Zucchini, Corn, & Cheddar Pancakes

Original Recipe HERE

*J* was excited to hear we were having pancakes for dinner.  That is, until he saw the green-tinged batter and learned there were vegetables in them.  He gave me the usual, "Yuck, I'm not going to eat them."  The boy ate his words - and the pancakes - in the end.  In fact, everyone thought they were great.  A few were leftover, and they reheated well in the toaster oven the next day.

I made the batter, minus the flour, a few hours early, so they're also a good prepare-ahead meal.

I wasn't sure what kind of consistency to expect, especially since there was no mention of draining the zucchini.  It took a little practice to get them golden on the outside and firm enough on the inside that I knew the egg was cooked, but they still weren't traditionally pancake-y in any sense.  I made them small (so the middle would cook without the edges burning), so I got about 20.

The kids dipped them in ketchup, naturally.  I tried them with salsa and sour cream as the recipe suggested and liked them that way, though they were plenty flavorful on their own.

Ingredients

4 large eggs, beaten

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for skillet

2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

3 cups grated zucchini [about one large zucchini]

1 cup corn [I used frozen]

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese [I used Colby]

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions

(1) In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, salt, pepper, basil, and oregano

(2) Squeeze the zucchini to get some moisture out (don't dry it completely).

(3) Add zucchini, corn, and cheese to batter.  Stir until well combined.

(4) Add flour.  Stir until no dry flour is visible, making sure to scoop down to the bottom of the bowl.

(5) Heat a large skillet to medium heat.  Add a few tablespoons of oil; heat.

(6) Scoop batter in 1/4 cup amounts (I did less) onto the skillet.  Press into 4" diameter circles.

(7) Cook on each side 3-5 minutes or until deep golden brown.  Transfer pancakes to a paper towel-lined plate.  Repeat with remaining batter.

 

Kid Participation:

* Whisk wet ingredients

* Squeeze shredded zucchini

* Stir all ingredients

Coconut Zucchini Banana Bread

Original Recipe HERE

I had two bananas that Husband wanted to throw out because he can't stand the smell of bananas that are even slightly past ripe...it's some sort of sixth sense he has.  I also had grabbed several zucchinis last time I was at the grocery store, but I wasn't feeling inspired.  I decided to combine them into muffins that were healthier than what I'd normally gravitate toward.  The Weight Watchers Points Tracker says they are 5 points each, though.  Eh, still healthier.  Especially since I patted myself on the back for leaving out the chocolate.

I made 12 muffins and one small (aka, flat-ish) loaf of bread, so I estimate this would make 20 muffins.  The kids really liked them.  Next time I'll cut down on the coconut (I used one cup).  They were a little too sweet to be the breakfast-y muffins I was aiming for, but eliminating the coconut entirely might make them too bland.  Oh dear, Husband is going to have to suffer through another round of stinky browning bananas for the sake of tweaking this recipe...

Ingredients

3 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil [I used coconut oil]

2 medium bananas, well mashed

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 to 4 cups grated zucchini [I used 3 medium]

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup honey

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

3 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 to 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 to 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1/2 to 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease muffin tin or bread pan.

(2) If using coconut oil, melt to liquid form using a double boiler.

(3) In large mixing bowl, whisk eggs. Add oil, banana, vanilla, zucchini, and sugars. Let set several minutes until sugar is partially dissolved.

(4) In separate mixing bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and coconut.

(5) Add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Stir until just combined.

(6) Transfer batter to baking tins. Bake 20-25 minutes for 12 muffins and approximately an hour for a full loaf. Test for doneness by inserting a knife in center; bread is done when it comes out clean.

(7) Remove from oven. Run knife along edges to loosen. Leave in tins 10 minutes; remove to rack to cool completely.

Kid Participation:
* Mash bananas by hand
* Whisk wet ingredients
* Whisk dry ingredients
* Stir all ingredients together

 

Slowcooker Corn & Bean Soup

Original Recipe HERE

 

This is a standard, sturdy recipe that doesn't open new culinary horizons, but it's tasty and healthy and light enough that you don't feel like you have five gallons of soup sloshing around in your stomach afterward.

 

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 can (28 oz) diced tomato

2 cans (15 oz each) beans of choice, drained & rinsed [I used black and pinto]

1 bag (1 lb) frozen corn kernels

1 medium zucchini, grated & drained

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 box (32 oz) vegetable stock

accompaniments

 

Directions

(1) Heat oil on medium heat in a large skillet.

(2) Add onions; cook for 3 minutes.

(3) Add garlic, chili powder, and cumin.  Cook 1 minute.

(4) Transfer onion mixture to slow cooker.

(5) Add remaining ingredients; stir to combine.

(6) Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours.

(7) Serve with accompaniments: sliced green onions, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, etc.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Seasoned Vegetable, Sausage, & Potato Skillet

Original Recipe HERE

My concern about this recipe was how flavorful it would be.  I knew the bratwurst would have a distinct taste, but the rest of the ingredients might be sort of...blah.  I thought this could be easily rectified by using Lipton onion soup mix, since that's my go-to when needing a quick potato side dish.  But I only had vegetable soup mix in the pantry, so I turned to my spice cabinet.  There was no rosemary like the original recipe called for.  Time for Plan C, which is when I start opening random spice containers and sniffing them to see what might work.  I settled on turmeric (which gave everything a not-so-appetizing yellow hue) and thyme, and I think they were good choices.

The potatoes were very soft after cooking them for the recommended time.  If you want them to be firmer, shave a few minutes off.  I wonder if cooking them without the lid on would also give them a little crustiness that would help them stand out from the other vegetables.

Ingredients

1 lb baby red potatoes, quartered

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper

1lb fully cooked chicken sausage [I used chicken bratwurst], sliced lengthwise & cut into 1/2" pieces

1 large onion, chopped

4-6 cloves garlic, smashed & roughly chopped

2 peppers [I used red and green], diced into 1" pieces

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 cups zucchini, sliced lengthwise & cut into 1/2" pieces

Directions

(1) Put oil and potatoes in a large, deep non-stick skillet with a lid on high heat.  Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Once skillet is hot and potatoes start to sizzle, reduce heat to low.  Cook with a tight lid on for 20-25 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent burning.

(2) Remove from heat; let them sit 5 minutes without removing the lid. Set potatoes aside on a dish.

(3) Add sausage to skillet.  Sautee on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly browned (about 10 minutes).

(4) Add onions, peppers, and garlic to the skillet.  Sprinkle with turmeric and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions and peppers become slightly browned.
(5) Add zucchini; cook an additional 5 minutes or until softened.

(6) Return the potatoes back to the skillet and mix well. Adjust salt and pepper as needed; cover and cook 5 more minutes.

Kid Participation: None.

Crustless Zucchini & Cheese Pie

Original Recipe HERE

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I prefer my quiches to have a crust (extra prefer it if it's homemade), but this eliminated that step that can be time-consuming and unpredictable.  I was shocked that *N* and *J* had three slices apiece.  Boo, no leftovers for me for lunch tomorrow.

I will try it with regular all-purpose flour next time.  I tasted the slight bitterness of the whole wheat and thought it distracted from the others (though I had the regular brown type, not the white as the recipe called for).  Also, I will try a cheese with a more pronounced flavor and probably throw in some garlic powder (because garlic powder enhances almost everything).

Ingredients

10 oz shredded zucchini [I used two medium]

2 large eggs, beaten

2/3 cup fat free milk

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup chopped shallots 

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

3 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (King Aurthur)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper to taste

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease a standard-size pie dish.

(2) Squeeze as much liquid out of zucchini as possible using a dishtowel or cheesecloth.

(3) In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and oil.

(4) Add zucchini, shallots, and cheeses to egg mixture.  Combine thoroughly.

(5) Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper.  Add to mixture.

(6) Pour batter into pie dish.  Bake 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Pie will be set and turning golden on top.  Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Kid Participation:

* Squeeze the heck out of the zucchini

* Whisk wet ingredients

* Stir all ingredients together

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Original Recipe HERE

I had made a chocolate zucchini cake for Husband's birthday the year before, and it was fabulous.  For some reason I didn't save the link.  Plenty of googling didn't result in anything familiar, so after admitting defeat I settled on this one.  It wasn't quite as good as the first CZC, but it's worth saving and making again.  I would have preferred it a little moister, so instead of completely squeezing out the zucchini juice, I'll leave some in.

I frosted this with a pumpkin-flavored cream cheese frosting (here), which was also worthy of repeating.  Husband liked it (I think?) because he's doesn't have a major sweet tooth, so my usual go-to buttercream frosting isn't his thing.  The pairing of this cake and that frosting made for a tasty dessert that wasn't too dessert-y.

Ingredients

1/2 cup fat-free milk [or buttermilk]

1/2 teaspoon white vinegar [only if using regular milk]

2-1/2 cups unbleached, all purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 egg whites

1-3/4 cups sugar

1 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini, slightly drained

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 13x9x2" glass dish or cake pan.

(2) If not using buttermilk, stir together the milk and the vinegar.  Let sit 10 minutes.

(3) Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt into a medium bowl.  Stir in chocolate chips, ensuring they are coated with flour mixture.

(4) In a large mixing bowl, using an eletric mixer, beat egg whites and sugar on low speed until well combined.

(5) Beat in yogurt, vanilla, and milk until just thoroughly blended.

(6) Gradually add sifted flour mixture to wet ingredients, stirring until blended.

(7) Using a wooden spoon or spatula, mix in zucchini until combined.

(8) Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 40-45 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out dry.

(9) Remove pan to a rack. Allow it to cool at least 30 minutes before cutting into individual pieces.  Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Kid Participation:

* Sift dry ingredients

* Stir in zucchini

(Somewhat) Healthy Zucchini Muffins

Original Recipe HERE

I made these into muffins to help with portion control.  Which didn't actually help at all, since the recipe made 12 muffins and I think I ate eight of them.  They had a light, just-sweet-enough taste that kept me coming back for more.  Great for breakfast with a (generous) spread of butter.  I wonder if they'd be good with some peanut butter...or nutella!  Ooh.  Darn, curiosity has gotten the better of me and I must make these again ASAP.

Usually baking with zucchini calls for squeezing most of the liquid out, but the original recipe didn't specify.  I shredded it on the finer side of my grater and then used a paper towel to absorb most of the liquid that naturally pooled beneath it.  It was still very mushy when I added it to the batter, but the consistency of the muffins was perfect.  So I guess that's the way to go with this particular recipe.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup applesauce

1/4 cup milk

1 Tablespoon lime (or lemon) juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup peeled, grated zucchini, slightly drained

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a regular-size muffin tin.

(2) Sift together dry ingredients using a sifter or a fine mesh strainer.

(3) Combine egg, milk, oil, apple sauce, lime juice, vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened.

(4) Fold in zucchini.

(5) Fill muffin tins two-thirds full.  Bake 20-25 minutes [mine were done at 22] or until a knife inserted in the center of one muffin comes out clean.

(6) Let sit several minutes; remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  Muffins are best when stored uncovered or loosely covered.

Kid Participation:

* Whisk and/or sift dry ingredients

* Whisk wet ingredients

* Stir zucchini into batter

Zucchini Crouton Casserole

Original Recipe HERE

This was called Baked Zucchini Parmesan by its creator, but I think of breadcrumb-dredged-and-fried-in-oil goodness when I hear "parmesan."  So I'm changing its name.

This was super easy to make, especially since all the prep can be done ahead of time.  Just assemble the dish when it's time to bake, and voila.  I added an extra zucchini layer to make it more vegetable-y to balance out the copious amount of croutons. I wasn't sure how mushy the zucchini would get, but it was cooked through while retaining some crispness.  Next time, I will coarsely chop (smash?) the croutons a bit for more even coverage.  *N* ate two helpings and told me that now she likes zucchini (a declaration that is only good until the next time the vegetable is served to her, then all bets are off).  *J* ate all the croutons and cheese, as expected, and refused the zucchini.  When I shot down his request for more croutons, telling him he had to eat the zucchini first, he picked at his dish until every grain of rice was gone.  But he was stubborn about the green stuff.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked rice [I used brown instant rice]
1 egg
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 large or 3 medium zucchini
2 cups spaghetti sauce
2 to 3 cups croutons
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese [or your favorite blend]

Directions
(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
(2) In a bowl, combine egg and spices. Mix thoroughly.  Add rice; mix again.
(3) Add olive oil to the bottom of a 9x13" pan; spread evenly.
(4) Spread rice mixture in bottom of pan.
(5) Peel zucchini.  Slice lengthwise in 1/4″ thick slices. Place a single layer of zucchini slices on the r6ce.
(6) Pour one cup of spaghetti sauce over zucchini; spread evenly.
(7) Sprinkle one cup of cheese over the spaghetti sauce.
(8) Repeat zucchini / sauce / cheese steps.
(9) Layer croutons over cheese.
(10) Sprinkle remaining cheese over croutons.
(11) Cover with foil; bake 25 minutes. Remove foil; bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Kid Participation:
* Mix rice, spices, & egg
* Spread rice mixture
* Layer zucchini
* Sprinkle cheese
* Sprinkle croutons
* Smash croutons, if they are having a temper tantrum and need a constructive outlet for their emotions

Zucchini Fritters

Original Recipe HERE

My kids are OK with zucchini (sometimes), like to dip things, and are fans of foods perfectly sized for little hands.  I had hopes for these fritters, and *N* loved them.  *J* didn't gag but didn't finish the serving I gave him.  Husband and I also liked them, so the majority rules and I'll make them again.  We used the dipping sauce, which I recommend.  The fritters were flavorful enough on their own, but the sauce was an easy extra enhancer.

Apparently this yields about ten 2.5" fritters, but I suggest making them smaller and being sure they're pretty thin.  I didn't leave them in the oven long enough to see if they crisped up enough to make a difference, but they were definitely soft in the middle when I served them.  Not gooey - I wasn't worried they weren't cooked through.  But next time I'll probably reduce the diameter and thickness of the fritters and therefore end up with more than ten.  I was looking forward to leftovers for the next day, but I watched with sadness as the entire batch was scarfed up at dinner.

Ingredients

* Fritters
1 pound zucchini (about 2 medium)

1 teaspoon coarse or Kosher salt plus extra to taste

2 scallions, split lengthwise and sliced thin

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Black pepper
Grated parmesan cheese [optional]

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Olive oil
* Dipping Sauce

1 cup sour cream or plain, full-fat yogurt

1 to 2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest [I did not use this]

Salt, to taste

1 small garlic clove, minced or crushed

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Have a baking sheet ready.

(2) Trim ends off zucchini and grate them.
(3) In a large bowl, toss zucchini with 1 teaspoon coarse salt.  Set aside for 10 minutes, then "dry" out the zucchini as much as possible (by pressing it against the holes of a colander with a wooden spoon, squeezing small handfuls at a time, or wrapping it in a clean dishtowel or piece of cheese cloth and wringing it).

(4) Return zucchini shreds to bowl. Taste; add more salt to taste if desired.

(5) Stir in scallions, egg, pepper, and parmesan.
(6) In a separate dish, stir together flour and baking powder; add mixture to zucchini batter.

(7) In a large heavy skillet heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Drop small bunches of the zucchini mixture onto the skillet, a few at a time.  Gently flatten with spatula.

(8) Cook fritters until the edges underneath are golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip fritters; fry on the other side until browned underneath again, about 2 to 3 minutes.

(9) Drain briefly on paper towels; transfer to baking sheet and then into the warm oven until needed.

(10) Repeat process with remaining batter, keeping the pan well-oiled.

(11) Leave fritters in oven for about 10 minutes to finish cooking through.

(12) Combine all ingredients for dipping sauce, if using.

Kid Participation:

* Squeezing out zucchini (if you don't mind the mess it'll make)

* Stir together ingredients to make zucchini batter
* Create dipping sauce

Tortellini Sausage Soup

Original Recipe HERE

Husband and I thought this soup was really good.  The kids liked the pasta aspect but could pretty much take or leave the rest of it.

There's really no need to use tortellini other than personal preference and wanting the soup to be a bit heartier.  Next time I'll just cook up something small, like orzo or ditalini, on the side and ladle the soup over it in individual bowls.  Also, I think pre-cooked smoked sausage or kielbasa would streamline the recipe as well and not detract from the flavor.

Ingredients

3 links Italian sausage [uncooked]

4 cloves garlic, pressed

1 onion

½ cup water

2 15-oz cans chicken broth

½ cup apple cider

1 16-oz can diced tomatoes

1 8-oz can tomato sauce

1 cup sliced carrots [I used baby carrots]

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 medium zucchini

2 tablespoons dried parsley [optional]

8-10 oz. package refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini

grated parmesan cheese, to taste [optional]

Directions

(1) If using link sausage, remove casings and crumble into a large soup pot.  Turn heat to medium.

(2) Dice onion; add to pot. Continue cooking until onions are translucent and sausage is cooked through.

(3) Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, juice, water, chicken broth, carrots, oregano, and basil. Cover; simmer for 30 minutes.

(4) While soup is cooking, grate zucchini and put in collander to drain.  After 20 minutes, squeeze as much liquid out as possible.

(5) Add parsley and zucchini to soup; simmer for 15 minutes. Add tortellini and cook 6 minutes or until tender.  Garnish with parmesan if desired.

Kid Participation: None.  I'd say maybe squeezing the zucchini, but that would probably lead to a large clean-up effort that would fall to the parents.

Cheesy Zucchini Rice

Original Recipe HERE

Kids didn't like this much, but it was an easy dish and a good way to get a smidge of veggies into their stomachs.  Maybe if I'd added more cheese, they would have been distracted by the presence of their favorite dairy product and gobbled it up.

To healthify it next time, I'll use quick-cooking brown rice (which will also make for a much quicker prep).  Also, I'll add more seasoning (garlic powder?) for a more pronounced flavor.

Ingredients

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup long-grain white rice

2 Tablespoons butter

1 medium zucchini

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

(1) Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in rice.  Cover; reduce heat to low.

(2) Cook 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

(3) While rice cooks, grate zucchini on larger holes of cheese grater.
(4) Remove rice from heat.  Add butter and zucchini; cover. Allow to stand 5 minutes.

(5) Stir rice and zucchini mixture. Stir in cheese; season with salt and pepper.

Kid Participation: None.

Couscous & Feta-stuffed Peppers

Original Recipe HERE

I was nervous about this dish because I don't always like cooked peppers.  Roasted, yes.  But so often they're served as part of something else and are mushy, limp, and almost bitter.  I'm pleased to announce that this dish has assuaged my fear and will be made again.  I assume the trick is to use sweeter peppers instead of green.

*J* ate the filling but didn't like the pepper shell, which was not a surprise.  What did shock me was how much *N* loved the entire thing, even asking for seconds.  I was so excited that she was eating peppers for once, instead of fastidiously picking them out of her meal, that I even let her use a "grown up knife" (under eagle-eyed supervision) to cut the pepper into bite-size pieces.

Ingredients
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1 1/4 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
2/3 cup couscous
4 extra-large or 5 large bell peppers [red, yellow, or orange]
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 zucchini or yellow squash [or a combination of both] peeled, quartered lengthwise, and sliced across thinly
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half [or one large tomato, diced with seeds removed]
15 ounces canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons tomato paste

Directions
(1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray.
(2) Bring the broth to a boil in a small pot.  Add the couscous; cover and remove from the heat.
(3) Cut stems and top half inch off peppers.  Scoop out seeds and membranes.
(4) Place peppers upright in the baking dish.  Roast for 15 minutes or until they soften.  Remove from the oven.
(5) Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Add onion, zucchini, squash, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened.
(6) Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes, chickpeas and tomato paste. Scrape the couscous into the skillet and toss with the vegetables. Stir in crumbled feta.
(7) Fill peppers with the couscous mixture. Bake 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
 
Notes: Only change I would make is to make the tomato flavor more pronounced (via pasta sauce or more tomato paste) to fit my personal preference.
 

Kid Participation: None.

Garden Chicken Delight

Original Recipe HERE

I tried the recipe word-for-word, and it was a bust.  The chicken was still mostly raw after the allotted cooking time, so I had to improvise to ensure I was feeding my family a salmonella-free meal.  It turned out fine in the end, though I can't say much for its presentation, and it's an easy and pretty healthy meal no matter which way it's made.

The thing that caught my eye and made me want to make it was its use of Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up Salt.  This was a mainstay on the table during my childhood - especially with corn-on-the-cob.  Husband doesn't understand its sentimental value to me, but *N* likes it on her hardboiled egg, so I've got a disciple.

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts [to serve 4 people]

1 summer squash

1 zucchini

1/2 onion [optional]

Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up Salt [or regular salt & pepper]

olive oil

1 cup marinara [or favorite pasta sauce]

1 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350.

2) Season both sides of each breast with Jane's.  Sautee in olive oil for a few minutes on each side until lightly browned and juices stay sealed in.  Place them in lightly greased baking dish.

3) Peel squash and zucchini.  Cut in half length-wise, then slice each piece into 1/4-inch half-circles.  Thinly slice onion, if using.  Arrange vegetables over and around chicken.

4) Pour marinara over contents of baking dish.  Sprinkle with both cheeses.

5) Cover and bake 30-40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Notes: Next time I'll make it my way from the get-go and see how it goes.

Kid Participation
* Toss vegetables into baking dish
* Pour marinara
* Sprinkle cheeses

Chicken Zucchini Casserole

Original Recipe HERE

This recipe isn't going to win any points for being healthy, though a few ingredients can be modified (like using low-fat or reduced sodium condensed soup...just be sure to read the labels carefully to make sure that what you're saving in calories isn't being negated by scary additives and chemicals).  The original used an insane amount of butter, so I followed several comments and substituted milk for some of it.  But...it was easy, fast, filling, and a good way to use up the abundant zucchini.  Because my other option was making chocolate zucchini bread.  I think that this was the lesser of the two evils.

Ingredients

1 6-oz box whole wheat stuffing mix

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup milk

3 cups diced & peeled zucchini

2 cups cubed or shredded cooked chicken [about 2 large breasts]

1 10.75-oz can condensed cream of chicken soup

8 baby carrots, finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

additional seasoning, such as garlic powder, salt, pepper, etc. [optional]

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 F.

2) In large bowl, combine stuffing mix, butter, and milk.

3) Add zucchini, chicken, soup, carrot, onion, sour cream, and optional seasoning to the remaining stuffing mixture.

4) Transfer to a greased 2.5-quart baking dish.  Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Notes: Next time I'll take substitue all but 2 tablespoons of butter with milk.   Adding shredded cheese, pressed garlic, or finely chopped onion could work, though they're not necessary flavor additions.  Different condensed soups could be used to tweak it.

Kid Participation:

* Stir ingredients

* Transfer mixture to baking dish (and then clean up the subsequent specimens that escape)

Balsamic Chicken Pasta Salad

Original Recipe HERE

Easy and somewhat nutritious. Reminded me that I need a more efficient chopping device than my knife / cutting board / two hands combo, though. It was good served warm and even better cold. This made enough to feed two adults and one child for dinner plus at least two lunches the next day. Since Husband brought leftovers to work to signal his approval, this is going in the "make again" file.

Ingredients

1 box rotini pasta
2 chicken breasts, cut into large bite-size pieces [shears are helpful for this]
1 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing, divided [I used Newman's]
1 handful of baby carrots
1 green pepper, cored & seeds removed
1 zucchini, peeled
1/2 white onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic, or to taste
dried basil [didn't have fresh]
dried parsley [didn't have fresh]
salt & pepper
cheese [optional; I used it]

Directions
1) Cook pasta noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Add to serving bowl with 1/2 cup of dressing.
2) Put chicken in medium skillet with other 1/2 cup of dressing. Saute 5 minutes or until no longer pink in the middle.
3) Meanwhile, chop carrots, green pepper, onion, and zucchini into bite-size pieces.
4) Add veggies, basil, parsley, and minced garlic into the skillet with the chicken. Add 1/2 – 3/4 cups of water.
5) Cover and let steam for 4-5 minutes, or until zucchini becomes translucent [don't let veggies become too soft].
6) Toss chicken and veggies with pasta and dressing [I didn't know whether to include the liquid from the sauce pan, so I didn't, and it was fine]. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or refrigerate at least 2 hours.

7) Optional: serve with cheese.

Notes: I liked it with feta; *N* preferred grated parmesan.  It probably would be good with any cubed cheese - I love smoked gouda, so I may try that next time.  And I may use toasted pine nuts to add some crunch.

Kid Participation:

* Shake spices into skillet.

* Stir all ingredients together during final step.