zucchini bread

when someone gives you a giant zucchini, we make loooots of zucchini bread!

zucchini bread
makes 2 loaves

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder 
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts

Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.

Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

healthier green bean casserole

adults liked it, but I think our kids are sick of green beans. :(

healthier green bean casserole

8-12 servings

2 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into bite size pieces

2 tbsp butter or olive oil

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 cup vegetable stock

1 cup milk

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp butter or olive oil

1 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven.  Heat oven to 375°F.

Trim, cut and briefly boil the green beans. Heat a large stockpot of water over high-heat until boiling. Meanwhile, trim and cut the green beans.  Then add the beans to the boiling water and cook for 3-5 minutes*, depending on how crispy you like your green beans. (Keep in mind that the beans will cook more in the oven, so err on the side of undercooking them to your taste during this step.)  Then use a slotted spoon or a large strainer to transfer the beans immediately into a large bowl of ice water, and give them a quick stir.  This will prevent them from cooking longer.  Set aside.

Prepare your crispy onion topping.  Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter (or olive oil) in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is partially cooked but still holds its shape.  (You don’t want the onion to get too soft.)  Transfer the onion to a clean bowl.  Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to the sauté pan, along with the panko, and stir to combine.  Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the panko is lightly golden.  Remove from heat, and transfer the panko to the bowl with the onions.  Add in the Parmesan, salt and pepper, and toss the onion mixture until evenly combined.  Set aside.

Prepare your mushroom alfredo sauce.  Briefly rinse and dry the sauté pan.  Then return it to the stove.  Melt the butter over medium-high heat. Then add the mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and soft.  Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.  Stir in the flour and sauté for 1 more minute, stirring occasionally.  Then add in the vegetable stock, and stir until the flour is evenly dissolved.  Add the milk and Parmesan, and stir to combine.  Continue cooking the sauce until it reaches a simmer and thickens.  Then remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Put it all together!  Combine the green beans and mushroom alfredo sauce in the stockpot, and stir the green bean mixture until evenly combined.  Transfer to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, and spread the green bean mixture out in an even layer.  Sprinkle evenly with the crispy onion topping mixture.

Bake.  Then bake for about 25 minutes, or until the crispy onion topping is golden and crispy.  (Keep an eye on it so that it does not burn.  If it does start to char, simply lay a piece of aluminum foil on top of the casserole.)

Serve warm.  Remove from the oven and serve warm, garnished with extra freshly-cracked black pepper (plus maybe some parsley) if you’d like.

grilled chicken thighs

we keep making this to bring to BBQ's at friends' houses, and it's yum and I keep forgetting the recipe so am writing it down now.

grilled chicken thighs
6 chicken thighs
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4 tbsp olive oil

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients except for the chicken. Mix until combined.

Rub mixture over both sides of the chicken.

Place chicken on grill and grill each side for ~6 mins, depending on thickness.

stuffed mushrooms

this was super delicious!

stuffed mushrooms
serves 8

20 whole fresh mushrooms
1 cup finely chopped asparagus
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 ground paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Chop off stems of mushrooms and chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough end of stems.

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, mushrooms, asparagus and oregano to the skillet. Fry until any moisture has disappeared. Add salt to taste and set aside.

When mushroom and asparagus mixture is slightly cooled, transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in cream cheese, parmesan cheese, pepper, and paprika.

Arrange the mushroom caps on a baking rack over a sheet pan. Using a little spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until mushrooms are piping hot and liquid starts to form under the caps.

Broil on low for 4 mins and serve.

saag paneer

on a vegetarian kick, perhaps forever? 🤷🏻‍♀️

saag paneer
serves 6

2 bunches fresh spinach or 1 lb frozen spinach
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 red onion, chopped
1.5 cup tomatoes, chopped or 1 can diced tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1-2 tbsp heavy cream 
salt

1/2 lbs paneer, cubed 
2 tbsp canola oil

If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze out water and set aside. Move to next step. If using fresh spinach, bring a pot of water to boil. Add spinach and boil until just wilted (1-2 mins). Drain water and set aside. 

In a heavy bottom skillet heat 1-2 tbsp canola oil ,add paneer cubes and fry until light brown and crispy from most of the sides. Remove onto paper towel and set aside. 

In same pan, add 1 more tbsp canola oil. Add onion, garlic and cumin and saute until onions are soft. (2-3 mins)

Add tomatoes and all the spices, with 1/2 tsp salt and saute 3-5 mins or until tomatoes are cooked and oil starts to separate. 

Add in spinach and 1/2 cp water and bring to boil. Cover and cook for 5 mins on medium heat. Remove cover and puree the mixture (either with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender/food processor, and then pour it all back into the pot). Add butter, cream, fried paneer and remaining 1 tbsp oil, then cook for 5-10 mins more until very little water remains in the spinach and color of spinach has darkened. 

Taste and adjust salt. Remove from heat. Serve warm with Indian bread or rice. 

roasted spaghetti squash with mushrooms, garlic and sage

another vegetarian meal that us adults enjoyed for lunch while the kids were away at school.

roasted spaghetti squash with mushrooms, garlic and sage
makes 4 servings

1 small spaghetti squash
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
12-16 oz sliced mushrooms (cremini, shiittake, buttons)
4-6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tbsp fresh torn sage
salt and pepper, to taste
generous pinch nutmeg
1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
toasted pine nuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place facedown on a baking sheet and bake for 45 mins. (or microwave for 12 mins)

While squash cooks, heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute onions until just tender, 2-3 mins. Add mushrooms turn heat to medium and saute until they begin to release their liquid, about 5-7 mins. Add garlic and sage and continue cooking until mushrooms brown, about 4 mins.

Season generously with salt and pepper and nutmeg.

Check squash by piercing with the tip of a sharp knife to see if done.

When tender, take out of the oven turn over and let cool. When cool enough to handle, scoop out the spaghetti squash into the saute pan with the mushrooms and stir to combine. Taste for salt and add more if necessary. Stir in most of the grated cheese, saving some for garnish.

Place in a serving bowl, top with remaining cheese and sprinkling of pine nuts.

alfredo sauce with a surprise ingredient

I've been wanting to try making more vegetarian meals, and it so happens that husband also has an ailment that basically requires him to now be vegetarian (he is very sad about this!), so we're taking the plunge - and this was one meal that everyone liked!

Originally, I planned to make this after accidentally buying cottage cheese instead of ricotta, but it was a pleasant surprise as it packs more protein into the dish, and I think made it taste better.

cottage cheese alfredo
makes 8 servings

1 cup milk
1/2 cup cottage cheese (I def had more and used closer to 1 cup)
1 tbsp corn starch
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
dried basil, to taste
dried oregano, to taste
fresh chopped parsley, optional

Put all ingredients except basil, oregano and parsley into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

Pour mixture into a small saucepan and add basil and oregano. Cook over medium-low heat until heated through and smooth. Add more basil, oregano, salt, or pepper to taste.

Let cook on low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cooked pasta (we served ours with some spinach mozzarella ravioli) right before serving and let soak in for a couple minutes. Top with meat or veggies as desired; garnish with fresh chopped parsley, optional. Serve immediately.