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Zucchini Patties

Hi, Everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend and are enjoying the beginning of the summer! It's been a crazy one here so far, with a tornado warning last week and heavy rain most nights, I'm hoping this isn't what the rest of the summer is going to be like! I'm ready for some warm, no-clouds-in-the-sky beach days! I have another quick and easy summer recipe to share with you today - Zucchini Patties! This is definitely my favorite way to use fresh zucchini, you only need a couple of ingredients and these are so quick and easy to whip up for a delicious appetizer or side dish.

ZUCCHINI PATTIES

*Makes 6*

YOU WILL NEED:

2 cups grated zucchini (one medium sized zucchini)

1/2 small onion, finely diced

1 large egg

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Salt and Pepper

Olive oil
*You could add garlic or herbs for some extra flavor

DIRECTIONS:

1. To make these zucchini patties, grate the zucchini, then pat it dry with some paper towels (try to get as much of the moisture out as possible, without mushing up the zucchini). Place all the grated zucchini in a bowl, and add in the finely diced onion, Parmesan cheese (you can add in whatever cheese you like), the egg and flour and stir well. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and using a 1/4 cup measure, drop the zucchini batter into your pan, patting it down a little with a spatula. Cook on medium heat for about 2 - 3 minutes on each side, or until you get a nice, golden brown crust on the outside and the patties have cooked on the inside. Let cool for a couple of minutes before eating.

For a similar recipe, check out my Cheesy Quinoa Broccoli Patties here.

Have a great Monday, Everyone!

I will be linking to:

Skip to My Lou, Jam Hands, Kathe with an E, A Diamond in the Stuff, Cozy Little House, Our Delightful Home, Cedar Hill Ranch, Love Grows Wild, Inside BruCrew Life, The Shabby Nest, My Romantic Home, Savvy Southern Style, Bubbly Nature Creations, Will Cook for Smiles, Tatertots and Jello and Be Different, Act Normal. 

Asparagus and Cherry Tomato Frittata

Hi, Everyone! I'm sharing a very quick and easy lunch or brunch recipe with you this morning - an Asparagus and Cherry Tomato Frittata. Frittatas are the perfect go to dish for when you don't have hours to spend in the kitchen (this is definitely a 30 minute meal!) and you only have a couple of ingredients on hand, but you still want a delicious, satisfying meal. And the great thing is that you can customize it as much as you like and use whatever vegetables and cheeses you have (you could also add meat - bacon, pancetta or any kind of breakfast sausage would work well!) Super quick, easy and tasty!

ASPARAGUS AND CHERRY TOMATO FRITTATA

*One large portion or two small portions*

YOU WILL NEED:

2 large eggs

1 tbs grated Parmesan cheese

1 tbs half-and-half (or milk)

2 - 3 asparagus spears, cut into 1 inch chunks diagonally

Cherry tomatoes (whole)

Salt and pepper to season

Fresh herbs of your choice (I used flat leaf parsley)

Butter/cooking spray to grease baking dish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 deg F and grease your baking dish (this recipe makes one large portion or two small ones and I used a small, 7 inch oval baking dish. You could also bake these in muffin cups for individual little portions!). 

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half and grated Parmesan cheese, then season with salt and pepper. Add in your herbs, asparagus and tomatoes and stir. Pour the mixture into your baking dish (spread out the asparagus and tomatoes evenly) and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the frittata has puffed up and shrunk away from the edges of the baking dish. Serve warm.

Have a great day, Everyone!

I will be linking to:

Skip to My Lou, Cuisine Kathleen, A Creative Princess, House of Hepworths, Lamberts Lately, Mom on Timeout, The Brambleberry Cottage, What's Cooking Love, Love Grows Wild, Inside BruCrew Life, The Shabby Nest, My Romantic Home, Savvy Southern Style, Bubbly Nature Creations, Will Cook for Smiles, Tatertots and Jello and Be Different, Act Normal. 

Homemade Ice-Cream Sandwiches

Hi, Everybody! These Homemade Ice-cream Sandwiches are hardly a recipe, but they were too delicious not to share with you! I'd rather not admit the amounts of ice-cream that I am capable of eating all year round, but whenever the summer starts, it almost feels like ice-cream, or some form of it, is a prescribed daily treat, or so I tell myself! I think my college years are slightly to blame for this addiction! These ice-cream sandwiches are the perfect little dessert - you get ice-cream, a cookie and candy all in one bite! What could be better!

HOMEMADE ICE-CREAM SANDWICHES

YOU WILL NEED:

Cookies (either homemade or store-bought)

Ice-cream of your choice

Chocolate or candy, chopped

(You can go as crazy as you want with it! Any sort of candy, chocolate, chopped nuts or sprinkles will work!)

DIRECTIONS:

To make these ice-cream sandwiches, simply prepare your cookies (I used chocolate chip cookies with pecans. If you are using homemade cookies make sure they are completely cooled, you may even want to pop them in the freezer for just a couple of minutes), place a scoop of slightly softened ice-cream on one cookie and top with the other one (make sure the ice-cream isn't super soft otherwise this will be a huge mess! If you need the ice-cream to harden a little once you've already made the sandwich, just put it in the freezer for a little while). Next, chop your candy, chocolate, nuts, coconut or whatever else you may be using for your ice-cream sandwiches! Place the chopped goodies onto a large plate or chopping board and roll the edges of the sandwich in it, until everything sticks to the ice-cream. Immediately place the ice-cream sandwiches back into the freezer until they are firm, then they are ready to eat!

Have a great day, Everyone!

I will be linking to:

Skip to My Lou, Kathe with an E, The Dedicated House, DIY Home Sweet Home, Flour me with Love, Making the World Cuter, Piggy in Polka Dots, Our Delightful Home, Love Grows Wild, Inside BruCrew Life, Pint Sized Baker, Anyonita's Nibbles, Salt Tree, The Shabby Nest, My Romantic Home, Savvy Southern Style, Bubbly Nature Creations, Will Cook for Smiles, Tatertots and Jello and Be Different, Act Normal. 

Rhubarb Raspberry Crisp

Hi, Everybody! I hope you are all having a good week and enjoying some June sunshine! One of my favorite things about this time of year is all the seasonal fruit that fills the grocery stores and farmer's markets. I love that sweet, delicious smell of fresh peaches and strawberries, and the beautifully vibrant colors of all the fruits. One of my favorites of the season is rhubarb. I love the fresh, tart taste it adds to desserts, and I love the bright pink color that it produces as it's bubbling away while it bakes! I wanted to make something a little different than the traditional strawberry-rhubarb pie, so I came up with this Rhubarb Raspberry Crisp, which is to die for! Paired with the sweeter raspberries and a dash of vanilla, the rhubarb filling is just tart enough, and complements the sweet, crunchy topping just perfectly! Add some vanilla ice-cream on top of your warm Rhubarb Raspberry Crisp, and you have the most wonderful summer dessert!

RHUBARB RASPBERRY CRISP

*Serves Two*

YOU WILL NEED:

FILLING:

3/4 rhubarb stalk, chopped

4 oz fresh raspberries

1/2 tbs cornstarch

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tbs granulated sugar

TOPPING:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup rolled oats

2 1/2 tbs unsalted butter, softened

2 1/2 tbs brown sugar

Tiny pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. First, prepare your fruit. Wash the raspberries and scrub the rhubarb well. Cut off both of the ends of the rhubarb stalk, then cut it into small chunks. Place all the fruit in a small bowl and gently toss it with the granulated sugar (if you prefer a sweeter filling, add an extra tablespoon of it). Set aside.

2. Next, prepare your topping. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients together. You could definitely use a food processor or a mixer to get all the ingredients combined, but I prefer to do it by hand. You should end up with medium sized crumbles that you will spread over the fruit.

3. Preheat your oven to 350 deg F and finish off your fruit filling by adding in the vanilla extract and the cornstarch. Mix gently, so you don't mush the raspberries. Place all the fruit evenly into your baking dish (I used a small, 7 inch oval baking dish) then cover with the topping. Place the baking dish onto a larger baking sheet covered with foil or baking paper (just to make sure that any liquid that comes out of the crisp is caught on it and you don't have to scrub your oven afterwards!) Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling (I covered the baking dish with foil after about 20 minutes of baking time to make sure the topping didn't burn). Let cool for a couple of minutes, then serve warm with vanilla ice-cream.

(*Note: You will need to double or triple the recipe for the filling as well as the topping if you are making it for a big crowd! This recipe only makes a dessert to share for two!)

Happy Baking, Everyone!

I will be linking to:

Skip to My Lou, The Shabby Nest, My Romantic Home, Savvy Southern Style, Bubbly Nature Creations, The Brambleberry Cottage, The Stone Gable, Joyful Homemaking, Two Girls and a Party, Lamberts Lately, Will Cook for Smiles and Be Different, Act Normal. 

Lemon Bars

Hi, Everybody! Happy First Day of June! As ready as I was for the summer to finally be here, I was definitely not prepared for the intense heat that we've been having this past week! I feel like it went from "light jacket kind of weather" to "I don't even want to step outside kind of weather" within just a couple of days! But I'm not complaining, and am loving this much needed dose of Vitamin D every day! As you probably know from reading my blog, I love to bake, whether it's in the fall when we crave those cozy, comforting pies and cakes, or in the summer, when all you want is something light and refreshing. These Lemon Bars that I'm sharing with you today are just that - deliciously refreshing! The crust is wonderfully sweet and buttery and perfectly complements the tart, gooey filling that's dusted with a thin layer of sugar for a little extra sweetness! The perfect summer dessert!

LEMON BARS
(Recipe adapted from Ina Garten)
*Makes 16 squares*

YOU WILL NEED:
Crust:
4oz unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

Filling:
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Grated lemon zest from 1 lemon
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Confectioners sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS:

1. First, preheat your oven to 350 deg F and line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Prepare your crust by mixing together the softened butter, sugar and salt. Once you have a smooth mixture, add in the flour and mix until you get a soft dough. Press the dough into your prepared baking pan, then let it chill in the fridge until your oven is ready. Bake the crust for 15 - 20 minutes, until it is just slightly golden brown.

2. Let the crust chill and prepare your filling. Whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, lemon zest and juice and flour and pour over the chilled crust. Bake (at 350 deg F again) for 35 - 40 minutes, or until the middle no longer jiggles. Let cool completely and dust with confectioners' sugar before eating. 

Happy Baking, Everyone!

I will be linking to:

Skip to My Lou, The Shabby Nest, My Romantic Home, What's Cooking with Ruthie, It's Overflowing, Be Different Act Normal, Six Sisters Stuff, Will Cook For Smiles and Savvy Southern Style.

Free Printable: June 2013 Desk Calendar

Hi, Everyone! So, the other day I was cleaning my desk (the surface of which you could barely even see because it was covered with books, craft supplies and all those other things that just pile up so easily!) and as I was organizing everything, I realized that I didn't have a calendar for my desk. You see, I love calendars and day planners! I have one in every room, one for my purse and one on my phone... so I had to have one for my desk, of course! I made a simple and pretty one for next month, printed it on some heavy card stock and placed it on a little stand. If you need a cute little desk calendar too, you can print mine for the month of June by clicking on the image at the bottom of this post!

Have a great rest of your week, Everyone!
I will be linking to:
The Shabby Nest, My Romantic Home, Chic on a Shoestring Decorating, Savvy Southern Style and Be Different, Act Normal.