It appears that the zucchini, as we know it, was developed in Italy around the latter half of the 1800s and thought to be reintroduced to the United States by Italian immigrants in the 1920s. This humble vegetable is very well traveled.
Since it is such an easy plant to grow many home gardeners are inundated with the fruits of their labors. It seems there is no end to what you can do with a zucchini such as zucchini bread, muffins, cake, pancakes, pickles or cookies. I have read you can even make it into wine! Did you know the flowers are edible and an expensive delicacy which can be deep fried as fritters or tempura or even used in soup?
Today for our supper, I just wanted to use a few things I had on hand, so our 2 zucchinis became ‘Gorgonzola Turkey Zucchini Boats’. Gorgonzola cheese has long been a favorite of Brion & mine and it tasted just great in this combination.
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Gorgonzola Turkey Stuffed Zucchini Boats
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Instructions
Using a small spoon, hollow out the inside of each zucchini half, leaving a 1/4-inch shell.
Finely chop the scooped out zucchini flesh. Chop onion & mince garlic. In a saucepan, sauté zucchini flesh, onion & garlic in oil.
Add ground turkey, summer savory & salt. Continue to cook, breaking turkey up as it browns. Remove from heat & set aside.
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Crumble gorgonzola & add 2/3 of it to the turkey mixture. In a square casserole dish, place a small amount of turkey mixture & broth on bottom then top with the zucchini halves. Put remainder of turkey in hollowed out zucchini halves then top with remaining gorgonzola.
Cover casserole with a piece of foil paper & bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven & garnish with sliced green onion.
Corn fritters can be sweet or savory, consisting of a batter or dough made with corn kernels (often whole canned corn), flour, milk, eggs, and melted butter. They are often served with fruit, jam, cream, or honey. Sometimes they are also made with creamed corn, and then baked and served with maple syrup. They originated in Native American cuisine and are a traditional snack that’s eaten in the Southern United States. Europeans adopted the recipe of corn fritters from native Americans and modified the ingredients to fit their continent.
These bright crispy morsels make great additions to summer barbecues and backyard gatherings as they will go with just about anything. While they may have originated in the south, corn fritters can easily be changed up with peppers, onions, or herbs to give them regional and seasonal flair.
When paired with other vegetables and a pan-fried fish filet, corn fritters create a unique fish sandwich. Don’t look at corn fritters as just a side dish, but a functional part of a complete meal.
They’re also a popular fried food that has been given their own ‘holiday’ in the USA. A holiday that always falls on July 16th and is known as National Corn Fritters Day. Origination and the history of the National Corn Fritters Day remain anonymous.
Corn has always appealed to me. I could eat corn anytime, for any meal. Today, I’m making some savory, cheesy corn fritters to go with our fish fillets for a supper meal.
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Cheesy Corn Fritters
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Instructions
In a bowl, combine corn, cornmeal, flour, paprika, salt & pepper, egg, parmesan, green onion, cilantro & lime juice. Add a splash of water if mixture is too dry.
Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a skillet. Divide corn mixture into 4 large or 8 small portions in pan to form patties. Cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream if desired. If you are making them into a fish burger, we used tartar sauce instead.
Hunter’s chicken is a dish consisting of a chicken fillet wrapped in bacon, smothered in barbecue sauce then topped with cheddar cheese. This particular ‘style’ of chicken was originally adapted from a classic British pub food favorite.
Before I could give it a try, I saw a video of someone making lasagna by tucking these same ingredients into small folded ‘pockets’ of pasta instead of layering everything in a large pan. It seems there is always something unique about having your own individual serving as opposed to a chunk of the whole.
Lasagna is simple to eat but intricate in its appeal. Satisfying on three accounts …. pasta, gooey cheese and a savory sauce. In many ways, lasagna is the result of the interaction of cultures across generations …. an organized combination of different ideas and flavors.
No matter how you slice it, making lasagna is a big production. These lasagna pockets take a bit of work to make, but they are totally worth it!
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Hunter's Chicken Lasagna
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Votes: 3
Rating: 3.67
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Instructions
Chicken
Preheat oven to 350 F. Season chicken breasts with salt & pepper. In a small roasting pan, melt butter & brown chicken slightly on both sides. Add water, & herbs & roast until cooked thru. Shred the cooked chicken breasts with two forks.
Cook bacon in microwave until done but not crisp; coarsely chop. In a bowl, combine bacon, BBQ sauce, crushed tomatoes, sliced green onion & shredded chicken; mix well.
Pasta & Sauce
Boil lasagna noodles, shred cheeses & prepare the béchamel sauce.
In a a saucepan, melt butter, stir in flour & cook until bubbly. Slowly add milk, stirring until sauce is smooth. Add shredded mozzarella cheese & salt.
Assembly & Baking
Spread a dollop of béchamel sauce in the middle of a cooked lasagna noodle. Place another noodle on top of the first noodle so that it is perpendicular & spread béchamel sauce in the middle of the second noodle.
Spoon a portion of the BBQ chicken mixture on top of the béchamel sauce in the center of the noodle & sprinkle some shredded mozzarella & cheddar cheese on top.
Fold the ends of the two noodles over the filling to create a lasagna 'pocket'. Repeat the process with the rest of the lasagna noodles until you have 4 lasagna pockets.
Place 2 lasagna pockets next to each other in a 9 x 5-inch casserole dish, cover with béchamel sauce, sprinkle with shredded cheddar & mozzarella cheese over the top. Place the other 2 lasagna pockets on top of the shredded cheeses, followed by another layer of béchamel sauce & more shredded cheese,
Bake for about 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
Even if we are not quite at the peak of zucchini season, is no reason to forget about it. I love zucchini and because its such a mild flavored vegetable, you can find it in recipes from appetizers to dessert. Its versatility lets you steam, poach, saute and fry it but it also makes great cakes, bread, relish and sauce. In Canada, we use it extensively for just about anything you can imagine.
In Mexico, they prefer the flower to the zucchini bulb in soups and quesadillas.
In Italy, it is served in many ways, especially breaded and fried.
In France, it is the key ingredient in ratatouille or stuffed with meat, tomatoes and bell peppers.
In Turkey, zucchini is the main ingredient in pancakes or stuffed with ground meat, rice and herbs.
In Greece, there are numerous uses for zucchini such as fried, boiled, stuffed, hors d’oeuvers and main dishes. Sometimes the flowers are stuffed with white cheese or a mixture of rice, herbs and occasionally ground meat.
In Egypt, zucchini are cooked with tomato sauce, garlic and onions and the list goes on and on—
Today’s blog recipe uses a fresh zucchini sauce to compliment the cod fillets which have an herb and sunflower seed stuffing.
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Stuffed Cod Rolls with Fresh Zucchini Sauce
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Instructions
Saute the garlic & onion in olive oil until softened but not browned. Remove from heat & toss together with the remaining stuffing ingredients. Prepare 6 fish portions in roughly 5 X 7-inch size rectangles. Overlap slightly if using two pieces of fish to prepare the portion.
Squeeze handfuls of the stuffing into sausage shaped portions the width of the fish fillet and place at one end, roll the fillet rectangle all the way around the stuffing.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Lay out bacon slices in 6 portions; place the prepared cod & stuffing at one end. Roll bacon tightly around the cod & place in a lightly oiled shallow baking dish. Do not crowd the portions; allow at least an inch or two between the portions for good air circulation in the oven.
Bake stuffed cod for about 25 minutes. Remove from oven & serve with warm fresh zucchini sauce.
Fresh Zucchini Sauce
In a skillet, saute zucchini, onion & mushrooms until tender crisp. Remove from heat; add flour & spices mixing well. Return to heat & slowly add milk & chicken broth. Cook until thickened & bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat & serve over stuffed cod rolls.
Although rice takes top priority at our house, noodles (pasta) are always a staple nevertheless. Some years ago, we started using the ‘no yolks’ version of egg noodles.
Like many old world pasta products, there is a history. In 1976, Robert Strom created NO YOLKS. They would become the world’s first no-cholesterol egg noodle. They are made with Durum wheat semolina, corn flour, egg whites and have no problem cooking up firm and fluffy.
In Canada, they are the top selling noodle and come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. In this recipe, I have paired them with my favorite Chia Chicken Meatballs. Does it get more healthy than that?!
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No-Yolk Noodles with Chia Chicken Meatballs
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Instructions
Meatballs
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In a small bowl, mix together chia seeds & water; let stand for about 20 minutes. In a large bowl, combine remaining meatball ingredients. When chia gel is ready, add to meat mixture. Using your hands, combine ingredients well. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with foil & lightly coat with baking spray. Scoop into 50 meatballs; place on baking sheet & bake 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven, cool completely if you are choosing to freeze half for a later meal. Set aside the amount you are using for this meal.
Sauce / Noodles
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In a saucepan, melt margarine; saute zucchini & green onion until tender. Sprinkle with flour & seasonings. Add milk/broth & cook, stirring until slightly thickened. Meanwhile, cook no-yolk noodles as directed on package in salted boiling water to which 1 Tbsp of olive oil has been added. Drain.
Assembly
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In the pot you cooked the noodles, combine noodles with sauce & meatballs. Fold together & serve topped with some parmigano-reggiano if you wish.
The best thing about quiche is their ability to taste just as good reheated as they do fresh from the oven. I love quiche, which of course, if you are following my blog you already know that. A classic dish made popular in the 1970’s, is so simple and yet can be the star of an elegant brunch or quick mid week supper.
Very often, quiche is thought of as ‘taboo’ due to all the fat it may contain. When you think about it, pizza is full of fat and we certainly don’t stop eating it. Quiche is totally customizable in terms of how healthy you want to make it.
As far back as I remember, I have always enjoyed ‘all things vegetable’. My mother grew a large garden on the farm, so vegetables always played a big part in our family meals.
Brussels sprouts seem to be an unlikely ingredient for quiche. It is one of those vegetables most people either love or hate. My husband, Brion, kind of ‘sits on the fence’ when it comes to both quiche and brussels sprouts. So I derived a plan to help make it work. I thought if I make the crust from rice, which he loves, that would be a good start. The sliced brussels sprouts, wild mushrooms and onions are all sauteed first to bring out the natural flavors. Add some bacon and Gouda cheese — what’s not to love?!
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Brussels Sprouts & Wild Mushroom Quiche
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Instructions
Rice Crust
Preheat oven to 350 F. Blend crust ingredients. Using the back of a large spoon, press into a baking dish & bake for 15-20 minutes.
Filling
In a saucepan, cook bacon until nearly crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel. Add sliced brussels sprouts, mushrooms & onions to bacon drippings; saute until until tender-crisp. Blot veggies on paper towel.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Layer bottom of rice crust with vegetables, bacon & cheese. Whisk together eggs, half & half & seasonings. Pour egg mixture carefully over veggies, bacon & cheese. Bake 40 minutes. Quiche should be puffy & golden & set in the middle.
Recipe Notes
- For extra flavor you may prefer to roast the brussels sprouts instead of sauteing them.
- Don't hesitate to use the cheese or cheese combo of your own choice instead of the Gouda in this recipe.
Christmas gatherings would not be complete without pate’. For many people, pate’ brings to mind a fancy goose liver-based hors d’ oeuvre spread — but not all pate’ is made from liver!
While traditionally served baked in a crust, today pate’ simply describes a wide variety of smooth blends of meats, poultry, seafood, vegetables, dairy products, liquors like sherry or cognac with herbs and spices.
Pates’ can be smooth and creamy (mousse) or firm and chunkier (country style). Mousses spread effortlessly on crackers or bread while country style varieties can be sliced or cubed for appetizers or sandwiches. Equally flavorful hot or cold, pates’ are best served at room temperature.
Recipes are not always extravagant and widely vary from the humble appetizer prepared at home to one of the most expensive dishes served in world renowned restaurants.
There are no rigid rules for cooking or serving pate’. Nearly any flavor profile that appeals to you can be made into one. Today I wanted to feature a couple of very simple but tasty pates’ you might enjoy to try somewhere throughout the Christmas season.
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Pistachio & Turkey Pate' / Walnut & Wild Mushroom Pate'
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Ingredients
Walnut & Wild Mushroom Pate'
Ingredients
Walnut & Wild Mushroom Pate'
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Instructions
Pistachio & Turkey Pate'
Line a small bowl with plastic wrap.
In a food processor, combine turkey, onions, sour cream & mustard; process until mixture is well blended & smooth. Add relish; process about 30 seconds or until JUST combined. Spoon into lined bowl; cover with plastic wrap & press gently. Refrigerate 1-2 hours to blend flavors.
Unmold onto serving; remove plastic wrap. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios; gently press onto plate. Serve with a variety of crackers. Yield: 2 1/2 cups.
Walnut & Wild Mushroom Pate'
Preheat oven to 350 F. Spread walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast for 10 minutes, or until fragrant & lightly browned.
In a large skillet, saute shallots in butter over medium heat until translucent.; add chopped mushrooms, garlic, parsley, thyme, salt & pepper. Cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Process toasted walnuts & olive oil in food processor until mixture forms a thick paste. Spoon in the cooked mushroom mixture; process to desired texture. Pack mixture into a well oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap & refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Serve on baguette slices or crackers of your choice. Yield: 20 servings
Mango anything always sounds good to me. What isn’t to like about a ripe mango? Of course, its versatility as a fresh fruit, in salsa, baking, paired with meat etc. makes it pretty appealing. A few years ago, Brion & I spent 3 months in Cuenca, Ecuador. It was quite an ‘adventure’ but a valuable experience for us. If you follow my blog, you may recall the article I posted in July 2016 entitled ‘Dutch Apple Pie’.
Today, I wanted to tell you about the ‘markets’. Ecuador is famous for its colorful indigenous markets. Because the city of Cuenca sits high in the southern Andes mountains, it experiences spring-like weather year round. Small farms that surround this Colonial city grow a variety of lush produce in the rich, volcanic soil. These farmers bring their produce to these markets to sell to the vendors.
Cuenca has at least six major markets that usually entail a mix of indoor and open-air vendors. It is mind boggling when you see it for the first time. They sell a myriad of fruits and vegetables along with seafood, pork, beef and chicken, not to mention clothing, shoes, cook wear, sunglasses, etc, etc, etc. Of course, then there’s the fresh flower markets. All quite an amazing sight to see!!
As a rule, when it comes to chicken breast, I like to stuff them. I decided today,for something different, I would grill them as is and top them with some of those gorgeous mangoes.
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Mango - Orange Chicken Breast
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Instructions
Mix spices on a plate; add chicken, turn to coat both sides of each breast. In a large skillet, heat oil & add chicken; cook 6-7 minutes on each side or until no pink remains.
Meanwhile, prepare couscous as directed on package, omitting salt & oil. Place couscous on serving platter & lay chicken breast on top. Cover to keep warm.
Add red pepper & green onion to skillet; cook for 1-2 minutes. Add mango, orange segments, cilantro & dressing; cook another minute or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Spoon over chicken.
Chia — the little seed with the huge nutritional profile. Known as a great source of healthy omega-3 fats and fiber as well as positive health effects such as boosting energy, stabilizing blood sugar, aiding digestion and lowering cholesterol.
In the early eighties, when the terracotta ‘Chia Pet’ figurines were first marketed, I really didn’t pay much attention to them. I just thought they were a cute way to grow a ‘houseplant’ never checking out their true potential.
Chia seeds have a fascinating and long history of use in several cultures. The word chia means ‘strength’ in the Mayan language. The Aztecs, Mayans and Incas, supposedly all used chia as a staple of their diets as well as an energy food.
There seem to be endless ways to use these naturally gluten free little seeds. Just to name a few would be, as an egg substitute, in puddings, as a thickener in soups and gravy, in meatballs, sprouted in salads or for breading fish or chicken.
One of the recipes I have featured in my ebook is Chia Chicken Meatballs served with a fresh zucchini sauce over linguine pasta.
My husband, Brion is all about anything that promotes good health so this meal works for him. The chia seeds definitely give these little chicken meatballs some extra ‘pizzazz’. Hope you enjoy.
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Chia Chicken Meatballs with Linguine
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Instructions
Chia-Chicken Meatballs
In a small bowl, combine chia seeds with water; let stand for about 20 minutes.
In a large bowl, use your hands to evenly combine the chia gel with the remaining meatball ingredients. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with foil; coat lightly with baking spray. Scoop meatball mixture into 50 servings onto baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes; remove from oven. Cool half of the meatballs & freeze for another meal.
Fresh Zucchini Sauce
In a saucepan, melt margarine; saute zucchini & green onion until tender. Sprinkle with flour & seasonings. Add milk/broth & cook, stirring until slightly thickened. Fold in baked chicken balls.
Linguine
Cook linguine about 14 minutes in salted boiling water to which 1 Tbsp of olive oil has been added. Drain & combine with meatball/sauce mixture.
MENU
WILD MUSHROOM & GOUDA QUICHE — SHRIMP & VEGETABLE QUICHE
FRESH SPINACH SALAD — FRUIT KABOBS & HONEY YOGURT
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Summer Picnic Menu #2
Quiche is great whether it is served hot or cold making it a nice picnic meal.
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Ingredients
Wild Mushroom & Gouda Quiche
- 1-9" 'deep dish' pastry shell, thawed
- 2 Tbsp margarine
- 1 green onion, sliced
- 454 grams wild mushroom 'blend' (enoki, crimini, oyster, portobello, button)
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- 2 cups broccoli florets,
- 1/3 cup red pepper
- 2 Tbsp bacon bits
- 100 grams Gouda cheese (smoked or plain), shredded
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp thyme, dried
- 1 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to your preference)
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Shrimp & Vegetable Quiche
- 1-9" 'deep dish' pastry shell, thawed
- 340 grams frozen shrimp, cooked & thawed
- 1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped
- 3/4 cup red pepper, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 40 grams Italian cheese blend, shredded
- 70 grams cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp fresh basil 'paste'
- 1/2 tsp EACH dry mustard, dill weed, garlic powder, & onion powder
- 1 tsp vegetable salt OR regular if you prefer
Fruit Kabobs with Honey Yogurt Dip
Ingredients
Wild Mushroom & Gouda Quiche
- 1-9" 'deep dish' pastry shell, thawed
- 2 Tbsp margarine
- 1 green onion, sliced
- 454 grams wild mushroom 'blend' (enoki, crimini, oyster, portobello, button)
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- 2 cups broccoli florets,
- 1/3 cup red pepper
- 2 Tbsp bacon bits
- 100 grams Gouda cheese (smoked or plain), shredded
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp thyme, dried
- 1 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to your preference)
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Shrimp & Vegetable Quiche
- 1-9" 'deep dish' pastry shell, thawed
- 340 grams frozen shrimp, cooked & thawed
- 1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped
- 3/4 cup red pepper, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 40 grams Italian cheese blend, shredded
- 70 grams cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp fresh basil 'paste'
- 1/2 tsp EACH dry mustard, dill weed, garlic powder, & onion powder
- 1 tsp vegetable salt OR regular if you prefer
Fruit Kabobs with Honey Yogurt Dip
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Instructions
Wild Mushroom & Gouda Quiche
Preheat oven to 350 F. Slice green onion & mushrooms. Saute in margarine; add garlic, stirring often. Allow to cook for 5 minutes uncovered so moisture will evaporate. Cut broccoli into florets; add to pan along with red pepper & bacon bits. Cook another 6 minutes; remove from heat. Whisk together eggs, milk & seasonings.
Sprinkle 1/2 of the Gouda cheese in quiche shell. Top with vegetable mixture; then remaining Gouda. Gently pour seasoned egg/milk mixture over all. Bake about 40 minutes or until quiche tests done. Since quiche is made with milk instead of cream (to lighten up on the calories) it tales a bit longer to bake.
Shrimp & Vegetable Quiche
Preheat oven to 350 F. Microwave vegetables ONLY, for a few minutes to soften SLIGHTLY; lay on paper towel along with thawed shrimp to take up some of the moisture. Whisk together eggs, milk & seasonings.
Sprinkle Italian cheese blend over bottom of quiche shell. Top with shrimp, vegetables & cheddar cheese. Gently pour seasoned egg/milk mixture over all. Bake on middle rack for 50-60 minutes or until just 'set'. Cover crust with foil, if necessary, to prevent over browning.
Fresh Spinach Salad
In a large salad bowl, combine salad ingredients. Toss with salad dressing just before serving time or let each person put their own on at the picnic.
Fresh Fruit Kabobs with Honey Yogurt
In a small bowl, combine yogurt & honey (cinnamon if using). Prepare fresh fruit of choice, cutting into bite size cubes. Thread onto 8" wooden skewers. Place in serving container along with sealed container of honey-yogurt dip.
Recipe Notes
- If you prefer, quiche can be made individually for easy serving.
