Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Tasty Tuesday

Once again, the time of year has come when my zucchini is growing to outrageous proportions and I've got to figure out some way of getting Budley to help me eat it. He is not, I repeat, NOT, a big fan of squash--or any vegetables, for that matter--which makes me wonder why I bother growing veggies at all when I end up giving most of them away, but I digress.

Budley has, on occasion, wanted to be vegan or vegetarian, and I have learned to laugh at this notion, and continue to serve him hamburgers, pot roast, and barbecued ribs. Thus it was, that as I gazed at the huge mound of squash sitting on the kitchen table, in desperation, I took my recipe for zucchini souffle and added ground beef to it. And voila! We have a new way to trick Budley into eating vegetables!

Hamburger Zucchini Souffle


Saute:
1 onion, chopped or grated
1 lb lean ground beef, seasoned with meat seasoning of your choice, or a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder
4 cloves garlic, minced

Mix together:
1 large zucchini, grated (about 2-3 cups)
1 cup or more grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 long pkg saltines (whole wheat or regular), crushed
2 tsp of a salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder mixture (Paula Deen's House Seasoning)

Beat together:
3 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
2 tbsp pesto

Now, mix all of this stuff together, put it in a greased 9 x 13 pan (glass or metal) and bake for about an hour at 350 degrees, or longer if you're like Budley and don't like your casseroles juicy. Let it set a few minutes before enjoying with the hunk of your choice!



























Oh, yeah... I almost forgot. Now that I've used up some of the squash, I've got to figure out what to do with all these cucumbers. Something tells me that my Yah Yahs will have some very interesting suggestions...



21 comments:

  1. I'm sure you brilliant, funny ladies will come up with some great lines about zucchinis & cucumbers but I am too distracted by the dangly. There's just something about that pose.

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  2. WV is jacto but I don't think it's his toe he jacks.

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  3. I agree with you Mary. There's something about that post...Cheryl I need to quit reading your food posts late at night. They always make me hungry lol.

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  4. Me too Ana. I'm actually drooling for some of that casserole. I really do like zucchini...raw in salads, sauteed with some dill and the best ever, in Zucchini Bread. PITA to make but soooo good. Mom used to make it for us all the time.

    I agree...there is something about today's hunk pose despite his limp zucchini. *snort*

    I'd like to have some of the cucumbers marinated in vinegar, salt and pepper. Yum.

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  5. My favorite way to use those big zucchinis that grow to DOORSTOP proportions overnight---stuff 'em!! I don't have a working oven right now, so I "steam" the halved zucchini (face down) in the microwave, then stuff them with ground meat, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, and whatever else is languishing in the fridge and top them with grated cheese--then it's best to bake them in a regular oven---but I use the micro, and they're really tasty!

    The cucumbers? I'd make cold cucumber soup! I LOVE that on a hot evening!

    Of course, there are so many other uses for a room-temperature zucchini/cucumber.....

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  6. LOL! Probably not, Mary!

    I'll have to try sauteing them in dill sometime, Nancy. Sounds delicious! Wonder if that would work with cucumbers? Hot pickles????

    I've tried stuffing the zukes, Suzy. Budley eats the stuffing and leaves the zuke! LOL! I knew SOMEONE would come up with a use for room temperature veggies!

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  7. I love sliced and fried zucchini--coat them in beer tempura batter and yum! Crispy, hot and delicious--rather like your hunk today, Cheryl, except of course, for the "crispy" part! Ewww...

    Quick hijack--I'm guest blogging today at www.bettyverse.com. Come visit, okay?

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  8. I'm dreading the condition of my garden when I get home from vacation tomorrow. Zucchini the size of really big whopping weasels, deer-eaten everything, peppers out the wazoo... Home for a couple days then off to move my daughter from Purdue to Kent State. I'll never catch up :P I'd rather lounge by the pool with a hunk :)

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  9. Wowza! That's a tough blog to post a comment on, Nan! Great post, though, and one to which I can SO relate! I think I would be a lot more restless if it weren't for my long drive to work and the trips I've taken with friends and the various writer's conferences I've attended. My DH isn't much of a traveler, either. After the NY trip, Sam thought he might want to go there. Budley said NO! Not sure why, exactly, but there it is.

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  10. I was surprised at how much my garden had grown when I got back from RWA, Mellanie. Have fun with it in this heat. I've got green beans ready to pick, but I'm waiting until the garden is in the shade this evening to attempt it.

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  11. Cheryl, it was hard to post a comment? Oh, actually, I think you do have to create an account to comment...but that's a piece o' cake if you're inclined. The Bettyverse is fun...but you can also leave comments at www.nanreinhardt.com

    I moderate the first comment you make, but after that they show up just fine...

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  12. "Crouching Woman Hidden Cucumbers"
    The recipes looks great.
    I think you need to send the extra Zucchini and Cucumbers To Alicia for PPP practice. I bet she can make even a cucumber Cum and spew it's seeds. LOL
    I love the pool Guy. His danglers are perfectly normal and nice.

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  13. I was just swimming laps, minding my own business, when today's pool boy came in for a dip. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the dangler. I pretended not to notice at first, playing coy. I slowly veered in his direction, paused, then went in lips first for the capture. Sadly, he quickly exited, and saved his bait for the next time. He smiled as he stood on the stairs, proud of his perceived good fortune.

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  14. Donna, you slay me. I've got a vision of walking past a cucumber patch, and all the cucumbers puff themselves up and stand at attention and point in my direction, hoping to be selected.

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  15. Okay, Nan! I got it to work!

    @Donna and Alicia. Between the two of you, I may never stop laughing again!

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  16. Funny but when I thought of stuffing them I wasn't thinking about food. Maybe there's something wrong with me.

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  17. Thanks for stopping by the Bettyverse, Cheryl!

    You YahYahs crack me up!! I'm getting hungry...and not just for food!

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  18. @Alicia. You'd got to stop, girl! I couldn't help thinking about you the other day as I was reading Long Hard Ride (Lorelei James). Lots of BJ's in the story and I was comparing their techniques to yours. Then I had to snort and grin.

    @Donna. LMAO

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  19. My kids won't eat any kind of squash. I grate it and put it in any kind of tomato sauce. Spaghetti, lasagna, chili ect. I never tell them its there and they have never noticed. It is good deep fried. No argument there.

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  20. That's been my strategy too, Nancy. I deep fried a bunch of stuff last night, but I felt bad after eating it and slept like crap. I think my body is trying to tell me something!

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