Zucchini Pizza Casserole

Posted on August 17, 2009 by Veronica

Zucchini recipes abound this time of year and that usually makes me sad and wistful since I don’t grow them myself. However, they are so prevalent at the farmer’s market that I was able to get super gigantic ones for just a quarter each! Kitchen Bitch emailed me this recipe a couple weeks ago so I whipped it out to use one of them. It is a good one–I would definitely make this again and next time might try a different meat (pepperoni or sausage)–I think the possibilities are pretty endless with this one.

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Zucchini Pizza Casserole
Adapted from this recipe at www.tasteofhome.com
Serves 6 (9 Weight Watchers Points per serving)4 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Salt & pepper to taste
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes, extremely well drained

1 medium green pepper, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Place zucchini in strainer over a bowl; sprinkle with salt & gently toss. Let stand for 10 minutes. Squeeze out moisture. I took handfuls and squeezed them out over the sink–a ..LOT.. of liquid will come out!

While you’re waiting, whisk the eggs up with the parmesan and half of the mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. When the zucchini has been squeezed out, stir it into the egg mixture & press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook beef, onion, garlic & spices over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add tomato sauce & tomatoes; spoon over baked zucchini mixture.

Sprinkle with remaining cheeses; sprinkle green pepper over the top. Bake 20 minutes longer or until heated through.

Nutty Toffee Popcorn

Posted on August 16, 2009 by Veronica

Although I have an overabundance of saved recipes that I have yet to try, I still couldn’t resist purchasing Taste of Home’s “Bake Sale 2009” magazine when I spotted it on the shelf at the grocery store. I want to make everything in the book (it doesn’t hurt that pictures accompany each recipe!), but this is the first thing I’ve tried.

It is really hard for me to stick to a recipe exactly, and this one is no exception. Come on, a recipe with toffee in the title and none in the recipe? That had to be fixed! So here’s my version.

Nutty Toffee Popcorn

Adapted from Glenna Hale’s recipe in Taste of Home’s Bake Sale 2009

½ cup popcorn kernels
1 cup pecan halves
1 cup whole almonds (I used roasted & salted)
1 c butter
2 c packed brown sugar
½ c light corn syrup
½ t cream of tartar
½ t baking soda
½ t rum extract
½ cup toffee bits (like Heath baking bits)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Pop kernels (I use an air popper) and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle the nuts over the top of the popped popcorn and set aside.

Melt butter in a heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat, then stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup and cream of tartar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil, without stirring, for five minutes (if you have a candy thermometer, you can clamp it to the side of the and wait until the mixture reaches 300 degrees F). Remove from heat and stir in baking soda & rum extract until mixture is light and foamy. Immediately pour over the popcorn mixture & stir to coat well. Bake in a large roaster pan or two jelly roll pans for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. The last time you stir, when only 15 minutes remain, sprinkle the toffee over the top, stir and return to the oven. When it has baked an hour, lay sheets of waxed paper on the counter and spread the popcorn over it to dry, breaking up the pieces with a spoon as you spread it out. Once it has cooled, store in an airtight container. I usually just put mine into gallon-sized Ziploc bags. In this case, I only needed one b/c only half the popcorn survived to the packaging step!

3 Comments

Posted in Candy, Sweets and tagged nutty, popcorn, toffee. Bookmark the permalink.

Eggplant & Olive Pizza

Posted on August 15, 2009 by Veronica

I have been an eggplant hater my entire life. And yet I still ventured forth to make this pizza, which for some crazy reason appealed to me. I’m happy to report that both my husband (an even bigger eggplant hater) and I thought it was very yummy! The only complaints I have is that I forgot to use the parsley–which I purchased especially for this pizza–and that there wasn’t enough eggplant on it. Use more if you like lots of toppings–I will next time! And maybe some onion…

The exact recipe follows after the step-by-step photos

Slice up 1/2 pound small eggplants & toss them with salt in a colander.

The salt makes the eggplant taste better (the bitterness dissipates) and also makes them leak water so that it doesn’t happen in the oven (no soggy crust!)–see how shriveled they are after drying?

While the egg plant is draining, mix up your olive oil & garlic and set aside so the flavor infuses the oil while you prepare the crust.

After letting the dough rise, press it out into your pizza pan and brush with the garlic olive oil.

Layer on your toppings, bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes, slice it up and eat it hot!

Eggplant and Olive Pizza
Adapted from Gourmet’s Grilled Eggplant & Olive Pizza, August 2009
Makes 1 large 14″ pizza, 8 servings (8 Weight Watchers Points each)

Pizza
1/2 pound small eggplants, sliced into 1/4″ thick rounds
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces sliced provolone, cut into thin matchsticks
1/2 cup Spanish olives, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (I forgot it, but I think it would be wonderful on this pizza)
Whole wheat pizza dough (recipe follows)

Veronica’s Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup warm water (115 degrees F)

Put the eggplant slices in a colander and toss with the salt. Allow to rest in the sink or over a bowl for 30 minutes, then press the slices between paper towels until dry. Set aside.

While eggplant is draining, mix the garlic and olive oil, set aside and then prepare your pizza dough.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the whole wheat flour, 1 cup of the white flour, the sugar, salt & yeast (it is instant so it doesn’t have to be dissolved first). Stir in the oil & water as well as you can with a spoon, then knead in the remaining 1/2 cup flour. Today I had to add another tablespoon or two of water to keep the dough supple–it was dry, I guess b/c of the weather. Sometimes it’s too wet, in which case you should add a bit more flour. By the time you knead in all the flour, it will have been kneaded plenty (probably about 5 minutes). Oil a bowl, place the dough inside, turn it once, cover it and set it in a warm place to rest for 15 minutes.

Put your oven rack in the lowest position & preheat to 500 degrees F.

Spray a 14″ pizza pan with non-stick cooking spray, dump your risen dough in the middle of it and press it out to the edges with your hands, leaving the edge thicker to hold the toppings. Brush the garlic olive oil over the entire crust, including the edges. Layer on your dried eggplant, olives & cheese. Pop it in the oven for 10 minutes. Slice it up and serve it hot!

2 Comments

Posted in Italian, Main Dishes, Pizza. Bookmark the permalink.

Black Rice Pudding

Posted on August 12, 2009 by Veronica

This stuff is just amazing. I adore it! The coconut milk and sugar makes it a little heavy on the calories, but I justify the splurge by reminding myself that the black rice is chock full of antioxidants, even more than blueberries!

Commonly served for breakfast in parts of Southeast Asia, this dish also makes a great dessert. Chinese black rice, sometimes called forbidden rice, works well, but if you live near a Southeast Asian market you can use this same method with the more traditional Thai black sticky rice.

If you can’t find any kind of black rice, substitute brown rice (not quick-cooking) — it will result in a thicker, light-colored pudding but will still be delicious.

Black Rice Pudding

Printable recipe

1 cup black rice
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1 (13 1/2- to 15-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk, stirred well

Bring rice, 3 cups water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a 3 to 4-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered with a tight-fitting lid, 45 minutes (rice will be cooked but still wet). Stir in sugar, a scant 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 1/2 cups coconut milk and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick and rice is tender but still slightly chewy, about 30 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool to warm or room temperature, stirring occasionally, at least 30 minutes. Just before serving, stir pudding and divide among 8 bowls. Stir remaining coconut milk and drizzle over pudding.

Recipe source: Gourmet, December 2005

7 Comments

Posted in Asian, Breakfast, Sweets, Vegetarian & Vegan and tagged black rice, Breakfast, dessert, pudding, recipe, vegan. Bookmark the permalink.

Slow-Cooked Enchilada Casserole & Spicy Red Rice

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Veronica

Two more incredible recipes from Marina!

SLOW-COOKED ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
$100 Prize Winner Pillsbury Bakeoff 2000, by Elizabeth Castle (Marina’s daughter)

1 1/2 lb. ground beef sirloin
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (1.25-oz.) pkg. Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Mix (or 3 tablespoons homemade)
1 teaspoon salt (I suggest omitting as the seasoning mix adds plenty of salt)
½ teaspoon pepper
9 (51/2-inch) corn tortillas
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup tomato sauce
1 (10-oz.) can Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce
6oz. (11/2 cups) finely shredded Cheddar cheese
2 (15-oz.) cans pinto, black or kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1 (11-oz.) can Green Giant Mexicorn Whole Kernel Corn, Red and Green Peppers, drained
1 (4.5-oz.) can Old El Paso Chopped Green Chiles
1 (21/4-oz.) can chopped ripe olives
Sour Cream

1. Brush inside of 3 1/2 or 4-quart slow cooker with oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray. In large skillet, brown ground beef sirloin with onions and garlic over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix, salt and pepper.

2. Place 3 tortillas in bottom of oiled slow cooker. Top with beef mixture, broth, tomato sauce, and enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with ½ cup of the cheese. Layer 3 more tortillas. Top with beans, corn, green chiles, half of the olives and ½ cup of the cheese.

3. Top with remaining 3 tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheese and olives. Cook on high setting for 21/2 to 3 hours or on low setting for 6 to 7 hours. Uncover slow cooker for last 30 minutes of cooking time. Top individual servings with sour cream.

Serves 8

Marina suggests topping the sour cream with sliced avocados and more enchilada sauce.

SPICY RED RICE
2007 Blue Ribbon Recipe courtesy of Marina Castle

2 tablespoons butter
2 cups Calrose white rice
½ cup minced onions
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
2 cups chicken broth
1 (8oz) can Mexican hot tomato sauce or regular tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon butter
Melt butter in a 2 quart saucepan. Add rice and onions and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add rice and onions and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add spices and stir until rice is lightly toasted. Slowly and carefully add liquids and bay leaf, stir and add butter. Bring to a quick boil, then immediately lower heat to simmer. Cover pan and cook for 25 minutes or until done. Remove lid, stir and cover pan again. Keep warm.

Serves 6

This was the tomato sauce I used–I never knew this stuff existed until I looked for it for this recipe. It made the rice plenty spicy.

5 Comments

Posted in Main Dishes, Mexican, Side Dishes and tagged casserole, crock pot, enchilada, red rice, slow-cooked, spicy. Bookmark the permalink.

Chocolate Eclair Squares

Posted on August 10, 2009 by Veronica

I. LOVE. CHOCOLATE. ECLAIRS.

Which is one reason why it took me so long to try this recipe. French vanilla pudding and graham crackers? There’s no way that combination could yield anything that even remotely resembled my beloved eclairs (or so I thought).

Thankfully I got over myself and made the recipe because it really is almost exactly like a chocolate eclair–so similar I was truly amazed. I don’t know how it’s possible, but I’m too busy eating them to try and figure it out. Even my husband, who didn’t think he liked eclairs, ate two helpings of this desserts, so either it’s different enough that anyone can enjoy it or he was just delusional…which is more likely to be true. I mean, is it even possible to not like eclairs? I think not.

Without further ado, I present to you the recipe that’s been floating around so long who knows where it originally came from. My source is the great baking legend herself, Marina Castle (aka Food Editor).

Chocolate Eclair Squares

Splendour In My Kitchen by Marina Castle

Serves 12

Filling

1 (14.4 oz) box honey graham crackers

2 (4 oz) boxes French vanilla instant pudding mix

2 3/4 c whole milk

1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip

Topping

6 T cocoa powder

2 T vegetable oil

2 T light corn syrup

2 t vanilla extract

3 T butter, softened

1 1/2 c powdered sugar

3 T whole milk

Blend pudding mixes with milk until thickened, then beat in Cool Whip. Butter a 9×13 inch pan. Arrange crackers in a single layer on the bottom. Pour half the pudding mixture over the top and cover with another layer of graham crackers. Cover them with the other half of the pudding mixture and finish with a final layer of graham crackers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Blend all topping ingredients well, then spread over the top of the dessert. Refrigerate overnight and cut into 12 squares to serve.

8 Comments

Posted in Sweets and tagged chocolate, eclair, squares. Bookmark the permalink.

Crab & Avacado Enchiladas

Posted on August 10, 2009 by Veronica

This recipe comes from Splendour In My Kitchen, my friend, Marina’s, cookbook. I made two recipes out of it today but the other one won’t be ready until tomorrow so I’ll blog it then.

As for this one, it was fun for a change and would go over well with seafood & avocado lovers (or, as in our case, indiscriminate food lovers). We especially liked it with salsa on top!

Saute onion, olives & mushrooms in butter

Mix the mashed avocado with sour cream & spices

Mix the avocado mixture with crabmeat & sauteed vegetables.

I added some cheese b/c I could

Put about this much on your tortilla & roll it up

All 12 should fit perfectly

Cover with remaining sour cream, cheese & olives

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes and serve!

Crab and Avocado Enchiladas

adapted from Splendour In My Kitchen by Marina Castle

1/4 c finely chopped scallions

1/4 c chopped black olives

1/4 c fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped

2 T butter

10 oz. crabmeat (fresh, frozen or canned)

1 ripe avocado, mashed

1 1/2 c sour cream, divided

1/2 t salt

1/4 t garlic powder

Dash of black pepper

12 tortillas (I used flour)

2 c shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1/2 c black olives, sliced
Salsa, for garnish

Saute onion, chopped olives & mushrooms in butter until onions are translucent. Remove from heat and stir in crabmeat and avocado mixed with 1 cup sour cream, salt, garlic powder, pepper & 1 cup cheddar. Heat tortillas six at a time by wrapping in damp paper towels and microwaving for 40 seconds. Fill each tortilla with 1/12 of crab mixture, about 1/4 – 1/3 cup, roll and place seam side down in a buttered 9×13 baking dish. Cover with remaining sour cream and sprinkle with remaining cheese and sliced olives. Bake 20 minutes. Serve immediately with salsa (home canned is best!). Serves 6.

2 Comments

Posted in Main Dishes, Mexican and tagged avacado, crab, creamy, enchiladas. Bookmark the permalink.

Chicken Kiev with Garlic Rosemary Potatoes & Walnut Apple Salad

Posted on August 9, 2009 by Veronica

On the recommendation of my dear friend, Jaci, I prepared chicken Kiev when my little sister and her family joined us for dinner last night. It was a raging success, even with all my mistakes (slightly burning the crust on the chicken (at least the inside was perfect), getting impatient with the potatoes and not waiting for them to get crunchy on the outside, putting too much vinegar in the dressing (that’s why the apples look brown–the balsamic dyed them!)), and my company is already looking forward to their next invitation for dinner. Thanks for the great recipes, Miss Jaci!

Chicken Kiev with Sautéed Garlic Rosemary Potatoes
Rachel’s Food for Living by Rachel Allen

4 Chicken Breasts-skinned
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Garlic Butter
4 oz butter, softened
2-4 garlic cloves
1 heaping Tbsp chopped fresh herbs (I used parsley, thyme & rosemary and used more than recommended)
finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 a large lemon

Coating
2oz flour
1 lg beaten egg
6 Tbsp plain breadcrumbs
oil for frying

Potatoes
8 potatoes
2 oz olive oil
coarse sea salt
fresh ground pepper
2 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

Lay chicken breasts on chopping board; slit but don’t cut completely in half. Season with salt and pepper.

Cream butter & add garlic and herbs and zest and juice of lemon; mix well. Spread garlic butter out onto the center of chicken breasts leaving about 1/2 inch all around the breast. Fold chicken breast back to original shape.

Place flour,beaten egg and breadcrumbs on 3 separate plates (or shallow bowls). Toss each breast in flour,coat with egg and roll in bread crumbs until chicken is well covered. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Cut potatoes into slices or cubes,dry with paper towels if needed. Heat oil in frying pan, add potatoes,season with salt and pepper and cook on med low heat for 16-20 min until almond golden and crunchy on the outside but soft on inside. Toss in garlic,chopped herbs and a little more olive oil,cook for couple more minutes until garlic is golden. To keep warm, place in uncovered casserole in the warm oven.

Sorry no prep photos on the potatoes, just the finished product–it should actually look crispy and golden but I only cooked mine until tender b/c I had hungry people waiting.

For chicken, place 4 Tbsp oil of choice and 1oz of butter in frying pan–heat until hot. Add the chicken and cook about 2 minutes on each side until golden,transfer to the oven for about 8 minutes until cooked through, serve with sauteed potatoes and salad–Jacie’s recipe follows.

Jacie’s Walnut Apple Salad

One bag baby spinach (I used 1/2 bag butter lettuces and 1/2 bag spring mix)
3/4 c walnuts–toasted (I used some pecans too)
1 sweet apple, such as Red Delicious, cored and diced (I used Braeburn for crispness)
1/2 c feta cheese

Make a dressing with 4 parts olive oil to one part balsamic vinegar with one tsp of honey per 4 T of evoo. Toss with salad ingredients.

(If you don’t want to do the math, just mix 1/4 cup olive oil with 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and 1 tsp of honey. Add more vinegar and/or honey to suit your tastes.)

2 Comments

Posted in Meats, Salads, Side Dishes and tagged apple, chicken kiev, garlic, potatoes, rosemary, salad, walnut. Bookmark the permalink.

Tunnel of Fudge Cake

Posted on August 5, 2009 by Veronica

This is an old recipe–a Pillsbury Bake-Off winner from 1966! As the cake bakes, it mysteriously develops a “tunnel of fudge” filling. This is the first time Dennis & I have tried it and we both agree with the 1966 Bake-Off judges–it’s a winner!

Originally a Pillsbury fudge frosting mix was stirred into the batter but when that product was discontinued, Pillsbury updated the recipe (with powdered sugar & cocoa to replace the mix) so that we could continue to enjoy this timeless classic.

Tunnel of Fudge Cake
Don’t scrimp on the nuts or it won’t work!

Cake
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups butter, room temperature
6 eggs
2 cups powdered sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups chopped walnuts

Glaze
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
4-6 teaspoons milk

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 10-inch tube pan. In large bowl, combine sugar and butter; beat until light and fluffy–about five minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar; blend well. By hand, stir in flour and remaining cake ingredients until well blended. Spoon batter into greased and floured pan; spread evenly.

Bake at 350°F. for 45 to 50 minutes or until top is set and edges are beginning to pull away from sides of pan (don’t bother testing for doneness as the fudgy tunnel will leave a wet toothpick even when the cake is done). Cool upright in pan on wire rack 1 1/2 hours. Invert onto serving plate; cool at least 2 hours.

In small bowl, combine all glaze ingredients, adding enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Spoon over top of cake, allowing some to run down sides. Store tightly covered.

*Veronica’s notes: I only baked mine for 40 minutes, but you can see that it had quite a large “tunnel” so I recommend baking for the full 45 minutes, even if using a dark pan and/or the top looks set any earlier. Also, after inverting the cake onto the cake plate, I just left the bundt pan on top to keep it covered until we were ready to eat it. Since my cake was underdone, this also helped it keep it’s shape until it was set up (it wanted to spread when I turned it out).

Lemony Orange Cake

Posted on August 4, 2009 by Veronica

We recently celebrated my Dad’s 61st birthday and I meant to only provide a Banoffee Pie, but I’ve been in an experimental baking mode lately and we ended up having a dessert-athon with three cakes in addition to the pie…all for only 8 guests!

The surprise favorite turned out to be this Lemony Orange Cake. It is heavier than a regular cake, but lighter than a pound cake and extremely moist with a wonderful orange glaze that locks in the moisture. The citrus flavors make it the perfect summer treat.

Lemony Orange Cake

Printable recipe

Cake
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 (3 ounce) package instant lemon pudding mix
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon lemon extract

Glaze
1/3 cup orange juice
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

Grease & flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and pudding mix. Pour in the 3/4 cup orange juice, oil, eggs, orange zest, and lemon extract. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Once it’s cool, fit the Bundt pan back over the cake and flip it over so the cake is back in the pan. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook 1/3 cup orange juice, sugar and butter until it comes to a boil and continue to boil for two minutes. Pour the glaze over the bottom of the cake and use a spatula to spread to the sides so that it drips down evenly on all sides and on the inside circle. You don’t want all the glaze sitting on top, you want it to drip down so it can soak into the cake evenly. Allow to soak for 10 minutes, then place a serving plate on top of the pan & flip it over so that the cake comes out on the plate. Glaze will dry so that the cake can be covered with plastic wrap until serving. If made more than two days in advance, store in the fridge. Don’t worry–it will stay moist even if made several days ahead!