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Monday's Leftovers: Summer Vegetable Pasta

YumSugar — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 07:50:55 -0700

Sundays are my shopping nights, but in a chaotic turn of events, I had a jam-packed weekend and wasn't able to squeeze it in. Thankfully, I've got everything I need for a spectacularly seasonal meal with leftover zucchini, gruyere, and basil from last night. The only other ingredients are pantry items - olive oil, corkscrew pasta, breadcrumbs, and garlic - and frozen corn works as well as fresh in a pinch. I've dodged tonight's potential dinner snafu and created a dish that tastes great fresh and hot, or served chilled the next day.

If only everything in life were so easy! See the recipe

Sunday BBQ: Grilled Gruyere & Zucchini Pesto Sandwiches

YumSugar — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 06:00:48 -0700

Although I had beef with Quizno's Toasty Bullet subs, I really enjoyed the Pesto Turkey flavor. The anise-tinged flecks of basil and pine nut reminded me how much I love spreading a little bit of pesto in sandwiches. And ever since PartySugar made better-than-store bought homemade pesto, I've been inspired to incorporate the same elements into dinners I savor at home.

Everything's coming together this weekend, when I light the coals to make these basic - but far from blasé - zucchini grilled cheeses. They're a snap to put together, and perfect for my vegetarian friends. See the recipe.

Chilled Zucchini Soup Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 05:50:49 -0700

I'm a major supporter of soup, and believe in eating it year-round, regardless of the weather. Yet I know how some of you can't bear to steam up sun shades with bowls of hot liquid in the Summer. If you fall into the latter category, chilled zucchini soup, with its creamy body and subtle flavor, is just the thing to talk you off the ledge. Add a quick course to the dinner menu when you blend together zucchini, broth, dill, and shredded cheese - or transform it into more of a substantial meal by topping off bowls with cumin-spiced shrimp and tangy cilantro cream. Decide between the two when you read more

Fast & Easy Dinner: Pasta Salad With Grilled Vegetables

partysugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:00:26 -0700

Go veggie tonight with this quick Summer pasta salad. It's chock-full of grilled tomatoes, zucchini, pepper, and scallions. Black olives provide a salty brininess to the dish. A simple garlic and red wine vinaigrette coats the pasta and vegetables. This salad tastes great the next day and is easy to pack, so make the whole batch and you've got lunch for tomorrow. Want extra richness? Toss in crumbled feta or goat cheese. For the recipe, keep reading

Monday's Leftovers: Portobello and Zucchini Tacos

YumSugar — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:50:19 -0700

One of my favorite ways to liven up tired weeknight favorites is to give them a seasonal twist. Switch up the same old vegetarian tacos by swapping canned beans for farm-fresh roasted vegetables.

Slip leftover portobello mushroom caps and slices of roasted zucchini squash between warm corn tortillas to add a delicate earthiness to your meal. Add in spicy red onion and juicy fresh salsa, and your Mexican meal is complete.

For a tasty, wholesome meal, read more.

Portobello And Zucchini Tacos
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

5 medium portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 medium zucchini, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch sticks
1 medium red onion, halved and sliced 1/4-inch thick
12 (4 1/2-inch) corn tortillas
6 ounces (1 cup) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup fresh salsa

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss mushrooms with 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1/4 cup water; season with salt and pepper. On another rimmed baking sheet, toss zucchini and onion with remaining teaspoon oregano and tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper.
Place both sheets in oven. Roast, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are browned and fork-tender, 25 to 30 minutes (zucchini may cook faster than mushrooms).
Meanwhile, in a small skillet over medium-high heat, warm tortillas according to package instructions (they should be lightly browned but still soft). Wrap loosely in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
To serve, fill each tortilla with mushrooms, vegetable mixture, shredded cheese, and salsa.

Serves 4.

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Go French With Savory Crepe Ratatouille

YumSugar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:00:59 -0700

After making a scrumptious ratatouille sandwich, I couldn't get the tasty French dish out of my mind. This time, I opted to serve the cooked vegetables in a more traditional way: in a classic French crepe. Considering the prep work, ratatouille is a time-consuming dish, but once the veggies are cooking it's pretty fast and effortless. For the ratatouille, it's important to use your largest pan - I actually used a wok as it holds a larger volume. Each bite of the final dish is a complex and delicious combination of eggplant, onions, bell peppers, squash, tangy goat cheese, and crisp crepe. If you don't have time to make ratatouille, be sure to give the crepe recipe a chance. Crepes are simple to make and easy to customize - try adding herbs and cheese for a different take on the savory version. Or do what I did with the extra crepes and create a sweet crepe with strawberries and a thin layer of Nutella. To get started on your own French dinner, read more.

Ratatouille
From Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
1 1/2 cups small diced yellow onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups medium diced eggplant, skin on
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup diced green bell peppers
1 cup diced red bell peppers
1 cup diced zucchini squash
1 cup diced yellow squash
1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Set a large 12-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onions and garlic to the pan. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are wilted and lightly caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the eggplant and thyme to the pan and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is partially cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the green and red peppers, zucchini, and squash and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste, and cook for a final 5 minutes. Stir well to blend and serve either hot or at room temperature.

Serves 4-6 generously.

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Basic Crepes
From Alton Brown

Ingredients

2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
Butter, for coating the pan
Ratatouille, for serving

Directions

In a blender, combine first five ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.
Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone.
After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.
Place ratatouille on a quarter of the crepe, crumble goat cheese. Fold into a triangle and serve.

Makes 8-10 crepes.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Zucchini With Quinoa Stuffing

partysugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 07:50:23 -0700

While I've stuffed a potato and bell pepper plenty of times, I've never had stuffed zucchini - until now! This recipe ingeniously fills the boat-like vegetable with a quinoa-white bean mixture. The technique is simple and can easily be adapted to suit your dietary needs.

Rice or couscous can be used in place of quinoa, and the combination of vegetables, nuts, and cheese that's stirred into the grain is entirely up to you. To learn how to make this innovative, hearty vegetarian meal, read more.

Zucchini With Quinoa Stuffing
From Real Simple

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
4 medium zucchini
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup almonds, chopped (about 2 ounces)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (3 ounces)
4 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Heat oven to 400° F. In a large saucepan, combine the quinoa and 1 cup water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Arrange in a large baking dish, cut-side up.
Fluff the quinoa and fold in the beans, tomatoes, almonds, garlic, ½ cup of the Parmesan, and 3 tablespoons of the oil.
Spoon the mixture into the zucchini. Top with the remaining tablespoon of oil and ¼ cup Parmesan.
Cover with foil and bake until the zucchini is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

Serves 4.

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Feed a Crowd With Hearty Moussaka

partysugar — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 08:00:16 -0700

If you've never had moussaka, the popular Greek dish that traditionally consists of ground meat and sliced eggplant, I highly suggest you make it soon. I recently did and couldn't help but wonder why I had never made this fantastic dish before.

Although there are several steps in the recipe, the final result is insanely delicious. First potatoes, zucchini, and eggplant are roasted in the oven. Next a mixture of tomatoes, ground beef, and lamb is cooked on the stove. These components are layered like a lasagna and topped with a creamy béchamel before being baked until bubbly and golden.

Moussaka is the perfect dinner party dish because you can make it in advance and bake it while the party is going on. To check out the recipe, read more.

Moussaka
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

Nonstick olive oil spray
2 12-ounce eggplants, peeled, each cut lengthwise in half, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 1/2 pounds medium zucchini, trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 pound red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 pound lean ground beef sirloin
1/2 pound ground lamb
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes in juice
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup plain dry white breadcrumbs
2 large egg whites, beaten to blend
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Low-Fat White Sauce
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with olive oil spray.
Arrange eggplant slices and half of zucchini rounds, overlapping slightly, on 1 baking sheet. Arrange potato rounds and remaining zucchini, overlapping slightly, on second baking sheet. Spray vegetables generously with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until tender and beginning to brown, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is tender, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons water if mixture seems dry, about 7 minutes.
Stir in oregano. Add beef; sauté until brown, breaking up with back of spoon.
Add tomatoes with their juices and tomato paste, breaking up tomatoes with back of spoon. Simmer until mixture thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remove from heat. Mix in 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, egg whites and cinnamon.
Spray 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with olive oil spray. Sprinkle 1/4 cup breadcrumbs over bottom of dish. Arrange potatoes in prepared dish. Spoon half of beef mixture over.
Arrange eggplant slices over. Spoon remaining beef mixture over.
Top with all of zucchini, overlapping slightly if necessary.
Pour warm Low-Fat White Sauce over moussaka. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over.
Bake until top is golden brown, about 55 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Serves 10-12.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Shrimp and Scallops en Papillote

partysugar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:45:52 -0800

Surprise your family tonight with this gift-like meal. The seafood and vegetables are cooked en papillote - inside a parchment paper package - until moist and tender. At the table, your loved ones open the packets to discover a delectable and succulent dinner.

Feel free to get creative with the recipe: this healthy cooking technique is ideal for all types of fish, chicken, and vegetables. To learn how it's done, read more.

Shrimp and Scallops en Papillote
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

2 cups sliced leeks (2 large)
4 large sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
12 sea scallops
8 peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp
1 cup julienned carrot (2 medium)
1 cup julienned zucchini or sweet pepper strips (1 small)
4 teaspoons butter, melted
4 slices lemon

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut four 12x16-inch sheets of parchment paper. Fold in half; crease fold and unfold.
On half of each sheet of parchment, place 1/2 cup leek and top with a sprig of thyme.
In a bowl stir together mustard, wine, and white pepper. Add scallops and shrimp; toss to coat.
Spoon one-fourth of seafood mixture over leeks. Top with 1/4 cup carrot and 1/4 cup zucchini.
Drizzle with 1 tablespoon butter and top with a lemon slice.
Fold parchment over seafood stack like a book. Start sealing at the edge of the fold. Working in 2-inch sections, fold about 1/4-inch of the open edges over and crease tightly. Fold again. Continue working around the open edges of the parchment, overlapping folded sections slightly. Finish with a double fold at the end of the packet. Make sure folds are creased tightly so they don't open. Repeat to make three more packets.
Place packets in a very large baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until scallops and shrimp are opaque.
To serve, cut an "X" in the top of the parchment; serve immediately.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Baked Potatoes With Spicy Vegetable Stew

partysugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:45:29 -0700

Baked potatoes are totally underrated, and for some reason they've got a bad rap. It's time we gave the stuffed potato some love. Instead of topping them with cheese and sour cream, these baked potatoes are filled with a spicy vegetable stew making them an entire delicious meal. The stew consists of black beans, carrots, zucchini, and squash, but feel free to stir in your favorite vegetables, or use the stew to top baked sweet potatoes.

To bring the baked potato back into your life, read more.

Baked Potatoes With Spicy Vegetable Stew
From Vegetarian Times

Ingredients

1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
14-oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
19-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup diced yellow squash
1 cup diced zucchini
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup diced carrot
4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed (about 2 1/2 lbs.)
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce potatoes with tines of fork and bake until tender, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, carrot, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes.
Stir in chili powder and cumin. Add tomatoes, broth and beans. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes.
Add yellow squash and zucchini. Cover and simmer until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper.
To serve, split baked potatoes and mash their pulp slightly. Spoon vegetable stew into center.

Serves 4.

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