Mexican Zuccanoes

I saw this recipe in my Moosewood cookbook a while back but I kept forgetting to bring home zucchini that were big enough to stuff.  Last night I had three big zucchini and I knew they would make perfect Zuccanoes.  I decided to make mine 'Mexican Zuccanoes' with black beans, rice, tomato, green onion, cheddar and jalapeno.  I have to say- these were fun to eat! I suppose I could have sliced the zucchini and layered the whole thing into a casserole, but the kid in me enjoyed eating food that looked like a canoe.  Also, they were damn good.

MEXICAN ZUCCANOES 

Adapted from Moosewood, Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS:

*Rice: 

1 tablespoon butter

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup whole grain brown rice

1 heaping teaspoon ea. cumin and chili powder

2 cups chicken stock or water

Filling: 

One can black beans, rinsed and drained

One can diced tomatoes with peppers, drained of excess liquid

3 green onions, white and light green parts only, dark green parts set aside, chopped

1/2-1 diced jalapeno, or a few tablespoons of chopped pickled jalapenos

Salt, cayenne pepper, cumin and chili powder to taste

Juice of one lime

3 large zucchini

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

A few dots of butter

DIRECTIONS: 

1) Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add garlic and saute for 30 second, before adding rice and spices. Stir well and let rice toast slightly before adding liquid.  Bring to a boil, cover, and cook according to directions.  

2) When rice is cooked, mix well with the other filling ingredients.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional cumin, chili powder, or cayenne if desired.

3) Halve zucchini lengthwise and hollow out with a spoon.  Level the bottom of each zucchini half so that they don't roll/tip over in the oven. 

4) Mound filling in the zucchinis and place on a greased baking pan/sheet.  Top with cheddar cheese, dot with butter, and bake in a 375 oven for 25-30 minutes or until zucchini is cooked through and cheese is melted and bubbly.  Serve topped with sour cream, additional salsa, pickled jalapenos, reserved chopped green onion, etc.

*Alternately, use leftover/pre-cooked rice and season to taste with spices.

Pasta with Broccoli Feta 'Pesto'

I saw this recipe on Apartment Therapy a few years ago, and it continues to be one of my favorite quick and healthy dinners.  I modified the recipe somewhat to give it a little more punch (and cheese).

Pasta with Broccoli and Feta 'Pesto'
Serves 4 as an entree, 6 as a side dish
INGREDIENTS:
3 heads broccoli, preferably young and fresh with small, tight florets
3/4 cup feta cheese (I used fresh goats milk feta)
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano grated with a microplane (fluffier texture, more easily absorbed into sauce)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion or 1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh basil (loosely packed)
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley (loosely packed)
Juice of 1 1/2 lemons
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 box macaroni, farfalle, rotini, or pasta shape of your choosing

DIRECTIONS:

1) Trim the stalks off the broccoli, leaving 1/2-1 inch of stalk for each floret. Steam florets until tender and set aside. 

2) In a small saucepan heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for 30 seconds, then add diced onion. Saute until onion is translucent.  

3) In a blender or food processor, add broccoli, sauteed onion & garlic, feta, basil, parsley, lemon juice and parmigiano reggiano.  Blend until smooth, adding olive oil as needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  

4) Cook pasta as directed and toss hot pasta with the pesto. Serve hot or warm topped with toasted pine nuts, more fresh basil and a drizzle of your favorite olive oil. 

Sunday Breakfast- Poached Eggs and Cheesy Herb Toast

This beautiful NYC day inspired me to make a better-than-the-average breakfast for R and I.

I poached eggs and served alongside cheesy herb toast (sourdough, cheddar, basil, cilantro, parsley, garlic paste), bacon and sauteed Chinese long beans and cherry tomatoes from the farmers market.

YUM!

Thyme Roasted Sausage and Cherry Tomatoes

I'm consistently trying to find a better way to use the hot Italian sausage that R loves buying. Yesterday I made a trip to the farmers market and picked up some beautiful yellow cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, thyme and parsley. I thought slow roasting the tomatoes, sausage and fresh herbs together would really develop the flavors of the sausage and tomatoes and it turned out delicious!

Thyme Roasted Sausage and Cherry Tomatoes

• 3 Hot Italian Sausages, cut into 1" pieces
• 1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes
• Fresh Thyme
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Dry Rosemary
• 4-5 Garlic Cloves, skins on.
• S&P
• Fresh Basil
• Fresh Parsley, optional

I combined the sausages and tomatoes in a baking dish and tossed with olive oil, thyme. I ground together the dry rosemary, red pepper flakes and S&P and added to the mix. I also tossed in the garlic cloves, keeping the skins on, to be removed after the cooking process.

I cooked the tomatoes and sausage at 300 degrees for 1 hour, tossing half way through the cooking process.

After 60 minutes the mix was bubbling and golden. I pressed the garlic out of the skins and removed the skins. I added a bit of pasta water and tossed in fresh basil and parsley. I served alongside a slice of mozzarella and linguine in garlic olive oil (mash minced garlic with kosher salt and whisk into olive oil).

Slow roasting the tomatoes and sausage made all the difference in the world. Slow roasted tomatoes caramelize, becoming sweet and savory. That flavor infused with the sausage and vice versa created a delicious dish!

Pork, Cheddar and Apple Sandwich

I'm still in the process of using up any food I have in my fridge and last night I defrosted thin cut pork chops to make an easy and favorite childhood sandwich.

When I was little and my dad cooked lamb or pork we would use the leftovers in sandwiches alongside slices of apple and cheddar. In my version I par-cooked a slice of bacon and secured it to the chops (seasoned with fresh thyme, S&P) then pan seared, 1-2 mins per side. I sandwiched between two slices of toasted sourdough spread with mustard and mayo and topped with apple, cheddar and lettuce.

This was yum yum yum! Even if you think you don't like sweet mixed with savory, the apples provide more of a tartness and crunch then an actual sweetness to the sandwich. Also, I used spicy mustard but next time I would try a horseradish mayo, or even a honey mustard.

Monday meal

Last night was my first time in the kitchen in about 12 days, so after cleaning out my fridge of expired items I was left with just a few cookable items. I figured I should be responsible and use them up instead of going grocery shopping again. Out of these items I came up with a simple meal of Bowtie Pasta with Broccoli, Garlic & Tomato Sauce.

I sauteed a few minced cloves of garlic, red pepper flakes & sprigs of thyme in a mix of butter & olive oil. Once the garlic had softened I added a broken up sardine and a few tbs of canned diced tomatoes and some of the tomato juice. Lastly I tossed in the broccoli and covered until steamed. I finished with fresh shredded parmesan for a simple and yum supper.

Ravioli

My heart is heavy.  I dislike change, and in the last few weeks it seems a lot has changed.  We have to say goodbye to our house in Michigan.  One of my earliest Michigan memories is picking up a chunk of hardened sand at the beach and telling a two year old Sarah that it was a cookie and she should eat it.  Sucker.

Sarah, I'm sorry I made you eat sand. Next time you come over I'll make you eat some of my homemade ravioli.  I made the dough in the food processor, then rolled it out with my KitchenAid attachments.  Very delicious. Recipe to come.

Goodbye to Michigan

25 years ago my grandfather purchased a home in Holland, Michigan. Nestled in the dunes with views of Lake Michigan, this home has been a very special place for my family for the last 2 1/2 decades. Last weekend, my mom and I flew to Michigan for one last time to pack up the sentimentals and say goodbye. It was a wonderful weekend with good family and friends and I feel very lucky to have had one last visit.

While it was a short trip, my mom and I still made some time to check out one of Caitlin's favorite spots- Redamak's in New Buffalo, Michigan.

This family owned burger joint opened in 1946 and is a favorite with locals and tourists. The burgers are all cooked the same-- my request for a medium rare burger was literally met with a "no we don't do that." I'm glad that she told me what-was-what because this pan fried burger was juicy and delicious and the perfect thing for the slight hangover I had from celebrating the first night of my vacation.

Greetings from Beantown!

Hi All!

I hope the end of summer is treating you well! Caitlin and I have been on vacation for the past week, hence the lack of posts. I'm not very good at blogging from the road, but thought I'd send you a few pictures from my Boston vacation. I've had a few foodie adventures (Italian in the North End, delicious takeout BBQ) and revisited some of my favorite restaurants (Steve's on Newbury), but mostly I've been shopping, sleeping and laying out at the pool....I love vacation!

New dresses and bathing suit safe salads...

Rooftop pool at the The Colonnade and the view from the New England Aquarium ferry

After a great week in Boston, I can't wait to get back to NYC and eat a home cooked meal!

Pizza Pizza - Mediterranean Shrimp Pizza

As I mentioned in my previous pizza post, I have some lavash bread handy so I've been making quick and easy pizzas on the nights I'm feeling extra lazy. Today I made a Mediterranean pizza for lunch that was super easy and delicious.

Mediterranean Shrimp Pizza

• Tomato Sauce
• Parmesan
• Kalamata Olives, rough chopped
• Capers
• Artichoke Hearts, quartered
• Celery, sliced diagonally
• Shrimp, rough chopped
• Fresh Basil, rough chopped
• Oregano

I topped a toasted lavash (375 for 3-5 minutes) with tomato sauce and parmesan, and then the remaining ingredients. I cooked for an additional 10-12 minutes or until the shrimp had cooked and served.

This was my favorite of all the pizzas! The star ingredient was the celery. You would never know it was there but it helped to balance out all of the salty briny flavors from the other ingredients and provided a nice crunch. Yum and yum!

Pizza - Corn & Sardine; Broccoli, Cheddar & Sausage

This week I have been feeling ridiculously lazy about cooking. I think work travel got me too comfortable with having someone else make my dinner for me! Luckily my camera is up and running again so I have no excuse not to cook. Last night I decided to make an assortment of lavash bread pizzas so I could use up some of the fresh veggies I have in house before I travel to Michigan this weekend and Boston next week. To avoid my uber hot kitchen, I decided to prepare most of my toppings by roasting them. Allowing me to chop chop, drizzle olive oil, place on tray and ignore for the next 30 minutes (at 375).

Corn & Sardine Pizza

• 1 Sardine (canned)
• 2 Chile en Adobo Peppers, chopped
• 10 Cherry Tomatoes, roasted
• Parmesan Cheese
• 1-2 Ears Corn, roasted
• 1 tbs Ricotta & 2 tbs Cheddar
• 1 tsp Paprika, 1 tsp Chili Powder, sprinkle of Cayenne
• Juice of 1/2 of a Lime
• slices of Feta

I combined the above ingredients (except for feta) and spread on a pre-toasted lavash bread (375, 3-5 min) , then topped with the feta. I roasted an additional 10 minutes or until the topping was slightly bubbly.

I was worried this was going to be random and gross by it actually ended up being R's favorite! The salty sardines combined with the heat from the peppers, and the sweet tomato and corn was a great combo.

Broccoli, Cheddar & Sausage Pizza

• 1 Small Broccoli Head sprinkled with red pepper flakes, roasted
• 2 Hot Italian Sausages, sliced into 1" thick pieces and roasted alongside broccoli
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese

This was very straightforward, top the lavash with cheddar, broccoli and sausage and cook for 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Next time I would make some adjustments on the cheddar. My thinking was "broccoli cheddar soup", but what I didn't realize is that cheddar is very oily so it kind of dissolves into a crispy salty topping. Next time I would add a mix of cheese- perhaps some mozzarella to help solidify up the topping. Regardless, the roasted broccoli was delicious!

Out & About- Sacramento, Salt Lake City and Jamestown

Hi All,

Long time no post! For the past month I have been doing a lot of traveling with one week stints in Sacramento and Salt Lake City, culminating in a family weekend in Jamestown, Rhode Island. I tried my best to experience local food culture and had great meals at Mikuni's (fresh but overdone rolls), Elephant Bar (all the locals told me to go here but it's totally a chain, good mai tai!), Blue Iguana (messy enchiladas, very tame margaritas), Market Street Oyster Bar (delicious crab stuffed mushrooms), Caffe Molise (best food of all travels, great lunchtime salads and garden area) and Slice of Heaven (yum mini croissants!). Below are some pictures from my travels...

Mikuni - Sacramento, CA

No. 9 Roll aka Fair Oaks Roll- Deep fried shrimp, avocado, masago, onion and special sauces

Blue Iguana - Salt Lake City, UT

Enchiladas Amarillas - Slow roasted pork with amarillo mole (almonds, veggies and habanero chiles)

Garden at Caffe Molise - Salt Lake City, UT

Slice of Heaven, Jamestown Rhode Island

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms Round 2

In between crisscrossing the country I did a bit of cooking but had a malfunctioning camera so I wasn't able to record any of it. The best meal I made was parpadelle with sauteed squash and heirloom tomatoes, topped with spinach, goat cheese and spinach stuffed zucchini blossoms. I stuffed each blossom with a mix of egg, ricotta, goat cheese and slightly wilted spinach before twisting to close and baking at 375 degrees for 10 or so minutes. Below is the best picture I could get on my blackberry.

Parpadelle with sauteed squash and heirloom tomatoes, topped with spinach, goat cheese and spinach stuffed zucchini blossoms

Last time I bought zucchini blossoms I fried them and while they were delicious, stuffing them is the way to go! This would be a great dish to do when entertaining because you can assemble them in advance then just pop in the oven when your guests arrive.

Happy Birthday Mom!

The Birthday Girl

Hello Readers, 

Two Sisters, Two Suppers is taking a little blogger summer vacation.  In a few days I am on a plane back east to meet up with Sarah and the rest of our family for a series of celebrations including Mom's Birthday, Jamestown Wedding Celebration, our cousin Aidan becoming the newest member of Robert Randolph  and the Family Band, Wilson and Alexa's 5th Birthday and Mock-Sleepover Party, and Jackie and Nate's wedding!  My bag has been packed since Monday and I am ready to get OUT of this Texas heat. 

Happy cooking, and see you soon! xo 2S2S