EARLY SEPTEMBER Means PLENTIFUL CORN & ZUCCHINI
My memories of this time of year,
living on a farm, are of a long back porch continuously packed with bushels of
corn, tomatoes, peppers, etc. that my father and brothers had picked each day.
They sat ready to be canned or frozen and waiting for my mom, sisters, and I to
get on it. It was our way of life, and was a good one. It was also the best way
for hard-working parents to feed eight children. Our supper table in the months
of August and September would always be a rainbow of different vegetable
dishes. My mother and grandmothers would certainly get inventive when preparing
meals.
Although the following recipe is
not one of my family’s, it’s a good one that I have had for several years.
Enjoy this pasta dish that uses ricotta cheese and buttermilk to make a
creamy sauce for the corn, cut off the cobs, and zucchini. Combining the two vegetables in this dish
does work. I think you will like it.
Linguine with Corn & Zucchini
Ingredients:
4 large ears of corn- cooked for
5 minutes in water, cooled and kernels scraped off cob; set aside
2
tablespoons olive oil
1 large
onion, finely chopped
4 medium
zucchini, sliced
1
tablespoon dried oregano
several
fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1 and 1/2
cups ricotta cheese
1 and 1/4
cups buttermilk
salt and
pepper to taste
1 box
linguine
Heat oil in nonstick fry pan and sauté onion until soft and just
beginning to brown; add zucchini and oregano. If using dried basil add now.
Stir from time to time, cooking till zucchini softens slightly. Add corn and
heat through. Keep on low. Cook linguine according to package instructions, and
drain well. While pasta is cooking, beat ricotta with buttermilk in a blender
till smooth.
Remove vegetables from heat and spoon into serving bowl. Stir in ricotta
mixture. Add hot linguine, salt & pepper to taste and mix well. Add fresh
basil at this time. Serve immediately.
“USING UP”
EXCESS OF TOMATOES & ZUCCHINI
Roast Chicken
w/ Zucchini & Tomatoes
Preheat oven to
400 degrees
Make a rub/paste
with the following:
Using leaves only; 1 bunch fresh
parsley,
1/3 bunch fresh thyme, and half a
bunch fresh tarragon, mixing all
with 3 garlic cloves that have been
minced, and a scant 1/4 cup olive
oil.
Prepare a whole
chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, by rinsing and drying well. Season cavity with salt and
pepper and stuff with 1 lemon, cut in half.
Coat chicken all
over with the olive oil/herb rub; season with salt and pepper.
Put chicken on a
rack in a large roasting pan.
Scatter the
following around the chicken:
4-5 tomatoes cut in large wedges
3 medium zucchini, cut into
half-inch rounds
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
Drizzle 1/4 cup
olive oil over vegetables and season with salt and pepper to your taste.
Roast uncovered
for 1 to one and 1/4 hour or until reaches 160 on meat thermometer; Let sit for
15 minutes before carving.
******
Zucchini Appetizer
Ingredients:
3 cups thinly sliced unpared zucchini
1 cup baking mix ( such as Bisquick brand)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons snipped parsley
3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, slightly beaten
Line a strainer with paper towels. Put the zucchini in the strainer to
drain out excess water. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9x2 baking pan.
Mix together all the ingredients, adding the zucchini last. Spread gently in
the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. For appetizer servings,
cut into small 2 by 1 inch pieces. Serve warm.
This can double as a main-dish casserole.
Note: If you like this recipe, use your summer zucchini up by slicing it
in 3-cup batches, and put in freezer bags to use during the winter. (when ready to use, thaw in paper-towel lined
strainer)
ZUCCHINI CUPCAKES WITH CARAMEL FROSTING
These are irresistible spice cupcakes with a delicious frosting.
Ingredients: 3 eggs
1 and 1/3
cups sugar
1/2 cup
vegetable oil
1/2 cup
orange juice
1 teaspoon
almond extract
2 and 1/2
cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons
ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons
baking powder
1 teaspoon
baking soda
1 teaspoon
salt
1/2
teaspoon ground cloves
1 and 1/2
cups shredded zucchini
Caramel Frosting...
1 cup
packed brown sugar
1/2 cup
butter or margarine
1/4 cup
whole milk
1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
1 and 1/2
to 2 cups confectioners sugar
In a mixing bowl beat eggs, sugar, oil, orange juice and extract.
Combine dry ingred., add to egg mixture and mix well. Add zucchini and mix
well. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350
degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cupcakes test done. Cool for 10 minutes
before removing to a wire rack.
For frosting, combine brown sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan; bring
to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat;
stir in vanilla. Cool to lukewarm. Gradually beat in confectioners sugar until
frosting reaches spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes. Makes 18 to 24
cupcakes.
