 Although I'm a little behind on getting my posts online, I've still been working on the veggies!
And although I've had potatoes french fried, baked and scalloped, I've never tried gnocchi, so that's the goal here! But more than that, it includes a handful of other yummy summer veggies too...
Thank you to one of my readers for suggesting this recipe... Gnocchi with Farmers Market Fresh Vegetables!
 Roasting these little beauties really gave them such a great flavor!
 Now on to the gnocchi-making...
You basically mash the taters, and create a little volcano to put the egg...
PS - I'm pretty sure I used WAY more potatoes than I was supposed to, I'm not great at measuring by weight, and I got these from my dad's garden, not a bag with a measurement...
 I will say, if you've never made them before, it's not a quick and clean process... I think I had flour on every surface of kitchen!
 Finally to the point of rolling, chopping, boiling then icing these little buggers...
 Part of the fresh summer vegetable sauce included some leftover corn-on-the-cob I had from the other night with some fresh parsley and garlic...
Then toss in those roasted tomatoes!
 It's a really simple, light sauce... I'm used to "Prego" which covers everything, so I was worried that there wasn't enough to cover the gnocchi...
 But it was actually quite delicious!!! Believe it or not, there was enough juice that had simmered out from the roasted tomatoes, corn and garlic that covered the potato gnocchi and gave it a good flavor! It had a hint of sweetness, I think from the corn, and it was a great combination. Next time, I would probably add some grilled chicken to make the meal more "complete" for us. Also, I'll make sure to use the correct amount of potatoes!
All in all, it was a SUCCESS! (However, I'll keep this as a weekend meal, I don't think I want to try to make these on a weeknight again!)
 Still using up that stock of zucchini, and instead of making a meal, I wanted to try this sweet treat (other than zucchini bread...) This shredded zuke is going to become Zucchini Brownies! The recipe had a gazillion good reviews with some helpful tips...Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Zucchini-Brownies/Detail.aspx
 Mmmm, my favorite part of baking... the yummy sugary batter! I haven't grown out of loving that favorite sweet part...
 It's a very dry batter - but don't be tempted to add an egg or a liquid... That's what the zucchini is for...
 It's not much of a batter really... especially not like you are used to with brownies.
 But even as you start to mix it, the batter and zucchini start to moisten... there is hope! And it doesn't exactly "pour" into the baking pan, it kind of "plops"... but you just spread it out in the pan and hope for the best!
 Meanwhile... homemade icing! I've never made it from scratch, and I typically don't like this much chocolate at once, but I wanted to try the recipe as it was given... and boy does it look delicious!
 I did leave it in the oven for an extra 10 minutes until the brownies really "sprung back" when you press the center of them... which I think was maybe a little too long.
You can still see some of the zucchini shreds here, and I was a little leary, but they sure smelled like yummy brownies!
 I taste tested with and without the icing, and even though you could sort of see the zucchini on top, you could not taste is a single bit! I ended up liking it even more with the icing, it was scrum-diddily-umptious!
This may not be a health food, but I'm all for hiding veggies in wherever I can!
Success!
 Look at this beauty that was hiding in our garden...
Our tomatoes haven't fared so well this year, so although there is some stretching and splitting starting to happen, I knew this just had to be used as a sandwich tomato.
Here comes the Cassie-BLT, aka a B.E.S.T. Sandwich.
 Now, don't get me wrong... I have had tomato before, I love it mixed into things, like sauce, salsa, tacos etc... But tomatoes without being completely cooked or mixed as something else? Nope, not even on a sandwich...
Even growing up with my parents eating BLT's with fresh tomatoes out the garden... I was never "brave enough" to try one. Even this summer, I just wasn't ready for a BLT.
But now, I'm ready to try the Cassie Version of a BLT, which is really a BEST Sandwich... a Bacon, Egg, Spinach, Tomato... :)
 Even if I have deprived myself of eating tomatoes on a sandwich, I can still recognize that this guy was meant to be a BLT tomato.
 Oh, and I couldn't just use regular bread for a Cassie-BLT. I'm loading it onto a yummy toasted everything-bagel. I fried up the egg, cooked the bacon, threw in some spinach, (and mayo on BK's, no thank you to mayo for me...)
I replaced regular lettuce with spinach, only because I despise Iceberg Lettuce, and have found that replacing all lettuce with fresh baby spinach makes me happy. It seems more nutritious to me and has a better texture anyway...
 Granted, my dad slices his tomatoes for BLT's about 1" thick, and I made Brandon's thicker than this, but for me, I like to ease into it...
Does this even count as a BLT anymore? I'm not sure, but it sure looks good - whatever it is!
 And with a full mouth, I declare YUM! My happy little version of a BLT is a success! Maybe sometime I'll try a regular BLT, but this is a new fave of mine too!
 Yes, zucchini again! I know, Oy vey!! I think the challenge is how many ways someone can make zucchini without getting sick of it! (I still have a few more donated squash to use up too!) I'm sure those of you with gardens, or friends with gardens, or neighbors with gardens can sympathize... This guy is going to become Zucchini Pie!Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/moms-zucchini-pie/
 Easy peasy! I love using pre-made dough as a time-saver on weeknights... It usually turns out pretty good too!
I did use reviewers recommendation to place a little spicy brown mustard on the bottom of the crust, since BK and I like mustard.
 This groovy little mandolin slicer came in very handy! My dad will be so happy... we bought these together last year, and I am finally using it!
And Brandon is happy because I kept all of my fingers and limbs in tact! Bonus!
Look at those nice thin slices! I used it for the onion too, with the chopper attachment and it worked well for that too...
 It's looking good already!
I only used 1T of butter for sauteeing instead of the 4T in the recipe, and added some minced garlic.
Per some of the reviews, I continued to cook these in the skillet until almost all of the liquid had cooked off, in order to make sure the end product wouldn't be too soggy and the pie would cook evenly. Also, allow this mixture to cool a little before adding the egg mixture, so the egg doesn't begin to cook when you mix it in.
 Ooo, golden and bubbly on top...
If there is a puddle of moisture in the middle, you can dab it up with a paper towel.
 Excited to try my quiche-like zucchini concoction...
 Annnnd... It earned an almost-thumbs-up! I love quiche with broccoli, and it had me kind of wishing there were broccoli in it.
I think next time, I would still slice the zucchini thin, but also quarter the pieces, so they would come out in forkfuls easier, and maybe add some of my favorite broccoli... but besides that, if you like quiche, you'd probably like this. Semi-success!
 It's that time of year again where I'm finding myself with a plethora of bell peppers from the garden! And I LOVE stuffed peppers, so I'm excited!
I've been eating bell peppers since college, so I'm only counting it as a bonus this week...
The only bad thing is that I usually make them in a crock-pot, and when I try to use my crock-pot on work days, we inevitably have a power flicker or outage and my crock-pot doesn't turn back on! I've lost too many meals this way and hesitate to use it while I'm at work...
 So I searched for recipes that I could fit in after I get home from work... And decided to look for a recipe that also used quinoa instead of rice. (Thanks Shandel for introducing me to quinoa!)
Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-WAH), technically a seed, but is much like a grain... It can be used in place of rice, it has the highest amount of protein of any grains and is an excellent source of amino acids. It's easy to make and I like it better than rice!
You can find it in the organic aisle or with the specialty rices.
 Holy YUM! Right?
My only mods were: added mushrooms to the mix, used fresh tomatoes, added a little worstershire to the meat, skipped the basil... then added a few spoonfuls of spaghetti sauce on each pepper and then sprinkled with shredded cheese before putting in the oven.
For the vegetarians, there are a ton of versions of quinoa stuffed peppers out there without meat, but I love meat and it had to be included in my stuffed peppers.
It looked so good, I could hardly wait for the finished product!
 Verdict? Super-success!
It was excellent! Plus, knowing all of the extra good stuff in this recipe, I love it even more than my old crock-pot recipe!
(Brandon's suggestion that I may try next time is to chop up the peppers, spread in the bottom of the pan, and then cover with the filling so it is more of a casserole, and ready to scoop and go!)
Another zucchini?! It just keeps coming!
...I don't think I need to plant any kind of zucchini or squash in our own garden next year, because the surplus I have been getting from other people is still enough to make me scramble for new ways to cook this stuff!
Just a cool observation... these must have a really high water content... After starting to peel it, I turned around for a minute and came back to a sweating zucchini, the droplets are beautiful! Aren't they?
Also, these zucchini have really big seeds! Who knew? Not me, but that's not a surprise... ;)
 Seasoned and mixed together with red onion and bell pepper...
I did modify the recipe with suggestions from the site reviews... I used brown rice instead of white, doubled the rice amount and added some chicken boullion to it while cooking... used regular onion in place of the green onion... used fresh tomatoes... doubled the spices, but modified them to the spices we like (no basil, and added some Adobo... I think you can tailor the spices to your tastes...)
Ooey gooey cheesiness makes everything great, doesn't it? Well, it sure looks delish with the tomatoes mixed in and the melted cheese on top!
Verdict? The yellow zucchini, by itself, had a strange, strong flavor, but when mixed together with everything, it blended in and the dish was very good!
I think this would actually be a great meal with some grilled chicken or shrimp mixed in!
 The past few weeks, fresh okra has been abundant at the local farmers market... Both red and green varieties... (Thank you Kim for sharing your crop share with me!) In a few steps, it's going to become Roasted Okra... Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-okra
 I'll be honest, I am SUPER intimidated by okra.
Why? Because I've heard horror stories from people about how slimy and gross it is! Texture is a huge part of my eating preferences... so slimy is not appealing.
A few years ago, my husband bought me an okra plant for our garden just because he thought it was funny. (He knew I hated the idea of okra.) Needless to say, I didn't pick them and those okra grew until they were a foot long and so woody and dry that the seeds inside shook like a rattle.
Side note: When choosing fresh okra, look for ones that are 4" long or less... these ones should be less "woody" and more tender.
 It sure looks kind of cool sitting there on the market tables, but I wouldn't dare buy them without having researched a recipe first...
I'm a planner, and I need to make sure I have all of the ingredients I need, so I don't end up wasting it and throwing it away next week because I didn't know what to do with it or have schtuff I needed...
So, I did my homework and found that there ARE ways you can make okra that are supposedly not slimy!
Why would I be scared of these? They look so cool! Look at that cross-section!
Well, for one, they are a little hairy...
And the stickiness of these thangs may have something to do with that slime-factor people are talking about.
They stick to your knife, your fingers, whatever! I did have to rinse the knife a few times to de-stick and de-fuzz...
Side note: I learned that okra are slimy when you cook them in a stew or soup... it's a natural thickener. But if you cook them in a quick, dry heat, that is how you avoid the slime!
Just lovely... one of the coolest looking veggies so far!
Also, in okra's defense, I have met a few people with some southern origins that love fried okra. But I'm trying to learn to like veggies to be healthy, so I'd rather find another way of cooking them than frying.
And all mixed up with the olive oil, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper... Of course they were still sticking to the spoon while mixing too...
Based upon some of the reviews, I left them in a few extra minutes to get a little crispier... and in my mind, a last chance to dry up any last bits of slime...
They do really shrink while cooking, to maybe 2/3 or even 1/2 the size from before cooking.
I was scared... can you tell? I almost didn't even want to try them!
For a split second, I honestly debated just tossing the pan without trying them...
But I bit the bullet...
And what?!? It was actually really good! I immediately went back for another, just to make sure I really tasted it!
And I did taste it right! Yum! I never would have guessed that I would actually like okra - but it just goes to show that you don't know until you try it!
(Side note: I did not notice any difference in the taste of between the green and red.)
 For my birthday, I decided not to cook... But I did get myself a sweet little treat from the Farmer's Market.It's called Shrub. I chose strawberry flavor. This was your choice for a sweet refreshment back in the colonial days. Shrub is actually a drink that is flavored with fruit and spices, preserved with vinegar, sweetened with sugar and served in cold water. I mixed 1 oz of it with a glass full of seltzer water just to get a little fizz and it was like my very own, all-natural, old fashioned soda. You can smell a slight hint of vinegar, and there is a teeny aftertaste of it, but overall it's pretty good if you let it grow on you! Not many places make shrub, and this company is from State College, PA. http://www.taitfarmfoods.com/recipes Next time, I'll need to try this with some wine or champagne!
While I was at the farmer's market... I came across these beautiful beans that matched my Fairytale Eggplants! I wasn't quite sure if I could use up the whole basket, but when a cute little old man came over to check them out too, we decided to split a basket! It was meant to be!
I'm still not crazy about beans, and these are much larger than the little haricot vert that I like... but the colors and cool name convinced me to give them a try. How can you say no to Dragon Tongue Beans?
The lady at the veggie stand suggested sauteing the beans in a little butter with garlic, salt and pepper.
They do lose their purple colors as they cook... And I really wanted them to be tender, so I think I kind of over cooked them, hence all of the brown-ness...
Taste test!
And, surprise! They kind of tasted like green beans! I think they wouldn't be too bad, but since I over-browned them a bit, that taste was a little overpowering. I still ate what I put on my plate, but I would definitely cook them differently next time.
Yes, these tiny little eggplants are really called Fairytale Eggplants... How could you not want to try them? I even color coordinated my attire with them today ;)
 Not only are they cute, but these tender little eggplants are less bitter than regular eggplants and don't require "salting". (See previous eggplant post...) I'm going to attempt to make Eggplant Croquettes with them. This recipe had hundreds of reviews with 4.5 stars, so I figure it has to be good, right? Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/eggplant-croquettes/detail.aspx
Chop em up, nuke em til tender, and then mash! Larger eggplants should probably be peeled, but peeling all of these tiny things would have taken forever...
Form patties... I recommend adding some extra bread crumbs if needed until it's a good consistency for forming the patties.
Based on some of the reviews, and my preference to avoid frying, I baked them in a 350 oven for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
 I didn't intend on making veggie burgers but that's basically what these are... I've never eaten a veggie burger, and would have probably hesitated at the thought, but since I know exactly what went into them and they look pretty good too, I have to give them a shot...
Side note: When I read reviews that recommended putting them on a bun, I decided to add some of my fave burger seasonings to the mix before making the patties, which included worstershire sauce and spicy montreal seasoning.
Sniff test... It didn't really have a distinct smell...
Eggplant veggie burger = success! I put it on a bun with some mustard and it was quite good! You could layer on lettuce, tomatoes, and any other normal burger toppings...
Or you can make it a southwest veggie burger by adding killer salsa like Brandon does... :)
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