Zucchini Bread

Had some large zukes and thought I would try this recipe.I didn't have plain yogurt so I used sour cream instead. Worked just fine. Just a note...This bread when finished baking didn't have a "hump" in it like most quick breads seem to have. It was however still moist and tasty. So don't let the look of it scare you. : )

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Zucchini Bread
One 9-inch loaf

1 pound zucchini, ends trimmed
1-1/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse*

Directions:
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously coat a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with vegetable oil spray.

Shred the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Squeeze the zucchini between several layers of paper towel to absorb excess moisture.

Whisk the sugar, melted butter, eggs, yogurt, and lemon juice together in a large bowl.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice and salt together in a separate large bowl.

Gently fold the zucchini and the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix! Fold in the nuts.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 55 to 60 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before unmolding onto a wire rack to cool for at least one hour before serving. (The bread can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)


*To toast nuts: Spread the nuts on a small baking sheet and toast at 350* F. until fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes, shaking the baking sheet every few minutes so as not to burn.

Herbed Polenta

This was adapted from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe and oh so good! I served it with Chicken Piccata, steamed broccoli and sour dough rolls.

Herbed Polenta
Yield: 6 servings

6 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups polenta
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesano Reggiano
3/4 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring the water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often with a wisk, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the cheese, milk, butter, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and pepper, and stir until the butter and cheese melt. Transfer the polenta to a bowl and serve.

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas

I combined a few recipes I have and came up with this concoction. It came out very tasty! Let me know what you think.

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas

For the filling:
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed, drained
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh lime juice from 1 lime
2 heaping cups diced cooked sweet potatoes
2 or more tablespoons chopped roasted green chiles, fresh or canned
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
4 -6 tablespoons canola oil, as needed
12 corn tortillas (homemade are best!)
shredded Monterey Jack cheese,optional

For the Enchilada Chile Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 large green chiles (such as Anaheim), roasted, seeded, peeled, chopped coarsely
OR 1 can 4 oz. roasted green chiles
2–3 teaspoons chile powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon marjoram or Mexican oregano (epazote)
2 cans (14.5 oz. ea) Hunts Fire Roasted diced tomatoes
1 teaspoons sugar
1 tsp. salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Make your Roasted Chili Sauce: In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, sauté the onions in oil until softened, about 4-7 minutes. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, bring to a simmer, and remove from the heat. When the mixture has cooled enough to handle, taste and adjust the salt if necessary. Puree in a blender until the mixture is smooth and even. Let cool then pour into a dish big enough that you'll be able to dip the tortillas in.

In a small bowl combine the drained black beans with minced garlic and lime juice. Toss to coat and set aside.

In a medium bowl lightly smash sweet potatoes, you'll want them to still be chunky. Add the chopped green chiles and spices. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Pour about 1/4 cup of the Roasted Chili Sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

Heat oil in a 10 inch skillet. Lightly cook the corn tortillas to soften - one at a time - as you stuff each one.
Dip hot tortilla into Roasted Chili sauce then lay into your 9x13 baking dish. Spoon 1/12 of the sweet potato mixture down the center. Top with 1/12 of the black beans. Wrap and roll the tortilla to the end of the baking dish. Repeat for the remaining tortillas. Top with the rest of the sauce. If you like, top with a sprinkle of shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chili sauce is hot and bubbling.

Serves 4-6

Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Feta Vinaigrette

This comes from "Cooking Light" and is so tasty!


Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Feta Vinaigrette
1 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta; about 8 ounces)
2 cups bagged prewashed baby spinach, chopped
1/2 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves
3 tablespoons chopped red onion
3 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, undrained
3/4 cup (3 ounces) feta cheese, crumbled and divided

Preparation
Cook the orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; rinse with cold water. Combine orzo, spinach, and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl.
Drain artichokes, reserving marinade. Coarsely chop artichokes, and add artichokes, reserved marinade, and 1/2 cup feta cheese to orzo mixture, tossing gently to coat. Sprinkle each serving with remaining feta cheese.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups salad and about 1 tablespoon cheese)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 338(29% from fat); FAT 11g (sat 3.8g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 11.9g; CHOLESTEROL 19mg; CALCIUM 138mg; SODIUM 620mg; FIBER 5.1g; IRON 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 52g

Light Chicken Tortilla Soup

Nothing fancy here but a good tasting tortilla soup. Add more hot stuff to taste if you wish. Dress it up or dress it down. I like simple myself. This recipe adapted from Cooking Light magazine.

Lite Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 10 ounces)
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 (14 1/4-ounce) cans no-salt-added chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced peeled tomatoes, undrained
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat reduced-sodium tomato soup, undiluted
1 can low salt black beans, drained
1 1/4 cups crushed unsalted baked tortilla chips (about 16)
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 2 minutes. Stir in chicken and next 10 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or more. Ladle soup into bowls; top with tortilla chips and sour cream.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup, 2 tablespoons chips, and 1 tablespoon sour cream)

NUTRITION PER SERVING:
CALORIES 185(18% from fat); FAT 3.7g (sat 0.8g,mono 1.4g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 15.3g; CHOLESTEROL 30mg; CALCIUM 32mg; SODIUM 409mg; FIBER 2g; IRON 1.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 22.2g