Squash Fritters , So Easy, So Yummy

                                           

                                                              Squash Fritters

3 cups grated summer squash

1 teaspoon salt

2-3 large eggs

3/4 cup good quality grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon dried basil or 3 tablespoons fresh, finely chopped

3 tablespoons flour (I add wheat bran sometimes too)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup diced onions - optional

Put grated squash in colander and sprinkle with salt.  Cover and let drain for about 1 hour.  Refrigerate if draining for a longer period.

Squeeze squash to remove excess moisture.  Combine squash with remaining ingredients.   Heat a few tablespoons butter, or olive oil or canola oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Spoon a few tablespoons of batter into skillet and cook until browned on the botton, turn and cook other size.

Serve as side dish, with a dip, or even make into a sandwich.

Coyote Alert!!!!

I am in awe!  Last Wednesday at the farm I saw my very first coyote in the wild.  It was running across the grass.  It must have been drinking from a puddle in the grass.  I was so excited.  Here are the pics . . . .

                                                      Got your magnifying glass??

I didn't realize they are actually quite small - you can't tell from those National Geographic shows.  It was not scared . . it stood watching me - maybe even posing?  

                                       
                                     Love this shot with mountains in background

                                                            Sitting down

I do see a bit of wildlife out there - snakes, crows, quail, hawks, vultures, chipmunks.  Just hope I don't run into them in the garden!

Whole Food Tour and DIY Cleaning Class by Mary Beth Zahedi

August Meeting: Whole Foods Tour and DIY Cleaning Class

Tuesday, August 23, 2011, 6:15 PM

Selected By: Mary-Beth

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Whole Foods at Town Square

6689 Las Vegas Blvd S., Las Vegas, NV (map)

We will gather at the front tables by customer service

Selected By: Mary-Beth

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This month we will change things up just a little bit. Please meet us at Whole Foods Town Square for a tour of the store. The tour will focus on quality and cost. Learn some of the basics for shopping healthier without breaking the bank. Following the tour, we will gather for a brief class on Do It Yourself Cleaning Products:

Many of the chemicals found in our homes are used to make our lives easier, but we don't always realize the consequences of using many of these substances. Over 100 chemicals commonly found in homes have been linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer, psychological abnormalities, skin reactions, headaches, depression, joint pain, chronic fatigue, chest pains, dizziness, loss of sleep, asthma and the list goes on. Tonight you will learn some of basics of using simple, inexpensive products easily found at Whole Foods to replace the harsh, harmful cleaning products that may be commonplace in your home. The topics will include: A review of “recipes” for general cleaning, kitchen, bathroom, glass and wood.   The 101 (or so) uses for vinegar   The benefits of incorporating essential oils into your DIY cleaners and how to make your own Thieves’ Blend. Since the Guild will be sponsoring this class, I will have craft show flyers available for attendees who are not members. (Whole Foods is advertising this class to the public). Additionally, our members should feel free to wear something that they have created so that I can point that out during the class. Please plan to arrive at 6:15 so that we can gather and be ready for the 6:30 tour. As always, any questions, give me a shout.

Healthy Chips - Who Would Have Thought?

From FoodFitnessFreshAir.com - A Great Blog!

Collard Chips

December 4, 2010

tags: Food, Greens, Nutrition, Recipes, Vegan

by Grace Dickinson

If you haven’t gotten the gist by now from my other two “green chip” posts, let me inform you now that you can turn almost any kind of leafy green into a delicious and healthy version of a chip.  I find that this is one of the best ways to introduce greens into the diets of those who may view these kinds of veggies as foreign, medicine-like substances.
While indeed greens could be praised for what may be perceived as medicinal qualities, boasting of exceptionally high levels of antioxidants, their taste certainly doesn’t have to resemble anything close to that off a chewable medicine.  In fact, turning let say, collard greens, into chips makes them almost as irresistible as chips made from America’s #1 favorite vegetable, potatoes.
Collards in particular have exceptionally high levels of vitamins A, C, and K, essential for proper immune system functioning and healthy vision, and providing anti-inflammatory properties.
Swap out those regular potato chips and replace them with collard chips (or any other green of your choice).  High in fiber and low in calories, there’s simply no comparison between baked collard chips and standard potato chips, other than their slightly addicting flavors. A perfect green app. for those upcoming holiday parties.
Collard Chips
-1 bunch of collard greens, chopped
-Garlic powder
-Red chili pepper flakes
-Salt and Pepper
-1 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for greasing
Preheat oven to 375F.  Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease with oil.  Spread chopped collard greens on baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil.  Generously sprinkle chili pepper flakes, garlic powder, and salt and pepper on top.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until leaves start to crisp and edges turn brown.

Lei Day Jewels - Darlene - Another ExPat and Desert Farm Girl

Baubles, Bangles and Beads - Beautiful Gemstone Jewelry by Darlene

visit her website at http://www.leidayjewels.blogspot.com/

Burns - Sent from Shannon

BURNS

 

 

Healing Miracle for burns:

A young man sprinkling his lawn and bushes with pesticides wanted to check the contents of the barrel to see how much pesticide remained in it.  He raised the cover and lit his lighter; the vapors inflamed and engulfed him.  He jumped from his truck, screaming.  His neighbor came out of her house with a dozen eggs, yelling: "bring me some eggs!"  She broke them, separating the whites from the yolks.  The neighbor woman helped her to apply the whites on the young man's face.  When the ambulance arrived and when the EMTs saw the young man, they asked who had done this.  Everyone pointed to the lady in charge.  They congratulated her and said: "You have saved his face."  By the end of the summer, the young man brought the lady a bouquet of roses to thank her.  His face was like a baby's skin.

Keep in mind this treatment of burns which is included in teaching beginner fireman this method.  First aid consists to spraying cold water on the affected area until the heat is reduced and stops burning the layers of skin.  Then, spread egg whites on the affected are.

Music to Garden, Cook, Craft, Relax, Dine, Snuggle

Peeling Boiled Potatoes The Easy Way

You will be amazed.  Passed on from Nancy and Darlene, Desert Farm Girls

This is really great, I am going to try it the next time I want mashed potatoes or potato salad!

If you take the time to watch this, you will not only be glad you did, but you will forward this to all your daughters, sisters, moms, etc...
I haven't tried it yet, but I will!  Just when you thought you knew everything about boiling potatoes ...

To all who love making potato salad but hate peeling the boiled potatoes, here is the solution for easy peeling. This will  BLOW your mind. Well, we do learn  something new every day.

I wish I had known about this thirty years ago.  Peeling the cooked potato was the least desirable part in making a potato salad.  Enjoy.  Click here: YouTube - Dawn Wells Potato Peeling Video
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7375897927147969009#

 

A Taste of Aloha Recipe - Carrots & Zucchini - from Merriam - A Desert Farm Girl Ex-Pat

Kula Carrots and Zucchini - prepared from A Taste of Aloha (Junior League of Honolulu)....these are "ono"....shared by Merriam Olds...the rosemary just does it!

5 TBL. butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

5 med carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

3 small zucchini, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp rosemary - salt and pepper to taste

1 TBL water

1 TBL capers

Melt butter in frying pan over medium heat.  Lightly saute' garlic and add carrots to cook for two minutes.  Stir in zucchini, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Cook until zucchini is heated through; then add 1 TBL of water and cover pan.  Cook over medium heat until carrots are tender, stirring occasionally.  Don't overcook.  Stir in capers and serve.  Ono-licious - even the next day!!

                                                       Rainbow Carrots - Just Picked!

Heat It, Beet It, Eat It - Pickled Beet Recipe from Ball

                                                                Pickled Beets

One of the best recipes for pickled beets is in the Ball Blue Book for Home Canning and Freezing.  My 1953  copy was given to me by my father-in-law, Wilson Hackney.   More current versions of this book are available.

Here it is:

1 gallon small beets                                                  2 sticks cinnamon
2 cups sugar                                                               1 tablespoon allspice
1 1/2 teaspoon salt                                                    3 1/2 cups vinegar

Wash and drain beets.  Cover with boiling water.  Cook till tender.  Remove skin, stem and root ends.  Add suger, salt, spices and 1 1/2 cups water to vineger.  simmer 15 minutes.  Pack beets into hot sterilized Ball jars.  Heat liquid to boiling Pour liquid over beets.  If not enough liquid to cover, add more vinegar.  Process pints and quarts for 30 minutes in boiling water bath.

If you've never canned before, be sure to folow directions for preparing jars for canning and for sealing..   Use cautionl when working around boiling liquids, etc.  Follw instructions carefully.

I like lots of spice so I use a bit more spices.  I also undercook the beets a little because I like them a little crunchy.  Delish!

So much squash! So little summer left.

From my friends, chefs extraordinare . . . . The Wendts

Of all the vegetables people grow in their gardens, zucchini is probably the most abundant and versatile. The delicate flavor, soft shell and creamy white flesh of summer squash is a perfect addition to any summer meal.

 While each variety may have a distinct shape, color, size and flavor, all varieties share some common characteristics.  Zucchini, yellow squash, crooknecks, and pattypan squashes can all be steamed, sautéed, grilled, baked. 

After a day at the Farmers Markets, I took my  “squash stash” home that I bought from my friends Mike and Gerry’s booth –  Valley Farms.  What to make, what to make…..I stared at the colors and shapes -  yellow, light green, dark green suddenly the bulb goes off. 

I whipped out my cutting board, my knifes and my knife sharpener….need a sharp knife.  First, I take the zucchini, crook neck and yellow squash.  I julienned each of them – heated the pan on high heat, added olive oil and flash sautéed the julienned squash for about 2 minutes.  Then take the squash out of the pan, add a little more olive oil and a nice vinegar (I used a White Wine Vinegar) to the pan and some fresh thyme.  Boil on high heat until it reduces by half and becomes more of a glaze.  Add the squash back to the pan and toss. 

Next, I say “come here my lovely little baby squash – you little pieces of heaven”.  I simply cut them in half, quick sautéed them in olive oil and fig vinegar.

While I was up to my ears cooking my summer squash, my husband whipped up a beer-can chicken and we feasted the night away.  Can you say OMG….

                                                          Lemon Basil Dipping Sauce

My friend Nanc's recipe.  This is a great sauce for seafood, veggies, chicken, and more!  She put it on grilled pattypan summer squashes.  

1 c. mayo
1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped basil leaves - according to your taste
Grated zest of 1 lemon plus juice
2 anchovy filets
salt and pepper

Combine in food processor and process till smooth. 

Very gooooooooood!