Mushroom Stuffed Zucchini with Parmesan Topping

When I planted my vegetable garden this year, I was most excited about the zucchini. I pictured lots of zucchini and I'd be making zucchini bread, muffins, cakes, fried, baked, blah blah blah. However, not one zucchini yet... not one. The plants are huge but nada. So... I went and bought some and made this because I'd finally decided I had waited long enough. Time to move on.

Mushroom Stuffed Zucchini with Parmesan Topping

Adapted from For the Love of Cooking

Ingredients

2 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, center spooned out but save the 'meat'

2 tsp olive oil

4 oz cremini mushrooms, chopped

1/4 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

Salt

Pepper

1/4 c Parmesan cheese

3 tbsp bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tin foil.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the onions, zucchini, and mushrooms to the skillet and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes.

Add the garlic, salt and pepper to taste.

Remove from the heat and let cool.

Lay the zucchini on the baking sheet

and fill with the sauteed veggies.

Mix the parmesan and bread crumbs together. Top the zucchini with the cheese mixture.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

You may have heard about my love for butternut squash. After a year of this, I still can't explain it. If it's on the menu at a restaurant, I'm ordering it. If I come across a recipe with it, I print it and put it on the menu. With this in mind, you can understand why I had to make this... butternut squash AND macaroni and cheese! Are you kidding me?

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

2 c small pasta

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour

3/4 c milk

1/2 c butternut squash puree (I had squash frozen so I defrosted and roasted)

1 1/2 c cheese (your favorite)

2 tbsp cream cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp pepper

Directions

Bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta and cook according to directions.

Strain and set aside.

Melt butter over medium low heat in a saucepan and add flour.

Whisk and cook for 2 minutes. It will resemble a paste.

Slowly add the milk. Whisk until combined and smooth. Next, add everything else.

Stir to combine. Add the sauce to the pasta.

*To make butternut squash puree, simple cut a butternut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Place on a oven safe dish or baking sheet.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper and add some extra virgin olive oil. Roast in the oven for 50 minutes at 400 degrees. Scoop the meat from the skin and place in a food processor or blender. Pulse until smooth.

*

Cinnamon Waffles

Did you ever have one of those days where you wanted waffles and wine? Not necessarily together, but your life required what both had to offer? Alcohol, warmth, comfort? Hmmmm... What? You haven't? Oh... k... here's a delicious waffle recipe anyway...

Cinnamon Waffles

Adapted from Tastykitchen.com

Ingredients

2 c flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

4 tbsp butter, melted

2 c milk

Directions

Combine flour, baking soda and powder, cinnamon, salt, and both sugars.

In a separate bowl, combine vanilla, eggs, butter and milk.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until incorporated.

Pour into a waffle iron and cook until deliciously brown and crispy.

Top with your favorite things.

Mine is peanut butter and syrup.

I add an small amount of peanut butter (and by small I mean inappropriate amount) and then cover in syrup until I can't really see the plate. But, hey, do what floats your boat ;)

Corn Mushroom Risotto

Anything with risotto in the title, pretty much makes it on my menu. I mean, I love carbs in all shapes and forms. And this one is fancy because it's Italian carbs. Molto bueno!

Lots of people are intimidated by risotto because they think it requires constant care. You actually do not have to stand at the stove and stir constantly. You do however, have to continuously add liquid. But I did dishes, made a salad, etc all while the risotto was cooking. Every now and then lean over and add some stock. Not so hard...

Corn Mushroom Risotto

Adapted from Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

5 pieces bacon, diced

1 c frozen corn

6 oz shitake mushrooms

4 oz button mushrooms

3 tbsp butter

2 medium shallots

1 1/4 c arborio rice

1 c dry white wine

1/2 c to 3/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated

4 c chicken stock

salt

pepper

Directions

Cook the bacon in a large saucepan until crisp.

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, heat 4 cups chicken stock and 2 cups water in a small sauce pan.

Stem and slice the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms in the pan with the bacon drippings over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a plate.

Add the butter and shallots to the pan, season with salt and pepper and cook until soft.

Add the rice and cook, stirring, about 1 minute.

Stir in the wine until absorbed, then add 1 tsp salt and the corn.

Ladle in 1/2 cup of the stock and water mixture, stirring until absorbed.

(This is how you know when to add more stock... when you move your spatula thru the risotto and it doesn't immediately come together.)

Continue adding broth in 1/2 cup increments, allowing it to be absorbed before adding more.

Continue until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the cheese, mushrooms and bacon.

Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Enjoy!

Monkey Bread

We had a couple really rough nights at work this past week, so I thought what would help morale...? Hmm... how about a delicious baked good?! Brilliant!! I was trying to decide what to make when one of my coworkers introduced me to monkey bread. This recipe is super simple and everyone LOVED it! Plus, the whole unit smelled like delicious cinnamon-y fantastic-ness. Even the MDs came to the nurse's station to find out what the yummy smell was.

Monkey Bread

Adapted from Cooks.com

Ingredients

24 frozen Rhodes Rolls (in the freezer section)

1 c brown sugar

1 box butterscotch cook and serve pudding mix

1/4 c white sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 stick butter, melted

pecans or walnuts, chopped

Directions

Right before going to bed, sprinkle pecans or walnuts into a greased bundt pan.

Put 24 frozen Rhodes rolls into the pan. Mix brown sugar and dry pudding mix together and sprinkle over frozen rolls.

Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of that.

Melt butter and slowly pour over the rolls, trying to cover all the sugar.

Leave on the counter overnight and when you get up, the rolls should have risen nicely.

Put the bundt pan on a cookie sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and pour rolls upside down onto a large platter. Serve warm.