August 15th, 2007

Brian is still suffering a bit with the shingles and I have been keeping busy here at home as you can well see over on the main blog page. Also keeping busy cooking with the new stove.
Well it was my turn to make rolls this week and I wanted something a bit different. So I found a recipe for some yummy date and rosemary wholemeal rolls.

So I dumped all the ingredients into the bread machine and let it mix away until it was my turn to shape and bake.

They took alot longer to bake than our normal recipe. But they are a nice change.

I also made a loaf of Zucchini Banana Nut Bread. YUM!!!! I wanted to give some to my friend Linda to take home for the kids and all to try. But Elliot didn't!!!! Honest Elliot it is good!!!! Let me know if you have a question on measurements. I have done it for both American measures and British.
Zucchini Banana-Nut Bread (Courgette Banana-Nut Bread) Sort of cake like
1/2 cup butter (113.5 grams I think.)
1 cup sugar (Granulated)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 medium bananas mashed
1 cup grated zucchini(courgette)
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda(bicarbonate of soda)
2 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans)
Cream butter and sugar. Stir in eggs, bananas, zucchini and vanilla. Sift together the rest of the dry ingredients and blend into zucchini mixture. Beat until very smooth. Add Nuts. Pour into a greased and floured loaf tin and bake at 180 C for about 60 minutes. Use the toothpick test to see if it is done.

Supper last night
My lovely friend has given me some realy lovely courgettes and other veggies from her allotment and I am in heaven coming up with different recipes to use all the lovely fresh veg.
So last night for supper I used a recipe from one of my vegetarian cookbooks, but I changed it and added meat. :)
This would actually be really nice with aubergine or mushrooms or potatoes too or cooked chicken or ham. Or serve with grilled fish. Or on rice or noodles.
First slice up a good amount of courgettes and about 4 large tomatoes and one onion and grate some cheddar cheese.

Take and make a layer of the courgettes on the bottom of your pan.

Sweat off the onions in a bit of butter.

Now layer about 1/2 the onion on the top of the courgette and start to layer with the tomato...

Layer with all the tomato slices....

And sprinkle on some dried herbs, I used oregano, basil and thyme. Salt and fresh ground pepper.

Sprinkle a little cheese ontop.

Layer with the rest of the onion.

And I added some sliced smoked sausage.(low fat kind)

Then layer on the rest of the courgettes.

Now you need to make a cheese sauce.
I took a knob of butter in a sauce pan....

Added a pinch of salt and some pepper and flour...

Cook off for a minute or so....

Add some milk and whisk.... cook till slightly thickened. If too thick add more milk.

Add about 2/3 of the cheese you have left... and whisk till melted in. Add a grating of nutmeg and check seasonings.

Pour over the courgettes....

Sprinkle on the rest of the cheese .....

And some bread crumbs....

Bake in a 200 C oven for about 30-40 minutes....And golden brown and bubbly.

It is rather soupy so I served it with the rolls to sop up the juices.
I also made a quick potato bean salad from some of the fresh veg too.....
Boil some potato slices until almost tender then chuck in some green beans you have broken into chunky pieces. Cook for about 5 minutes and then cool quick in cold water.
1/2 chopped red onion in large bowl with some chopped fresh herbs of choice. The drained potatoes and beans. And a handful of quartered cherry tomatoes. A couple of large spoonfulls of mayonaise and a large spoonfull of plain yogurt. Season to taste. And enjoy!!!!