Sesame Green Beans

Ingredients
8 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon miso paste
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Directions1.Place the green beans into a steamer insert and set in a pot over one inch of water. Bring to a boil, cover and steam for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer beans to a serving bowl.
2.Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, miso paste, red pepper flakes, garlic and ginger. Pour over the green beans and toss to coat. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Veggie Melt

I found this on Annie's Eats and immediately thought of what a perfect sandwich this would be for my vegetarian daughter. It was so delicious and I loved it as much, if not more, than she did.
I love that this sandwich can be so versatile using whatever vegetables, cheese, or bread you have on hand.

Ingredients:
1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets
1 tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 portobello mushrooms (stems removed), sliced ½-inch thick
2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced ½-inch thick
¼ cup light mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
4 thick slices country bread (I used Sour Dough)
2-4 oz. provolone cheese, thinly sliced

Directions:
Preheat a broiler with a rack placed 4 inches from the heat source. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the broccoli on the baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Broil until the broccoli begins to brown, tossing once or twice, about 4-6 minutes.

Add the sliced mushrooms and peppers to the pan with the broccoli and toss to combine. Broil, tossing once or twice, until the vegetables are tender, 8-10 minutes more. Set aside.

Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise and garlic in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Place the slices of bread on a work surface. Spread each slice of bread with 1 tablespoon of the garlic-mayo mixture. Top with the cooked vegetables, then the cheese. Line the baking sheet with a new piece of foil. Transfer the assembled sandwiches to the baking sheet. Broil until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, 2-4 minutes.

Garlic Red Potatoes

I recently saw these on the Real mom kitchen blog. And ever since I upgraded my internet explorer I haven't been able to correctly link to other blogs--so annoying. These potatoes were a big hit with everyone and they were so super easy to make.

Ingredients:
2 pounds red potatoes, quartered (I use half red and half yukon gold potatoes)
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place potatoes in an 9 x 13 inch baking dish, lined with tin foil to make an easy cleanup. In a large bowl, combine melted butter, garlic, salt and lemon juice; add
the potatoes and stir to coat. Pour potatoes into the baking dish and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over potatoes. Bake in preheated oven for 25-35 minutes.

Eggplant Au Gratin

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Ingredients:
1/2 lb of eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
olive oil cooking spray
3/4 cup spaghetti sauce
3/4 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:
spray both sides of eggplant with olive oil cooking spray. Fry each slice in a skillett until lightly browned and crispy. Place a layer of eggplant in a small casserole dish. Top with spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers twice. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

1 pkg frozen chopped broccoli

42 oz chicken broth (I just used water to make it vegetarian friendly)

6 Tbsp butter

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup flour

2 cups milk

1 1/2 lbs Velveeta, cubed

1 pinch ground white pepper

Directions:

In a large pot over medium heat, simmer the broccoli in the broth for 15 minutes. In a separate skillet over medium heat, melt the butter or margarine, add the onions and saute for 5 minutes, or to desired tenderness. Add the flour to the onions and stir well, forming a pasty substance. Gradually add the milk and stir until thick. Add this mixture to the broccoli mixture in the pot and stir well. Then add the cheese, stirring until melted. Finally add the pepper. Be careful not to let the soup boil, or the cheese will break down.

Marinated cucumbers

Ingredients:
4 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup cold water
2 Tbsp chopped dill
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper

Directions:
Combine sliced cucumbers with all other ingredients; cover and refrigerate 2-3 hours before serving.

Zucchini in Sour Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
3 cups cubed unpeeled zucchini
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dill weed
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 Tbsp flour

Directions:
In a saucepan, combine the zucchini, water, onion, salt, and dill. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 min or until zucchini is tender. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, sugar and lemon juice. Combine sour cream and flour until smooth. Gradually add to saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat for 5-7 min or until thickened.

Savory Summer Squash

Ingredients:
1 small zucchini, julienned
1 small yellow summer squash, julienned
1 medium tomato, diced
3 Tbsp finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp garlic powder (I just used fresh minced garlic)
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:
In a skillett, saute the zucchini, yellow squash, tomato and onion in oil for 1 minute. Sprinkle with seasonings, cook 5-7 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender.

Vegetable Pie with Zucchini Crust

I found this great recipe on For the Love of Cooking blog. It was really tasty and a fantastic way to use that zucchini I have so much of thanks to my brother, Glenn’s amazing gardening skills.

Ingredients:
4 zucchini, shredded and patted dry with paper towels
2 eggs 2 1/2 cups of mozzarella, divided
2 tomatoes, diced
1 green pepper, diced
4 oz of mushrooms, sliced
2 green onions
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
4 basil leaves, chopped
dried oregano, to taste
I added 2 yellow summer squash diced, again from Glenn’s garden

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a casserole dish with cooking spray. After you grate the zucchini, pat it dry with a few paper towels, removing as much moisture as possible. Combine zucchini with the eggs and 2 cups of mozzarella. Push the zucchini into the casserole dish, forming a crust. Season with sea salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

After the zucchini is baked, layer the casserole with green pepper, mushrooms, green onions, tomatoes, fresh basil, yellow summer squash and finally top it with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with the dried oregano to taste. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Fiesta Corn

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups frozen kernel corn
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup chopped zucchini
2 green onions, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
salt and pepper

Directions:
In large skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the corn, bell pepper, zucchini, green onions and jalapeno pepper. Saute until vegetables are tender--about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tomato Cucumber Salad

This was so fresh and light. It was a great way to use all the small tomatoes from my garden. I found this recipe on Annies Eats.

Ingredients:
4 cups cherry or grape tomatoes quartered
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 medium shallot, minced (I just used an onion)
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
black pepper
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced into 1/2 inch chunks
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1-2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced

Directions:
Combine the tomatoes, salt and sugar in a medium bowl; toss to combine. Let stand for 30 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a salad spinner and spin until the seeds and excess liquid have been removed, about 1 minute. Return the tomatoes to the bowl and set aside. Strain the tomato liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a liquid measuring cup, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible.
Combine 1/2 cup of the tomato liquid with the garlic, oregano, shallot, and vinegar in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Simmer until the mixture is reduced, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Whisk in the oil, and season with pepper to taste.
Add the cucumber, feta, dressing and parsley to the bowl with the tomatoes. Toss gently and serve.

Zucchini Medley

My brother is an awesome gardener. The latest food he brought over for me was some zucchini. I don't usually buy it because my husband says he doesn't like it. I wasn't sure what to make with it since it's not something we generally have around here. I was debating between this and a zucchini blueberry bread on allrecipes. Since I'm trying to eat healthier, I went with this. It was so good, I'm going to have to start buying zucchini when my brother doesn't have more to give me. My husband even liked it.

Ingredients:
4 medium zucchini
1 large sweet onion
1 medium sweet yellow pepper
1 medium green pepper
2 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp canola oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
cheddar cheese
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
In saucepan saute zucchini, onion, yellow pepper, green pepper, and garlic in oil until crisp tender. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix well. Sprinkle cheddar and Parmesan cheese on top.

Sesame Broccoli, Red Pepper, and Spinach

This was so delicious! I got the recipe from Making the Cut by Jillian Michaels. My kids all gobbled it up too. Even Jason who said I ruined the recipe by adding the spinach and proceeded to separate the spinach from the broccoli and peppers, came back and gobbled up the spinach! I'll definitely be making a lot of this in the future.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp canola oil
1 bunch broccoli, but into 1 inch florets
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bag (10oz) washed spinach
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely chopped
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsps sesame oil

Directions:
Toast sesame seeds in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring until golden brown and fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl. Heat oil over medium heat in same skillet until hot. Add broccoli and red pepper; cook until broccoli is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, spinach, jalapeno, soy sauce, and sesame oil; mix well. Cover and cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Cajun Asparagus

This recipe is so easy it's almost not a recipe. I love asparagus especially when it's cooked this way.

Ingredients:
Asparagus
Tony Chacheres

Directions:
Spray bottom of a baking pan with non stick spray. Lay asparagus out in a single layer and quickly spray the top of it with the non stick spray. Then sprinkle Tony Chacheres on top of the asparagus. You don't need a lot and too much will make it extra spicy. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes or until asparagus is tender.

Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:
1 head broccoli, cut in small pieces
1/8 cup red onion, sliced
8 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled
1 pkg salted, shelled sunflower seeds
Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp vinegar

Directions:
Mix broccoli, onion, bacon, and sunflower seeds in a bowl, toss with dressing.
Dressing: mix mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar in blender. Let sit for several hours. Or substitue this dressing with lite house poppy seed dressing.

Orange Carrots

Ingredients:
3 cups carrots, sliced thin
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup orange juice
2 T butter
1 tsp flour
2 tsp grated orange rind

Directions:
Cook carrots until done either by stove or microwave. Mix together sugar, flour, salt, and orange rind; add orange juice and cook until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Add to carrot mixture. Add butter for flavor.

Sweet Braised Yams

Ingredients:
1 large yam, peeled and diced into bite sized chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup chicken broth/stock
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

Directions:
-Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the garlic and ginger and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring regularly.
-Add the yam pieces, sprinkle with sugar. Cook for 8-10 minutes, turning the pieces regularly until the yam is golden and just tender.

-Add the chicken stock/broth and fish sauce, bring to the boil and cook, turning the yam over regularly, until all the liquid has evaporated.
-Sprinkle with lime juice and crushed rd pepper, season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve.

Cole Slaw

Ingredients:
1/2 head of cabbage--cut into fine slices (or a bag of cole slaw mix)
3 tomatoes, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Mix the cabbage, tomatoes, onion. Add just enough mayonnaise to coat everything--about 1/4 cup or a large spoonful. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sesame Asparagus

This is so good! My kids eat it like candy.

Ingredients:

1 lb asparagus, ends snapped off

2 Tbsp dark sesame oil

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

1/4 cup water

Directions:

Mix sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, sesame seeds, water, salt and pepper. Place Asparagus in a skillet and pour sauce over the asparagus. Heat to boiling. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until asparagus is tender.

Mexican Corn

Ingredients:
1 8oz package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1 16oz package frozen corn
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 fresh jalapeno peppers diced

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the cream cheese and butter, and mix with the milk until smooth and bubbly. In a medium casserole dish, mix the frozen corn, red bell pepper, and jalapeno peppers. Pour in the cream cheese mixture, and toss to coat. Bake 35-45 minutes in preheated oven, until bubbly and light brown.