September1
Now that school has started, I’m back to trying to make Meatless Monday a weekly ritual.
I found a delicious recipe that not only answers that call, but is also easy to make a day or two in advance and even freeze for the future (when School Year Reality hits hard).
Zucchini and Feta Fritters with Roasted Red Pepper Dip are perfect for this time of year because zucchini is so plentiful. Make sure you really WRING OUT the zucchini after shredding it because the fritters will not hold together… major disappointment.
Summer may be over (according to the school-year calendar), but we can still hold on to some of the delicious flavors of the season with these Zucchini and Feta Fritters!
Zucchini and Feta Fritters with Roasted Red Pepper Dip
prep: 1 hour
cook: 20 minutes
makes 8 fritters
for the fritters you’ll need…
3 medium size zucchinis (about 1 lb.)
2 teaspoons salt
½ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 large eggs, beaten
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 cups frying oil (canola, vegetable or peanut)
for the roasted red pepper dip you’ll need…
2 cloves garlic, peeled
½ cup toasted almonds
3 large roasted red peppers, drained
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
let’s get to it…
Chop the garlic and almonds together in a food processor. Add the peppers, vinegar and oil and process until blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from processor, place in a serving bowl, and set aside.
Line a baking sheet with paper towels; set aside. Heat oven to 165°F.
Shred the zucchini in a food processor. Remove zucchini and place in a large colander. Toss zucchini with 1 teaspoon salt and let drain 30 minutes. Place a clean kitchen towel on counter, spoon zucchini onto towel, roll up and wring out; set aside.
Combine flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt and Italian seasoning in a large bowl.
Whisk in beaten eggs, zucchini and ¾ of the feta cheese.
Pour oil (enough to cover the bottom) into a large 12-inch skillet and heat on medium high for 3 to 4 minutes. Using a ¼-cup measuring cup, scoop out fritter mixture and drop into oil; repeat 3 more times until 4 fritters are in the skillet, being careful not to crowd the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, turn and press down gently on fritter. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer or until firm and golden. Remove from oil and place on baking sheet in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining fritter mixture.
Serve immediately or cool completely and then freeze, with a piece of parchment paper between each fritter.
July30
Are you ready for a totally different spin on the backyard grilling experience?
This is it: Well Done Social Grill by Unikia. It’s a charcoal tabletop grill that lets you be your own grillmaster.
If you’ve ever eaten at a Korean barbecue restaurant where the grill is built right into the table, it’s a little like that. Meat and veggies are roasted right in front of you… except now you’re the chef!
I grill all the time, but I have to tell you, it’s so much more fun when everyone gets in on the act. GP used it when he had a few friends over and it was perfect, because each one of them fancies himself an “expert” at grilling. The Social BBQ Grill enables everyone to cook things to their own taste—and have a lot of laughs doing it.
Here’s how it works: you place the streamlined grill on a table and fill up the charcoal basket. When the coals a glowing ashen gray color, let everyone have a go at grilling the food.
It’s not complicated—that’s the beauty of it! And it’s nearly impossible NOT to talk with everyone as you’re grilling! This is interactive cooking at its best.
The Social Grill is made of carbon steel with a high heat resistant powder coating so it is perfectly safe for a wooden table. Unikia doesn’t recommend using it on a plastic table, but if you do, make sure you protect the surface with something heat proof underneath the grill.
The Social Grill is 35”x 8”x 11”, so you know it’s plenty big for 6 people to grill at the same time. It’s kind of heavy, though, so you might need someone to help you put it on the table (I did).
I’m so happy my pals at Unikia sent me this grill to try out because it’s going to be a great addition to our outdoor party traditions. We’re having a house full of people for Lollapalooza this weekend, so I’m going to set it up and let everyone make their own s’mores and grilled fruit!
I can’t wait!
Here’s a video of the Social Grill in Action! Buy the Social Grill here!
June19
Summer soups should be cool and bright, with just enough bite to keep them interesting… kind of like my friends.
A really good gazpacho is like this, too…full of flavor, but light enough to be refreshing. This is the time of year when we don’t want to have what we eat weighing us down.
What’s gazpacho? Well, it’s usually a chilled, somewhat spicy tomato-based soup from Spain. It’s served with chopped fresh vegetables like cucumbers and onions on the side, so you can add what you like to the soup.
This gazpacho is made with cucumbers (lots of them), grapes and garlic. I use really good extra virgin olive oil and sherry vinegar… both of which are traditionally used in a gazpacho.
Oh, I also added a little bit of dill because I like the way it gently bounces off the cucumbers and grapes. Sprinkle in a little salt, put it all in a blender and you’ve created enchantment again: Chilled Dilled Cucumber Soup.
Cool and bright… with a little bit of bite. Just like you.
Chilled Dilled Cucumber Gazpacho
prep: 15 minutes (plus at least an hour chilling)
makes about 3 cups
you’ll need…
4 cucumbers (about 3 pounds), peeled, seeded and rough chopped
2 cups seedless green grapes (about 10 ounces)
2 garlic cloves
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
let’s get to it…
Blend the cucumbers, grapes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, water and salt together until smooth. Taste the gazpacho and add more salt if necessary.
Chill for at least one hour.
Cooking Tip: Use a little dill sprig or chopped cucumbers to garnish the gazpacho. Toasted lemon panko crumbs also make a delicious topping!
