Zucchini, Ham and Rice Casserole

We have a few abnormally large zucchini fruits from our garden.  Oops!  It’s been hard to keep out the garden with our 7.5 month old Little Chef this summer, but we’ve sure tried. 

When we do get out there to harvest, we often find overgrown zucchini.  This recipe was perfect for using them up! 

Zucchini, Ham and Rice Casserole – Adapted from Roxana’s Home Baking

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 C ham, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 1 large zucchini, shredded
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 2 C cottage cheese
• 3/4 C minute brown rice, uncooked
• 6 slices cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Begin by combining the shredded zucchini, diced bell pepper, minced garlic, eggs, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Stir well. 

Add in the diced ham, 2 C cottage cheese and 3/4 C minute rice.  Stir to combine.

 

Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 glass baking dish.  Top with 6 slices of cheddar cheese. 

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes, until cooked through.  Serve warm.  Enjoy!

Veggie Stuffed Mushrooms

Veggie Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 1 medium zucchini, quartered
• 2 bell peppers, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 C cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 lb. ground Italian sausage
• 1 T minced onion
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
• 4 portabella mushroom caps

Directions

Begin by washing the mushroom caps.  To do so, remove the stems, scrape out the gills and clean with a damp paper towel.  Place the mushroom caps facing upwards on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Season with garlic, salt and pepper.  Then, bake at 400 for 5-10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and carefully scoop out the liquid pooling in the mushrooms. 

Meanwhile, brown the ground Italian sausage (we used turkey sausage) until cooked.  Add the diced zucchini, bell peppers and cook for 5-7 minutes until veggies are crisp tender.  Add the diced tomatoes in the last 2 minutes of cooking.  Season with basil and oregano. 

Fill each mushroom cap with the veggie filling. 

Top each with a slice of cheese and return to the oven, cooking for 10-12 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and the cheese is melted. 

Serve warm. 

Enjoy!

Lemon Skillet Chicken with Vegetables

If you are looking for a tasty and refreshing summer recipe that does not involve turning on your oven, than this is the recipe for you. 

Light and refreshing, this lemon crusted chicken skillet with tasty summer vegetables is sure to be a hit at your dinner table. 

Lemon Skillet Chicken with Vegetables – Adapted from Baked By Rachel

Ingredients

• 1 recipe lemon butter sauce
• 2 medium bell peppers, sliced into strips
• 2 medium zucchini, quartered into 1-inch pieces
• 8 stalks of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 4 chicken breasts
• 4 T flour
• salt and pepper, dashes of each
• 2 T lemon zest (an entire lemon)
• 4 lemon slices
• 1/2 T butter

Directions

Begin by combining 4 T flour with salt and pepper and lemon zest in a shallow bowl.  Add in the chicken breasts and coat well in the mixture. 

Melt 1/2 T butter in a large skillet over medium heat. 

Add in the coated chicken and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes and then flip over. 

Add the lemon slices and continue cooking until chicken temperature reaches 180 degrees. 

Meanwhile sauté the sliced veggies in a second skillet over medium heat.  If needed, drizzle with a little olive oil to sauté. 

Cook until crisp-tender and then add the herbed butter sauce. 

Serve veggies and lemon chicken topped with a lemon slice. 

Enjoy!

Summer Salad

Using bountiful and colorful summer produce makes this summer salad a real treat. 

The flavors are brought forth through a delicious roasting of veggies, and a splash of balsamic and maple syrup.  It’s a summer salad that is sure to become a tradition. 

Summer Salad – Adapted from Oh She Glows

Ingredients

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 can (14 oz) corn (or 3 cobs, fresh)
• 1 zucchini
• 1 summer squash
• Olive oil, to taste
• Sea salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 tsp. minced garlic
• 2 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. maple syrup
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• Splash of lime juice, if desired

Directions

Begin by preparing the veggies – dice the squash, bell peppers, and zucchini into 1-inch cubes.  Then, remove the corn kernels from the cobs, or just use 1 can (14-15oz) of corn (rinsed and drained). 

Arrange all the veggies on a lightly greased tray (I sheet cake sized pan), and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. 

Roast the veggies at 425 for 15-20 minutes. 

Place the roasted veggies in a large bowl along with 1 can (15 oz) black beans (be sure to rinse and drain the beans!). 

Stir to combine. 

Then, combine together: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, parsley, maple syrup and Dijon mustard.  Stir well. 

Drizzle over the salad and stir to combine. 

Serve immediately while warm, or chill and serve cold.  You can eat it as a salad or with chips as a salsa. 

Bring on summer!

Ziti Stuffed Peppers

This quick and easy dinner combines the greatness of a pasta dish we all love – baked ziti, with a healthy serving of veggies. 

Your whole family will enjoy the cheesy goodness of these stuffed peppers. 

Ziti Stuffed Peppers – Adapted from Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice

Ingredients

• 1/2 C cooked, diced chicken
• 4 bell peppers
• 1 T minced onion
• 1/4 tsp. minced garlic
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 T parsley
• 6 oz. rotini pasta
• 1 C ricotta cheese
• 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 C Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Begin by slicing and coring the bell peppers.  Arrange them in a large 9x13 glass baking dish that has been lightly greased with olive oil.  Set aside.  Then, bring a pot of water to a boil and boil the pasta according to package directions.  Drain, and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet and add the onions, garlic and tomatoes; simmer for 2-3 minutes to boil off the excess liquid from the tomatoes. 

Then, add in the shredded chicken.  Alternatively, you could use ground beef, turkey or Italian sausage here too.  Simmer for 5-7 minutes. 

When the pasta is ready, add the pasta to the skillet.  Stir well and season everything with 1 tsp. basil, 1 tsp. oregano and 1 T parsley.  Add salt and pepper as desired. 

Stir in the ricotta cheese. 

Heat until warmed throughout.  Then, remove from the heat. 

Stir in 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese and fill the bell peppers.  I found it easiest to fill the peppers using a large cookie/ice cream scoop. 

Cover the pan with a cookie sheet, and bake at 400 for 30-35 minutes. Remove the cookie sheet and top with additional shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.  Continue cooking, uncovered this time, for 7-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the peppers are tender. 

Garnish with extra parsley before serving, if desired. 

Serve warm and enjoy! 

Crockpot Stuffed Bell Peppers

Crockpot meals are a favorite of ours around here.  As a working wife, it is a treat to be able to come home and not have to start cooking dinner!  The house smells amazing and dinner is just about ready.  I love that. 

We are always looking for new crockpot ideas, and this stuffed bell pepper recipe uses some of our fall favorites (wild rice!) in a new way. 

The result was a meal we’ll definitely make again and again. 

Crockpot Stuffed Bell Peppers – Adapted from Family Fresh Meals

Ingredients

• 5-6 medium bell peppers
• 1 C cooked wild rice
• 1/2 lb. ground Italian turkey sausage, browned
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. minced onion
• 1/4 tsp. minced garlic
• salt and pepper
• 1 C shredded Colby Jack or Monterrey Jack Cheese
• 1 C chicken broth

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together 1 C cooked wild rice, browned Italian sausage, 3/4 of the can of rinsed and drained diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.  Mix in 1 egg and 3/4 C of cheese. 

Stir well. 

Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds from the inside. 

Using a cookie scoop, fill the bell peppers with the rice mixture.  Top with remaining tomatoes.

Place the peppers into a lightly greased crockpot, arranged in a single layer over the bottom of the crockpot.  Pour over 1 C chicken broth. 

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  Roughly 15 minutes before serving, top with the remaining 1/4 C cheese.  Or, if you forget, just top with cheese before serving. 

Serve warm.

Enjoy!