Ina’s Zucchini Cakes

I do love me some Ina Garten.  Her and Martha are my inspirations, right behind my mom and gram.  I went for an easy, straight forward recipe.  And that’s what it was. No adaptions, just straight from her cookbook, Barefoot Contessa at Home. I didn’t bother with the oven because they were devoured as soon as they came off the pan.  But keep them in the oven if you are not serving immediately.

You’ll need:

• 2 medium zucchini (about 3/4 pound)
• 2 tablespoons grated red onion
• 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
• 6 to 8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Unsalted butter and vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Grate the zucchini into a bowl using the large grating side of a box grater. Immediately stir in the onion and eggs. Stir in 6 tablespoons of the flour, the baking powder, salt, and pepper. (If the batter gets too thin from the liquid in the zucchini, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour.)

Heat a large (10 to 12-inch) saute pan over medium heat and melt 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon oil together in the pan. When the butter is hot but not smoking, lower the heat to medium-low and drop heaping soup spoons of batter into the pan. Cook the pancakes about 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place the pancakes on a sheet pan and keep warm in the oven. Wipe out the pan with a dry paper towel, add more butter and oil to the pan, and continue to fry the pancakes until all the batter is used. The pancakes can stay warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

bluebird’s corn salad

I’ve been kind of obsessed with bluebird kitchen.  the first day i went there i got the veggie sandwich (which was amaze) and a side of the corn salad.  i was just so amazed by this salad.  i wasn’t sure if i was going to laugh or cry while eating it, it was that good. so good i recreated it at home.  and then i laughed and cried into my corn salad because it was so delicious. (i also went back the following day for lunch and got the roast beef sandwich and i may have to go back again tomorrow and every other day the rest of the week to get the roast beef because IT IS THAT GOOD).

you’ll need:

• 2-3 cups cooked long grain white rice
• 1 cup sweet corn
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• salt and pepper to taste

mix all of your ingredients together and chill.  yep. THAT EASY.  adjust your cilantro/corn/onion/yogurt ratios to your liking, my numbers are just a ball park.  i probably had more cilantro because i just love cilantro. this might be my new “salad” thing to bring to gatherings.  here’s hoping i don’t eat it all before i even get to my final destination… 🙂

YOU’D CRY, TOO.

a call to summer – the hamburger

i decided to keep it somewhat easy today.  95% lean ground meat was the key to this hamburger.  made four patties (only cooked three!) on my stove top grill.  i sauteed left over red onion from the bucatini all’amatriciana for a topping along side with ketchup and mustard, of course.

to make things easier, i bought pre-made mac and cheese – ok, ok. while i like to make my own, this is WAY, WAY better than the boxed crap when you don’t want to stand over a stove.  try it for yourself.  you’ll thank me later.

i steamed some broccoli and voilá – summer dinner on a very rainy monday.

this made everyone a little bit happier today.