Thursday, August 19, 2010

Summer Squash Casserole

When my husband makes rice, he always makes way too much.
My zucchini and summer squash plants produce way too much.
What to do with all the leftover rice and armloads of squash? Summer squash casserole to the rescue!

Ingredients:
  • 3-4 yellow crookneck or zucchini, or some combination thereof
  • about 3 cups cooked rice
  • 1/4-1/2 cup vegenaise
  • about 3/4 cup vegetable broth
  • about 3/4 cup almond, soy, or rice milk
  • 1/4-1/2 cup nutritional yeast
  • salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder
The Process:
  1. Slice or dice squash and mix or layer with rice in an oiled casserole dish
  2. blend together all other ingredients, and pour over rice/squash mixture
  3. cover, and bake 30-45 minutes (depending how soft you like your squash) at 375
This is my new comfort food...creamy and delicious.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

breaded baked eggplant

It's the time of year when my garden seems to produce a new eggplant every time I blink.  I'm still learning to cook with the stuff, but here's the best method I've found so far:

Slice eggplant into 1/4-1/2 inch thick rounds, put in a colander, and sprinkle liberally with salt.  Let it sit for about a half hour, then rinse the salt off and squeeze some of the water out.
Get three bowls:
  1.  flour mixed with spices (garlic, pepper, etc.)
  2. bread crumbs
  3. something wet (I used soy milk blended with vegenaise)
Dredge eggplant in flour, then liquid, and finally breadcrumbs (sort of mash it in to make them stick).
Put on a sprayed or oiled baking sheet, and spray the tops with cooking spray.
Bake at around 425 for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway.

I ate these plain hot off the pan, and reheated leftovers for breakfast with dallops of salsa on top.