Cherry Tomato Saute

OK, here's the thing...I don't really care much for vegetables. I mean they are fine in soups, stew, casseroles, anything that has other cool ingredients for the veggies to rub elbows with. But as a stand alone side dish, not so much. Then on my quest for FJ cookbooks, I acquired one with the title Farm Journal's Best-Ever Vegetable Recipes. After perusing the recipes, the thought occurred to me that maybe I just needed more variety in my veggie cooking. What a revelation! So, my first post from that particular FJ cookbook is what my hubby calls a keeper. He told me I couldn't make it too often because he almost couldn't stop himself from devouring the entire bowl.

As I read over the original recipe I felt there were some changes that needed to be made to increase flavor. I exchanged grape tomatoes for the cherry. I also added zucchini and fennel. The original called for fennel seed, but I thought, "What the heck. Let's shoot the moon and use fennel bulb." Pretty brave of me since I have never worked with fennel at all. But ya gotta start somewhere.

Ingredients

2 TBS. butter

2 TBS. olive oil

1 medium onion chopped

2 large cloves garlic grated

1/3 cup chopped fennel bulb

1 medium zucchini thick sliced

1 pint grape tomatoes

1 tsp. dried basil

1/4 cup parsley chopped

1/2 to 1 tsp. salt

1/8 to 1/4 tsp. pepper

grated Parmesan cheese

In a saute pan melt butter with the oil. Add onion and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and fennel and cook another 5 minutes.

Add zucchini and cook and stir until slightly tender. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Reduce heat and cover. Cook for 3-5 minutes until tomatoes are tender, but don't let the skins burst. When serving top with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Notes:This really did have a tremendous amount of flavor. I think the next time I make it I will try more fennel. Since it was a new ingredient I decided to go light, but think it could definitely use a little bumping up. But other than that, it was delish and so easy. So, Enjoy!

Zucchini Fries

Here's the thing. Due to a health issue, I am supposed to limit my carbs. Yeah, like that's going to happen everyday. But I try, I really do. At one point I was doing great with it and lost a nice amount of weight without feeling too deprived. And I have found some delicious substitutes for some of those carbs. Following is one of those. My hubby says they are positively addicting. And they are easy to make, and they are a great way to get kids to eat a veggie that usually causes them to gag. And, finally, it's a great way to use all that zucchini growing rampantly in your garden. (That was a lot of "and"s, wasn't it.)

Again, I really don't have quantities because it will depend on the amount you want to make and taste.

The Ingredients

oil for frying

2 zucchini
1 egg
1-1/2 cups Parmesan...the cheap kind in the can is fine for this
cayenne pepper, sea salt, fresh ground pepper, paprika all to taste

This is so easy that once you have made it you won't ever need the recipe again.

Put about an inch of oil in a skillet and heat on medium to medium high. Wash the zucchini, cut off the ends and then cut into fries.

In one bowl whisk the egg until blended. In another bowl mix together the Parmesan cheese and spices.

Dip the zucchini fries into the egg and then into the cheese mixture. Place in the hot oil. Cook until golden, usually just a couple of minutes.

Drain on paper towels, serve hot and try not to go overboard eating them before you serve them to the rest of your family.

I served these with stove top grilled pork chops and sliced tomatoes. Very low carb and very yummy.

As a side note, I have used the egg and cheese coating on pork chops and chicken, and it is delicious! If you are trying to be fat conscious don't try baking food coated with this mixture. It really doesn't work the same. Using canola oil or light olive oil is actually fairly healthy. Just be sure to drain well. Enjoy!