Creamy Zuchinni and Broccolli Soup

 

Creamy Zucchini and Broccoli Soup

All you have to do is roughly chop the vegetables and the rest is easy peasy! A perfect summer or early fall soup whenever zuchinni is in abundance :) Serve with crusty bread or a salad! 

3 pounds, half zucchini and half broccoli florets, roughly chopped

1 small onion, roughly chopped

2-3 cups chicken broth*

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 clove garlic (optional)

Cook in pressure cooker on high for 15-20 minutes or simmer in pot on stove top, covered, until vegetables are very tender. Puree with immersion blender. 

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup grated fresh parmesan cheese

Salt to taste

Add cream, parmesan cheese, and salt to taste. *Add additional chicken broth to thin to desired consistency. Serve immediately.  

Toppings for individual servings:

parmesan cheese

bacon crumbles

croutons

Adapted from the Recipe Critic https://therecipecritic.com/zucchini-soup/

Baked Zuchinni Fritters

Great way to use up the abundant summer squash! Good for breakfast, appetizer, side dish, or snack!

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12 oz shredded zucchini
1 teaspoon salt

1 large egg
1/2 cup panko or regular bread crumbs, Italian flavor if you have
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder

little bit of water or milk for binding

fresh or dried parmesan for topping
sour cream, ranch, or tzatziki sauce for serving

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Spray parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray and place on a large baking sheet. Preheat oven to 400. Sprinkle shredded zucchini with salt and stir. Let sit for 5 minutes. Place in clean thin linen towel and wring out as much water as you can. Transfer to small mixing bowl and stir in remaining ingredients. Add a little milk or water if needed for binding. Form into 6-8 patties. Bake on the sprayed parchment paper at 400 for 20 minutes. Turn patties over and cook for additional 5 minutes or so, until golden brown. Sprinkle with dried parmesan cheese and fresh cracked pepper. Serve with tzatziki sauce or ranch.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	56
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1.3g	2%
Saturated Fat 0.4g	2%
Cholesterol 27mg	9%
Sodium 469mg	20%
Total Carbohydrate 8.6g	3%
Dietary Fiber 1.1g	4%
Total Sugars 1.7g
Protein 2.8g
Vitamin D 3mcg	13%
Calcium 30mg	2%
Iron 1mg	4%
Potassium 178mg	4%

Zucchini and Tomato Pasta Sauce

I wrote this recipe as result of the fact that Aldi almost always sells zucchini :) It's a great way to incorporate it into a meal and a nice variation from traditional spaghetti sauce. I make it about once a month. Very quick to prep and it can be paired with any kind of pasta!

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1 pound bite sized zucchini pieces (from approximately 2 medium)

2 T olive oil

2 T minced garlic

1 - 14.5 oz can Italian style petite diced tomatoes, with juice (or regular variety plus one teaspoon Italian seasoning)

1 - 8 oz can tomato sauce

1 T spaghetti seasoning mix

1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

hot pasta for serving

fresh parmesan for topping

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Heat oil to medium low in large frying pan. Add garlic, once it starts to sizzle, stir for one minute. Add the zucchini, turn up to medium heat, and saute stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Add can of tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasoning mix. Cover, reduce to medium low. Simmer for 5 minutes or until zucchini reaches desired tenderness. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over hot pasta noodles and garnish with fresh parmesan.

Raw Sweet Potato Sticks - Snack Idea!

The easiest and healthiest way to eat a sweet potato, raw! My friend Leslie introduced me to this idea when she had some at a party. I didn't know you could eat raw sweet potato?!?! Much like a carrot but a lot sweeter :) This is now a favorite healthy snack of mine.

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sweet potato, peeled

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Using a very sharp knife, cut peeled sweet potato lengthwise into slices and then into sticks. Store in airtight container in the fridge. Will keep for at least a week!

Crispy Oven Baked Fries

1 1/2 pound light russet potatoes (cut into french fries)

3 tablespoons canola oil

pepper

salt (kosher or seasoned)

dried parmesan cheese

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Preheat oven to 475 and adjust oven rack to approximately 5 inches below the top heating element. Soak french fries in bowl of HOT tap water for 10 minutes. Drain water and dry potatoes thoroughly with clean dish towels. 

Spread 2 tablespoons of oil over large cookie sheet (12 x 16 inches). Toss the french fries in the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread potatoes onto the baking sheet making sure the fries are in a single layer and not on top of each other. 

Bake for 10 minutes, then turn and stir fries with spatula. Repeat. Then repeat every 5 minutes until desired crispness is achieved. Total baking time should be between 25 and 35 minutes. Season fries with additional salt and dried parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Adapted from here. Main changes were reduction in amount of oil and change in location of oven rack.

Creamed Corn

16 ounces frozen corn (premium quality)

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons white sugar

pinch white pepper

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour (dissolved in cold water)

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Combine all ingredients except for flour in saucepan. Heat to low boil, stirring frequently, until corn is fully cooked. Slowly stir in flour/water mixture and keep stirring until the sauce starts to thicken. Remove from heat and serve. Note: 3/4 cup evaporated milk is half of the can. I usually freeze the other half and use it the next time I make this recipe.

Quick Refrigerator Dill Pickles ("Claussen Like")

I finally optimized my quick pickle recipe this summer and they are very close to a Claussen refrigerator pickle. You can use canning jars or clean recycled jars (i.e. jam, pickles, salsa). For maximum crunch, it is best to make your pickles within 24 hours of picking the cucumbers. This is a great beginner "canning project". 

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6-12 pickling cucumbers (depends on size)

6-8 clean pint jars and lids (or similar size)

1 teaspoon minced garlic (per jar)

1/2 teaspoon dill seed (per jar)

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds (per jar)

pinch crushed red pepper flakes (per jar)

pinch black peppercorns (per jar)

6 cups filtered water

2 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)

1/3 cup pickling salt

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Wash cucumbers, removing all thorns. Cut ends off cucumbers and cut into spears or slices. Set aside. Add spices to bottom of each jar. Fill jars with sliced cucumbers (depending on the size of the cucumber you should be able to fit 1-2 cucumbers per jar). Combine water, vinegar, and salt into large pot. Bring to boil. Ladle or pour the boiling brine into each jar until cucumbers are covered. Wipe the rims of each jar with a damp towel. Place lid on top and screw on band until finger tight. Let jars sit on counter for 10 minutes. Place jars in fridge. Pickles will be ready to eat in 2-4 days and should last for at least a month in the fridge.

Split Pea Soup with Parmesan and Sweet Potato Hash

I've always loved split pea soup, but adding the parmesan and roasted sweet potatoes just takes it over the top! This recipe uses a lot of broth and an immersion blender to make a perfectly thin and smooth texture.

Ingredients:
½ pound dried split peas
1 box chicken broth (4 cups)
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1-3 teaspoons garlic
1-2 pieces ham or bacon, optional, remove before puree

Optional toppings:

dried or fresh parmesan cheese 

roasted sweet potato cubes (400 degrees tossed with olive oil and salt and pepper until tender)

chopped cooked bacon

croutons

sour cream

Serving Suggestions:

cornbread muffins, grilled cheese, garlic toast,

Directions

Combine all ingredients in pot and cook according to direction options below. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Serve immediately with optional toppings. Leftover soup with thicken. Reheat by microwave or stove top and adding water or broth to thin. 

Electric Pressure Cooker - Easiest and Fastest Method:

15 minutes high pressure, quick or natural release. Remove ham or bacon and discard. Puree with an immersion blender.

Stove Top:

Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook covered for 45 minutes - 1hour until everything is very soft. Remove ham or bacon and discard. Puree with an immersion blender.

Slow Cooker Option: 

Cook in slow cooker on high or low for 3-4 hours, until everything is softened and ready to blend. Remove ham or bacon and discard. Puree with an immersion blender.

Updated 1-12-2020

Crispy Baked Breaded Eggplant

eggplant

three parts panko bread crumbs

one part dried parmesan cheese

Italian seasoning (about 1 tablespoon per cup)

egg

water

olive oil

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Cut eggplant into 1/2 inch thick slices. Salt the slices on both sides and lay out on a large cookie sheet. Cover the eggplant slices with another cookie sheet and some heavy books. Let sit for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 475. Mix bread crumbs, parmesan, and Italian seasoning in shallow dish. Prepare baking sheet by greasing with a thin layer of olive oil. Mix egg with one teaspoon cold water in a shallow dish. Give the slices a quick rinse in cold water and pat dry well with towels. Dip eggplant slices in egg, letting any excess drip, and dip in bread crumb mixture, pressing crumbs onto each side. Set on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown, then turn slices over and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until golden brown on the second side. Serve hot with ranch dip.

Adapted from http://www.injennieskitchen.com/2012/08/crispy-baked-eggplant/ and http://fountainavenuekitchen.com/crispy-baked-eggplant/

My Secrets to Great Mashed Potatoes

There are two points at which you can stop if you want to do some preparations in advance of your dinner. You can stop after you peel and cut them and keep the potatoes in a bowl covered with cold water in the fridge until you are ready to cook them (up to 24 hours) or you can stop after you drain the cooked potatoes and keep them in a covered bowl in the fridge until you are ready to return them to a pot to heat them up again and add the butter.

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5 pounds potatoes

1 stick butter

milk

sour cream (optional)

salt and pepper

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Bring large pot of salted water to full rolling boil. You want the potatoes to have lots of room and water to boil in. While waiting for the water to boil, peel the potatoes. Then cut small potatoes into 4 pieces, medium potatoes into 6 pieces, and large potatoes into 8 pieces. Transfer to colander and rinse with cold water to remove any dirt.

Boil potatoes, in a rolling boil, for approximately 10-20 minutes. Start checking them at 10 minutes and every 2-5 minutes after to prevent overcooking. Potatoes are done when very easily pierced with a fork but not mushy or completely falling apart. Drain water off potatoes.

Return potatoes to dry pot and return to burner on low heat. Add butter (I usually use about 1 stick of butter for 5 pounds of potatoes) and continue stirring to melt butter and to evaporate excess water from the potatoes. You want the moisture to come from the butter and milk, not from the water. When potatoes start falling apart and getting a little dry and powdery you can turn off the heat and start adding milk and continue stirring and mashing. Continue adding small amounts of milk (and or sour cream) while stirring and mashing until desired consistency is reached. Salt and pepper to taste.

Use a hand masher for 80-90% of the mashing. Then transfer potatoes to a large plastic bowl and use a hand mixer (on medium to high) and whip them for about 30 second to fluff them up and remove any big lumps. Overmixing with the electric mixer will result in a glue like texture. Transfer to serving dish and enjoy! 

Beef Stew Over Mashed Potatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut smaller if necessary

salt and pepper

1 (small or medium) onion, diced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 box beef broth (32 oz)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or Steak Sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

2 celery stalks, chopped

2-3 carrots, chopped

1/2-1 cup frozen green peas

1-3 tablespoon cornstarch (dissolved in water), optional

1 tablespoon dried parsley

mashed potatoes (from approximately 5 pounds of raw potatoes, see tips at bottom of post)

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If you are using prepackaged stew meat I would suggest cutting the pieces once or twice to make them more bite sized, since they usually come quite large. Salt and pepper stew the meat. Heat oil and butter in large pot over medium heat. Brown just the outside of the stew meat (do not cook) and remove from pot. Add onion and garlic and saute for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add broth, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and celery.

Bring to boil and reduce to low simmer. Add back stew meat. Cover and simmer for 1.5-2 hours. Add carrots and peas and simmer covered for the last 30 minutes. Add 1-3 tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in cold water to bring stew to desired thickness, if desired, or add more beef broth to thin, if desired. Salt and pepper to taste and stir in parsley. Serve over mashed potatoes.  

Adapted from Pioneer Woman Sunday Night Stew

How I Make My Mashed Potatoes

5 pounds potatoes

1 stick butter

milk

sour cream (optional)

salt and pepper

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Bring large pot of salted water to full rolling boil. You want the potatoes to have lots of room and water to boil in. While waiting for the water to boil, peel the potatoes. Then cut small potatoes into 4 pieces, medium potatoes into 6 pieces, and large potatoes into 8 pieces. Transfer to colander and rinse with cold water to remove any dirt.

Boil potatoes, in a rolling boil, for approximately 10-20 minutes. Start checking them at 10 minutes and every 2-5 minutes after to prevent overcooking. Potatoes are done when very easily pierced with a fork but not mushy or completely falling apart. Drain water off potatoes.

Return potatoes to dry pot and return to burner on low heat. Add butter (I usually use about 1 stick of butter for 5 pounds of potatoes) and continue stirring to melt butter and to evaporate excess water from the potatoes. You want the moisture to come from the butter and milk, not from the water. When potatoes start falling apart and getting a little dry and powdery you can turn off the heat and start adding milk and continue stirring and mashing. Continue adding small amounts of milk (and or sour cream) while stirring and mashing until desired consistency is reached. Salt and pepper to taste.

Use a hand masher for 80-90% of the mashing. Then transfer potatoes to a large plastic bowl and use a hand mixer (on medium to high) and whip them for about 30 second to fluff them up and remove any big lumps. Overmixing with the electric mixer will result in a glue like texture. Transfer to serving dish and enjoy! 

Summer Squash and Carrot Wheat Muffins

You can use zucchini or yellow squash in this recipe, both are great. and you can omit the carrot if you don't have any on hand. This is a fairly healthy recipe that tastes moist and delicious. I cannot even tell they have wheat flour in them. This is my new go to recipe and lately I've been making them almost every week. I have even frozen 2 cup quantities of shredded squash and carrot so that I can quickly whip up a batch.

Servings: 10-12 muffins

2 cups shredded zucchini (or 1.5 cups if using carrots)

1/2 cup carrot, finely shredded (optional)

2 eggs

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup white flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

*additional water if needed

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl combine zucchini, oil, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

3. Sprinkle flours evenly over the top and stir with a long fork until well combined.

3.Depending on how much water the zucchini releases, you may need to add some additional water if your batter is too dry.

4. Divide the batter into 10-12 muffin cups until about 2/3 full. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean.

Slightly adapted from quietcreekfarmcsa.com

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories	177
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6.7g	9%
Saturated Fat 0.7g	3%
Cholesterol 33mg	11%
Sodium 194mg	8%
Total Carbohydrate 26.7g	10%
Dietary Fiber 1.8g	6%
Total Sugars 10.5g
Protein 4g

Summer Squash Bake Over Rice

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5 cups thin sliced, quartered summer squash (zuchinni or yellow mix)

1 tablespoon dried minced onion

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

4 tablespoons melted melted butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

herb seasoning blend (fish spice or other favorite other herb medly)

French-fried onions (optional)

white rice (cooked)

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Preheat oven to 350. Sprinkle bottom of little smaller than 9X13 casserole dish with herb seasoning. Combine squash, minced onion, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, melted butter, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Pour over seasoning in the casserole dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle top with herb seasoning. Sprinkle top with fried onions. Cover and bake for 1 hour. Let sit at room temp for at least 5 minutes with lid off before serving. Spoon over white rice.

Alternate version: use 1 box stuffing mix instead of herb seasoning mix and omit all onions and rice.

Baked Tomatoes

My favorite summertime meal when our garden tomatoes are in abundance! Also works well for tomatoes from the store that aren't fully ripe and juicy, it will literally transform them!

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8 medium or large tomatoes

olive oil

garlic salt

Italian seasoning

dried Italian bread crumbs

dried parmesan cheese

fresh cracked pepper

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Preheat oven to 425. Cut top 1/4 of tomatoes off and discard and a tiny slice off the bottom if they don't sit flat. Remove very center core of each tomato and discard. Place in lightly greased baking dish. Brush tops with olive oil. Sprinkle garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and fresh cracked pepper on top of each tomato. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until very soft and starting to brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle bread crumbs and parmesan cheese on top. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or broil for 2 minutes. Serve immediately over a bed of pasta. 

Creamy Cheesy Potato and Vegetable Soup

I really like vegetable cream soups but most of the recipes I have tried turn out ok but not amazing like what you get at some restaurants. So last week I decided to make some cheesy potato soup and just happened to have some left over heavy cream in the fridge and decided to use it up instead of using regular milk like I usually do. The difference was amazing! This soup tasted ten times better than any other cream soup I have made before.

Since I basically made it up I figured I should jot down the recipe before I forgot so here it is. I used potatoes, carrots, and zuchinni, but you could use any other vegetables in place of the zuchinni like broccoli or cauliflower.

1 box chicken broth (they sell them at my Dollar Tree for $1, best deal ever, so check out yours)
about 10 small yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed (or about 2-3 cups of any cubed potato)
3 carrots, peeled and sliced into circles
1 zuchinni chopped into small bite size pieces

In a large pot bring chicken broth to boil and add carrots. Boil about 3-5 minutes. I added the carrots first because they tend to take longer to cook than the other vegetables. Add potatoes and cook until you can easily poke them with a fork or toothpick (but not falling apart, about 8-10 minutes). Add zuchinii or other vegetables and cook until tender then turn down to simmer. 

While cooking the vegetables make the Cheesy Cream Part in a small sauce pan:

1/2 stick butter
1 cup heavy cream
3 T corn starch dissolved in some cold water
1 tsp seasoned salt (like Lawry's)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1-2 cups shredded orange cheese

Melt butter and slowly whisk in the cream over medium heat. Slowly add the dissolved corn starch and let simmer until it starts to thicken, stirring frequently. Add the seasonings and stir in 1 cup cheese until melted. Slowly pour cream mixture into the pot of broth and vegetables and stir well until everything is well mixed and heated. Then add up to 1 cup more cheese and stir until well melted and mixed in.

Serve with bacon bits if you have them (even the fake kind are good in this soup).