I know we did zucchini soup recently, but I made some for my family tonight that was so good they finished the whole pot. The zucchinis at this time of year are so perfect. Maybe next week I’ll try some stuffed zucchinis. Here’s the recipe again…

Zucchini soup

Wash and slice zucchinis. They don’t have to be finely sliced—you’re going to puree the whole thing afterwards. Put in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender.

Taste a few slices. I boil the zucchini separately first because every once in a while it’s bitter, and that ruins the whole soup. So better to test it first.

Assuming your zucchinis are not bitter, chop 2 cooking onions, 3 carrots and 1 stick of celery. Chop celery finely, otherwise the fibres stick in the blades of your blender or food processor. Add these items to the pot of zucchini and make sure they are all covered with liquid.

Add 2 Tbsp of salt and a pinch of pepper.

Cook until all vegetables are soft. This takes 15-20 minutes on a high heat, but use your judgement.

Now I’m going to tell you about my favourite kitchen tool. It’s my immersion hand blender. If you don’t have one, it’s worth the $20. It’s the lazy person’s tool of choice. You just stick it directly in the pot of cooked vegetables and buzz. Voila! Soup!

If you don’t have a hand blender you can use a Cuisinart or a regular blender to puree this mixture.

You can adjust the salt to your taste.

Cabbage rolls

• Large head of cabbage
• Ground beef
• Rice
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 egg for each pound of ground beef or part thereof
• can of tomato juice
• 1 Tbsp of sugar

Separate the cabbage leaves. You want to use the large outer leaves. Place them in a shallow dish and pour boiling water over them. Let them stand for about 15 minutes.

Combine ground beef, rice, salt, pepper and one diced onion and mix

Drain the water from the cabbage leaves

Place a small scoop of meat on each leaf and roll up the cabbage, tucking in the ends

At the bottom of a large casserole dish place some cabbage leaves, and put the cabbage rolls on top

Pour over can of tomato juice and sprinkle with Tbsp of sugar

Cook covered on a low heat for 1 hr 15 min, or in the oven at 300 degrees for 1 hr 15 min

That’s it!

My husband says he’s never even had this. (That’s because she just made it up! - the husband and typist)

Slice or dice 2-3 large cooking onions and sautee in 1 Tbsp olive oil until translucent. Set aside.

Parboil 10 potatoes, with skins on if they’re nice looking, and slice into 1/4 inch rounds.

Peel and blanch large (immerse in hot water or steam) head of broccoli and chop.

Mix 1 tub ricotta cheese with 2 raw eggs, salt, pepper and 1/4 tsp nutmeg.

Grate 1 cup cheddar cheese

In a large baking dish, layer as follows:

• 1/2 the onions on the bottom
• a single layer of sliced potatoes
• 1/2 the ricotta cheese and egg mixture
• broccoli
• another layer of potatoes
• another layer of onions
• the rest of the ricotta cheese
• broccoli
• another layer of potatoes
• cheddar cheese

Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover and continue to bake for 10 more minutes, or until cheese is bubbling.

Serve.

I’ve been asked for more meatless meals, and with local produce so fresh right now, it’s easy to do. Instead of pointing you in the direction of a specific supermarket this week, I’d like to take advantage of the seasonal gifts that are available everywhere. You’ll find the items I’m using on special at a lot of supermarkets this week.

I’m going to leave desserts up to you this week, with the suggestion that you partake of the abundant local fruit available.

So without further ado, here are this week’s menus and shopping list (one big one, instead of per day):

Monday

• Potato, cheese and broccoli lasagna
• Green salad

Tuesday

• Zucchini soup
• Cabbage rolls

Wednesday

• Spaghetti squash with tomato sauce
• Caesar salad

Thursday

• Perfection greek salad with legumes

Friday

• Butternut squash soup and pumpernickel bread

Shopping list

• 6-7 zucchinis
• cooking onions
• carrots
• 1/3 pound ground beef per person
• 1/4 cup of rice per person
• large cabbage
• can of tomato juice
• butternut squash
• half pint of whipping cream
• cinnamon
• plain yogurt
• fresh pumpernickel bread
• spaghetti squash
• canned or jarred tomato sauce
• tomatoes
• romaine lettuce
• parmesan cheese
• potatoes
• cheddar cheese
• ricotta cheese
• broccoli
• cucumbers
• feta cheese
• olives
• can of chickpeas
• can of black beans

I welcome your feedback…

OK, this is my exclusive recipe for dry rub ribs. I don’t give it out to anybody, so keep it to yourself. Also, it requires a great deal of spices that you may or may not have in your kitchen. Use what you have, leave out what you don’t have, and don’t worry about it.

Dry rub ribs

2 tsp kosher salt

1 Tbsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper or chili powder

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp cumin seed

2 tsp mustard seed or dried mustard

1 tsp coriander seed

1 tsp crushed chillies

Mix together all the spices and rub generously on both sides of ribs

Place ribs on parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake at 375 for at least 1 1/2 hours

That’s it! The only thing that improves this recipe is a few minutes on the barbeque if you have one. Otherwise I promise you’ll like them like this.

Cole slaw

Dressing:

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 Tbsp white sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp celery seed

3 Tbsp mayonnaise

Pour over shredded cabbage and mix

Baked potato fries

Wash new potatoes. If the skins are thin don’t bother peeling them. Just cut out big ugly eyes.

Cut into fries

In a large mixing bowl, toss potatoes with 1 Tbsp kosher salt and 3 Tbsp olive oil

Line baking sheets with parchment paper and spread fries in single layer on baking sheets. They can bake in the oven along with the ribs, but require only 35-40 minutes.

Bon appetit!

I tend to do most of my shopping at the same supermarket. But for the sake of proving the point that it doesn’t really matter where you shop, and that all grocers have specials that are usable, I’m going to spread it around. This week’s menu will be based on Sobey’s flyer, and instead of just 5 weeknight meals, I’m also going to include a just-in-case meal that you can prepare in advance and put in your freezer. If you don’t have a lot of freezer space, use ziploc bags to freeze things in.

Here are the menus and shopping lists for this week:

Monday night

• Corn on the cob
• Dry rub ribs
• Cole slaw
• Baked potato fries
• Pears

Shopping list

• Pork back ribs (1 rack for 3 people)
• Corn on the cob (1 ear per person)
• Cabbage or pre-shredded cole slaw
• local potatoes (red or white)
• local pears

Tuesday night

• Nachos
• Apples

Shopping list

• Tostitos tortilla chips
• local tomatoes
• local red and green peppers
• old cheddar cheese
• sour cream
• Can of black beans (not on special)
• Can of kidney beans (not on special)
• local apples

Wednesday night

• Hamburgers on crusty rolls
• Green salad
• Yogurt

Shopping list

• Lean ground beef (1/3 pound per person)
• bread crumbs
• onion soup mix
• crusty rolls
• lettuce
• cucumber
• vanilla yogurt

Thursday night

• Whole wheat pasta with fresh tomato sauce
• Green salad
• Watermelon

Shopping list

• Catelli Whole wheat pasta
• local tomatoes
• onions and garlic if you don’t have them already
• lettuce
• cucumber
• watermelon

Friday night

• Pan fried ocean perch
• Mashed potatoes
• Chopped salad
• Ice cream (Haagen Dasz is on special)

Shopping list

• Ocean perch fillets (approx. 250g per person)
• new local potatoes
• red peppers
• green peppers
• tomatoes
• onions
• celery
• ice cream

Freezer meal - Chicken stew

Shopping list

• 3 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 lb bag of carrots
• 1 can or tetra pack of chicken broth

I’ll post the recipes later…

Friday night. It’s been a long hectic week. So dinner is easy, easy, easy.

Friday’s recipes

Salmon

Mix 1/3 cup of soya sauce, a Tbsp of brown sugar and 2 cloves of crushed garlic

Drizzle over salmon fillets on baking sheet covered with parchment paper

Place under broiler for about 7 or 8 minutes

If you like fish cooked a little more, leave it a few extra minutes under the broiler, but make sure it doesn’t burn. Sugar burns quickly.

Potatoes

The potatoes at this time of year are new and thin-skinned. Just wash them, cut out any large eyes, and boil them. You can sprinkle them with some fresh herbs if you have, or dried if you don’t.

Balsamic vinaigrette

Juice of 1 lime

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

2 cloves crushed garlic

Mix together and drizzle over salad

This dressing keeps well in the refrigerator for many weeks.

A frittata is a deep dish omelette. I like to make mine in a cast iron frying pan, so that I can cook it on the stove top and then finish it under the broiler. Really anything goes, that is, anything you like in an omelette. It being harvest time, my frittata will have potatoes, onions, red peppers and tomatoes.

Thursday’s recipes

Frittata

Crack eggs into a bowl (2 per person) and whisk with a 1/4 cup of milk for every 2 eggs, and salt and pepper to taste.

Parboil potatoes and cut into thick slices. Saute in cast iron pan with a lump of butter until nicely browned along with diced onions. When onions start to become translucent, add chopped peppers and diced tomatoes.

When vegetables are all somewhat cooked (tender, not mushy) pour egg mixture over them and let cook on a low heat until it begins to harden.

When it seems that the bottom is hard but the top is still runny, place in the oven under the broiler and watch it so it doesn’t burn.

Serve directly from pan in pie slices

Cole slaw

Dressing:

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 Tbsp white sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp celery seed

3 Tbsp mayonnaise

Pour over shredded cabbage and mix

The first day of school was great but hectic, so I got a little bit behind. I figure I’ll put the recipes down anyhow, because I couldn’t possibly be the only one who was scrambling a little yesterday. And to make up for it, I’ll put the recipes up to and including Wednesday.

Monday’s recipes

Chicken curry (this is a low-cal version of butter or coconut chicken)

Cut chicken breasts into approx. 2-inch cubes (It cooks down into bite-sized pieces)

Thinly slice 3-4 onions

Dice 2-3 tomatoes

In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp cooking oil

Add onions and cook sloooowly until golden and caramelized. The basis of any good curry is slow cooked onions. It can be irritating to wait in our rush-rush-rush lives, but the payoff is worth it, so turn down that heat and give them time. (approx. 15 minutes)

When onions are beautiful, add 2 Tbsp curry powder and combine with onions

Add chicken and stir with onions. When chicken is cooked through, add diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup of water and a generous dollop of ketchup (yes, ketchup). Cover and let simmer until tomatoes have cooked down into stew.

Add salt and pepper to taste

Immediately before serving, add 1 cup plain yogurt and stir

Rice

Twice water to rice

Bring water to boil

Add rice and reduce heat to low

Cook covered for 16 minutes (white) or 45 minutes (brown)

Turn off and leave covered for 3-4 minutes

Raita

Coarsely chop or grate 3 Tbsp cucumber into 1 cup of plain yogurt

Peach crumble

I don’t bake. Too many instructions. So this is an easy, vague dessert recipe.

Cut up 4-5 peaches into large chunks

Toss with a Tbsp of sugar and a tsp of cinnamon

Grease a square (preferably glass) 9x9 or 8x8 baking dish with butter

Mix together 1/2 cup of flour, 2 Tbsp coarsely chopped butter, 2 Tbsp brown sugar and 2 cups of Oatmeal Crisp cereal

Lay peaches in bottom of baking dish and spread oatmeal crumble mix on top of peaches

Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Tuesday’s recipes

Beef tacos

Dice 1 onion

Put ground beef in large skillet and brown. In order to brown meat, do not let anything other than the skillet come between the meat and the heat. For this reason, you will add the onion after the beef is browned all the way through.

I think those taco kits come with spice mixes. Add to meat. If you’re going commando and doing this without a kit, use salt, pepper, tabasco and about a tsp of cumin.

Add onions and let simmer

In separate bowls prepare:

• 2 cups of diced tomatoes
• grated cheddar cheese
• shredded lettuce
• yogurt or sour cream
• salsa
• browned beef mixture

Heat taco shells as per instructions

Let everybody fill their own shells at the table

Wednesday’s recipes

You know how an egg salad sandwich on white bread is far less appealing than party sandwiches, which are essentially egg salad sandwiches on white bread? Cut off the crusts, make them pretty, and it’s a whole different ball game. Giant sandwich is sort of the same thing, only in reverse.

Giant sandwich

Take your loaf of beautiful, fresh bread (I like to use the Portuguese ring bread—looks like a giant bagel) and slice the whole loaf in half as you would a bagel or bun.

Fill with cold cuts and your choice of mustard, mayo, etc.

Dress with lettuce, tomato, pickles, hot peppers as per your family’s particular tastes. Anything goes. Just remember, you’re trying to get a full meal on a loaf of bread.

Serve in slices or chunks, depending on the shape of your bread

I have never grocery shopped at Walmart, but I figure that with everybody in the throes of back to school shopping, I would put myself to the Walmart challenge. Can I come up with a week’s worth of weekday dinner menus from what I see in the Walmart grocery specials flyer? Here goes…

Meals and shopping lists for the week of Sept 7-11, 2009

Monday

• chicken curry
• rice
• raita
• peach crumble

Shopping list

• boneless skinless chicken breasts
• plain yogurt
• 3 tomatoes
• onions
• curry powder or paste (they probably have this at Walmart, but if not, any other grocery store will have it)
• cucumber
• peaches
• Oatmeal Crisp cereal

Tuesday

• beef tacos
• apple sauce

Shopping list

• ground beef (1/3 pound per person)
• Old El Paso taco kit (3 shells per person)
• salsa
• plain yogurt or sour cream
• cheddar cheese
• lettuce
• tomatoes
• Mott’s Fruitsations apple sauce

Wednesday

• tomato soup
• giant sandwich
• vegetables and dip
• grapes

Shopping list

• Campbell’s tomato soup
• assorted cold cuts
• lettuce
• mustard and mayonnaise (if you don’t already have them)
• a large crispy loaf of Italian or Portuguese bread, preferably bought on the day of (OK, I’ve failed. I’m sure you can’t get this at Walmart)
• carrots and celery
• ranch dip (in case you don’t have anymore)
• grapes

Thursday

• frittata
• coleslaw
• yogurt

Shopping list

• eggs
• onions
• tomatoes
• 2 bags of shredded cabbage or coleslaw
• celery seed
• flavoured yogurt

Friday

• salmon
• potatoes
• mixed salad with balsamic vinaigrette
• danish or cinnamon buns

Shopping list

• Steelhead salmon fillets
• new potatoes (they are so beautiful this time of year)
• lettuce
• tomatoes
• cucumbers
• onion
• danish or cinnamon buns

Remember, stores are closed on Monday. Recipes will follow…

I don’t know a single person (OK, maybe one or two) who need instructions to prepare frozen pizza and baby carrots. You’re on your own.

Let’s talk next week’s shopping list a little later.