Cheesy Zucchini Saute

We have tons of zucchini growing out in the yard, so I have been looking for new ways to cook it besides just frying it in a fry pan.  This recipe was so good!  I couldn't stop eating it, even as I was putting the leftovers away I kept snacking.  

I had a couple of ears of leftover sweet corn, so I added corn.  I thought that made it especially good.  This was a wonderful new way to cook zucchini!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 3 cups coarsely shredded zucchini
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup diced fresh tomato
• 2 tablespoons sliced ripe olives

Directions

• In a large skillet, saute onion in butter until crisp-tender. Stir in the zucchini, basil, salt and garlic powder. Cook and stir for 4-5 minutes or until zucchini is crisp-tender. Sprinkle with the cheese, tomato and olives.
• Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 157 calories, 13 g fat (9 g saturated fat), 40 mg cholesterol, 416 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 5 g protein.

Taste of Home Winning Recipes

Meatball Subs

I love meatball subs, but have never thought to make them myself at home.  The other night I had a craving for one and decided there was no reason I couldn't make some.


I found a meatball recipe in my Taste of  Home Cookbook that didn't require the meatballs to be baked and they turned out great!  This was a yummy meal!  


Ingredients:

2 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 lb. ground pork
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped onion
1 jar spaghetti sauce
Provolone cheese slices
4 sub rolls

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, bread crumbs, garlic, and parsley.  Crumble pork over mixture, then sprinkle with cheese and mix well.  Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls and set aside.

In a large skillet, bring the spaghetti sauce to a boil.  Carefully add meatballs to sauce.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until meat is no longer pink.

Preheat oven to 350*.  Cut sub rolls open.  Fill rolls with meatballs and sauce, cover with Provolone cheese.  Bake until cheese is melted.

I had leftover sauce and meatballs, so the next night I cooked some pasta and we had pasta and meatballs.  Two nights of meals, hooray!

Blueberry Meadows Delicious Blueberry Pie

We live on a blueberry farm, so my mother-in-law has passed down several amazing blueberry recipes.  This is my favorite pie recipe.  I had never had a cold blueberry pie before I met my mother-in-law, and I actually like it better than a warm pie.  You can use fresh berries or frozen for this recipe.

Ingredients

• Baked 9" pie shell or graham cracker crust
  3/4 cups sugar
  3 tbs corn starch
  1/8 tsp salt
  1/4 cup water
  4 cups blueberries
  1 tbs butter
  1tbs lemon juice
  whipped cream

Directions

• Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in saucepan.  Add water and 2 cups blueberries.  Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture comes to a boil and is thick and clear.  Mixture will be quite thick.
• Remove from heat and stir in butter and lemon juice.
• Cool.
• Stir in remaining berries.
• Pour into a pie shell and cover with whipped cream.  Chill and serve.

Recipe by Gail Matthews

Italian Chicken Wraps

This was a very easy meal that everyone liked.  Worth a try on a busy evening.

• 6 Servings
• Prep/Total Time: 25 min.

Ingredients

• 
  
• 1 package (16 ounces) frozen stir-fry vegetable blend
• 2 packages (6 ounces each) ready-to-use grilled chicken breast strips
• 1/2 cup fat-free Italian salad dressing
• 3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
• 6 flour tortillas (8 inches), room temperature

Directions

• In a large saucepan, cook vegetables according to package directions; drain. Stir in the chicken, salad dressing and cheese. Simmer, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes or until heated through. Spoon about 3/4 cup down the center of each tortilla; roll up tightly.  I actually baked my tortillas with olive oil on them and then covered them with Italian dressing and some Parmesan cheese.
• Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 wrap equals 290 calories, 6 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 40 mg cholesterol, 1,129 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 20 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1-1/2 starch.

Taste of Home Contest Winning Annual Recipes 2010

Pineapple Stuffed Burgers

These burgers were incredible!  A very different taste and absolutely delicious!  Make sure you have a lot of napkins, they are messy, but oh so good!

• 
  
• 4 Servings
• Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)  I used ground pork
• 4 slices unsweetened pineapple
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 hamburger buns, split
• 4 lettuce leaves

Directions

• In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, ketchup and mustard. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, shape beef into eight patties. Place pineapple slices on four patties; top with remaining patties. Seal edges; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Using long-handled tongs, dip a paper towel in cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill burgers, covered, over medium-hot heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 7-9 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160° and juices run clear. Serve on buns with sauce and lettuce. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 burger equals 454 calories, 12 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 69 mg cholesterol, 892 mg sodium, 62 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 26 g protein.

Taste of Home Contest Winning Annual Recipes 2010

Zucchini Pasta

This is actually my very own recipe.  I wanted to make pasta with zucchini and summer squash from the garden, but I had no spaghetti sauce or olive oil.  I decided to try using salsa.  This turned out so good!  None of us could wait to heat it up for lunch again the next day.

Ingredients:

2 Zucchini, sliced
2 Summer Squash, sliced
1/2 sweet onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 lb ground pork sausage
1 jar salsa
2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In skillet brown sausage.  When cooked through, add jar of salsa.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer.

In second skillet, saute onion, garlic, zucchini, and summer squash.

Cook macaroni and add to sausage mixture.  Stir in zucchini mixture.  Simmer together until hot.  Serve.

Classic Macaroni Salad

I was looking for a recipe to make a macaroni salad.  I came across this recipe and everyone loved it.  It has a sweeter taste than most macaroni salads I have had and I actually liked it better because of this.  A definite must try as an addition to a summer cookout.

Ingredients

• 4 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 5 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped green olives
• 1/4 cup grated carrot (optional)
• 2 tablespoons chopped pimento peppers (optional)

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir in the onion, celery, green pepper, carrot, pimentos and macaroni. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving, but preferably overnight.

Nutritional Information 

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 390 | Total Fat: 18.7g | Cholesterol: 8mg

www.allrecipes.com

Sweet and Sour Cashew Chicken

I found this recipe in my Taste of Home Cookbook, but decided to modify it based on the ingredients I had.  It called for pork as the meat and snow peas for the vegetable.  This was fabulous!  It had a great flavor to it and my family cleaned their plates.  Excellent easy summer meal!

•  Servings 4
• Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
• 1 tablespoon sherry or chicken broth
• 1 lb boneless chicken breast, cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/3 cup unsalted cashews
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 2 teaspoons ginger 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups Zucchini and summer squash julienned
• 1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained
• Hot cooked rice, optional

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch and sherry until smooth; add chicken and toss to coat. In another bowl, combine sugar and remaining cornstarch. Stir in the water, vinegar, soy sauce and ketchup until smooth; set aside.
• In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry chicken in hot oil until no longer pink. Add the cashews, onions, ginger and garlic; stir-fry for 1 minute. Add zucchini, squash, and pineapple; stir-fry until zucchini ans squash are crisp-tender.
• Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Serve over rice if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

Ingredients:

3 grilled chicken breasts, sliced
3/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon mustard
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Hot cooked rice, optional

Directions:

Thinly slice the chicken breast and place in the center of a piece of aluminum foil.

In a small bowl, combine the Cajun seasoning, brown sugar, corn starch, water, lemon juice, mustard, honey, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and seal the foil making a pouch.

Cook in a 425* oven or on the grill until warm.  Serve over rice.

Delicious Grill Vegetables

This is actually my own recipe.  I love this easy way to cook vegetables in the summer.  I also love that there is no pan to clean after.  I love the flavor of this mix of vegetables.  Try your own mix for a unique flavor of your own.

Ingredients:

1 summer squash julienned
1 zucchini julienned
1/4 red onion sliced
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 green pepper
1 tomato
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
aluminum foil

Directions:

One of the easiest ways to cook veggies in the summer is to use foil packs on the grill.  Mix all of the veggies together in the middle of a large piece of aluminum foil.  Cover with olive oil, salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you choose.  Seal the aluminum foil to make a packet and place on the top shelf of your grill while you are cooking your meat.  Turn packet once or twice during cooking.  You will end up with tender, yummy, mixed veggies.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches and Greek Salad

I was a little skeptical when I realized this was made with pre-made chicken patties, but I was very pleasantly surprised.  This was a really easy summer meal and tasted delicious.  Some fresh pineapple added a sweet side.  I would definitely recommend this!

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

4 Servings   Prep/Total Time: 10 min.

Ingredients:

4 refrigerated breaded chicken patties
1/2 cup Louisiana-style hot sauce
4 teaspoons canola oil
4 tablespoons butter, softened
4 sandwich buns, split
4 slices provolone cheese
4 tablespoons blue cheese salad dressing
Lettuce, tomato and red onion slices
Additional hot sauce

Directions:

•Place chicken patties in a large resealable plastic bag; add hot sauce. Seal bag and turn to coat. In a large skillet, brown patties in oil over medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side or until heated through. Remove and keep warm.

•Spread butter over cut sides of buns. In the same skillet, toast buns, buttered side down, over medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until lightly browned. Top with a chicken patty, provolone cheese, salad dressing, lettuce, tomato and onion. Serve with additional hot sauce.

Taste of Home : Contest Winning Recipes 2010

Greek Salad

Ingredients:

4 cups mixed greens
1 bunch chopped green onion
1 cup Feta Cheese
1 cup black olives

Dressing:

1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp parsley
5 tbsp olive oil
3 tsp vinegar
garlic powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Mix together oregano, parsley, olive oil, vinegar, garlicpowder, salt, and pepper.  Pour over salad.

Cooks.com

Grilled Chicken and Pear Salad

Here is another great salad recipe.  In the summer it is nice to eat light, healthy meals.  This was a winner!

5 Servings  Prep/Total Time: 25 min.


Ingredients

5 boneless skinless chicken breast (4 ounces each)
7 cups torn mixed salad greens
2 ounces Brie cheese, cubed
2 medium pears, chopped
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 cup thawed apple juice concentrate
2 tablespoons canola oil
4-1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

•Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 170°.

•Arrange the salad greens, cheese, pears and pecans on individual plates. Slice chicken; arrange over salad. Whisk the apple juice concentrate, oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Drizzle over salad.

Yield: 5 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving equals 329 calories, 16 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 74 mg cholesterol, 317 mg sodium, 19 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 27 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 very lean meat, 2-1/2 fat, 1 fruit, 1/2 starch.

Taste of Home: Contest Winning Annual Recipes 2010

Calico Cranberry Couscous Salad

I have been looking for some fun summer recipes.  I had never tried couscous, but had always wanted to, this recipe seemed like a good opportunity.  It was different, but I really liked it.  It was a nice difference from a typical green salad.

6 ServingsPrep/Total Time: 20 min.

Ingredients:

1 cup water
3/4 cup uncooked couscous
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Dressing:

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

•In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Stir in couscous; cover and remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork; cool.

•In a serving bowl, combine the couscous, cranberries, celery, carrot, onions and almonds.

•In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Nutrition Facts: 1/2 cup equals 171 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 176 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 5 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat.

Taste of Home: Contest Winning Annual Recipes 2010