Zucchini Appetizer

Yummy Appetizer!

A friend of mine had a luau party last weekend and I wanted to bring something everyone would like, but was also easy to make. As luck would have it, a recipe sort of fell into my lap a few days before the luau. I got it from a wonderful farm and country store in Hope, RI, called Confreda Greenhouses and Farms. They grow their own fresh produce and sell it all in their country store front. I got "just picked" corn and zucchini. Yum!

The recipe is simple and very delicious. I adapted it a bit. It is sort of like a quiche, only no crust to worry about and a whole lot tastier.

Zucchini Bites

3 cups thinly sliced zucchini (about 4 small or 1 1/2- 2 medium)
1 cup Biscuit baking mix
1/2 cup chopped vidalia onion
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
3 tbls. fresh Italian parsley, minced
1/4 cup fresh Italian basil, minced
1 tsp. fresh oregano, minced or 1/2 tsp. dried
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
4 eggs beaten
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom of a 9 x 13 x 2 pan with cooking spray.

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Spread mixture evenly in pan. Bake for around 22-25 minutes. Turn on broiler and brown the top for about 2 minutes until golden. Cut into
2 x 1 inch pieces. Makes about 4 dozen.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Great For Lunch or A Light Dinner

I love portobello mushrooms. They are almost like eating steak, and when they are stuffed, it's just heaven. I looked around online for recipes and sort of picked a little from here and there and came up with this fabulous, delicious, rich but not too fattening recipe.
These mushrooms could also be quartered and served as an appetizer.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

4 portobello mushrooms
Nonstick cooking spray
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 large shallot or 2 small, minced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup carrot, minced
1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt, strained*
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespon butter or margarine
1/3 cup bread crumbs, fresh if possible
1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese (2 ounces)
4 strips crisp cooked bacon, crumbled**

Directions
1. Clean mushrooms. Remove and discard stems, using a teaspoon, remove the black, fibrous underside of the mushroom caps and discard. Place mushrooms, cap side down, on a baking pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray.

2. In a medium saucepan cook the shallot, carrot, and garlic in butter over medium low until tender. Stir in bread crumbs, yogurt, mayo, cheese, and bacon. Spoon crumb mixture into mushroom caps.

3. Bake until mushrooms are tender and filling is hot, about 12 to 15 minutes.

*Strain yogurt by placing in a colander lined with paper towels for about 30 minutes. **For an easy way to cook the bacon, line a baking sheet with foil and place the bacon evenly on top. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Place bacon strips on paper towel lined plate to dry and absorb excess grease.

A Different Kind of Garlic Bread

Toasted Bread-How could you go wrong?
Besides from burning the bread that is.

I came very close to ruining this recipe by doing just that. Instead of grilling the bread, which is what the recipe says, I toasted mine in the oven on a baking sheet. That was fine, but the bread wasn't getting brown, so I put it under the broiler and set the timer for 3 minutes. Bad move. Just before the timer went off I started to smell something burning and pulled them out in the nick of time. Whew! That was close.

Anyway, the bruschetta turned out great. Contrary to some of the reviews on the recipe, I thought it could use a little more lemon flavor. If I make it again, I would probably add a little lemon zest with the parsley. But use your own judgment!

Lemon Parsley Bruschetta
by Giada DiLaurentiis

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I used half a lemon)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 (3 1/2 by 1/2-inch-thick) slices rustic white bread, halved (I used a baguette)
1 large garlic clove
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Whisk the olive oil and lemon juice in a small bowl to blend. Season with salt. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the bread until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. (I toasted the bread in a 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes and then browned the top under the broiler for about 2 1/2 minutes, be careful!)

Rub the cut sides of the toasts with the garlic. Generously brush the lemon mixture over the bread. Sprinkle with the parsley. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

From Appetizer to Delicious Meal..

Chicken Marsala over Polenta

I wasn't too sure about this dish when I was making it, but OH MY- was it good. I altered a recipe from my favorite TV chef Giada DiLaurentiis. It was for an appetizer called Polenta Squares with Mushroom Ragu.

The inspiration for this dish came from the fact that I had some leftover rotisserie chicken (big surprise, huh?), some fresh mushrooms and a box of quick cooking polenta in my cabinet that I've been thinking about trying. So it all came together and quite well.

Since I wanted to make a dinner and not an appetizer, I added the chicken and I just cut the polenta squares larger.

Polenta Squares with Chicken Marsala Ragu

2 cups boiling water
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 cup quick-cooking polenta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 rotisserie chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup dry Marsala
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Bring the water, 1 tablespoon butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir constantly until the polenta thickens, about 5 minutes. Pour the polenta into a greased 9 by 9-inch baking pan, spreading so that it is 1/3-inch thick. Cover and let stand at room temperature until set, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and onion. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and saute until the juices evaporate, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until the mushrooms are golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Add the Marsala. Cover and simmer until the Marsala has reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Add in the chicken broth and chicken pieces.

Stir the flour and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl to form a paste, then stir the paste into the chicken & mushroom mixture. Cover and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir the parsley into the ragu. Season the ragu, to taste, with more salt and pepper.

Cut the polenta into 6-8 squares. Arrange the polenta squares on a platter. Spoon the warm ragu atop the polenta and serve immediately.