Beet Gnocchi

Yes, you read that right!  As I mentioned in a much earlier post, I planted beets in my garden this Summer.  Well, either the seeds were bad or the animals that forage my back yard were very bad.  No beets, this year.  A few years back they thrived and wouldn't you know it, but I was on one of my diets that prohibited beets.  They have a high sugar content to them evidently!

I still wanted to try my hand at a new flavor of gnocchi.  Open the can of diced beets!  I'll leave you with the link of a previous post and make a few "suggestions" about making beet gnocchi.  Sweet potato or pumpkin are probably my favorite.  The link calls for 1 1/2 cups of sweet potato.  I wasn't sure of the outcome (I didn't want this experiment to go sideways).  I basically halved the recipe.  If after using a small egg the batter is too wet, just add more flour!  Gnocchi creating is very forgiving.

What I got was a nice subtle tasting beet gnocchi!  The appearance, however, I admit, looks like a familiar "pepto bismal" mauve.  If you can get past the color, enjoy!!

Sorry for such a long hiatus.  Glad to be back....this is my favorite place.

My Extended Vacation

I feel as though I've been gone for an eternity.  I'm just now re-entering the human race after a bout of some nasty bronchial /cold ailment.  For the past two weeks I wanted to sleep my life away and only survive on ice cream (that's actually normal for me, though).  Meals consisted of very simple salads/sandwiches, etc.  I did climb out of bed for a pizza on my birthday and wander up to our dear friends home for dinner.

At the onset, hubby and I flew to Santa Fe, New Mexico for some R and R.  Why there?  We've never been there, heard it was a culinary and cultural hot spot (more on this trip later) and we celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary.

So, now I'm "back in the saddle", so to speak, getting back into the kitchen and coming up with different ways to use my zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes that have thrived from all the monsoonal rain we've been receiving.  Love the rain!

This simple zucchini spaghetti was thrown together with garlic, red pepper flakes, olive oil, Parmesan cheese,  pine nuts and parsley.

Zucchini Sticks

This morning I was surprised to find my first zucchini blossoms!  Yes, the stars must be perfectly aligned because, so far, two plants are thriving  and haven't been nibbled on (cross my fingers!).  I picked a few blossoms to scramble with one egg for breakfast.  Last week it was arugula omelets and a few weeks before, spinach on toast.  Assorted lettuce was at its peak waiting to be tossed as a FRESH salad.  So, yes, I get excited when I can go into my garden and pick something to go with each meal of the day. 

Zucchini sticks in the past were deep fried and delicious, don't get me wrong.  But, when you want to eat healthier put away the fryer and bake them.   You can create a crunchy coating by using egg whites and panko bread crumbs.  These are worth a try!

Zucchini Sticks 

2 medium size zucchini, cut into large matchstick shapes

1 egg or equivalent of egg white liquid

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

a sprinkle of garlic powder, paprika and salt

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 lemon (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Put egg white in a bowl.  Place the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, paprika a, salt and cheese into a shallow pie plate.  Dip zucchini into egg, coating both sides and move into the crumb mixture.  Use a cookie sheet which has been sprayed with pan spray.  

Bake for 10 minutes on each side for a total cooking time of 20 minutes.  Squeeze a bit of lemon if you wish.  Serve immediately.  Good with ranch dressing or all by themselves!

How Does My Garden Grow?

Now that my vegetable garden has been planted it's time to sit back and watch it grow.  I wish it was that easy.  Usually, this is a full time job, watering, weeding, critter watching, double fencing  (booby trapping) almost every thing, but in a month or less I'll be feasting on recipes containing the following:

5 assorted squash, zucchini, etc.
2 butternut squash for the Fall.
4 tomato plants
Thai basil and Thai peppers
Lemon balm for seasoning and tea
Italian parsley
scallions (not having much luck with these)
arugula for salad and pizza
spinach (the first batch has finished, more to come in the Fall)
radishes (showing signs of rabbit interest)
mint, great for tea, ice cream, pasta salads and marinades
oregano  This comes back every year but I don't use much.
hops vines  A great ornamental fence covering vine.  Does anyone need it to make beer?
lavender   One of my favorites for just about anything
blackberries  This will need to be covered with netting...birds love these!
beets Newly planted.  I'll be making beet gnocchi soon!
Japanese eggplant  Trimmed by an eager rabbit...now double fenced.
cauliflower  A first for me.  One looks very promising if not found soon by Peter rabbit or Sam the squirrel!
chives  An old dependable for marinades and topping baked potatoes
Swiss chard  I don't think this will make it.
Lemon cucumber  These are especially good.
Lettuce  Last but not least an assortment of lettuce for salads....soooo fresh!

So, now you have it.  All I need are a few goats, chickens and a little man to take care of it all!

Look closely on both.  Rabbit birthing center in my main lavender bush. (above)
Unlucky rabbit trapped in tomato cage. (below)  Gardening is such a hoot!

The great thing about growing your own food is that you don't get the pesticides, etc.  I'll do this until I can no longer bend over!!

Honey Soy Marinated and Grilled Flank Steak

As the heat rises, I don't know about you but the oven mitt comes off and we fire up the grill!  I like to spend more time outside with my garden instead of being cooped up in the kitchen.  I've never been a beefaholic, so a well marinated thinly sliced piece of meat is a great alternative to a hunk of steak.  And, if you're lucky enough to have leftovers, it makes for a great sandwich the next day.

I can't justify buying a marinade already bottled from the store when it's just as easy to mix up your own.  You can purchase a decent sized flank steak for less than $10.00, which would be a quarter of what you might spend for 4 steaks.  

Grilled Flank Steak

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and place the meat into a gallon plastic bag.  Pour the marinade into the bag and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.  Lay it out flat in the frig so the meat sucks up all the juice!

3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp honey

1/4 cup seasoned (or plain) rice wine vinegar

2 cloves of garlic, minced

for added flavor you can add some herbs like chopped parsley, cilantro or rosemary (optional)

Next, grill it until done and let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing as thin as you can.  Delicious!