The Fruit of Our Labor [ + Recipe ]

the little garden that could...

Our very first vegetable from our garden :)

Recipe from Grit Magazine:

i modified this recipe a little, using squash and zucchini.  and layered the fried slices to create a bit of a zucchini parmesan/lasagna hybrid.  a bit of a guilty pleasure, but its worth every calorie :)

Zucchini (or Squash) Parmesan

Ingredients:

(serves 4) 

- 2 squash or zucchini (or one of each, approx 10 inch long each)

- 2 eggs

- milk

- bread crumbs

(the recipe called for italian, but i used panko)

- tomato sauce

-parmesan cheese

-  

1. Pour 1⁄2 inch canola oil in 10- to 12-inch skillet and heat.

2. Wash zucchini/squash and place on cutting board. Cut off ends and slice zucchini/squash in even slices, 1⁄8- to 1⁄4-inch thick.

3. In soup bowl, crack eggs; whisk until frothy. Whisk in a little milk. Place bread crumbs in another soup bowl.

4. Line platter with paper towel and place platter on unlit burner behind skillet. As you fill platter with layers of zucchini/squash, place another paper towel on top to absorb oil.

5. With fork, pick up a slice of zucchini/squash and place in egg mixture, coating both sides, then place in bread crumbs. 

6. Carefully add zucchini slice to hot oil in skillet. Brown bottom side, then flip and brown other side. Repeat with remaining zucchini. 

(The oil may have to be changed before all the zucchini slices have been fried because both the oil and the bread crumbs will start to burn. Put the oil in an empty coffee can or use paper towels to soak it up. Be careful, as the oil will be hot. Clean the pan and start again with fresh oil.)

6. Spoon a layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of casserole dish, then add overlapping slices of fried zucchini/squash, then more tomato sauce, and top each layer (generously) with parm.  Repeat layers (like lasagna) until you're out of slices.

7.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted

8. && Enjoy!

Read more: http://www.grit.com/food/recipes/fried-zucchini-recipe.aspx#ixzz1RFhI5Ezs

 Happy Tuesday, hope you enjoy!

Super Simple Summer [ Recipe ]

An easy, fresh summer dish...

Tomato, Basil, & Garlic Pasta

 Ingredients:

- package of pasta (any type would work, I used Thin Spaghetti)

- 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

- 10-12 grape tomatoes, cut in half
-  6-7 basil leaves

- 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

 [ serves 6 (or me and two hungry guys) ]

- Boil water, cook the pasta (add salt to the water for extra flavor)
 

 

- Chop the garlic

- Brown the garlic in olive oil (be careful not to burn it!)

(Our little basil plant :)

- chop the basil and tomatoes

- in a large bowl, toss the pasta, garlic and e.v.o.o., basil and tomatoes...
(if you're not a huge garlic fan you could strain out the chopped pieces, and only use the garlic-infused olive oil)

And enjoy!

See... really simple, seasonal, and really good!  Add a little parm for added flavor, and its the perfect addition to any summer barbeque!