Too many zucchini? Try these recipes!

8/15/12 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

The zucchini have arrived! All year I look forward to these versatile green vegetables but I must admit that their arrival is somewhat overwhelming. First come those glorious yellow flowers. Then the deceptively tiny, tender zucchini begin to grow. Will there be enough? We’re not sure. We don’t want to run short so we plant another.

The first crop seems to take forever to grow. Then suddenly, they’re everywhere. If Chuck doesn’t pick them everyday they become humongous and inedible. So every morning he goes on a treasure hunt under the zucchini bushes to find the ones that have grown overnight. You know the perfect ones—they’re not too big and not too small; they’re just right.

Now Chuck is picking at least 3-6 zucchini a day. Some of our friends run away when they see us coming. Some are thrilled to be gifted with our bounty. (They are the ones who are too smart to plant their own zucchini.) They know that about this time of year we’ll be desperate to unload some of our crop.

Most often people tell me that they love, love, love zucchini bread. So they make and freeze several loaves for the winter. My neighbor Nancy also makes and freezes zucchini pancakes. They make a savory side dish to go with almost anything. I made some the other night to serve with leftovers and they were delicious.

There are a zillion ways to prepare zucchini so I hope that one of the following recipes is new to you. The first two call for Bisquick baking mix and they are easy summer supper additions. The crunchy zucchini salad with apples is a great combination of fruits and vegetables. The sautéed zucchini with feta will dress up any dinner and the chocolate zucchini cake is an old favorite. Yes, it calls for a lot of sugar (I reduce it by 1/2 cup) but it also serves 12 people.

Just eat a small slice and enjoy!

IMPOSSIBLE ZUCCHINI-TOMATO PIE

2 cups chopped zucchini
1 cup chopped tomato, fresh
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup Bisquick baking mix
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 tablespoon black pepper

Heat oven to 400° F.

Grease 10 inch quiche dish or pie plate 10 x 1 1/2 inches.

Sprinkle zucchini, tomato, onion, and cheese in plate. Beat remaining ingredients until smooth, 15 seconds in blender on high, or 1 minute with hand beater. Pour into plate. Bake until knife inserted in center comes out clean - about 30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Garnish with sour cream and black olives. Serves 6.

ZUCCHINI PANCAKES

Nancy Robinson

3 eggs

2 tablespoons oil

3 cups zucchini, grated

1 small onion, chopped

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Salt and Pepper

1 cup Bisquick (more if needed)

Beat eggs and oil in large bowl until well-blended. Add zucchini, onion and seasonings. Blend. Add Bisquick. The mixture should be the consistency of pancake batter. If too moist add a little more Bisquick; if too dry add a little milk.

Pour about 1/2 cup batter for each pancake onto a hot, greased griddle. Spread to make a circle. Cook until edges appear dry and bubbles form and just start to pop on the surface. Turn pancakes with a wide spatula and lightly brown other side. Turn only once. Serve immediately. Good with sour cream. Serves 4 hungry people.

Note: I made a sweet version of this recipe. I substituted cinnamon for the Italian seasoning and added a few pecans and 1/4 cup sugar.  It was good!

APPLE and ZUCCHINI SALAD

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon dried basil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 large Red Delicious apples, diced

1 large Granny Smith apple, diced

1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips

2 small zucchini, thinly sliced

2 cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced

Leaf lettuce

Combine oil and next 6 ingredients in a jar; cover tightly, and shake vigorously. Combine apple and next 3 ingredients; toss with dressing. Serve on individual lettuce-lined serving plates. Serves 6

SAUTEED SQUASH with BASIL and FETA

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups small zucchini

2 cups yellow squash

2 cups sliced leek (about 2)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan, swirling to coat; heat 20 seconds. Add squash and leek to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in salt and pepper. Transfer squash mixture to a serving platter. Sprinkle with cheese and basil. Serves 4-6.

CHOCOLATE-ZUCCHINI CAKE

Southern Living 2002

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

3 cups granulated sugar

3 (1-ounce) unsweetened chocolate baking squares, melted

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

3 cups grated zucchini (about 5)

1 cup pecans, chopped

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Combine first 4 ingredients and set aside. 

Beat eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer. Gradually add granulated sugar; beat until blended. Add chocolate and oil; beat until blended. Gradually add flour mixture; beat at low speed until blended. Fold in zucchini and pecans. Pour batter into a well-greased and floured Bundt pan.

Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. Serves 12.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal!

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes 

that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.

Marvelous macaroni salads

8/1/12 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Macaroni salad is macaroni salad—right? Nope. Not any more. Current recipes remind me that the macaroni salad you and I grew up on has changed. Today’s macaroni salad not only combines different kinds of pastas and dressings but we throw in everything from artichokes to zucchini and the kitchen sink. Still, I often get a hankering for just plain old macaroni salad…

 The other morning, I laid out some chicken breasts to thaw and grill for dinner. Then, I began leafing through recipes for something summery to dress them up. Pretty soon, my mouth was watering for macaroni salad. You know, the regular old-fashioned salad macaroni (the small little circles of pasta) mixed together with basic ingredients. No fancy corkscrews, corn or black beans in my salad.  

Rummaging through my recipe file, I discovered that I had tucked away plenty of old-style macaroni salads recipes. Most of them are called “Mom’s Macaroni Salad.” The moms were different but the similarity of ingredients—macaroni, bell peppers, onions and hard-boiled eggs topped with with paprika—was almost universal.

The dressings, however, ranged from sweet and creamy to a simple tart mixture of olive oil and vinegar. The sweet ones were mayonnaise combined with sweetened condensed milk or sugar added to mayonnaise. Alas, my dressing is made with Best Foods Mayonnaise and a spoonful of pickle juice! It seems the only thing we moms agree on is that we are all different.

Today I’m going to share a variety of recipes including my old-fashioned macaroni salad. Also included is a simple Creamy Italian Chicken Mac recipe that I found on the back of a box of Safeway macaroni. These are not large family-size recipes so remember, it’s easy to double or even triple the amounts given. Taste for salt.

One of my mother’s favorite light summer suppers was to add a can of tuna fish to her macaroni salad. Canned salmon is another way of adding protein and color to this simple dish. It can be added to your favorite recipe or the one below. By the way, most recipes (including mine) assume that you will make the salad in the morning so it has time to chill. Prepare at least 3 hours before serving and be ready to add extra dressing.  Enjoy!

Betty’s Macaroni Salad

8 ounces macaroni

1 cup celery, chopped

1-2 carrots, shredded

1/2 cup red onion, minced

1/2 cup sweet pickles, chopped

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, cubed

Italian dressing to moisten

Dill Weed

Garlic Salt

1 cup Best Foods mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sweet pickle juice

Garnishes: Quartered tomatoes

Cook macaroni in salted boiling water until tender.

While macaroni cooks, mince onion, chop sweet pickles and cube cheese. Shred carrots, rinse and squeeze water out between paper towels. Put all of the above in a large bowl, mix with a spoonful of Italian dressing and set aside.

When macaroni is tender, drain and rinse in cold water until cool. Drain well and add to veggies and cheese. Season with dill and garlic salt and mix well; cover and refrigerate a couple of hours. Combine mayonnaise with pickle juice; mix with the macaroni when salad is cool. Place in a serving bowl and sprinkle with dill. Cover and return to refrigerator. Garnish before serving, as desired. Serves 4

Creamy Italian Chicken Salad

8 ounces salad macaroni

4 ounces fresh green beans cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed

1 cup cucumber, diced

4 ounces grape tomatoes, halved

3 green onions, chopped

1 (8 ounce) bottle creamy Italian dressing

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Prepare macaroni according to package directions. During last minute of cooking pasta, add green beans to blanch. Drain and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Toss pasta and beans gently until evenly coated. Cover and chill 4 hours.

Serves 4.

Fiesta Pasta Salad

1 12 ounce package rotelle pasta, cooked, drained and cooled

1 cup red onion, diced

1 cup red pepper, diced

1 (8 ounce) can corn

1 (4 or 7 ounce_ can diced green chilies

1-2 tablespoons diced jalapenos

1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped

1 cup Italian salad dressing

1 tablespoon chili powder

1-2 teaspoons ground cumin

In large bowl, combine pasta, onion, red pepper, corn, chiles, jalapenos and cilantro or parsley.

In small bowl, whisk together salad dressing, chili powder and cumin. Pour over pasta mixture, tossing to coat well. Chill well to blend flavors before serving. Serves about 6 side dishes.

Salmon-Macaroni Supper Salad

2 (7 ounce) cans salmon, drained and flaked

2 tablespoons grated onion

1 cucumber, peeled and diced

1 green pepper, chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced

1/2 pound small elbow macaroni, cooked, drained, chilled

1 teaspoon garlic or onion salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tomatoes, cut into eighths

3 hard-cooked eggs, quartered

1 lemon cut in six pieces

Combine the salmon, onion, cucumber, green pepper, celery, macaroni, salt and pepper in a bowl. Combine mayonnaise and lemon juice in a small bowl. Toss lightly with salad. Arrange tomatoes, egg and lemon around it. Serve cold. Serves 4-6.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal! 

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes

 that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.

Berry good cheesecake and grilled steaks

7/18/12 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Well, folks, the month of July is whizzing by and that means we’re well into barbeque season. At our house we cook everything from fish to hot dogs on our grill but nothing beats the satisfying flavor and texture of a good steak.

My challenge always is…how to chose a good cut of steak. It used to so simple. My dad thought that the only steak worth putting in his mouth was a filet mignon and that’s what he bought. The local butcher knew his name and how thick to cut his steaks.

Today, filet mignons are way out of the price range for most of us. So, for a recent dinner party, I checked out my other options. A New York strip steak is fairly tender and has lots of flavor but is also pricey. A flank steak is a whole other cut of meat. They are lean and flavorful but not thick and juicy. They need tenderizing.

My final choice was a sirloin steak and as the saying goes, “there are sirloins and then, there are sirloins.” Some are tender but most are not. In fact, there are about 10 kinds of sirloin steaks. Four are bone-in and six are boneless. I steer clear (pun intended!) of most of these unless I’m putting them in a stir-fry or stew.

Then I discovered another cut of sirloin that hit a home run at our house. In some markets it’s known as the Baseball Cut Sirloin Steak. Cut from the center of the sirloin, about six ounces in size, it is called the ‘baseball’ cut due to its rounded shape. My local butcher highly recommended it. So, on his recommendation, I bought them.

I must say that they weren’t filet mignon quality but they were good. As a matter of fact, there was barely a morsel left on any of the dinner plates. I did marinate the meat for about 6 hours and they probably could have been marinated longer. Marinades serve two functions: as a tenderizer and flavor enhancement. Flat cuts of meat benefit the most from tenderizing marinades and all surfaces of any meat need to be exposed to the marinade for maximum benefit. Most recipes suggest that you place the marinade in a heavy zip lock bag, add the meat, squeeze out the air, turn to coat all surfaces and refrigerate. Then you have to remember to turn the bag occasionally and bring the meat to room temperature before cooking.

I was really terrified that my Baseball Cut Sirloins weren’t going to be tender, so of course, I whipped up an old tried and true recipe-with a new twist: lemon lime soda. It was good as a tenderizer but a little bland. I’m going to give you the recipe as printed in ‘Quick Cooking” and next time I’ll also use a dry rub before they hit the grill.

There are an endless variety of BBQ side dishes to go with your meat of choice. My husband’s side dish choices tend to run to the ‘heavy on the carbs’ category. He would prefer to eat potato salad and baked beans with his steak—and cheese cake for dessert! Instead I pair a steak with a green salad and corn on the cob.

Then, we can have cheese cake. Enjoy!

Lemon-Lime Soda Meat Marinade

1 cup lemon-lime soda

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon prepared horseradish

6 (or more) quality beef steaks

In a large re-sealable plastic bag, combine the first six ingredients. Add steak and turn to coat. Seal and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.

Drain and discard marinade. Grill steaks, covered, over medium-hot heat for 3-5 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145°; medium, 160°; well-done, 170°). Serves 6+

Sunset Dry Steak Rub

1/3 cup smoked paprika

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground or rubbed sage

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons oregano

1-1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Mix all dry rub ingredients together in a large bowl. Store in an airtight container and use as needed: 

Coat each steak with a bit of olive oil and place directly into the dry rub mixture. Make sure each side is well coated. Let the steaks sit for at least 30 minutes before grilling.  

Mixed Berry Cheesecake

Cookie crumb crust

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

3 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 300° F.

Spray a 9-inch springform pan. Combine all ingredients and press evenly on bottom of pan. Set aside.

Filling:

1 pound cottage cheese, low fat

1 (8-ounce) block Neufactchal cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sour cream, low fat

3 tablespoons flour

2 eggs, room temperature

2 egg whites, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

Place cheeses either in bowl of a food processor or stand mixer. Process or beat until smooth (cottage cheese is a little lumpy). Add sugar, sour cream, flour, eggs, eggs, ell whites and vanilla. Process or beat until smooth. Pour into pan and bake 55 minutes or until just set. Cool on wire rack. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, a few hours before serving, remove the cake from the springform pan but leave on the bottom of the pan for serving.

Prepare the topping:

1 cup strawberry jam

1/2 pint sliced strawberries

1/2 pint fresh raspberries

1/2 pint fresh blueberries

Combine the fruit in a medium bowl. Melt the jelly in a small pan over low heat. Pour the warm jelly gently over the berries and mix gently. Allow to slightly cool. Arrange the berries on top of cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 12

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal!

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes 

that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.

Beaten biscuits, Orange cake & 4th of July trivia

7/4/12 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Today is the day we celebrate the birth of the United States of America. I don’t imagine that many of you are going to read a recipe column. Instead, you’ll be packing picnic lunches and headed for the beach or county parks. Or maybe you’ll stay home and host a BBQ dinner. Either way, I imagine that your menu is pretty well set.

So instead of just talking about food, I’m going to start out today’s column with some Fourth of July Trivia questions to challenge you and your guests’ patriotic knowledge about this important day in our history. The answers follow.

FOURTH OF JULY 20 QUESTIONS TRIVIA QUIZ

1.    The Declaration of Independence begins with what words?

2.    What document was the legal framework of the U.S.?

3.    Who wrote the words to the Star Spangled Banner?

4.    How did the Liberty Bell get its crack?

5.    How many starts were on the first United States flag?

6.    In what year did Congress recognize the Pledge of Allegiance?

7.    Where was the first capitol located?

8.    What city was the Liberty Bell located in?

9.    Which two patriots died on July 4, 1826?

10. Who was the first signer of the Declaration of Independence?

11. Who do historians believe sewed the first official American flag?

12.The first 10 amendments to the Constitution are known as what?

13.Whose signature is largest on the Declaration of Independence?

14.What do the colors red, white and blue stand for?

15.Who said, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal”?

16.How tall is the Statue of Liberty?

17.How many people signed the Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776?

18.Is it true or false that the Declaration of Independence wasn’t completely signed until August 2, 1776?

19.Finish this statement: Life, Liberty and ––– ––––– ––– –––––.

20.Finish this statement: One Nation under –––––––––––.

QUIZ ANSWERS

1.    When in the course of human events…

2.    The Constitution.

3.    Francis Scott Key.

4.    It cracked the first time it was rung.

5.    Thirteen stars and stripes.

6.    1942

7.    Carpenter’s Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

8.    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

9.    John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

10. John Hancock.

11. Betsy Ross.

12. The Bill of Rights.

13. John Hancock.

14. According to usflag.org, the original colors did not have meanings when it was adopted in 1777.

15. Thomas Jefferson.

16. 151 ft.

17. Only two: Charles Thomson, Secretary and Thomas Jefferson, President, of the Continental Congress.

18. True. The original signed manuscript was lost and a total of 56 delegates returned to Philadelphia to sign new copies of the original document.

19. …the pursuit of happiness.

20. …under God.

Now that you’ve worked up an appetite, I’ll share some very old and very traditional recipes from “The Early American Cookbook” by Hyla O’Connor. She adapted the recipes for modern 20^th century cooks from the time of the Revolution when homes and farms were largely self-sustaining. The variety of foods in that era is amazing.

My favorite recipe is the one for beaten biscuits. The biscuits are split, buttered and sandwiched with thin slivers of Smithfield Ham. When you read the recipe you will be shocked at how much muscle it took to prepare this popular cold supper in Virginia and the Carolinas. Remember that leavening was not easily available but several pairs of sturdy hands and arms were available to share the beating task.

And since we’re talking about picnic foods on this Fourth of July, a Colonial Williamsburg Orange Cake sounds mighty tasty and easily portable. It goes together rather quickly and uses modern methods, so you’ve got time to make it. Happy Fourth of July!

BEATEN BISCUITS

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons lard

1/3-1/2 cup water.

Pre-heat oven to 325° F.

Sift together flour, salt and sugar. Cut in lard with two knives until mixture is blended. Stir in enough water to make a stiff dough. Knead together thoroughly. Place dough on a flat surface and beat with a heavy mallet, the flat side of an axe (!) or other heavy object for 30 minutes or until dough is elastic.

The dough may also be kneaded with hands until it pops with every pressure of the hand, which will take about 30 minutes. Form pieces of dough into small balls, about the size of walnuts. Flatten each with a rolling pin and prick the center with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and bake 30-35 min. or until lightly browned.

WILLIAMSBURG ORANGE CAKE

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1-2/3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour milk or buttermilk

1 cup chopped dark seedless raisins

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon orange peel

Orange Wine Icing

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Grease and flour 8-inch square baking pan. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In a small bowl blend flour, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with sour milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Blend well after each addition. Stir in raisins, walnuts and orange peel. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake 45-50 min. or until cake tester comes out clean when inserted in center of cake. Cook in pan on wire rack for 10 min. Remove from pan and cool thoroughly on wire rack. When cool, frost as below.

ORANGE WINE ICING

2 cups unsifted powdered sugar

2/3 cup softened butter

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

2 tablespoons cream sherry (or cream)

Mix together sugar, butter and orange peel until well blended. Add sherry and beat until smooth. Use to frost above cake.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal!

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes

 that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.