Stuffed Zucchini

Since becoming a vegetarian again there is one vegetable that I have been obsessed with.  This would be zucchini.

I was craving stuffed zucchini, so yesterday when at Bristol Farms I picked up a few.  Little did I know that I would get a pound in my CSA box today.  I won't complain, more zucchini for me :D

I wanted to use what veggies I had on hand, so I made my own recipe.  The result was delicious.
I won't lie, it was inspired by a dish I had at a wedding rehearsal.

Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini

3 medium zucchini
8 ounces finely chopped mushrooms
1 medium onion, finely chopped
6 ounces of fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons pesto
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Saute mushrooms and onion in a skillet with preferred oil (I use coconut)
Use a melon baller to create "boats" in halved zucchini
Place zucchini on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Bake for 20 minutes
Chop the reserved zucchini and add to mushroom/onion mixture.  Season with salt and pepper
When zucchini is done cooking, mix the mushroom/onion mixture with pesto and parmesean cheese
Stuff zucchini with mixture, top with more cheese and bake for 5 more minutes

ENJOY :D

-April

Grown-up Grilled Cheese

I like being a grown-up for a few reasons.  I like living on my own and doing what I want.  I like cooking what I want made from things I bought (I just joined a CSA and I'm super excited!!!). I like working on my budget (hey, I love Excel).  I like working (sometimes), and I like that I can make a normally kid's dinner more adult like.


I have made mac and cheese (not very grown-up style yet) that melts in my mouth, so now I wanted to try a good 'ol grilled cheese.


I frequent this site, and everything I've made from her site I have loved.  I thought I would take her advice and make this killer sandwich.


The idea is pretty easy.  Grill some onions until your mouth waters, throw them on some tasty bread, add a couple pieces of cheese and a top piece of bread and you are ready to go!


The only different think I did with this grilled cheese (besides the super tasty onions) was to use my homemade bread and my new cast iron skillet.  


Let's talk about this cast iron skillet for a moment.  I have been wanting one of these for a long time, and last weekend I was at Bed Bath and Beyond with a $5 off coupon in hand and got one for $15.  I don't know if it was the skillet, or the fact I had sheer luck, but this was the best grilling of a grilled cheese I have ever seen in my kitchen.  Even if it's not the skillet, I'm not changing it up in the future.


Now on the visuals.  This is a whole (yes, I mean whole) yellow onion ready to become heaven:

After about 20-25 LONG minutes (I'm impatient) you end up with golden goodness (I think I might have a problem here)

Take some real butter and throw it in your cast iron skillet for a few seconds before you put a slice of homemade heaven on it then add the cheese onions:

Look at that beautiful butter... add another piece of bread and grill!

Once done, cut it in half so you can see how pretty it is and enjoy!

If you are looking for a great dinner splurge, please try this sandwich.  Maybe you can pair it with a nice soup, or a cocktail.  Your choice, I won't judge!


Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions (adapted from here)


2 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
Pinch of sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Splash of dry white wine (you can use broth)
4 bread slices
Cheese slices (I used provolone and mozzarella) 



(To make the caramelized onions, melt 1½ tablespoons of the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat.  Add the sliced onions to the pan with the sugar, salt and pepper.  Stir well.  Reduce the heat to medium-low.  Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and fully caramelized, about 15-20 minutes.  Increase the heat to medium-high.  Pour in the splash of wine and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has cooked off.  Remove from the heat and set aside.)


Assemble and grill sandwiches.  Enjoy immediately.


-April

Lasagne and Cookies

One thing you must know about me is that when I want something I make it happen.  I don't mean to sound impatient (even though I am, a bit) or spoiled, but I usually find a way.  I've gotten more patient in the years though (I promise, Mom.)


This past weekend I wanted something, so my wonderful husband took me to the store to get sugar, butter and eggs.  Don't ask me how I didn't have these on hand, but if you did, I would tell you that I ran out of them at the same time.  That would be true, honest, I'm a bad liar!


This particular time I had to have chocolate chip cookies.  I blame Pinterest.


I wanted to try a recipe I hadn't made before, so I found one that had some good reviews.  For some reason since becoming a "baker" I have felt that if I did the bare minimum I would feel less of a "baker" (makes no sense, right?) Unfortunately this is the truth, so I had to make 2 kinds of cookies.  Don't worry, I didn't eat them all, but my co-workers like me ;)


I decided on Lemon Crinkle cookies.  They were light, chewy and delicious.

I had never rolled cookies in powdered sugar before baking before, but they gave these cookies the best texture.  I will make them again, maybe with more lemon zest though.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Makes 2-3 dozen


Ingredients:

½ cups butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoons baking soda
1-½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cups powdered sugar


In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte {not melty or shiny}. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

_________________________________

The Chocolate Chip cookies I made were very good, but not as chewy as I would have liked. I may actually make some more tonight with a different recipe.  I like them nice and soft.  If you are in the mood for a slightly crispy/chewy cookie, this is the right recipe for you.  Don't get me wrong, they were delicious, but a bit too crunchy for me.

The interesting thing about these cookies is the idea of breaking the dough apart before baking.  I'm not sure if they really made them anymore textured, but it was fun to do!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 C plus 2 T flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
12 T butter (1 1/2 sticks) melted and cooled until warm
1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 C semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

Either by hand or with electric mixer, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Stir in chips.

*If for some reason your dough is too soft to form balls at this point, don’t add more flour.  Just cover and place bowl in the fridge until dough firms.

Take about 1/4 C dough and form into a ball.  Break ball in half and place dough on cookie sheet with broken edge facing up.  (Or just use a standard sized cookie scoop). Bake until cookies are set around outer edges start to hardenyet centers are still soft and puffy, 10-13 minutes.  Cool cookies on cookie sheets. Serve or store inairtight container.

____________________________

I also made a tasty lasagna for dinner.  It's no real recipe. I made the sauce from this recipe, however I halved it and used canned tomatoes. I then added lasagna noodles, carrots, broccoli, celery, squash, cottage cheese and colby jack cheese.  I basically put whatever I had in the house in it.  TASTY STUFF!

Here was dinner, jealous???

All in all it was a good night, and I'm pretty happy with myself.  I think I'll make tortillas tonight...

Stay tuned!

-April