Oven-Baked Summer Squash Fries

Summer squash is a delicious treat. It has a strong resemblance in flavor and texture as a zucchini. Zucchini can easily be substituted for the squash in this recipe. The Zucchini will cook a bit more quickly though.

Ingredients:

1 medium summer squash

2 eggs

1 ½ cups breadcrumbs 

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon mustard power

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease a large baking sheet with olive oil and set aside.

Cut the squash or zucchini into smaller wedges, remove any seeds and set the wedges to the side. 

In a medium bowl whisk the eggs and set to the side. 

In another dish mix the bread crumbs, paprika, mustard powder, salt and pepper. 

Dip the wedges, one at a time, in the egg mixture and then the bread crumb mixture. Make sure to coat each wedge thoroughly. Once coated place the wedges on the baking sheet. 

Bake the wedges as is for about 30-40, until soft inside and golden brown on the outside, For a more golden texture, drizzle or spray some olive oil on top of the wedges. Flip half way through baking.

Serve with hot with your favorite dip. 

Try this great recipe for gluten free breadcrumbs from the Gluten-Free Goddess to easily make this a yummy gluten free treat.

Fiddlehead Pie

Fiddlehead Pie

This dish really isn't a some much as a pie, but more of a quiche. Fiddleheads are a very popular dish in the Northeastern United States, but a "quiche" isn't. So instead this is called pie. The name doesn't change the fact that this is one tasty Fiddlehead dish! 

Ingredients:

• 1 uncooked 9-inch pie crust
• 2 cups of Fiddleheads, coarsely chopped
• 1 small onion
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, either sharp or mild
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 tablespoon coarse mustard
• 2 tablespoons flour

Precook the pie crust according to directions in a 350-degree oven. Saute the Fiddleheads and the onion in a skillet using the olive oil. Place the sauteed Fiddleheads and onions in the precooked pie crust. Cover the mixture with the cheese. Blend the eggs, flour, half and half and mustard together. Pour this over the pie. Place in the oven and back at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes. When finished a knife inserted into the center of the pie will come out clean. This pie can be served cold, warm, or hot. It goes excellent with a tossed green salad or warm cup of soup. 

Mexican Scrambled Eggs

Ingredients:

1  small handful cilantro leaves
2  tablespoons vegetable oil
1  small red onion, finely chopped
1/2  red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1  garlic clove, finely chopped
2  tomatoes, finely chopped
4  extra-large eggs, beaten
2  scallions, finely chopped 1/2  green Chile, seeded and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a skillet over medium heat, heat the oil and then add the red pepper, green chile, onion and garlic. Cook for about 6-8 minutes or until the onions turn golden. Stir them occasionally while cooking. Add the tomatoes and cook 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes being to soften.

Tip the eggs into the mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix together well and allow the eggs to begin to set around the edges. Mix everything again until the eggs are set.

Add the scallions and cilantro to the eggs, mixing one more time. Serve immediately. 

Mexican Apple Eggs

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter
1 large, ripe apple, unpeeled, cored, sliced into thin crescents
6 Eggs
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Beat the eggs together with the parsley, salt and pepper. Sautee the apples in a skillet with melted butter until they are crisp and tender. Pour the eggs into the skillet, turning the pan as they set.

Once the bottom is set, carefully turn the eggs to cook the other side of them. The eggs should remain in one piece, like a big pancake. When they are finished cooking, remove them from the pan and cut them into small wedges to serve. 

Greek Omelet

Ingredients:

1/4 cup(s) cooked spinach
4  large eggs
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 teaspoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup(s) crumbled feta cheese
2  scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh dill

Directions:

Blend the eggs in a medium bowl with a fork. Add the feta, dill, scallions, pepper and spinach to the eggs and mix gently.

Set a rack about 4 inches away from the heat and preheat the broiler.

In a nonstick skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Pour the egg mixture in it. Reduce to medium and cook until the bottom of the omelet is a light golden color. Lift the edges of the omelet so that the uncooked egg will flow underneath of it, and cook for about 3-4 minutes.

Place the pan under the broiler and allow to cook for 1-3 minutes or until the top is set. Slide the omelet onto a serving platter and cut into wedges to serve.

Guest Post: Broccoli And Blue Cheese Soup

A deliciously warming recipe, the broccoli and blue cheese soup is perfect for lunch or chilly evenings and it can be prepared in just 30 minutes. Served with bread and salad, this makes a delicious light dinner.

It is healthy, light and takes little effort to make. The simplicity of this soup lies only in blending and boiling the broccoli where some blue cheese can be added later. The final result will be a soup that is thin and watery, because there aren't used any ingredients with binders. For making this soup creamy you can add a potato or two in the pot while the soup is boiling. By adding the potatoes you will increase the time of preparation by 10 minutes, but the result will be a creamier soup. You can also add a few tablespoons of heavy cream, which will make it even more velvety.

The blue cheese that will be used in the soup depends entirely on your taste. If the idea of a strong and very flavorsome Roquefort cheese does not seem very attractive then a lighter and softer Gorgonzola will do. You can use a stronger cheese when potatoes are added to the soup, because they absorb the salt in the cheese. Also, you can use only Gorgonzola when you want pure broccoli soup.



Ingredients:
•    1 head broccoli, about 300g, roughly chopped
•    Blue cheese, such as Stilton or Roquefort, about 100g, crumbled
•    1 large onion, roughly chopped
•    Olive oil
•    1 large potato, peeled and cubed (optional)
•    1l vegetable stock
•    1 head broccoli, about 300g, roughly chopped

Cooking:

Cook the onion with 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan until soft for about 5 minutes. Add the potato and the stock and simmer until the potato is tender. This should take about 10 minutes.

Add the broccoli and cook for 3-4 minutes until it becomes tender but the color will be the same bright green. In a blender add half of the cheese and whizz until you get a smooth soup. Season the soup, and then serve with the rest of the cheese crumbled over. For additional tastiness, you can add some garlic to the onions.
When you don't feel like cooking you can definitely prepare broccoli and blue cheese soup. I personally used 2 small heads of fresh broccoli, cauliflower and Roquefort cheese. You could easily substitute the cheese of your choice (I think sharp cheddar or Parmesan would work really well). The soup got watery with only a liter of stock.  I also added some fired onions in butter with a bit of curry for extra taste. My kids loved it!


Try more variants of broccoli and blue cheese soup on bluecheeseburgers.com

French Toast

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons of cinnamon
8 thick slices of 2-day-old bread, better if slightly stale
4 eggs
2/3 cup milk
Butter
Maple syrup

Directions:

In a shallow bowl beat the eggs, milk and cinnamon together until well blended.

Dip the slices of bread into the mix, allowing them to soak up some of the egg mixture.

Coat the skillet with either melted butter or vegetable and cook the slices of bread over medium heat. Fry the slices until golden brown, flipping once to cook both sides.

Serve the toast hot with butter and maple syrup. 

Cherry French Toast

Ingredients:

1 cup drained tart Montmorency cherries
3 Eggs
1 Loaf of challah bread, unsliced
8 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature 1/2 Cup milk
1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon
powdered sugar, maple syrup, additional drained cherries and butter (optional)

Directions:

Cut the ends off the loaf of bread and cut it into 6 slices 1-1/2 inches in size. Cut a slice three-quarters down the middle of each slice of bread. This make the bread look like it’s separate slices, but they are actually joined at the bottom. Set the bread aside.

Mix the cream cheese and 1 cup cherries together in a small bowl. Spread the mix in the pocket of each slice of bread.

Lightly oil a griddle or skillet and heat over medium heat.

In a bowl, beat the eggs and milk together. Dip the stuffed slices of bread into the egg mix, coating all sides. Place the coated slices in the pan and sprinkle them with cinnamon. Cook these slices until they are a golden brown color. Turn them once to cook the other side.

Place the cooked slices onto the cutting board. Cut each piece diagonally in halves. Sprinkle the slices with powdered sugar and cherries if desired. Can be served with maple syrup and butter. 

Fig Bircher Muesli

Ingredients:

2 1/2cups natural muesli
1 1/2 cups apple juice
1 cup reduced-fat plain yoghurt
3/4 cup reduced-fat milk
3/4 cup chopped dried figs
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
3 fresh figs, quartered

Directions:


Mix the muesli, yogurt, apple juice, dried figs, milk and honey together in a medium bowl. Cover this and refrigerate it overnight.


Spoon the mixture into bowls, sprinkle with nuts and top with fresh figs to serve.

Feta and Spinach Omelet

Ingredients:

2 cups lightly packed fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (1 ounce)
2 Eggs
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash ground black pepper
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil or canola oil

Directions:

Whisk the eggs, salt and pepper together in a small bowl and set aside. Lightly coat an 8-skillet with nonstick cooking spray and preheat it over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and onions to the skillet, cooking until tender. Remove the vegetables and set aside.

Add 1 tsp of oil to the skillet. Add half of the egg mixture to skillet, stirring gently with a wooden or plastic spatula. Stir this continuously until it resembles small pieces of eggs that are surrounded by liquid. Stop stirring the eggs and let them cook for about 30-60 seconds, or until the eggs are set.

Spoon half of the mushroom mix on one side of the cooked eggs. Top with 1 cup of spinach and 1 tbsp of feta cheese. Loosen the omelet from the skillet and fold the unfilled side of the omelet over. Cook for an additional minute, or until the spinach has started to wilt. Remove the finished omelet. Covering it to stay warm. Repeat to make additional omelets.

Sprinkle them with the feta cheese to serve. 

Cinnamon Logs

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
1 loaf thinly sliced white bread
1 8oz. Pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 egg white
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup sugar

Directions:

Trim the crust from the slices of bread and roll to ¼ inch thick.

Beat the cream cheese, egg white, and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer set on medium speed until smooth. Spread this evenly on one side of bread. Roll the bread up to form the logs.

Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow dish. Dip the logs in melted butter and then roll them in the sugar mix. Place the sugared logs on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool on a wire rack. 

Cinnamon and Raisins Oatmeal

Ingredients:

1 cup quick oats or rolled oats
3 - 4 cups cold water (depending on how creamy or thick you like it)
1/4 t salt
4 Tbsp raisins
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Place all of the ingredients in a 2-quart saucepan and bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer until it is thick and creamy, or about ten minutes. Stir it a few times while cooking.

If you prefer non-creamy oatmeal then boil the water first and then add the oats to it. 

Cheese Grits

Ingredients:

3-3/4 cups water
1 large egg
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup quick cooking grits
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a 2 quart sauce bring some water to a boil. Mix the dry ingredients together in a small bowl. Stirs the grit into the boiling water and add the garlic. Stir constantly while cooking for about five minutes or until it has thickened and is bubbly. Cover and continue to cook over a very low head for an additional 3-5 minutes.

Grease a 1-1/2 quart baking dish lightly.

Beat the milk and egg together in a small bowl. Fold this mixture and ½ cup of cheese into the grits. Pour the grits into the baking dish and top with cheese. Bake this dish in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is browned and started to bubble. 

Burrito with Avocado and Soy Cheese

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 block firm or extra-firm tofu, chopped into cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp soy sauce
2 tomatoes, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
grated soy cheese, about 1/2 cup
1 avocado, sliced thin
ketchup or hot sauce, to taste

Directions:

In the olive oil, sauté the garlic, tofu and onion until tender. Next add the turmeric, the soy sauce and the tomatoes to the skillet and cook for a couple of more minutes, or until the tofu has turned a light golden brown color. Season this with salt and pepper generously. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Spoon about a ¼ cup of the tofu mixture into each tortilla. Sprinkle some soy cheese over the filling, and add the avocado slices. Ketchup or hot sauce can also be added if desired. Wrap the tortillas tightly to form the burritos.  

Burrito Panini

Ingredients:

2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced or chopped
2 (8-inch) whole wheat or white flour tortillas
1/2 cup baby spinach leaves
1/3 cup black bean and corn salsa
1/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese

Directions:

Heat panini press to medium-high heat according to directions.

Put one egg in the middle of each of the tortillas. Top them with spinach, salsa, and cheese. Fold the sides of tortillas over the filling and fold them from the bottom up.

Grill the burritos in the press until they are toasted and the filling is heated all the way through, about 3 minutes.

Cut and serve the burritos immediately. 

Blueberry-Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients:


4 eggs
1/2 cup orange juice
1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
3 tablespoons sugar
8 slices Italian bread (1-1/4 inches thick)
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
Dash salt


Blueberry Orange Sauce:

1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup water
1-1/2 cups orange segments
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup sliced almonds.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix the blueberries and 2 tbsps of sugar together in a small bowl. Cut a small pocket into the side of each slice of the bread. Next fill the pockets with roughly about 3 tbsps of the blueberry mix. 

Whisk the eggs, orange peel, salt, orange juice and remaining sugar together in a shallow bowl. Being careful not to squeeze out the filling, dip both sides of the bread into the egg mixture. Place the filled and dipped slices in a greased baking dish and bake for 7 minutes on each side.

While the toast is cooking you can make the sauce. Mix the sugar, cornstarch and salt together in a small saucepan. Bring this mix to a boil and cook until thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Reduce the heat and stir in the oranges and blueberries. Cook this for another 5 minutes or until it’s completely heated.

Serve with the French toast, and sprinkle them with the almonds. 

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup self-rising flour
1 egg, lightly whisked
2 cups buttermilk
Butter
1 cup fresh blueberries
maple syrup

Directions:


Sift the flour to remove any clumps into a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the egg and buttermilk. With a fork, mix this together until just combined.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and brush it with the melted butter. Pour three 2 tbsp portions of the batter in the skillet. Place a few blueberries over each of the pancakes. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, or until bubbles appear in the top of the pancakes. Flip them and cook for a few minutes or until they are golden brown.
Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plated and cover them with foil to keep warm. Repeat this process with the remaining batter three more times to make 12 blueberry pancakes.
These can be served with blueberries, maple syrup and butter. 

Blue Oatmeal

Ingredients:

1.5 cup water
1/2 tbsp unsweetened  dry Cocoa powder,
1/2 cup unsweetened frozen blueberries 1 cup 100% Natural Whole Grain oatmeal
2 tbsp Flax Seed Meal (ground flax)
2 tsp Brown Sugar

Directions:

Boil the water in a pan. Take all of the dry ingredients and mix them together. Once mixed add this to the boiling water. Reduce the heat and cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until the desired consistency has been reached. Once finished cooking stir in the frozen blueberries. 

Baked Olives and Eggs

Ingredients:

1/8 Teaspoon coarse salt
2 Eggs
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
2 Pitles green olives, Chopped into 2 or 3 pieces
1/16 Teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
3 Tablespoons toasted breadcrumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F.

Crack the two eggs into a gratin dish. Be careful not to break the egg yolks. Drizzle cream over the eggs, and scatter bits of the olives around them. Salt and pepper to taste. Bake the eggs in the oven for about 6 minutes or until the whites have to eggs have set, but the yolks are still loose.

Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the dish and serve while it’s still hot. 

Apple Pecan Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups soy milk
1/2 cup soft (silken) tofu
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 apples, chopped
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
Frying oil

Directions:

Place all of the ingredients except the pecans and apples in a blender and pulse until all of them are blended. You can also finely chop the apples and mix the ingredients together by hand.

Fold the pecans into the mixture. Next, start dropping the mixture in large spoonfuls onto a skilled that has been lightly oiled. Cook the pancakes for a couple of minutes, until bubbles start to appear on the top. Flip the pancakes over and cook until they are light golden brown color.