Casserole #5 - Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole

 The Year of Casseroles

Casserole #5 - Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole

    This recipe is from a 1989 Minute Rice (General Foods) cookbook. The original recipe calls for a 9-inch square casserole. However, I used a large round casserole dish. I believe it was a 3-qt dish. I added chili powder to the original recipe, but you could use whatever spicy seasoning you like, or make it like the original, without spicy seasoning. 

Ingredients:

2 medium yellow summer squash, diced

1 medium zucchini diced

1 small onion, peeled and chopped

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup milk (I made this with the original 1 1/2 cups milk called for in the recipe. However, the casserole had so much liquid seeping out; it still tasted good, but was way too liquid-y)

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup Minute Rice (or generic quick cooking rice)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning or 1 tsp chili powder/spicy seasoning

1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Grease the casserole dish and pour the squash & zucchini mixture into the casserole dish. Bake for 35 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle extra Italian seasoning or chili powder/spicy seasoning over top when serving. Makes 6-8 servings.

*Note: If you want to try cooking the rice first, only use 1/2 cup of milk

Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole

Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole

Appetizer #18 - Sweet Zucchini Pickles

 The Year of Appetizers

Appetizer #18 - Sweet Zucchini Pickles

    The Olive and The Caper is a cookbook of Greek recipes, published in 2004.  It is a beautiful cookbook and I look forward to trying more of its recipes. The opening section teaches us about the many regions of Greece, and this book contains recipes from all over this beautiful country. I really enjoyed this appetizer and have now made it twice, before even writing about it. A friend of mine who is Greek, said she liked them and that's all I needed to hear. Note that you can also serve this appetizer as a salad or side dish. Also, it would be best to keep it in a glass bowl, not plastic dishes, as the turmeric in the recipe stains plastic. And if you do keep it in a plastic container, it's worth having a stained container, because it's so good. It's not difficult to make, so try this recipe!! Also, I made a smaller batch than what the recipe calls for, so look for my modifications in italics. 

    The quote by Hesiod, circa 700 B.C.E., below is included towards the front of the book. It is a wish that you have plenty of food and do not know hunger. In Roman mythology, Demeter is the goddess of agriculture, fertility, the Earth and its harvest. 

"....That hunger may hate you, and venerable Demeter, richly crowned, may love you and fill your barn with food.."

Ingredients:

4 small to medium zucchini,  with the ends trimmed and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

1 to 1 1/2 medium onions, quartered and thinly sliced, about 1/8-inch thick

1 tsp kosher or fine sea salt (I used pink Himalayan)

1 1/2 tsp dry mustard

1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds

3/4 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp whole cloves

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup white wine vinegar 

*If you want to make the full recipe as given in the cookbook, use 3 lbs of zucchini, 2 onions and double the rest of the ingredients*

Directions:

Place the sliced zucchini in a large colander and sprinkle the salt over it. Toss the zucchini and salt and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Mix the seasonings and add to a large pot with the white wine vinegar. Bring to a rolling boil and remove from heat. Pour the salted zucchini into the large pot, once you've removed the pot from heat. Stir to cover the zucchini mixture with the vinegar mix and let cool. When cool, transfer the mix to a large container, cover and refrigerate overnight. You can keep covered pickles refrigerated, for up to two months (but they did not last that long for me). 

Zucchini Pickles

Appetizer #14 - Zucchini Cilantro Dip

 The Year of Appetizers

Appetizer #14 - Zucchini Cilantro Dip

    Yet another recipe from my 1993 Betty Crocker's New Choices Cookbook.  The original recipe says there are 10 calories, 1 gram protein, 1 gram carbohydrate and zero fat in a 1tbsp serving (This is if you're using the non-fat cottage cheese). I'm going to really enjoy this dip! I'm so glad to find a way healthier dip than so many dips that are out there. Try this with crackers, chips and veggies. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini 

1 cup non-fat or regular cottage cheese

1/4 cup chopped green onions 

2 tbsps cilantro leaves

2 tbsps lemon juice

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Directions: 

In a medium sized bowl, reserve 3/4 cup of the shredded zucchini and set aside. Add all remaining ingredients and the rest of the zucchini into a food processor or blender. Cover and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides. Pour the blended mixture into the the bowl with the 3/4 cup of shredded zucchini. Stir, cover and refrigerate for four hours. This will be about two cups dip. Serve with chips, crackers or veggies. 

Zucchini Cilantro Dip w/Cucumber

Zucchini Cilantro Dip

Zucchini Patties

 Zucchini Patties

    This recipe comes to us from The Jubilee "of our many blessings" Cookbook by the United Methodist Women of Highland Park United Methodist Church, printed in 1991. This church is located in Dallas, Texas. It is not my church, but I pass by quite often.  It is a beautiful building. 

    In my last poll, the contestants were carrots and zucchini.  Zucchini won with about 56% of the 16 votes.  When I do polls, I already have recipes picked out and I'm ready for whichever main ingredient is declared is the winner.  I usually will make the runner-up the following week; next week's recipe will be Sweet and Sour Carrots. The recipe for this week's winning ingredient, zucchini, was submitted by the cookbook committee, not an individual member.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini (this was about 1 1/2 zucchinis)

2 tablespoons grated onion

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup flour

2 eggs

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon oregano

Salt and Pepper to taste

    I used the smaller grate side of a cheese grater for my zucchini which I had washed, dried and removed the ends of.  I forgot to pat dry the zucchini between towels before I put the shreds in my mixing bowl, but I did pat the mound of shreds with paper towels to get as much moisture as possible.  After shredding the zucchini, I melted butter in a large skillet on medium-low, because I didn't want the butter to burn.  Into my bowl of zucchini shreds, I added the rest of the ingredients, except for the salt and pepper.  I didn't end up adding salt or pepper. I didn't have plain oregano, so I used Italian Seasoning.  I used powered Parmesan cheese, but you could used freshly grated Parmesan if you can find it. It was perfectly fine with the powdered kind. I used a brand of mayo called Duke's Mayonnaise, which I've never used, but seems to have quite a following, so I'd thought I would try it. Mix your ingredients until well mixed.

    The recipe says to shape the mixture into six patties and while I did end up with six decent sized patties, the batter is too soft to shape and lay into the skillet.  I dropped mounds of the batter in the skillet, which I then spread into patty shapes. Cook until browned on both sides and serve plain or with tomato sauce and grated cheese or with sour cream and chives.  I did sour cream this time and didn't have chives, so I sprinkled parsley flakes on top and it looked quite pretty and it tasted good.  

  The verdict? I liked this recipe.  It wasn't difficult and did not take too long to make.  As a time saver, you could prep your onion and zucchini the night before and then just combine the ingredients and cook the next night.  This recipe is vegetarian. I bet you could make it vegan, if you know of vegan substitutes for the dairy products. 

Let me know if you try this and what you think about it. 

"Philly" Sloppy Joes

 "Philly" Sloppy Joes

    This recipe comes to us from the Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese Cookbook published in 1981. I was intrigued by the idea of a Sloppy Joe that had cream cheese in it. The recipe was quick and easy to prepare. Start by browning the hamburger meat and while browning the meat (make sure you cook thoroughly and cannot see any pink), you can chop the green pepper and onion. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup each of green pepper and onion. I used a little more than that; it worked out to half of a green pepper and half of a medium sized onion. Drain the hamburger grease and add the chopped green pepper and onion.  Cook until the green pepper and onion are tender. Stir in the barbecue sauce and the salt. Simmer for 15 minutes and add the cream cheese, stirring until the cream cheese is melted.  

    The interesting thing about this dish, is it is served "open-faced" on cornbread. You could surely serve it on rice, potatoes or on burger buns.  What I did was pre-heat my oven, before browning my hamburger meat and mixing up my corn bread and putting it in the oven to bake while cooking the meat mixture. 

    I would definitely make this dish again. Like I said, it was super easy and it was tasty.  You could get six to eight servings with this dish.  Also, I have a friend who really doesn't like vegetables and I'm sure would not eat this. For people who don't like those vegetables, you can leave them out. Are you vegetarian? Use a combination of beans (lentils, red, navy, black, lima, etc) or even crumbled tofu or paneer cheese. Staying away from carbs? Try riced cauliflower in the sauce instead of meat. Substitute other veggies, like zucchini or spaghetti squash. 

     Let me know if you try it and what you think!

*I tried to add a video of my stirring the meat sauce, but due to technical error, or possibly user error, I am unable to add it.*