Zucchini Ricotta Casserole

I felt a little guilty posting that incredible cookie recipe last week... so, this week, I thought I would introduce a healthier dish. Though zucchini season is leaving us, this light, easy to prepare, recipe will have zucchini lovers asking for more. I gave it a try last week... a little uneasy about adding the fresh mint leafs, but I did as I was instructed and it turned out wonderfully. Roasted zucchini, with fresh garlic and topped with a nonfat ricotta cheese... yum! I found this recipe on YouTube and presented by Chef John, who's recipes are always a treat, from FoodWishes.com. Click here to watch him prepare this delicious dish. 

Zucchini Ricotta Casserole


Ingredients:

6-8 medium size zucchini squash, chopped in triangles (see video)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped finely
A few fresh mint leafs (about 7 leafs), chopped
1 cup of nonfat ricotta cheese
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
salt & pepper


Directions:

1. Preheat over to 450 degrees F.

2. Place chopped zucchini in a large bowl. Add oil, paprika, mint leafs, salt & pepper, and a garlic. Stir.

3. Place zucchini mixture in an oven safe casserole dish that has been sprayed with a nonstick cooking spray.

4. Top with several clumps of ricotta cheese... leave room between the clumps.

5. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes and... that's it! Serve warm!

Fudge BonBon Cookies

Who likes chocolate? Ok. That's a dumb question. We all do, right?... well... ok... maybe not ALL of us... but the majority. As we enter the Fall season I'm trying new recipes for cookies... as I'll be sending boxes of them around Christmas time in a few months. I found this recipe for Fudge BonBon Cookies (isn't that a great name for a cookie?) in a wonderful cookbook, The Best of Country Cooking 2000, with the recipe by Janice Smith of Cynthiana, Kentucky. The recipe is very simple and the results are... just... wow. The fudge part of this cookie is not overwhelming sweet... like most fudge recipes... but rather a nice, subtle, setup for the milk chocolate kiss at the center. The white chocolate drizzled on top of each BonBon cookies not only adds a little color  and decoration... it's also a chocolate lovers Heaven when combined with the dark chocolate, fudge outside and the milk chocolate, sweet inside. This one's a winner, kids!

Fudge BonBon Cookies


Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 cups (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package (13 ounces) milk chocolate kisses
2 squares (1 ounce each) white baking chocolate
1 teaspoon vegetable oil


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour and pecans; set aside.

3. In a microwave or saucepan, melt chocolate chips and butter; stir until smooth.

4. Stir condensed milk and vanilla extract until blended well.

5. Add to flour mixture; mix well.

6. When cool enough to handle, shape a tablespoon of dough around each chocolate kiss... rolling them between your hands to form balls.

7. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes... or until tops begin to crack.

8. Cool on a wire rack,

9. In a microwave or saucepan, heat white chocolate and oil; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

Makes about 5 1/2 dozen cookies.

Hobo Burgers

I learned how to make these while watching an episode of Paula's Home Cooking with Paula Deen. I thought to myself, "dang... that doesn't look hard to make!" Not only was I right about that, but these little meaty delights are actually quite tasty! I suppose you can get creative with what you want to put on, or in, your Hobo Burger... but I would strongly suggest not omitting the hickory-smoked bacon. That's against the law.



HOBO BURGERS


Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 package (2 cups) of shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup saltine crackers, crushed
1 cup diced green peppers
1 dash of lemon juice
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
2-3 red potatoes, sliced
carrot sticks
strips of hickory-smoked bacon


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, cheese, crushed crackers, green peppers, lemon juice, egg, salt and pepper... get your hands in there and make sure it's blended well.

3. Make small, oval shaped loaves with the meat mixture.

4. Top each of the loaves with potato, onion and carrot slices... then top it with a few slices of bacon!

5. Securely wrap each of the loaves in foil and place on a foil lined baking sheet.

6. Put baking sheet in oven and cook for 45-50 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and carefully remove the foil. Enjoy!

Chicken Broccoli Divan

If you ever take a moment to look on the back of a soup can you can sometimes find a really great recipe. Cambell's Soup usually has excellent recipe recommendations which are easy to make and affordable. The other night, I needed to give the leftovers in my refrigerator a facelift or throw them out... I hate throwing away food that isn't spoiled yet... so I decided on a casserole... which is a perfect dish for using up leftovers, btw. Looking through my pantry I noticed I had a can of Campbell's Broccoli Cheese soup. I turned the can around and, sure enough, noticed a recipe. This casserole turned out wonderfully and was a big hit. I'll definitely be making this again very soon! Thanks, Campbell's Soup!

Chicken Broccoli Divan

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh broccoli, cut into spears or 1 package of frozen broccoli, cooked & drained
1/1/2 cubed cooked chicken or turkey
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's Broccoli Cheese Soup
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar or Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat over to 400 degrees F.
2. Place broccoli and chicken in a 9" pie plate.
3. Stir bread crumbs and butter together in a small bowl.
4. Stir soup and milk in a small bowl until mixture is smooth. Pour over broccoli and chicken. Top with cheese. Sprinkle with bread crumb mixture.
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. 

Southern Peach Cobbler

Every year I make a few peach cobblers. It has to be one of my favorite desserts of all time. My Grandma Letha could make some pretty incredible cobblers... peach always being my favorite. I can remember walking into her house and smelling a freshly baked cobbler... that would always put a smile on my face. Make it with fresh, juicy Georgia peaches and serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream... serving this with no ice cream is a SIN!! This particular recipe comes from AllRecipes.com... a website I often turn to for new recipes. Though July is the peak season for peaches, there are still a few good ones out there! Take advanage of them and throw'em in a cobbler.

 Southern Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:

Peach Mixture
8 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced into wedges
1/4 cup of white sugar
1/4 brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons corn starch

Batter for Cobbler
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 cup boiling water

Topping
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.


3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in boiling water until just combined.


4. Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping oven them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden... about 30 minutes.

5. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Split Pea Soup

There's just something about split pea soup that makes the world a better place, in my opinion. It's a comfort food and makes a great starter for any dinner party... or, if you're like me, a nice midnight snack. This is my own little recipe. Hope you enjoy it!

Split Pea Soup


Ingredients: 

2 teaspoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 medium sized carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup dried green split peas, rinsed and drained
4 cups of chicken broth
3 strips of thick-sliced bacon, chopped in little pieces
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper


Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Saute the onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Add thyme. Cook for 5 minutes.

2. Add bacon pieces. Stir. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes.

3. Add split-peas and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the low heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

4. Serve with a garden salad and/or French bread.

Parmesan Covered Aspargus Rolls

These asparagus rolls are super simple to make. You'll find Phyllo dough in your frozen food section at your local grocery store... usually next to frozen pie crust. Make sure you work swiftly after removing the phyllo from the box... if it stays out too long at room temperature it can become hard to work with and crack. These make excellent snacks for kids and a great side dish. Instead of french fries with your hamburger, try these instead. You won't regret it!

Parmesan Covered Asparagus Rolls 


Ingredients:

1 bunch of asparagus
Phyllo dough
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cube butter, melted
salt & pepper
garlic powder


Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 360 degrees.

2. Wash asparagus and place in a large bowl. Cover with olive oil, making sure all of the asparagus is covered. Add salt & pepper & garlic powder.

3. Roll out phyllo on counter. Roll the dough around each piece of asparagus, one at a time. Place on a cooking sheet.

4. Brush melted butter over the asparagus rolls, then cover with Parmesan cheese.

5. Bake for 12-15 minutes... or until the phyllo is golden brown!