Stuffed Summer Squash

Squash is beginning to come in and everyone is looking for new ways to fix squash and zucchini.  This was a nice addition.

You can use both yellow squash and zucchini.  The zucchini needs to be a little bit bigger than this one.

Cut the squashes in half.  Place in boiling water for about 5 minutes.

Drop the squash in the boiling salt water.

Chop up an onion.

In a bowl place 1/3 cup bread crumbs.  The recipe calls for Italian bread crumbs.  Mine were plain so I added some Italian seasoning.

Add 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.  Mine was from the bag of shredded cheese but you could use the green bottled powdered Parm.

Have an ice water bath ready for the squash when it comes out of the boiling water.

Add the ground beef to the onions and  brown and drain.

I took the zucchini out first because it was smaller.  I didn't want it to over cook.  Drop it in the ice water to stop the cooking processes.

The cooked squash.

Add 1/2 cup chicken broth to the ground beef.

Add 1 cup chopped fresh or canned tomatoes.

Mix well and let simmer.

With a spoon start scraping the seeds out of the middle.

When you have the seeds out place in a sprayed baking dish that will hold them.  There was enough meat that I could have made another squash.

Add the meat to the cavity in the middle.

Sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture.  Place in a 425 preheated oven. Bake for about 20 minutes.  Can drizzle with a little olive oil.

Fresh from the oven.

We had ours with a nice green salad.

stuffed Summer Squash Recipe

1 large yellow summer squash
1 large zucchini
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion chopped
1 lb ground beef
1 cup chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper
1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Vidalia Honey Vinaigrette Dressing

I have enjoyed making my own dressings this year.  That way I can have a variety of dressings.   Also they are fresher and without preservatives. If you like Vidalia onions you will love this dressing.

There's some good stuff there for this dressing.

Chop up one Vidalia onion.

Cook the onion in a little olive oil.

Add 3/4 cup olive oil.

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup honey

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

Little fresh ground pepper.

You want the onions to be a little caramelized.

Put everything in the blender.

Blend well.

Everything mixed well, the onion chopped.  If you are not ready to eat right away leave it in the blender so you can pulse it again before serving.

I found these cute little bowls at Hobby Lobby the other day on sale. These are like the ones we were served salad and soup in while we were in Germany. Fill them with salad, and then drizzle the dressing down the sides.

Then shake, shake, shake the jar and the salad and dressing gets mixed really well.

Vidalia Honey Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe

3/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup Vidalia onion chopped

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup honey

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Pistachio Wedding Cookies.

I was looking for an easy cookie to make to take somewhere.  I found this little recipe that looked easy to make and who doesn't like pistachio nuts?  Before you panic thinking you are going to have to shell all those little nuts, the pistachio in this recipe comes from pistachio pudding mix.  Easy right?

These little cookies do not take much to make.

Start with two sticks of softened butter.

Cream the butter.

Add 1/2 cup confectioners; sugar

Cream well and add 2 teaspoons vanilla.

Add 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour.

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3.4 oz pkg pistachio instant pudding mix.

Mix well.  Look at that pretty green color.  I think these will be great at Christmastime.

Empty the dough onto plastic wrap and cover well.  Place in the fridge for at least an hour.

Take the dough out of the fridge and roll into teaspoon size balls.  I think next time I will roll into the balls and then place the cookie sheet into the fridge before baking.

The recipe said to make and indention in the top but when they baked it all ran so it doesn't matter. place in a preheated 350 oven and bake for about 9 minutes.  Watch them so they don't overbaked.

My first batch spread too much on the pan.  The heat of the summer was not my friend in baking these cookies.  So the next tray I put in the fridge before I baked them and they did better.

While the cookies are still warm dust with powdered sugar.

Sprinkle well.

The finished cookies.

Pistachio Wedding Cookies Recipe

1 cup butter softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar + extra for dusting.
2 teaspooons vanilla
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3.4 oz pkg pistachio instant pudding mix
1/2 teaspoon salt

Chicken and Biscuit Pie

This is a great comfort meal.  I usually save this recipe for the winter when you need a good warming up, but with all the rain we have had lately I thought it was a good time to bring it out.  This recipe is actually half of the original recipe.  I am going to share the half recipe.  If you need to make it for a crowd then just double it except for the mushroom soup.  It only calls for 1 can so my half recipe is a little creamier.  You could make this and freeze it but don't put the biscuits on top.

You can use any flavor of the rice that you like.  I had this in the pantry and it needed to be used.

Cut your chicken into small bite sized pieces. Put in a pot to cook along with the following:

2 cups water.

The box of rice.

The seasoning mix.  Stir well to disolve the powder.

The can of cream of mushroom soup.

8 oz of frozen mixed veggies.

Stir well and bring to a boil.  After the boil reduce heat and cover.  Cook for about 10 minutes.  Stir often to make sure it doesn't stick.

Pour into a casserole dish.

Top with the can of biscuits.  Place in a preheated 400 oven.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.

When the biscuits are nice and golden brown it is time to remove from the oven.

Serve.

Chicken and Biscuit Pie Recipe

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breast
2 cups water
1 box Uncle Ben's country Inn Rice chicken flavor
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz frozen mixed vegetables
1 container refrigerated buttermilk biscuits.