Zucchini Sticks

Well, anyone noticing a theme yet? It's not pumpkin this time, now it's zucchini! We've declared Zucchini Fest 2012 and up to bat tonight would be Zucchini Sticks.

Zucchini Sticks

1 large, thin zucchini
1 egg, beaten
1 cup bread crumbs (I used half Italian, half Panko)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
seasoning (I used some garlic salt, onion flakes, pepper)
salt
cooking spray

1. Cut zucchini in half so you have two short barrels. Then cut each mini-zuch into 9 pieces/sticks. 2 East/West cuts, 2 North/South cuts. Place zucchini in a bowl or strainer and sprinkle with about 1/2 tablespoon salt and let sit for about 30-45 minutes. Zucchini water will collect. Drain off water, rinse zucchini, and pat dry with paper towel.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (400 convection). Place an oven-safe cooling rack on a cookie sheet.
3. Beat egg in medium bowl. Put zucchini sticks into egg and allow sticks to become coated in egg.
4. On a deep plate or in a bowl, mix bread crumbs, cheese, and seasoning. Dip egged zucchini sticks into bread crumb mixture one-by-one. Place on cooling rack/cookie sheet. Once all sticks are breaded, spray top with cooking spray.
5. Bake for about 15 minutes, keeping an eye on them so they don't burn. Remove from oven, flip sticks, spray with cooking spray, and continue baking for another 5-10 minutes until browned.

Enjoy!

AEM

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala has quickly become a household favorite around here. It was a little rainy and dreary today and Mike was jonesing for this so we whipped it out tonight. Here's how it went down. I also made a zucchini salad and some mashed potatoes but you're on your own for the potatoes!

Chicken Marsala

2 thin chicken breasts

1 tablespoon butter

2 cups sliced mushrooms

3/4 cup Marsala

1 cup chicken stock

salt and pepper

1. Prepare chicken breasts as you choose (I did about 15 mins in a 400 degree oven but floured and done on the stove in some olive oil is also a good option). 

2. Add half the butter to a large pan, over medium heat, add mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are slightly brown on the edges. 

3. Add Marsala. Boil and allow Marsala to reduce in half. Add chicken stock and boil for another 2 minutes or so. 

4. Add chicken and remaining butter. Also add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and serve when sauce thickens. 

Zucchini Salad

1 zucchini

1 summer squash

1/4 cup diced tomato

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion flakes

salt and pepper to taste

1. All all ingredients into a pan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is tender. 

2. Serve

AEM

Sausage Zucchini Pizza

Pizza night! Tonight's conquest: sausage and zucchini, a delicious combo! Might be even better with some caramelized onions on top!

Sausage Zucchini Pizza

1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup cooked turkey sausage
1/2 to 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
about a dozen basil leaves, chopped
1 pre-made pizza crust (we like the Boboli whole weat thin crust)
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven according to crust instructions.
2. Mix zucchini, 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper in small boil. Let sit for 5-10 minutes and drain any extra fluid
3. Spread 1/2 tablespoon olive oil on pizza crust. Add zucchini and sausage. Top with cheese.
4. Bake for about 10 minutes (or according to crust instructions). After baking, top with basil. Serve

AEM

Salsa Chicken and Zucchini Cakes

The dreaded dinner time strikes again! What to make, what to make?! So many choices yet it seems like there's nothing to make. I know! Zucchini cakes! Although Mike will never go for just that...what else, what else? Chicken! and Mashed potatoes! The chicken sauce and zucchini cake recipes are below, you're on you own for mashed potatoes!

Salsa Chicken

2 chicken breasts
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar

1. Prepare chicken to your liking. I baked it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.
2. Add garlic to small pan and cook on medium for about a minute. Add salsa, orange juice, and brown sugar. Heat to a boil.
3. Reduce heat, add chicken. Cook on low until sauce thickens slightly.
4. Place chicken on plate (or in my case potatoes and zucchini cakes) and add sauce on top.


Zucchini Cakes

1 large zucchini grated, excess water removed (put grated zucchini into paper towel and squeeeeeeeze out water)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup panko bread crumbs
sprinkle of nutmet
1 clove minced garlic
1 egg
salt and pepper
olive oil

1. Combine all ingredients except olive oil. Form patties.
2. Coat bottom of pan in olive oil and heat to medium. Add zucchini patties and cook until browned, about 3-4 minutes per side.

Original Zucchini Recipe: http://www.lifesambrosia.com/2009/02/zucchini-cakes-recipe.html


AEM

Chocolate Chip Cookies & Brownie Cups

As a thank you for someone and a gift for someone else I decided to whip up some heavy-chocolate treats. One just didn't seem like enough with all of the delightful recipes so I turned a classic Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe and a Brownie Cup recipe into reduced fat deliciousness. The cookies were very light and fluffy, almost cake-light and the brownies were flat-out dreamy!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup applesauce
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips

1. Heat over to 375 degrees.
2. Mix flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda in medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat sugar, vanilla, butter, applesauce, and brown sugar until creamy. Add eggs and beat well. Slowly add flour mixture, beat well. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove from tray and cool on wire rack. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Brownie Cups

48 Hershey Kisses (Meltaway)
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tablespoon water
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
powdered sugar

1. Unwrap kisses and place in freezer.
2. Beat butter, applesauce, sugar, water, vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs and beat well.
3. In another bowl, mix flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda. Slowly add to sugar/butter mixture, beating on low until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until dough is firm enough to roll into balls.
4. Heat over to 350 degrees. Line mini-muffin tray with paper/foil baking cups or spray with cooking spray. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place in muffin cups.
5. Bake 11-13 minutes or until cookie surface is set. Cookies will appear soft and moist. Do NOT overbake. Cool 5 minutes on wire rack, dust tops with powdered sugar. Press frozen kisses into each brownie. Cool IN PAN on wire rack and remove when cool. Makes 4 dozen.

Original Cookie Recipe: http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipe-details.aspx?id=5014&name=HERSHEY%27S-%22Perfectly-Chocolate%22-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies

Original Brownie Recipe: http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipe-details.aspx?id=8608&name=Chocolate-Meltaway-Brownie-Bites


AEM

Thai Peanut Chicken and Pasta

Sometimes I have days where I'm just sick of every single thing I normally make for dinner. I can sit for hours and try to think of something for dinner and every idea I come up with annoys me for one reason or another. So today, I tried something new. I cheated a little but ended up with something awesome that was SUPER easy and very delicious. We'll definitely be making this one again soon. Here's how it went down.

Peanut Chicken and Pasta

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (I used some leftovers)

Veggies of your choice (I used some frozen green beans and carrots)

1 lb spaghetti (I only used 1/2 a box)

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes for some heat

sesame seeds for garnish

1. Cook and cube your chicken if you're not using leftovers. About 20 minutes at 400 degrees should do the trick. 

2. Prepare the veggies you are planning on using (I just microwaved mine for a few minutes)

3. Boil water and cook pasta. Set Aside. Trust me, do this before the sauce because the sauce doesn't take long. 

4. Add peanut butter, sugar, soy sauce, water, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes into a small sauce pan. On medium heat, whisk just until it begins to boil, remove from heat. 

5. Add some sauce to coat the chicken and veggies. Use the rest to toss with the pasta. Put pasta in a boil, add the chicken/veggies on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Original Recipe: http://southerncookinglight.com/2012/04/02/thai-noodles-with-peanut-sauce/

AEM

Fig and Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula

This is another stolen recipe - this was totally Liz's idea and I had to steal it because it looked too good to pass up and boy was I right! It was almost like eating dessert for dinner yet had all of the food groups and was relatively healthy the way I made it.

Fig and Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula


1 Pizza Crust (I used Boboli thin whole wheat)
4-6 Tablespoons Fig Jam
1/2 - 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (I used Kraft 2% Milk Mozz)
3 pieces of thinly sliced Prosciutto
1 cup Arugula

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (or as crust instructs).
2. Spread fig jam on crust and top with mozzarella cheese.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese melts.
4. Remove form oven and top with prosciutto and arugula. Slice and serve.

Original Recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/fig-prosciutto-pizza-with-arugula-recipe/index.html


AEM