Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs

2 cups sugar                                          

1 cup vegetable oil

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda      

1 tsp baking powder                

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla        

2 cups zucchini (shredded)   

             

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour two 9x5 loaf pans.

Cream eggs, sugar & oil. Add dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Add vanilla and zucchini and mix until just blended.

Bake 55-60 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on wire racks. Remove from pans, and allow to finish cooling.  Slice & enjoy!

California Beans & Rice

This is a great recipe for hot summer days when you just don't want to heat up the house with the oven, or yourself with hot food. Use more avocados or tomatoes depending on what is least expensive and in season. This could also be tossed together like a salad, or served in individual dishes of rice with the other ingredients used as toppings. I have also heard of this called "California Sushi" with the ingredients used to make meatless sushi rolls.

California Beans & Rice

2-3 cups cooked rice

2 cans black beans, rinsed

2 avocados, cubed (place in lemon water to prevent browning)

2 tomatoes, cubed

2-3 diced green onions

1 lb chicken, cubed

Sour cream

Salsa

Optional: Pita bread

Spread in layers or rings on a platter, place sour cream and salsa in middle. Serve with Pita Bread if desired. 

Grilled Avocados

I love avocados. A lot. And fresh guacamole makes a regular appearance at our house. So when I saw this recipe highlighting avocados as a dish in their own right it went directly onto my "must try" list.

Originally, I saw it grilled (as described below), mashed and mixed with 5-6 fresh basil leaves (finely chopped), the juice of 1/2 a lemon. It was served on sourdough and sprinkled with sea salt, like this:

Then, I looked up a few other ideas so that I could make this more of a meal, and I came across this Chef Secret salad from the  Tri-Valley California Wine Blog

Then I saw the idea to grill avocados and serve topped with corn salsa. I saw this several places, but I thought the instructions and pictures at Veggie Converter were particularly good. I always substitute fresh tomatoes for canned if I have them on hand, but otherwise I wouldn't change a thing! 

Now you have three different ways to enjoy avocados as more than just a garnishment. Pick some up from All Seasons today and enjoy them in a new way!

Creamy Potato Salad

My sister's mother-in-law makes the BEST potato salad. EVER. This is coming from a person who doesn't like potato salad generally, probably because most recipes have "squeaky/crunchy" things in them and I don't like squeaky crunchy things in my nice creamy foods. 

This recipe has a secret, however; the onions, are grated instead of chopped. My children and friends (who also have food texture issues) wolf this down without a complaint. I added my own touch with a taste of pickle juice for added flavor. Whip this up for a holiday BBQ next week for a full-flavored creamy potato salad.

POTATO SALAD

9 Potatoes

9 boiled eggs

onion

diced dill pickles

lots of salt & pepper

mayonnaise  ~about 1/2 - 3/4 qt with this many potatoes

2 TB dill pickle juice

Boil the "spuds" until you can put a sharp knife through them.  Drain completely. 

(I like to boil them the day before I make the salad. I also like to use white potatoes.) Grate onion into the salad. Add dill pickles, juice and lots of salt & pepper (to taste).  Add  salad dressing – about until it's quite moist.

Grilled Zucchini & Parmesan

2 medium zucchini (about 1 lb total)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 TB olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp papper
juice of 1/2 lemon

Preheat grill to medium (375 F). Wash and dry zucchini. Trim ends. Slice lengthwise, about 1/2" - 3/4" thick.
In a medium bowl, toss zucchini with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place slices directly on grill or on a vegetable grilling rack. Grill for 10-12 minutes, turning once halfway through. Zucchini will be lightly charred and cooked through, but still firm. Remove to a serving plate. Sprinkle with lemon juice and parmesan. Serve.
Serves 4.

Snappy Sun-Maid Salsa

Recently I rediscovered this recipe and happened to have all the ingredients on hand. Really, there isn't too much better than fresh salsa on a warm day.
We ate this with chips just like traditional salsa, but the recipe recommends serving it on bruschetta - grab some yummy bread from All Seasons - or I have seen several recipes featuring a similar salsa served on grilled halibut. Now that is a real summer treat (Father's day is coming soon) !

 

You can find this recipe and many others featuring dried & fresh fruit in Family Favorite Recipes.

Enjoy!

Southwestern grilled flank steak with Mexican corn salad

Father's day is coming, so in preparation I am sharing a recipe that adds a slight twist to the regular grilled meals that are traditionally served on this day.

Marinade:

1 cup yellow onion, sliced

2 TB lime juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1 TB garlic, minced

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1-2 TB cilantro, chopped

Combine all ingredients. Place 2-3 pound steak in a resealable container and pour marinade over top. Marinate for at least one hour. Remove steak from marinade and grill to desired level of doneness. Slice on bias and serve with Mexican Corn Salad. Discard any leftover marinade.

Mexican Corn Salad

2 cups corn kernels (1 can 15 or 16oz can)

1/2 of red pepper, diced

1/2 yellow pepper, diced

1 tomato, diced

2 TB red onion, diced

2 TB olive oil

1 tsp. lime juice

1 TB cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Mix all ingredients together and serve with Southwestern Grilled Flank Steak.

Grilled Baby Red Potatoes with Garlic

I lived in Idaho for a brief period of time as a child, and the one thing I remember is that we truly did eat potatoes often. Our favorites were the baby red potatoes, and they are still a favorite today. This recipe is great because it is simple, delicious and easy to clean up!

Grilled Baby Red Potatoes with Garlic

2 TB olive oil

1 1/2 lbs redskin potatoes (or substitute Yukon Gold)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat grill to medium heat (375 F). Tear off a sheet of foil about 2 feet long; rub a bit of olive oil on the foil to prevent sticking. Wash potatoes and cut into 3/4" cubes. In a medium bowl, toss potatoes, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Transfer potatoes to the foil sheet. Wrap the foil around the potatoes and crimp edges together across top and then sides. Place on a plate to carry to grill. Place packet on the preheated grill and cook for 25 minutes. Remove from grill to plate and carefully open packet (watch out for steam!) Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and serve.

Serves 4

Grilled Asparagus with Shrimp Vinaigrette

I'm not usually much of a seafood fan unless I am on the coast because I like my seafood FRESH. I can handle shrimp, though. 

In Utah, it is recommended to buy it frozen, since the shrimp at the deli counter has most likely been frozen before being thawed for sale - so the frozen shrimp is probably fresher. Also, if it is available, choose shrimp that has not been peeled or deveined because cleaning before freezing can cause a loss of texture and flavor. If you are worried about the source of your shrimp, look for shrimp from North America that has been certified by an independent agency or that carries the Best Aquaculture Practices label. This will ensure that your shrimp is healthy both for the environment and for you!

One of the most well-known restaurants to get fresh seafood in Utah is Market Street Grill & Broiler. They share several recipes on their website and in their restaurants. One that is great for this time of year is their Grilled Asparagus and Shrimp Vinaigrette.

Pick up some fresh asparagus from All Seasons and try a new dish today!

Italian Wedge Salad

I LOVE the wedge salad at Johnny Carino's, so I was disappointed when the Carino's near us in Sandy closed. Disappointed may be too mild a word. I howled "Nooooo!" And acted like a drama queen which I usually try not to be.
Then I went home and tried to find a knock-off recipe that I could duplicate. There are a few out there, but none that had all the ingredients AND the dressing recipe. So, here for your eating enjoyment, are the closest recipes that I could find for the salad AND the dressing.

• 
  
• Italian Wedge Salad
• 1/6 of a wedge of crisp iceberg lettuce
• Top with:
• bacon crumbles (save yourself some time and get the pre-cooked bacon, it is so very worth it)
• candied pecans (NOT sugared pecans- there is a difference!)
• Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
• diced Granny Smith apples
• diced roma tomatoes

Top with GARLIC RANCH dressing from allrecipes.com

This guy even has instructions on how to make candied pecans should you not be able to find them at a store.

Sweet Potato Fries

I love sweet potato fries. I really love them. I could eat an entire large dish of them all on my own. Did I mention I really like them?

So, I was really excited to find out how easy they are to make at home WITHOUT deep frying, so they are healthier too! We tried this recipe last week and it worked perfectly.



Cut your sweet potatoes until they are fry sized. Let potatoes soak in water for an hour – half the day. (optional, but it does make them better) Preheat oven to 425°.

Sprinkle baking sheet with corn starch. Drain water from fries. Drizzle 1/4 cup olive oil in a plastic bag and place a handful of fries inside. Shake to coat fries with oil. Place on baking sheet. Repeat until all fries have been coated with oil. Spread fries out on cooking sheet so that air can circulate. If fries are too close together, they will not get crispy. Sprinkle the top of fries lightly with more corn starch.

Cook for 15 minutes or until crispy.

Hasselback Potatoes

My husband likes to watch the Food Network and experimenting to make interesting new dishes. Me, not so much. So, the other day, after he and my daughter saw a show featuring these Swedish potatoes, and my daughter wanted to make them the next day, I was not so excited. However, I looked up the recipe online, and they turned out to be super-easy, which is important. I simplified the recipe a bit more to make clean up simple. And, even more importantly, they were super-yummy too!



4 medium potatoes, scrubbed (leave skin on)
olive oil
salt
garlic salt
grated Parmesan cheese
chopped chives for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425˚F (220ºC).
Slice each potato crosswise at 1/8-inch intervals, cutting to within 1/4 inch of the bottom.
Be careful not to slice all the way through. The potato will fan out a bit as it bakes.
Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Brush with oil, making sure to brush in between each slice of the potato. Sprinkle with salt, garlic salt and parmesan, again making sure to sprinkle between each slice.
Bake for about 40-45 minutes. The inside should be cooked thoroughly and the skin of the potato will be a bit crispy.
Garnish with additional parmesan and chives, if desired.

Zuppa Toscana

When my family visits, they like to visit Olive Garden for dinner. I am fine with their meals, but what I really love is their Zuppa Toscana soup. An internet search produced the original recipe, but it made nearly FIVE gallons at a time - just a bit more than my family eats at a typical meal. I adapted it and made a few slight changes to come up with the recipe that follows. Now you just need to pick up some soft rolls (from All Seasons!) to dip in your soup in place of breadsticks and you are all set for your very own OG experience without leaving home!

Zuppa Toscana

Yield: 2 1/2 qts (10 cups)

2-3 slices diced bacon

1/2 lb ground sausage

¼ - ½ tsp crushed red pepper (according to taste)

¼ lb yellow onion, grated (~1/2 onion)

2-3 minced cloves garlic

5 cups hot water

2 TB chicken soup base

1 1/4 lbs yellow potatoes, ¼” sliced (~2 large russets)

2 oz (1/8 lb) fresh kale, 3/4” cut (~ 1 cup, chopped) 

½ cup heavy cream (or milk)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

½ tsp mustard powder

Cook bacon in microwave; save grease. Preheat pot to Med-High heat. Add sausage & red pepper. Cook until internal temp reaches 165 F, approximately 10 minutes. Break up large pieces. Remove from pot & drain well. Place bacon & onion in pot. Cook until onions are transparent, approximately 15 minutes. Add garlic puree, sauté 1 minute. Add water and chicken base. Stir with whisk until base is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, approximately 15 minutes. Reduce heat to Med. Break up potatoes with masher. Add kale, sausage, and cream. Simmer 5 minutes.

*mustard greens also work in place of kale

Squash Casserole

I must have been in a generous mood when I first tried this casserole, because it is a little more adventurous than I usually am. However, the entire family liked it - even the previously winter-squash-and-green-pepper-hating ME. It was simple to prepare and, surprisingly, the only complaint was that we wanted MORE. 

Squash Feta Casserole

Ingredients

2 cups winter squash, cut in half

2 eggs

1/3 cup heavy cream

4 green onions, chopped

½ - 2/3 of a green bell pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

2 strips bacon, chopped

cracked black pepper to taste

*optional* sliced tomato 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium (9x9) casserole dish.

In microwave, heat squash for 9 minutes to soften. Remove from heat, and cube. In a medium bowl, blend the eggs and heavy cream. Mix in the squash, green onions, bell pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Top with feta cheese and sliced tomato, if desired. Season with pepper.  Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned.

Country Chicken Noodle Soup

This recipe is my husband's comfort food. His mom made it growing up, so eating it means that all is right in the world. If you aren't a fan of deboning chicken (like me), just substitute boneless chicken breasts as mentioned in the recipe. It uses lots of fresh veggies and herbs, so you can feel good about feeding it to your family. Having grown up in a home where our soup usually came from a can, I can say that if you can plan ahead enough to make soup from scratch, the flavor is soooo much richer and more satisfying.

My husband's family always served this recipe with scones to soak up the broth, but we often grab some of the yummy Vosen's rolls from All Seasons when we have this planned.

Country Chicken Noodle Soup

2 onions chopped

2-3 carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

½ tsp. basil (or 2 tsp. fresh, chopped basil)

¼ tsp. leaf thyme

3 TB dry parsley flakes (or 3/4 cup fresh, chopped parsley)

1 10 oz pkg frozen peas

1 2 ½ lb whole fryer

(or 1-2 lbs boneless chicken breasts)

4 cups water

1 cup noodles (egg noodles)

Place all ingredients in crock pot, except noodles, in order listed. Cover and cook on low 8 hours (high 4-6). One hour before serving, remove chicken and cool slightly. Remove meat from bones and return meat to pot. Add noodles and turn heat to high. Cover and cook 1 hour.

Gran's Spinach

This was my Granny's go-to recipe, the one that came with her to all the family gatherings. We all loved it, but as she got older, the horseradish got stronger, so we ate smaller and smaller portions. Maybe she did that on purpose so that she had more left over for later! Since we aren't horseradish fans at my house, we substitute garlic instead, and enjoy Gran's classic dish with a little less "kick."

Gran’s Spinach

6 slices bacon                                         

2 bunches spinach        

1 TB grated onion  

1/2 c sour cream

3 oz. cream cheese 

1-2 TB horseradish sauce OR minced garlic (for a more mild taste)

*optional* substitute fresh horseradish instead (Gran likes even more!)

 Preaheat oven to 350°.  Brown bacon & crumble.  Cook spinach and onion according to directions on box.  Drain.  Soften cream cheese.  Mix everything together & place into greased pan.  Bake for 35-40 minutes. 

Spinach Feta Empanadas

This recipe comes from the Food Network. The pastry dough is a little different than usual, but let me tell you, it makes all the difference! I tried it with my regular pie dough, and it was good. The cream cheese dough, however, is fantastic!
To kick it up a notch (this does come from Emeril, after all), we substituted 1/2 cup Feta cheese for 1/2 of the cottage cheese. We thought it was awesome this way, but we do love us some Feta at our house. If you don't care for it, follow the original recipe as is.


Spinach Empanadas

Fabulous Fruit Crisp

This is a healthier version of fruit crisp, a perfect way to get some fiber and fruit while feeling a little indulgent. This recipe has great reviews and less than half the butter and sugar of a traditional fruit crisp!


Fabulous Fruit Crisp Recipe

Mock Cabbage Lasagna

My roommate in college used to make this, and I will tell you that the first time she mentioned it, I thought she was insane. "Who even eats cabbage?" I thought. "And why would you ruin a good lasagna with it?"

I was wrong. I love this meal, and my 10-year-old loves it, and my husband loves it, and my neighbors love it, and - anyhow, you get the idea. Best of all, it is faster to prepare than regular lasagna because you don't have to preboil the noodles or make sure everything is covered perfectly so that you don't have hard noodles. AND it is HEALTHY. Bonus!

Mock Cabbage Lasagna

1 sm head cabbage, coarsely chopped                                    

1/2 tsp salt

2 lb ground beef                                                                                                                                                                        1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 c chopped onion                                                                                                                                                  1 can tomato soup

1 1/2 c. water

1/2 c rice, uncooked                                                                                                                                                  1/2 c grated cheese

Place rice in bottom of greased 9x13 pan. Top with half of cabbage.  Brown hamburger with onion in skillet, salt & pepper to taste.  Spoon half over cabbage.  Whisk soup and water together.  Pour half over ground beef mixture.  Repeat layers of cabbage, meat and sauce.   

Bake covered at 350° for 1 hour. Remove and top with cheese. Return to oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

This recipe can be prepared in a pressure cooker. Brown hamburger and layer as above. Cook on high pressure (9-10 psi) for 5-6 minutes. Release pressure, top with cheese and cover 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.

Spinach Garlic Soup

I love soup during the winter. This is a really good recipe that our family tried last winter when we had some spinach from our box that needed to be used. It is great with some really yummy rolls, so be sure to pick some up at All Seasons next time you are there so that you can have a nice, warm winter meal!

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Banana Nut Smoothie

This is my go-to recipe after an intense workout when I have a lot of bananas around. It is simple, fast, and filling, and I don't find myself running out of energy in a few hours or having blood sugar dips that leave me feeling cranky and shaky. It is also a good balance of protein and carbohydrate with close to the perfect amount of calories for a post-workout snack to refill your glycogen stores.

2 bananas, frozen & peeled (if you remember to do this)
    5-6 ice cubes if your bananas are not frozen
1 cup plain or vanilla low-fat yogurt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp honey
sprinkle of ground nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped walnuts OR 2 TB ground flax seed

Cut the frozen banana into chunks. Place all ingredients into blender and blend on high until smooth.
With nuts, this recipe is roughly 600 kcal, with flax seed it it is about 500 kcal.

For a fun treat, this is really good with 1/4 cup caramel syrup added to it!

Kale Chips

When I first saw the recipe for Kale Chips, I immediately skipped over it because, I admit it, green chips don't seem that appetizing at first glance. However, a friend recently commented on how tasty kale chips are, so I overcame my reservations, dug out the recipe and gave them a try. Guess what? My family likes them! My husband and I both recognized a similarity in taste between kale chips and pumpkin seeds; I love roasted pumpkin seeds; their yummy crispy goodness warms up a cold fall day. But we rarely make them because separating seeds from the slimy pulp is messy work, and the seeds are gone quickly! Kale is readily available and doesn't require separating seeds and pulp. Bonus!

Today there are recipes for regular kale chips and tangy kale chips. I will warn you that Kale can have a stronger taste than pumpkin seeds; it only takes a handful to satisfy a flavor craving. The tangy kale chips use vinegar which works really well with kale, but can add to the strong flavor, so I recommend trying the regular flavor first or using less vinegar than is called for. Also, go light on the salt, you can always add more later.

So, pick up a box this week from All Seasons and give Kale chips a try. Let us know what you think!


Baked Kale Chips

Tangy Kale Chips


Next post: Wednesday, January 25, 2012