Zucchini Bread

I feel that Sweet Brown herself said it best, 

I know she was taking about a fire, but she could have very well been referencing Zucchini Bread. 

If you don't know who Sweet Brown is you're in for a treat. 

Sweet Brown Original

Sweet Brown Remix

I have never before, and never will again sift 3 cups of flour. Nor am I grating 3 cups of zucchini. I will leave baking up to adorable pastry chefs and my sister in-law. As much as I love science, (teaching science is my fav!), it's too specific for me, there are too many rules in baking.

It's tasty. I'm just mad at it because it was more work than I was looking for.

 I'll get over it. 

3 cups all-purpose flour

 1 teaspoon salt

 1 teaspoon baking soda

 1 teaspoon baking powder

 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon (I used baking spice from Savory Spice Shop Instead)

 3 eggs

 1 cup vegetable oil

 2 1/4 cups white sugar

 3 teaspoons vanilla extract

 2 cups grated zucchini

 1 cup of walnuts 

Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.

Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

White Wine Pasta

Please forgive my writer's block! It has been quite the week. 

There are several things I need to inform you of before I give away my White Wine Pasta... 

1.There are 8 spots open in Dreyer Farm CSA! 

2. I'm OBSESSED with Cambridgeshire Celery Seasoning from Savory Spice Shop in Westfield. I put it in Tuna Salad and Egg Salad, and it's really making me happy right now. 

3. There is a cooking demo on Thursday August, 1 at 7:00pm at Savory Spice Shop. I'll be there! Please contact Dreyer's for more details. 

This is going to sound ridiculous, but I let this recipe just happen. I started this blog because I enjoy cooking and some days more than others. I needed to get back to that as so much is happening in my life that is completely out of my control. Since I haven't been food shopping in what feels like weeks, everything I used came from the Farm Box or my pantry. There was something about making this meal that put me back in touch with my kitchen. Perhaps it was the ingredients, perhaps it was the sounds of the summer squash frying, maybe it was that perfect pasta, I'm not sure but I was happy to make dinner. 

This dish is so pretty and light. 

1 cup of White Wine (I used a 
Gewürztraminer we picked up in the Finger Lakes)

1/2 cup chicken stock 

1 lb pasta 

3 cloves of garlic 

olive oil 

3 summer squash 

salt & pepper 

1 lb grilled chicken 

fresh basil 

Boil the water and cook the pasta, if you don't know how to do that.... well... sorry. 

(Although I'm sure my roommate from college remembers when I put a frozen bag of Ravioli in a pot of cold water and waited for it to boil that way...) 

Season and grill your chicken, I used, Salt, garlic powder and lemon pepper.

I used about 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a frying pan and minced the garlic before browning over medium high heat.  Add summer squash to garlic and olive oil, salt & pepper to taste. I let the summer squash sit for about 7 minutes. I like it to have a little crunch to it, hubs likes it mushy, so 7 minutes is the medium. 

I removed the summer squash, and put the wine and chicken stock over high heat, let it boil a bit, and then let it simmer for a few minutes. Once it thickens a bit, add the summer squash and pasta in. 

Cut up some fresh basil, mix it all up and eat it all up. 

I don't have too many pictures as I was reconnecting with my kitchen.

There's rumor of spring onions this week...looking forward to them! 

Hey Hey Sorbet!

Happy Monday! Is there such a thing?...There is if you're a teacher in July! =)

As I am so grateful that the extreme heat has gone, it's still a bit humid for me personally. So, here I am with a humid day and a Musk Melon. 

Not too long ago I found myself with great company at Babbo in the city. After some amazing pasta, some vino, and a few good belly laughs. We finished the meal with a delicious dessert, I will call it the sorbet/gelato.....EXTRAVAGANZA. Each couple shared a tasting plate filled with 7 different gelatos and sorbets. I have flashbacks of, apple sorbet, chocolate hazelnut gelato, passion fruit sorbet, and beautiful colors on the plate. While we were eating I remember stating out loud and super awkwardly, "This is so much fun!" The entire night was fun (especially after our Washington Square stroll), but in that moment I was really mostly talking about the goods. I'm sure Mr. Batali was back there creating these to order himself, and I wanted to try and re-create that dreamy sorbet. 

Come to find out, just like everything else I make, it was REALLY REALLY REALLY easy. 

For this recipe you will need: 

1 Musk Mellon (remove the seeds)

2 Cups of Chopped Strawberries

1/3 cup of Sugar or Substitute Sweetener 

First chop up that sweet, ripe, melon, do the same with the strawberries.

Next, put it all in the blender or food processor. 

Then, hit liquefy button. 

Finally, let it set in the fridge for about 3 hours. 

I poured them in to 3 smaller separate containers. 

Enjoy... 

 

Ummm... nice scarf Mario...

Fancy Butter

                                                     

Except it is real butter Fabio....compound butter.

When I was a kid, it wasn't officially summer until Dreyer's had corn. My mother would go to her beloved Dryer's farm everyday and pick up enough corn to feed the neighborhood. My Mimi (grandmother) would come over and help me husk...because I hate husking corn. I still hate it, but today I would give ANYTHING to have one more husking session with my Mimi. 

This was way too easy NOT to make. Not only did Dreyer's give me gorgeous corn, but Savory Spice Shop gave us that awesome Paremesan Pesto spice pack. I saw the recipe in the Gazzette and had to try.

You'll need:

 4 Tbsp. of room temperature butter. 

1 Tbsp. of Parmesan Pesto

As much corn as you can eat.

Instructions: Mix first 2 ingredients. Spread it on the corn. Enjoy!

When you've completed phase 1 and phase 2, which are VERY complicated....you have a really tasty compound butter and corn that was already amazing is now unbelievably good!I feel as if someone came over for dinner and saw my homemade compound butter they would think, "Oh! How fancy! I can't believe she took the time to do that!" But really it's the easiest thing ever soooooo the joke's on them.

 Make it happen...

-Laura

Eggplant & Sausage Pizza

Hey Vegheads, 

I just spent the week in the Finger Lakes drinking wine and eating some really yummy food, but yesterday we were catapulted back in to reality. After about 5 hours in the car we pulled in to the driveway I realized I only had a half hour to pick up my Farm box! I rushed over and met the lovely Dawn, picked a Purple Sage herb plant and went on my merry way. I was too tired to cook, and it was wayyyyy too hot, but the Eggplant was looking at me and after all I am the summer chef and it's hot in the summer...all the time. I had no excuses. So I channeled the winter within and thought of a snowy night in February when some friends of ours took us to Bivio in Little Falls. They have this beautiful custom pizza oven and I ate this ridiculous Eggplant and Sausage Pizza. Even though your oven will be on high, your pizza eaters will say, "cool!" ... no?.... it's still too freakin hot. 

For this pizza you will need: 
1 pizza dough from your local grocery store. 
1/2 can of Cento Pizza Sauce 
1 Medium Eggplant 
4 links of Italian Sausage 2 Sweet, 2 Hot (You can mix and match or use what you like)
1 Package of Part-Skim Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil 
1/2 cup of flour for rolling out the dough 
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Basil 

First I chop up the eggplant, drizzle it with 2 Tbsp. of olive oil over it, season it with salt pepper and garlic powder to taste and roast it in the oven for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees. 

While the Eggplant is roasting... 

Take the sausage out of the casing and brown the crumbles over medium/high heat.Should take about 10 minutes.
Roll out your room tempertaure dough using flour. 
Place on baking sheet or pizza stone.
Sauce the dough with about 1/2 can of Cento Pizza Sauce. 
Season sauce with a layer of garlic powder (we love it). 

Once the Eggplant and Sausage is done...

Go back and raise your oven temp to 475. Warning! Your oven may be different. My husband and I have tested our oven with many pizza's and we've found that this temperature works for us. Make a bunch of pizza's and get to know your oven... 

Spread about 1/4 of the Eggplant on top of the sauce. 
Add the full bag of cheese. 
Add remainder of Eggplant and top off with sausage. 
Salt, Pepper, Basil to taste. 

Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes. Make sure your pizza is on the center rack  so that the center gets all crispy. 

This pizza is hearty and spicy, but then the Eggplant is creamy and the cheese is gooey! It's crunchy and just delicious. You really can have it all!

Coming soon... a guest spot from the Summer Sommelier (Chris, my hubs)!

Thanks for reading, eat your veggies=)

-Laura

Veggie Storm

Growing up I spent my summers on Westmont Ave. in Lavallette. My sister and brother and some other shore friends of ours, ran up and down the docks of Barnagaet Bay crabbing and fishing. The days were spent playing on the beach, running away from my mother and the sunscreeen. We took to our bikes at night on Rt. 35 looking for Milkyway Ice Cream or Salty's if we felt adventurous, and then begging my mother for aloe and cried when it was too cold.I had a crush on the boy across the lagoon and I was convinced that we were going to get married once I got up enough nerve to say hello. Like cucumbers my sister ruined that too, when she taped up a pair of my underwear to my bedroom window. That tiny stretch of land holds my most beautiful memories to date. My husband and I were so excited to rent our own place this year, and similarly to the cucumber fiasco on my 8th birthday, Sandy ruined the shore. 

So I am in Penn Yan, New York. It's no Jersey Shore, but the Fingerlakes are beautiful. The wineries are amazing and I'm ready to sample some local cuisine tonight! (Most restaurants are only open Thurs.-Sun.) Since we had to cook last night (in a rental kitchen! Oy!) my husband made filet mignon wrapped in bacon and I made a veggie storm, during a crazy thunder storm! Both of them were beautiful storms and both had a rainbow of sorts at the end. 

I had to keep it simple this week, since I've been very busy wine tasting I haven't had time to research many recipes for our ingredients and as we have minimal spices and equiptment in our rental kitchen. 

I simply boiled those beautiful green beans and served with butter, salt and pepper. PERFECT.

I roasted those giant green zucchini's with olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesaen cheese.

I roasted those mini potatoes with a spring onion and the Capital Hill spice pack. Oh my goodness, that has to be my favorite spice pack to date. Which is how I created a veggie storm. 

While cooking I was getting frustrated because I was concerned that I wouldn't have anything to write about for my blog. The storm clouds started to fade and I saw the rainbow after the storm and it hit me. Keep it simple. Keep it all simple, spend time with your family, laugh with the people you love, read a book, and take some time for yourself each day. 

Enjoy your own recipes this week and make some good memories while you're at it. 

Pickle Me

Let's celebrate 627 blog hits with pickles! Mom... did you read my blog 627 times? 

I'm not going to lie to you. I loathe cucumbers. But there is a very good reason for it. On my 8th birthday we were at the Ground Round and my family and I were having the best night ever. I'm pretty sure a Julia Roberts movie was playing on the wall and I specifically remember my chicken fingers being extra crispy and I can still look down and see my powder blue birthday dress; 1993 was going to be my year. My vegetarian of a little sister quickly ruined EVERYTHING after she got cucumber sick all over the table. I haven't eaten one since, and I'm sorry if I just ruined them for you. I still remember her walking to the car from the Ground Round in my younger brother's SpiderMan pajama's and her "high heels." While I'm laughing now, I'm still not eating cucumbers. 

I will eat pickles, and I did pickle today. When I saw the pickles in my Farm Box this week I knew what I had to do. 

While educating myself on pickling veggies, I found this video on about.com. How to Pickle...Warning: This guy is so lame. Even though this man is zero fun to watch, it's so simple to follow. 

Take the guessing out and sanitize the mason jar. I did, really easy to do and I now feel like Botulism and I are in a good place. 

My Pickles: 

2 cups of distilled white vinegar 
1 cup of water 
4.4 oz. of salt. (I measured this in oz. since the brine recipe from about.com called for 3/4 of a cup of salt, I just used my food scale). 
Pickling Spice (as much or as little as you like! I bought the McCormick brand and used about 2 Tbsp.) 
2 cloves of garlic
2 pickles from your Dreyer Fram Fresh Box 

Boil the liquid and the salt until the salt dissolves. 

Add hot mixture to pickles and spices in jar.

Put in fridge for 2 weeks. 

Here's to hoping I've got great pickles in two weeks. These pickles could very well be a disaster, but that's what this is all about isn't it?

Anyone care to share their pickling adventures? 

-Laura 

Farm Booze

My Mom told me I needed to be more personal on my blog. Who does she think she is Susie Fogelson? This is not Next Food Network Star mother....

At the end of the school year my fellow teacher friends and I went out for happy hour after spending hours packing up our rooms and grading a billion tests. Our drinks took FOREVER to get to our table and after tons of whining they arrived. Even though it took approximately 45 minutes there it was...my mojito and everything was oooookkaaayyyy! 

Dreyer farms gave us mint and limes this week, and they were so beautiful I had to use them! I could not think of a better way  to use these ingredients but in a spectacular cocktail. 

Blueberry Mojitos

 (or Bro-jitos as my brother's college roommates called them because they couldn't stop drinking them!)

You will need: 

24 oz. of Seltzer or Club Soda 

Juice of 4 Limes (I used as much fresh as I could get and then use a little bottled) 

12 oz. of White Rum (I used Bicardi...heeeyyyy)

1 cup of Blueberries 

1 healthy bunch of fresh Mint, I would aim for about 20-30 mint leaves, depending on your mint preferences.

1/4 cup of Sugar 

The fresh blueberries were simply perfect this week. I smooshed (that is the technical term), in my mortar & pestle before adding them to the drink. I did leave some whole for fun.  

First add mint leaves and sugar to  your pitcher. I used the end of a wooden spoon to muddle the mint and sugar. Add the lime juice, rum and blueberry smoosh. Since I was making a pitcher of this I added the seltzer to the rum mixture but if you want to make them to order you're supposed to pour ice and club soda into two tall glasses and then pour in rum mixture and give it a gentile stir.

The best part about homemade cocktails is that you can make everything to taste. Is it not sweet enough for you? Add more sugar love. Would you like a stronger buzz? Add more rum. 

Hope everyone had a beautiful 4th of July! 

Aaaannnnd a very happy birthday to this guy. My Dad. <3 

- Laura 

 Dreyer Farm

*Dreyer Farm is not sponsoring this blog. 

How very Ina Garten of me....

I had a professor in college with the driest sense of humor I'd ever seen on a person. I'm still not sure if he had a very dry sense of humor or no sense of humor...anyway, one morning I walked in to my Theatre History 4 class wearing gold sparkle ballet flats. Professor Smith walked up the aisle and stopped at my chair, looked at my shoes and said, "ah, how vey Laura Byrne of you..." 

The other day I made baked peaches that would make Jeffrey Garten say "MmmmMmm..."  They are beautiful to look at, easy to make and since I used French Vanilla Ice Cream to top it off, I would now classify this as a classic french recipe. When I was done I thought...how very Ina Garten of me. I can't take all the credit for the idea, it was all from the fresh box.

For this FANTASTIC and simple (yet impressive) dessert you will need:

2 Peaches halved, pits removed

1 Tbsp. butter 

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. of Baking Spice from Savory Spice Shop in Westifeld, NJ. 

(if you don't have the baking spice you can make your own blend with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger.) 

French Vanilla Ice Cream...lots of it.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the peaches  cut-side up in a baking dish. Fill each peach cavity with a bit of butter, brown sugar, and a bit of baking spice. Pour enough water in the bottom of the pan to come about a half inch up the side of the pan. Bake about 40 minutes, until the flesh has softened and the tops are browned. Serve warm with toppings of your choice, but I highly recommend the FV Ice Cream. Serves 2, or 4 skinny people.

I hope you find your inner Ina this week. 

Make something yummy.

-Laura 

I'm sorry these pictures are so giant, I'm still trying to figure out the formatting on my iPad.

Pre-baked

 

Waiting for the ice cream.

So tasty.

Hot Dogs and French Firies...

Just kidding! Hot dogs and veggies is what we ate in my house tonight. 

Today I picked up my weekly Dreyer's Farm Fresh Box (Just the basics package).

This weeks produce includes:

Scallions, Tomatoes, Blueberries, Peaches, Rasberries, Golden Squash, Peppers, Limes, Mints, Pickles,   Spring Onions, and is week I chose the Bake Spice from Savory Spice Shop. Needless to say I am thrilled with this weeks options!

So we had some hotdogs for dinner, but the side dish was the real star. I made a Golden Squash, Potato and Onion Hash.

You will need: 

2 Golden Squash

1/2 Spring Onion 

10-12 Dutch Yellow Peewee Potatoes, or any other small roasting Potatoes

2 tsps. Olive Oil 

3 Garlic Cloves

Salt & Pepper to taste

First I chopped all the veg up, I quartered the potatoes and squash,minced the garlic, and sliced the onion.

Next, I sprayed a baking pan with some Pam Olive Oil Non-Stick Spray. 

Then, I put all the veg together, drizzled about 2 tsps. of Olive Oil, and seasoned with Salt and Pepper. 

Finally, bake it all together for about 30 minutes at 375* F.

Eat it up! It's so delicious, the potatoes browned so beautifully, the squash, onion and garlic were so sweet! It is definitely worth making again.