Summer Squash and Corn Chowder

I wanted to do something different with the last batch of summer corn that we had a couple of weeks ago and I remembered this chowder recipe from Cooking Light Magazine. I decided to give it a try, even thought I don't really like creamy based soups or chowders- I prefer broth based soups/stews. But, I'm always up for giving things, especially foods, another chance.

I really felt like potatoes might have been a better building block for this chowder, rather than summer squash, because there really wasn't anything to give this chowder a hearty bite. Chowder seems like it should have a hearty component. (Maybe I am wrong?)
We ate this, but it definitely wasn't a favorite. I share it simply because I know that not everyone has the same taste buds as we do, so maybe somebody out there will give it a try and love it. It has lots of really good reviews, so there are lots of people out there who liked it more than we did.

Here is the recipe for Summer Squash and Corn Chowder
* I used cubed pancetta instead of bacon, but I think this was a mistake- I think it changed the way the flavors would have melded together

Thai Summer Slaw

This Thai Summer Slaw from Cooking Light is summer perfection. It combines napa cabbage, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumber, bell peppers, carrots, radishes, jalapeno, and green onions in a light, slightly spicy dressing. It is crunchy, flavorful and completely delicious.

I was planning on making this for a potluck dinner that we were going to attend, but I forgot to buy a lime. I debated going ahead and making it with lemon juice instead, but I decided to wait, buy the lime and follow the recipe. I'm glad I waited! I don't think lemon would have given the dressing the right flavor.

The day I was planning on making this for dinner, I prepped all the veggies (the photo above) and the dressing and kept them in the fridge until I was ready to serve it. Cutting all the veggies took a little bit of time, but getting that out of the way earlier in the day really made this a fast and easy dish to serve. I grilled some tuna steaks to serve along with it and it was a really great dinner.

Here is the recipe for Thai Summer Slaw
* I only added a 3/4 tsp of sugar to the dressing

Italian Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables

I found it!! I finally found it- Farro that is. I have been looking for it for quite a few months and couldn't find it anywhere. I have seen quite a few recipes that use it and even made one that was supposed to contain it. But, then a couple of weeks ago, I saw it in the bulk bins at EarthFare and bought a bag full.

I would say that the texture is similar to wheat berries or barley, but the flavor is a little bit different. I had tons of veggies from my garden and found this great recipe that combined farro and roasted veggies. It is a recipe from Jamie Oliver and it was wonderful. I was able to use zucchini, summer squash, and bell peppers from my garden and there was also fennel thrown into the mix. Roasted fennel is so delicious.

I made this when my sibling were visiting me and we continued to eat it throughout the week. The leftovers are great.

Here is the recipe for Italian Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables

Sounds like Summer- Summer Lemon-Vegetable Risotto

This time around for the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club, it was my turn to choose the theme. Since we are smack dab in the middle of summer here in Georgia, I decided on Sounds like Summer. The first thing that I really wanted to make was the Shrimp Cobb Salad that was featured on the cover of the June issue of CL. That was the plan until I saw this recipe in the July issue of Cooking Light. I have a love of risotto that is on-going. There just isn't any possible chance that I could pass up one that is chock full of vegetables. Summer veggies? Even better.

This risotto recipe turned out fabulously. I was going to fix the asparagus and sugar snap peas in a different way, but decided to stick to the recipe. I put my asparagus/sugar snap peas in a ice bath after they were done blanching, so they wouldn't lose their bright green color or crispness.

I just wanted to mention also that you really don't have to continuously stir risotto. Here are some of the things I did inbetween stirs- made a fresh corn & tomato salad, thawed shrimp in the sink, made peanut butter frosting, blanched some of the veggies, sauteed the zucchini & summer squash, put together whoopie pies, roasted shrimp, photographed all of the above mentioned food. And, my risotto turned out perfectly creamy and delicious. I also don't warm my broth and it still works perfectly. This risotto had nice hints of lemon and all the veggies made it fabulous.

Let's take a look a how the menu turned out this month. I brought the

Summer Lemon-Vegetable Risotto,

Val -Poached Salmon with Creamy Herb Sauce,

Roz - Chocolate-Amaretti Peaches,

Sandi - Peach Ice Cream,

Jamie - Summer Peach and Tomato Salad,

Jerry - grilled pizza with prosciutto, arugula, and lemon

Once again, I wish that this was not just a virtual supper club- I would really enjoying trying everything on the menu!

Here is the recipe for Summer Lemon-Vegetable Risotto from Cooking Light
* I used low sodium chicken broth instead of the wine & vegetable broth
* I didn't warm my broth- it was added at room temperature

Roasted Eggplant, Zucchini, and Chickpea Wraps

This was an exciting dinner because I was able to use the first 2 eggplants that I harvested from my garden. My dad planted a Ichiban eggplant plant for me and I was a little worried about it producing any eggplant because the bugs were really enjoying eating the leaves. I was so excited when I saw a few eggplants growing and I was able to pick them after a few days.

The roasted veggies in this wrap are something that I could eat at every meal. Simply roasted, with fresh herbs- nothing compares to roasted vegetables in my opinion. The fresh mozzarella was really delicious (although you can't really see it on my wraps- it is there, beneath all the yummy veggies).

I made double the amount of the roasted veggies because I really enjoy having them with eggs for breakfast or to top a salad for lunch.

Here is the recipe for Roasted Eggplant, Zucchini, and Chickpea Wraps
* I used zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, and green peppers
* I used less oil than called for

Oatmeal Summer Squash Muffins

I was wondering the other day why you never really hear about or see recipes for summer squash muffins or summer squash cake. There are a million recipes for zucchini cake, with chocolate and all sorts of spices, but not so many with summer squash. Summer squash and zucchini are sort of the same thing, so I am thinking that either one would work in most any recipe. But, I don't know, maybe there is something special about zucchini.

I finally found a summer squash muffin recipe and tried it out. It is a really interesting one because these muffins aren't really that sweet. I really liked that about them, but they still have a interesting hint of spices/vanilla. I enjoy breakfast muffins that don't taste like they should be dessert and these definitely fall into that category. They were almost savory, but not quite. Really intriguing. I froze some of them because my sister and brother and coming to town for a visit and my brother is a muffin lover. So- we will soon see how they do from the freezer!

Oatmeal Summer Squash Muffins as seen on Modern Beet
adapted from Simply in Season
makes 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups white wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 Tbls baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

1 egg
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
2 cups grated summer squash

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine flour, oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in a medium-large bowl.

In a medium bowl, combine egg,buttermilk, oil, and honey. Mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Gently fold in squash.

Fill lined or well-greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Pasta with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Creamy Lemon-Yogurt Sauce

I have to apologize for the fact that my blog has been taken over by zucchini and summer squash, but when you pick at least 5-6 a day out of your garden, you kind of have to eat them fast and in everything. I have been using a small zucchini in my breakfast everyday, sauteed/ on the side of my eggs, but I still have to incorporate them into our dinners.

When I saw this recipe over at Ezra Pound Cake, I knew it would be a great one for a summer night. Light and quick. Lots of veggies. bright flavors. This dish has it all. I wasn't sure if my kids would enjoy the yogurt/lemon sauce since it was tart and well, quite lemon-y, but they gobbled this one down. And, I used grapes tomatoes from the garden. Nothing tastes as good as a home grown tomato. Nothing at all.

Here is the recipe for Pasta with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Creamy Lemon-Yogurt Sauce
* I didn't cook my tomatoes, I just tossed them in when everything was mixed together

Grilled Zucchini with Buttermilk-Basil Dressing

Here is another zucchini/summer squash recipe that caught my eye when I was flipping through a magazine. The preparation takes minutes and it is really fun when you can go and pick the ingredients that you need for dinner from your own garden and then turn them into something this delicious.

I was pleasantly surprised by my childrens reaction to this dish. They all loved it, which is really saying something since my son doesn't like zucchini or summer squash unless they are cooked just right. The grill really made these zucchini/squash slices taste yummy but still left enough of a bite that they were not soggy at all.

I will definitely be repeating this simple side dish!



Grilled Zucchini with Buttermilk-Basil Dressing adapted from Everyday Food Magazine

1. Heat a grill or grill pan over high. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. (I sprayed my indoor grill with cooking spray).

In a small measuring cup, combine 5 Tablespoons each buttermilk (I used low-fat) and extra-virgin olive oil with 2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar. (I used red wine vinegar).

In a food processor combine 1 garlic clove, 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, and 1/3 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese. Process until basil is finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper.
With machine running, add buttermilk mixture in a slow, steady stream and process until smooth.

2. Cut 4 medium zucchini or yellow squash into 1/4-inch slices.
Place on hot grill. Coat with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Grill zucchini, until lightly charred and tender, 4 to 6 minutes, flipping once. Transfer to a serving plate and drizzle with dressing.

Shaved Summer Squash Salad with Crisp Pancetta

I've got summer squash (otherwise known as yellow squash and/or crookneck squash) and zucchini coming out of my ears! Last week alone we picked over 20 zucchini/summer squash from our plants. It's really fun to go out in the morning and see how many there are waiting to be picked and once in awhile to find one that somehow stayed out of sight until it was huge!

Anyway, the whole point is, I have a ton of these green and yellow guys and have been trying lots of different recipes to use them.

This has got to be one of the most delicious ways that I have had summer squash. This salad takes moments to fix and it is amazingly amazing. It is so simple, yet so good.
The summer squash and zucchini are shaved with a vegetable peeler into thin strips and combined with a simple dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, fresh mint, salt and pepper.
Add a little pancetta- which I used because I like it better than prosciutto, and top it with some feta. Delish and ready in minutes, without slaving away in the kitchen on a hot summer day.
Perfection!!


Here is the recipe for Shaved Summer Squash Salad with Prosciutto Crisps
* I used cubed pancetta instead of prosciutto
* I used feta cheese

Roasted Veggie Pizza

I saw a recipe for Grilled Veggie Pizza in Cooking Light and really thought it looked delicious. I decided to roast some veggies and make my own version of the pizza.

I roasted 2 huge half-sheets of veggies w/ olive oil, salt & pepper in the oven for 10-15 minutes @ 425 degrees F- which gave me enough leftover veggies for a quinoa/veggie dish and quesadillas later in the week.
The veggies I roasted were:
1 lb asparagus- cut in 2-inch pieces
1 eggplant-chopped
1 red pepper-chopped
1 green pepper-chopped
2 yellow/summer squash-chopped
2 zucchini-chopped

I used a whole wheat pizza dough from my local grocery store to make the crust.
I used my basic pizza sauce


The original recipe- Veggie Grilled Pizza
*I used fontina cheese and the fresh thyme/mint herb combination, like the recipe suggested but chopped my herbs before sprinkling them on top.

I really liked this healthy version of pizza and roasting that many vegetables at a time was great, because I had enough extra to last for a couple other meals during the week.

What is your favorite way to top your pizza?

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

I love browsing through cookbooks. A few weeks ago we were at a book store and I was thumbing through one of Giada's cookbooks, I don't remember which one, but I saw this recipe for pasta with roasted veggies.

I love roasted veggies. It is the best way to eat any vegetable, in my opinion.
My parents and brother were still here when I made this pasta dish and it was really good.

I made a couple of changes to the recipe, but they were small ones. I subbed in asparagus for the mushrooms, mostly because asparagus was really cheap and my family loves it and because mushrooms aren't my favorite.
I also used whole wheat pasta because I always do and my family likes it.
I didn't use smoked mozzarella because it was too expensive for me to buy, but I am sure that adds something special to the flavor of this dish. I just used mozzarella.

The leftovers were fabulous. My brother and I were fighting over them to the very last bite.



Recipe for Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables
* I used 1 lb of asparagus instead of the mushrooms
*I used regular mozzarella instead of smoked
*I used whole wheat penne

Warm Seven-Layer Salad

I saw this recipe in Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine. Every month there is a feature in that magazine, I think it is called Kid Zone, and it showcases a recipe that is easy enough for kids to make with a little bit of help.
I thought this Warm Seven-Layer Salad looked really good and loved how there were different veggies/ingredients than the usual ones that you would see in a salad like this. I also liked the fact that it was served warm, so it would make a great dinner.

Now, this recipe starts out with cooking bacon and then cooking the green beans and summer squash in the bacon fat. Sorry- ya'll, I just couldn't do it. I don't like cooking real bacon and I certainly am not going to cook vegetables in bacon fat. I don't have anything against people or recipes that use this method, I just wasn't excited about that at all. I don't like bacon.
I decided to buy the precooked bacon that you just warm in the microwave and crumbled that for the top.
I just sauteed my green beans and summer squash with a little water, cooking spray, salt and pepper. It worked out fine. I also warmed my beans with these veggies.

You layer the cooked green beans, summer squash, tomatoes, white beans, romaine lettuce, and sprinke some shredded cheese (I used a combination of cheddar and mozzarella) on top of those layers. Then you top that with a dollop of plain yogurt and sprinkle some crumbled bacon pieces on the very top, to finish the whole thing off.

I made mine into minis, so that everyone had their own serving and we all really liked this combination of veggies turned salad.

The fact that the green beans, summer squash, and white beans were warm added a nice contrast to the crisp, coolness of the romaine lettuce and tomatoes, which was again contrasted by the yogurt and bacon. Lots of flavors that really complimented each other. This was good!
And the kids enjoyed layering their own servings into the mini trifle dishes.
I will make this again. It would be great for a potluck or get-together.


Recipe for Warm Seven-Layer Salad

One Year Ago-Lavash Crackers and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Summer Squash, Carrots, Cauliflower, Broccoli, and Mushrooms in Light Green Curry

Time to announce the winners of the giveaway. I used my own personal random number generator- my 7-yr old son. I told him to pick 2 numbers between 1 and 77 and he chose-56 and 39.
So the winners are: # 39-Cat who said "What fabulous books! I would love to win the LunchBoxes and Snacks one, but mmmm.... cupcakes! :)"
and #56-Would love to win!!!
stutzman.cara@yahoo.com
Update: Cat- if you see this please email me, so I can send you your cookbook! my email address is on the right hand corner of my blog. Thanks!

I will be emailing both of you asap and getting your cookbooks out in the mail.
Thanks to everyone that entered!

Now, onto today's delicious food.
This is another recipe from a great cookbook called- The Vegetable Dishes I can't Live Without by Mollie Katzen.
I have posted about the Artichoke Heart and Spinach Gratin , the Eggplant, Green Bean, Pumpkin&Basil in Tomato- Coconut Curry and the Spaghetti Squash Pancakes with Tomato Basil Jam.

I have been wanting to try this recipe- Summer Squash, Carrots, Cauliflower, Broccoli and Mushrooms in Light Green Curry- for a long time. I served this with the Chicken Sate with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce we had a couple of weeks ago because I thought the 2 dishes together would make a great meal.

This one sounds long and complicated, but it isn't. It just has lots of veggies and it really delicious.
I think that green curry is pretty mild and my kids handle it well. I served this over rice. My kids and hubby weren't crazy about this one, but I was. They ate it without complaining, but I didn't really get any great compliments. But, it is full of veggies, so I wouldn't really expect someone who craves McDonalds (hubs) to get too excited. The fun thing is that I am in charge of the cooking, so I make it and everyone eats it.

If you like green curry or curries made with coconut milk, I think you will find that this is a delicious one. Enjoy!


Summer Squash, Carrots, Cauliflower, Broccoli, and Mushrooms in Light Green Curry
by Mollie Katzen adapted from The Vegetable Dishes I can't Live Without

2 tsp green curry paste
1 14-oz can light coconut milk- abt 1 3/4 cups
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (you can use chicken broth too)
2 tsp grated lemon zest
2-3 Tbls Thai fish sauce or soy sauce
1 small yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch thick half-rounds
1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch thick half-rounds
2 cups small cauliflower florets
2 cups small broccoli florets
1 medium carrot, in 1/4-inch diagonal slices (I used baby carrots)
1/2 pd small mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup toasted cashews

1- Combine the curry paste, coconut milk and broth in a medium-large saucepan and whisk until smooth.
2- Add the lemon zest. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
3- Stir in the fish sauce or soy sauce. Add the squash, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, and mushrooms, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender. Add the cilantro at the very last minute, then serve hot- plain in a bowl, or over rice, topped with cashews if desired.

One Year Ago-Chocolate Chip Cookies 2 ways- Oatmeal Date and Dorie's fave

Simple Side Dish- Summer Squash and Spinach Saute

I really wasn't trying to use as many S's as possible on the title of this post. It just kind of happened.
One of our favorite side dishes is sauteed spinach. I usually prepare it with fresh lemon juice, a little garlic and salt, and some freshly grated Parmesan- like I did HERE or with turkey bacon and mushrooms- Here.
My kids absolutely love it. And I love the fact that they love something so green.

This time I decided to liven it up a little bit and add some summer squash to our spinach.
I sprayed an electric skillet with a little cooking spray and added my squash. Sprinkled on some Italian seasoning and added a couple Tbls of water to keep it from sticking to the bottom.
I sauteed it just enough that it still had a bite to it- no mushy squash for us.
Then I added our spinach and just sauteed it for a minute- just until it was wilted.
Add a bit more Italian seasoning and there you have it- A Super Simple Summer Side Dish.

Summer Squash Stacks with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce

I saw this recipe in Southern Living magazine, and thought it just sounded like a really simple summer dish. I made it on the same day that we had the Garden Sliders, so I ended up roasting a whole bunch of zucchini and summer squash in the oven and pretty much did my own thing as far as this recipe goes.

These stacks were supposed to be taller and probably wider, but I wanted to make them smaller and simpler, so we just had 1 slice of summer squash, 1 slice of mozzarella, and 1 slice of zucchini per stack. Some of them we topped off with a slice of roasted red pepper, just for fun.

The roasted red pepper sauce was really good. We used it as a spread for our sandwiches later and it held up really well.

I love summer. So many fresh vegetables and fruits that can be easily prepared to make delicious meals!



Summer Squash Stacks with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce from Southern Living Magazine

• 1 medium-size yellow squash, cut diagonally into 8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices (about 3/4 lb.)
• 2 medium zucchini, cut diagonally into 16 (1/4-inch-thick) slices (about 1 lb.)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (8.8-oz.) package fresh mozzarella cheese
• 16 basil leaves
• Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce
• Garnish: freshly shaved Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Brush squash and zucchini with oil; place in a single layer in a jelly-roll pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.

2. Cut mozzarella into 8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices. Cut each slice in half. Place half of zucchini on a serving platter. Layer with half each of mozzarella and basil. Top with yellow squash. Layer with remaining mozzarella, basil, and zucchini. Top with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce. Garnish, if desired.

Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce

• 1 (7-oz.) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

1. Process all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed.

Hidden Rainbow Albondigas

I saw this recipe in a recent issue of Cooking Light. This was one of the category finalists for the family dinners section of their recipe contest. I have seen other recipes for Albondigas and thought that they sounded really interesting, but I really loved the amount of vegetables that were in this particular recipe. I changed a couple of things like using fresh bell peppers instead of frozen and using only chicken broth, instead of some chicken and some beef. I also just used a regular onion instead of a sweet onion becauce that is what I had on hand.
This dinner did take awhile to put together, but it got alot of raves and made such a large amount that we had 2 meals worth of leftovers. My kids loved the meatballs and even the other adults thought the soup had great flavor and wanted to eat it warmed up later.
We really liked this and I can see why it was one of the finalists in the contest.

Hidden Rainbow Albondigas adapted from Cooking Light
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 bell peppers, diced (I used red and orange)
3/4 cup diced carrot
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
3 (32-ounce) cartons fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups shredded yellow squash
1 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice, divided
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 large egg
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pepper stir-fry to pan; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrot; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, chiles, and broths; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until carrot is tender.
2. Place one-third of broth mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining broth mixture. Return to pan.
3. Combine chicken, pork, squash, cilantro, 1/4 cup rice, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and egg in a food processor; process 30 seconds or until blended. Bring broth mixture to a boil. Drop meat mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls (about 45 meatballs) into broth mixture. Add remaining 1/2 cup rice to pan; reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes or until meatballs are done. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir in juice.

Up Next- Salad with Pomegranate-Lime Dressing

Omelet Wraps with Stir-Fried Veggies and Pork

I love stir fry, so when I saw all the leftover veggies in my fridge, I thought that is what I would do. There were a couple of uncooked pork chops as well. But, I was a little tired of the same old veggies and rice, so I decided to turn it into a quick wrap. I scrambled some eggs with baby spinach and layered that on the bottom of the tortilla, then stir fried some veggies and pork, and layered that on top of the egg mixture. My usually very picky 6 year old loved it and I rejoiced!

So, here it is, folks, the dinner my son ate without bribery.



Omelet Wraps with Stir-Fried Veggies and Pork by Mary Ann
1 1/2 cups pork, cut into bite size pieces (you could use any meat or tofu)
2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbls dried onion flakes
5-6 Tbls soy sauce, divided
2 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
1 summer/yellow squash, cut into 4ths lengthwise and chopped
1 cup matchstick carrots, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 Tbls freshly grated gingerroot, or less to taste
6 large eggs
2 egg whites
3 oz (1/2 of a 6 oz bag) baby spinach
6 8-inch flour tortillas


Heat 1 Tbls canola oil in an electric skillet. Add pork, garlic, onion flakes, and 2 Tbls soy sauce. Saute until meat in cooked on all sides, 2-3 minutes. Remove meat and place in a small bowl. Add 1 Tbls canola oil to skillet and add cabbage, yellow squash, carrots, green onions, remaining soy sauce, and fresh ginger. Cover with lid and cook until veggies are tender, 5-8 minutes. Add meat back to skillet and saute for a few minutes. Turn off the heat and cover while you scramble the eggs.

Combine eggs and egg whites in a bowl, and lightly whisk. Spray another skillet with cooking spray and heat over low. Add egg mixture, salt, and pepper, to taste, and baby spinach. Scramble until eggs are cooked and spinach is wilted.

To serve, place a tortilla on a plate, spoon scrambled eggs down the center. Top with veggie mixture. Roll up and enjoy!

Use Your Noodle Salad

This was a really tasty salad that had better flavor the next day, so if I were to make it again, I would make it ahead and let it sit overnight in the fridge. It had lots of veggies and was quite good.
Use Your Noodle Salad adapted from Family Fun Magazine
1/2 pound whole wheat vermicelli or thin spaghetti, broken in half
1 1/2 cups snow peas, snapped in half
1 small yellow summer squash, cut into thin bite-size strips
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup shredded bok choy or savoy cabbage
Orange sections to garnish
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
CITRUS-SESAME DRESSING:
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
4 teaspoons white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Step 1 Cook the pasta according to the package directions and drain it. Immediately rinse the pasta under cold running water and drain it again.

Step 2 In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, snow peas, summer squash, carrots, and bok choy.

Step 3 To make the dressing, combine the orange juice, honey, vinegar, sesame oil, and salt in a small bowl and vigorously whisk the mixture. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking all the while.

Step 4 Pour enough dressing over the pasta and vegetables to coat them lightly, then toss them again. Just before serving, top the salad with orange sections and a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.

Summer Squash Casserole

One thing I loved about living in the South is the amazing way that anything and everything could be turned into a casserole. I mean one time at Thanksgiving, we had pineapple casserole! I love it, the south I mean, the pineapple casserole was alright.
So, when I got my Southern Living and saw this yummy casserole I had to make it. I used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, because it tastes the same and has less fat. This was really good!
Summer Squash Casserole adapted from Southern Living Magazine
1 1/2 pounds yellow squash
1 pound zucchini

1 small sweet onion, chopped

2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

1 cup grated carrots

1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of chicken soup

1 (8-oz.) container plain Greek style yogurt

1 (8-oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1 (8-oz.) package herb-seasoned stuffing

1/2 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut squash and zucchini into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place in a Dutch oven. Add chopped onion, 2 tsp. salt, and water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook 5 minutes; drain well.
2. Stir together 1 cup grated carrots, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt in a large bowl; fold in squash mixture. Stir together stuffing and 1/2 cup melted butter, and spoon half of stuffing mixture in bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Spoon squash mixture over stuffing mixture, and top with remaining stuffing mixture.
3. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown, shielding with aluminum foil after 20 to 25 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Kid-Friendly Kebabs

We celebrated K day with these really easy Kebabs. I cooked the meat ahead of time in a slow cooker and then cut up the veggies and broiled them. I seasoned the veggies with olive oil, salt, pepper, and grill seasoning ( I left the grill seasoning off the veggies the kids used to make their kebabs). We just added the meat at the table and I let the kids make their own kebabs. It was fun and a great summer meal!

Kebabs

1 summer squash, halved and thinly sliced

1 each, red, yellow and green pepper, cut in squares

8 oz mushrooms, halved

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

Place all cut up veggies in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and grill seasoning. Combine with hands. Put veggies on skewers and put on broiler pan sprayed with cooking spray. Broil for 5-7 minutes, rotating pan if necessary. Add meat after done cooking.

Fajita marinade by sussy jones

Ingredients:

¼ cup vegetable oil ( I used canola oil)

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 pd beef stew meat

1. Mix all ingredients in a slow cooker. Set on low and cook for 6 hours. stir occasionally. Add to kebabs when cooked through.