Balsamic Vinegar Zucchini

 This is my favorite way to eat zucchini.  I've been eating 2-3 zucchini a week lately, all from our one plant.  This even works when you miss one of those zucchini and it turns into a baseball bat.

• 1 medium zucchini
• 2 Tbsp. onion/garlic infused olive oil 
• Alternatively used 1-2 cloves chopped garlic and sauté in olive oil
• 3 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

None of the measurements are particularly important and all can be adjusted for taste.

Chop the zucchini into 2-3 mm thick slices, saute in olive oil until they are starting to brown.  Add vinegar and allow it to boil off until it has been absorbed or thickened into a syrup ( depending on how much you have added).  Salt and pepper to taste.

This is great on its own, really good cold as a topping on a sandwich, and fantastic as a toping on a pizza.

Rice Pudding

 

This is a recipe for using it up when you have too much cooked rice.

Ingredients: 

• two bowls of cooked rice
• two cups of whole milk
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• a few handfuls of raisins or craisins
• about a teaspoon of vanilla extract I guess
• 1/3 tsp salt
• some cinnamon to taste

Cook the cooked rice, and most of the milk in a saucepan on medium for about 10 minutes, uncovered. It's okay if the rice has gotten a little dried out, because it will soak up the milk. You don't want high or you'll burn the milk. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for 5 more minutes.

Vegetarian Thai Coconut Curry

This is not the prettiest picture, but it was yummy food! I saw a recipe for a sweet potato lentil curry that looked OK, but I thought I could make it better. Here's my version.

2 sweet potatoes

olive oil

salt

curry powder

chili powder

1 C dry lentils

2 C water or broth (I used chicken broth)

1 yellow or red onion

2 cloves garlic

1-2 inch knob of ginger

2 bell peppers

1 can coconut milk

1 1/2 TBSP Thai red curry paste

fresh basil or cilantro

2 1/2 C uncooked rice

1. Preheat the oven to 400.* Get your rice cooking.

2. Cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes and spread on two half-sheet pans. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt, curry powder, and chili powder (about half as much as the amount of curry powder). Toss till they're fully coated and spread them out evenly on the pan.

3. Bake for 20 min, turn them over, and bake for 10 more min. 

4. While the potatoes are roasting, pour the lentils in a small pot. Cover with the two cups of liquid and bring to a boil. Then turn it to low and let it simmer. 

5. Meanwhile, dice the onion and saute in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat till soft, about five minutes. While it's cooking, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and cut your bell peppers into 1/2" squares.

6. Toss the garlic and ginger in with the onions and stir for about a minute, until fragrant. Add the bell peppers and cook for 2 more minutes or until slightly softened.

7. Pour the lentils and any remaining liquid into the onion/pepper mixture and stir to combine.

8. Open the can of coconut milk and add it to the sauce pan. Stir in red curry paste. Let it simmer until the sweet potatoes are done cooking.

9. Once the sweet potatoes are out of the oven, check the lentils for tenderness. They may need up to 5 more minutes to soften to your desired texture. Mince your fresh herbs.

10. Once the lentils are done cooking, add the sweet potatoes and herbs to the pan and heat through for 1-2 more min. 

11. Serve over rice, with a side of garlic naan to entice any skeptical children to the table.