Zucchini Bread

Sometimes I wonder if I like bread more than anyone else on this earth.

Then I assure myself I am not, while I indulge in yet another slice of whole wheat toast or banana bread and give the trophies to the founder of La Madeleine's croissants, Domino's buttery dough and of course Ms. Cinnabon herself. Breaking bread is crucial for community, and eating bread is necessary for life. The bread choices that we make, however, can give us nutrients or assist our bulging waistlines.

Zucchini bread...ever had it? I had not. But when a cute little farm girl told me about it one day at work, I was thoroughly intrigued. And, apparently, it is common to make when you have an abundance of zucchini squash from your farm...or urban garden. Cha-ching. We don't have a garden right now, but we do have a great farmer's market. Check. I was excited about baking one of my favorite veggies into a sweet breakfast bread. Matt--a newish zucchini consumer--was skeptical.

Zucchini Bread
Adapted from Simple Bites
This sweet bread is full of healthy zucchini, moist and delicious for breakfast, snack or dessert. The mild zucchini taste will convert even the most skeptical of squash eaters. For a surprising treat, add semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Makes 1 loaf + 12 muffins, or 20 muffins

Dry ingredients:

• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup cake flour (or all-purpose)
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground cinnamon (or 1 Tablespoon pre-ground)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup + 2 TB plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup buttermilk (or regular milk with a splash of vinegar)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups finely grated zucchini (2 1/2 zucchinis)
• 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chunks/chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil a 9×4 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper. Line a 6-cup muffin tin with papers OR oil a mini loaf pan.
2. In a bowl, sift together dry ingredients and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, yogurt, buttermilk, oil, sugar, and vanilla. Combine well. Stir in grated zucchini and chopped chocolate.
4. Fold flour mixture into the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
5. Spoon batter into 6 muffin cups (or mini loaf pan) and pour the rest into the 9×4 loaf pan. Bake for approximately 50 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes in the pan. Loosen the sides and remove from pan. Serve warm and store in a zipper bag or foil in the fridge.

Happy eating!
Laurel

Veggie Omelette

Kale and carrots and zucchini, oh my!

I have a confession to make. Sometimes I get a little proud when I stand in the grocery line and notice that my row of food is much more colorful and less packaged than the person's in front of or behind me. I don't mean that in a judgmental sort of way, but I think about how much I've changed the way I eat. Granted, avoiding sugar as a major food group is always a challenge for me...but trying to cook what I eat and not rely on microwave boxes has been a really good step for me. Of course, sometimes we're too busy to even think about what to eat (nonetheless prepare our meals ahead of time), so those boxed dinners come in handy. But, instead of that being the norm, I try to make it the exception to mealtime.

Yesterday, I felt a little pride. The 8-foot-tall beautiful couple in front of me in line at the grocery store unloaded only 10 or so items. They consisted of the wine, cheese bread and cake food groups. Obviously, this was not their meal planning for the week, but probably for a romantic and relaxed night at home. But I unloaded $13 of produce (which is a TON of produce), and it looked like a rainbow had thrown up on the conveyer belt. (Sorry for the image.) It was an assortment of fruits, veggies and grains with reds, greens, yellows, oranges, and purples. Beautiful! And I was so excited, I went home and made an omelette with some of these bargain findings.

Veggie Omelette
Serves 1, or 2 with toast & fruit


3 eggs (2 eggs + 1 egg white)
Salt + pepper
Garlic powder
3 TB kale, chopped
1/2 carrot, peeled
1/3 zucchini, peeled
1/4 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, swiss, mozzarella, etc. is great)
2 t. olive oil

step 1: Chop the kale and peel the carrot and zucchini. Pat the carrot and zucchini with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl until fluffy. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder (a dash/pinch of each) and stir in to the eggs. Heat a large pan/wok on medium heat, drizzling olive oil.


step 2: When the oil is hot, pour in the eggs. Turn the pan slightly to coat the bottom with the egg mixture. Let sit for 2 minutes, or until it is slightly firming on the edges. Then add half of the veggies. Let cook for 2 minutes.

step 3: Sprinkle the cheese on top and add the remaining ingredients. Using a spatula, carefully flip half of the egg circle over to form an omelette shape. Press gently with spatula to ensure that the egg and cheese are serving as glue to the veggies. Let cook for 3 more minutes, or until omelett is firm and egg appears cooked on the outside. Flip and let cook 3 more minutes.


Serve hot with toast and fruit. 

Happy eating!
Laurel

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Good Saturday afternoon!

I almost missed the morning because I S.L.E.P.T. I.N. like a lazy lady. But yesterday was my last day at internship, so I celebrated by treating myself to sleeping in big time. And now it's time for you to experience some tortilla soup.

So I should tell you that I have a lifelong for tortilla soup. Some of my favorites are from unlikely sources (Casa Ole, Taco Cabana, I know) but other favorites are from very likely sources (Lupe Tortilla, El Rey, Tila's, Pappasito's, and El Tiempo, my home). In fact, in Houston (my homeland), there are "tortilla soup battles" like here and here. Is it ridiculous? Slightly. Is it fo'real? Absolutely.

I have made tortilla soup maybe 8 times...ever. While this might not make me an expert, my recipe is evolving into something easy, hearty, and colorful. Of course we all have our preferences...lots of cheese, mounds of avocado, with/without chicken, with/w/out sour cream, really/not so salty...but the base is always the same. It's a chicken stock foundation with tomatoes, vegetables and just a little meat (nearly always chicken). The toppings list can be as long as the simmering, if you like. My recipe is a mixture of one of Rachael Ray's, Emeril's and my favorite restaurants' versions. I will warn you...once you make a batch, you will have enough for days and days. And I don't think this is a leftover that gets old. I promise this is EASY to make, and it will take you half the time the SECOND time you make it. Practice makes perfect, right? If you can, chop/prep all of the veggies and chicken first, then start cooking. And recruit a sous chef, too.

Tortilla soup on a bed of lettuce, drained a little. Trust me, it's tasty.

Cha Cha Chicken Tortilla Soup
makes ten 12 oz. servings, maybe more
This Tex-Mex classic soup is hearty, full of vegetables, and complimented with well-seasoned chicken. It is slow cooked to marry the flavors. While not very spicy, additional peppers can be added to kick up the heat. Served best by itself, topped with cheese/sourcream/tortillachips/avocado, or on top of a bed of lettuce for a zesty salad.

4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thin
3 TB olive oil
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped (bite-sized)
1 red bell pepper, bite-sized pieces
Salt and pepper
2 zucchini, sliced into half moons, 1/4 inch thick (leave peel on)
1 potato, sliced into very small square bites (leave skin on)
1/4 cup water + 1/4 cup water + 2 cups water
1 to 1 1/2 pound chicken (I use white meat), cut into bite-sized pieces
1 lime, cut into halves
1 can corn
2 roma tomatoes (a regular large tomato works, too), cut into bite-sized pieces
1 can Rotel tomatoes (with mild or medium chilis)
1 handful of chopped cilantro, about 1/2 cup
2 TB chili powder
1/3 (3-4 TB) palm-full of cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 whole small jalapenos, chopped (leave seeds in for more kick)
4 cups chicken stock--reduced sodium or no sodium

1CHOP: Chop all of the veggies and chicken. Turn your large crock pot onto high...or use a large soup pot on the stove (on medium).

2SAUTE: In a wok or large non-stick pan on medium-high heat, drizzle 1 TB olive oil over pan. Add in half of the sliced garlic cloves, a pinch of salt, a generous dash of pepper, and saute for 1 minute. Add in the onion and bell pepper, stirring and sauteing for 5 minutes. Onions should be clear and bell pepper should be slightly "soft." Transfer this to your crock pot or soup pot.

3SAUTE: In the same wok, add another 1 TB of olive oil and the rest of the sliced garlic. Let saute for one minute. Then add 1/4 cup water, zucchini and potato. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper. Cover with lid and let cook for 7 minutes, or until potatoes and zucchini are 50% cooked. If potatoes are still solid, let cook for a few more minutes. Transfer to your crock pot or soup pot.

4COOK: In that same wok, add the last 1 TB olive oil and let get hot. Add chicken and the second 1/4 cup of water, plus the juice of half of a lime. Stir. Let cook on medium high for a few minutes, adding a pinch of salt and pepper, 2 TB chili powder, and 1 TB cumin. Let cook until all of the water has evaporated and the chicken has cooked all the way through--about 7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to the crock or soup pot.



5COLOR: Add the cans of corn and Rotel tomatoes to the crock pot. Add: cilantro, three cups of chicken stock, 2 cups of water, remaining cumin, crushed red pepper, jalapenos, and juice of 1/2 a lime + the lime. Stir. Cover and let marry for at least an hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so.




6TASTE: This is the best part. After that first hour of cooking, grab a spoon and taste to see if the flavors are coming together. Add more salt and pepper, crushed red pepper or cumin, to taste. If you'd like more broth, pour in the remaining cup of chicken stock. Let cook for 30-60 more minutes (or, if you can't wait, eat a bowl now and let the rest cook). Then share your personal flaw of impatience with a friend, like you all.

7CHA-CHA: Top with your favorites and eat greedily.

Optional Toppings when served:
Shredded cheese (cheddar, jack, swiss, mozzarella, etc.)
Sour cream/Greek yogurt
Tortilla chips, crumbled
Sliced avocado
Guacamole
Chopped onions
Extra sliced jalapenos, habaneros
Crusty bread on the side
Soft tortillas on the side

I hope you'll try this one for your next dinner party, lazy Sunday night meal, or just because. This is colorful comfort food, with a twist. Happy weekend, dear friends.

Happy eating!
Laurel


Listening to: The Head and the Heart...beautiful, beautiful harmonies and strumming. Perfect for anytime.

Shrimp Etouffee

Ever been to New Orleans?

I visited friends there a couple of times in college. The beauty of the city and the rich culture is heavenly. Of course, the food is amazing. I remember being introduced to Domilise's-a hidden jewel-by biting into that first fresh-crunchy-flavorful bit of their shrimp po-boy. A funny memory was going to Nawlins in junior high with my church youth choir. We didn't have too much structure on our downtime at night, but the adult sponsors detoured us past a little street called Bourbon. Of course, we still managed to find the Voodoo museum and freak each other out with the fortune tellers and characters around the Quarter. My first ride on the streetcars was awesome and full of sweltering heat while gazing at gorgeous historical homes. And forget Cafe du Monde when you can have PJ's. (Okay, don't forget du Monde but try the other amazing beignet and coffee places, too!) And there's a couple of other restaurants that I shall not share because they're just too good. Sorry. If we ever go there on a trip together, I will show you the best french toast in the world and the best etouffee you've shoveled in your mouth. Trust me.

Back to Texas and homemade etouffee in our little kitchen.  

Shrimp Etouffee

Now I've mentioned here before that my grandmother was from Natchez-by-way-of-Meridian, Mississippi. Nothing made her happier than fried catfish and cornmuffins (no one calls it cornbread there...no one). Now she did love an occasional bowl of gumbo or crawfish etouffee, but she also knew how much butter and grams of fat are in the genuine versions. So I hope she would have liked Matt and my healthier--yet still tasty--version.
 

ingredients
4 TB butter
1 medium yellow onion
2 TB white flour
2 zucchini, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 green peppers, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 celery bunch, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium can of diced tomatoes (no chilies)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 TB Tony Chachere's
1 teaspoon chili powder
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 pound shrimp (or 1 pound crab, or combo), rinsed and deveined


directions
In a saute pan, heat butter on medium heat. Add the chopped onion and let cook. Once onion is soft, add the flour, stirring until all lumps are removed. Now transfer to a crock pot for slow cooking (or leave in the pan if you are in a hurry).

The following uses a crock pot/slow cooker:

Combine zucchini, green peppers, celery and chicken broth to pot. Add the Tony Chachere's and chili powder. Cover and let cook on High heat for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.

Reduce heat to Medium and add shrimp/crab. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes. (Be careful not to overcook as the shrimp will become rubbery in texture.)

If you want deeper spice and flavor, add more Chachere's and chili powder and let simmer on Low for 15 additional minutes.

Serve over brown rice or with lots of crusty sourdough bread (and butter). Add Tabasco for extra kick.

Not-so-fried Rice

No arteries need to meet greasy, limp Chinese take out. But this *healthier* version is easy, tasty, and has endless possibilities. For this adventure, I used a food I've never cooked with before:  

napa cabbage.

It gave a bit of crunch, some filler (besides rice), and color to this dish. After making a batch, I put the leftovers into 2-cup containers and have been grabbing it for an easy lunch at work or a no-thought dinner after a long day. (PS: Napa cabbage has 28 calories per cup, according to this awesome USDA Food-a-pedia.)

Not-so-fried Rice
4-6 servings

Ingredients:::
4 cups water + 1/3 cup water
2 cups wheat rice
1 1/2 cup carrots
1 zucchini
3 stalks celery
1/2 cup peas or snow peas
1 egg + 1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Dash of ground ginger 
3 cups Napa cabbage
1/2 TB sesame oil (optional) 
Garnish: sesame seeds, 1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

pot for water with lid, large wok or skillet with lid, wooden spoon 
Directions:::   
step one: Heat a pot of water with rice and cover. When it boils, remove lid, stir, and recover, reducing heat to a simmer. Let cook 15 or so minutes.

step two: While waiting for the rice, chop up the carrots, zucchini, and celery and put into the heated wok with 1/3 cup of water. Cover and let cook on medium-high for 5 minutes. Add the egg and peas and let egg cook for a few minutes. (Some people like to scramble and cook egg first, before adding to veggies.) Next, add the garlic powder, ginger, sesame oil, and cabbage. Gently stir with spoon and recover for a few minutes.

step three: Check on the rice. If all of the water has been absorbed and a taste test of the rice shows it's cooked, remove rice from heat and gently add to wok. Combine with spoon and add soy sauce. Toss thoroughly. Let cook in wok for a few more minutes and serve in a bowl with garnish.

I mentioned the USDA's new My Food-a-pedia 

This is super helpful. You can look up nutrition values of various foods, get personalized meal plans, etc, and it's also great for kids to use, too. Try this: Click on "Look up a food." Put in anything...I did popcorn. Not only does it give you the nutrition facts for popcorn (and which category it goes in on your plate), it gives you the facts of buttered, low fat, natural popped with butter, air popped, and other varieties. So simple! I hope this helps keep you and your family healthy and happy. 

Happy eating! 

Summer Squash

This is embarrassingly simple, but I'll state the obvious:

When you catch produce in season, you can be really lazy in the kitchen.

What do I mean?

• Produce in season is at its peak, both in providing the most nutrients possible but also the most flavor possible.
•  With all of that flavor, all you want to add is spices/foods that ENHANCE the natural flavors. With that said, let's cook!

Simple Summer Squash
2 carrots, sliced
2 yellow squash
2 zucchini squash
1 cup cherry tomatoes (optional)
sea salt
ground pepper
1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)


step one: Rinse and peel (if you must) all veggies. (I tend to leave the peel on edible produce...save those nutrients!) Slice carrots and squash into 1/4-inch rounds.


step two: In a large pot, toss in veggies and tomatoes. Pour 2 cups water over veggies and tomatoes, and sprinkle sea salt and pepper over. Lightly stir. Heat on high until water starts to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and let veggies cook for 12 minutes, or until tender. Drain, eat. 

This is so simple, so healthy, and delicious. My grandmother used to make this and, on the many days she'd pick me up from school, she'd serve this on the side of an awesome dinner. This was my introduction to fresh veggies and understanding what squash and carrots taste like, in their purest form. Of course, a 10 year old doesn't mind dousing it in shredded cheddar, too. :) 


We served this as a side with leftover chicken and buttery noodles. Happy Monday and 

Happy Birthday to our favorite NINE YEAR OLD niece, 

KEELY!!!!

Which big kid is 9 today???

   

Mailmen, Donuts, and Be Careful what you wish for...

HAPPY LABOR DAY!

For some reason, my lengthy private school education in Houston never educated me on the history of Labor Day. Perhaps Wikipedia will fill in that goal in my otherwise acceptable education...all about reconciliation with the labor unions and movement of the 1800s. Perhaps President Cleveland would be upset to know that the middle school across the street from us HAD SCHOOL TODAY! Poor teachers. It was weird to know that the parents were off from work when the kids were in school...backwards or something.

Anyhoo, Matt & I had a great Labor Day holiday! We worked all weekend, but both had today off. (YAY! This doesn't happen every week!) So we started making plans. Half Price Books in Austin, gourmet cheese & wine picnic in the park, road trip...eh, we wanted to relax.

I've been craving donuts (I know, terrible...), and it reminded me of Voodoo Donuts in Portland. I mean, vegan happiness in a round pastry topped with Fruit Loops!

Matt braved the grocery store on his day off (what a great guy!) and bought some treats. He came home with a surprise main course (2 salmon wheels, one stuffed with spinach and feta and the other with lobster)! We began to cook. Our watering mouths cause the dinner hour to suddenly be bumped up to 4:00.

Now let me preface...Matt mentioned that we are supposed to get thunderstorms for the majority of the week, and checked out weather.com, one of my favorite places. I have to admit that I love the eeriness of knowing that a storm could come. It's one of those moments that gives you chills and reminds you that this world is a whole lot bigger than yourself, and I think it makes us human and helpless but also know God's way bigger than us. So Matt saw the "lineup" of the next tropical storms. Now, if you live in the northeast, you might not know what I'm talking about. The "noreasters" they have are treacherous storms, no doubt, but my yankee friends don't get the joy from NAMING STORMS like those of us in the south take on. I know, it's stupid and strange, but naming storms just makes it seem a little more temporary and a little less scary, I suppose. SO Matt saw a very special name for a storm...Tropical Storm Matthew.

I learned something new about my husband...he has been hoping his whole life that there would be a hurricane named Matthew. Is that sick or cute? I don't know. I DO KNOW that I gave up on them naming one Hurricane Laurel back in Kindergarten...it just wasn't going to happen with a name like that. But Matt got one!

Little did he know what else he would get....

Matt, shielding the salmon from rain's destruction

...A CRAZY, RANDOM DOWNPOUR!

We were prepping dinner, looked out the window and saw sunny skies turn into a monsoon within a matter of seconds. So weird, Texas skies. So Matt protected the fire from sizzling out and the salmon from swimming away. (sorry, so corny) And everything turned out really well! It was one of my favorite dinners!

The Menu:
*Spinach dip with veggies and chips
*Salmon (one with spinach & feta and one with lobster)
*Bacon-wrapped shrimp stuffed with Mozzarella & Jalapenos (seeds OUT)
*Grilled Green Peppers, Zucchini, and Garlic
*Giant corn muffins
*Blackberry pie

Tasty Dinner

Ole! Our tastebuds were happy and stomachs were full, but not too full for dessert (3 hours later)!

PAULA AND LAUREL'S BLACKBERRY PIE
(Southerners pronounce it "paw")

So I watched Paula Deen the other day while cleaning up. She and her son made a 5-minute blackberry pie. I'll vouch for that, except mine took 6 minutes because I added a little citrus for flava! I bet you didn't know Paula and I cook together...




THE PIE

1 carton blackberries (or 2 for a larger pie)
4 TB blackberry jam
1 orange and/or lemon
1-2 small tubs of Cool Whip (fat free or sugar free are good!)
1 t vanilla extract
graham cracker crust (homemade or store-brought)

Easy, easy, easy!
1) Put blackberries and jam in a bowl, using fork to crush berries a bit. Mix together.
2)With grater or microplane (I broke my new one in today!), sprinkle orange/lemon zest. I used about 1 teaspoon of lemon and 1 teaspoon of orange for a large pie.
3) Pour blackberry mixture into cooled graham cracker crust.
4) Mix vanilla into cool whip (one tub for "regular" sized pie, two tubs for large pie) for added flavor. Then spread cool whip on top of blackberry mixture.
5) Add extra berries and mint leaves on top for decoration. Eat!

See, it's too easy! And I ate two slices, I will not lie.

While we cooked and cleaned, Sam worked hard, too.

Sam's favorites: Peanut butter Mailmen/women and Cats! Organic and fun!

HAPPY LABOR DAY!