Garlicky Flash Zucchini

Yep. Another zucchini recipe. This one is super simple (note the tag) and frankly there's not a whole lot to say about it. So let's get right to the point. These zucchini are cooked on high heat in a flash with plenty of garlic, leaving you with firm, flavorful squash. You know. The kind people actually want to eat.

Try serving alongside one of the following: Grilled Cuban Chicken, Jerk Chicken, or Broiled Tilapia Parmesan.

Mushroom Zucchini Quinoa Cakes

And...we're back! Our travels are done (for now at least), Caroline has moved into her new house, which I'm sure she's excited to tell you about, and I've decided that it's time to start cooking. I always go through a summer stretch of no cooking (pasta again! tomato salad again! stir fry again!), but I'm ready for some real meals. I've been working on some interesting new recipes that I'm hoping you'll enjoy. The first teaser: peanut butter and jelly will never be the same. The next: cinnamon swirl what?!

My husband can't imagine eating quinoa before these cakes entered our lives. I think I've mentioned this before, but he's not really a fan of the "new" super grain; I have to sneak it in when he's not paying attention. But hands down, this dish one of his our favorite ways to incorporate quinoa into a meal--he'll even eat them cold. I usually eat 2-3 cakes (ok, sometimes 4 if I'm really hungry) along with a green salad. If there's company coming, I add another side like Turkish Carrot Salad or fresh fruit.

Ode to Zucchini

Today as I consider what I should cook this evening to post on this blog, I am overwhelmed with zucchini recipes floating around. So I think I should post a recipe with zucchini. And let's be honest my friend gave me a zucchini that is the size of my forearm before she left town (thanks Kristi) that I need to use as I am preparing to leave town myself (headed to the Great North, eh).

So rather than posting a recipe right here, right now (which I should be doing), I am going to refer you to an assortment of zucchini recipes from our own blog. I picked my top 5 favorites (which was harder to narrow down than I thought it would be). If you don't see what you are looking for in my list, search our labels, on the right side of your screen, and you will find several more zucchini recipes to give a try.

Shaved Zucchini Salad

 

This is an easy and lovely no-cook salad that is sure to impress any dinner guests. Something about eating your food in the shape of ribbons seems to do that. But don't worry- it's not hard. All you need is a regular old vegetable peelers and suddenly your boring old zucchini aren't so boring. And remember how I mentioned uncooked zucchini are delicious in the Zucchini Orzo Salad? Well, if you didn't believe me then, you simply must try this one. 

Zucchini Orzo Salad

A few weeks ago, I had the questionable pleasure of throwing a baby shower for a friend, questionable because I'm not what most would consider a real party-planning type. I don't know if our friends realized this and therefore volunteered to share the burden or if they're just great like that, but I didn't really end up doing a whole lot. The games/prizes were planned by someone else (thank heavens!) and several of them even brought food, including a delicious pasta salad that gave me the inspiration for this one.

The thing I found most interesting about this salad is that the zucchini isn't cooked. It had never occurred to me to eat zucchini uncooked. I don't know why; it just seemed weird. Shouldn't zucchini always be sauteed in a hearty amount of butter or breaded or grilled? Raw zucchini weeps and becomes as slimy as a cucumber, but without the flavor. Right?

Penne with Zucchini Sauce and Sausage

It's the end of the semester, which means loads of grading that I've been putting off and dealing with students who are just now realizing that they're failing the class ("What? You mean if I don't turn my homework in, I won't pass the class?"). For those of you whose lives are run by semesters, you might be having similar feelings of stress, be it from the student or teacher side of things. Luckily for me (and my husband's stomach), cooking is a kind of stress relief for me. But if you don't share my passion for cooking, the end of a semester may leave you with little desire to get out of bed (or leave the library), much less cook something. This recipe is just thing for an easy, put-something-in-my-stomach type of meal.

When I asked my husband what I should say about this dish, his response was "it's tasteful and tantalizing." Not exactly what I had in mind, but sure. Mostly it's easy and good. Try it and let me know what you think. No really. Let me know.

Stuffed Zucchini (Mushrooms or Peppers)

These little babies are tasty and fun. They work as an excellent appetizer or would be great on a buffet table at a friendly gathering...and what do you know - they are quite healthy. Loaded with veggies and roasted to goodness.

I found this recipe in a book called The Occasional Vegetarian by Karen Lee with Diane Porter and wanted to try it, however, it looked quite complicated. So Kelly and I decided to simplify the recipe, remove a couple of ingredients, and give it to you. We choose to stuff zucchini, figuring they would be quicker and easier than traditional stuffed mushrooms. However, because we had a bit of stuffing left over, we grabbed a couple mushrooms and a red pepper and stuffed those as well. Overall, I think I preferred the zucchinis, but the others were also delicious. In the future, I think I would stuff all three vegetables to provide a variety of taste and textures.

Stuffed Zucchini (Mushrooms and Peppers)
Recipe by Two Little Chefs
Pictures by Caroline

4 medium zucchinis to stuff (or mushrooms, red, or yellow peppers)

Stuffing:
½ cup chopped red or yellow pepper
½ cup dried bread crumbs
1/3 cup chopped white mushrooms
¼ cup chopped red onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 egg, beaten
1 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley

Directions:
1. Cut the zucchini into 1-inch pieces and scoop out with a spoon. Try to scoop just over half of the center of the zucchini out as it will make more space for the filling, which you will appreciate in the end. Place the zucchini on a lightly grease cookie sheet. **If you are using mushrooms or peppers do the following: Pop the stems of the mushrooms off and cut a thin slice off the top of the mushroom so that it will sit flat – like a little cup. Brush the hollow of the mushroom with olive oil. For the peppers, cut lengthwise into 4 pieces and remove any seeds; then cut those quarters in half.
2. For the stuffing, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until they soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and the peppers and continue to sauté until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Combine the mushroom mixture with the bread crumbs, egg, cheese, and parsley. Stuff the zucchini (mushrooms or peppers) with the mushroom mixture; be sure to pack the mixture in tightly. (If you want, you can brush the top of each stuffed vegetable with a little bit of olive oil.)
4. Preheat the broiler. Broil 6 inches for the heat until well browned, 7 to 10 minutes, but watch closely. Remove the stuffed veggies and serve warm or at room temperature.

ps...if you are looking for a sauce to pair these with, I think that the Buttermilk Dipping Sauce included with our Fried Green Tomatoes would be fab. Try it and let us know how it works.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

The day my friend Ginny brought me a slice of this bread, I knew we would be friends. And we were. Our mutual love of food provided us with many a conversation while our husbands discussed guns and biking.

I guess this bread is really more like chocolate cake that happens to have zucchini in it than the other way around. But if you take something that already tastes pretty dang good and isn't too bad for you and then add chocolate, you know it just can't go wrong.

Grilled Zucchini Pepper Salad

Yet another way to serve September's most bounteous vegetable (I usually have zucchini coming out my ears by this point). Marinated in balsamic vinegar and paired with red bell peppers. Sweet. Tangy. Delicious.

Try serving with: white fish with orange balsamic glaze.


Grilled Zucchini Pepper Salad
Recipe from Gourmet September 2009
Pictures by Caroline

1 1/2 pounds zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 red bell peppers, quartered
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons chopped basil

1. If grilling, prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas). If broiling, preheat oven to High broil.
   
2. Toss vegetables with 2 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
   
3. Grill (or broil), turning occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer peppers to a bowl and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Peel peppers* and cut into 1-inch pieces. Cut zucchini crosswise into 1-inch pieces.
4. Whisk together vinegar, brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl.
   
5. Stir in vegetables and basil. Let stand 15 minutes for flavors to blend. Serve warm or at room temperature.
   

*I believe that peeling the peppers is supposed to allow more vinegar flavor to seep in. If you don't feel like peeling them (because, let's face it, peeling peppers can be a real pain if you haven't let them blister long enough under the heat), it will be just fine with the skins on.

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Goat Cheese

I made this salad about a week ago for a family gathering, and I was very worried about it. I was worried that the lemon was going to be too strong, that it might be too oily, or that the overall combination might be too mild. I had taken another recipe and added a few more flavors and vegetables, left out a few ingriedents, and this is what I came up with - which I admit turned out to be quite tasty. The combination of flavors is unique and although it might be surprising to find roasted vegetables on a green salad, it is good, at least that is what the family told me, and they wouldn't lie, right?

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Goat Cheese
Recipe and pictures by Caroline

2 red, yellow, or green bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 banana pepper, seeded and cut into ½-inch pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 bunch green leaf lettuce
½ to 1 cup crumbled goat cheese

1. Preheat the broiler. In a large bowl, toss vegetables with 3 tablespoons olive oil and rosemary; season generously with salt and pepper. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil; broil, turning vegetables halfway through, until tender and browned, about 15 minutes. Watch closely as they can easily burn. Let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together remaining tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Add roasted vegetables and arugula; toss well. Serve sprinkled with goat cheese.

Ratatouille (Provencal Vegetable Stew)

A good friend of mine recently gave me a large zucchini from her garden and suggested that I could use it to make Ratatouille, a vegetable stew made in France; she was also kind enough to provide me with a recipe. In the book it reads, “The classic combination of the vegetables that grow abundantly in the south of France is infinitely flexible. Use the recipe as a guide for making the most of what you have on hand.” This is exactly what I did. I replaced the eggplant with summer squash and used canned diced tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes. In the end the combination of flavors was delicious, and very healthy. I would suggest eating this with some hearty bread, or even with a side of angel hair pasta to make it more filling (not very French, but I think the Ratatouille would go great with pasta).

Ratatouille (Provencal Vegetable Stew)
Pictures by Caroline

2 medium eggplants
4-5 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, halved and diced
2 or 3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 large red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips*
2 large zucchini, cut into ½ inch slices
1 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (I used a mixture of savory, fennel, basil and thyme)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the broiler. Cut the eggplant into ¾ inch slices, then brush the slices with olive oil on both sides and broil until lightly browned, turning once. Cut the slices into cubes.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan or flameproof casserole and cook the onion over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until lightly golden, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, pepper and zucchini and cook for 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the tomatoes and eggplant cubes, dried herbs and salt and pepper and simmer gently, covered, over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and continue cooking for 20-25 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables are tender and the cooking liquid has thickened slightly. Serve hot or at room temperature.

*To add flavor, broil the peppers in the oven until the skins begin to blacken. Remove from broiler and place in a brown paper bag and set aside until cool. Peel off the skin, then remove the core and seeds and cut into strips. Add to the mixture with the cooked eggplant.

Carrots and Zucchini with Vinegar

One of my favorite chefs is Giada De Laurentiis. Aside from being Italian, beautiful, and personable, she makes fantastic food. I was delighted with her recipe for Zucchini and Carrot a Scapece (basically pickled vegetables) and anxious to try it...but then proceeded to ignore half of the directions and several ingredients. I'm sure it would have been amazingly delicious had I followed the recipe, but something about letting the veggies marinate for 8 hours didn't quite fit my 40 minute time slot and lack of fresh herbs and red wine vinegar. So I altered it and was fairly pleased with the result- a simple, warm, vinegary salad. If you have time to plan your menu in advance, look up Giada's recipe. If you're in a hurry, I'm sure this one will do just fine.

Carrots and Zucchini with Vinegar
adapted from Everyday Pasta by Giada De Laurentiis

3-4 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 medium zucchini, cut in 1/4-inch rounds
5 medium carrots, peeled and cut in 1/4-inch rounds
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3-4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute 2 mintues.
   
2. Add zucchini and fry until golden, about 4 minutes. Remove from pan.
   
3. Add the remaining olive oil and carrots. Fry about 5-6 minutes, or until slightly softened.
4. Return the zucchini to the pan and add salt and pepper.
5. Pour vinegar into pan and simmer, about 4-5 minutes. Serve warm.
   

Zucchini Eggplant Curry

Feeling vegetarian tonight? This recipe is healthy, easy and versatile. And if you're not a fan of eggplant, simply omit and increase the amount of zucchini. I would highly recommend serving this dish with some basmati or jasmine rice, rather than regular rice. But just for clarification, let me explain the differences.

Basmati and jasmine rice each have a slightly different flavor and texture. Basmati is a long grain rice that is native to the Himalaya region. It also smells delightfully nutty when cooking. Jasmine is also a long grain, but has a slight jasmine scent and taste (no surprise there) and is a bit stickier than Basmati. Usually jasmine is used in Thai recipes and basmati in Indian, but I usually use whichever one I happen to have on hand. I promise it will taste better than regular rice.

Zucchini Eggplant Curry
adapted from www.epicurious.com
Pictures by Caroline

1 garlic clove, chopped
2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 to 2 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeño chile including seeds (optional)
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon curry powder*
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 medium green zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 small eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 (13 1/2- to 14-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk, well stirred
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

1. Pound garlic, ginger and chile pepper to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt (using the back of a spoon). Then stir in curry powder, coriander, and mustard and cumin seeds.
   
2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat until hot. Then sauté onion, stirring, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add curry paste and cook, about 2 minutes.
   
3. Add zucchini and eggplant and cook, stirring, until it begins to appear moist, 3 to 5 minutes. Add coconut milk and remaining teaspoon salt and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is just tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
   
4. Serve over rice and sprinkle with almonds.

*In this dish, using a good quality curry powder makes a big difference. I suggest a medium hot variety. You might also want to check and make sure your curry powder hasn't been sitting in the cupboard for years. It starts to lose its flavor after a while.

-Kelly

Broiled Zucchini and Potatoes with Parmesan Crust

We often have trouble thinking of a good-tasting, interesting way to serve vegetables. Honestly, sometimes a green salad gets a bit old. Here is a great way to serve fresh seasonal vegetables.

The combination of the rosemary and thyme in this recipe not only tastes fantastic, but also smells great. And the buttery, cheesy goodness is just too delicious to resist!