Simple & Savory Baked Pattypan Squash

or a fresh take on a playful Summer squash

Our Farmers Market is currently filled with fresh flavors of late Summer.  Last Summer I first explored the world of pattypan squash thanks to both the community gardens that our local group initiated at the time and the wonderful farmers that contribute to our Farmers Market.  I was first drawn to the squash because of how beautifully it photographed, but it only started there.

My first experiments in preparing this little cutie was to boil, seed, and stuff it.  I loved this dish, but my husband was still on the fence so this year I continued to experiment and have found one that he truly likes.  An added bonus - takes only a handful of ingredients and utilizes fresh herbs from my home garden.  So in summary - fresh local ingredients, a light and simple side, quick and easy to make, minimal financial investment, and overall a just plain delicious dish that suits our Summer months to a tee.  Check it out:

2 medium to large pattypans
4 tbsp melted butter
4 tbsp parmesan cheese
6 leaves fresh basil, chopped
1-2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
Kosher salt

1. Slice pattypan squash into ¼ inch thick sections and remove any tough parts, i.e. stem area and base.

2. Brush the bottom of a baking dish with a coating of melted butter then layer in the following order one quarter of each of the ingredients: slices of squash, brush a layer of butter, salt, basil, rosemary, and parmesan cheese.  Repeat with 3 more layers.  Pour any remaining butter over top.

3. Bake at 400 F for 20-25 min or until the squash is tender throughout. Remove from oven, scoop, serve, enjoy!

Stress Prevention Sicilian Spaghetti Sauce: Revisited in Honor of "Can you can it?"

Can you can it?  I can!  I'm very excited to enter this in the contest on Garden of Eating's blog!!!  Wish me luck  :)  Check it out here

or It's Home Canning and I Helped!  An instant homemade meal.

Now, before you go running off at the thought of canning your own food let me lay it out for you.  This isn't your grandmother's canning.  Now I'm sure what she did was great, and the hard hours she put into it made it delicious, but much of that has gone by the wayside.  There are many tools that make it easy for you to preserve jars of delicious foods with only a few extra tools and your stock pot.  So never fear, modern home canning* is here!

Ok, I admit it, I am biased.  I love canning.  I only began canning on my own over the past year and it is already a mild obsession.  This recipe was one I created when I first started canning last Fall to make gift baskets for the holidays but my husband loved it so much that I soon had to make more.  To be honest, it was surprising how nice it was to be able able to pour out the slow simmered, homemade sauce over pasta and have such a delicious meal in the same time it takes to make a box of macaroni and cheese.  It does take some time to lovingly cook all those flavors into the sauce but just think of how many meals you'll have at your fingertips in the cupboard and it will all seem worth it again.  It took some adjusting, but I made a close replica of my Sicilian grandmother's spaghetti sauce base that is hot water bath canning safe.  And really, who doesn't want easy access to the grandmother's comfort foods?  Let the idea marinate as you read on, and maybe - just maybe - you'll find your inner strength to give it a try.

Beef bullion granules – 4 tbsp
Tomatoes - 1 can crushed, 28 oz
Diced tomatoes – 1 can, with basil & oregano
Onion – 1 large, minced
Garlic – 3 tsp fresh minced garlic
Seasoning salt
Parsley, Oregano, and Basil - 1-2 tsp each, dried
Garlic powder – 2 tsp
Tomato paste – 1 can, 12 oz
Wine – red, ½ a cup (perhaps an extra glass for the cook)
Parmesan cheese – ¼ cup, to taste

1. Get a big pot and sauté garlic and onions with some seasoning salt.  As they start to sizzle and brown soak in those savory aromas.  Once the onions begin to turn translucent it is time to move on.

2. Stir in the crushed and diced tomatoes until well blended. Bring to a simmer.

3. Now it is time to add the tomato paste, 2 cups of water, and wine. Stir until the tomato paste is incorporated in the sauce and the aroma of the red wine mixes almost seamlessly into that of the tomatoes and garlic.  Keep the pot at a simmer and add the beef bullion granules, stir until completely dissolved and start to cook down.

4. Mix in the remaining spices, adding additional amounts to taste. If you love garlic as much as I do use a more generous amount of garlic powder.

5. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring whenever you happen to be in the kitchen to prevent neglect induced bottom burning. Remember to add water as needed, and season with salt and pepper. Keep cooking down and attending to the sauce lovingly generally for about 2 hours or so.

6. Taste throughout and add more herbs or salt and pepper as needed. Separate out any that will not be canned and during the last 30 min add Parmesan cheese, stirring well. Heat all the way through.

7. If canning, prepare jars and lids according to guidelines below and complete while sauce is hot.

You did it!  Your first canning experiment is now complete, and believe me it will be worth it.  After a long stressful day at work, chasing kids around, fixing other people's problems, or just about anything else that gets under your skin, just crack open a jar, boild some noodles, and enjoy!  I love to use this in my slow cooker lasagna recipe (coming soon to a blog near you) and also adding some browned ground beef or crumbled Italian sausage for a quick meat sauce.  If you are having guests or just want to dress it up a bit, toss it wiith pasta after adding the ground meat and then throw in the oven topped with mozzerella for a quick baked dish that will taste like it took hours to make.  And of course, you can't forget the garlic bread.  With so many options, and a great back up supply, this can be a perfect go to dish for instant stress relief, but maybe that's just the Italian me.  Either way, I hope you enjoy!

Canning tomato sauce:
1.) Prepare boiling water canner or stock pot. Heat jars and lids separately in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2.) Ladle the hot sauce into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles with a non-metal utensil if needed by sliding it gently down the side. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.
4.) Place the filled jars in a boiling water canner or stock pot for 35 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.


* You have to be careful to use tried and true recipe ingredients for hot water canning or it may go bad (some ingredients can only be pressure canned, a bit more expensive process).   As long as you stick to safe ingredient combinations, the options are endless!  So let loose and let those creative juices flow; just keep in mind a touch of restraint to keep from crossing over into forbidden ingredient land.

Oh So Easy, Stuffed Zucchini

or a "hands on" approach to summer squash season

Getting vegetables into our meals isn't always easy.  You can only steam or roast them so many times before you are just sick and tired of the same thing, and the family starts to murmur of potential revolts and runs to the local burger joint.  So, to keep things a bit more lively and maintain a minimal effort I started combining meal components.  In short, yes - this recipe is a result of meal time laziness.  But, be honest now, aren't we all a little lazy at meal time once in a while? Or a few times a week... But that's not the point, what I'm getting at is this - I finally have a stuffed zucchini recipe my husband likes!  And it is relatively healthy to boot!  Double win, with a bonus of meal simplicity.  

This is quick and easy to throw together and works just as well for a casual meal main dish (just cut in half width-wise and pick up to eat) as a side to a more elaborate sit down event (cut in half width-wise into thirds and estimate 2 per adult serving). I even diced everything up and reheated the leftovers for lunch to satisfactory success, at this point you could even toss it in a pocket pita for a handheld meal.  So many options..  Just check it out:

3 medium whole zucchini
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1/4 cut sliced leeks
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp olive oil
4 oz low fat or fat free cream cheese, softened
Parmesan cheese, reduced fat
Italian breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 F

1. Brown the meat in a large pan. Once cooked, drain and season with paprika and salt.

2. Add the cream cheese to the bottom of a medium sized bowl and pour the drained meat over top. The cream cheese will start to melt into the meat from the existing heat while you cook the leeks.

3. Add the olive oil to the pan and heat. Saute the leeks and garlic until they start to crisp slightly and caramelize. Then drain and stir into the mixture in the bowl. Continue to stir the contents until it has an even consistency throughout, you may need to throw it back in the drained pan to add some more heat if using full fat cream cheese.

4. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and some of the flesh, leaving about ¼ - ½ inch wall around the outside. Lightly salt the zucchini halves and fill with equal amounts of the stuffing mixture.  Top each with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and Italian breadcrumbs.

5. Bake for about 20 min or until the zucchini is fork tender.

Healthier than Most Honey Lemon Cookies

or a reduced fat, sans cream, sweet solution to daily snacking

I don't crave sweets too often, but when I do - look out!  All I have wanted lately has been sweets, and I attribute this mostly to the fact that my sweet of choice for the past few weeks has been frozen yogurt and since I have had problems with breathing and a persistent cough I have had to reduce my "creamy food" intake significantly.  You always want what you can't have...  So it was time to come up with a "healthy-ish" non-creamy treat, but my lack of breathing has significantly limited my cooking explorations so I decided to do some research.

I found some cookie recipes that used egg beaters, or another egg substitute, to reduce fat and calories and thought - well, it's a start.  There were also many that used alternative artificial sweeteners, but I'm not really on board for that, so those were out.  There were then a number that utilized honey, both as a flavor enhancer and as a natural sweetener to cut back on sugar - ok, I thought, that's not so bad.  Add in the fact that I've mostly switched to a light butter (containing about half the fat of regular) whenever possible and I had a great place to start.  I had no idea what would happen to the texture of a cookie when I took that much fat out of the recipe, but I figured it was worth a shot.

Turns out - it worked great!  Cooking time is more sensitive because the chewyness factor of under-cooked cookies with less fat seems to be higher, but when they are cooked long enough - hot out of the oven - you'd never know they lacked that extra fat.  I was sure to taste test these later in the evening as well, just to make sure they were still good when room temperature of course, and I can assure you they are just as delicious once cooled.  I think the only addition I may make next time is to include a little lemon zest for a bit more punch of flavor.  Check it out:

2 tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ tbsp honey
1 cup sugar
4 tbsp light butter
¼ cup egg beaters
2 cups flour
½ tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp baking soda
Granulated sugar for topping

1. Cream together sugar and butter until blended and slightly fluffy. Add in egg beaters, lemon juice, and honey and blend to combine.

2. In a separate container combine flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda.

3. Stir dry ingredients into the wet until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for 30 min.

4. Roll into balls about 1-2 tsp in size. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet, add the cookie balls, cover with a second sheet of parchment and flatten each cookie only about halfway with the bottom of a cup.

5. Remove the top layer of parchment, lightly dust with granulated sugar, and bake at 375 F for 8-9 min



Nutritional information below is based on making 30 cookies from the batter (the amount that I made), but it could vary depending on how many cookies you get depending on size.

The nutritional information is from the recipe calculator on the Live Strong website in the My Plate area. I love this website and use it on a regular basis for monitoring my meals, if you enter the ingredients and portions for a recipe it gives you a nifty readout like the one below and allows you to use it to track on your My Plate page very easily.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 3 cookies

Amount per Serving

Calories 193

Calories from Fat 18.0

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 2g

3%

Saturated Fat 0.6g

3%

Cholesterol 0mg

0%

Sodium 47.12mg

1%

Total Carbohydrate 39.61g

13%

Dietary Fiber 0g

0%

Sugars 21.65g

 

Protein 3.8g

7%

Est. Percent of Calories from:

Fat

10%

Carbs

82%

Protein

7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calories needs.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/honey-lemon-cookies/#ixzz1TmTmJLPJ

Melting in the Heat

or no new recipes due to lack of oxygen...

So I do actually have a few new recipes coming up, but right now my breathing has been strained by the heat waves we have been suffering - and when my breathing is strained my brain doesn't take too kindly to writing.  So, instead, I thought I'd pass along my survival tips for cooking in the heat - cook less often but larger amounts, enjoy colder foods, and use the crockpot (slow cooker)!  This has been my strategy and it has been working perfectly, though I have realized that I need more slow cooker recipes that involve a protein other than chicken, but more on that another time.  The slow cooker dinner is always one of my favorites, for ease of meal time as well as decreased heat and overall mess.  I rounded up a few of my favorites to share with you here...

For "colder" food, I'd like to recommend sampling my no heat needed soup

Sweet Meets Savory Watermelon Gazpacho

Here are some of my favorite slow cooker recipes for your main attraction

Go with the Flow Potato Soup

Slow and Sweet Honey Ginger Chicken

Pour and Go Creamy Chicken Scampi

Slow and Savory Easy Italian Sausage

Creamy Southwest Inspired Slow Cooker Chicken

Lazy Days Faux Roast Chicken (via the slow cooker express)

And to close out the meal, there's no baking necessary with my "colder" food option for dessert

Trio of Trifles

Check out the tabs at the top for some more ideas...  Enjoy!

Lazy Days Faux Roast Chicken (via the slow cooker express)

or a figure friendly, full of flavor, and ready when you are chicken dinner

It's no secret if you read this blog that comfort foods are one of my great loves in life.  They fill you up both physically and emotionally, they bring a sense of peace to the day (if only for a few minutes), and they are just down right tasty.  But that's just my opinion, you'll have to have to decide for yourself.  Now, I am always looking for shortcuts to that "comfort food" flavor that either take out some of the effort or some of the time and what I have for you today does both of these quite nicely.  It makes the process incredibly simple and the food is prepped ahead of time so it can be waiting for you later in the day when you are ready for dinner.  Enter - the slow cooker.

The slow cooker has many merits, and I sing them out every chance I get as you may well know just by looking through some of the recipes in my collection here (see top tabs).  One interesting thing about this recipe in particular though, is that it did not come about in a pre-work prep flurry of activity like most of the ones I use do.
It came about on a Sunday afternoon when I was craving some delicious comfort food and was sufficiently lazy in regards to my desire to do much, if any, prep work.  So I pulled out my slow cooker, a few chicken breasts, some stock and a touch of butter for moisture, some onions as a physical and flavor base, a few spices for that soul warming taste, and there you have it!  So simple, so delicious.

Just check it out, I think you'll agree:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 tsp fresh minced garlic
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp crushed rosemary
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp light butter

Slurry - 2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water

Hardware: Slow cooker

1.  Toss the roughly chopped onions and minced garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker, add the chicken stock and lay the chicken breasts on top in a single layer, it's ok if the press against each other to get all snuggled in.

2.  Season the tops of the chicken evenly with the spices and place 1/2 tbsp of butter, cut in half so there are two pieces, on top each.

3.  Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.

4.  Gently remove the chicken to a plate.  Then strain out the onions with a slotted spoon and discard.  Turn the slow cooker to high, if not already on that setting, and whisk in the slurry to create a gravy.  Serve the chicken topped with a spoonful of gravy.

If you like dark meat, you can toss in some boneless and skinless chicken thighs too at the start but you may need to do one less chicken breast to fit them (depending on the size of your cooker).  This pairs perfectly with baked potatoes and some fresh steamed veggies, or even a scoop of mac and cheese for the kids - or the kids at heart.  You can adjust the seasonings as you like, I find that the combination of Rosemary and Sage really work as an earthy note of comfort but your tastes may lead otherwise.  As always - take into your home, give it a chance, and make it your own.  Enjoy!

Michigan Cherry Upside Down Cake

or a deliciously light and indulgent treat for the body and soul

Growing up, my mom used to take me and my sister out to the orchards and farms to pick strawberries, raspberries, and cherries.  We had just as many stressful memories as happy ones from those experiences, red stains from the fruit on our clothes and joking about being weighed on the way out for the berries we sampled along the way, but the happy ones will always hold a special place in my heart.  I love how I feel nostalgic and get a sense of childhood joy just being out among the cherry trees now, it takes me back to those times when my biggest concerns were finding the darkest sweet cherries possible and not getting caught while climbing the trees.  That kind of peace of mind is hard to come by, and when I can find it I try to go back there as often as I can so every Spring/Early Summer you will find me out at the orchards for at least one glorious morning - just enjoying the moment (and stocking up on "you-pick" cherries of course).

In Michigan the sweet and tart cherry season overlaps ever so slightly, providing the perfect opportunity for locally grown produce based sweet and tangy treats.  I usually try to can the sweet cherries that I pick but this year I had some health problems that started the day after our trip to the orchard so I was not able to properly process them.  Instead they were frozen (some in light syrup and some sugar packed) for further use, after I consumed a fair amount to start.  Well now that tart cherries are in season, I have managed to acquire a fair amount of those from the orchard as well and am happily well-stocked in the cherry department.  I always make my mom's cherry cobbler with the first batch of the season, and that was as always delicious, but I wanted to try something new.  

I haven't experimented with desserts in a while, so the idea was exciting to me.  One dessert that I've always wanted to rework was pineapple upside down cake - I'm really allergic to pineapple and therefor unable to enjoy this delightful looking treat.  So since I had heard that there are other recipes out there for using peaches or apples instead it got my mind to working, and as you might guess it drifted towards the piles of sweet and tart cherries I am now in possession of in my freezer.  After a slight "mistake" in application of the intended recipe, using half the original amount of butter, I actually found that it resulted in a surprisingly light and delicious cake recipe in the end.  My husband immediately declared after tasting it that I was not to share the rest "his" cake with anyone else, and that was all I needed to call this a success!  Here's what I found:

1 cup sugar
¼ cup butter, softened
2 eggs
½ tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cup cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

⅔ cup buttermilk, low fat

¼ cup butter, melted
⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 ½ cup pitted sweet cherries
¾ cup pitted tart cherries

Hardware: 1 round cake pan

1. Cream together softened butter and sugar. Once whipped smooth, add the eggs one at a time. Still using the electric mixer or stand mixer, add in the vanilla and almond extract and mix well.

2. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a separate bowl and mix well.

3. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the initial base. Mix well to blend thoroughly as you go until all is incorporated.

4. Spread the brown sugar over the bottom of the cake pan and top evenly with the melted butter. Spread the cherries over top, either in design or in another manner that equally distributes the sweet and tart varieties.

5. Pour the batter evenly over top and bake for 40-45 min on 350 degrees.  Flip out onto a parchment lined dish and allow to cool before serving.