Zucchini Boats

I've never been much of a stuffed pepper fan. Don't get me wrong, I love bell peppers but not that much. So putting this mixture into a zucchini worked great for me. I seasoned the meat with some creole seasoning and that gave the mixture the perfect taste! You almost don't need much else with this dish since you've got the meat and veggies all wrapped up in one little package. I served it with a fresh fruit salad and it was the best!

Zucchini Boats



3/4 pound ground beef
3 - 4 medium sized zucchini
1 small red bell pepper
1/4 cup diced onion
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
Salt & pepper to taste
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Slice zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out the inside and set it aside. Lay zucchini shells on a cookie sheet.

In a medium skillet, saute the onion, bell pepper and the reserved zucchini in a little olive oil for about 10 minutes.

Add the ground beef and cook until almost done.

Add the seasonings and stir through.

Add half of the cheese into the meat mixture and stir.

Scoop meat mixture into the zucchini shells.

Top with remaining shredded cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes.

 

Our line up!

 

Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise 

and scoop out the inside. Reserve the insides!

 

Saute the veggies...

 

...then add the meat and the seasonings.

 

Add half of the cheese and stir.

 

Allow to cook for a few minutes to melt the cheese.

 

Fill the zucchini with the meat mixture. 

Top with remaining cheese and bake.

 

Zucchini boats! Anchors aweigh! 

(See what I did there?)

Good For You Chicken Soup

Don't let the name of this soup fool you because it's SO good! In an attempt to be somewhat healthy one night (HA!) for dinner, I threw together this soup for the fam. Usually I love a cream based soup but let me tell you that I didn't miss it one bit! I had TWO bowls of this yumminess without blinking an eye! This is a perfect thing to keep on hand during the colder months when you need something quick to knock the chill off. I put my spinach in using the whole leaves but if you're not that big of a spinach fan, then by all means, cut it into smaller pieces. The next time I make it, I may add some tomatoes. Whichever way you do it....just do it!

Good For You Chicken Soup



2 chicken breasts ~ sliced in half horizontally
2 yellow squash ~ large dice
1 - 2 zucchini ~ large dice
1 small red onion ~ diced
1 clove garlic ~ minced
1 cup large diced carrots
2 cups large diced Yukon Gold potatoes
2 32-ounce containers chicken stock
3 handfuls fresh spinach
Salt & pepper to taste

Season chicken with salt and pepper (I also used an all purpose seasoning).

Heat a grill pan over medium heat and cook chicken on both sides until done. About 5 - 6 minutes per side.

Remove from the heat and allow chicken to sit in the pan.

In a large dutch oven, drizzle a little olive oil then add the diced onion and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Add in the rest of the veggies, chicken stock some salt and pepper (and more seasoning, if desired) and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium and allow to cook for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are done.

Remove from heat.

Cut chicken into large diced pieces and add to the pot.

Stir in the spinach and stir to combine and heat through.

 

It's soup makin' time!

 

Season and grill your chicken.

 

Saute the onion and garlic in some olive oil.

 

Then throw in the rest of your veggies.

 

Then add the chicken stock. 

Cook for 30 minutes.

 

Finally add the diced, cooked chicken 

and the spinach. Stir and heat through.

 

YUM!

Baked Zucchini Coins

Who doesn't love good fried zucchini? I know we do! But what if you could get almost the same result if you baked them? All the flavor...none of the guilt! These little zucchini coins are so easy to put together you'll wonder why you didn't do sooner. Using all the same ingredients, you get nearly the same tasty treat! Yeah, yeah....anything fried is almost always better but why not save a few calories where you can by baking?

Baked Zucchini Coins



2 zucchini squash
3 eggs
1 cup flour
2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1/2 Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper

In three shallow dishes or pie pans combine the following ingredients:

1) 3 beaten eggs

2) 1 cup flour and salt and pepper to taste

3) 2 cups Panko bread crumbs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon oregano, salt and pepper to taste

Cut zucchini in 1/4 inch "coins".

Place zucchini in a single layer on some paper towels. Salt then turn over and salt the other side. Place more paper towels on top and allow to sit for 15 minutes so salt can draw out the moisture inside the zucchini.

Dredge coins in flour mixture, then the beaten egg then the Panko mixture. Place coins onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 - 30 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once half way through.

Serve with Ranch Dressing.

 

Okay....let's start!

 

Slice your zucchini and lay them on 

some paper towels in a single layer. Salt.

 

Place a layer of paper towels over 

the zucchini and allow the moisture 

to release. You can lay a cookie sheet 

on top to add some weight.

 

Prep your dipping ingredients 

then start dipping! First flour, 

then egg, then the Panko mixture.

 

Then lay them on a cookie 

sheet in a single layer.

 

Then bake...turning once.

 

Serve with ranch dressing!

Shuffled Vegetables

If you're looking for a yummy side dish and are tired of the same old frozen veggies on your table, then look no more. These are fantastic! Just slice and layer these vertically (does that make sense?) in the pan and throw on some salt and pepper and then some cheese. You could switch up the veggies to whatever you like but I have to say the combo of the squash and the tomato was super good! And it's so pretty! And you can adjust the amount to fit more or less people, too! And all around great side dish!

Shuffled Vegetables



1 yellow squash
1 zucchini
1 medium onion
1 large tomato
1 medium potato (I used a Yukon Gold)
2 cloves garlic ~ minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups grated Monterrey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.

Slice all veggies about 1/8 inch thick. Make sure they are all the same thickness so they cook evenly.

Stack the veggies in random order in the pan on their sides or ends. You don't want them flat in the pan.

Sprinkle veggies with minced garlic.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and sprinkle with cheese. Replace foil and bake another 15 minutes. 

 

Here's all you need!

 

Slice and dice!

 

Add the garlic then season and layer.

 

Bake for a while then add some cheese.

 

So yummy, guys!

Chicken & Rosemary Squash Soup

This little soup turned out to be so easy and so good. It made a nice pot full and served with warm french bread or crunchy croutons...it's just perfect! If you don't have gnocchi on hand, use noodles or rice...just adjust your cooking time. A really yummy soup!

Chicken & Rosemary Squash Soup



2 32-ounce packages chicken stock
2 - 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion ~ diced
2 cloves garlic ~ minced
1 cup chopped carrots
2 medium zucchini ~ large dice
2 medium yellow squash ~ large dice
1 16-ounce package gnocchi (use half and freeze the rest)
2 teaspoons dried roasemary
salt and pepper to taste

In a large stock pot, saute the onion, carrots and garlic in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes.

Pour in the chicken stock.

Add the chicken breasts and seasonings and cook until chicken is done, about 20 minutes.

Remove chicken from the pot to a plate and allow to cool. 

Add the chopped zucchini, yellow squash and gnocchi to the pot and cook until done. The gnocchi will rise to the top when done. 

Shred the chicken into large bite-sized pieces then add to the pot.

Allow soup to heat through.


 
Let's cook!

 
In a large stock pot, saute the onion, 
carrots and garlic in a little olive oil 
for about 5 minutes.

 
Dice the squash and zucchini.

 
Add the chicken to the pot along 
with the seasonings, and allow the 
chicken to cook until done. remove 
the chicken to a plate to cool for a bit. 
Shred.

 
Add the chopped squash, zucchini 
and gnocchi to the pot and let cook 
until gnocchi floats to the top.

 
Add the shredded chicken and stir. 
Heat through.

 
Enjoy!

When I went to stay with my son and daughter-in-law after their new baby was born, a family friend was kind enough to bring us dinner one evening. She brought comfort food at it's best. A roast...potatoes, carrots, homemade sourdough bread, green beans and a very yummy concoction made simply with okra, yellow squash and onions. I asked someone "in the know" how she made it and got the basic low-down. I decided to give it a try on my own. IT Guy is a huge fan of fried okra so I knew he would love this...and I was right! It was easy to throw together and we 
thought it was delicious!

Miss Betty's Dish

1 pound okra - "coin sliced", tips and end removed
2 - 3 yellow squash - large dice
1 large onion - large dice
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup flour
oil for frying

Heat a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat.

In a large bowl, combine all diced veggies.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper then the cup of flour. Toss the veggies and flour together until all veggies are well coated.

Add enough oil in the skillet to cover the bottom of the pan. Place enough veggies in the pan to cover the bottom in one layer. Allow to cook for several minutes until the bottom is golden brown. Turn the veggies over in large sections to cook the other side.

When done, remove to a plate and repeat with remaining veggies.

 
Here's all you need.


 
I sliced my squash in half lengthwise 
and then in half lengthwise again.


 
Combine all cut veggies a large bowl.


 
Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with flour. 
Toss to combine.


 
In a hot skillet with oil, 
place enough veggies to make one layer. 
Cook until golden brown.


 
Then flip it over to cook the other side. 
Repeat with the rest of the veggies.


 
Can you say yummy????

Remember my post the other day about the Loaded Potato Skins and how...as young moms...my friends and I would escape for an evening of fun? And how we'd order appetizers all around? And how one of them was fried zucchini? Well, here's my version of fried zucchini. As I was making this, my son wandered through the kitchen and said "is that ALL you're making?". I guess he knew whereof he spoke because I think we were racing to see who could get the last one. Next time I make these, I'm going to double the recipe.

Panko Fried Zucchini

1 ¾ cups fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3 – 4 medium zucchini
Vegetable oil for frying

In a shallow dish, combine the parm, panko and salt. Toss to combine.

In another shallow dish, beat the eggs.

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise the in half again. Cut crosswise so you have 8 strips per zucchini.

Dip zucchini in egg then in parm mixture and lay on a cookie sheet.

Heat 1 – 2 inches of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry zucchini strips, 5 – 6 at a time, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Heat oven to 370 degrees to keep zucchini warm until it’s time to serve.

Serve with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing.