Ravioli and Vegetable cheese sauce...

Ravioli and Vegetable Cheese Sauce

 

Tonight I got home from work and wondered what to fix for supper.

Leftovers have not gone over well recently.

After digging through the freezer and tossing out several frostbitten items, I discovered I had a half a bag each of two types of frozen ravioli...
 I had a container of roasted vegetable cheese spread
as well.

Sooo...
 I boiled the frozen ravioli.... drained it. While it sat draining...
I added 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup of half and half to the 2 cup container of vegetable cheese spread. The container wasn't full. (And I also had a cup of roasted veggies that COULD of been added, if one felt the need to have even more veggies..)
 once the roasted veggie cheese spread melted and warmed, I added the ravioli.

Great reviews from the guys!

Served with garlic green beans. and microwaved yellow squash.
(The trimmed beans were added to a skillet containing olive oil and a clove of garlic. Stirred and covered for about 25 minutes. Sprinkled with garlic granules, butter, and salt. VERY good!) Squash as trimmed, sliced, microwaved. Butter and salt added. Pretty good... but it was squash. AGAIN)


Squash and Pepper Salad

Squash and Pepper Salad

 

You might have noticed a trend in my last several posts... Yep. An abundance of garden fresh squash. While I was certain one each of yellow, and zucchini would be plenty... Mr C took no chances and planted four of each. It was probably a good thing he had the foresight to do so, since  thankfully  the snow on the third of May took out several of each variety, leaving us with two yellow and three zucchini.

 

Down to just four of us at home... this is more than enough squash for all of our fresh squash needs. I have given away squash to the neighbors, until they refuse to answer their doors when they see me coming. OK... that is a minor exaggeration. But we do have PLENTY of squash. And since it is $1.89 a lb! at the grocery store, I really don't want to waste any.

 

I have made squash relish, both sweet and dill. Squash casseroles, squash in place of lasagna noodles. Last night, I was marinating the following recipe, which I fully intended to grill in a disposable foil pan.

However, Mr C saw it and sampled it, and decided it was a great salad.

It has (surprise!) Squash!

 

I used both yellow and zucchini squash, sliced into  quarter rounds.

 

It has sweet peppers, chopped.

 Fresh onions/ scallions.

jalapeno peppers

 and I used some bottled salad dressing (Newman's Own Balsamic vinaigrette)

 

Marinated the veggies a couple hours before supper. It was every bite eaten.

Made more tonight using a store brand of raspberry vinaigrette.

Cheese Spread/ Roasted vegetable

Roasted Vegetable Cheese Spread

Thank you Alton Brown of Good Eats!

This is my take on Alton brown's recipe. Make it your own: It is VERY good as a sandwich spread, cracker spread, tortilla roll up. Even use it as a dip for fresh veggies!

 

Vegetables:

 I used:

 Zucchini

 yellow squash

onion

 jalapeno peppers

 sweet peppers (yellow, orange, red. Bell Pepper is acceptable if you like it)

carrots

garlic

green beans

(Use what is in season! What do YOU have on hand? Olives, black beans, spinach might be added, but I probably wouldn't roast them first!)

 

 

 

Other:

Cream Cheese (I used the reduced fat neufchatel cheese)

Cheddar cheese

cooking oil spray

Salt

 

****************Preheat oven to 450*

 

Spray your baking sheet with cooking oil spray.

Cut the vegetables to get the most surface area... Angle the squash and carrots and such.

Spread the sliced vegetables on a baking dish (or two).

Sprinkle with salt. (I used Himalayan pink Salt because it is what I happen to keep on hand)

Spray vegetables with additional oil.

 

Cook until vegetables are done/ tender. Monitor them if cooked together, some cook faster than others!

 

Allow veggies to cool.

Place in food processor and pulse until chopped fine.

I used about 1 cup of the cooked chopped veggies and froze the rest for later*.

Add 1 package (8oz) of cream cheese and 1 cup of cheddar cheese to veggies in food processor.

Pulse until combined.

Cover.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

Use within 1 week.
* The roasted veggies not used can be added to soups, casseroles... or more spread at another time!

Dill Relish

Dill (Squash) Relish

Once again, I forge a path because I cannot find a recipe I like!

 

8 cups chopped zucchini squash

2 cups chopped fresh onion

3 jalapeño peppers (or to taste)

1 cup chopped sweet peppers (I used a mixture of red, orange and yellow. Green is acceptable if you like green!)

1/4 cup salt (I used Himalayan pink salt because it is what I have on hand)

2 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

2 1/2 cups water

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1/2 teaspoon mustard seed

2 teaspoons dry dill (use fresh if you have it, increase quantity to 1/4 cup chopped)

2 large cloves roasted garlic, chopped fine (Remember a clove is a segment of the HEAD of garlic!)

1 tablespoon sugar (optional... I added it to the mix so included it here)

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (also optional)

 

Chop the vegetables and mix with the salt.

I did NOT cover with water this time, but did refrigerate mixture several hours (or overnight if convenient)

 

Rinse the vegetables several times and drain well.

 

In a non-aluminum pot, bring the vinegar, water, and spices to a boil. Add the vegetable mixture. Return to boil and cook 15 minutes.

 

Ladle into sterile jars.

Wipe rims.

 Add lids and rings.

Process in boiling water bath 10 minutes.

Remove from boiling water, allow to cool.

 Check seals.

The dill relish needs to mature several weeks to develop best flavor.





Spicy Squash Relish

Spicy Squash Relish

 

10 cups chopped squash. (I used yellow and zucchini- did not peel them)

3 cups chopped onion

3 seeded jalapeno peppers, minced fine

4 TBS himalayan (pink) salt

2 cups apple cider vinegar

3 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp tumeric

2 tsp celery seed

1 tsp mustard seed

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Sprinkle chopped squash and onions with the salt.

Combine thoroughly.

Add enough cold water to cover squash.

Refrigerate overnight.

Next morning, rinse the squash mixture with cold water and allow to drain.

In a large (stainless steel) pot, combine the sugar, vinegar, tumeric, celery seed and mustard seed.

Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Add the drained squash to the syrup mixture.

Return to boil, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Ladle into sterilized half- pint (or pint) jars.

Wipe rims with a clean cloth.

Place lids and rings onto jars.

Submerge in a boiling water bath for 10 -(15) minutes.

Remove from boiling water bath and allow to cool in a draft free place overnight. Check seals.



Spinach Salad... two?

Spinach Salad

I say two, after Tyrel's Spinach salad "soup" on this blog!

Fresh Spinach
Leaf lettuce, if desired
 tomatoes
cucumbers, chopped
cooked cubed turkey
sliced fresh mushrooms
chopped fresh sweet peppers
shredded cheese
dried cranberries
mixed nuts
salad dressing of choice

 Wash spinach and tear to bite sized pieces. Wash and prepare leaf lettuce.
I set the ingredients out in bowls, in a "create your own" style.

It was wonderful.

Oven "Fried" Tilapia Fish

Oven Fried Tilapia

 

Thawed/ fresh tilapia filets

crushed Ritz* Crackers (I used the Roasted Vegetable variety)

Panko bread crumbs

eggs

 Bleu Cheese salad dressing (I used Marzetti)

milk

coconut oil

flour (I used whole wheat)

Salt

garlic

cayenne/ ground red pepper

grated Parmesan cheese

 

I preheated the oven to 425*

 

Melted* a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil in a casserole dish. Coconut oil is solid to 77*, but liquid above that. It is still cold here!

 

Then, I got out three shallow dishes. In the first, I had about 1/2 cup of flour, some salt, and some garlic, and ground red pepper. Use as much as your family likes the taste of!

 

In the second, I mixed 1/2 to 3/4 cup of Marzetti Bleu Cheese salad dressing, 2 beaten eggs, and about 1/2 cup of milk to make a thick viscosity liquid.

 

In the third, I crushed up about 3/4 of a sleeve of the roasted vegetable Ritz crackers. I added about 3/4 cup of Panko bread crumbs. (We prefer the taste of the Kikkoman brand here!)

 

 

I laid out a sheet of waxed paper. Dipped each thawed tilapia fillet  into the flour, rolling to coat. Then into the egg/blue cheese mixture, and finally into the cracker/panko mixture.

 

 

When all were coated, I transferred them into the casserole dish, and turned to coat both sides with the melted coconut oil. I could of gone right from the last dip into the oiled pan, except my coconut oil was still melting at the time!











 

 

I sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese, and baked 25 minutes.

 

This was the best (home made) baked fish I ever ate. Seriously.