Whole Wheat Penne with Chicken Sausage

So, this past Thursday was Improv reveal day. I missed it. That's not to say I didn't participate--I just waited too long to post. Sigh. I will still give a nod to Kristen at Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker for hosting this once-a-month event. Each month Kristen gives us two ingredients to combine into fun recipes. This month? Sausage and Cheese!

Why did it take me so long this month? Um, maybe because I was having such a hard time working that sausage and cheese into a cinnamon roll? That's probably it...I'm not used to posting non-baked goods. :)

I had to think about this theme. First, the husband and I have been overdoing the processed meats lately (you know the story...diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure...we have it all here). Then, I found some organic chicken and apple breakfast sausage....certainly that can't be bad for us, right? I wrapped a couple up in some scrambled eggs, melted a bit of cheese on top, stuffed it into half of a warm baguette and had myself a portable breakfast sandwich. Super good, but not very creative.

Using baguettes reminded me of Paris and a special "hot dog" I enjoyed from a street food vendor when I was there many years ago. This was no ordinary dog...it was a hot dog smothered in hot mustard and stuffed into a fresh baguette. I had to make one.

Note the Orangina in the background...it wouldn't have been the same without it.

For these beauties I used a chicken and apple sausage that I found at Trader Joe's, a warm "take and bake" baguette that was sliced in half and hollowed out, a bit of shredded cheddar, and some Dijon mustard. Oh yes, I had to buy a bottle of Orangina (which didn't taste like I remembered...probably because they use high fructose corn syrup in it over here). Hubby and I both loved these, but I still felt it lacked in the creative department. I brought out my skillet....

Things started getting a little fuzzy, recipe-wise, at this point. A little olive oil went in first and then some chopped onion and sliced sausage. Later, I added some sliced fresh tomatoes, Italian seasonings and red pepper flakes. It needed some color, so I thought I pulled out some frozen spinach...it turned out to be broccoli... but it turned out okay. Then, I boiled up some whole wheat penne and topped it all off with some Parmesan cheese. Whew.

This was even better the next day...

So, I had a whole day of sausage and cheese and no real recipe to show for it. I can think of worse things.

What would you make with Sausage and Cheese?

Zucchini Tostadas with Chorizo

As I write this, four giant zucchini are mocking me from my refrigerator. It is imperative that something be done about them so that I can clear the way for the apple and pumpkin season. As I am not one to waste food, it is time to get creative.

A simple search for zucchini on Pinterest brings up hundreds of interesting ideas. Stuffed, fried, baked, sweet, savory and just plain weird...you can find it all. One idea that caught my eye was for a zucchini pizza casserole that used a combination of zucchini and cheese for the crust. Baked cheese? This had possibilities.

Of course I had to come up with something a little different and, since the hubby was in the mood for Mexican food, I decided to transform the idea into...wait for it....as if you couldn't guess from the picture....Tostadas!

I swear it's starting to multiply in my fridge.

Zucchini Tostadas with Chorizo

Printable Recipe

Tostadas:
4 cups shredded zucchini

½ teaspoon salt

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese

2 teaspoons Mexican seasoning

Toppings:

3-4 chorizo sausages, casings removed

2 cups shredded lettuce

1 avocado, diced

2 medium tomatoes, diced

½ cup sour cream

½ cup sliced black olives

1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

¼ cup chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F; line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Let the zucchini stand for 10 minutes. Squeeze as much liquid from the zucchini as possible and place in a large bowl.  Add the eggs, cheeses, and Mexican seasoning. Stir together until well-blended.

Make sure to squeeze out all of the excess moisture...there's a lot of water in there!

Divide the zucchini mixture into 6 portions onto the parchment paper (a scant ½ cup each). Use a spatula to spread each portion into a 5-inch circle. Bake the zucchini for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and gently turn each portion over. Continue to bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until firm and golden

.

While the zucchini is baking, break the sausage up into a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

To assemble, place the zucchini tostadas on individual serving plates. Layer each tostada with an equal portion of lettuce, sausage, avocado, diced tomato, sour cream, olives, and cheese. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Aren't these fun? Of course, you can add or subtract any toppings you want...my daughter had the tostada with just salsa.

The "tostadas" were not crisp, but they weren't rubbery either. I was surprised at how good they tasted...must be all of the cheese. My husband and my daughter both gobbled them up and put in a request for more, so I guess this recipe is a keeper!

What do you make with your zucchini?

Pancakes, the Breakfast of Champions…..or Just People Who Like to Eat

For years I stayed away from buttermilk pancakes. The stuff I got in restaurants, or from a box, was heavy and nasty. In fact, the only pancakes I really liked were the ones my mother made. Hers were Dutch pancakes (of course) which are really more like thicker, eggier crepes, all rolled up with fried apples and real maple syrup (to be sure, I will be making those again, soon). But a buttermilk pancake didn’t interest me until I tried a recipe from Martha Stewart.


Now, I kind of have a “love/hate” thing going on with Martha. I’m not a real fan of all of the perfection. And I didn’t care for the way she handled herself when she got herself into hot water with her stock dealings. Still, she did come out of that whole ordeal with a nice looking crocheted thingy…..and, more importantly, she knows how to cook. It was her recipe for buttermilk pancakes that converted me into a buttermilk pancake fan. These are the lightest, tastiest buttermilk pancakes you will ever eat!  And so, I present to you:

Martha Stewart’s Buttermilk Pancakes
Printable Recipe

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or slightly less table salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cups buttermilk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon extra for brushing griddle
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen and thawed (optional)

First, you’ll want to preheat an electric griddle to 375°F, or place a griddle pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Next, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons melted butter into another bowl, whisk to combine, and add it to the flour mixture. Mix it together lightly; the batter should have small to medium lumps.

Test the griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If the water bounces and spatters, the griddle is hot enough. Using a pastry brush, brush the remaining 1/2 teaspoon butter onto the griddle. Wipe off the excess with a folded paper towel.

Pour the batter in pools 2 inches apart (I use a 1/3 measuring cup). If you wish to make blueberry pancakes, arrange a handful over the cooking pancake, pressing them in slightly (this time I used a frozen mixed cherry/berry blend from Trader Joes). When the pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around the edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over. If any batter oozes or blueberries roll out, push them back under with your spatula. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute.

Repeat with the remaining batter. You can keep the finished pancakes on a heat-proof plate in the oven at 175°F. Serve warm.

I like to make several plain pancakes as well as the berry filled ones. Then you can wrap one around a sausage and you will have a wonderful “Pig in a Blanket”!

Bon Appetit!!