I'm Back!

Grandma and Grandpa were privleged to have out of state 4yr. granddaughter spend June and July with us. So, not a lot of new recipes, although I did share my love of cooking with her. We made items together such as meatloaf and cupcakes and frosting from scratch.

Has been horrible hot here this summer. Many weeks of near or at 100 degrees. I feel like a slug most days. Hard to believe I will be shivering in just a few short months! The following are few NRAs (new recipe alerts) the household has tried.

Zesty Zucchini Spaghetti

3/4 lb. uncooked spaghetti
1 7 oz. can chipotle chiles
2 tsp. olive oil
2 minced garlic cloves
4 cups shredded zucchini
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbs. shredded Parmesan cheese


Cook pasta till al dente or to preference. Use one chile from the can, 2 if you like extra heat (beware, a little goes a long way). Seed the pepper. and use one tablespoon sauce from the can. Mince the chile, add to heated olive oil in pan along with the tablespoon of sauce. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute over medium heat. Add zucchini, cook around 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Toss pasta and zucchini together. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and cheese.

This was really tasty. There was no leftovers!


Bulgar Chicken Salad

A whole grain in your salad.

1 cup bulgar
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 lb. boneless chicken breast
olive oil as needed
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tbl. lemon juice
5 oz. arugula or fresh spinach leaves
tomatoes as desired
4 green onions, sliced
1 avocado, chopped

Put bulgar wheat in bowl, cover with boiling water and cover bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes, uncover and allow to cool. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Saute in skillet over medium heat until down. Remove from pan and allow to rest. Then slice for the salad. For the dressing: Whisk 2 Tbl. of olive oil, the OJ, lemon juice and then salt and pepper to taste. Add arugula or spinach to bulgar wheat and toss with the dressing. (I served mine on the side) Top salad with chicken, tomatoes, green onions and the chopped avocado.

For something "healthy" this tasted really good on a hot day!


Thai Chicken and Potato Skillet

Not "authentic" per se, but a quick version of Thai for a weeknight supper.

2 boneless chicken breasts
1-2 potatoes
1 Tbl. oil
1 tsp. minced ginger
1/2 tsp. curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. chilli powder
1/4 crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup light coconut milk
2 sliced green onions or 1/4 cup cilantro

Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Cut potato into cubes. In large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken, potato, ginger, curry powder, salt and pepper, chilli powder and red pepper. Cook and stir for 3 minutes. Add coconut milk and green onion. Cook uncovered until potato is tender and sauce thickens. Serve over rice.

Swiss Chard and Pinto Bean Soup

This used up some leftovers in the fridge along with the chard from our garden,

1/2 can or whole if you wish of diced tomatoes
1 chopped onion
1 finely chopped carrot
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 can chicken broth
1 can pinto beans or white beans
2 Tbs. olive oil

Saute onion, carrot, celery in olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped swiss chard. Cook for 3 minutes. Add one can of chicken broth and the tomatoes and 1 can of water. Cook for 30 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp. of Italian seasoning if desired.

Zucchini-Crusted Quiche

Zucchini is defintely a summer thing. This quiche is very light and tasty.

2 zucchini, shredded
6 oz. swiss cheese (I recently used provolone with good results)
2 cans crab meat (can get by with 1)
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
hot sauce shot
1/8 tsp. white pepper and nutmeg

Shred zucchini. Press into 10 inch round dish sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover with the crab meat. Beat eggs, milk and seasonings and pour over the crab. Bake at 400 approximately 40 minutes or until center is set.