The Times They Are A Changing

Cheesy Zucchini Bake

If you have a vegetable garden and grew zucchini, it’s already been coming out of your ears. I’m sure you are looking for one more recipe in order to use it up. This certainly can be a main course with a nice green salad and grilled French or Italian bread.

Ingredients

12 oz Italian sausage (spicy or mild)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
5 zucchini, approximately
3 eggs, beaten
1 ½ cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
3 - 4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
¾ cup Roma tomatoes, chopped
Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9 X 13 inch baking dish.

In a large skillet, cook sausage, garlic and the onion until the meat is done. While cooking work with a fork to separate into small pieces.

Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. If you have especially large zucchini, you may want to cut it into thirds lengthwise. Cook the zucchini in the microwave for 3 to 5 minutes. After it cools, place the zucchini spoon out any seeds that are too large. Place the zucchini in the baking dish.

In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the zucchini.

Pour the sausage mixture over the zucchini, followed by the tomatoes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and the remaining mozzarella cheese.

Cover the baking dish and cook for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and broil on low for an additional 5 minutes to brown. Serves 5 to 8.

Italian Stuffed Zucchini

This is one time purchasing the larger zucchini is a good idea. Normally when sautéing or steaming zucchini the smaller, younger ones are tender and delicious. If you get link Italian sausage, cut into small pieces. If you get bulk sausage, separate while browning into small pieces.

Ingredients

8 zucchini
1 pound Italian sausage (spicy or mild)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup prepared bread crumbs
2 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cube butter
Parmesan Cheese, grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash and cut of both ends of the zucchini. Slice them in half, lengthwise. Dig out the center of each half zucchini, saving the pulp.
In a skillet, brown the sausage. When cooked, drain the sausage.
Meanwhile, in another skillet, sauté in the olive oil, the zucchini pulp, onion, tomatoes and garlic. Cook until the onion is tender.
In a large mixing bowl or pot, pour in the bread crumbs and eggs, mix. Pour in the sausage, the vegetable mixture and salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the butter and place some in each zucchini “boat.” Divide the sausage mixture and place evenly in each zucchini. Place the zucchini into a greased baking pan.
Bake zucchini for 30 minutes. Serves 4.

When I serve this dish I usually add crusty Italian bread with butter, broiled in the oven until golden and sliced. You could add a simple pasta dish if you have big eaters.

Minestrone

This a perfect “stick to your ribs” soup that is a meal in itself. Just add a loaf of buttered Italian or French bread, warm out of the oven, for a complete meal.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 6 oz can tomato paste
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 - 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 - 14 oz cans beef or vegetable broth
3 tablespoons basil
3 tablespoons oregano
2 tablespoons thyme
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup pasta, your choice

Directions

In a large soup pot, pour in olive oil and heat. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, broth and 1 ½ quarts water. Heat for 5 minutes and add oregano, thyme and salt, cooking until the vegetables are tender. Add the pasta and cook 10 minutes longer or until the pasta is done. 12 servings. After putting soup into bowls, garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Basic Biscotti Recipe

Ingredients

6 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 cubes butter, softened
1 ¾ cups sugar
6 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Pour into the flower mixture and mix thoroughly. When it becomes difficult to stir, knead with your hands.

Divide the dough into four parts, rolling each piece into a loaf about 14 inches long. Place the loafs on parchment lined cookie sheets, 2 loaves to a pan. Flatten the loaves with your hands to about 3 inches thick. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the 350 degree oven.

When the loaves are cooled so they are just warm to the touch, cut diagonally, with a serrated knife, into ½ inch slices. Lower the oven to 325 degrees. Place the slices onto the cookie sheets so that the sides of the cookie shows on the left and right - the bottom of the cookie is down on the pan. This way the biscotti will toast evenly on both sides. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes.

Variations

Feel free to use your creativity.

* Change the vanilla extract to another flavoring or use a combination.

* Add any kind of chopped nuts you like.

* Add chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips (add some peanut butter in exchange for some of the butter), white chocolate chips.

* Add dried fruit: dried cranberries, dried apricots, raisins.

* Add ½ cup cocoa powder for chocolate biscotti or 2 tablespoons instant coffee graduals for a coffee taste.

Vegetable Penne Pasta

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
4 zucchinis, slice in rounds
2 crook neck (yellow) squash, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 Roma tomatoes chopped
1 small can sliced olives
10 oz penne pasta
¼ cup butter
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large pot cook penne pasta per package directions. Drain and rinse when cooked. Poor back into the hot pot with the butter, and Parmesan cheese, stir. Return to warm stove burner while vegetables cook.

Heat a skillet with the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, zucchini and crook neck squash. Sauté for five minutes. Lower heat and add the tomatoes and olives, cook an additional five minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Stir past and pour it onto a serving platter. Pour the vegetable mixture over the top. Garnish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Serves 6.

What a great offset to the traditional Tiramisu that will top off any special dinner.

Peach Tiramisu Torte

Ingredients

4 cups peaches or nectarines, sliced
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups Cool Whip

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine peaches, sugar and lemon juice, mix thoroughly. Set aside in refrigerator.

Make yellow cake according to package directions with eggs and oil and bake in two cake pans. When cakes are cooled, using a thread, split each cake lengthwise to make 4 layers.

In a mixing bow, combine the cream cheese, ½ cup confectioners sugar and vanilla until creamy and smooth. Fold in the Cool Whip.

Put first cake layer onto the serving plate and spread ¼ of the cream cheese filling and ¼ of the sliced peaches. Repeat until all four layers are complete. Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving to set. Serves 8 to 12.

White Chocolate and Cranberry Biscotti

Ingredients

½ cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup pecans
½ cup white chocolate chips (if desired)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla flavoring until creamy. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Pour the flour mixture, white chocolate chips, dried cranberries and pecans into the creamy mixture and mix thoroughly.
Divide the dough into two logs and press down to ½ inch thick. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a golden brown.

Remove from oven and baking sheet to cool. When cool enough to handle, cut ½ inch slices across the logs. Place them onto the cookie sheet, cut side down. Bake for 6 to 10 minutes and then flip the biscotti to the other cut side. Bake for another 6 to 10 minutes to a lightly toasted appearance.

The cookies are delicious as is or you may melt the ½ cup additional chocolate chips in the microwave and drizzle it over one side of the cookies. Let the white chocolate set before serving. Makes approximately 42 cookies.

Biscuit Pizza

Feel free to substitute toppings for your favorites. Pepperoni is probably the most popular with kids or just plain cheese. This would make a great dish for a lunch children’s birthday party.

Ingredients

6 slices (regular) bacon
Spray oil
¼ cup cornmeal
3 containers refrigerator biscuits
1 - 14 oz jar marinara sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 oz mixed Monterey jack and cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 oz mixed Monterey jack and cheddar cheese, shredded
1 can pineapple chunks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a large skillet, fry bacon. When cooked drain on paper towels and chop into small pieces.
Into a 9”X13” baking pan, spray oil and sprinkle cornmeal. Top with refrigerator biscuits, one at a time to line the pan. In a separate pot, pour in marinara sauce, garlic, onion and bell pepper. Heat on medium heat until it begins to bubble. Pull off of heat and cool for a couple of minutes. Spread sauce over the biscuits. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Add bacon and pineapple evenly over the top of the biscuit pizza.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Serves 8 to 12.

Pesto Shrimp and Pasta

Fast and easy. Add refrigerator breadsticks. Before putting them in the oven rub with olive oil and sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. For a salad, try spinach instead of the ordinary green salad. It’s better with fewer ingredients. So, keep the salad to spinach, chopped Roma tomatoes and red onions. Then toss it with prepared Italian dressing.

Ingredients:

1 - 16 oz penne pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound shrimp, deveined and peeled
½ cup pesto
1 cup sour cream
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook penne pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse and return to pot. Meanwhile in a separate skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add garlic and shrimp. Cook until shrimp is pink. Pour in pesto, sour cream and white wine. Cook until heated through. You may add some corn starch if you like a thicker sauce. Pour into pasta pot and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese after plating. Serves 4.

Feta and Sun-Dried Tomato Rotini

Ingredients

1 - 16 oz package Rotini ( or pasta of choice)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ onion, chopped
4 oz sun dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
½ can chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 small jar artichoke hearts, chopped
8 oz feta cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Cook Rotini according to the packaged instructions, drain and return to pot.
In a separate pan, pour in olive oil, garlic and onions, cook until onion is tender. Add chicken broth and tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour chicken broth mixture into Rotini pot along with artichoke hearts, feta cheese, mix thoroughly. Serve with sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Serves 6 to 8.

Serve with garlic Italian bread: Slice Italian loaf in half lengthwise, spread softened butter and sprinkle with freshly minced garlic and grated Parmesan cheese.

Serve with a green salad with your choice of ingredients and creamy Italian dressing.