Tag Archives: zucchini

Italian Sausages, Peppers and Zucchini

Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Pasta and Grains, Soups/ Salads / Stews, Uncategorized, Vegetables, , , ,

The other day I went to a local apple orchard to pick up some delicious seasonal apple cider and spotted some cute marbled zucchini in the general store. I’m not sure if they are called marbled zucchini but they looked like they were marbled and much smaller than regular zucchini.

Anyway, I picked up a few along with some red, yellow and green peppers. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with the veggies at the time but it all came together when I decided to make a quick Sunday meal. The result was a dish made of hot and sweet Italian sausage, sliced peppers, crushed tomatoes and my cute little zucchini sliced thin.

This was another one pot dish that I served over pasta with grilled Naan bread on the side. Talk about yummy. Not to brag, but I was impressed with how quickly the meal came together and how wonderful the mixed flavors tasted. I didn’t even have to ask hubby if this recipe was blog worthy. The first bite let me know it was definitely going on the blog!

Italian Sausages, Peppers and Zucchini

Ingredients:

1 pkg hot Italian Sausage casing removed and cut into large bite sized pieces

1 pkg sweet Italian Sausage casing removed cut into large bite sized pieces

5-6 fresh basil leaves torn

2 small zucchini sliced thin

1 small red onion peeled and sliced

1 red bell pepper seeded and sliced

1 green bell pepper seeded and sliced

1 yellow bell pepper seeded and sliced

1 lg can crushed tomatoes

½ cup water

2 tbsp grape seed oil

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp salt

½ tbsp ground black pepper

½ tbsp Adobo seasoning

Place oils in a large skillet or dutch oven and heat over medium high heat. Add sausages and brown on both sides then remove and place on a plate. Add peppers and onions to the skillet and season with salt, ground black pepper, oregano, Adobo and Worcestershire sauce. Stir then reduce heat to medium. Cook for 2 minutes then add zucchini, basil leaves, crushed tomatoes and water. Stir to mix then add sausages and juices to the skillet. Stir to blend all the ingredients then cover and let simmer for 20 – 25 minutes. Serve over pasta or rice.

Roasted Zucchini, Yellow Squash and Other Veggies

Uncategorized, Vegetables, Side Dish, Main Course, , , , ,

I have learned over time that the best way to bring out the natural flavors of vegetables is to roast them. Whether it is to create a delicious soup, add to a favorite recipe or to just have a medley of veggies, roasting is the way to go.

This past summer proved to be a veggie delight for me and hubby. Between the tomatoes and peppers we grew on our porch and the beautiful vegetables we bought from local farmers we were in veggie heaven.

To pack a lot of flavor into one vegetable side dish I roasted zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, onions and peppers together. The prep time was quick and the end result was fantastic. Also, using a sheet pan to roast the vegetables kept clean up time down to a minimum.

Next time you want to have a flavor packed side dish or just a bowl of good veggies, try roasting a bunch of your favorite vegetables together for a Healthy, Quick and Easy recipe.

Roasted Zucchini, Yellow Squash and Other Veggies

Ingredients:

1 lg zucchini quartered

1 lg yellow squash quartered

1 pkg Campari tomatoes cut in half

1 lg onion cut into wedges

1 small jalapeno pepper sliced thin

1 medium green pepper diced

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried basil

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray a rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray then add the vegetables to the pan. Sprinkle with all of the seasonings then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Toss to mix and coat the vegetables. Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the vegetables are soft and cooked to your desired tenderness. Serve with your favorite meat or over rice as a vegetarian meal.

Zucchini, Tomato and Sweet Potato Gratin

Main Course, Side Dish, Uncategorized, Vegetables, , , , , , , ,

Eating with your eyes is just as important as tasting with your tongue. I know I have mentioned this in the past but it is worth mentioning again. If you are going to prepare a dish for family, friends or yourself, you want it to look appealing. Combining different colors is an easy way to create visual beauty with food. This recipe is a nice blend of green, red and orange. Layering the vegetables in a circular pattern also made this a very attractive dish.

Gratins originated in French cuisine and has been adopted in many other culinary cuisines. I wasn’t sure exactly what gratin was until I saw one made on a cooking show. On this particular show the chef made potato au gratin which was gorgeous because of the crispy brown topping. Turns out a gratin is considered the technique of topping a dish with breadcrumbs or grated cheese then browning it.

While most of the gratin recipes I have seen are made with sliced white potatoes I wanted to think outside the box and combine potatoes with other vegetables. Plus, I wanted to make the dish pop with color. Hence, my Zucchini, Tomato and Sweet Potato Gratin. A ring of beauty and a delightful dish.

Zucchini, Tomato and Sweet Potato Gratin

Ingredients:

2 plum or vine ripe tomatoes sliced

1 large zucchini sliced

1 large sweet potato peeled and sliced

½ red onion sliced

½ cup shredded Parmesan or mozzarella cheese

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp salt

½ tbsp ground black pepper

½ tsp dried thyme

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Coat bottom of a large iron skillet with 1 tbsp olive oil.  Add minced garlic and spread around the skillet. Alternate slices of zucchini, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes in a circular pattern around the iron skillet. Place red onion slices over the other veggies then season with salt, ground black pepper and thyme. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Place on the lower shelf of the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Move to top rack and back for 20 – 25 minutes more. Test potatoes with a knife to make sure they are cooked and soft.

 

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Roasted Zucchini and Tomatoes

Vegetables,

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Ham hocks, fat back and salt pork are some of the key ingredients to southern cooking. Whether you are fixing beans, stews, collard greens or other vegetables you will probably find one of those ingredients in the recipe. Growing up, all the women in my family would flavor parts of the meal with either salt pork or ham hocks. Back then I did not hesitate to eat anything my mom fixed unless it was wild game. Now? It is a different story. I still like ham hocks but I have found better ways to flavor food.

roasted Zucchini and tomatoes 5_1

Instead of sauteing zucchini and tomatoes in salt pork and bacon grease I now roast zucchini and tomatoes in the oven with a little olive oil . The end result is the same except it has a lot less calories and a lot less fat. The one thing this dish did not lose was flavor.

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The natural flavor of the zucchini and tomatoes along with sliced onions comes through and is enhanced by a few herbs and seasonings. Simple sometimes says it best and this dish is definitely simple. Slice, sprinkle, drizzle and roast. What could be simpler than that?

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Roasted zucchini and tomatoes might just become your go to side dish whenever you need a little something extra bursting with flavor!

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Roasted Zucchini and Tomatoes

Ingredients:
2 zucchinis sliced
1 large onion sliced
1 lb Campari tomatoes seeded (can use plum tomatoes)
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp basil
½ tsp sugar
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Spray a rime cookie sheet with cooking spray. Layer sliced onions on bottom of cookie sheet. Add zucchini and tomatoes. Sprinkle with garlic, salt, pepper, sugar and basil. Drizzle olive oil over veggies. Place in oven and roast for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir veggies mid way through roasting.