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. 

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. 

Warm Brie and Nut Bites

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Red Raspberry Jam or your preferred flavor

2 Tbsp. chopped toasted pecans or walnuts

24 Crackers

125 g Brie Cheese, cut into 24 small pieces

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Lay the crackers out onto a baking sheet. Cover each of them with one piece of brie cheese, ½ tsp. of the jam, and a few small pieces of nuts. Bake the crackers until the cheese has melted, about 2-3 minutes in the oven. 

Vegetable Salad Cups

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons finely chopped red sweet pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped water chestnuts

2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce or Chinese plum sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey
24 wonton wrappers

2-1/2 cups finely shredded Chinese or other green cabbage

1 cup frozen baby green peas, thawed and patted dry

2 green onions, chopped (1/4 cup)

3 tablespoons bean sprouts

2 teaspoons rice vinegar or red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Chinese dry mustard

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Directions:

Spray 24 1-3/4 inch muffin cups with a nonstick cooking spray, and place one wonton wrapper in each cup. Shape the wrapper to the cup. Bake the wrappers in a 375 degree oven for approx. 8 minutes, or until they are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool. These can be stored in an airtight container for up to one day.

To make the filling, cook the cabbage, green onion, sweet pepper, peas, bean sprouts and garlic in the sesame oil for 2-4 minutes, or until the peas have become tender and the cabbage has wilted. Remove the vegetables from the heat and drain all the liquid. Next stir the water chestnuts, Hoisin (or plum sauce), cilantro, honey, dry mustard, soy sauce, vinegar, and ginger into the vegetable mix. Cover this and refrigerate for 2-6 hours.

 Using a slotted spoon, fill each of the wonton cups with the vegetable mix. This can be topped with fresh chives to serve.

The wontons are best if served within two hours.

Makes 24 vegetable cup appetizers. 

Tomato Bruschetta

Ingredients:


10 plum diced tomatoes
3 minced garlic cloves
French or Italian-style bread slices
Balsamic Vinegar, optional
3/4 cup fresh chopped basil leaves
1 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste


Directions:


Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.


Mix the garlic, lemon juice, tomatoes, olive oil, pepper and salt together in a small bowl and set to the side.
After slicing the bread into 1-inch slices, brush one side of the slices with the extra virgin olive oil and place on a cooking sheet with the oil-side facing down. Toast the bread slices in the oven until they have turned a golden brown color.
Top the slices with the tomato mixture. To serve, place the bruschetta slices on a serving plate. 

Sweet and Spicy Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

2 cups packaged shredded broccoli (broccoli slaw mix)

1/2 of a 10-1/2-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained and chopped (about 1 cup)

1/4 cup flaked coconut

6 Romaine lettuce leaves

1 cup sliced mango

6 8-inch round rice paper wraps

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 to 2 teaspoons wasabi paste

1 teaspoon lime juice

3 tablespoons light mayonnaise dressing or salad dressing

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions:

Take each piece of the rice paper and dip it in water. Place these damp papers in between damp paper or cotton towels, and allow to stand for ten minutes.

Combine the wasabi paste, ginger, and 1tsp of the line juice together in a small bowl. Stir the mayo or salad dressing into the ginger mix.

Toss the tofu, shredded broccoli, and coconut together in a large mixing bowl. Add the mayo mixture to the bowl and toss again to coat.

Line the pieces of rice paper with one leaf of lettuce. Spoon the slaw mixture over the lettuce. Add the mango slices to the paper, and wrap. Be sure to fold the ends in as you roll up the rice paper.

Stir the soy sauce, 1 tbsp of lime juice, and red pepper together in a small bowl for the dipping sauce.

Makes 6 rolls. 

Sweet and salty nuts

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Butter

  Coarse sea salt or kosher salt (about 1 tablespoon or 2 teaspoons salt

  Freshly ground black pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon)

  Coarse raw sugar
1 pound walnut pieces or pecan halves (about 4-1/2 cups)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup light-colored corn syrup

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Butter a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan and set aside.

Stir the granulated sugar, corn syrup, nuts, pepper, and salt together in a large bowl until they are mixed together well. Spread the nut mixture out in the already butter baking pan.

Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the nut mixtures has started to bubble and turned a golden brown color. Stir the mixture a few times while cooking. After it’s finished cooking remove it from the oven and sprinkle a generous amount of raw sugar over it. Toss the nuts to cook them completely with the raw sugar. Cool the nuts completely. Break the nut mixture into small pieces to serve.

These nuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for two weeks. They can also be stored in the freezer for up to three months.

Makes about 20-24, ¼ cup servings. 

Sun-Dried Tomato Spread

Ingredients:

2 packages (8 ounces each) softened cream cheese
2 cups mayonnaise
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Italian cheese blend
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
Assorted crackers
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
4 minced garlic cloves
1 jar (7 ounces) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
2/3 cup chopped roasted sweet red peppers

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the cream cheese, onion, mayo, and garlic until blended together. Stir the red peppers and tomatoes into the mixture. Next stir in ¾ cup of Parmesan cheese, the mozzarella cheese, and the Italian cheese blend. 

Place the mixture in a greased 13-in x 9-in baking dish. Sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan cheese over the top and bake, uncovered for 18-22 minutes, or until the edges of the dish are lightly brown and bubbly.

Serve with crackers.