I actually love zucchini. I like it best sauteed with some butter, onions, summer squash and a little salt and pepper.
I would love to say that for all of these recipes, I will be using zucchini grown in my garden...but that is just not going to happen.
As far as recipes go, I think I will finally try a zucchini bread recipe and for the rest...well...I'll just have to see what the innernets offer up...
Happy Cooking!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Monthly Ingredient Update - Carrots - Curried Carrot Soup
Curried carrot soup was nothing like I expected. As it sat on the stove bubbling away and I could smell the curry with its hint of cinnamon and cloves, I was expecting a sweet dish. And in actuallity, it was...I added quite a bit of salt to it, in order to cut the sweetness of the dish. Plus I added Ritz crackers to give it a little body. I guess in my mind, if I am eating carrots they should have shape (and most of the time some crunch), but looking at a big 'ol bowl of orange I was not so sure. All in all...it was good...but if I have enough carrots laying around to make this, I will make carrots au gratin instead.
Curried Carrot Soup
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 ½ onion, chopped
• 1 ½ tablespoon curry powder
• 2 pounds carrots, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water, or as needed
Directions
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion until tender and translucent. Stir in the curry powder. Add the chopped carrots, and stir until the carrots are coated.
Pour in the vegetable broth, and simmer until the carrots are soft, about 20 minutes.
Transfer the carrots and broth to a blender, and puree until smooth. Pour back into the pot, and thin with water to your preferred consistency.
Serve with caramelized onions, sour cream, and/or croutons.
Curried Carrot Soup
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 ½ onion, chopped
• 1 ½ tablespoon curry powder
• 2 pounds carrots, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water, or as needed
Directions
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion until tender and translucent. Stir in the curry powder. Add the chopped carrots, and stir until the carrots are coated.
Pour in the vegetable broth, and simmer until the carrots are soft, about 20 minutes.
Transfer the carrots and broth to a blender, and puree until smooth. Pour back into the pot, and thin with water to your preferred consistency.
Serve with caramelized onions, sour cream, and/or croutons.
Monthly Ingredient Update - Carrots - Carrot Cake
Today I will be sharing with you a recipe for carrot cake. I have never made carrot cake from scratch...in fact, I can not even remember the last time I made a cake from scratch...since making it from the box is so easy. After making this particular cake though, I can say with all honesty...I probably will not buy box cake mix again. It was so easy, and very satisfying to know what was going into my food.
This particular recipe is lower-fat than it's original recipe, but still manages to satisfy my sweet tooth. So, without further ado...enjoy:
Carrot CakeIngredients
• 4 eggs
• ¾ cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, plus a handful
Frosting:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 3 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Stir in carrots. Fold in 1 cup chopped walnuts. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cake. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts if desired.
This particular recipe is lower-fat than it's original recipe, but still manages to satisfy my sweet tooth. So, without further ado...enjoy:
Carrot CakeIngredients
• 4 eggs
• ¾ cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, plus a handful
Frosting:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 3 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Stir in carrots. Fold in 1 cup chopped walnuts. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cake. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts if desired.
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