Zucchini Relish

This is a wonderful way to use up those big zucchinis that you let get away from you in the garden! This recipe is Ryan's Great-Grandma Charlotte's recipe. We love it in tuna sandwiches, on hot dogs, or anything...be creative! Oh, and get ready for lots of chopping. At least you'll be giving your arms a little work-out! It's a lot of work but worth it because this stuff will last you forever!

5 large zucchini, diced (I know this is vague..lg. but not too lg.)
3 red bell peppers, diced
3 green bell peppers, diced
5 large yellow onions, diced
1/2 c salt
1 t alum
ice cubes

5 c sugar
2 T celery seed
2 T mustard seed
1 T turmeric
5 or 6 c white vinegar, to taste

-Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl except ice cubes. Mix well. Cover with ice cubes. Let stand overnight.
-Next morning drain veggie mixture. Wash in cold water. Drain again.
-Cook spices and vinegar in large pot. Add veggies and simmer for 30 minutes.
-Put in jars with rings and lids and boil in cold-pack canner for 10 minutes to seal.

I really wish I could give you an exact amount of how much this makes but I can't remember! This year I'll write it down for sure. Depends on if you use pint or quart size jars. Pints are nice for something like this, but I've also used quarts if it's all I have on hand.

Bean and Cheese Quesadillas al a Erin

OK. I know it sounds easy, but these where a huge hit at our house tonight. Harrison had these at Erin's last week and requested I make them! I used the raw tortillas from Costco. I don't like refried beans from a can, so I just mashed up pinto beans and added garlic powder and simmered about 5 minutes. Put the beans on the tortilla then cheese (I used the Mexican blend and plain cheddar because I didn't have enough) and another tortilla. Heat and eat with salsa. Next time you need something fast or nothing else sounds good, here's your answer! Thanks, Erin, for another delicious and practical dinner!!!

Purple Flurp

This recipe is from my Grandma Brown. I grew up eating this at all the summer family get-togethers. I haven't had it for many years because I haven't been home in the summer in a long time. I have been craving it, so I finally called and got the recipe from Gram. It's light and easy and good! PS--I don't know what the recipe's real name is. It's probably something boring like blueberry dream dessert. The story goes my uncle called it Purple Flurp the first time Grandma made it and it stuck.

2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (I buy the crumbs because I like how fine they are)
1 stick butter, melted
6 T sugar
Mix above together and set aside.

1 large box Dream Whip (have 4 envelopes in it)
1 cup milk
Mix these together and add 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1 t vanilla. Then add 1 8 oz cream cheese that has been whipped. Mix til blended well.

1 can blueberry pie filling

Layer in a 9x13 pan in this order: 1/2 the graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 the dream whip mixture, whole can pie filling, remaining dream whip mixture, remaining graham crumbs. Chill and serve.

Chocolate Toffee Crunch Fantasy

This is a lighter version of the "Better than almost anything cake". It's a Duncan Hines recipe I have carried around for years, but never made. It rocks!

1 pkg Devil's Food Cake Mix

12 bars (1.4 oz each) chocolate covered toffee bars, divided (I only used 8 total)

3 cups whipping cream, chilled

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an flour 10-inch tube pan

Prepare, bake and cool cake following package directions. Split cake horizontally into 3 layers; set aside. Chop 11 candy bars into pea-size pieces. (I only used 7 candy bars, and I thought it was great) Whip cream until stiff peaks form. Fold candy pieces into whipped cream.

To assemble, place one split cake layer on serving plate. Spread 1 1/2 cups whipped cream mixture on top. Repeat with remaining layers and whipped cream mix. Frost sides and top with remaining filling. Chop remaining candy bar coarsely. Sprinkle over top. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (I'd chill for 3 or so hours so the cream gets the toffee flavor.)

Helpful hint: Chop toffee bars in food processor fitted with a steel blade.

Pasta Milano (from Dick's Grocery)

12oz bag egg noodles
6 T butter
12oz sliced fresh mushrooms (I used an 8oz presliced pkg)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 lb. prosciutto, chopped(prepackaged in deli case)
2 cloves garlic, pressed
Grated parmesan
salt and pepper
Cook pasta, drain and rinse a second in hot water. In large skillet, cook 4T butter, mushrooms, prosciutto and garlic 5-7 minutes till mushrooms are tender and meat is a little toasted. Add peas, remaining butter, cooked pasta, salt and pepper and a handful of parmesan. Heat through. Serves 6. **This would also be awesome with a chicken breast sliced thin and cooked in the mix. But the prosciutto ROCKS on it's own!! TRY IT TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!

Salsa Turkey Grill

I have had this little ditty since just after we were married, but I am just getting around to trying it now! This is yummy, and greazzzy!! Yet, it's light enough for a hot summer day. We had cold watermelon with it.

2 slices bread (I used sturdy white)

2 Kraft singles

1 T thick and chunky salsa (they suggested Taco Bell, it's good, but I love the salsa I get from Costco best! I was out.)

2 slices turkey deli meat

Put down in this order: bread, cheese, salsa, turkey, cheese, bread.

Butter outsides and cook in skillet til golden.

Marinated Green Salad (from Father's Day)

Dressing:
1/2 cup vinegar (I use apple cider)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canola oil
1 T poppy seed
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 T dry minced onion
Whisk all together, then cover and marinate overnight in fridge.
Salad:
3-4 heads salad greens, like romaine, red-leaf, spinach etc.
1 red onion chopped or sliced thin
1/2 - 1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 lb. bacon fried and crumbled
8oz shredded swiss cheese
Toss dressing and salad together before serving. Makes a lot.

Easy Creamy Gratin Potatoes

So good, and all ingredients you probably already have at home!

4 large russet potatoes, sliced thin.(I peeled mine)
1/2-1 onion, sliced thin into rings
salt and pepper
4T butter
3T flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups milk
1-2 cups shredded cheddar or cheese of your liking
Preheat oven to 400. Grease 1 1/2qt dish. Layer 1/2 the potato slices on bottom of dish. Top with onion slices, season with salt and pepper (I added garlic salt too) and dot with 1T butter if you like. Add remaining potatoes and season again. In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in flour and salt and stir constantly 1 minute. Add milk and cook till thickened. Stir in cheese till melted. Pour over potatoes, and cover with foil. (I added a crunchy topping made of corn flakes and butter and it rocked). Bake 1 1/2 hrs. Serves family of 6.

Artisan Free-Form Loaf

This recipe comes from my friend Jennefer Haight. I love how basic it is. After you've made it once, you won't need all these instructions but they come in handy the first time! This is a crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside type of round loaf. I love it! I'm not afraid of yeast bread anymore! You will need a pizza stone and peel!

3 C lukewarm water
1 1/2 T yeast
1 1/2 T kosher or other coarse salt
6 1/2 cups unsifted, unbleached, all purpose white flour, measured with the scoop-and-sweep method
Cornmeal for pizza peel

1. Warm the water slightly: It should feel just a little warmer than body temp, 100 degrees.

2. Add yeast and salt to water in 5-quart bowl or, preferably in a resealable, lidded (not airtight) plastic food container. Don't worry about getting it all to dissolve.

3. Mix in flour-kneading is unnecessary. Add all of flour at once, gently scooping up flour, then sweeping the top level with knife; don't press down into flour as you scoop or you'll have too much flour! Mix in standing mixer with dough hook attachment until mixture is uniform. Don't knead! No dry patches! This will yield a dough that is uniformly moist, wet, and loose enough to conform to the shape of the container.

4. Allow to rise. Cover with lid but do not put on air tight. 2 hours. Fully refrigerate dough-3 hours or overnight.

5. The gluten cloak: Don't knead, just cloak and shape a loaf 30-60 seconds. First, prepare a pizza wheel by sprinkling it liberally with cornmeal to prevent your loaf from sticking to it when you slide it into the oven. Sprinkle the surface of your refrigerated dough with flour. Pull up and cut off a 1 pound (grapefruit size) piece of dough, using a serrated knife. Hold the mass of dough in your hands and add a little more flour as needed so it doesn't stick to your hands. Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter turn as you go. Most of the dusting flour will fall off; it's not intended to be incorporated into the dough. The bottom doesn't need to look pretty but the correctly shaped loaf will be smooth and cohesive on top. This should only take 30-60 seconds.

6. Rest the loaf and let rise on pizza peel. 40 minutes-don't cover.

7. Preheat oven and pizza stone on middle rack at 450. Place a broiler tray for holding water on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.

8. Dust and slash. Dust top of loaf with flour and cut with serrated knife in cross pattern about 1/4 inch deep. Or tick-tack-toe looks nice too.

9. Baking with steam. After preheat, slide loaf onto pizza stone. Quickly but carefully pour 1 cup hot water from tap into the broiler tray and close oven to trap steam. Bake for about 30 minutes or until crust is nicely browned and firm to the touch. Let cool on wire rack. You can store remaining dough in refrigerator for 14 days. Leave in plastic container with lid on but not airtight.

Strawberry Shortcake

There are so many kinds of strawberry shortcake. This one is my very favorite!!! This is a sweet biscuit-like cake. I got this from my friend in Weiser many years ago.

1 qt strawberries plus 1 cup sugar

Cake:

2 c flour
2 T sugar
3 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/3 c shortening
1 c milk

Mix dry ingredients, then add shortening and milk. Mix just til blended. Spread in greased round cake pan. Bake @ 450 for 15-20 mins. Let cool. Top with strawberries and whipped cream. Can make individual shortcakes, 4-6 depending on size. (cook those 15 min, if you make six)

Lemon-Lime Cookies

These are my favorite summer cookies! So fresh and tangy! Shaylin gave me this recipe after she made these for a family party and I've been hooked ever since!

1 C sugar
2/3 C shortening
1 T grated lemon peel
2 T lemon juice
2 t grated lime peel
1 T lime juice
1 egg
1 3/4 C flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
Lemon-Lime frosting

Heat oven to 375. Beat sugar, shortening, lemon peel, lime peel, lime juice and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on med. speed. Stir in flour, baking powder and soda, and salt.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 11-13 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool 1-2 minutes, remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost with Lemon-Lime frosting.

Frosting:

2 C powdered sugar
2 T butter, softened
1 t grated lime peel
1 T lemon juice
2-3 t water

Taco Chicken

Here is another recipe from Dick's Market. I have only tried their sample, I haven't made it yet. (I'm out of chicken!) This was tasty and easy! They served it with potato salad and an italian breadstick. I thought that was summery.

1 1/2 cups nacho cheese tortilla chips
1/2 c bisquick mix (I'm gonna use Krusteaz because that's what I have)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten
2 T taco sauce
1/4 t salt
3 T vegetable oil

Crush tortilla chips in a resealable gallon bag. Add bisquick to chips; mix well. In a small shallow dish, mix egg, taco sauce and salt. Dip chicken into egg mixture, then shake in bag to coat In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Reduce heat to med-low. Add chicken; cook 10-12 min, turning once, until juices run clear.

Biggest Loser Mini Turkey Meat Loaves

The Biggest Loser was so good this season! Our family was hooked. The show introduced this recipe and I went online to try and find it. Here it is with some changes made to my liking. It's so good and packed full of healthy stuff!

2 lbs ground turkey
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and grated
3/4 c oats
3 egg whites
salt and pepper

Topping:
1/2 c ketchup
2 T brown sugar (can use splenda or raw sugar)
2 t lemon juice

-Mix top portion of ingredients in bowl until thoroughly combined.
-Spray muffin tins and put 1/3 c mixture into each well (or just to the top).
-Bake at 350 for 20 minutes for standard size muffin cups.
-Meanwhile, combine topping ingredients in small bowl and set aside.
-Remove meat loaves from oven and spoon topping over each meat loaf. Return meat loaf to the oven and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes.
-Let meat loaf stand for 5 minutes before serving.
-Makes about 15 mini loaves.

Strawberry Bread

This is great hot or cold. It's nice and moist. You could even serve it with a cream cheese/marshmallow cream spread or whipped cream and fresh strawberries on the side and I'm sure it would be extra yummy. This is a great way to use up strawberries if you buy them by the flat like I do. Strawberry season has arrived!

3-4 c fresh strawberries (frozen works too)
3 1/8 c flour
2 c sugar
2 t cinnamon
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 c oil
4 eggs, beaten
1 T vanilla

-In a medium bowl, roughly crush up strawberries with your hands, leaving chunks here and there. Sprinkle lightly with a little sugar and set aside.
-Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda in a large bowl; mix.
-To strawberries add oil, eggs, and vanilla. Pour into flour mixture, blending until just moistened.
-Grease and flour two 9x5 loaf pans and pour batter in. Depending on how many cups of strawberries you add, this may vary. I used 4 c strawberries and got 1 large, 1 9x5, and 1 mini loaf. So you could probably get three 9x5 pans out of this instead of the two.
-Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes in the 9x5 pans, or until toothpick comes out clean. Mini loaf took 35-40 minutes, large took 60 minutes. Let cool.
-Dust with powdered sugar, slice and serve.
-Recipe from Allrecipes.com

Ebelskievers

Translation: Danish pancake-light and cakey in the middle, crispy and buttery on the outside! SOOO good and fun for a special breakfast or brunch! (or dinner!) Need special pan.

1 3/4 C flour

3/4 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1 1/2 T sugar

1/2 t salt

3 egg yolks

1 1/3 C buttermilk

1/2 C sour cream

5 egg whites

5 T butter, melted

Mix dry ingred. Set aside. Mix egg yolks, buttermilk, sour cream together. Fold in dry ingred. Whip egg whites until firm peaks form. Fold into batter. Heat pan, pour in maybe a 1/4 t melted butter in each well. Pour 1 T batter into well, then add 1 teaspoon jam or other filling, then another T batter. Flip with chop sticks or skewers after about 3 minutes or until golden on the bottom and crispy. Then 3 minutes more to finish. Serve warm with a dusting of powdered sugar. *When I'm lazy I just put the jam on the plate with the pancakes instead of filling them! I love homemade raspberry jam on these! Whip cream with a little syrup added while whipping is really good. Nutella filled with diced bananas on top. Blueberries would be good! You could also roll them in cinnamon and sugar! The cream cheese or mascarpone cheese whipped with lemon curd is my very favorite! Sky's the limit! Have fun!

Fillings:

1/4 C Mascerpone cheese at room temp. or cream cheese

1/4 C lemon curd

Whip together (add a little lemon zest to batter for extra lemon flavor!)

Cinna-bun:

1/2 C sugar

2 T flour

1 1/2 T cinn.

1/4 t salt

4 T unsalted butter cut into cubes and put at room temp.

Frosting for cinnabun:

3 oz. cream cheese-room temp

4 T unsalted butter-room temp.

1 1/2 C powdered sugar

3-4 T milk