Zucchini Chowder

Our garden is producing TONS of Zucchini. So we are trying to find ways to use it up. We are getting tired of sauteing them up. After a few experiments by Matt, this one was a hit. Yummy!

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/3 cup butter, cubed
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups water
• 3 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• Pinch sugar, optional
• Additional minced fresh parsley, optional

Directions

• In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, saute the zucchini, onion, parsley
• and basil in butter until vegetables are tender. Stir in the flour,
• salt and pepper. Gradually stir in water. Add the bouillon and lemon
• juice; mix well. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or
• until thickened.

FYI

I've had enough requests/interest for the Cafe Rio recipes that I've created a label for just those recipes. If you have wanted them, now they are under Cafe Rio instead of For A Crowd. Actually, they are still under for a crowd, but now they are under both.

Green Enchilada Sauce

This is another great recipe from Our Best Bites. It is also a knock-off Cafe Rio Recipe. I have already posted the recipes for Pork and Chicken for the Salads. But this is the sauce I love on the burritos. This makes me happy to have it. Now all I need is a copy of the marinated steak and my life will be complete.

2-3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, minced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 green peppers, chopped
1-2 jalapenos, seeded and membranes removed if desired (and I desire. Always.)
1 1/2 lb. tomatillos, husked and quartered or halved
1/2 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
4 c. chicken broth
2-3 Tbsp. sugar (optional and to taste; the sauce Cafe Rio uses seems to be slightly sweet, so if I’m using this sauce for enchilada-style burritos, I generally add a little sugar, but for everything else, I leave it out.)

In a large saucepan or stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until tender and fragrant.

While onions are sauteeing, combine tomatillos, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, and cilantro in your blender. Process until smooth; you may have to do it in batches and/or add some chicken broth to make things blendable.

Pour the tomatillo mixture over the onions and garlic and add chicken broth, salt, pepper, and cumin. Simmer 15 minutes-1 hour, depending on the consistency you want. I usually turn the heat to high and boil it uncovered until I reach the consistency I want; it makes things go a lot faster. The sauce can also be simmered in a slow cooker all day.

Serve over tacos, as an enchilada sauce, inside burritos, or as a dip for chips.

PW Sweet Cream

I went to Heidi's for Sit n Chat last night and she had this Pioneer Woman recipe. And it was THE BEST. She served it with bananas and strawberries. And we tried it with Banana Bread (which was heaven.) So good.

Ingredients

• 1 pint Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 cup Sugar, Divided
• 10 whole Egg Yolks (save The Whites For Another Use)
• 2 teaspoons Good Vanilla Extract (or Vanilla Beans)
• Fresh Berries

Preparation Instructions

Combine cream with half the sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a strong simmer, but don't boil.

Whisk egg yolks in a bowl (I used my electric mixer w/ whisk attachment) with the other half of the sugar. Add vanilla extract. (If using vanilla bean instead, scrape caviar into cream/sugar mixture.)

After whisking on medium for a minute, begin slowly pouring in the hot cream; I use a metal measuring cup to scoop out small portions at a time.

After all cream is added, turn off mixer. Pour mixture into the top of a double boiler (or a glass bowl fitted over a saucepan). Cook in the double boiler over medium heat. Stir gently but constantly as the egg/cream mixture slowly thickens.

Watch the mixture: if it starts to really thicken up, remove it immediately from the heat. You want this to be more of a thick, pourable cream than a thick, heavy pudding texture. As soon as you remove the pan from the heat, set the bottom of it in a bowl of ice to stop the cooking process (but be careful not to let ice or water drip over the edge of the pan.) Stir to cool. If you need to use the cream right away, keep it in the ice bath and stir to cool.

Ideally, you'll transfer the cream to a container and refrigerate it for several hours.

Quick Chicken Luau

From Denise again!

1/2 10 ounce package of frozen spinach (or real taro leaves if you have them!)
1 standard size can of cream of chicken soup
1 12oz can of coconut milk
8-12 chicken thighs, skin removed

Squeeze as much water out of the spinach as you can and layer in the bottom of a casserole dish. Combine the soup and the coconut milk. Arrange the chicken in the pan and pour the mixture over the top. Bake 350 for one hour. This is very mild flavored chicken.

Kalua Pig

Denise (My SIL) gave me some of her Hawaii recipes:

Kalua Pig in the Crockpot:
1: 4 or 5 pound pork butt roast
2 tablespoons of sea salt
1/4 cup of soy sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1/2 cup water (to keep it moist while cooking)

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook six hours or until the meat is tender enough to shred with a fork. Remove the meat and shred it into a serving dish. Pour some of the juices back over the shredded meat to keep it from drying out and discard the rest.

Cherry 7-up Drink

This came from Leah, she served it at Sit n Chat tonight. Yum.

1 (2-liter) bottle of Cherry 7-Up

1 Can of pineapple juice

Mix and serve! Easy peasy, but so yummy!