Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup ~ Instant Pot

For over two years, we have been enjoying our adaptation of Melissa Joulwan’s Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup.  You'd think that by now we'd be tired of it and would have moved on to a different favorite soup, but truth be told, I can still eat this soup every.single.day, especially for breakfast.  It's a great way to get in some healthy bone both and it's always warm and satisifying.  It's perfectly labled by Melissa as “a healthy hug in a bowl.”  Though a simple recipe to make on the stove, it's now even easier and quicker using our Instant Pot.  Though we have the 8-qt. Instant Pot, it still holds less than our big stock pot, so I've adjusted the amounts from the stovetop recipe.  This recipe will work in either a 6-qt. or 8-qt. Instant Pot. Remember, if you do freeze the soup, you’ll need to puree it again once thawed, either by placing it in the blender or using an immersion blender.  So, if you have an abundance of zucchini or need a warm hug, make this soup!!

Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup ~ Instant Pot (adapted from here)

• 1 TBS. beef tallow or coconut oil
• 1 med. onion, diced
• 5 large fresh garlic cloves
• 1 TBS. ground ginger
• 1 TBS. ground coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 3 lbs. zucchini, cut in 1/2 moons or leftover pieces
• 6 cups beef bone broth, (can also use chicken bone broth or Cheaters Chicken Soup,vegetable stock, or any mix of broth you choose)

Turn on saute mode and heat the beef tallow or coconut oil in the liner of the Instant Pot.  Add the onions and sauté until caramelized.  Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, salt & pepper.  Cook stirring continuously until toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Add the bone broth and zucchini. Press Keep warm/Cancel button to stop the sauté.  Secure the lid and move the vent to closed.  Press Manuel and using the -/+ buttons, adjust the time to 10 minutes.  Once the 10 minutes are finished, allow for NPR (natural pressure release).  Once the pressure has dropped and the pin falls, remove the lid.   Use an immersion blender to puree the soup, or use a blender to carefully puree (use a towel to hold the lid on the blender on whilst pureeing.) Adjust salt and pepper seasoning. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup

We could eat this soup every.single.day and sometimes we go for weeks at a time doing just that!  Such a simple, healthy soup and it’s beyond delicious!  We found the recipe originally on Melissa Joulwan’s blog, The Clothes Make the Girl and in her cookbook, Well Fed 2.  Melissa labels this soup as “a healthy hug in a bowl” which is such a fitting description for this soup.  We make this soup when we gather up enough leftover pieces of zucchini after spiralizing it when making another of Melissa’s recipes, Zucchini Noodles Aglio et Olio (freeze the extra pieces until you have enough.)  We also make this soup when we have an abundance of fresh zucchini.  When we have an abundance of zucchini, we make a huge pot and freeze the soup in 4-6 cup containers.  If you do freeze the soup, you’ll need to puree it again once thawed, either by placing it in the blender or using an immersion blender.  So, if you have an abundance of zucchini or need a warm hug, make this soup!!

Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup (adapted from here)

• 2 TBS. coconut oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 10 large fresh garlic cloves
• 2 TBS. ground ginger
• 2 TBS. ground coriander
• 1 TBS. Himalayan salt
• 1 TBS. fresh ground pepper
• 6 lbs. zucchini, cut in 1/2 moons or leftover pieces
• 12 cups chicken bone broth or Cheaters Chicken Soup (can also use beef,vegetable or any mix of broth you choose)

Heat the coconut oil in a large soup pot.  Add the onions and sauté low and slow, until caramelized.  Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, salt & pepper.  Cook stirring continuously until toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and zucchini.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Allow the soup to cook for 45-60 minutes, until the zucchini is very soft.  Once the zucchini is soft, use an immersion blender to puree the soup, or use a blender to carefully puree (use a towel to hold the lid on the blender on whilst pureeing.)  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Zucchini Hummus

Our neighbor and cruise planner extraordinaire Anne, recently brought some Zucchini Hummus to a neighbor’s gathering and I was beyond delighted as it not only fit in perfectly with my diet but it was crazy delicious!  I couldn’t stop eating the hummus and those who tasted it side-by-side with traditional hummus made with chickpeas, preferred the Zucchini Hummus.  This Zucchini Hummus is wheat, egg, dairy & legume free so healthy, delicious and safe for all in the Cook Lisa Cook house.  We changed Ann’s recipe a bit, increasing the amount of zucchini and garlic in relation to the tahini & olive oil, really just to cut the calories somewhat.  Ann’s recipe was a bit more rich but this version has all the wonderful flavor of hummus but extra oil and tahini can be added if you choose.

Zucchini Hummus

• 1 3/4 lbs. zucchini
• 3/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• juice of 2 lemons
• 4 lg. cloves of garlic
• 1 TBS. ground cumin
• fresh ground pepper, to taste
• Himalayan salt, to taste
• extra olive oil for serving
• paprika 

Peel and slice the zucchini into half rounds.  Place into a colander and salt well coating all pieces.  Allow the zucchini to sweat for 20-30 minutes.  Discard the accumulated liquid and rinse the zucchini well then quickly pat dry and add to the bowl of a food processor.  Process until smooth.  Add the tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and cumin and puree until creamy smooth.  Season to taste with fresh ground pepper and salt.  Place in serving dish and sprinkle with paprika and drizzle with olive oil.

Serve with sliced veggies for dipping.

Enjoy!!

Roasted Grape Tomato, Garlic & Poblano Ragu

I swear that just a week ago here in Georgia, we were still sporting long pants and sweatshirts.  I don’t like being cold so I'm thankful that the warmth of summer has finally arrived. It was one of those cold days though when it came time to cook for this month's Secret Recipe Club so we were looking at recipes which were healthy, easy, warm and hearty. That's how we decided on Beth's Roasted Grape Tomato, Garlic & Poblano Ragu, it fit all our criteria. Beth's blog, It's Good to be the Cook is my assigned blog this month.  Beth has lots of wonderfully delicious looking and sounding recipes on her blog and had the weather been warmer we probably would have made her Emily’s Chicken Marinade and Thai Slaw with Spicy Peanut Butter, both of which will probably now be made as the weather is thankfully warmer.  We have been following Beth’s blog for quite a while as she cooked from this blog last September when she made two of our recipes, Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala and Strawberry Soup so it was fun to now cook from hers.    

Getting back to the ragu, we stayed pretty true to Beth’s original recipe, just doubling the amount of poblano and cumin we used as we tend to like dishes more on the spicy hot side.  In the end though, the sauce wasn’t spicy at all, just well balanced, flavorful and delicious.  We also changed around the preparation method a bit just to make it easier for us and the way we cook but either method would work just as well.  We enjoyed the ragu over zucchini pasta, totally delicious!  This is a great make-ahead recipe as we enjoyed the ragu the first night but totally loved it as leftovers once the flavors really melded.

Roasted Grape Tomato, Garlic & Poblano Ragu  (adapted from here)

• 1.5 pints grape tomatoes
• 15  garlic cloves, peeled 
• 1 poblano pepper
• coconut oil, or oil of your choice 
• 8 oz. ground beef 
• 4 red sweet baby peppers, large dice 
• 1 medium onion, large dice
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. dried parsley (or 1T fresh)
• sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• additional fresh basil leaves for garnish 

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and drizzle with a little coconut oil or oil of your choice.  Put the tomatoes and garlic cloves on the prepared pan and stir everything around so that all is covered with a light coating of the oil.  Dust with salt & pepper.  Bake for 30-45 minutes, until the tomatoes are a bit browned and the garlic is tender.  While the tomatoes and garlic are roasting, char the poblano on either the grill or on the burner of a gas stove.  Char the skin on all sides and then place the poblano in a plastic bag so that it can sweat. 

In a skillet, add a small amount of coconut oil and then add the diced sweet peppers and onion.  sauté until the onions and peppers begin to caramelize.  Push the vegetables to one side of the pan and add the ground beef.  Season the beef with salt and pepper as it browns then stir in the cooked peppers and onions into the browned beef.

Once the roasting vegetables are finished, scrape all of the tomatoes, garlic and accumulated juices into a blender or food processor.  Remove the skin and seeds from the poblano and add that to the tomatoes and garlic, along with the can of diced tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin & parsley.  Pulse until blended but still a bit chunky.  Season to taste with salt & pepper. 

Pour the contents of the blender into the pan with the beef, peppers & onions and bring to a simmer.  Cook for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.  Season as needed with additional salt & pepper.

Serve the ragu over pasta of your choice.

Enjoy!!

My previous Secret Recipe Club Recipe Posts: 

Mexican Feast: Cream of Ancho Chile Soup, Roasted Poblano Burger with Chile de Arbol Guacamole & Pork Crusted Baked Poblano Fries 
Zesty Zucchini Skillet 
Garlic Seafood in Coconut Milk 
Lamb & Eggplant with Chiles
Fijian Ceviche
Carrot & Sweet Potato Pancakes   
Chicken Burgers with Spinach & Mushrooms 
Paradise Mango Curried Shrimp 
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake 
Loaded Potato Soup
Lemon Almond Biscotti 
Creamy Mints 
Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken 
Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings 
Fried Green Tomatoes 
Chicken Satay Noodle Salad 
Double Chocolate Mousse Cake 
Candied Popcorn
Fruit, Nut & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad 
Broiled Sushi 
Health(ier) Peanut Brittle 
Crunchy Fudgy Heart Bites 
Texas Chicken with Lime Butter 
Pork Belly Soup with Collard Greens 
Thin Mint Irish Coffee 
Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies 
Welsh Cakes 
Nutella Crêpes 
Cilantro Lime Chicken 
Holy Guacamole 
and
Home Style Chicken Curry

An InLinkz Link-up

Zesty Zucchini Skillet

Yep, here we are again for another month of the Secret Recipe Club!  Let me tell you, it’s been a rough month.  Atlanta experienced a second ice storm and the kids lost yet another week of school.  Then Maisie had sinus surgery (#4) and didn’t react well to the anesthesia so we added an ER visit post surgery and a longer than expected recovery period.  Follow that up with her getting a stomach virus and the poor little girl ended up missing three full week of school and time in the gym and even one of her gymnastics meets.  On top of that Mama was sick too so nothing much of anything good was happening here at the Cook Lisa Cook home. 

One good and delicious thing though was this Zesty Zucchini Skillet.  This month for my SRC assignment I received Anna’s bcmom’s kitchen.  Anna’s blog is filled with recipes which are good and easy and most can prepared ahead of time so to help make dinner preparation time less hectic.  I found a number of interesting recipes including her Israeli cucumber & tomato salad, an angel hair with broccoli & bacon, which I thought would be fun to do with zucchini pasta, and her butternut & potato bake which I would have done with sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes to better fit in with our diets.  In the end though it was Anna’s zesty zucchini skillet which called our name.  I did make a change to Anna’s recipe in that I used fire roasted tomatoes in place of her chopped tomato and salsa, mainly because that’s what we had available but I’m sure that the original recipe is just as delicious as my version.  Even without the salsa, the cumin gave a bit of zesty-ness and the entire dish had a great balance of flavor.  This dish will be made again and I hope that when you’re looking for an easy and good dish that you’ll make this or check out some of the other recipes Anna has on bcmom’s kitchen.

 

Zesty Zucchini Skillet  (adapted from here)

• 4 cups chopped zucchini
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 TBS. olive oil 
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano  
• 1/4 tsp. Himalayan salt 
• 7 oz. diced fire roasted tomatoes 

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and heat until hot.  Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onions begins to caramelize.  Add the zucchini and the spices and sauté, stirring often for 5-7 minutes or until zucchini are crisp tender.  Add the tomatoes and cook for 1-2 minutes or until heated. 

Enjoy!

My previous Secret Recipe Club Recipe Posts: 

Garlic Seafood in Coconut Milk 
Lamb & Eggplant with Chiles
Fijian Ceviche
Carrot & Sweet Potato Pancakes   
Chicken Burgers with Spinach & Mushrooms 
Paradise Mango Curried Shrimp 
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake 
Loaded Potato Soup
Lemon Almond Biscotti 
Creamy Mints 
Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken 
Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings 
Fried Green Tomatoes 
Chicken Satay Noodle Salad 
Double Chocolate Mousse Cake 
Candied Popcorn
Fruit, Nut & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad 
Broiled Sushi 
Health(ier) Peanut Brittle 
Crunchy Fudgy Heart Bites 
Texas Chicken with Lime Butter 
Pork Belly Soup with Collard Greens 
Thin Mint Irish Coffee 
Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies 
Welsh Cakes 
Nutella Crêpes 
Cilantro Lime Chicken 
Holy Guacamole 
and
Home Style Chicken Curry

An InLinkz Link-up

Zucchini Noodles Aglio et Olio

Who knew that zucchini noodles could be so amazingly delicious!!  We now make these noodles in large batches so they’re always on hand to eat, hot or cold.  What a fabu way to get in your veggies!  We’ve enjoyed the noodles topped with some Bolognese or other sauces but our favorite way to eat the noodles is as a side dish…or late night straight from the fridge…shhhhhhh…  To get the best possible noodles, make sure to take the time to salt, drain and dry the zucchini otherwise you’ll end up with watery noodles.

  Zucchini Noodles Aglio et Olio  (adapted from here)

• 4 lbs. zucchini
• 1/2 tsp. coconut oil 
• 1 TBS. almond flour or almond meal
• 2 TBS.  extra virgin olive oil
• 8 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced
• Himalayan salt & black pepper to taste

Spiralize or julienne the zucchini and place in a colander or wire strainer and toss generously with salt until all the strands are lightly crusted.  Allow the zucchini to sit for at least 30 minutes…or a few hours, to help remove the excess water.  Rinse the noodles under running water and then drain well.  Top a dishtowel with paper towels and then spread out the noodles.  Roll the towel up into a cylinder and twist, pushing out as much of the excess water as possible.  Unroll the towel and then place the noodles onto a baking sheet lined with fresh paper towels and spread the noodles out.  Place the tray in the refrigerator for an hour or so and allow the noodles to dry further. 

When ready to prepare the noodles, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, for about 2 minutes.  Add the coconut oil and when it’s melted, add the almond flour and a pinch of salt.  Sauté, stirring often, until toasty brown.  Remove the almond crumbs to a plate and reserve for garnishing. 

Return the pan to the heat and add the dried zucchini noodles and sauté until just tender, about 2 minutes.  Push the noodles to one side of the pan and reduce the heat to low.  Add the olive oil, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes to the empty side of the pan and stir with a wooden spoon until the garlic is fragrant.  Push the zucchini noodles into the oil and stir gently to coat evenly.  Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley, salt & pepper.  Sprinkle the noodles with the almond crumbs and either stir to combine or leave as a topping.

Enjoy!

Maisie “Safe” Bacon & “Cheese” Zucchini Fritters (gluten, egg & dairy free)

Maisie has been gobbling these fritters down like crazy and I’m thrilled that she loves them so much.  Recently I made Bacon & Cheese Zucchini Fritters which were crazy good and they tasted more like loaded potatoes then zucchini and I knew that Maisie would love them but because of her allergies she couldn’t have any.  Well as I stated in that recipe, our garden is producing a lot of zucchini so I figured that I’d give this recipe another go but make it safe for my girl to eat…and am I ever glad that I did because she’s eating lots of zucchini, not knowing it and loving it.

Maisie “Safe” Bacon & “Cheese” Zucchini Fritters (gluten, egg & dairy free)

• 3 cups grated zucchini
• 1 medium sweet onion, grated
• 1 cup hot water
• 3 TBS. Chia Seeds 
• 1 cup potato flakes  
• 1 8oz. bag Daiya Cheddar style shredded "cheese” 
• 1/2 cup bacon bits
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• peanut oil or oil of your choice

Add the grated zucchini and grated onion to a cheesecloth lined sieve and squeeze & press out as much of the water as possible.  In a small bowl mix together the hot water and Chia seeds and allow a gel to form.  In a large bowl add the squeezed out zucchini & onion, Chia seed gel, potato flakes, Daiya “cheese” shreds, bacon bits, salt & pepper.  Stir to combine well.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Using a large cookie scoop portion out the zucchini mixture into the hot pan, being careful not to over crowd the pan.  Press and spread the zucchini mixture just a little.  Cook until the bottom side is golden and then carefully flip to cook the other side.  Once both sides are golden remove to a paper towel lined cooling rack.  Serve hot, room temperature or chilled.

Enjoy!

Zucchini with Onion & Brown Sugar

This month for the Improv Cooking Challenge our hostess Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker asked the participating bloggers to make any recipe of their choosing using the two given ingredients of zucchini & brown sugar.  My first thought of course was a zucchini cake as I have a lovely and delicious recipe but as I’ve been trying to avoid carbs and Maisie with her allergies can’t have it and well, Eammon just doesn’t need it… I decided to go in a different direction.  I found a recipe on Sarah’s blog, My Culinary Sanctuary for Zucchini Squash and Onions with Brown Sugar and it sounded and looked delicious so I figured I’d give it a try. 

The recipe was simple enough.  I just chopped up an onion and a nice big zucchini fresh from the garden and then it was an easy sauté to an absolutely wonderful end.  I honestly didn’t know if this recipe would be a hit or not but I was blown away with how delicious such a simple recipe could be.  The onions were sweet, the flavor of the zucchini shone through and the touch of butter gave the sauce a velvety mouth feel.  The brown sugar didn’t make the recipe sweet but just seemed to enhance the natural sweetness of the ingredients.  I highly recommend that you give this recipe a try, you won’t be disappointed.

My previous Improv Cooking Challenge entries:

August 2012  Tomatoes & Peppers:  French Fries Hash Browns 
July 2012  Corn & Butter:  Fritos Crusted Pollock 
June 2012  Cherries & Almonds:  Dried Cherry Almond Tart 
May 2012  Strawberries & Cream:  Strawberry Soup 
April 2012  Peanut butter & Jelly:  Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars 
March 2012  Potato & Cheese:  Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole 
February 2012  Ginger & Carrots:  Shrimp & Avocado Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing 
January 2012 Lemon & Sour Cream:  Ponderosa Lemon & Sour Cream Tart 
December 2011 Eggnog & Cranberries:  Eggnog Popovers with Cranberry Butter 
November 2011 Pumpkin & Cream Cheese:  Praline Pumpkin Cheesecake 
October 2011 Caramel & Apples:  Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

Zucchini with Onion & Brown Sugar (very slightly adapted from here)

• 1 large zucchini
• 1 medium red onion
• 2 TBS. butter
• 1 tsp, sea salt 
• 1/2 tsp. ground pepper 
• 1 1/2 TBS. Whey Low Gold or brown sugar

Slice the onion and zucchini.  In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add the onions and let them cook until they start to caramelize.  Add the zucchini, salt, pepper & Whey Low Gold or brown sugar.  Mix everything well, cover and let cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  After 20 minutes remove the lid and if there is a large amount of liquid, cook uncovered for a few minutes allowing the liquid to reduce, (I did not have much liquid so I skipped that step.)

Enjoy! 

Crispy Zucchini Chips

I have been promising a friend, ever since I had her try my Crispy Zucchini Chips, that I would post the recipe so here it is, finally!  I’ve been seeing all sorts of veggie chips all over the internet and when I pulled a giant zucchini from our garden I decided to give it a go.  I tried a few different methods, baking in the oven, using the crisper pan in the convection/microwave but what I found worked best was just using the straight microwave. 

The process was super simple, I used my mandolin to thinly and evenly slice the zucchini.

On a microwave safe plate, sprayed with cooking spray, I laid the zucchini slices so that they were not overlapping.  I lightly spayed a bit more cooking spray on top of the zucchini and a super light dusting of sea salt then into the microwave.

In my microwave it took 6 minutes, 20 seconds and I had perfectly crisp and golden chips.  I’ll tell you that these chips are totally addictive and the fact that I got as many on the plate to photograph as I did is amazing as I thought that I was eating them as quickly as they were coming out of the microwave.  I’ve made a few batches thus far and the ones that I don’t devour immediately I store on the counter sealed in a Lock & Lock.  As I said, these chips were a huge success with everyone and what an easy and great way to eat your veggies.  I hope that you’ll make these Crispy Zucchini Chips and that you and your family enjoy them as much as we do.

Crispy Zucchini Chips

• zucchini
• cooking spray
• sea salt

Using a mandolin, thinly and evenly slice the zucchini.  Spray a microwave safe plate with cooking spray and lay a single layer of zucchini on the plate without overlapping the slices.  Lightly mist the top of the zucchini with additional cooking spray and very lightly dust with sea salt (use a lot less salt than you think you’ll need as the flavor will concentrate as the zucchini cooks)  Microwave for approximately 6 minutes, until the zucchini is crisp and golden.  Remove to another plate to cool.  Once cool store in a sealed container at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Bacon & Cheese Zucchini Fritters

Yesterday I pulled a giant zucchini from the garden which was the length and girth of Eammon’s forearm.  I’ve been in the mood for Zucchini Fritters and I’ve made them in the past but I wanted to do something a bit different so decided to change up my recipe a bit by adding bacon and cheese and I also omitted the flour as I’m trying to avoid carbs.  These fritters were tender and full of wonderful flavor.  The funny thing about them though, everyone thought that they were eating potato pancakes as they really tasted almost like stuffed potato skins.  I wish that I had had some sour cream to top the fritters as I think that would have been the perfect finishing touch.  I’d bet if you wanted to fool some veggie hating adult or child into thinking that they’re eating potato, just take off the green skin of the zucchini and they’ll never know that they’re eating a healthy vegetable.  These were delicious hot last night but I enjoyed them even more as leftovers for breakfast this morning.  

Bacon & Cheese Zucchini Fritters

• 3 cups grated zucchini
• 1 medium sweet onion, grated
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup bacon bits 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt 
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• peanut oil or oil of your choice

Add the grated zucchini and grated onion to a cheesecloth lined sieve and squeeze & press out as much of the water as possible. In a large bowl add the squeezed out zucchini & onion, eggs, grated cheese, bacon bits, salt & pepper.  Stir to combine well.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Using a large cookie scoop portion out the zucchini mixture into the hot pan, being careful not to over crowd the pan.  Press and spread the zucchini mixture just a little.  Cook until the bottom side is golden and then carefully flip to cook the other side.  Once both sides are golden remove to a paper towel lined cooling rack.  Serve hot or as I prefer, chilled for breakfast the following morning.

Enjoy!

Zucchini & Spinach Lasagna

This is what happens when the garden is overflowing with zucchini and spinach, a delicious and wonderful lasagna.

Zucchini & Spinach Lasagna

This recipe makes two deep half pans.

• 1 (12 oz) package Oven ready lasagna (no need to boil noodles or fresh or regular lasagna noodles but omit the water for fresh or pre-boiled noodles)
• 2 lbs. Ricotta cheese (skim, part-skim, whole...doesn't matter)
• 4 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 eggs
• 1 large bunch of fresh basil, chopped
• salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 3 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise about finger thickness
• 2 cups fresh chopped spinach
• 8 cups homemade Bolognese sauce (meat sauce) or other very thick sauce of your choice
• 2 cups water (need to add to the sauce because I use the no-boil noodles and need the extra liquid but omit if you use fresh or pre-boil your noodles)
  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In medium bowl combine Ricotta, 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, eggs, and about 2/3 of the basil, a couple of grinds of both salt and pepper. Mix well.

In another medium bowl combine the spaghetti sauce and water. Mix well.

In each pan: Spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce, place 1/4 of the package (4 pieces) of lasagna noodles over the sauce in each pan, spread 1/4 of the Ricotta cheese mixture over lasagna; top with 1/4 of the chopped spinach followed by 1/4 of the sliced zucchini. Add a layer of your meat sauce topped with 1/4 of the remaining Mozzarella and 1/4 of the remaining Parmesan. Repeat layering once, lasagna noodle, Ricotta mixture, spinach, zucchini, sauce and finishing with the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Wrap the lasagna tightly with heavy duty or a double layer of foil which you tent up a bit so that it doesn't lay on and stick to the cheese.

Bake for 75 minutes covered or until the lasagna is fork tender. Remove the foil and if cheese is not golden and brown, keep foil off and put lasagna back in the oven for 10 minutes or so until it reaches the desired color.

Let stand for at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Enjoy!

Don't forget to enter my Bento book giveaway over on Maisie Eats Bento.

Sharing this recipe with many of the wonderful blogs listed in my side bar blog hop list.

Zucchini Lemon Cookies

We are loving all the zucchini I am harvesting from the garden and so far all the recipes using the fresh zucchini have been a hit.  Maisie asked for some cookies so in another attempt to use some of the zucchini and get some extra veggies into all of us, I decided to make cookies.  These cookies were delicate, delicious, just a touch sweet and loved by everyone.

Zucchini Lemon Cookies

For the Cookie:

• 3/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar 
• 1 egg
• zest of two lemons
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 1/2 cups flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts 

For Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar (more or less to achieve desired consistency)
• juice of one lemon (from the extra one you zested above)
• decorative sprinkles
  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add egg the egg, lemon zest and juice and mix well. Add flour, baking powder & salt and stir well to mix. Stir in the zucchini and nuts. Using a 2 Tablespoon scoop, scoop out cookies onto Silpat or parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes until bottoms are just slightly golden.

While cookies are baking, stir together the glaze ingredients, sugar and lemon juice, until smooth.

Once the cookies are finished baking, remove to a wire cooling rack and while still hot, frost and add the decorative sprinkles then allow to cool completely.

Enjoy!!