Zucchini Bisque

 

I received this great recipe from my Mother In Law. It was a big hit at our house. It reminded the kids of a cream of broccoli soup . We added a little cheese to top it off and served it with corn bread. 

The following recipe and notes are courtesy of Jan King.

I turned 20 cups of zucchini from our garden into 5 quarts of yummy Zucchini Bisque yesterday.  I doubled the following recipe.

(Printable Version)
10 cups zucchini
1 large onion, chopped
1 cube butter
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup half & half
salt & white pepper to taste
1 dash nutmeg

Simmer everything except the cream until squash & onion are tender.  Blend until smooth, add cream.

I used to make this in Mesa AZ, in the morning and served it chilled for dinner with Bacon Corn Muffins for a refreshing meal when it was hot.  However, Don actually prefers it warm.  I put 4 quarts in the freezer to enjoy later, and I will serve it with Corn Fritters.

Grilled Zucchini

 

We are starting to get some great veggies from our garden. This is a great way to use cook garden veggies. 

Grilled Zucchini (Printable Version)

If you take small zucchini and cut them lengthwise, you'll find that it's really easy to grill. You may also sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese over them before you serve.

Ingredients:

·         3 medium zucchini cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

·         3 tablespoons olive oil

·         2 teaspoons oregano

·         2 garlic cloves, minced

·         1/4 teaspoon rosemary

·         salt and pepper

Preparation:

Preheat grill. Brush zucchini with olive oil. Sprinkle both sides of zucchini with oregano, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Grill until zucchini is tender, about 4 minutes per side.

 

Cucumber Salad

Another garden fresh recipe for you to enjoy.

Cucumbers can vary in their level of bitterness. Usually the older the more bitter, and the seeds are often more bitter than the flesh. Once you cut into a cucumber, taste it. If bitter, scrape or cut away the seeds. You might also want to soak the chopped cucumber in salt water to help offset the bitterness. The cucumbers we get are usually fine as is, but I have had some bitter ones. With regards to peeling, we almost always peel our cucumbers, but there are some varieties with thin, mild peels that you don't need to peel. Taste first if there is a question.

Cucumber Salad

From Simply Recipes

(Printable Version)

Ingredients

• 1-2 large cucumbers (or 4-5 lemon cucumbers), peeled, quartered lengthwise, then sliced crosswise
• 1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill, basil, or Thai basil*( I used fresh basil)
• 2-3 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

*To chop the basil, chiffonade it by stacking the leaves on top of each other, rolling them up like a cigar, and taking thin slices from one end to the other.

Method

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, toss to coat. Serve immediately, or make ahead (up to a couple of hours) and chill.
Serves 2-4

Ratatouille

Are you experiencing vegetable overload ? I am gratefully getting an ample supply of summer veggies from our garden. I sought out this recipe and substituted with the veggies I had on hand . The result was perfect. The kids thought it was great and then requested to watch the Disney movie "Ratatouille" before bed. This is a flavorful side or maindish. Enjoy!!

Ratatouille

(printable version)

John Ratzenberger's Ratatouille:

    ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
    1 large onion, chopped into chunks
    3 garlic cloves, minced
    1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
    1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
    1 small green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares ( I only had green today so I used 2)
   1½ pounds fresh tomatoes coarsely chopped (leave in skins and seeds or you can substitute 15 oz can of diced tomatoes)
   1 small can tomato paste
   ½ teaspoon dried thyme
   ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
   1 teaspoon dried basil
   1 dried bay leaf
   1 teaspoon salt
   ½ teaspoon pepper
   1 medium eggplant, unpeeled, cut into chunks (didn't have an eggplant so I used some Patty Pan squash)
   2 average zucchini, unpeeled, cut into chunks

Heat oil in a large pot with a heavy bottom over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, then add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Once onions are a light golden color, add peppers and cook for five minutes. Mix in tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, basil, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Then add eggplant and zucchini and cook for about 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender -- about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf and enjoy!
Cook's note: This dish is even better the next day!!

Milk Boiled Corn onThe Cob

Milk Boiled Corn on the Cob Recipe
This is the BEST recipe for corn on the cob --- do not add in any salt to the water as it will make the corn tough

15 min | 5 min prep
SERVES 6 -8
• 6-8 ears corn, husks and silk removed
• water
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup whipping cream, unwhipped (or use 1-1/4 cups milk)
• 1/3 cup sugar (can use more sugar)
• 1/4 cup butter (optional and to add to the water)
1. Fill a large stock pot half full with water (use a large enough pot to hold all the corn).
2. Add in the cream, milk, sugar and butter.
3. Bring to a boil, then add in the corn cobs.
4. Reduce heat to a simmer and allow corn to cook for 7-8 minutes or until just tender, depending on size of corn try not to over cook the corn as it will become tough.
5. Using long tongs remove and place on a plate or in a bowl, then cover with foil until ready to serve.
6. Serve with butter and salt to taste.
7. Delicious!

Roasted Asparagus

Roasted Asparagus from Simply Recipes

In place of the lemon juice, you can drizzle a little balsamic vinegar over the asparagus. Add a little freshly grated Parmesan cheese for an extra touch.(I omitted this altogether based on my family’s preference…I will never steam asparagus again this was definitely the way to cook this vegetable.)

Ingredients
· 1 lb asparagus spears (thick spears are best for roasting)
· 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
· 2 cloves garlic, minced
· Kosher Salt
· Freshly grated black pepper
· Lemon juice
Method
1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse clean the asparagus. Break the tough ends off of the asparagus and discard.
2 Lay the asparagus spears out in a single layer in a baking dish or a foil-covered roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over the spears, roll the asparagus back and forth until they are all covered with a thin layer of olive oil. (Alternatively you can put the asparagus and oil in a plastic bag, and rub the bag so that the oil gets evenly distributed.) Sprinkle with minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Rub over the asparagus so that they are evenly distributed.
3 Place pan in oven and cook for approximately 8-10 minutes, depending on how thick your asparagus spears are, until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Drizzle with a little fresh lemon juice before serving.
Serves 4.