Zucchini Lasagne made from Garden next door.

 When we left the lake in September we were lucky enough to take with us a number of the Pilling (Janet & Glen) zucchini; really extra large zucchini. I still had one left today so I made zucchini lasagne. My third try. First time too runny. Second time not spicy enough.

Peel zucchini, slice it and lay it on towels. Then take salt and salt it. The salt will take the moisture out of it. If you leave out this step, your lasagne will be extra runny and not so tasty. Found this out by experience.

You can see the water coming from the zucchini in just five minutes or so. Wipe the moisture from the zucchini with paper towels or more kitchen towels. Then turn zucchini over and salt it again. This does not make the dish too salty. I was surprised myself. Keep wiping away the moisture on the zucchini.

I used ground turkey for my meat. Use any recipe making sure the sauce is very thick. The point is, use zucchini from the garden next door.

Such delicious lasagne. Third time perfect.

Chewy, Crunchy 9-grain Bread

Chewy, Crunchy 9-grain Bread

Author: Amy from vomitingchicken.com

Recipe type: whole-grain bread par excellence

Prep time:  1 hour

Cook time:  30 mins

Total time:  1 hour 30 mins

Serves: lots!

The 9-grain mix that I use in this recipe is my own invention, and is actually a mixture of many kinds of seeds and grains, and it changes from time to time. So feel free to mix your own, according to your tastes, if you like!

Ingredients

•   First, for the 9-grain mix, stir together:

•   2 cups rolled oats

•   2 cups cornmeal

•   1 cup millet

•   1 cup raw sunflower seeds

•   ½ cup poppyseeds

•   2 cups wheat bran

•   2 cups flax seeds, crushed (in blender)

•   2 cups white sesame seeds

•   2 cups rye flour

•   And now for the bread:

•   3 cups of (above) 9-grain mix

•   4 cups whole wheat flour (I use white wheat)

•   4 cups unbleached flour

•   2 tablespoons yeast

•   5 cups warm water

•   ⅓ cup olive oil

•   ⅓ cup molasses or raw honey

•   1 Tablespoon salt

Instructions

1  First, mix together well the nine grains listed. You'll store whatever you don't use today in your freezer. Yes, you will. Now don't argue. You don't want those seeds to go rancid, do you? You don't want me to smack you, do you? ;)

2  Then, mix 3 cups of 9-grain mix and 4 cups whole wheat flour, yeast, and water, and mix for 1 minute, in a mixer bowl equipped with a kneading arm.

3  Turn off mixer, cover bowl, and let dough sponge for 10 minutes.

4  Add oil, honey and salt. Mix well.

5  Add unbleached flour 1 cup at a time, while your mixer is running, until dough cleans the side of the bowl.

6  Knead 5 minutes with mixer. Or, knead by hand if you prefer. Get yourself a cup of coffee, say, or read the front page of the paper while your mixer does the work.

7  Lightly oil hands. Shape into 4 large loaves, and put into greased loaf pans, sprinkled with your 9-grain mix.

8  Let rise until double, about 30 to 40 minutes.

9  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

10           Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until golden brown and firm on the sides and bottom.

11           Remove from pans and cool on racks.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

A butternut squash soup is cooked slowly in the slow cooker, with cream cheese added at the end for a creamy finish.

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup chopped onion

1 (2-lb.) butternut squash, peeled and cubed

2 cups water

½ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 chicken-flavor bullion cubes

1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, cubed

Instructions

Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the onion and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally.

In a 3½ – 4-quart slow cooker, combine the onion and all remaining ingredients except the cream cheese.

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

About 40 minutes before serving, place about ⅓ of the mixture at a time in a food processor or blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Return the mixture to the slow cooker.

Add the cubed cream cheese and stir. Cover and cook on low an additional 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

Country Seed Bread

Six times the Recipe of Country Seed Bread

Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 min.

12 cups (approx)     all-purpose flour 

6 cups                      whole wheat flour 

1 1/2 cups                flax seeds 

3/4 cup                     sesame seeds

6 Tbsp.                     poppy seeds

4 Tbsp.                     quick-rising instant dry yeast 

9 1/2 cups                 water 

3/4 cup                      liquid honey (sugar)

3/4 cup                      vegetable oil (marg.)

3 Tblsp.                     salt 

This goes along with Arta's blog post on Country Seed Bread

Go to her blog if you need the directions.

It is 6 times the recipe with the added water that she suggests putting in.

I spray the top of the bread with water instead of brushing it on.

I can only bake 3 loaves at a time so I let it all rise once and then just take half of it to make 3 loaves.  The other half I leave in the big bowl it was rising in to leaf the 3 loaves do its rising. Put it into the oven and then about 5 min. later f form your last 3 loaves into their pans to let rise.

*Grease your bread pans with shortening or lard.
This will help the bread to come out nice and clean from the pans.

Spaghetti with Basil Pesto, Cherry Tomatoes, & Ricotta

Spaghetti with Basil Pesto, Cherry Tomatoes, & Ricotta

Serves 4

PESTO   (this is my all time favorite Pesto recipe!!!!)

3 Tblsp.          Pine Nuts

2 packed c.     Basil Leaves

Salt                  to taste

1 clove            Garlic (finely chopped)

1/3 c.              Olive Oil

1/3 c.              Parmesan Cheese (grated)

1.         Set oven to 350 degrees F. Have a small baking dish and a large pasta serving bowl on hand.

2.         Spread pine nuts in baking dish and toast for 7-8 min., turning often until pale golden brown.

3.         Bring soup pot of water to boil. (You will also cook the pasta in it afterwards, so save the water)  Put some ice water in the sink and have a slotted spoon on hand.

4.         Put the cleaned basil leaves into the boiling water, pushing them down to submerge them and leave only for 3-4 seconds.  Quickly transfer them to the ice water.  Squeeze out the excess water from the basil leaves.  Leave the water on low heat to cook your pasta in.  Salt the water for the pasta.

5.         In a blender or food processor, pulse the nuts until they are finely ground.

            Add the basil, garlic, oil, parmesan, and a pinch of salt.  Blend until the mixture is coarsely pureed, stopping the motor often to push the mixture down around the blade.  Taste for seasonings and add more salt if you like.  Scrape the pesto into the serving bowl.

***** 1/2 of this recipe made enough for one meal for David and I - put the other half of the Pesto into a small container and freeze for your next meal.  

            So I always have a hard time knowing how much pasta will feed the 2 of us.  Now I know that 1/2 lb. of dried spaghetti will do 1 meal for 2 adults.

PASTA

1 lb.     Spaghetti

1 pint  cherry tomatoes, halved

            Salt & Pepper (to taste)

1 c.      whole milk ricotta  ( I used Feta)

1.         Return the pot of water to a boil and put in Spaghetti.  Stir to separate the stands. Cook 8 min. stirring once or twice.  The pasta will continue cooking a little after it is drained.  Remove ½ c. of the cooking water.

2.         In a colander, drain the spaghetti.

3.         Stir 1 to 2 Tblsp. of the pasta water into the pesto to loosen it to the consistency of heavy cream.  Add the pasta and toss to coat.  Add half the tomatoes, salt and pepper, and toss again.  Taste for seasonings and add more salt if you like.  Distribute the remaining tomatoes and the ricotta on top.

4.         I poured a small amount of whipping cream into my spaghetti and that make it more like a creamy pesto sauce.  Try it both ways!