Lemony Wild Rice Zucchini Boats

 

Chock full of veggies and wild rice; courtesy of Catherine McCord of Food Network. Made for Christmas dinner and all loved the boats! I added a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese to the tops. I used the extra zucchini flesh that was scooped out and not used; in an omelet.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium zucchini, halved lenghwise
• 1 cup cooked wild rice 
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup pecan halves, chopped
• zest and juice of one lemon (zest goes in zucchini mixture, juice used in vinaigrette)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup parsley, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425-degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

With a teaspoon, scoop out the flesh from each zucchini half, leaving a 1/4-inch thick shell.

Rough chop 1 cup of the scooped-out flesh in a medium bowl.

Place the boats on the prepared baking sheet.

To the chopped zucchini add the rice, tomatoes, mozzarella, pecans, lemon zest, egg, 1/2 cup of the panko, half of the parsley, 1 clove of the garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Gently fold until combined.

Combine 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the remaining panko and parsley, remaining clove of garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and fresh grind of pepper.

Whisk the lemon juice, honey, 1/4 teaspoon salt and few grinds of fresh pepper. Whisking constantly, slowly drizze the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil until emulsified. Set aside.

Spoon the zucchini mixture into the boats, mounding as needed. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the tops.

Bake until zucchini is softened and breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 30 minutes. 

Let cool 10 minutes and then drizzle with the lemon vinaigrette.

5* for sure!

Au Gratin Potatoes

 

Natasha's Kitchen is to thank for this  impressive side dish. Mandolin sliced Yukon gold potatoes tossed in a velvety cheese sauce. What is not to like! Once the baked casserole has cooled, maybe covered and refrigerated for up to 4-5 days. Maybe frozen for up to 2 month; thaw in refrigerator before reheating. Reheat covered at 350-degrees for about 20 minutes, until hot throughout.

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded,divided
• 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed, peeled
• chives for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. 

Use 1 tablespoon of the butter to grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.

In a large pot melt 4 tablespoons of the remaining butter over medium heat. 

Add flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Gradually pour in the milk then the cream while whisking. 

Add salt, pepper, onion and garlic powders and continue whisking until sauce has thickened. Add more seasoning to taste.

Remove from the heat and add half the shredded cheese and stir till melted. I had to put back on the burner over low heat to melt the cheese completely. Cover to keep warm.

Peel potatoes and slice on a mandolin 1/8-inch thick.

Add the potatoes to the cheese sauce and stir to coat.

Spread the potatoes into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the remaining shredded cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 60 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking 15 more minutes.

Rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Garnish with chives if desired.

Leek and Spinach Frittata

 

Frittata makes an easy lunch. This was from Katie Lee Biegel of The Kitchen on Food Network. It is yummy. I did not use the 1/2 cup basil leaves, but substituted Italian parsley. The 1 cup fresh aspargus tips (blanched) would have been great as well; but I substituted green chilies I had in the freezer. As you can tell the recipe maybe tailored for you!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 leeks, whites only, thinly sliced
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 3 cups cooked spinach (2 cups if adding the asparagus tips)
• 1 cup blanched asparagus tips
• 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup basil or Italian parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper 
• oil for greasing pan
• 1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.

Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and saute 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sauteed leeks with the spinach, asparagus, goat cheese, parsley, Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix well.

Spray a 9-inch cake pan or springform pan with cooking oil. Add the breadcrumbs and shake to evenly coat the pan. Pour the egg mixture into the pan.

Bake until solid and a toothpick comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes.

Invert the frittata onto a plate and then flip right-side up onto a serving plate, or remove the sides of the springform pan and transfer to a serving plate.

Serve warm or at room temperature.