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Just came back from the garden and here we go again with the baseball bat zucchinis. I harvested quite a few small ones that will be perfect steamed as they are small and tender and will taste fantastic. The large ones, however, can be tough and not quite as flavorful. I like to utilize them in baked goods as I really don’t taste the zucchini in any of the breads and cakes I bake. They are used for adding moistness and texture as far as I am concerned. I recently purchased some of the large muffin tins. I decided to get these so that I could freeze individual muffins instead of a whole bread. I used to slice the breads and freeze them but that is a pain in the you know where. This way, if I need a quick breakfast they are there for the reaching! I used my zucchini bread recipe but as always, varied the additions. For these particular ones I opted for coconut and orange flavored cranberries. I also threw in some nuts and golden raisins. Have to be careful on how much you add as it will fill more than the 12 jumbo muffin tins. The baking temperature stayed the same, 350*, the time changed to about 30 minutes,  and this recipe will make 12 large muffins. Give them a try. To make a lighter version, substitute half the oil for applesauce.

Zucchini Coconut Cranberry Nut Muffins

Mix the following in a bowl:

3 cups flour                               
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar                     
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cloves                   
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg                            
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder                 
2/3 cup vegetable oil
4 cups chopped zucchini (If large, omit the seeds)                        
3 eggs
Optional additions: dried cranberries, currants, dates, raisins, coconut, nuts (the choice is yours), chocolate chips, and the list goes on….             

Put in blender and mix for 30 seconds:
2/3 cup vegetable oil
4 cups chopped zucchini                      
3 eggs

Add to dry mix.

Stir in:
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup coconut
1 cup orange flavored cranberries

Zucchini time is here. This is such a versatile vegetable as it can be part of every meal. Cook it in a sweet bread, a stew, by itself, or baked as an entree for dinner. There are also many varieties of zucchini. My neighbor, Lise, gave me a very huge zucchini and informed me that it was perfect for baking as its shell was not very hard. Hmm. The tastiness of this recipe comes from the hot sausage and the bacon slice on top. CookManFood would enjoy this recipe!  This zucchni, as will all of them, is perfect for baking muffins, breads, or even a chocolate coconut zucchini cake. Mmmmmm.

Baked Stuffed Zucchini

1 large zucchini, cut in half and deseeded (scoop out the seeds to make a boat)
1/2 lb. lean ground Angus beef
2 slices bacon, not cooked
3 hot Italian sausages with the casings removed
1 tbsp. fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic
1/2 small onion, minced
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
salt and pepper
1 tsp. dry basil
2 cups tomato sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. Mix all ingredients, except the bacon, tomato sauce, and zucchini, in a bowl.
3. Fill the zucchini and place in a baking dish. Top with 1 cup tomato sauce. Place one slice of bacon on each half.
4. Add boiling water to the baking dish, (about 1/2 inch).
5. Bake for 1 hr.  Remove and top with cheese if desired. Add more sauce on top or to the sides of the zucchini if dried out.

Talk about heat! Whoa. I am not one that usually complains about the weather as I live in New England and if I wait a minute it’s going to change. No surprise there. But, sometimes it can get a little too muggy for my pleasure. Those are the days when I just about forget cooking. I made this pasta dish that can be served either warm or cold. When I first made it I followed the directions completely and served it warm (it was a cool night). The following day, which was hot and muggy,  I added a chopped tomato and cucumber, a little feta cheese, and a tablespoon of a basil balsamic vinaigrette which made it a refreshing cold salad. Not sure which way I rather have it as both were filling and tasty. One could also add a hint of lemon by using fresh lemon juice and about a tsp. of grated lemon peel.

Summer Squash Pasta

4 cups cooked pasta
2 summer squashes (I used a summer and zucchini)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

1. Cook pasta according to directions.
2. Saute squash in olive oil til brown. Remove and add to cooked pasta.
3. Saute onion and garlic in remaining oil til soft and pour over pasta mix.
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Add in parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

It has been a long time since I have posted anything on my site due to some extraordinary jerk that decided to hack my site along with my son’s CookManFood. What a shame that people have nothing better to do than go out and destroy what others have done. It takes a lot of time and energy to create and keep posting a blog, especially when one has to take pictures to make the site more appealing.  My saving grace is that I truly believe that what goes around comes around and that this perp will definitely get their just reward. What a dink! Well with that behind me now, let’s talk food.

A lot has been going on this summer and I did manage to create some tantalizing meals. I made some absolutely delicious blueberry muffins. Not rocket science to create them. I used my blueberry cake recipe and baked them in large muffin tins and the end result was worth every calorie. Just look at those blueberries. Yum! I also added a sprinkling of coarse sugar on the top of each muffin before baking.

Blueberry Muffins

1 cup sugar                  
½ c. shortening   ( part butter)
2 eggs, separated
1 ½ cups flour             
1 tsp. bak. powder
½ tsp. salt 
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 pint blueberries
coarse sugar for top 

1. Sift flour, bak. powder and salt 3 times.
2. Beat egg whites til stiff. Set aside.
3. Cream shortening with sugar and add
egg yolks, beating well.
4. Add dry ingredients alternately with
milk.
5. Fold in egg whites, lemon juice, and add
blueberries last.
6. Sprinkle batter with sugar before baking.
Bake in muffin tins – 350 for 30-45 minutes

A while back one of my dear friends introduced me to the wonderful taste of Nutella. I wish she hadn’t as I really cannot have it in my house as I have no self control and could easily devour the entire jar in a week. Tomorrow is the last day of school for the year.  Woohoo. We plan on having a special lunch feast in celebration of this miraculous event, (miraculous in the fact that we made it through another school year fully intact and with our mental faculties not totally destroyed), so I was thinking, hmm, I haven’t had Nutella in such a long time and that it was time for something that included it as an ingredient. So, what will it be? Brownies full of chocolate chunks and nuts and Nutella frosting! Yum!

Nutella Frosting

2 tbsps. softened butter
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 jar Nutella
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Beat together and spread on cooled brownies.

Brie is a creamy cow’s milk cheese that is traditionally from France, named after the province from which it originated. It has a whitish, moldy rind that is quite edible. It is usually served at room temperature or warm. Its rich creamy flavor is mild and is a great accompaniment for fruit and breads. There are many various recipes that utilize Brie in many different ways. I recently had some guests over and decided to make something delicious and sure to please.

Raspberry Walnut Brie

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/2 pound Brie cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
1 tbsp. melted butter

1. Remove plastic wrap from Brie.
2. Microwave jam on high for 15 seconds.
3. Brush over Brie.
4. Combine nuts and butter. Press into Brie.

I love mangoes and I love salsa so what would be better than combining the two? There are many ways to make it and many ways to utilize it so that it improves a favorite dish. It is quite scrumptious just sitting on a white corn nacho or as a topping for a fajita, which by the way, is my favorite way to eat it. MMMMMM. I know that not everyone likes mangoes but that is probably because the mango chosen was overripe or underripe and probably not very tasty. If you’ve ever tried one and thought, “Blah!”, try it again. I also love apples but every once in a while I have one that is totally disgusting and mushy. Would I give up apples because of one bad one? Hell no!
The perfect mango can be found by either smelling or squeezing it gently. A ripe mango will have a full, fruity aroma emanating from the stem end. Mangoes can be considered ready to eat when slightly soft to the touch and yielding to gentle pressure, very similar to that of a ripe peach. The best flavored fruit have a yellow tinge when ripe; however, mangoes may be red, yellow, green, orange or any combination. It is best to store mangoes at about 55º F. which will allow them to be edible for 1 to 2 weeks. The best way to ripen a mango is at room temperature, on the kitchen counter but should be eaten soon after ripening.
Mangoes are high in vitamin C, have lots of fiber, and are low in fat. Sounds perfect for an addition to any healthy diet. Also, they are known to have digestive benefits. Here is a great little recipe for mango salsa.

Mango Salsa

1 ripe mango-peeled and chopped
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1 small chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries
2 tbsps. chopped cilantro
2 tbsps. fresh lime juice
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare all ingredients. Mix together and let stand for at least one hour before serving.

Today was a professional development day, better known as a half day for kids, work for the teachers, but in our school it is BEST known for food. Yep, that’s right! You may be thinking that the teachers in our district get a lot of training so therefore the kids must be a lot smarter. Right? Well, that is true, we have a bunch of smarty pant teachers and students, but we also learn to fine tune our culinary skills on these days. Today was no different. It was Itallian Buffet Day and that goes without saying is a buffet with Itallian food. Hmm. Not too hard to plan for this one. (Mantineo-great Italian name). I also recently received a jar of Nutella from one of the most giving people I know, Heather Blanchard. I happened to mention to her that I had never tasted Nutella and lo and behold the next day I receive a jar. Not something I really needed, but who in their right mind says no to food gifts. Tried the stuff and OMG it is so freakin’ delicious. Is it healthy? Yeah, right! 200 calories for 2 tbsps. and I am sure the size of their tablespoon does not equal mine. My thoughts were to get rid of this jar as soon as possible as I have an addiction to good food (like most normal people on the planet) so I decided to rid myself of this jar by creating an absolutely delicious calorie packed dessert for the Italian buffet. Nutella must be Italian. Sounds like it. Gina  says she eats in when in Italy so I have all my bases covered with this one. Italian buffet dessert and, AND, I get to get rid of the evil Nutella! Not so, as the recipe called for a jar of this concoction of crushed hazel nuts and cocoa and because it is so delish I had already eaten 1/4 of the jar, so I had to go get another jar of it and now I am right back where I started from! But, one good turn deserves another so I made my dessert and watched little tiny Miss Heather enjoy eating them! I hope everyone else did too. Here is the way to make these incredible bars. Now, what to do with the rest of the other jar…

Nutella Oatmeal Bars

1- 21 ounce jar Nutella
2 sticks butter, melted
2 cups flour
2 cups steel cut oatmeal (not the instant or quick kind)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Butter a 13 X 9 in pan and preheat the oven to 350*.
2. Place flour, oatmeal, sugars, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Mix well.
3. Pour melted butter over flour mixture and stir til crumbly.
4. Press about 3/4 of this into the bottom of the pan.
5. Zap the Nutella in the micro for about 20 seconds and spread on top.
6. Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture on top.
7. Bake for about 25 minutes or until light brown.
8. Go to the store and get the next size pants because you’re going to need them!

Here is a treat for what ails you. Of course you need to like pineapple and it would help if you like pie too! I happen to love both. My husband’s birthday was the other day and I usually make the standard b-day cake, chocolate with white frosting with some nice writing on it. This year I decided to get out of the cake rut and bake him a birthday pie. This is one of his favorites and with canned pineapple it becomes an easy task. Easy recipe especially if a store bought crust is used, which btw, (not to be confused with wtf) I used as I am a terrible crust maker. Crust seems to fall apart in my fingers. Pillsbury makes a great one, roll it out, don’t even have to unfold it anymore. Love it! Tasty too. I just brush the top crust with some milk and sprinkle with a little sugar, and it never fails to please even harshest critic: the mother! Here is how to make the filling and put the pie together. Enjoy!

Pineapple Pie

2 lrg. cans of crushed pineapple in its own juice (undrained)
3 tbsps. cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

MIx all ingredients in a pan. Heat until thickened and then bring to a boil for 1 minute. Let cool for a few minutes. Pour into crust, cover with the top crust, seal, make a couple slits on the top, brush with milk, and then sprinkle with sugar. Bake in a 400* oven for about 35 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Note: If the pineapple mix is too warm, the crust will get a little mushy and stretch too much.

For some odd reason I have always been attracted to the taste of lemons. When I was pregnant with any of my boys, I craved lemon. I loved the taste of it and the coolness and zingy feeling that penetrated my taste buds. I would sometimes make a lemon meringue pie without the crust and just eat the filling. Every time I would walk to my neighborhood Italian bakery the generous elderly ladies that worked there would provide me with a lemon square, lemon danish, lemon tart, or lemon filled Italian cookies. These ladies loved to have any one eat their goods and enjoyed filling me beyond full. When it was time to deliver my son, they even sent lemon squares to the hospital! Great memories of long ago. I will try to post those recipes at another time, probably when I make them so that you’ll see just how delicious they are. My favorite summer barbecue dessert, or rather, one of my favorite summer barbecue desserts is lemon fluff, but of course that has to accompany whoopie pies, but that is another post on another day! So for now, give these a try if you are looking for an additional dessert to serve on your Easter buffet or your backyard cookout, or special occasion gathering! These are also great when served with blueberries, another of my favorite taste combos.

Lemon Squares

Crust
2 cup flour
2stick softened butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Filling
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
4 tbsps. flour
1 tsp. baking powder (Can use 2/3 tsp. Bakewell cream and 1/3 tsp. baking soda).
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tsp. lemon zest or peel

1. Combine crust ingredients and press into an 13×9 pan. Bake in a 350* oven for 20 minutes.
2. Beat eggs and add remaining ingredients, beating well.
3. Pour over crust and bake an additional 25-30 minutes. Look for them to be slightly browned.
4. Cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.