 I was looking for baby bok choy, but this was all I could find. The person at the farmer's market wasn't quite sure if this was baby or not...
I've learned that with veggies, I prefer the smaller, younger veggies because they seem to be more tender and have a more subtle flavor.
 This is going to become Easy Bok Choy.
Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-bok-choy/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=bok%20choy&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page
 I sauteed the stems first to help it all cook evenly, as some of the reviews recommended.
 The aroma of the bok choy had a little tang in the air, so I was a little scared!
 And rightly so! The bok choy was bitter and even the hubs (who eats anything) didn't eat it.
I'm not completely crossing bok choy off of my list, I may try baby bok choy if I find it and find a new recipe, but this recipe won't be happening in my kitchen again.
Verdict: Failed for now...
 Oh, peas! I've been excited to try out the fresh version of you...
I bought some at the market in the spring and they camped out in my refrigerator until I realized they probably weren't good anymore...
And they weren't in season all summer, so when I saw fresh shelled peas at the market this week, I just had to get some...
They're going to become Italian Peas! Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/italian-peas/
 I remember cans of peas being dumped into a bowl as a kid, and nothing about that was appetizing... Wrinkly, wet, syrupy, yellowish/green... Ugh! I've never tried them, except mixed into soups or pasta dishes... which I still pick out when it's easy enough...
So I've been anxious to see if they're any better when fresh. I mean, they look beautiful that way!
 This recipe mixed in some onions, garlic & chicken broth.
I didn't want to open chicken broth for just 1 Tablespoon, so I followed the suggestion to just use 1 T water and a sprinkle of chicken bouillon. I also added an extra spoonful of water because the skillet seemed a little dry.
I also tried a recommendation by a reviewer to add a sprinkle of parm cheese on top before serving.
 All of these years of "hating" the idea of peas... Definitely a little nervous!
 Not instantly in love, but I'm thinking about it...
I didn't instantly hate it either, so that's a start!
I did finish my helping, but didn't go back for seconds.
 Eh, I declare this one a semi-success...
I'll definitely try peas again, but maybe not with this recipe. There has to be a better way to like peas!
I really want to like peas, so if anyone has a suggestion of a way to make a picky eater fall in love with peas, send it my way!
 This may look very basic to you... but remember, this is coming from a girl who wouldn't voluntarily eat a salad a year ago... So this is a big step! Inspired by the delicious Spinach Salad with Grilled Chicken from Cafe d'Italia on the square in Chambersburg, PA... Their salad includes fresh spinach, red onion, tomato, mushrooms, egg and bacon. I add their tasty and fresh grilled chicken on top, and it's just mouth-watering!
 Even though I've gotten behind on my weekly new vegetable, I have been incorporating some of my favorite experiments into weekly meals, but I've even been trying to make salad about once a week! This is what was in last week's salad, but it varies, depending on what I have on hand.
Some of my other faves to throw in the mix are cucumber, peppers, parm cheese and we like the tortilla strips instead of croutons. Brandon actually loves to add fresh sliced hot peppers to his salad too.
 I haven't mastered the completely veggie salad though, so to help my carnivorous side, I need some protein mixed in to feel like I'm eating a meal... via chicken, bacon and/or hard-boiled egg! Just saute the chicken with some Italian or Greek dressing!
Lovin my salad, with my current fave dressing: Gazebo Room Greek! Yumm!
Coming from a picky eater, here's my fave salad concoction: - Grilled or sauteed chicken (marinated in Italian dressing or whatever's on hand...)
- Fresh crumbled bacon
- Sliced hard-boiled eggs (one of those slicer gadgets is absolutely wonderful here)
- Baby spinach leaves (much sturdier, tastier, and nutritious than lettuce)
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Diced bell peppers
- Diced onions
- Diced baby portabellos
- Dash of parm cheese
- Pinch of tortilla strips (The size/texture fit so much more nicely than a big ol' crouton, and they're a little zestier too!
- Splash of Gazebo greek dressing (or any dressing, this is just my fave right now!)
Again, making salad is probably basic to most of you out there, but I had to research quite a bit to find ways that I would like salad... Here's a few of my not-so-professional tips:* If the chicken breasts are thick, cut them in half before marinating/cooking so they cook through faster. * My preferred marinade is Italian dressing. Supposedly the acidity in the dressing helps to break down the meat and make it more tender. I just think it tastes good. * Saute chicken breasts on high heat, add a little extra Italian dressing if it cooks off or chicken sticks to pan. A little carmelization or browning on the chicken is perfectly fine and delicious! * After chicken is cooked, transfer to a container and plop it in the freezer for a few minutes before cutting. This helps stop the cooking and lock in the moisture. (Don't put a hot container or anything that it will thaw! I look for an empty spot on the shelf.) * When cutting the cooled chicken, cut into thin slices on a diagonal and against the grain. I found that this is more like what you get in a restaurant, and by cutting against the grain, you get nice pieces that you can easily break apart with your fork in the salad and you won't need a knife to get through those pieces. * Make sure those veggies are diced or cut into bite-sized pieces to avoid having to cut into smaller pieces once in your bowl. * In order to get your salad more evenly covered with your dressing, put a little squirt in the bottom of your empty bowl. By having some dressing on the bottom, and add a little more on top at the end - it's much easier to mix it up in your bowl to get everything covered! (A handy trick from my husband...)* If you prep all of these items at the beginning of the week, it's quite easy to throw together little lunch-time salads for the rest of the week!
 Everyone loves sweet summer corn on the cob, slathered with butter and salt - at least I do! But that's no challenge, so I'm sharing with you one of my favorite recipes, which is great for throwing together leftovers, it's packed with protein and overall, I think it's pretty healthy. This is the basis for my recipe, but I have quite a few modifications so I'll post my version of the recipe at the bottom...http://www.food.com/recipe/worlds-best-chicken-soup-454050
 Yum! Those fresh glistening little kernels of summer! Simply shaved off of the cooked cob for soup... (I used cobs leftover from dinner the night before and that works great!)
 I've talked about quinoa before (See post for Stuffed Bell Peppers) but here's a close-up...
 I also shredded up leftover grilled chicken, and I chop up whichever veggies I have in the fridge, this time it was carrots and onions, but sometimes I'll also use celery if I have it.
This is my go-to method of making "chicken soup" and of course, I deem it a SUCCESS!
Cassie's modified recipe:
Chicken Quinoa Corn Soup with Dumplings
Quantities are approximate... I end up eyeballing it and using what I have on hand...
6+ c chicken broth (add more as needed if it gets soaked up)
2+ c cooked, shredded or cut chicken (leftovers are perfect! canned white chicken meat can be used)
1/2 - 1 c quinoa
2 T +/- olive oil
1 T butter
2-3 carrots, sliced in thin rings
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1/2 - 1 c chopped onion
3 tsp minced garlic
2 T fresh chopped parsley (or 2 tsp dried)
fresh ground black pepper
2 C +/- corn kernels, fresh (or half bag of frozen)
2-3 hardboiled eggs, chopped
2 c +/- corn (leftover off the cob are great!)
For dumplings/rivels: Start with 1/2 C flour, pinch of salt (to taste), 1 T water.
I love pasta and if you want the extra dose of pasta in your soup, add these! (You can double if you really love pasta or are making a larger batch...)
- Mix dumpling ingredients together with a pastry blender or fork. Start with 1 T warm water, mix until dough sticks together. If needed, add more water, 1 T at a time. If mixture becomes too sticky, add a little more flour until you have the right consistency.
Directions:
1. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet on medium high heat until the butter melts. Saute the carrot, celery, onions, and garlic, until the garlic and onions are somewhat transparent.
2. In a soup pot, heat the broth, quinoa, and chicken to boiling.
3. Add the sauteed veggies, corn, parsley and chopped eggs. Return to simmer.
4. Mix your dumplings/rivels and drop a few small lumps at a time into the soup pot. I consider dumplings the bigger pieces, and rivels are usually smaller... the size is only a personal preference. They will rise as they cook.
5. Add fresh ground pepper to taste. Simmer 15 minutes and serve. Enjoy!
 Another awesome find at the farmer's market! I've never seen these before, but I had to get some just to see what they were like!
They are Mini Cucumbers! Have you ever seen such a cool looking little thing? They are about the size of a grape or a cherry tomato, but the speckled pattern on these is just beautiful! They look like tiny dinosaur eggs... right?
 I don't have a recipe for these, I just sliced them into tiny slices and added them to a grilled chicken spinach salad for dinner... And, they taste like cucumber!
I didn't get many photos, I think I was too hungry to take more pics! The inside is a condensed little version of it's big brother... with little seeds and all!
They weren't cheap at 10 for $1, but this might be a better option for us because I never use a whole cucumber before it goes bad... now, if only I can find some seeds to grow these in our garden next year...
 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!)
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