What's for Dinner? (9/5/06)

I started out planning last night's meal with only one ojective - to use the zucchini I bought at the store Friday night before it went bad. The rest was a big, fat unknown.

After browsing through recipes and thinking about what we had on hand, I decided that maybe polenta would be part of it. Last week I bought 2 tubes of Melissa's Organic Polenta. I didn't buy it for a specific recipe, but just to keep on hand. Turns out it was a good thing to have on hand for tonight.

Now I had to come up with a tasty sauce, using zucchini, to go over the polenta. My family is not all that crazy about zucchini, so I decided that the sauce had to be very flavorful and full of other things they did like. That's how the Italian sausage came in - everything tastes better with a little pork fat, right?


I thought about using diced tomatoes as the base of the sauce, but I found 1/3-1/2 a jar of Muir Glen Cabernet Marinara Pasta Sauce. Marinara pasta sauce? Isn't that a bit redundant? It didn't look like that was going to be enough sauce, so I added a small can of tomato sauce. Turns out that was a little too much sauce - it's hard to keep a polenta dish layered if it's too soupy - but it was better than it being too dry. To add more flavor to the sauce, I added some crushed garlic, chopped kalamata olives, crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.


I sliced the polenta and put it in a single layer in a shallow baking dish - or as close to a single layer as I could get - my slices could have been a little thicker, I guess. I topped the polenta with the sauce, some fresh mozzarella (another leftover getting used - hurray) and some Parmigiana Reggiano.

I baked the dish at 350º for about 20 minutes.

Polenta with Sausage and Zucchini Ragu

It was very good! Not bad for an off-the-cuff meal and I was very excited to once again be using up things around the house that were in danger of being wasted. I'd do it pretty much the same way again, just cutting down a bit on the sauce.

Supplies are getting low and I won't get to the store until after dinner tonight, so tonight's dinner may be tricker and it's an activity night for us, so probably just tomato soup and grilled cheese............

Tags: polenta, zucchini, sausage, main dish, recipe

Very Creamy Vegetable Chowder

From Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special by The Moosewood Collective

This is a crowd-pleasing Moosewood standard. There is nothing more appealing and satisfying than a sweet, fresh vegetables in a smooth, saucy Cheddar and cream cheese base: it's food that makes you feel safe and sound and well cared for.

This soup is sweet and mild and filled with enough vegetables for one meal, so serve it with a peppery little salad for contrast.

Serves 8 to 10
Yields 11 cups
Total time: 50 minutes

2 cups chopped onions
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon canola or other vegetable oil
2 celery stalks, diced
1 cup peeled and diced carrots
1 1/2 cups diced potatoes
3 cups water or Basic Light Vegetable Stock (I used 2 cans of vegetable broth)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup diced red bell peppers
1 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas (I used corn in place of the peas since that's what I had open in the freezer)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 cups milk (I used skim milk)
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
2 ounces Neufchatel or cream cheese

In a large soup pot on medium heat, sauté the onions in the butter and oil for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the celery, cover, and cook until just soft, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots, potatoes, water or stock, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil; then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. With a strainer or slotted spoon, remove about 1 1/2 cups of the cooked vegetables and set aside in a blender or food processor.

Add the green beans, bell peppers, and zucchini to the soup pot and cook until the green beans are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and parsley, simmer for 2 more minutes, and then remove from the heat. Discard the bay leaf.

Puree the reserved vegetables with the milk and cheeses to make a smooth sauce. Stir the sauce into the soup and gently reheat. Serve hot.

My notes: This is an excellent soup. It tastes just rich enough, but it's not at all heavy like a cream soup. I used corn in place of the peas since that's what was open in the freezer and I would not skip the corn again - it definitely went very nicely with this soup, just as it does with many chowders. I also added a sprinkling of crushed red pepper - not only did it add nice color, but it gave it a nice zing.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Vegetarian Chili

Source: Adapted from Jane Brody's "Chili Without Carne" in her Good Food Book

Serving Size : 6

1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
1 or 2 small zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (wear rubber gloves)
2 (28-ounce) cans pureed tomatoes
½ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon whole cloves, or generous pinch of ground cloves
¼ teaspoon allspice berries, or generous pinch of ground allspice
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoons black pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons mild chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 cans cooked kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 cups boiling water
(1 lb ground beef, browned)

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil and sautee the zucchini, onions, garlic, green pepper and jalapeno pepper, until they are softened. Add the tomatoes (and puree), coriander, cloves, allspice, oregano, black pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, and beans. Bring the chili to a boil, reduce heat, cover the pan and simmer the chili for 30 minutes.

While the chili is cooking, in a medium saucepan add the rice to the boiling water, reduce the heat, cover tightly and simmer the rice for 15-35 minutes, according to package directions. Serve the chili over rice and garnish with items of your choice - such as grated cheddar cheese.

Obviously, skip the meat and/or cheese for vegetarian and/or vegan versions of this recipe!

I talked about this recipe HERE and HERE.

Zucchini Pecan Sauté

Source: From a friend - original source unknown

3 tablespoons butter (I use less)
1/3 cup chopped pecans (I use less)
1 pound fresh zucchini, sliced
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add pecans; cook and stir until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove pecans from skillet. (I usually sauté the zucchini first and then just toss in the pecans since I usually have a bag of roasted pecans in the freezer.)

Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet, and melt. Add zucchini, and saute until soft. Toss with pecans and cheese. Serve.

My notes: This is quick and easy and a different take on zucchini. I never measure the ingredients - I just throw it all together until the proportions look right.

I talked about this recipe HERE and HERE.

Vegetable Kabobs

Source: Sunset

1 small (about 3/4 pound) unpeeled eggplant, cut into 2" cubes
2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 dozen small thin-skinned potatoes (2 inches is diameter)
3 medium zucchini, cut crosswise into 1-inch slices
2 small red or green bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares
1 large onion, cut into wedges and layers separated
16 whole large mushrooms

Herb Marinade:
3/4 cup salad oil (I use 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar (I use 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dry basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon marjoram leaves
1/2 teaspoon dry rosemary
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook eggplant in 1 inch boiling water for 3 minutes; drain. Cook carrots in 1 inch boiling water until crisp-tender (about 6 minutes); drain. Cook unpeeled potatoes in 1 inch boiling water just until tender (about 20 minutes); drain and cut in half.

Place eggplant, carrots, potatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, onion, and mushrooms in a plastic bag. Perpare the herb marinade by mixing all ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour marinade over vegetables. Seal bag and refrigerate for 2 hours or until the next day.

Drain and reserve marinade from vegetables. Onto 8 sturdy metal skewers, alternately thread vegetables. Place on a lightly greased grill 4 to 6 inches above solid bed of low-glowing coals. Cook, turning often and basting with reserved marinade, for 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender (we like to cook them until the vegetables are slighly charred). Sprinkle lightly with salt before serving. Makes 4 servings of 2 skewers each.

My notes: This is one of those recipes that you can change around to your liking. I tend to use mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, onions, tomatoes and sometimes potatoes. It is definitely necessary to cook the potatoes until just tender before grilling - otherwise it takes a very, very long time for the potatoes to get fully cooked on the grill.

The shrimp worked really well with this marinade - the shrimp retained the flavor of the marinade nicely. Often marinades just don't lend all that much flavor, but this one did. It would probably work nicely with chicken as well.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Summer Vegetable Salad with Grilled Bread

My notes: This is one of our favorite vegetarian dishes to prepare in the summer. To make this an even more substantial dish, you can add cooked pasta to the mix. I often combine elements of this recipe with elements of Cooking Light's Roasted Vegetable Salad with Grilled Chicken. They are both very versatile salads, allowing you to easily tailor them to your own tastes. The dressing is very simple, but very flavorful.

Source: Cooking Light, July 2001

The bread will start to soften when it's tossed with the vinaigrette. If you make the salad ahead, toss in the bread cubes and cheese just before serving.

Dressing:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Salad:
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
4 (1-ounce) slices diagonally cut day-old French bread (about 1 inch thick)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 large tomatoes, cored, cut in half crosswise, and seeded
1 red bell pepper, quartered
1 yellow bell pepper, quartered
1 red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
Cooking spray
3 cups (1/4-inch) sliced zucchini (about 1 pound)
3 cups (1/4-inch) sliced yellow squash (about 1 pound)
1 cup canned cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

To prepare dressing, combine first 6 ingredients in a small jar; cover tightly, and shake vigorously.Prepare grill.

To prepare salad, combine 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and 1 garlic clove in a small bowl. Brush one side of each bread slice with garlic mixture; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Grill bread 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Cool; cut toast into 1/2-inch cubes.

Place the tomatoes, bell peppers, and onion in a wire grilling basket coated with cooking spray. Place grilling basket on grill rack; grill 6 minutes on each side or until tender. Remove from basket. Place zucchini and yellow squash in basket. Place basket on grill rack; grill for 6 minutes on each side or until tender. Combine the vegetables; cool.
Coarsely chop vegetables; place in a large bowl. Add the dressing, toasted bread cubes, beans, basil, and thyme; toss to coat. Divide salad evenly among 6 plates; sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 2/3 cups salad and 4 teaspoons cheese)

NUTRITION PER SERVINGCALORIES 240(30% from fat); FAT 7.9g (sat 2.3g,mono 3.6g,poly 1.4g); PROTEIN 9.3g; CHOLESTEROL 8mg; CALCIUM 118mg; SODIUM 685mg; FIBER 5g; IRON 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.9g

Cooking Light, JULY 2001

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Zucchini and Sausage Pasta Bake

Source: Bon Appetit via the CLBB

3 med. zucchini, trimmed & halved lengthwise
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed (I used up 3 different kinds of chicken sausage)
1 chopped onion
1 c. whipping cream
1/2 lb. grated Fontina cheese (I used up some fresh mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano)
1/2 lb. Penne (I used up some ziti and farfalle)
1 tsp. oregano

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2 1/2 quart casserole. Cut zucchini half into thirds lengthwise, then crosswise into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage; cook thoroughly, breaking up with fork.

Transfer to bowl using slotted spoon. Add onion to skillet; cook 5 minutes. Add zucchini. Season and cook 8 minutes. Return sausage to skillet. Add cream and oregano. Bring to a boil. Add half the fontina and stir until melted. Cook penne al dente, drain and return to pot. Add sauce and toss to coat.

Transfer to casserole and top with remaining fontina. Bake until heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Can be doubled. Can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Zucchini and Corn Pancakes

Italian-Style Vegetable Pancakes from Mark Bittman, NY Times

Yield 4 servings

About 2 pounds zucchini, eggplant or turnips, peeled if necessary (I used corn and zucchini)
1/2 onion, peeled and grated (I used scallions)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup flour or plain bread crumbs, more as needed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 to 4 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil

1. Grate vegetables by hand or with grating disk of a food processor. In a bowl, mix together all ingredients except the butter or oil. The mixture should be fairly loose but not liquid; add a little more flour or bread crumbs if necessary.

2. Put the butter or oil in a large skillet and turn heat to medium-high. When the oil is hot, put large spoonfuls of batter in the pan. Cook, turning once, until nicely browned on both sides, 10 to 15 minutes total. Serve hot or at room temperature.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Zucchini Bread

Source: Jane Brody's Good Food Book

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt, if desired
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 egg white
1 whole egg
3/8 cup (6 tablespoons) vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups (about 1 medium) zucchini, packed, finely grated and unpeeled
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup nuts, finely chopped, optional (I used walnuts)
1/3 cup raisins, optional (I skipped the raisins)

In a large bowl, combine the whole-wheat and white flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

In a medium bowl, mix together the egg white, whole egg, oil, zucchini, and vanilla. Add this mixture to the flour mixture, stirring the ingredients to combine them well. Stir in the nuts and/or raisins, if desired.

Pour the batter into a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake the bread in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 50 to 60 minutes or until a pick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.

Please visit THIS POST to read more about this recipe.