Baked Zucchini

 429.  Summer time always provides us with plenty of beautiful vegetables and zucchini is always at the top of my list.  They are lovely and so versatile to work with as well as the flavor that will compliment any  pairing whether sweet or savory.  This is a savory dish, although using some of the same methods as my classic recipe HERE, the recipe was adapted from Antoni Porowski's cookbook for "Baked Zucchini".  

His recipe is vegan but I use ground beef in my recipe.  I followed each step but made a meatball-like filling for the deep well you create by scraping out the seeds.  Often times I will chop up the seeds and flesh removed and mix it with the filling, if the seeds are young and tender.  A light marinara sauce was a perfect base for this recipe HERE.

The breadcrumb topping was a really nice addition, although, next time I would use a finely ground parmesan cheese.

Topped off with chopped basil leaves and a side salad, this was a beautiful summer meal.  Thank you zucchini...you've done it again.  Made it on my "Summer Favorites" list.

"When I pass a flowering zucchini plant in a garden, my heart skas a beat."

~ Gwyneth Paltrow

Eggplant and Zucchini Casserole with Potatoes

406.  Cookbooks!  Cookbooks!  Cookbooks!!!

"Cookbooks for everyone!!!"...was the theme of our Christmas gift exchange.  Not only cookbooks but books in general.  

A fabulous cookbook is Stanley Tucci's "The Tucci Table" filled with great home recipes that are simple but incorporate memories and tips from his family.  You can order this great cookbooks HERE.

This recipe incorporates veggies, potatoes, and tomato sauce smothered in cheese.  I used Stanley Tucci's recipe but adjusted it a bit to our liking.  Here is my recipe:

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This recipe strays away from pasta for a carb and adds potato instead which is a really great substitute.

And, it is such a hardy meal.  It warms you up and fills you up without the extra carb stress.

It also tastes delicious as leftovers the next day or to freeze for a later date.

"Throughout my childhood, almost every night in the middle of dinner, my father would shake his head and ask, 'What does the rest of the world eat?' That's how good my mother's cooking has always been--to my dad, it was inconceivable that anyone could possibly eat as well as we did.  And I agreed with him every time."

~Stanley Tucci

Garden Canning

316.  Canning tomatoes is a must each autumn.  My tomato plants were great producers with constant tomatoes on the vine from May through November.  I purchased the plants in March at a plant distributor in Brooklyn, NY.  It was very early but I brought them home and kept them warm and watered till May.  These plants were significantly hardy and healthy as opposed to plants that I would buy locally in town.   Along with tomato plants I purchased flowers and herbs, which were also good quality and productive.

Each week would produce a basket full of tomatoes and cucumbers.  There are only so many tomatoes you can eat fresh.  The rest were destined to be sauce, salsa and marinara.  Towards the end of the growing season, when the temperature stayed below 70degrees, the tomatoes that were green were very useful for green salsa.  And can I say, the green salsa turned out "magnificent"!

 I still use some of the old canning jars my mom gave to me and others purchased at flee markets and yard sales.  My funnel was purchased in my first year of marriage when we lived in Seattle, Washington.  We loved to go to Remlinger Farms, pick apples and enjoy the beautiful scenery in Carnation, Washington.  Here is the link:  https://remlingerfarms.com/wholesale.htm

I was able to put up 3 batches of tomato sauce and marinara as well as 2 batches of salsa in pint jars.  This was the best tomato growth I can remember in many, many years.  Not to mention the great fresh basil, parsley and oregano growth as well.  Ahhhh, homemade sauce, nothing like it!

"There ain't nothin' better in life than true love and a home grown tomato."

-Old Saying 

Marinara Sauce

 306.  This summer my tomatoes grew exceptionally well.  So well that the neighborhood squirrels had a steady diet of my little red beauties!

 When I make my homemade fresh tomato sauce I use my blender.  I remember my mom processing tomatoes for hours.  Boiling the water.  Dropping the tomatoes in the water then plunging them into an ice bath to stop the cooking process.  Then laboriously peeling each tomatoes and then squeezing every last bit of liquid and seeds from the centers.  There was just as much waste from the tomatoes as there were tomatoes to cook.

 My logic has been…the seeds and skin carry just as much nutrition as the pulp of the tomato.  So, I just wash each tomato, whole and cherry, and cut them in chunks, then fill up my blender.

 The blender does a wonderful job of mincing every bit of skin and seed that you would not know the difference.  And the texture is very smooth and consistent.

 Once it has processed till all the little bits disappear, it will seem foamy and the color turns pink.

 I prepare a large 6-8quart pot by sautéing in olive oil 1 large onion chopped and 4 cloves of garlic minced.  Once you pour the liquid tomato puree into the pot, bring it to a rolling boil and continue with the remaining tomatoes.

 The color red returns quickly with the heat.  I then chop fresh parsley, oregano and basil.  One to two cans of tomato paste.  Add teaspoon of sugar, salt and pepper and sometimes a pinch of red pepper flakes.

 Bring all to a boil, then turn down to simmer for about 60 minutes stirring every so often.  Taste to adjust the seasoning and if you would like to add more of the ingredients have fun!  I have even added chopped up veggies from my garden such as squash, green bean, peppers or eggplant.  Once it has cooked and the seasoning is perfect you can serve it with pasta or pour the hot sauce into sterilized jars and place sterilized lids on top.  Within minutes you will hear the seals pop and your sauce is ready to store away in a cool place until you need it.  For canning I use both canning jars and mayonnaise jars, which are a perfect size and the special canning lids fit just right!

"The federal government has sponsored research that has produced a tomato that is perfect in every respect, except that you can't eat it.  We should make every effort to make sure this disease, often referred to as 'progress', doesn't spread."

~Andy Rooney

"I don't care what anybody says:  Nothing is better than a tomato you grow.  There's something about it that's different than a tomato you can buy.  It's a great thing."

~T. Vilsack

Stuffed Zucchini

305.  Zucchini is such a bountiful diverse vegetable.  With such a mild flavor and texture, it can camouflage as sweet or savory.

 When a zucchini makes its way into my kitchen, my favorite way of preparing it is with a savory meat stuffing.

 I cut it length wise and scrape out the center seed section creating a trough.

 Next, ground meat is mixed with either 1 cup of rice or 1 cup of seasoned breadcrumbs, 1 large egg, 1 large onion chopped, 2 cloves garlic minced, salt and pepper, parsley, ¼ cup parmesan cheese.  Mix together till blended.

 You can place the extra pieces of zucchini around the bottom of the baking dish.
 Fill the trough with the meat mixture and spread evenly mounding the meat.

 If there is extra meat I make meatballs and place them in the baking dish as well.

 I use marinara sauce, this sauce I canned this summer from my wonderful tomato harvest.

 I pour the sauce around the zucchini and lightly cover the meat.

 I cover the baking dish with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes.  Then remove the tinfoil and place mozzarella cheese across the meat and place it back in the oven till melted.

I serve it with pasta and the sauce from the baking dish.  The zucchini and meat render beautiful flavors into the sauce. It is delicious, hardy and a delightful spin on Italian meatloaf.  A one casserole meal.

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie."

~J. Davis