Green Rhubarb

Zucchini Cinnamon Rolls and Meat filled Kolaches

I’ve been busy…Zucchini chocolate chip cookies and stuffed portabella mushrooms too. Recipes soon.

Know what I like about my job?

Steaming artichokes for my lunch break, and drinking fresh raspberry black tea… :)

Meat, Tomato, and Mozzarella Stuffed Zucchini Cups

2 large zucchini or yellow squash, about 12 inches long
2 tsp. + 2 tsp. olive oil (may need more, depending on your pan)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 green pepper, finely chopped
2 T finely minced fresh garlic
1 lb. ground beef (10% fat or less)
12 oz. ground turkey (10% fat or less)
(use any combination of ground meat you’d like, but use low-fat ground meat for the South Beach Diet.)
1-2 tsp. Spike seasoning (optional but recommended)
2 C flavorful tomato-basil pasta sauce
2 cups low-fat mozzarella or other mild white cheese (I used low-fat blend of six cheeses called Italian blend.)

Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Chop onion and green pepper. Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in a non-stick pan, then saute onion and pepper for 3-4 minutes, until just starting to soften. Add minced garlic and saute about 1 minute more, being careful not to brown the garlic. Remove the onion, pepper, and garlic mixture to a bowl.

Add 2 tsp. more olive oil to the pan. Crumble in the ground beef and ground turkey, season with Spike seasoning, and cook over medium heat until the meat is well browned. Tilt pan to see if there is any extra fat, and remove with a spoon if there is, then stir cooked vegetables and garlic back into the meat. Add tomato sauce and simmer until the mixture has thickened and liquid has cooked off, about 10 minutes, then turn off heat.

While meat cools, cut zucchini into 2 inch thick slices, discarding ends. Use a sharp spoon or melon baller to hollow out a cup in each zucchini slice, leaving just over 1/4 inch of zucchini flesh. Be careful not to get too close to the skin or the cups will leak liquid when they cook.

Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray and stand up zucchini cups, open end up. Stir 1 1/2 cups grated cheese into the cooled meat mixture (it doesn’t need to be completely cool), then spoon the meat-cheese mixture into zucchini cups, pressing down with the spoon and mounding it up a little over the top of the zucchini.

Bake zucchini cups for 20 minutes, then remove from oven and use remaining cheese to top each one with a generous pinch of cheese. Put back in oven and bake 10-15 minutes more, until zucchini is slightly soft when pierced with a fork and cheese is melted and lightly browned. Serve hot.

Thit Bo Xao Dau

Roasted Asparagus and Tomato Pasta Salad with Goat Cheese

• 8 oz whole wheat pasta
• 1 lb asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp dried herbes de Provence
• 1 1/2 tsp honey
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
• 1/2 lb chopped kale
• 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Set a pot of water to boil, adding salt.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  In the last two minutes of cooking, add the kale.  Drain and set aside.
2. Toss asparagus and cherry tomatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil and a large pinch of salt and medium pinch of black pepper.  Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes.
3. Combine shallots, lemon juice, dijon mustard, honey, and balsamic vinegar in a bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Add 1 tbsp olive oil.  Stir in salt and black pepper, to taste.
4. Place pasta, kale, asparagus, tomatoes, and olives in a large bowl.  Toss.  Drizzle the dressing over the top.  Toss until well mixed.  Stir in the goat cheese.

Rainbow trout

It all starts with

a filet of rainbow trout
butter melted in the pan
then you rinse the trout and dip it in a flour mixture of thyme and oregano, pepper and salt
drop in pan until done…flipping to ensure both sides are crispy and done
roll mushrooms that are cut in same flour, toss into butter that’s still cooking, cook until done, add pistachios and a balsamic vinegar. Put on plate…serve with fresh sugar snap peas, and zucchini from the garden and a glass of wine.

Dinner: Domestic goddess, otherwise known as “while the cat’s away, the mice have fish!”