traci's veggie pizza

A couple weeks ago I had a opportunity to sample Traci's veggie pizza and it was wonderful.  So I quick grabbed a picture before I had finished it off and vowed to ask for the recipe.  The flavors are great and the fact that it is colorful adds to the appeal.  I think that it could be used as an appetizer as well as an entree.  

Traci's veggie pizza

Crust: 1 can crescent rolls spread in a 9x13 pan and baked for 8-10 minutes at 325° and cooled.

Beat together:
 1/2 cup miracle whip
1 8 oz cream cheese
1-2 tsp dry Hidden Valley ranch dressing mix or to taste
 1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp dill seed or weed
1/4 tsp black pepper

Spread this mixture over the crescent roll crust.  Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese and various chopped veggies in a thin layer.  Avoid watery veggies like tomato to keep the crust from getting soggy.  Cut into squares and serve. 

Thank you, Traci, for sharing.  It was a great treat and I am glad to have the recipe.  I am looking at the beautiful red and green colors and wondering if these could be cut with simple Christmas cookie cutters into trees or bells or stars to serve at holiday time, perhaps cutting them after the cream cheese mixture is spread on the crust but before the toppings are added.  Interesting possibilities. 

zucchini bisque

I found this recipe online with a little comment saying that it was a good one and it was.  It was also easy to do and pretty quick to make.  I am using my overly large zucchinis for this, making the soup up to the point where the cream is added and putting it in the freezer.  When I pull it out to serve I will add the cream during the reheating.   I used my homemade canned broth  which was very tasty. 

zucchini  bisque

1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup light cream

In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter. Add zucchini and chicken
broth. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes: add seasonings. Puree on
low in a blender. Return to pan: stir in cream and heat through.
Yield: 4-5 servings (6 cups)

Please be careful when blending hot soup.  I used my immersion (stick) blender and blended the soup right in the pan.  If you are using a conventional blender only blend half a blender jar full at a time.

original recipe here.

zucchini brownies

I saw this recipe on the web and they looked too good not to try since I had a zucchini fresh from the garden sitting on my counter.  I have paired zucchini and chocolate before in this bread recipe and that turns out moist and flavorful every time so I had high expectations.

The brownies turned out great.  Moist and fudgy with a pour over frosting that goes on as they come out of the oven and a few minutes later they can be served while still warm.  They are easy to do.  The best part is that you would never know there is zucchini in here.   I mixed them up in the saucepan that I used to melt the chocolate chips.  I used my batter whisk, no stand mixer or hand mixer needed. 

oil, chips and cocoa

melted and smooth

eggs, sugar, vanilla and zucchini

combined and ready for the dry ingredients

flour, baking soda and salt are added

poured into prepared pan

Frosting starts with butter, milk, chips and vanilla

when melted and smooth in goes the powdered sugar

the glaze goes on the cooked brownies

you would never know there was zucchini in here

Zucchini brownies

for the brownies
1/2 cup light tasting olive oil or canola oil
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup grated rung out zucchini or yellow summer squash
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup all purpose flour

for the glaze
1/4 cup butter
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
2 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°.  Line a 9x13 cake pan with parchment and grease parchment and sides of pan or spray with cooking spray. 

For brownies: in medium saucepan melt the oil, chips and cocoa together over low-medium heat.  Once melted remove from heat and add the sugar, eggs, vanilla and zucchini.  Stir in the dry ingredients and pour into prepared pan.  Spread evenly and bake for 15-20 minutes.  While brownies are baking make the glaze.

For the glaze: melt the butter, cocoa powder, chocolate chips and milk together and simmer gently one minute.  Remove from heat and add the vanilla and then the powdered sugar.  Whisk until smooth glaze forms. 

Once brownies are removed from the oven pour the hot glaze over the brownies immediately and smooth out evenly over the brownies.  Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes then cut and serve warm.

Source for original recipe here.

marinated watermelon and tomato salad

My sister shared some salad with me.  She found the recipe in a magazine called Real Simple.  It was on the cover and caught the eye of her daughter.  It tasted great so I asked for the recipe and vowed to take a picture of it and blog about it before I had finished it off.  This salad has some ingredients that I would never have thought to try together.  Watermelon and tomato.  Who would have thought? 

The colors were beautiful.  The red of the watermelon and the yellow/orange of the cherry tomato is such a happy color combination.  I just needed to decide how to do a picture of it that does it justice.

Nikole's handcrafted pottery bowl on tan?

Small white dish on green?

Glass salad plate on blue?

stack of glass plates on wood?

Look at those colors!

marinated watermelon and tomato salad

10 cups watermelon, cubed
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, chopped or cherry tomatoes
1/2 small red onion
1/2 cup basil, freshly torn
2 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine the watermelon and the lime juice and allow to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.  Add the remainder of the ingredients and serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.