Late Summer Garden Harvest Dinner

Did you have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend? We spent the weekend with my youngest sister Mary Kate, her husband Adam, and their five children. Also present were my parents, and my sister Heidi and husband Mikey, with their four children. All in all, there were 8 adults and 11 kids. The little girls spent the weekend putting on a production of the musical, Annie. They all took turns playing the part of Annie, in democratic style. By the way, I was cast as Miss Lily St. Regis with my Quiet Man as Rooster Hannigan. He surprised me by hamming it up more than just a little bit. And me, well, I didn't take three years of high school acting for nothin'. Thanks, Mr. Byers, you taught me everything I know.

As for the little boys, they spent the weekend collecting sticks and rocks, wrestling, and trying to heckle the Annie actresses.

Ah, it was a great weekend. I think I could put on a play every weekend, provided I was just given Monday off. Pretty please. A looong break makes the week much easier to face.

Speaking of long breaks, our garden is just about to take a hiatus until next spring. I'm going to miss my backyard bounty, especially those juicy red tomatoes, the golden corn, and the crisp green beans. Last week, I fixed a dinner of all of my favorite summer garden vegetables. It's not a farewell, not quite yet, but you can tell it's coming. Here's what we had:

Avocado and Tomato Salad with Lime Drizzle

Buttered Corn on the Cob

Green Beans and Red Potatoes in Cream

Roasted Tomatoes with Breadcrumbs and Olive Oil

If you're feeling really ambitious, a nice crisp or cobbler would be ideal for dessert. Especially with your last batch of homemade ice cream.

Money Saving Tips: Use what you've got from the garden, or hit up the farmer's market. You can use any variety of tomatoes, even cherry or grape. Just shorten the cooking time. Use other thin skinned potatoes, if red are expensive this week.

Tomato and Avocado Salad with Lime Drizzle

Estimated Cost: $3.50 for four servings

1 small avocado, sliced

2 tomatoes, sliced

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

juice of one lime

2 teaspoons olive oil

Layer avocado, tomato, and cilantro on plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with lime juice and olive oil.

Grandma Darland's Red Potatoes and Green Beans

Estimated Cost: $3.00 for 4 servings

2 lbs. red potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 lb. green beans, cut into one inch pieces

1/2-3/4 cup cream of half and half

Place potatoes in cold water in a large pot. Salt water. Bring to a boil. Cook for about eight minutes, or until potatoes are almost tender. Add green beans and cook until just tender and bright green. Drain well. Return to pot. Add cream, mashing a few potatoes with a fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Roasted Tomatoes with Bread Crumbs and Olive Oil

Estimated Cost: $3.00 for 4 servings

4 red ripe tomatoes, halved

olive oil, for drizzling

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (made from 1-2 pieces of bread)

1 clove minced garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 4000 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 25 minutes. In a small bowl, combine crumbs, garlic, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake an additional ten minutees, or until crumbs are toasted.

Next Up:

Peanut Butter and Honey Popcorn

The Essence of Summer Sandwiches

Post Edit: I made one of these for my little sister Heidi-and she says it's her new favorite food in the world. How's that for an endorsement? When it is hot and the days are long....

When it is hot and the days are long and the kids are bored and sweaty....

When it is hot and the days are long and the kids are bored and sweaty, and the air is so heavy that even my brain is working on slow motion.....I don't feel much like cooking.

Except I always want this...

And this..

And this, too.

It's easy-it's got to be or I wouldn't make it right now.

It's delicious-it's got to be or I wouldn't make it right now.

It's fast-it's got to be or I wouldn't make it right now.

It's cheap (about $5 for the whole thing; cheaper if you've got a garden)-or I wouldn't make it ever. (Well, maybe once in a while.)

You should make it too, since it tastes like the long, hot summer. (In the best kind of way.)
Make some basil mayonnaise by chopping up handfulls of fresh basil and combining it with mayo (or Greek yogurt) and minced garlic. Spread it on wheat French bread.

Top it with sliced garden tomatoes, mozzarella (fresh-if it's on sale), and baby greens. (Add a little ham if you have those kind of people around who don't believe that it can be dinner without it. I married one of those people, but he hasn't suffered. Much.) Put it on a plate (paper, please!) and go sit on the patio. When you get hot, come back in and make another sandwich. The end. Next Up:

Cubed Steak Parmesan from Food on the Table

Zucchini Pancakes with Tomato-Onion Salad

We're leaving on vacation tomorrow. I'm grading term papers, packing suitcases, making phonecalls, running loads of laundry, supervising violin practices, and generally trying to wrap up a couple of week's worth of responsibilities in advance. I am still in my running clothes. I have not run, but I think I should get a little credit just for my hopefulness, don't you? Just putting on a sportsbra should be worth a couple of hundred calories.

My sister, in the middle of a move to California, rolled into to town last night. She'll be housesitting for us while her husband is househunting for her. It's a convenient arrangement, except for I don't feel like leaving when my sister is here. Across the street, at my parent's house, I have two other sisters and their families. Suddenly, staying home sounds very enticing. I don't want to miss out on any of the laughs. I'll bet there will be a few laughs where we're headed-more info on that to come.

I haven't done any grocery shopping this week, in anticipation of leaving. We're using up what we've got and living off pantry staples and our vegetable garden. These are ideal conditions for my very favorite zucchini recipe. This is it. I love the cakes, the cookies, the breads, the terrines, the gratines, the quesadillas-but this is my favorite.

Zucchini pancakes are a summer variation on potato latkes, really. There's just a hint of zucchini flavor, so even people like the Quiet Man, who really don't care for zucchini will clamor for seconds. On a summer night, with perfect salad of lemon, red onion and tomato, zucchini pancakes are just the ticket. And speaking of tickets, I'd better get packing for our trip.

Zucchini Pancakes

Estimated Cost: $3.00 for four servings with tomato salad-or almost free, if you've got a garden.

2 cups shredded zucchini

1/4 cup grated onion

1/2 cup flour, plus more if needed

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

pinch of cayenne, if desired

butter, for the fry pan

Combine all ingredients. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Cook pancakes in melted butter until browned on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side. Serve with sour cream and tomato salad.

Tomato-Onion Salad

1 large red ripe tomato

2 tablespoons chopped red onion

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons olive oil

S and P, to taste

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and serve with zucchini pancakes.

Next Up:

Banana Cake Lots of Ways

Quesadillas with Quick Zucchini Relish

This is what my kitchen counter looks like right now:

The charges have taken to creating strange vegetable creatures. West says that it must be a lady vegetable person, since she's got a wide and round bottom. I don't know where he's ever seen one of those before, since my bottom is firm and narrow. Yep. Firm and narrow, all right.

Sometimes when we aren't making pear shaped ladies, we actually eat our garden produce. We've had six straight days of temperatures over 110 degrees. I'm starting to feel like Blanche DuBois from A Streetcar Named Desire. They'll have to take me away in a straight jacket if the temps don't drop soon. Do they have straight jackets with short sleeves, because it's awful hot around here. I'm not about to turn on the oven or make a complicated five course dinner in this heat. Quesadillas I can handle. I made a quick sweet and spicy zucchini relish to serve on the side, but then I ended up filling up the quesadillas with it also. It was so yummy, I finished the last of it off with a spoon. If this heat keeps up, we're having this everynight for a week.

Quick Zucchini Relish

Estimated Cost: $2.00 or free if you've got a garden

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

2 small zuchini, chopped

1 small yellow squash, chopped

1 cup corn, preferrably fresh

1 large red tomato, chopped

2 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon lime juice
In a skillet over medium heat, heat vegetable oil. Add onion and cook until softened, about five minutes. Add garlic, jalapeno, zucchini, squash, tomato, and corn. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add brown sugar and lime juice. Cook for one additional minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with quesadillas made with sharp cheddar.

Next Up:

Lots of Ways Banana Cake

Pasta with Lotsa Lotsa Zucchini Primavera

The zucchini plants are takin' over the world. I love um, I really do. That's why we planted ONE sweet little plant. One cute little obedient zucchini plant. I planned to pluck one dainty little squash each day, never allowing any zucchini to grow bigger than my index finger, since they taste so much sweeter when they are little. Ha! Zuchinni plants are takin' over the world. Once you turn your back, they morph into baseball bats. (Hey-now that's an idea. Zucchini-Tomato baseball. Hey, batteh batteh.) How about you? Are your zucchini plants takin' over the world yet, or are they still whispering rebellion and choosing a leader? Don't wait, raze them down while they are still organizing and gobble them up for dinner.

I'll be sharing recipe ideas for zuchinni submission all week long-from desserts, to dinners, to appetizers. And why don't you share some ideas with me? After all, we're all in this fight together. Humankind vs. Zucchini!

Post Edit:My sister-in-law just came by with a great big bag of -you guessed it-zucchini!

Notes: All right, so pasta primavera usually involves spring-not summer-vegetables, but so what. I'm in the middle of a summer vegetable battle here. And you know what? Zucchini tastes absolutely divine with pasta. It's the time of year when everyone in the Northern Hemisphere should be getting zucchini for free-or at least for very, very, cheap.

Pasta with Lotsa Lotsa Zucchini Primavera

Estimated Cost: $8.00 for 6 generous servings (or cheaper-every vegetable but the broccoli came from my own garden)

1 lb pasta (I used angel hair)

3 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2-4 carrots

1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips

1 small bunch broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces

2 medium zucchini, sliced

3/4 cup peas (not thawed, if frozen)

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup vegetable or chicken broth

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

zest and juice of one lemon

Begin cooking pasta according to package directions. Heat butter in large frying pan over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and garlic, and red bell pepper. Cook for five minutes. Stir in broccoli and zucchini. Cook until all vegetables are tender crisp. Add peas and turn off the heat. Drain pasta and keep warm. In pasta pot, bring cream and broth to a boil. Add cheese, and lemon juice and zest and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss pasta with vegetable and cream sauce. Serve, passing more cheese on the side.
All Week Long:

Zucchini Cookies, Zucchini Cake, Zucchini Fritters, and Zucchini Lasagna

Mojo de Ajo Veggie Fajitas

Last weekend we were warming up with pretend camping, and this weekend we are heading off to do the real thing. Did I tell you that I love to camp? I grew up on yearly trips to Yosemite and Yellowstone, with Dad the Fisherman and Mom the Reluctant Camper and ten siblings in tow. We're not going anywhere as grand as a National Park, but there will be evergreens, Dutch oven cooking, hikes, and lots and lots of dirt. I'm most looking forward to the smell of bacon and maple intermingling with pine trees and temperatures that won't come anywhere near 100 degrees. All right, I'm just as excited as the charges, only I have neither their free time nor energy. I'd better get cracking. Before I go, I leave you with this veggie fajita recipe. Remember this post about my new favorite San Antonio Chicken fajitas? I thought I'd give it a go with pure veggies, and they were every bit as mouth-wateringly delicious. That Mojo de Ajo spice and garlic oil is spiffy stuff, kiddos. You've got to make some this weekend!

Mojo de Ajo Veggie Fajitas

Estimated Cost: $7.00 for four generous servings

FOR THE MOJO DE AJO

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons minced garlic (4 to 6 cloves)

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)

1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

FOR THE FAJITAS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 large white onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 1 cup)

1 large green bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1 large red bell pepper, sliced into 1/2 inch strips

2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch strips

1 cup corn kernels

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

12 small corn tortillas (about 6 inches), warmed

Guacamole, for serving
Pico De Gallo, for serving

Sour cream, for serving

Shredded mild cheddar cheese,for serving

DirectionsMake the mojo de ajo: Cook oil and garlic in a small saucepan over low heat until garlic is soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in lime juice, red-pepper flakes, and salt.Make the fajitas: Heat a large skillet (preferably cast-iron) over high heat. Add oil, and gently swirl to coat. Add onion and bell peppers, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is browned in spots, and pepper has softened slightly and skin is blistered, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini, corn and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are browned and tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the mojo de ajo, and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with warmed tortillas, guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, and cheese.
Next Up:

Best Ever Lemon Bars

Cinco De Mayo with Ay Mamacita Red Chile and Cheese Enchiladas

I love how Cinco de Mayo never sneaks up on you. You always know what day it will be because with even a cursory understanding of espanol (never have mastered the tilde over the n on the computer), you've got the date etched in your memory. When do I need to have the enchiladas ready? Why, on Cinco De Mayo, of course. Easy. Other holidays, like Easter for example, require constant flipping of the calendar. Easter-who knows if it will be in March or April? Sometimes it even gets squished so far into March that the Peter Cottontail and Lucky the Leprechaun have terretorial gang fights. Not so, Cinco de May-o. Cinco De Mayo (like Fourth of July) looks you straight in the eye and lets you know right when it's coming and how long it'll be staying. And isn't long, either. Put on your sombreros and get ready, mis amigos. This year, we're making cheese enchiladas just because they are so darn delicioso, that's why. Here's how you're going to make them:

Start with some homemade enchilada sauce. Don't be scared- it's muy sinchy. I like the sound of that. Muy sinchy. I'm getting a little carried away with this Spanglish thing, huh? I'll try to cut back, but I can't promise ninguna cosa.

Throw together some filling. I've got shredded sharp cheddar, green chilies, sour cream, and a bit of onion.

Lightly fry some tortillas.

Roll them around in the sauce.

Fill er' up, boys.

Stack them on top of each other while you're rolling them up, just to save some work space inside the pan. Spread them out in the pan with plenty of room to breathe. Cover with any extra sauce and just a sprinkle of cheese.

Bake it just an itty bit, just to get things bubbling. Tengo hambre all over again.Oh, don't eat them yet. You'll burn your mouth on hot melted cheese. I'm just guessing because I didn't do that. No senor, I always wait and let things cool. Tengo paciencia.

I serve them with some homemade refried beans and a little bit of shredded cabbage with a lime and sour cream dressing, and some chopped red tomatoes. But even all alone, they're worth every last bite. So what are you waiting for? Cinco De Mayo is just a few dias away. Hasta Manana.

Money Saving Tips:

Hey-you're already ahead of the game. You're going to feed four for less than the price of one plate at a restaurant. Making the sauce on your own saves you cash-especially if you use chicken bouillion cubes for the broth. Save even more buy stocking up on your favorite cheeses when they're on sale. Buy tortillas in bulk and freeze any extras or better yet-make a big bag of healthy baked tortilla chips.

Red Chile and Cheese Enchiladas

Estimated Cost: $8.00 for 12
For Enchiladas:
2-4 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 tortillas
1/2 cup shredded cheese, for top (I used cheddar and jack)

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, or sliced green onions, for garnish

For Sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoon flour
4 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried cumin

1 teaspoon paprika
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 cup tomato sauce (if you can find it, try El Pato spicy tomato sauce in the yellow can)

For Filling:

2 cups shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)

1 (7 ounce) can diced green chilies

1/3 cup finely minced onion or scallions

1/2 cup sour cream (I used Daisy light)

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add tortillas, one at a time, and lightly fry just until softened, adding more oil as needed. Stack tortillas atop one another on a paper towel. When finished, in same skillet heat oil for sauce. Whisk in flour; cook for one minute. Add chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and paprika. Stir for one minute. Whisk in chicken broth and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionaly. Prepare filling while sauce simmers, by combining shredded cheese, chilies, onion, and sour cream in medium bowl. Preheat oven to 425 if you are baking the enchiladas now. Grease a 9 by 13 inch baking pan and an 8 inch square baking dish. Pour about half of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of the large pan. Pass the tortillas through the sauce, on both sides. Add about 1/4 cup filling and roll up. Stack rolled tortillas atop each other in pan, so that you still have workspace to dip tortillas in sauce. Repeat until all tortillas are rolled, then arrange tortillas between the two pans. Pour remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle lightly with cheese. (Can be prepared up to this point. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate for up to two days.) Place tortillas in 425 degree preheated oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until just bubbly and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with cilantro and let cool for five minutes before serving. (If baking refrigerated enchiladas, increase baking time to 20-25 minutes. Keep covered with foil for first ten minutes of baking, to prevent drying.)

Next Up:

So Easy Un-Refried Beans-in the SlowCooker

March Forth on March 4th (and Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup)

Tomorrow is the big day to March Forth! Tah-rump-pum-pum! I love the sound of March 4th. It's as stirring as a big brass band. What will you March forth and do?

I've got a whopping list the size of Alaska of things I ought to March Forth and accomplish. I'll limit myself to five or ten.

1. Wash off the car windows. People are starting to suspect I competed in the Olympics.

2. Call my sister. (Any of them-I'm overdue on everybody.)

3. Clean out the front closet. Boring-but it's got to be done.

4. Mail off those free DVD cereal tokens that are sitting around.

5. Write a little love note to Sailor, West, and the Quiet Man and hide it under the pillow-YIKES-which brings me to number six

6. REMIND that darned lazy, forgetful tooth fairy to finally leave some money for Sailor's tooth.

And more pleasantly

7. Post that Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup I've been writing about.

This one'll be easy. I wanted to share this recipe during the Olympics, but it's their fault for finishing before March 4th, the only day of the year that I don't procrastinate. It's still winter, and you can make it for yourself after a day of skiing, bobsledding, or ice dancing. I know that's how I spend most of my afternoons. But the soup-it's creamy and delicious, especially with a crusty hunk of bread to sop it up. But wait-there's more! I like it even better with a twist- an equal side of black bean soup. They're both a cinch to make, and they taste great on their own-but together they are soup magic. The black bean side is hearty and spicy, and the cheesy side whips it to tame. Ay, mamacita-it's good. So March Forth and make yourself a big bowl.

Did I forget anything on my to do list??? What's on your's?

Money Saving Tips:

Beans for dinner-what could be cheaper? Save a little extra dough by using dried beans instead of canned. You can swap evaporated milk for the cream and bouillion for the broth.

Notes:

The execution is easy-just pour the soups in simultaneously. Decorate the middle with some cilantro leaves and red pepper strips.

Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup with a Black Bean Twist

Estimated Cost for Both: $7.00 for 4 generous servings

2 tablespoons butter

1 red or green bell pepper, chopped (save some strips for garnish)

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup flour

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup milk

1 cup half and half or cream

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar chees

Melt butter in medium pot over medium heat. Add peppers, garlic, and onions. Saute for six minutes. Add flour and stir for two minutes. Add broth, milk, and cream. Simmer until thickened, about three minutes. Gradually add cheese. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

Black Bean Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 (14 ounce) cans black beans drained

2 (14 ounce) cans broth (chicken, vegetable, or beef)

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

hot sauce, to taste

In a medium pot, warm oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for five minutes. Add beans, broth, cumin and chili powder. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add hot sauce and salt and pepper to taste. YOu can mash some of the beans for a semi-smooth texture.

Up Next:

Chocolate Waffles