Stuffed Zucchini that stuffed me

My husband has deemed this one "Company Worthy". That is high success, right there. I must say it was pretty tasty and easy.

Rundown:

1 lb ground lamb

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 T olive oil

2 small eggplant, diced

2 eggs

1 cup of your favorite tomato sauce, I used a roasted red pepper one

1 large yellow squash

1 large zucchini

Parmesan cheese

bread crumbs

salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 350.

Brown the lamb and saute the onion and garlic along with.

Remove from pan and add to a large bowl.

Slice the zucchini and squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the middle. Be sure to leave flesh at the ends to hold in the goodies! Chop the flesh and add to pan with olive oil and eggplant.

Saute this until slightly softened.

Add this to the bowl along with salt and pepper to taste. Dump in the spaghetti sauce and the two eggs. Mix until well combined.

Put the zucchini and squash halves into a deep casserole dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Load the lamb mixture into the zucchini & squash. Really fill them to almost overflowing. Sprinkle on a nice layer of Parmesan followed by a layer of bread crumbs.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they are browned and fork tender.

I served them up along side of some rice and it was a fine meal.

The next time I make this I will most likely use ground pork just because I usually have that in the freezer.

Note: if you are going to freeze this, do not freeze the zucchini and squash boats. Just freeze the filling before baking. Thaw overnight in fridge and them fill the zucchini and squash. Or even use this as a filling for peppers or a sauce to go over pasta.

There's what in it?

While reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle I came across a recipe for Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies. My first thought was, EEeeewwwww. Then I thought I about it, zucchini bread is good and doesn't taste like zucchini at all.

Since I just so happen to have a spare zucchini sitting around and a house of men who love chocolate chip cookies, I made them.

Actually, Gryffin and I made them. He helped measure, peel, shred, mix, scoop, lick and taste test. They turned out really delicious. They are soft and chocolaty and the zucchini adds a bit of sweet and chewy texture.

I will refrain from reprinting the recipe. You can check it out at:

www.AnimalVegetableMiracle.com

I highly recommend it.

In a pickle pickle

I am forced to relent to the over abundance of zucchini this time of year. My vegetable bins runneth over with zucchini, cucumber and yellow squash. I've pickled to the point where neighbors see me with a jar and shut the blinds and lock the doors. The latter of which NEVER happens in this neighborhood. Apparently they feel as I do, if I eat any more I'm going to be pissing vinegar and pooping vines. Therefore; this week I'm making zucchini chocolate chip cookies and canned zucchini bread. The first to be eaten, the latter to be stored until gift giving season arrives. The eggplant is being roasted with a stuffing of lamb tonight. .Oh, did I mention the three dozen free range eggs that take up prime real estate in my overcrowded fridge? I need to make a HUGE batch of freezer quiche.
I will post recipes as I make them over the next couple days.
What are your favorite uses for zucchini, cukes and squash?

Market Madness

Thank goodness for my corner market. I'm not really up for cooking dinner tonight and have enough left over veggies that all I really needed was meat. Every thing I had required thawing and at 4:30 in the evening, its not really an option. I wandered the whopping block to the market, strolled right back to the deli counter. We are lucky enough to have a hot deli as well. For about $6 you can get a meat and two sides. They also set out the heat and eat stuff like their own recipe ribs, wings, lasagna, brisket and what we are having tonight- meatloaf.
$5.50 bought us just under a pound meatloaf.
I also picked up some, as I found out, locally grown bacon. This stuff is thick sliced and actually has more meat than fat. Did you know bacon still grew like that?
Anyway, the meatloaf is in the oven and the peas and carrots just need a nuke.
I feel guilty about this 'store bought' dinner. I was planning on making zucchini and eggplant stuffed with ground lamb. Time got away from me, so did desire to be honest. Tomorrow night for sure though.

Parmesean zucchini

Today on Healthy Appetite with Elle Kreiger I witnessed her baking up some Parmesan dredged zucchini slices. Mike turned to me and said, "Take notes". I did.
Tonight for dinner we had them and even our three year old ate a couple. Mike had seconds! That's big because I think we are all sick of zucchini.

Parmesan Zucchini

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 large zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1-2 T olive oil

Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Slice the zucchini and coat with olive oil. Combine the cheese and breadcrumbs. Dredge the zucchini slices in the bread crumb mixture and place on the baking sheet in a single layer. Put under the broiler until they are GBD (golden, brown, delicious). It only takes a few minutes so keep an eye on them.

Sweet Beet Down

I took a sweet potato and two bunches of beets, one yellow, one red and fried them within an inch of their nutritious lives. Damn if they weren't yummy. Unfortunately, the other members of my family had to take my word for it because they don't keep. They lost their crispy within a couple hours. I think I will reserve this recipe for party tricks and late night chip cravings. Here is what I did:

Sweet Potato & Beet Chips

1 large sweet potato
2 bunches of beets
vegetable oil, enough to fill an electric fryer about half full or enough to fill a deep fryer
salt
spicy steak seasoning, I'd name the specific brand if they paid me to

Slice the veggies and 1/8th inch thick, I used a mandolin slicer. Heat the oil to 350 and lay out a wire rack with a paper bag underneath for draining. When the oil is up to temp, add the sliced veggies in small batches, stirring and turning frequently. The sweet potatoes turn a little brown when done, the beets you kind of have to use the curl method. When the sides curl up, they are usually done. Remove from oil to rack with a slotted spoon or spider and sprinkle with salt and steak seasoning. Serve immediately. And I do mean immediately.


I had them for lunch the day I made them. Can I just say that all the cravings of sweet, salty, spicy, crunchy and soft were met. When it comes to the sweet potatoes the middles will still be slightly soft when done but I found this to be a nice little surprise.

For dinner that night, I took the beet greens and sauteed them up in a little olive oil and garlic. They turned out really bitter so the next time I do this I will probably add a little sugar. Otherwise, they were good.

Money CAN buy you happiness!

Fair Shares for this week:

1 dozen free range eggs

1 head of broccoli
1 bunch of fresh tarragon

2 eggplants

1lb green beans

5 large red potatoes

1 bunch yellow beets

1 English cucumber

2 regular cucumbers

2 zucchini

2 yellow squash

1 large package of tortillas

6 bagels

1 package fresh chevre

1 bag of tortilla chips

and

a little over a pound of ground lamb

All of this is either locally grown or produced. Now, could you have bought all this from your big box grocery store for $50?

What do I plan to do with all this local loveliness?

The zucchini, squash and eggplants will be used in a vegetable lasagna.

The eggs will be used to make freezer quiche.

The lamb will be curried in a hurry.

The tortillas will be slapped in a crock pot for a Mexican lasagna.

The green beans and red potatoes will made into my Sausage Bean Pot, scroll through previous posts for recipe.

The chevre and tarragon will be added to a grilled chicken pizza.

The chips and bagels will be devoured all on their own.

Oh and the beets will be added to last weeks purple beets and fried up into chips.

How's that for a menu for a week?!

I will post recipes as I make them so check back.