I always have a dilemma of what to do with all of the zucchini I harvest from my garden every year. Usually I end up blanching, shredding, and freezing a good portion of it for bread making later in the year. My husband loves zucchini bread but, to be honest, I am getting a little tired of it. So, after perusing my mom's recipe box and reviewing some online recipe sites, I decided to experiment and came up with the recipe below.
There are quite literally hundreds of similar casserole recipes on the internet and I am not making any unique claims to this one. It went over very well with my family the first time I made it. Hopefully, it will go over well with yours.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Zucchini Cheese Casserole
4 cups Zucchini, grated
1 lb Ground Meat (Venison, Beef, Turkey, Chicken, Buffalo, Duck, or Goose)
1 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper, ground
3 Eggs, beaten
1 Medium Onion, chopped
1 cup Cracker Crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesian Cheese, grated
Brown the meat in a skillet. Combine the zucchini, browned ground meat, onion, eggs, and cheddar cheese in a big bowl an mix well. Put in a well buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle Parmesian Cheese on top. Then sprinkle cracker crumbs on top. Bake for 1 hour at 350 F degrees. Serves 6.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Chocolate Bread
Hi, my name is Jenni and I am a chocoholic. Mentally, I can hear the rest of you saying "Hi, Jenni." I suspect a majority of Americans, perhaps humans world-wide, are also chocoholics whether they admit it or not. I have no intention of ever becoming a 'recovering' chocoholic why the heck would I ever want to recover from chocolaty goodness. Besides, there are plenty of studies out there indicating that chocolate has several beneficial health effects. Oh yeah, I am going to cling to that concept as long as possible.
So for all those chocoholics out there trying to feed their addiction on a daily basis, what could be more wonderful than Chocolate Bread. It makes wonderful toast and is divine for making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Your kid can be the envy of everyone in school when he breaks out his brown bag lunch.
I found this recipe in an issue of Cooking Light Magazine roughly 14 years ago. All I did at the time was tear the page out of the magazine so I have no idea which issue, only that it was on page 136 and that the article appears to have been written by Ann Taylor, a Cooking Light copy editor.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cooking Light's Chocolate Bread
1 cup Warm Water
1 Large Egg
1 tbs Butter, softened
1 tsp Salt
1/3 cup Sugar
1 tbs Flax Seed Meal (optional - I add this to all my bread recipes)
3 cups Bread Flour
1/4 cup Dutch Process Cocoa
4 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tsp Bread Machine Yeast
Place ingredients in order listed into the bread machine baking pan. Bake using a Sweet Bread baking cycle.
Do not use with timer setting as the egg will not keep well at room temperature.
So for all those chocoholics out there trying to feed their addiction on a daily basis, what could be more wonderful than Chocolate Bread. It makes wonderful toast and is divine for making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Your kid can be the envy of everyone in school when he breaks out his brown bag lunch.
I found this recipe in an issue of Cooking Light Magazine roughly 14 years ago. All I did at the time was tear the page out of the magazine so I have no idea which issue, only that it was on page 136 and that the article appears to have been written by Ann Taylor, a Cooking Light copy editor.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cooking Light's Chocolate Bread
1 cup Warm Water
1 Large Egg
1 tbs Butter, softened
1 tsp Salt
1/3 cup Sugar
1 tbs Flax Seed Meal (optional - I add this to all my bread recipes)
3 cups Bread Flour
1/4 cup Dutch Process Cocoa
4 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tsp Bread Machine Yeast
Place ingredients in order listed into the bread machine baking pan. Bake using a Sweet Bread baking cycle.
Do not use with timer setting as the egg will not keep well at room temperature.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Homemade Meat Broth
Most people these days throw away the turkey carcass and ham bone remains of their Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. I put them in a ziplock bag and stick them in the freezer until I have a chance to turn them into broth. A good meat broth is the key to making any good soup or stew as well as a few other things. It's also a good way to save money by getting the last little bit of goody out of your bones and turkey/chicken/ham remnants. I also never buy bouillon.
This is a very easy process but it is a long process spanning two or three days during which time you will need stove space and refrigerator space. The longer you cook the bones and meat, the better the broth will be and the more nutrients will be released from the bones/marrow and into the broth. I am describe the process that I use below. If you do not wish to cook your stock as long as I do, please cook it for at least 6 hours.
You can keep your meat types segregated, if you wish, and make only chicken broth, or only ham broth, for example. There may be some cases where this is desired for specific taste or religious purposes. You certainly would not want to entertain a Jewish or a Muslim friend with homemade soup that included broth made from ham bones. However, most of the time, I toss all my saved bones and carcasses into a single pot and the flavor tastes just fine for me and my family.
This process works for wild game remnants as well. We eat a lot of venison, goose, pheasant, and duck. These all cook down into broth very nicely.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Midwest Texan's Homemade Meat Broth
1. Place left over carcass(es) into a large stock pot. You may need to break large carcass(es) into smaller pieces for a good fit. The number/amount of carcasses depends on the size of stock pot and the amount of space in your freezer for broth storage.
2. Add enough water to cover all of the bones/meat.
3. If you wish you may add any or all of the following optional ingredients to suite your taste:
1 bay leaf
2 celery stalks, with leaves
1 onion, cut up into about 12 chunks
1 tsp thyme
1 tbs parsley
4. Cover and bring a boil stirring occasionally. Then reduce heat, leave covered, and simmer for 24 hours. Do not leave on the stove over night or if you are away from your home. Simply place the stock pot into the refrigerator before you go to bed. The next morning, place it back on the stove, bring it to a boil then reduce the heat and return it to simmering.
5. As it simmers, add water as needed to keep the liquid level above the level of the bones/meat. Stir occasionally.
6. Once simmering is complete, turn off the stove and allow the stock pot to cool at room temperature until you are able to handle the bones inside.
7. Now for the messy part of the process, so roll up your sleeves. Remove and throw away all of the bones, cartilage, and bay leaf. Remove and reserve all of the meat for use in soups or other recipes. Remove and either throw away the vegetables or reserve them for use in soups. You can also puree the vegetables and add the puree back into the finished broth at the end of this process. I use a colander and bowl large enough to capture the liquids to facilitate this step.
8. Optional step: Once the bones and other solids have been removed, you may wish to strain the liquids through several layers of cheese cloth to clarify it. Some chefs believe that stock or broth should be nice and clear. I, however, am not one of them; so I never do this.
9. Cover the strained broth and place in the refrigerator over night. The next morning any fat should be congealed on the top of the broth. Remove and throw away the congealed fat. Add the pureed stock vegetables back into the broth, if desired and mix well.
10. Store your broth in the freezer in any containers/amounts you wish. Or, use it immediately to make soup.
Tip: I like to freeze my excess broth in ice cube trays. Once the cubes are frozen you can pop them out of the tray and keep them in a ziplock in the freezer. Each cube is roughly 2 to 3 tablespoons or equivalent to 1 bouillon cube.
This is a very easy process but it is a long process spanning two or three days during which time you will need stove space and refrigerator space. The longer you cook the bones and meat, the better the broth will be and the more nutrients will be released from the bones/marrow and into the broth. I am describe the process that I use below. If you do not wish to cook your stock as long as I do, please cook it for at least 6 hours.
You can keep your meat types segregated, if you wish, and make only chicken broth, or only ham broth, for example. There may be some cases where this is desired for specific taste or religious purposes. You certainly would not want to entertain a Jewish or a Muslim friend with homemade soup that included broth made from ham bones. However, most of the time, I toss all my saved bones and carcasses into a single pot and the flavor tastes just fine for me and my family.
This process works for wild game remnants as well. We eat a lot of venison, goose, pheasant, and duck. These all cook down into broth very nicely.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Midwest Texan's Homemade Meat Broth
1. Place left over carcass(es) into a large stock pot. You may need to break large carcass(es) into smaller pieces for a good fit. The number/amount of carcasses depends on the size of stock pot and the amount of space in your freezer for broth storage.
2. Add enough water to cover all of the bones/meat.
3. If you wish you may add any or all of the following optional ingredients to suite your taste:
1 bay leaf
2 celery stalks, with leaves
1 onion, cut up into about 12 chunks
1 tsp thyme
1 tbs parsley
4. Cover and bring a boil stirring occasionally. Then reduce heat, leave covered, and simmer for 24 hours. Do not leave on the stove over night or if you are away from your home. Simply place the stock pot into the refrigerator before you go to bed. The next morning, place it back on the stove, bring it to a boil then reduce the heat and return it to simmering.
5. As it simmers, add water as needed to keep the liquid level above the level of the bones/meat. Stir occasionally.
6. Once simmering is complete, turn off the stove and allow the stock pot to cool at room temperature until you are able to handle the bones inside.
7. Now for the messy part of the process, so roll up your sleeves. Remove and throw away all of the bones, cartilage, and bay leaf. Remove and reserve all of the meat for use in soups or other recipes. Remove and either throw away the vegetables or reserve them for use in soups. You can also puree the vegetables and add the puree back into the finished broth at the end of this process. I use a colander and bowl large enough to capture the liquids to facilitate this step.
8. Optional step: Once the bones and other solids have been removed, you may wish to strain the liquids through several layers of cheese cloth to clarify it. Some chefs believe that stock or broth should be nice and clear. I, however, am not one of them; so I never do this.
9. Cover the strained broth and place in the refrigerator over night. The next morning any fat should be congealed on the top of the broth. Remove and throw away the congealed fat. Add the pureed stock vegetables back into the broth, if desired and mix well.
10. Store your broth in the freezer in any containers/amounts you wish. Or, use it immediately to make soup.
Tip: I like to freeze my excess broth in ice cube trays. Once the cubes are frozen you can pop them out of the tray and keep them in a ziplock in the freezer. Each cube is roughly 2 to 3 tablespoons or equivalent to 1 bouillon cube.
Spinach-Apple Salad with Maple-Bacon Vinaigrette
This is one of my favorite salads of all time. It is what my husband and I refer to as "stupid good." I clipped it out of the newspaper a few years ago. The newspaper cites the September 2007 issue of Cooking Light Magazine as it's source. My only complaint with this salad is that it's leftovers do not keep well in the fridge. The rule of thumb with this one is make only what you need.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spinach-Apple Salad with Maple-Bacon Vinaigrette
1 tbs Maple Syrup
1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar (I use Balsamic Vinegar instead)
1/4 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbs Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (I use Flax Oil instead)
1 tbs Fresh Chives, chopped
1/4 tsp Salt (I use Sea Salt)
1/4 tsp Black Pepper, ground
2 slices Center-Cut Bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 1/2 cups Apple, julienne-cut (about 1 apple)
1/4 cup Red Onion, cut in thin vertical slices
6 oz Fresh Baby Spinach
In a small bowl, whisk together syrup, vinegar, oil, and mustard until well blended. Add chives, salt, pepper, and bacon. Stir well.
In a large bowl, combine apple, onion, and spinach. Drizzle with the vinaigrette mixture, then toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Makes ~6 servings.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spinach-Apple Salad with Maple-Bacon Vinaigrette
1 tbs Maple Syrup
1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar (I use Balsamic Vinegar instead)
1/4 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbs Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (I use Flax Oil instead)
1 tbs Fresh Chives, chopped
1/4 tsp Salt (I use Sea Salt)
1/4 tsp Black Pepper, ground
2 slices Center-Cut Bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 1/2 cups Apple, julienne-cut (about 1 apple)
1/4 cup Red Onion, cut in thin vertical slices
6 oz Fresh Baby Spinach
In a small bowl, whisk together syrup, vinegar, oil, and mustard until well blended. Add chives, salt, pepper, and bacon. Stir well.
In a large bowl, combine apple, onion, and spinach. Drizzle with the vinaigrette mixture, then toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Makes ~6 servings.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Hawaiian Bread
I found a decent Hawaiian bread recipe on the internet about 18 years ago; obviously, by now, I have no idea of which website or the copyright status of the original recipe. However, most bread recipes are pretty similar and I have tinkered with this one enough during the last 1.8 decades that I am confident in referring to it as a Midwest Texan original.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hawaiian Bread3/4 tsp Salt
2 tbs Butter, melted
1 Large Egg
3 tbs Sugar
2 tbs Flax Seed Meal
3 cups Bread Flour
1 1/2 tsp Bread Machine Yeast
Place ingredients into the bread machine baking pan in the order listed (i.e., wet things first then dry ingredients with the yeast being last). Use a Regular-Light setting to cook.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This makes a small loaf but the flavor and texture are nice. I am working on modifying it so that I get a large loaf. I'll update this post with modifications as I work them out.
Do not use the timer setting on your bread machine for this one. I am pretty sure that the egg won't keep too well at room temperature.
Oatmeal Bread
Here is the second standard bread that I like to make regularly. It is probably better nutritionally than the Country White Bread recipe is because of the oats and honey. This one rises nicely and makes a good sized loaf that will last my family two or three days, unless someone is on a bread binge. This recipe also comes out of the the booklet that came with my bread machine (Breadmaker Guide & Cookbook, Regal KitchenPro Collection Model #'s K6742 and K6743, page 30). I have made a couple of small modifications based on using the recipe and for personal taste.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oatmeal Bread
9 to 11 ounces Water
1 1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbs Honey
1 1/2 tbs Butter, melted
2/3 cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
2 tbs Flax Seed Meal (optional)
3 1/4 cups Bread Flour
2 tsp Bread Machine Yeast
Place ingredients into the bread machine baking pan in the order listed (i.e., wet things first then dry ingredients with the yeast being last). Use a Large-Light or Large-Dark setting to cook.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
If your machine does not have a Large Loaf setting try it on a regular setting to see how it works. If you have trouble getting it to work out for you, let me know and I can send you the small loaf version of the recipe.
This recipe will work with a timer setting, if your machine is so equipped.
Also, pay attention to and regulate the moisture content via the amount of water you use. In the winter time, when humidity is nonexistent, I use every bit of 11 ounces. However, in the summer, when its 80% humidity I only use 9 or 10 ounces.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oatmeal Bread
9 to 11 ounces Water
1 1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbs Honey
1 1/2 tbs Butter, melted
2/3 cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
2 tbs Flax Seed Meal (optional)
3 1/4 cups Bread Flour
2 tsp Bread Machine Yeast
Place ingredients into the bread machine baking pan in the order listed (i.e., wet things first then dry ingredients with the yeast being last). Use a Large-Light or Large-Dark setting to cook.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
If your machine does not have a Large Loaf setting try it on a regular setting to see how it works. If you have trouble getting it to work out for you, let me know and I can send you the small loaf version of the recipe.
This recipe will work with a timer setting, if your machine is so equipped.
Also, pay attention to and regulate the moisture content via the amount of water you use. In the winter time, when humidity is nonexistent, I use every bit of 11 ounces. However, in the summer, when its 80% humidity I only use 9 or 10 ounces.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)