zucchini corn quesadillas

David sent me a text today that read, "Let's try to eat vegetarian most of this week." Yipee! I do like eating less meat and I also enjoy the challenge of finding tasty, easy, meatless recipes. This was delicious and easy. Stay tuned for the side dish (which was my favorite part and of which I made a huge batch so I can eat it all week - it's THAT good).

2 medium zucchinis, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup frozen sweet white corn
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
4 flour tortillas
Shredded jack and cheddar cheese
Sour Cream, for serving
Salsa, for serving (see tip)

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a medium saute pan. Add onions and garlic and saute 2 minutes. Add zucchini and saute until soft and caramelized. Add frozen corn and saute until hot. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in chopped cilantro.

Heat saute pan over medium heat. Divide zucchini mixture between two flour tortillas. Layer with shredded cheese and top each with a remaining tortilla. Add quesadilla, one at a time, until crispy on the bottom and carefully flip over until the other side is crispy as well. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Tip: in a pinch here's how I improve on store-bought salsa. I trick I learned from my sister-in-law. Pour a good amount of Pace salsa (or whatever you have) into your Magic Bullet (trust me, it's worth it) along with a handful of cilantro and a squeeze of lime (or not). Blend until smooth. It's delicious.

bruschetta

I know I’m, like, way behind the times in terms of popularity here but I can’t deny the fact that Julie & Julia was fantastic. So, so fantastic.


Since you’re here I assume you’re a food lover as much as me. I don’t know if it was just my pregnancy hormones or just simply the delicious appearance of the bruschetta that they ate in the movie, but I knew I just had to make it. Bruschetta is so easy, makes a pretty plate and always tastes good with fresh ingredients.

I don’t really have a “recipe” but here’s what I did, which will inevitably convince you of the simplicity of this divine meal, snack, appetizer, whatever you like.

step one: I sliced up four pieces of Rosemary Sourdough bread.
step two: Heated a couple of swirls of olive oil in a small skillet over medium high heat.
step three: “Browned” the bread until nicely toasted.
step four: Cut one clove of garlic in half and rubbed it on the bread just for a little flavor.
step five: Sliced small heirloom and cherry tomatoes (and de-seeded when needed – a rhyme!), fresh basil and seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
step six: Spooned tomato basil mixture on top of bread and promptly devoured.

It was yum.

spooky finger pretzels

some people have been asking for the "lady finger" pretzels I made for the halloween spook fest. they were surprisingly easy and tasted great! they definitely should be eaten the same day though. I served them with warm queso and marinara sauce - they were a halloween hit!

if you need extra help, you can watch martha's tutorial here.

spooky finger pretzels

red or green food coloring (optional, for fingers)
24 blanched almonds, halved lengthwise
2 cups warm water (110 degrees), plus 3 quarts, plus 1 Tablespoon
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
Vegetable oil
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 Tablespoon coarse salt
2 Tablespoons baking soda
1 large egg
Sea salt
Fried rosemary (optional, for toes)

Place a small amount of food coloring, in a shallow bowl, and, using a paintbrush, color the rounded side of each split almond; set aside to dry.

Pour 2 cups water into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough-hook attachment. Add sugar; stir to dissolve. Sprinkle with yeast, and let stand until yeast begins to bubble, about 5 minutes. Beat in 1 cup flour into yeast on low speed until combined. Beat in coarse salt; add 3 1/2 cups flour, and beat until combined. Continue beating until dough pulls away from bowl, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup flour. Beat 1 minute more. If dough is sticky, add up to 1 cup more flour. Transfer to a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth, 1 minute.

Coat a large bowl with cooking spray. Transfer dough to bowl, turning dough to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap; let rest in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a 6-quart straight-sided saucepan over high heat; reduce to a simmer. Add baking soda. Lightly coat two baking sheets with cooking spray. Divide dough into quarters. Work with one quarter at a time, and cover remaining dough with plastic wrap. Divide first quarter into 12 pieces. On a lightly floured work surface, roll each piece back and forth with your palm forming a long finger shape, about 3 to 4 inches. Pinch dough in two places to form knuckles. Or, to make toes, roll each piece so that it is slightly shorter and fatter, about 2 inches. Pinch in 1 place to form the knuckle. When 12 fingers or toes are formed, transfer to simmering water. Poach for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer fingers to the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough, blanching each set of 12 fingers or toes before making more.

Beat egg with 1 Tablespoon water. Brush pretzel fingers and toes with the egg wash. Using a sharp knife, lightly score each knuckle about three times. Sprinkle with sea salt and rosemary, if using. Position almond nails, pushing them into dough to attach. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on wire rack.

shredded pork and roasted tomatillo salsa

for my brother's "return home" dinner, I made some delicious mexican food. don't be fooled - that's not a mexican flag sticking out of green salsa. it's the german flag because that's where my bro returned from. hopefully I learn how to make a few german dishes here soon (such as: Spätzle, Klöße, Kalter Hund) so I can post them. in the mean time, here are two recipes that you won't be sorry you made.


shredded pork
*disclaimer: I will hunt you down if you do not follow the cooking time for this recipe exactly. it does not get easier than putting meat in the crockpot all day and letting it go to town.

6-7 pounds pork tenderloin
sauce:
3 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 (8 ounce) cans el pato sauce (in the yellow can)
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup water

mix together ingredients for sauce and pour over pork tenderloin in crock pot. cook on low for 8-9 hours. that's it suckers.

roasted tomatillo salsa
*disclaimer: the recipe for the salsa is not exact. I manipulated a recipe I found online and didn't write down the changes I made - mostly guessed. deal with it.

1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatillos
3 fresh serrano chiles
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

preheat broiler.

remove husks from tomatillos and rinse under warm water to remove stickiness. lay chiles, garlic, chopped onion and fresh tomatillos on a cookie sheet (evenly spread). drizzle with olive oil. place sheet on rack of a broiler pan 1 to 2 inches from heat, turning once, until tomatillos are softened and slightly charred, about 7 minutes.

remove from oven and peel garlic and pull off tops of chiles. purée all in a food processor with cilantro. slowly add kosher salt and sugar to taste.