Zucchini Pizza - Gluten Free

Our awesome little garden produced some very large zucchini! When I sliced once up, the slices were the size of english muffins and I thought the perfect base for pizza toppings! It worked out great and I got a big thumbs up from one kid, luckily it was the right kid, the gluten free one! They are also surprisingly filling and satisfying. Yum! 

There is not really a recipe. Just slice and top with your favorite pizza toppings. We used red sauce, ham, bell pepper, mozzarella cheese and a bit of fresh Parmesan. Pop into a 400 degree oven until the cheese is all melty. I imagine you could try this with smaller zucchini- pizza bites! 

Easter Brunch!

Easy Peasy Brunch! 
We really lucked out in the weather department this year for Easter and I decided to have a big family Easter brunch outside, complete with a backyard egg hunt for the kids. I wanted to enjoy the day as well and planned out a really easy menu that would be perfect for any Sunday brunch with family or friends. 

The Menu

Mimosas (both real and virgin)
Coffee Bar
Lox and Bagels(and all the fixins)
Quiche (Lorraine and Spinach Artichoke)
Tropical Fruit Salad
Lemon Raspberry Yogurt Cake

To keep it super simple, I bought most everything and just plated it nicely. I made the lemon raspberry yogurt cake the day before and it was a huge crowd pleaser. Scroll down for the recipe.

 

Outside, I decorated the tables with simple tablecloths, cloth napkins, flowers that were cut low and placed in mason jars and then I just sprinkled jelly beans down the middle.My daughter set the table, so ended up re-arranging the place settings!

The recipe

Lemon Raspberry Yogurt Cake

I adapted this recipe from the Barefoot Contessa. I made a few changes and added raspberries, which made a great addition!

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Swan's cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 extra-large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup of fresh raspberries
 

For the glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool. This is imperative and will make for an extra lemon-y moist cake!

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake. When cooled, add the raspberries over the top and sides, serve with a few extra on the plate. They add a nice sweet and tartness to the cake.

5 Minute Zucchini Salad

Easy salad! Arugula, zucchini ribbons, toasted pine nuts, basil and shaved Parmesan cheese. Toss with olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon and salt and pepper. Light and fresh!

Easy No Fail Oven BBQ Chicken

Ingredients: 

3-4 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 onion (white or yellow)
3/4 cup chopped mushrooms
Optional:
1 chopped zucchini
1 chopped red pepper
BBQ sauce



Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Saute chopped onion and mushrooms in pan until onions start to get soft. (you may also add the additional vegetables here if you want) 

3. Put chicken breasts in oven proof dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

4. Spoon sauteed vegetables over chicken. 

5.  Pour your favorite BBQ sauce (homemade or store bought) over the top, just enough to cover the chicken. 

6. Cover the dish and cook at 400 degrees for ONE hour.

DONE! 

*I served mine over mashed potatoes. Yum! The chicken will be moist, tender and perfect!  

Your new favorite salad dressing!

This is a great as a dressing or dip, my kids liked it too!

Ingredients:
1 TBSP red onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 1/2 TBSP dijon mustard
1 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup of your favorite mayo
1/2 cup of greek yogurt (I used Fage Total 0%)
1/4 cup half and half or buttermilk

Directions:
In food processor, puree: onion, basil, lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper until smooth, then add mayo, yogurt and half and half until smooth. Put into a covered container and refrigerate for an hour before serving. 

Take that PF Chang's! Lettuce Wraps

This is my favorite item on the menu at PF Chang's, lettuce wraps. I've seen several versions of this but tonight this is what I threw together with what I had. I mostly see this served with iceberg lettuce, but I use butter lettuce. It's much heartier and wraps up even better without falling apart. It's also a leafier, darker green, far more nutritious than iceberg!




(Serves 6)
Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, diced
8 oz (1 pck) of mushrooms, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
8 oz of bean sprouts
chopped garlic, 1 clove
Butter lettuce

Sauce:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup of honey
2 TBSP peanut butter
fresh grated ginger (about 1 TBSP)
fresh minced garlic (about 1 TBSP)
A few glugs of rice vinegar
1 TBSP sesame oil
soy sauce to taste

Instructions:

Heat a pan on medium heat, add oil (2 turn turns of the pan, I used olive) and add chicken. brown the chicken on all sides and then put into a bowl and set aside.

In the same hot pan, add the garlic, mushroom, peppers and bean sprouts. Cook them down until soft. You'll know they are almost ready when the youngest kid comes down and says "What's that smell?"

Then add back the chicken and cook for awhile longer. Toss with the sauce.
I made some brown rice to go with it, but that's optional, my kids like it, they also liked putting together their own lettuce wraps and who doesn't love a finger food?

Enjoy!




Enjoy!

Cold Weather Comfort Food- Shephard's Pie, Two Ways!

Two different potato toppings, I couldn't pick a favorite!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey
1/4 cups diced or thinly sliced carrots
1/4 cup diced onion
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 large potatoes
3-4 large sweet potatoes
*cranberry chutney (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In separate pots: Peel and cut the potatoes in large, similar sized chunks and boil until tender.

While the potatoes are boiling, saute onion, celery, garlic and carrots for about 5 minutes, then add the turkey. Cook until the turkey is browned. I had this cranberry honey chutney that I thought would go well with the turkey, so I dumped in about 1/4 cup to the meat mixture. This is optional, but it was sure delicious. If you don't have anything like this, add some of your favorite savory spices like thyme, sage, even poultry seasoning would be good. Once the meat is done, evenly distribute it into two small baking dishes.

Mas your cooked potatoes in separate bowls or pots. I like to add a little butter and milk to mine. A good tip is to make sure your milk is warm when you add it to the potatoes, it mixes better and does not cool the potatoes down.

Put the white potatoes on top of the meat mixture on one dish and then the sweet potatoes on the other. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes. Try to enjoy it while one kid whines they don't like onions. Then lie to them and tell them its not onions. If they continue to whine, tell them some kids' mothers' don't even cook or make their lunch and what do they think of that? This meal has been brought to you with a side of guilt. Then go find the open bottle of wine and finish it off.