Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

I'm still thinking about gardens, and vegetables - especially summer squashes.

I found the following in the Smith and Hawken 'Gardeners' Community Cookbook' (a great recipe book!)

Summer Squash with Spinach Filling

For the Squash:

Boil 2 large or 4 medium, whole Summer Squash until they can be easily pierced by a knife tip, but are still firm. Allow to cool slightly, and then split them lengthwise, and remove the seeds with a spoon. Set Aside.

Spinach Filling for Summer Squash

1 large bunch spinach, using leaves and tender stems, coarsely chopped and well-drained (3/4 lb.)

(often I just buy bags of baby spinach for this, and steam them slightly in the microwave.)

4 T butter

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp. red wine vinegar

Salt

Wilt the still-moist spinach in an ungreased, heavy saute pan over medium heat, or in a microwave bowl at high heat. Drain briefly and then squeeze dry and set aside.

Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and stir until wilted, about 3 minutes.

Add the spinach, sour cream and vinegar, and salt to taste. Stir to blend.

Spoon the spinach mixture into the hollows of the squash halves. Place in an oven proof tray and bake at about 350 degrees until heated through and the squash tender.

Filling can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator overnight.

(I've also seen similar recipes that add some cheese to the spinach mixture; I think Parmesan would be great.)

Another summer squash recipe is one that I found in the Martha Stewart magazine many years ago; I thought it looked so nice, I even bought the little oblong pan from a specialty store, to make it. (But you don't need that; it can be made in any tart pan with a loose bottom; depending on the size/shape of your pan, you may have to increase the recipe and get creative with the 'lattice' effect.

Looks fancy, but is easy to make and turns out lovely for a special occasion:

http://www.marthastewart.com/344192/summer-squash-lattice-tart

Lastly, a quick sauce for steamed zucchini:

Mustard Sauce for Steamed Zucchini

(Low Fat, but you can add butter :-)

Mix in a saucepan:

½ C. Chicken or Vegetable Broth

1 Shallot or Scallion, minced

1-1/2 tsp. fresh Tarragon

2 T. Dry White Wine

1 T. Arrowroot (or cornstarch)

1-1/2 tsp. Fresh Tarragon (or ½ tsp. dried))

1/8 tsp. Black Pepper

Cook uncovered 2 or 3 minutes. Melt in 1 T. butter, if desired.

Serve over steamed vegetables; especially good with Zucchini.

-JT

[V K Lee]

JRF, Need some beets? :)

[bgill]

Oh, I can grow big beautiful zuke plants and have for years. Nary a fruit though. Usually don’t get any crook necks before the borers get them. Every year I swear never again but a garden wouldn’t be a garden without squash, right? Planted two varieties of yellows 10 days ago and they’re up. Not holding out any hope.

Quickest and easiest squash recipe is sautéing chunks with onions.

Or fried which I could eat all day long.

[Jamestown1630]

A good hamburger is the first thing I’ll look for on a menu, if I’m in a place that should serve them.

Best one I’ve had was with bacon, hot barbecue sauce, and blue cheese.

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

LOL!

-JT

[azishot]

Zucchini bread and lots of it! When our son was in 5th grade I packed some in his lunch. He shared it with his friend who’d never had it (remember when we were allowed to do that?). That afternoon, his friend asked me for the recipe so he could give it to his mother. Shocked the heck out of me!

Sometimes I’ll fry some zucchini, onions and potatoes as a side dish.

A funny story....every summer, the country club my SIL belonged to would pass the word that whoever left their car windows down would receive a generous gift...at least a bag of zucchini.

[V K Lee]

A no squash recipe....

When younger, French Toast was always FRIED, stove top style.

Only when older and omo was I introduced to Baked French toast. Of course, this, to me, was actually bread pudding, but still good. :)

A few years ago a Grand recipe was attempted for Christmas Morning of the baked version and this is much like the recipe used. This comes from Lanier BB (the the recipe was originally seen on BB on Line (another site completely)

FROM WEB ARCHIVES
http://lanierbb.com/recipes/

CREME BRULEE FRENCH TOAST

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp corn syrup
8 to 9-inch round loaf country-style bread or French bread or baguette
5 large eggs
1 1/2 cup half and half
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp Grand Marnier
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:
In a small heavy saucepan melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup over moderate heat, stirring until smooth and pour into a greased 13X9X2 inch baking dish.

Cut six 1-inch thick slices from center portion of bread, reserving ends for another use, and trim crusts. (Baguettes can leave crust on). Arrange bread slices in one layer in baking dish, squeezing slightly to fit.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, vanilla, Grand Marnier, and salt until combined well and ladle evenly over bread. Chill bread mixture, covered overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bring bread to room temperature.

Bake bread mixture, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed and edges are pale golden, 35 to 40 minutes.

Serve upside down immediately.

Another French Toast recipe was tried called caramel apple french toast. Believe this one I made with Granny Smith Apples It, too, is from Laniers BB

CARAMEL APPLE FRENCH TOAST RECIPE

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 cup chopped pecans
12 slices sweet French bread
4 apples, thinly sliced
7 eggs or egg-white product
1 3/4 cups skim milk
1 tsp vanilla
cinnamon and nutmeg
whipped cream, optional

Instructions:
Combine brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup and cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Pour into 9 x 13 glass baking dish (spray with Pam first). Sprinkle with 1 cup chopped pecans. Place one layer sliced French bread on syrup and pecans (equals 6 slices). Top with sliced apples.

Combine eggs, milk, and vanilla in blender, then pour half and mixture over first layer. Place second layer of sliced French Bread on top of apples and cover with remaining egg and milk mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg and bake uncovered for 60-70 minutes at 350 degrees. Each person is served one double-layer serving. It can also be served with whipped cream.

[Trillian]

This is my favorite way to have zucchini:

Trillian’s Zucchini and Potato soup

4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 a large yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
2 medium zucchini, diced
1 14-oz of diced tomatoes, with juices
3/4 cup of crushed tomatoes or marinara sauce
2 medium potatoes, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Water/chicken stock to fill pot
Parsley to taste

Saute garlic and onions for a couple of minutes in a large saucepan. Add parsley, celery, carrots and zucchini and saute a couple of minutes longer. Add tomatoes and potatoes then fill pot with water or chicken stock. Add seasonings and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 45 minutes.
I like to serve this with cooked tubetti or mini shells and top with lots of parmesan cheese.

[V K Lee]

For the Creme Brulee Recipe orange juice can be substituted for the Grand Marnier At the first time made. GM was used, however when tried again it was frozen orange juice concentrate, softened. No distinct difference in taste for the substitution.

Now, can anyone say crepes? Those, too, are so scrumptious made for breakfast. Liked more than pancakes (which are way too filling). Thin crepes cooked and then served stuffed with ricotta cheese or sour cream. with sprinkled with lime/lemon juice & powdered sugar and, of course, Butter. Even with no filling, they are STILL GOOD!

Or DUTCH BABY PANCAKES. LOL, and once used to claim breakfast was never eaten! Guess habits change with age!

[Jamestown1630]

http://www.humorbin.com/showitem.asp?item=24

[Jamestown1630]

Your post reminded me of a recipe I read about recently:

http://www.thekitchn.com/summer-recipe-pickled-yellow-squash-recipes-from-the-kitchn-175125

She sorta makes me want to taste the actual original recipe that she’s writing about; but the chef’s ‘lips were sealed’ :-)

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

The Veggie Beef sounds like one we used to get at the Bloomsburg Fair - a morning bowl of it was the first thing in the ritual of Fair-Going.

My husband loves it, and I’ll show him your recipe.

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

Your link for lanierbb looks like Arabic, from my end...(?)

-JT

[Texicanus]

Or fried which I could eat all day long.

Breaded and fried is definitely the best in my opinion but I like it fixed most other ways too.

But if the squash crop fails there's always fried okra. Last year squash bugs killed most of my plants before they could bear much. Like you, I'm hoping for a better crop this year.

Sorry for the late reply but I've been out in the garden most of the day and haven't been on FR to check for the latest news and pings.

[MomwithHope]

That sounds really good and looks good too. I’m a picklin’ fool.

[V K Lee]

Ummm...it does probably due to the link itself which was posted. The Lanier bb has recently turned to the current link seen, but when the lairnerbb addy is used at the Web Archive Index it does bring up the English version ...which was found in the old site before the google switching addies, site names, etc. That was just a few months ago.

First go to Web Archive to enter the URL’s listed
http://archive.org/web/web.php

LANIER BB
www.lanierbb.com/recipes/
www.lanierbb.com/recipes/index.html

Sorry, thought it I was clearer about the Web Archive bit..My error.

[V K Lee]

Dislike posting direct to the page link on site as not familiar with tiny url’s and such. Perhps this link will post as it should ...remember, a novice here, as to how THIS board should treat entries and such.

http://web.archive.org/web/20050324070207/http://www.lanierbb.com/recipes/index.html

Good Luck. this should take you yoa copy of the lainer bb page from the year 2005

VK

[V K Lee]

The above link did take me to a Recipe Index page of the Lainer BB old site..WhooRah!!

[Jamestown1630]

I’m not sure, but it may have been an issue of the org. changing its website name:

http://www.innkeeping.org/news/105003/LanierBB.com-Becomes-Bescover.com.htm

JT

[Jamestown1630]

I’ve never done any pickling or preserving, but I want to learn it.

First, I want to learn the simple stuff, where you just boil high-acid things. But I want to learn to do low-acid things, too. What kind of pressure-cooker do you buy for that?

We’ve got the Ball book on preserving, but we’re pretty ignorant about this stuff.

-JT

[V K Lee]

This has not yet been seen on any shelf in the stores here. As it been tried by anyone and what do you think? The original spray and the olive oil spray are the ones most commonly used.

PAM COOKING SPRAY
http://www.pamcookingspray.com/

Coconut spray seems to be a fairly new one!