VEGETARIAN STUFFED ZUCCHINI

As July rolls around, I get bombard-ed with zucchini and summer squash. There are many tasty squash recipes I like to experiment with. I'd like to share one of my favorites with you. I promise you and your guests will savor every bite of this summer side dish.
Try stuffing both zucchini and yellow squash for a tasty and colorful presentation. I would recommend using zucchinis between 4 and 6 inches in length, because they are more tender when small.

6 to 8 zucchini
3 large garlic cloves minced
6 washed and finely chopped bella mushrooms
1 finely chopped roma tomato
1 Tbsp fresh chopped basil
1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1 Tbsp thyme
1 1/2 tsp dill weed
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated asiago cheese
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil for drizzling

Preheat oven to 425. Wash and cut the zucchini in half, lengthwise. Carefully, scrape out the middle of each half with either a grapefruit spoon, or cut middle out with a knife. Set the hollow zucchini aside and chop the middle up into small pieces, then transfer to a large bowl. Add all the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix well with a large spoon. After mixing everything together, stuff each half with the mixture, then place the already stuffed half in a lightly greased baking dish. When all the zucchini is stuffed, drizzle a little bit of olive oil on each half and if desired you can sprinkle lightly with more salt and pepper. Cover the baking dish and place it in the oven for 25 minutes. When the 25 minutes are up, remove the cover and continue to bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes uncovered before serving. This fresh summer side dish would pair nicely with grilled salmon and your favorite bottle of pinot noir or a chilled white wine.

BEST EVER ZUCCHINI BREAD

Zucchini Squash #1
Originally uploaded by Blooms n' Twigs

Two Years ago my close friend gave me her mom's Zucchini bread recipe. To this day the only recipe I will follow, is the one she was kind enough to share with me. Today I am going to whip up my first few batches of this mouthwatering desert. As my garden gets overloaded with summer squash, I make plenty of bread to freeze for the winter months, so I can continue to enjoy the fruits of my labor, long after my garden is gone.

Ingredients;

3 Tbsp vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups of sugar
1 cup of vegetable oil
2 cups of grated and well drained zucchini
3 cups of flour
1 tsp of baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup of chopped nuts
1 8 oz can of crushed and well drained pineapple
1 cup of raisins (optional)

preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 loaf pans and set aside. Beat eggs until fluffy, then add sugar, vanilla and oil. Blend all these ingredients together. Add zucchini, flour, baking soda, and baking powder, then blend well. Stir in the chopped nuts, pineapples, and raisins. Pour the batter into the greased loaf pans. Bake for one hour. After 40 minutes of baking time, check to see if the middle is cooked with a toothpick. When the toothpick comes out clean the bread is done. Remove the bread from the oven and let them cool in their pans for 15 minutes. When 15 minutes are up, Remove them from the loaf pans and let them cool completely on a rack.

ITALIAN GARDEN MINESTRONE

Zucchini Flowers
Originally uploaded by Jim-AR

Every summer I look forward to making this garden fresh, vitamin packed italian minestrone. My mother use to make this dish on those cooler summer evenings, when her garden was bursting with a variety of vegetables. Fortunately for me, I payed close attention to the details of how she was preparing these absolutely delicious italian meals for our family. Though, she worked very quickly, without using any measuring tools while preparing these dishes, I have added measurements to her recipes, so I can share them with others.

Ingredients;
1/3 cup of olive oil
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
3 chopped zucchini
3 chopped summer squash
1 medium onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, minced
1 peeled and chopped potato
1 cup of green beans, cut
salt and pepper to taste
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
1 Tbsp each of thyme, parsley, and basil
4 cups chopped swiss chard
4 cups chopped escarole
2 cups of cooked navy or pink beans.
8 whole zucchini or squash flowers
2 day old italian or french bread

Place olive oil, garlic, zucchini, summer squash, onion, celery, potato, green beans and salt in a large sauce pan. saute for 15 minutes on medium high heat, stirring often. Add the black pepper, chopped tomatoes, vegetable broth and one tbsp each of thyme, parsley, and basil to the pan. cook on medium heat for 25 minutes covered, stirring occasionally. when the 25 minutes are up add chopped swiss chard, escarole, 2 cups of cooked beans and zucchini flowers to the pan. cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. To serve this dish break up the bread into the individual serving bowls, then pour the minestrone over the bread. If desired grate some asiago, or romano cheese over the top and serve.

RAVIOLI WITH SAUTEED SUMMER VEGETABLES

ravioli
Originally uploaded by A Taste of Sound

This Ravioli recipe is a great alternative for the summer months, when a variety of fresh veggies are available at farm stands or one's own garden. Anyone can turn ravioli into a healthy vegetarian dinner. For those of you who are carnivores, You won't even miss the skipping the meat at this meal.

Ingredients:

1 package frozen cheese ravioli
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon of salt
pepper to taste
1/3 lb fresh green, beans cut in half
1 yellow summer squash , quartered
1 small zucchini, quartered
2/3 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 grated romano cheese
1/2 cup of chopped fresh basil

Cook ravioli by following package instructions. Heat oil over medium high heat. Add green beans, chopped garlic, salt and pepper; cook for about 8 minutes, stirring often. Add zucchini, tomatoes and squash. Stirring frequently, cook for an additional 8 minutes. Add fresh basil, cheese and ravioli, then toss everything together well and serve. this recipe serves 4.

ITALIAN STYLE POTATO SALAD

Potatoes
Originally uploaded by Michelle Middleton Photography

Many of us love potato salad during the summer months, but hate the high fat content in traditional potato salad recipes. There are many creative ways to make this tasty summer favorite healthy. Since my mother came from Italy, she was never a big Mayonnaise user. Instead, she made the Italian version of potato salad, which is not only lower in fat, but healthier as well. If you want to steer clear of saturated fats this season, I'd be glad to share this recipe with you.

1 5 Lb bag of red potatoes, boiled and chopped
1 cup of grape tomatoes, halved
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 medium cucumber, chopped
1/3 cup of fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp fresh chives
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2/3 cup of olive oil(you can substitute light olive oil for regular)
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Fill a large pot with water and add potatoes while still whole. Bring water to a boil. Let the potatoes boil for 30 min or till they become soft enough to pierce with a knife . To save time while waiting for the potatoes to cook slice onions, mince garlic, chop cucumber and halve the grape tomatoes. When the potatoes are done, drain water and place the potatoes under running cold water for a few minutes to stop them from cooking any further. Let the potatoes cool. Peel the skins and chop them into a large bowl with the veggies you prepared earlier. Add the chopped parsley, chives, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, plus salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together and let chill for at least an hour before serving. This salad will serve up to 8 hungry people.