Greetings from Kansas City

After busily visiting the sites in Missouri we arrived at our daughter and son-in-laws apartment to fix dinner. We made Navajo Tacos and Fried Mushrooms. The Navajo Tacos were super easy because we used Rhodes Roll Dough and her deep fryer. Then we battered the mushrooms with tempura batter and fried them until they were golden brown. I tried to imitate the sauce that TGI Friday's used to make for their mushrooms years ago, it turned out pretty good.

Tempura Batter

1 c. ice water

1 egg yolk

3/4 c. flour

1/4 c. cornstarch

Whisk the water and ice with the egg yolk until well blended and a little frothy. Add flour and cornstarch until blended, may be a little lumpy. Chill in refrigerator for an hour. Cover mushrooms and deep fry until golden brown. We also added minced onion, garlic salt, and salt to the tempura and it added a wonderful flavor to the mushrooms. While they were still hot we sprinkled Parmesan Cheese on top.

My Horseradish Sauce

2 T. Horseradish sauce

1 T. mayonnaise

1-2 T. Parmesean Cheese

Mix well.

Fresh Peach Pie (The fresh fruit bounty continues!)

Fresh Peach Pie (not baked)

9 inch baked pie shell, recipe follows
5 c. ripe peaches , peeled and sliced (about 9 medium for pie and 3 for the filling)
1 c. sugar
3 T. cornstarch
1/2 c. water

Bake pie shell. Mash enough peaches to measure 1 cup. Mix sugar and cornstarch in 2 quart saucepan. Stir in water and mashed peaches gradually. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir one minute; cool.

Fill shell with remaining peaches; pour cooked peach mixture over top. Refrigerate until set, at least three hours.
Serve with whipped cream on top.

Fresh Strawberry Pie
Substitute 5 cups sliced peaches for the peaches (about 1 ½ quarts)

Raspberry Glace Pie
Substitute raspberries for the strawberries


Pie Crust

1/3 c. plus 1 T. shortening
1 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
2-3 T .cold water
(Double for two crust)

Fresh from the garden

A couple of years ago I put together my version of "Pico" from the fresh ingredients in our garden. I fell in love with it and couldn't make enough. Peppers come in so many vibrant colors now that it makes it so colorful. It's very difficult to put the garden to bed for the winter because I have to buy ingredients from the local grocery store to make it and it just isn't the same. Nothing beats a fresh homegrown tomato!

Pico/Salsa
4-5 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 red, orange, yellow, or green bell pepper, chopped
(or several colors in smaller amounts of bell pepper)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, yellow or red, chopped finely
½ -1 jalapeno pepper, chopped finely
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
½-1 t. salt

Mix all ingredients and serve with tortilla chips or on salads etc. It is better if it has had time to set and let the flavors blend before serving. Refrigerate remaining salsa.

My Favorite Time of Year

I love this time of year because of the fresh produce especially when it comes from our garden. First off is the Zucchini we love it sliced in rounds and steamed with butter melted over it.
With the large squash that managed to hide under a big leaf I have found that stuffing it similar to Stuffed Peppers is a terrific way to serve it.

Italian Stuffed Zucchini

1 large Zucchini

3-4 c. Marinara Sauce

3 c. meat mixture

1-2 c. prepared rice

1 c. parmesan cheese grated or mozzerella

Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Remove seeds from the center of the squash. Combine the meat mixture, rice, and 2 cups of the marinara sauce and mix well. Place the squash halves side by side in a greased 9 x 13 pan and fill the center of the squash with the meat mixture. Pour the remaining marinara over the meat mixture and the squash. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Place cheese on top of the cooked zucchini and return to oven for 10 minutes.

Stuffed Zucchini with roasted green beans and artisan bread with fresh herb butter.

Roasted Green Beans

1 lb. fresh green beans, with ends snipped off
2 T. olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic. minced
dash red pepper flakes
freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt

In a 9 x 13 jelly roll pan place the olive oil and garlic. Roll the green beans in the oil until well covered. Sprinkle with salt and red pepper flakes. Broil in oven for 10-15 minutes. You can reduce that time by blanching the beans for 3 minutes prior to broiling. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Herbed butter

1 stick of butter, softened to room temperature
1 t. rosemary, chopped finely
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 t. orange juice
1/2 t. finely grated orange peel

Combine all ingredients with the butter. Place on sheet of plastic wrap and roll , watch to see that the plastic wrap doesn't get caught in the butter as you roll it. Refrigerate until firm.

Chicken Zucchini Soup

5 chicken tenders or 2 chicken breasts
3 T. butter
1 large onion, chopped
4-5 zucchini sliced
1 lg. can chicken broth
½ c. whipping cream
¼ c. flour

Fry chicken with small amount of oil. Brown and cook chicken, take chicken out of the pan and set aside. Add butter and chopped onion to pan. Cook until tender. Move zucchini and onions to sauce pan, add the can of chicken broth. Dice chicken and add to pan. In bowl mix flour and whipping cream add to sauce pan., Heat on high until bubbling. Lower heat; simmer until soup thickens.

Spicy Zucchini Nut Bread

1 c. salad oil 3 c. flour
2 c. sugar 2 t. cinnamon
3 eggs 1 t. nutmeg
2 c. shredded zucchini 1 t. baking powder
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional) ½ t. baking soda
1 t. salt

Blend oil and sugar together with electric mixer. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add zucchini. Sift dry ingredients together and beat thoroughly. Add chopped nuts. Bake in 2 medium or 4 small sized, greased, and floured, loaf pans. 1 hr. and 15 mins at 350. (Or 5, 1 lb loafs 1 hour at 325.)