Zucchini Boats from the Home Garden

Out of the yard, into the kitchen

My garden is starting to produce some beautiful little veggies and I’ve started looking through cookbooks and making lists of everything I want to try or revisit. I pulled a jewel out of my Mammo’s books. She answered a writer wanting restaurant style Zucchini Boats. They were simple enough but super yummy!

Start with tender skinned Zucchini because you won’t be peeling these! They will be medium in size and fresh. Boil them until they are about half cooked, 10 minutes or so.

 

So little for so much taste!

 You’re other ingredients are just bread crumbs (seasoned, or you’ll also need some Italian blend), salt/pepper, chicken broth and parmesan cheese. Now Mammo used the shaker kind in the green tube but with all the great selection we have in stores there really is no excuse to use powdered cheese anymore.

Slice your zucchini in half and use a spoon to scoop out the pulp. You’ll need to leave enough to keep a strong boat.  You’ll need to put the pulp into a strainer to let some of the juice out.

A-hoy, my little boats!

 Start chopping you zucchini pulp in to pea-size pieces. You’ll want equal parts zucchini pulp and bread crumbs. Add chicken broth a few tablespoons at a time to get it really sticky. My zucchini were right out of the garden and very moist so I only added a couple tablespoons of chicken broth for flavor.

Half zuc, half bread crumbs

Next fill each boat with your mixture. I always have to do a little shuffling to get them all the same. Then it is time to sprinkle them with the cheese. How much is up to you, but parm goes a long way so I just try to get a nice little layer on top. Now, here is a product I can’t live with out in my kitchen, Microplanes:

My favorite kitchen splurge!

 Can you tell I love them? I have my eye on at least two more but these are great! The one on the far left is what I use to grate hard cheeses and I can just grate right on the boats to make sure I have the right amount. What else do I use these wonderful tools for? Garlic, zesting citrus fruit, fresh nutmeg, chocolate shavings on hot cocoa, cheese, onion…and anything else that I can think of really.  If my Mammo could have gotten her hands on one of these she would have been in heaven.

All set!

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. You want the breadcrumbs toasted and the cheese melty.  It smells divine and I probably checked if it was ready too many times. I made these on a night my husband was gone so I ate a whole zucchini by myself and that was dinner. If he would have been home I would have made some chicken and red sauce to dip both in. This is one that can really impress your friends.  Once my company was having a big barbecue and I felt bad for my vegetarian employees and made them this with vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock. I think all the meat eaters were jealous but my veggie employees were over the moon.

Dinner!

Now a couple variations on this if you want it to REALLY be a whole meal: add crabmeat and season with Old bay instead of the Italian seasoning and it is kind of like a crabcake in a boat, add sausage and use mozzarella cheese and dip in redsauce for a pizza like taste.

 

 

 

Get Fresh – Home Garden

I have enjoyed container gardening for a few years now. I’ve given just about everything a try in a pot. My apartment porch was 50% pots with herbs and veggies. I bought a house last fall and I am very excited to create my first rightful garden. As I plan out my little plot I had a surge of energy last week and I got very homey.  I spent a couple days where I learned to make curtains from my mom, started some seedlings of veggies and made a compost bin. I’ve never done either but here is what I’m trying, let’s see how it goes!

Compost Bin

I picked up a large trash barrel to make my compost bin. I did a little research and decided on this method. I need to make some holes to let the compost breath. I’ve feeling extra sure of myself so I sneak my husband’s drill while he is at work and start work. I need a hole every 4-6 inches on the bottom and sides. It’s a lot of holes and I’m glad I didn’t try and do this with a nail and hammer.

So the name of the game is Green and Brown. I’m giving one part green to every three parts brown a go. Green items include “fresh” items like my fruit and veggie scraps, coffee grounds with the filter, grass clippings, flower blooms and the like. Brown are carbon rich items so dried leaves, dryer lint (have a bunch of that!), pine needles, small twigs, torn up cardboard, and junk mail. Now to keep it from being smelly, it really should be an earthy smell, no animal waste or oils. So I start with a big helping of “Brown”.

Brown

I added water to start the process and mixed it up really well. Soggy but not soaked. Time for some “Green”. I added some veggie scraps, then topped it off with some more brown to keep it smelling fresh. Then a lid to keep it all tight.

Green

I have a container in my fridge to throw Green items into to make sure I am taking advantage of everything without a million trips to the back yard.  Now I will need to stir it monthly. We’ll see how it goes!

And I’ve got some sprouts going! I planted some seeds and keep them wet and covered indoors to get them going. I’ve had some luck so far -

I tried two methods. I got planter soil and small containers and I got a grow kit. I’m not sure yet which is working better.

Salad worthy of Sunday lunch: Roast Cauliflower and Italian Chicken Salad

I have a confession to make. I sometimes plan a Sunday lunch so hearty that I can then eat chips and salsa or popcorn for dinner. It’s just one of those secrets adults don’t share with children. Sometimes I eat cookies for breakfast and popcorn for dinner. So here is a salad that makes all of that okay and shows your husband you are really an adult.

Season some chicken with Italian seasoning. Then get a non stick skillet going hot with some EVOO. Add the chicken and cook all the way through and looking nice and brown.

Then start roasting your cauliflower. Get that oven heated to 375 degrees. If you have never had roasted cauliflower prepare to become addicted! It is so good and will be no leftovers.  Slice the cauli in to flat pieces (flat because its what is touching the sheet that turns brown). Toss with Olive Oil and sea salt and pepper.  Place in the oven. After 7 minutes flip with a spatula and another 7 minutes. It will be nice and brown and you can eat it as is or add a little parmesean cheese on top.

Done!

Time to get the salad ready! Here’s a great tip: If you tear lettuce instead of cutting it, it won’t brown when you are storing it and stays fresh longer. Give it a good wash, and then a spin through the salad spinner to get it dry. If you have the room in your fridge for the whole spinner, then storing it in the spinner (with the excess water) will keep the lettuce fresh for a long time.

Spin!

Then see what you have that you may like to add. I went with green olives, red peppers and balsamic vinegar for dressing. Make sure you give your chicky a nice rest to keep it juicy.

Slice the chicken and then put together your salad.

It was very good and now I can eat something very snacky for dinner and my husband is happy with his full tummy.

Well, I have finally recovered for the busy holidays and work getting uber crazy. I am looking forward to sharing more cooking tips and I think I will also show you how my garden gets going. I finally live in a house and can’t wait to grow my own herbs and food. It will be a little bit before the snow thaws, and the ground is ready to be worked but it should be a good time.

Beer Bread – with just 3 ingredients it’s too easy!

What to look forward to with the easiest bread to make:

I’m not entirely sure where this recipe comes from but I think everyone in my family makes it a few times a year. I like to make it when I’m making a good soup or chili. With just three ingredients and hardly any time you can have a yummy bread. This recipe will make one loaf of bread that is crusty on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside and tastes like a sour dough bread and an English muffin hybrid. Here is what you’ll need:

This is all you need!

• 3 Cups of Self-Rising Flour
• 3 tablespoons of Sugar
• 12oz. Beer (any type, cheap works great, can or bottle)

Mix it in 10 minutes flat:

You’ll need to purchase some Self-Rising flour, it’s the only flour that will do for this bread. Here’s the dish: we are not kneading this dough, we are not letting it rise for an hour, we are not doing any of those things that makes you not want to make bread. And the secret is this Self-Rising Flour.  I can always find Gold Medal brand and it does just fine (usually I’m a flour snob, but not here!).  Put 3 cups of level Self-Rising Flour in a bowl with 3T. of granulated sugar. Then you’ll pour in 12 oz. of beer. I’ve used every cheap beer in the back of my fridge to make this, it all works, even in a can. Today all I had was a bottle, fancy.

Poor slow so it doesn't fiz up out of the bowl.

You’ll want to stir while it’s still fizzy and get it mixed well. As a general rule when the fix is gone you’re about done.

You're done when it looks like this.

Next you’ll need to put it in your bread pan. I have a stone bread pan and a metal one so I made 2 loaves and put one of each (I was kind of curious if it made much of a difference).  I remember my mom putting these in small coffee cans (metal of course). Never done that? it allows you to do a bunch of loaves and fit them all in your stove.

You’ll bake this for 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees. I like to check it around the 50 minute mark. You are looking for it to rise a bit and turn golden brown on the peaks of the dough to be done. Looking like this:

Don't cut the bread before it cools some, it will fall apart.

It will smell amazing but you’ll need to let it cool a bit. Then cut into slices and eat warm. Makes great toast! It’s so easy you just have to try it. Let me know how it goes

The Wonder that is Baked Eggs!!!

Eggs are pretty yummy in many ways. Scrambled, fried, omlette…But have you tried Baked Eggs?

It may be the easiest way to make eggs and it is oh-so-good. Start with pulling out those ramikins you hardly ever use. Depending on the size of your ramikins crack one or two eggs. Be careful not to break the yolks.

Place the ramikins in an oven safe dish that can hold your ramikins and an inch of water.

The water is important because it helps to evenly cook the eggs. Without it you’ll end up with tough edges and a raw inside. Next you’ll put 1 tablespoon of cream (if all you have is milk to works, too. Just not as rich) for two eggs. If you get a little too much in your eggs will not firm up all they way. Still yummy just a different texture.

Place in an oven at 350 for 20 minutes for solid yolks, less if you like runny yolks.

I add salt and pepper, then any of my favorite egg toppings.

This time I added home made hot sauce and cheese. The whites are fluffy and yolks are creamy buttery texture. This has been my favorite way to make eggs for a while now! As soon as you try them you’ll be hooked!

How to Save on Chicky – don’t be scared of a little skin and bones

Everyone loves chicken, right?  And everyone loves some quick ready to go meals right? Well here’s how to do it on the cheap and the quick.

Save a dime (well, more), learn to skin and de-bone some chicken

 I know a lot of people don’t like touching raw chicken let alone skin it, but you got to get over that to save a little moola and make some very yummy chicken. I found chicken drummies and thighs for 88 cents a pound. I was able to buy 8 chicken thighs and 10 huge drummies for what it would have cost to buy 3 large skinless/boneless chicken breasts. That’s a huge deal. Now, I do not eat chicken with the skin on very often so I jumped in skinning the little chickies.

Thighs (and breasts) 

 

 

 

Skinning Chicken Thighs

 

Thighs (pictured) and breasts have are super easy. The bottom left shows what it looks like to start. Just pull the skin back as much as you can and you are left with the top left. Just take a small, sharp knife and slice any membrane that is in the way. Once you get that piece off you should be left with something like what you see on the right. There are a few stray pieces of membrane and skin which you just slice right off. I usually just leave the bone in until I am done cooking. This leaves you with a super moist piece of meat to dig into.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drummies (and wings)

Drums and wings are a little trickier, but you can work your way up there.  Now, I’ve really butchered some drums before so I looked at Mammo’s books. Here is the method she wrote about and it worked great!

 Just put a long slice down the length of the drum, just like you can see on the top drumstick. Then slice a circle around the base. You will end up leaving a little bit of skin around the base, but there isn’t any meat down there anyway.

What you need to cut away

Grab one side of the slice you made and start pulling. You may need to really yank, but if you hit membrane like above you’ll need to slice through it with your knife.

And there you have some really nice pieces of meat to grill or cook. If you are grilling leave in that bone, but other wise you could slice the meat of the bone or just leave it until it cooks. If you cook slowly you’ll be able to pull the meat from the bones with a fork.

Cooked Chicky

I grilled mine, bone-in. Half with barbeque and half with a soy ginger sauce. I had grilled some ribs and then used the left over coals to grill these chickies for left overs all week. The BBQ chicken will make great sandwiches and the soy ginger chicken will go on dinner salads. I really like to multi purpose my grill on a weekend when I know I’m having a busy week.

 

 

 

 

Buy when the prices are hot

So I know what are good prices at the grocery store are good. Just to keep an eye on what is a good sale. So I loaded up on the good price, but we can’t eat that much in a week. So I got out some freezer safe zip locks and split up the chicken in meal size portions. Great tip from my Mammo: Leave the skin on when you freeze. It will keep the chicken from drying out. Built in freezer burn protection!