My daughter got one of those new spiralizer toys, and one of the first things she did was cut up a some good sized zucchini
Which turned out to be more than she could use on her own, so she brought me a bag full
This is what I did with it, and it was so good that I'm thinking I might want one of those tools for my house!
Ingredients:
1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage
10 ounces spiralized zucchini
1/4 medium green bell pepper diced
2 green onions finely sliced
1 clove garlic minced
6 thinly sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 large tomato diced
2 tbls olive oil
2 tsp dry basil
1 tbls dry parsley
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)
In a large heavy skillet over medium high heat, break up and brown the sausage, drain off any meat fat and set meat aside
Heat olive oil and lightly saute the bell peppers, onions and garlic
Add mushrooms and heat until soft
Return sausage to the pan, add tomatoes, zucchini, basil, parsley and pepper flakes
Reduce heat and cover to heat zucchini and tomatoes through
Serve with Parmesan cheese and additional red pepper flakes for garnish
Great with crusty bread!
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Spaghetti Squash cassarole
This summer the garden included something that none of us had ever tried before, but because that particular patch of dirt seems to grow squash really well, it seemed a safe bet.
The first harvest of the spaghetti squash was done a couple of weeks ago, and I'm just now getting around to posting this recipe, which was a rousing success!
This is one of those processes that takes a long prep time unless you pre-cook the squash at another time, but after that is done this is a pretty quick meal
Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash (about 3 pounds)
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cups fresh spinach
1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 pint of hand canned tomatoes (or a 15 oz can)
1/2 tsp minced garlic
3 to 4 green onions
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
The Process:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise (this takes some strength and a heavy sharp knife -- be careful!)
Scrape out the seeds and put the squash cut side down in a baking pan, add enough water to about 1/2 inch deep and bake for 50 to 60 minutes
While the squash is baking, combine the tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, parsley, basil, black pepper and crushed red pepper in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
When the squash is done, remove from oven, increase oven temperature to 400 degrees
Use a thick towel on a cutting board to hold the squash shell, scrape out the squash "threads" with a fork and set aside (I only used half of one 3 pound squash for this recipe, store the other half of the threads in a plastic bag in the refrigerator or freezer for later use)
In a large saute pan that can be put into the oven, heat the olive oil. Scramble fry the sausage until browned, pour off most of the fat.
Add mushrooms and green onions and saute until soft. Stir in squash, tomato sauce and spinach, cook until spinach is wilted.
Spread cheese over the top and bake for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and lightly browned.
Serve with good Italian bread.
The left overs (if any!) heat well in the microwave and taste as good as the original.
The first harvest of the spaghetti squash was done a couple of weeks ago, and I'm just now getting around to posting this recipe, which was a rousing success!
This is one of those processes that takes a long prep time unless you pre-cook the squash at another time, but after that is done this is a pretty quick meal
Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash (about 3 pounds)
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cups fresh spinach
1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 pint of hand canned tomatoes (or a 15 oz can)
1/2 tsp minced garlic
3 to 4 green onions
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
The Process:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise (this takes some strength and a heavy sharp knife -- be careful!)
Scrape out the seeds and put the squash cut side down in a baking pan, add enough water to about 1/2 inch deep and bake for 50 to 60 minutes
While the squash is baking, combine the tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, parsley, basil, black pepper and crushed red pepper in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
When the squash is done, remove from oven, increase oven temperature to 400 degrees
Use a thick towel on a cutting board to hold the squash shell, scrape out the squash "threads" with a fork and set aside (I only used half of one 3 pound squash for this recipe, store the other half of the threads in a plastic bag in the refrigerator or freezer for later use)
In a large saute pan that can be put into the oven, heat the olive oil. Scramble fry the sausage until browned, pour off most of the fat.
Add mushrooms and green onions and saute until soft. Stir in squash, tomato sauce and spinach, cook until spinach is wilted.
Spread cheese over the top and bake for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and lightly browned.
Serve with good Italian bread.
The left overs (if any!) heat well in the microwave and taste as good as the original.
Wednesday, November 07, 2012
Zucchini Bread
while my garden took a real beating over the summer, my neighbor had some surplus, so there was still zucchini for turning into bread!
in the past I had used a standard recipe, but most all of them call for a cup of oil, which is just way more than I think is healthy
I've been doing some fiddling around with the recipes, and this loaf has been judged a success!
here then is the recipe:
the Dry ingredients:
2 cups flour
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips
the Wet ingredients:
1 whole egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbls canola oil
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cup shredded zucchini
Preheat over to 325 degrees
combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well
combine the wet ingredients in a smaller bowl and mix well
add wet ingredients into dry ingredients, stir until just blended
pour into 9x5 greased loaf pan
bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely before cutting
in the past I had used a standard recipe, but most all of them call for a cup of oil, which is just way more than I think is healthy
I've been doing some fiddling around with the recipes, and this loaf has been judged a success!
here then is the recipe:
the Dry ingredients:
2 cups flour
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips
the Wet ingredients:
1 whole egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbls canola oil
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cup shredded zucchini
Preheat over to 325 degrees
combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well
combine the wet ingredients in a smaller bowl and mix well
add wet ingredients into dry ingredients, stir until just blended
pour into 9x5 greased loaf pan
bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely before cutting
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Eggplant Lasagna
I love lasagna
trouble is, it's something that the DH has never been that fond of, and now days, as he has to decide just where he's willing to use his carbohydrate allowance, it's too carb heavy for him to eat
but we recently discovered a new way to make a lasagna that not only is okay for him to eat, but he really likes too
Here's the ingredient list:
2 medium egg plants
2 cups pasta sauce
1/4 pound Italian sausage (about 1 link)
1/2 pound ground beef
2 eggs
1 15 ounce container of ricotta cheese
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
sea salt
olive oil
cooking spray
Begin by preparing the eggplant
preheat the oven to 400 degrees, put parchment paper on 2 cookie sheets
peel the eggplants and slice them in 1/4 inch slices
brush both sides of slices lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt
roast in preheated oven for 20 minutes
While the eggplant is roasting, brown the sausage and the ground beef in a skillet, drain off the fat
pour the pasta sauce into the skillet and heat
in a bowl, beat 2 eggs. add the ricotta cheese, 6 ounces of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and mix well
To assemble the lasagna
Spray a 9 inch square Pyrex pan with cooking spray
put a small amount of sauce in the bottom of the pan
arrange a layer of roasted eggplant over the sauce
use about a tablespoon of the egg/cheese mixture on top of each slice of eggplant and top with sauce
repeat these layers until all of the eggplant has been used
top the final layer of sauce with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
trouble is, it's something that the DH has never been that fond of, and now days, as he has to decide just where he's willing to use his carbohydrate allowance, it's too carb heavy for him to eat
but we recently discovered a new way to make a lasagna that not only is okay for him to eat, but he really likes too
Here's the ingredient list:
2 medium egg plants
2 cups pasta sauce
1/4 pound Italian sausage (about 1 link)
1/2 pound ground beef
2 eggs
1 15 ounce container of ricotta cheese
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
sea salt
olive oil
cooking spray
Begin by preparing the eggplant
preheat the oven to 400 degrees, put parchment paper on 2 cookie sheets
peel the eggplants and slice them in 1/4 inch slices
brush both sides of slices lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt
roast in preheated oven for 20 minutes
While the eggplant is roasting, brown the sausage and the ground beef in a skillet, drain off the fat
pour the pasta sauce into the skillet and heat
in a bowl, beat 2 eggs. add the ricotta cheese, 6 ounces of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and mix well
To assemble the lasagna
Spray a 9 inch square Pyrex pan with cooking spray
put a small amount of sauce in the bottom of the pan
arrange a layer of roasted eggplant over the sauce
use about a tablespoon of the egg/cheese mixture on top of each slice of eggplant and top with sauce
repeat these layers until all of the eggplant has been used
top the final layer of sauce with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
Monday, November 21, 2011
Pumpkin Butchering 101
we grew pumpkins in our garden this year
this was the biggest one -- it weighed 10 pounds 8 ounces
the whole point of growing these was to make them into pies!
to get from here to pie, there is some work involved
and here are the step by step instructions
Step 1:
turn on the oven to 350 degrees
cover a jelly roll pan with parchment paper
don't try to do this on a pan that isn't at least an inch deep because there will be a lot of liquid that comes out as it cooks
the parchment paper isn't absolutely required, but it does make the clean up a lot easier
Step 2:
remove the stem of the pumpkin -- this is usually as easy as just hitting it from the side with your hand -- it should just pop loose from the top of the pumpkin
lay the pumpkin on its side and using a large sharp knife, cut it in half crosswise
this pumpkin was so thick that we couldn't just push the knife through with our hands -- we used a hammer on the back of the blade to push the knife through -- just keep tapping around the center of the pumpkin until the knife goes all the way through
this was probably one of the thickest walled pumpkins we have ever encountered!
no wonder we couldn't push the knife through the side
(and its a good thing we didn't try to make this one into a jack-o-lantern -- it would have been a really hard one to carve!)
Step 3:
clean all of the seeds and the stringy stuff out of the inside of the pumpkin
we used a large serving spoon first, then after most of the stuff had been removed, I used the sharp edge of a grapefruit spoon to do the fine cleaning of the inside
the center cavity should look like this when you get it all cleaned out
Step 4:
place the two halves of the pumpkin cut side down on the prepared baking sheet
if you are going smaller pumpkins than this, you can probably do two on a jelly roll pan
put the pan in the oven
to do 2 small pumpkins it will take about an hour
a larger pumpkin will take about 90 minutes
this one cooked for a little over 2 hours
test the doneness of the pumpkin by pressing your finger into the side
if it springs back, it's not done yet
the pumpkin is ready when the finger mark stays in the side like this
when the pumpkin is done, take the pan out of the oven and set it on a heatproof or heat protected surface (we set the pan on a thick layer of towels on the kitchen counter)
let it cool until you can handle it comfortably
Step 5:
line a large colander with a clean dish towel (not terry)
using a small sharp paring knife, peel the skin off of the pumpkin and put the "meat" into the towel lined colander
when all the pumpkin has been put into the towel, gather up the top of the towel and twist it tightly to squeeze the liquid out of the pumpkin
put the twisted towel back into the colander, set a plate on top of it and put something heavy on top (I used a gallon jug of vinegar that was about 2/3 full, but several cans of black beans or other veggies will work just fine)
be sure to put something absorbent under the colander and contain the whole set up -- I used the same jelly roll pan with an old bath towel folded up inside
let this whole set up rest for at least an hour
Step 6:
remove the weight and the plate and open up the towel
pack your prepared pumpkin in the desired size containers (I used quart zip top bags) and remember to label with what the contents are, how much is in the container and a date
these can then be frozen or just refrigerated if you're going to use it within a few days
these two bags will get turned into pies on Wednesday
need a good pie recipe to use this in? try this one
this was the biggest one -- it weighed 10 pounds 8 ounces
the whole point of growing these was to make them into pies!
to get from here to pie, there is some work involved
and here are the step by step instructions
Step 1:
turn on the oven to 350 degrees
cover a jelly roll pan with parchment paper
don't try to do this on a pan that isn't at least an inch deep because there will be a lot of liquid that comes out as it cooks
the parchment paper isn't absolutely required, but it does make the clean up a lot easier
Step 2:
remove the stem of the pumpkin -- this is usually as easy as just hitting it from the side with your hand -- it should just pop loose from the top of the pumpkin
lay the pumpkin on its side and using a large sharp knife, cut it in half crosswise
this pumpkin was so thick that we couldn't just push the knife through with our hands -- we used a hammer on the back of the blade to push the knife through -- just keep tapping around the center of the pumpkin until the knife goes all the way through
this was probably one of the thickest walled pumpkins we have ever encountered!
no wonder we couldn't push the knife through the side
(and its a good thing we didn't try to make this one into a jack-o-lantern -- it would have been a really hard one to carve!)
Step 3:
clean all of the seeds and the stringy stuff out of the inside of the pumpkin
we used a large serving spoon first, then after most of the stuff had been removed, I used the sharp edge of a grapefruit spoon to do the fine cleaning of the inside
the center cavity should look like this when you get it all cleaned out
Step 4:
place the two halves of the pumpkin cut side down on the prepared baking sheet
if you are going smaller pumpkins than this, you can probably do two on a jelly roll pan
put the pan in the oven
to do 2 small pumpkins it will take about an hour
a larger pumpkin will take about 90 minutes
this one cooked for a little over 2 hours
test the doneness of the pumpkin by pressing your finger into the side
if it springs back, it's not done yet
the pumpkin is ready when the finger mark stays in the side like this
when the pumpkin is done, take the pan out of the oven and set it on a heatproof or heat protected surface (we set the pan on a thick layer of towels on the kitchen counter)
let it cool until you can handle it comfortably
Step 5:
line a large colander with a clean dish towel (not terry)
using a small sharp paring knife, peel the skin off of the pumpkin and put the "meat" into the towel lined colander
when all the pumpkin has been put into the towel, gather up the top of the towel and twist it tightly to squeeze the liquid out of the pumpkin
put the twisted towel back into the colander, set a plate on top of it and put something heavy on top (I used a gallon jug of vinegar that was about 2/3 full, but several cans of black beans or other veggies will work just fine)
be sure to put something absorbent under the colander and contain the whole set up -- I used the same jelly roll pan with an old bath towel folded up inside
let this whole set up rest for at least an hour
Step 6:
remove the weight and the plate and open up the towel
pack your prepared pumpkin in the desired size containers (I used quart zip top bags) and remember to label with what the contents are, how much is in the container and a date
these can then be frozen or just refrigerated if you're going to use it within a few days
these two bags will get turned into pies on Wednesday
need a good pie recipe to use this in? try this one
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Raspberry Oatmeal Bars
An easy and yummy sweet treat. It has to be healthy since it has fruit and oatmeal, right?
Raspberry Oatmeal Bars
1 (18.25oz) package yellow cake mix
2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
3/4 cup margarine, melted
1 cup raspberry jam
1 tablespoon water
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch pan
In a large bowl, mix together oats, cake mix, and melted margarine so that it makes nice clumps and there is no dry mix left. Press 1/2 the oats mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. In a separate bowl, mix jam with water, and spread over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the top.
Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 23 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Cool before cutting into bars.
So good they disappeared from the pan in a hurry before I could get a picture.
Raspberry Oatmeal Bars
1 (18.25oz) package yellow cake mix
2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
3/4 cup margarine, melted
1 cup raspberry jam
1 tablespoon water
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch pan
In a large bowl, mix together oats, cake mix, and melted margarine so that it makes nice clumps and there is no dry mix left. Press 1/2 the oats mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. In a separate bowl, mix jam with water, and spread over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the top.
Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 23 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Cool before cutting into bars.
So good they disappeared from the pan in a hurry before I could get a picture.
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Hard Boiled Egg Tutorial
a while back my daughter wanted me to teach her how to do hard boiled eggs that were "pretty" -- no funny green rings around the yolk
I thought this would be a good thing to add to the tutorials here in Hattie's Kitchen
this instruction is what works here at high altitude -- if you live at sea level, you won't need to boil the eggs for as long a time
that said, here we go!
when I do hard boiled eggs, I usually am boiling what's left of the OLDEST dozen of eggs in the refrigerator
I'm not sure there is any science in that, but the ones that are fresher don't seem to peel as well
be sure none of the eggs are cracked before you begin
select a pan that is the right size to boil the number of eggs you want to cook -- you don't want them to bounce around too much and crack while they are in there
put enough COLD water in the pan to cover the eggs
put the pan on the burner at medium and let it slowly come to a boil
this slow warming helps keep the eggs from cracking
when the eggs come to a boil, turn down the heat so the water just simmers
set a timer for 12 minutes (again, this is the right time here at high altitude -- at sea level or somewhere in between this time will be less because water boils at a different temperature there)
check occasionally to make sure the water continues to simmer for the entire 12 minutes
when the 12 minutes are up, move the pan directly to the sink
pour part of the hot water out and run COLD water over the eggs
add some ice cubes and let the eggs sit for 5 to 10 minutes to cool
the quicker you get them cool the more the inner membrane shrinks away from the shell which makes it a lot easier to peel them
after the cooling time, you can either put the eggs back in the refrigerator in their shells (be sure to mark the container so you know which ones are cooked!) or you can peel them right away
to peel the eggs, select a tea spoon that is fairly thin and has a "pointy" bowl (those really rounded thick tea spoons just won't do this job as well)
use the back of the spoon to hit the shell all over to break it into small sections
while you are doing this you should be able to tell where the "air pocket" under the shell is
(in this picture it is there on the side of this egg)
beginning at the spot where the "air pocket" under the shell is, slide the tip of the tea spoon under the shell and the inner membrane and start peeling them off
go slowly and rinse in the ice water from the pan as needed to get all of the shell pieces off the egg
put the peeled eggs in a zip top bag or a container with a tight lid (you don't want the eggs to absorb "smells" from your refrigerator, and since they are really porous, they will!)
if you'll be eating these "out of hand", I recommend a light sprinkling of salt before you close up the container
so there you go -- perfect hard boiled eggs!
I thought this would be a good thing to add to the tutorials here in Hattie's Kitchen
this instruction is what works here at high altitude -- if you live at sea level, you won't need to boil the eggs for as long a time
that said, here we go!
when I do hard boiled eggs, I usually am boiling what's left of the OLDEST dozen of eggs in the refrigerator
I'm not sure there is any science in that, but the ones that are fresher don't seem to peel as well
be sure none of the eggs are cracked before you begin
select a pan that is the right size to boil the number of eggs you want to cook -- you don't want them to bounce around too much and crack while they are in there
put enough COLD water in the pan to cover the eggs
put the pan on the burner at medium and let it slowly come to a boil
this slow warming helps keep the eggs from cracking
when the eggs come to a boil, turn down the heat so the water just simmers
set a timer for 12 minutes (again, this is the right time here at high altitude -- at sea level or somewhere in between this time will be less because water boils at a different temperature there)
check occasionally to make sure the water continues to simmer for the entire 12 minutes
when the 12 minutes are up, move the pan directly to the sink
pour part of the hot water out and run COLD water over the eggs
add some ice cubes and let the eggs sit for 5 to 10 minutes to cool
the quicker you get them cool the more the inner membrane shrinks away from the shell which makes it a lot easier to peel them
after the cooling time, you can either put the eggs back in the refrigerator in their shells (be sure to mark the container so you know which ones are cooked!) or you can peel them right away
to peel the eggs, select a tea spoon that is fairly thin and has a "pointy" bowl (those really rounded thick tea spoons just won't do this job as well)
use the back of the spoon to hit the shell all over to break it into small sections
while you are doing this you should be able to tell where the "air pocket" under the shell is
(in this picture it is there on the side of this egg)
beginning at the spot where the "air pocket" under the shell is, slide the tip of the tea spoon under the shell and the inner membrane and start peeling them off
go slowly and rinse in the ice water from the pan as needed to get all of the shell pieces off the egg
put the peeled eggs in a zip top bag or a container with a tight lid (you don't want the eggs to absorb "smells" from your refrigerator, and since they are really porous, they will!)
if you'll be eating these "out of hand", I recommend a light sprinkling of salt before you close up the container
so there you go -- perfect hard boiled eggs!
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