue.  The closest thing that I've eaten is Singapore Mei Fun (another favorite Asian noodle dish of mine!).

This dish is more meat than noodle but you can always adjust that to your tastes.  Personally I've been advised by my doctor to make sure baby gets plenty of protein and am still watching my carbs because I reallyyyy don't want to develop gestational diabetes or have to deal with the glucose test again.  That was awful!

I highly recommend you give this one a try if you're looking for something different!

One Year Ago: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Stuffed Cinnamon Rolls and Stuffed Crust Pizza
Three Years Ago: Slow Cooker Carnitas
Four Years Ago: Szechuan Chicken

Spicy Beef and Basil Vermicelli Noodles

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef (really, any ground meat would work...I had turkey and pork so that's what I ended up using this time) 
• 1 Tbs. Chinese 5-Spice (Start with this much but add more to taste if you like a spicier, more pungent flavor!)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs. freshly minced ginger
• 3 Thai chiles, minced
• 1 zucchini, cut into a small dice
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into a small dice
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup freshly chopped basil
• 1 lime
• 3 oz vermicelli noodles
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Cook the vermicelli noodles in boiling water, then drain and rinse under cool water.  Set aside.
2. While the noodles are boiling, brown the beef in a medium skillet until cooked through. Drain most of the grease.  Add the Chinese 5-Spice and a pinch of salt and pepper and sauté another minute. Add the garlic, ginger and chiles, sauté another minute.
3. Add the zucchini and sauté another 2 minutes. Add the fish sauce and toss to combine. Add additional salt to taste.
4. In a large bowl, combine the cooked vermicelli noodles, the beef mixture, diced red bell pepper, basil, parsley, scallions and a heavy squeeze of lime juice. Toss to combine. Serve with more lime slices if desired.

Source: Barely modified from Bev Cooks

Recipe Swap: Zucchini Brownies

Today I'm thrilled to be sharing a Blogger's Choice Recipe Swap from a fellow Cincinnati suburbanite blogger, Melissa of Delicious Meliscious.  A long long time ago I had tried and posted about a Cincinnati-Style Chili which I had found through her blog.

For this swap, I wasn't sure what to choose.  The original plan was actually her Uno's Deep Dish Pizza but that was axed when I realized I didn't have enough yeast and had already done my grocery shopping for the week.  I also considered this English Muffin Bread with Strawberry Butter but darnit again with the yeast!  I never realized just how much I use/love yeasted recipes until this little delimma!  But then Tuesday rolled around and in my CSA box was a single small zucchini and a larger yellow summer squash.  It was a sign and I was being beckoned.  I was to make these Zucchini Brownies.

I had previously made this version of zucchini brownies on All Recipes which doesn't include any eggs and is super fudgey and topped with a chocolate frosting.  That recipe made me a believer and I remember I ended up raving about the recipe on the cooking message board after my first bite.  And yet...I never shared it on here...oops.  Sorry about that.  If you've never made zucchini brownies before, they're quite delightful and a nice change of pace from the (wonderful but completely overused) zucchini bread.  You can hardly taste the zucchini in them (and if you shred them finely, the visible evidence is all but obliterated) but can rest easy knowing they're loaded with lots of fiber.  

I didn't have enough zucchini so subbed some of the summer squash which worked out nicely.  This particular recipe was nice too because it used ZERO oil, butter, or other added fat AND used whole wheat flour.  The flavor of the cardamom was interesting and loved all the melty chocolate chips scattered within the brownie.  I have to admit though, that I prefer a dense, fudgey brownie and therefore the All Recipes version wins out for me...the frosting on that one also probably helped haha.

Yes, this was probably the most healthy brownie I've ever eaten but you would be none the wiser ;).  So go ahead and use that bumper crop or happily accept your neighbors extras and turn it into a chocolatey, cake-like, beautiful thing.

One Year Ago: Greek Salsa and Fussili a la Crazy Bastard

Zucchini Brownies

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 c (200g) sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 c (60 mL) applesauce
• 1 c (150g) whole wheat flour
• 1/4 c (45g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 c (~300 to 320g) grated zucchini
• 1 1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C).
2. In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, vanilla, sugar, salt, and applesauce.
3. Sieve the flour and cocoa powder into another bowl.  Add the baking soda, cinnamon, and cardamom.  Mix well.
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry flour mixture and combine until well mixed.  Add the grated zucchini and chocolate chips.  Mix again.
5. Pour the batter into a greased 8"x8" (20x20 cm) pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out somewhat clean (note: because there are chocolate chips in it, you may get some melted chocolate on your toothpick!).
6. Allow to cool completely in the pan.  Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Source: Baltic Maid as seen on Delicious Melicious

Recipe Swap: Chunky Italian Vegetable Soup

For this week's recipe swap I got another recipe from Fried Ice and Donut Holes and submitted my recipe for Chinese Chicken Corn Soup though I'm not sure yet who received it.  Guess we'll see when the hostess with the mostess does her roundup at A Taste of Home Cooking :).

This one I knew I had to tone down for my hubby's sake.  He's dealt with acid reflux for his entire adult life and is even permanently on Prilosec for basically the rest of his life.  A recipe that is nearly all tomatoes would be torturous for him so I ended up taming it a bit and making mine into more of a soup instead of stew.  Also for his sake, I omitted the eggplant (which he won't eat solely because it has the word "egg" in it...he hates eggs that taste/look like eggs) and added a healthy serving of green beans instead.  Lastly, a handful of elbow macaroni to add some more heartiness to the meal.  The result was pretty good but still too overwhelmed by tomato for our tastes.

Chunky Italian Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 (small-ish) Onion, chopped
• 1-2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 2 small Zucchini, cubed
• 1 medium Yellow Squash, cubed
• 1 Green Bell Pepper, cut into squares
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into squares
• 1 cup green beans, ends trimmed and cut in half if desired
• 1 (28 ounce) can Diced Tomatoes
• 1 (28 ounce) can Crushed Tomatoes
• 2 cups Chicken Broth (sub veggie to make this completely vegetarian)
• 1/2 cup dry red wine (optional)
• Basil (I used about 4 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons)
• 1/2 tablespoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 cup elbow macaroni
• Parmesan Cheese

Directions

1. In a large pot, add oil and heat until shimmering.  Then add the garlic and onion and saute until onions are translucent.  Then vegetables and saute for several minutes more.
2. Empty both cans of tomatoes, broth, and wine into the pot.  Add the spices and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 30-45 minutes. 
3. While the soup is simmering, cook elbow macaroni per the package instructions.
4. Put a serving of macaroni into into bowls then ladle soup over top and garnish with parmesan cheese.

Source: Modified from Fried Ice and Donut Holes

Recipe Swap: Baked Squash

I was excited by this week's recipe swap because the theme was Summer Vegetables.  Surely whatever recipe I got would utilize vegetables that I would get in my CSA share sometime during the two week swap duration.  I waited, and waited and sadly no zucchini came my way.  So, when the rubber hit the road, I decided to modify this recipe and use the beautiful yellow summer squash that nature blessed me with instead.

This recipe was fresh and delicious with all the flavor of summer.  I loved how everything I used in this recipe came from my CSA share with exception of the cheese and breadcrumbs.  Next time I get zucchini, I'll try this recipe in its original form for sure :).

I submitted Summer Corn and Vegetable Soup which was received by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks.  Check out the rest of the fresh veggie round-up at A Taste of Home Cooking.

Baked Squash

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• 1 1/2-2 pounds Yellow Squash or Zucchini
• 1 tablespoon Oil or Butter
• 1 medium Onion, chopped
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 4-6 Basil Leaves, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dry basil)
• 1/2 cup Bread Crumbs (or cracker crumbs)
• 2-3 ounces Feta, crumbled (omitted)
• Handful of Parmesan Cheese
• Tomatoes, sliced (omitted - I had already used my share of tomatoes in a different dish)
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• Extra Melted Butter (optional)

Directions

1. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and place cut side up in an 8x10 baking pan.  
2. Saute onion, garlic, and basil in the butter/oil for a few minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste.  Add bread crumbs and blend.  
3. Meanwhile, slice tomatoes and place the slices on top of the zucchini.  Sprinkle the top with feta and Parmesan cheese.  Cover with the bread crumb mixture and drizzle with extra melted butter over the top (or a drizzle of olive oil).
4. Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for about 1 hour.   If the zucchini is not tender by then, cover the pan with foil and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes.  Allow the zucchini to cool and slice.

Source: Modified from Fried Ice and Donut Holes

Summer Pasta Bolognese

Are you up to your ears in tomatoes and zucchini yet?  If you are, kudos to you for having a green thumb and hey, any pointers?  Because mine is black... 

 

I made this recipe at least three times last summer when I had a CSA share with Bergefurd's Farm.  I did not rejoin their CSA this year because they got rid of half shares and frankly, we struggled to use all of our produce last year when the harvest was abundant.  However, I decided at the last minute (ie: less than two weeks ago) to join a different CSA Summer Share with Cedarmore Farm.  It's run by an Amish family using organic methods and I've loved reading their blog online.  They did a cute "meet the animals" series where they wrote a story about each animal on the farm, their name and role.  There's something very feel-good to me knowing these little details about where my food comes from.  I pick up our first share a week from today and can't wait to cook with all the fresh veggies and enjoy succulent, sweet fruits!

 

This healthy sauce was so easy to make and I love how this sauce has a boost of veggie nutrition.  I can only imagine how wonderfully delicious and rewarding it would be to make this meal with all home-grown produce! 

One Year Ago: White Chocolate Strawberry Parfait - My kind of dessert: easy and light!

Two Years Ago: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Treats

Summer Pasta Bolognese

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fettuccine or spaghetti (3/4 box)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 pound ground turkey
• kosher salt and pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds beefsteak tomatoes (about 3), chopped or 28 oz. canned diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth
• 1 small zucchini, coarsely grated
• 1 carrot, grated
• 3/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the turkey and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, breaking up the turkey with a spoon, for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the turkey is cooked through and the sauce has slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Fold in the carrot and zucchini and simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Serve over the pasta and garnish with parmesan cheese.

 Source: Real Simple as adapted by and seen on Christine's Cuisine

Recipe Swap: Sweet Beginnings' Summer Pasta Salad

The theme for this week's swap was foods you'd bring to a Memorial Day picnic.  I submitted the uber fabulous and easy Firecracker Shrimp and received Jaida (jaire30) from Sweet Beginnings original pasta salad recipe.  As always, you can see the full blog roundup post in A Taste of Homecooking's blog.

Once again I was thrilled to be able to use up some of my pasta stash and was pleased with the way this recipe tasted.  Very light and refreshing.  The perfect complement to our burgers and dogs!  I wasn't sure about the use of zucchini or the lack of salad dressing "sauce" in this recipe but I have to say, it really worked.  It's not super flavorful (like the salad dressing types) but my-oh-my do those veggies really shine in this dish.  It'll be nice to have an alternative to my standby pasta salad recipe from my mother-in-law when I want to mix things up a bit :).

Please pardon the yellow tint to this photo.  I forgot my camera and so the iPhone was pulling double duty!  But, it's actually not half bad for a camera-phone picture, in my opinion...


Sweet Beginnings' Summer Pasta Salad
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Ingredients

• 2 cups tri-color Rotini or Fusilli Noodles, cooked according to package directions
• 2  Zucchini, sliced into ¼ inch rounds
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 cups Cherry or Plum Tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup Red Onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp fresh basil, coarsely chopped
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Olive Oil, divided
• 1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
• ½ Lemon (optional)

Directions

1. Lightly sauté zucchini using 1 tsp of olive oil or cooking spray and season with salt & pepper, then cut each round into halves or quarters.
2. Mix olive oil & vinegar together in a small bowl.
3. Toss pasta, zucchini, tomatoes, and onion in a large bowl with the olive oil mixture. Season with salt & pepper, add basil and stir.
4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, squeeze lemon over pasta (if desired), toss and serve! 

Source: Sweet Beginnings

Sauceless Garden Lasagna

Do you have an abundance of garden vegetables?  Are you looking for a light and healthy vegetarian meal?  If so, this recipe is the one for you.

Sadly, Chris (the carnivorous "each meal must have at least some meat" hubby), isn't a huge fan of this meal because 1) it's vegetarian and 2) it has feta cheese.  This means that 1) I don't get to make it often and 2) I have to make his half special and omit the feta.  But if I were you, I would make it more than just when you have an overflowing garden and I definitely would not skip the feta!  The feta is what helps hold this lasagna together.

See, the beauty of this lasagna is that it's different from your traditional meat and/or veggie tomato based lasagna and from your heavy cream sauce lasagna.  All you do is layer everything together and the juices of the veggies along with a tad bit of oil and balsamic vinegar is all you need to create a really delicious "sauce".  Like many recipes, you can adapt it to suit your veggie preferences and/or whatever your garden and Mother Nature yields for you to use.  But definitely make sure you keep the tomatoes since that's the majority of the juice bearer.  And make sure you cover the top noodle well unless you want crunchy noodles.  Blech.  Who wants crunchy noodles??

I've only made this with grocery store vegetables and it was so fresh and flavorful.  I can only imagine how fabulous this would be from home grown garden or CSA fresh veggies!

Sauceless Garden Lasagna
Printer-Friendly Version

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 5 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1/3 cup chopped red onion
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (8 ounce) package no-cook lasagna noodles
• 9 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, garlic, red onion, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, and feta cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and stir in basil, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir the mixture until evenly blended.
3. Place a layer of lasagna noodles into the bottom of the prepared pan. Make a layer of tomato slices over the noodles. Spread a generous amount of the spinach mixture over the tomatoes. (Don't worry, it shrinks a lot while cooking.)  Lay slices of tomatoes over the spinach mixture, then another layer of noodles. Start with another layer of tomatoes on top of the noodles, and repeat layering until the dish is heaped with lasagna, ending with the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle remaining cheese on the top.
4. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until noodles, and vegetables are tender. Let stand for a few minutes to set, then slice and serve

Source: All Recipes

Summer Corn and Vegetable Soup

It may not be summer but I say this soup is also perfect for Spring!  It's a light and healthy soup that makes a great meal.  The ingredients are very simple but very colorful (and colorful means healthy!).  It formed a serious symphony of mouthwatering flavor when you eat (or is it drink?...depends on if you're Asian or not haha!) this soup! 

I thought when I read the recipe that it sounded pretty good but when I tried it...wow was honestly blown away!  The picture isn't so pretty because it was in the process of cooking versus plated but don't let that keep you from trying this one.  My vegetarian friends, you know the drill: swap out the chicken broth for veggie broth and then you're golden.

One ingredient that was completely new to me was hominy.  I found both the yellow and white variety in the canned vegetable aisle near the canned corn.  I opted for the yellow one to use in my soup.  Corn seems to be the closest relative to this veggie but it's a very different texture because it's soft and kind of a bit...fluffy?  When I researched it, it said something about it being soaked in lye??  Sounds scary.  Tastes delicious.  If you absolutely cannot find hominy, I suppose you can just leave it out or sub a can of corn but it won't have the same texture and fillingness when you eat it.  So guy find and buy that hominy, will ya? :)

I can definitely see me making this soup again in the future...perhaps when my CSA share starts to roll in? Then it'll truly be Summer :).

One Year Ago: Szechwan Chicken

Summer Corn and Vegetable Soup
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Ingredients

• 4 c. fresh corn kernels or 1 (16-oz.) package frozen, thawed
• 2 c. lowfat or nonfat milk
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, diced (about 2 c.)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 1 c.)
• 1 medium zucchini, (about 1/2 lb.) diced
• 2 c. low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 (15.5 oz.) can yellow or white hominy, drained
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 3/4 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
• freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 c. fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, bell pepper, and zucchini and cook, stirring until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the hominy and the broth and bring to a boil.
3. Meanwhile, put the thawed corn and milk into a blender or food processor, until smooth.
4. Add the pureed corn and tomatoes and cook until warmed through, but not boiling. Add the salt and season with pepper. Serve garnished with the basil ribbons.

Source: As seen on and adapted by Apple A Day, Originally from Ellie Krieger, The Food You Crave

Chicken Bruschetta

We've jumped the clocks forward, the sun is shining, and Spring has returned.  Hooray!  This also means that it's time for garden fresh veggies.  Okay...a little early for the garden fresh veggies (especially when you don't even HAVE a garden!) but hey, a girl can dream and this recipe DOES use lots of delicious veggies!

Actually, there were SO many veggies made in this dish that I actually put some of the leftovers on top of my Stuffed Shells leftovers (which was already a re-make of the Ragu a la Bolognese to begin with!).  OMG that brought new life to that dish entirely.  It knocked my socks off!  I loved the veggie "bruschetta" topping so much that I think it'd be great on all sorts of things...chicken, fish, beef, pork, pasta...everything, seriously!

This was a very light yet flavorful main dish.  I love all the color in it.  Somehow color makes me feel like it's going to be healthier for you :).  Really make sure to use fresh herbs and good quality oils and vinegars since they are really what flavors this dish.  So once you build up your little bumper crop or if you're like me and just can't wait, give this one a try!

Chicken Bruschetta
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Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1.5-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thinner
• 9 minced garlic cloves, divided
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cooking spray
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 8-oz package of sliced mushrooms
• 2 small zucchini, quartered length-wise and sliced
• 2 cups chopped plum tomatoes or 14.5-oz can of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (1 small package)
• 4 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup (1 oz) grated fresh parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Remove chicken breasts from package and lightly season with garlic salt and pepper. Rub 5 cloves of minced garlic onto the chicken.
2. In a large sautepan, spray pan with cooking spray and over medium-low heat and 1 Tbsp of olive oil.  Add chicken to the sautepan and cook until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan, and keep warm.
3. Spray the sautepan with cooking spray and heat the additional Tbsp of olive oil. Turn the heat to medium.  Add 1/4 tsp salt, mushrooms, zucchini, and remaining 4 cloves of minced garlic. Saute 2-4 minutes (until zucchini is tender).  Add 1/8 tsp black pepper, tomato, red onion, basil, and balsamic vinegar. Saute 5-7 minutes.
4. Serve the vegetable mixture over chicken; sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese.  If desired, can serve over angel-hair pasta, rice, or caulirice for a complete meal.

Source: As seen on The Piggly-Wiggly Blog as loosely adapted from Cooking Light

Jamie's Minestrone

I have a confession to make.  I have a slight love affair with SOUP!  This is the receipe that started my love for cooking it.  And, ever since, I've scoured the internet for different soup recipes to try to make and restaurant soups just never quite seemed to measure up anymore.  Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall I'm making some sort of soup in this house!  They can be relatively healthy (this one is!) and by making it at home, you help control the salt content.  Plus, most soups make LARGE batches and freeze well for quick meals later.  (Note: if you want to freeze this one, DO NOT add the noodles or it'll suck up all your delicious broth!  Only add noodles when ready to serve!).  Give this one a try - it's chock full of veggies and my absolute favorite!

Jamie's Minestrone
(Source: modified from All Recipes)

PREP TIME	35 Min
COOK TIME	50 Min
READY IN	1 Hr 25 Min

SERVINGS says 4 but it makes a whole stock pot full! 

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 5 carrots, sliced
• 4 cups chicken broth (for pure vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth)
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups tomato sauce (or do 1 can sauce, 1 can diced/stewed tomatoes if chunks desired)
• 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
• 1 cup canned kidney beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can green beans
• 2 cups baby spinach, rinsed
• 3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup seashell pasta
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for topping

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large stock pot, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and saute garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots, saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add chicken broth, water and tomato sauce, bring to boil, stirring frequently. If desired add red wine at this point. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach leaves, zucchini, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, the longer the better.
3. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender. Drain water and set aside.
4. Once pasta is cooked and soup is heated through place 2 tablespoons cooked pasta into individual serving bowls. Ladle soup on top of pasta and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. 

Szechwan Chicken

For the love of spicy food and as an (Americanized) attempt at making tribute to my Asian roots, I present Szechwan Chicken. It isn't as good as Aunt Bik's recipe at Wok Inn Express but Chris and I think it's good enough to be a keeper. It's a fast meal to prepare, too!

The funny thing about Asian food (especially my family recipes) is that there really aren't any recipes! They come from such an awesomely creative line of cooks that much of the cooking is done by visualizing and tasting. Honestly, the only family recipe that I have is for Almond Jello...and I don't even think it's a "family recipe"! Ah, if only I can get my family's delicious recipes in a form that I can follow and make on my own...maybe, just maybe, I'd like Chinese food even better!

Family - if you are reading this...PLEASE(!!!) post some family recipes so that I can carry on the legacy!!! At the top of my request list: Grandpa Ng's Char Siu (BBQ Pork) Buns, Turkey Jook (Congee), Beef Tomato Rice, Wonton Mein, Singapore Mei Fun (Curry Noodles), Almond Cookies, Bolo Bao (Pinapple Buns), Don Tat (Egg Custard), Grandpa Ng's sausage stuffing, Formosa/Wok Inn Express/Gourmet Wok Egg Rolls, Wok Inn Express Sesame Chicken (for Chris lol), Ali's Pear Torte...goodness, this isn't such a short list and I'm sure there are more! :)

Szechwan Chicken
(Source: Based on All Recipes)


PREP TIME 10 Min
COOK TIME 10 Min
READY IN 20 Min
SERVINGS 4

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 small onion, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups mixed stir-fry vegetables, sliced/diced into bite-sized pieces (ex: zucchini, broccoli,
• carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms, water chestnut, bamboo shoot)
• 1 lb chicken breast, cut into thin strips

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bowl, stir together water, ketchup, soy sauce, cornstarch, honey, crushed red pepper, and ground ginger. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in onions and garlic; cook 30 seconds. Stir in chicken and cook until outside is no longer pink. Add vegetables and stir-fry until vegetables are soft and chicken is cooked throughout. Stir in sauce. Cook and stir until sauce is bubbly and thickened.
3. Serve with steamed rice.