Zucchini Parmesan

I have so many new recipes to post! With the end of school quickly approaching, I have not had much time to post. I can't wait to put up all the fun recipes I've discovered. Lately my theme has been quick and cheap. The problem is I can't settle on a sandwich it has to be quick, cheap, and good!

This was Bill's most recent favorite. He asked if we could have it every week :)

• Two zucchinis
• Jar of marinara sauce (or you can make your own and freeze the rest).
• 1 cup of bread crumbs (I prefer plain over Italian style)
• 1/2 cup of Parmesan
• Olive Oil
• Linguine
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon of milk

Wash and cut zucchinis. I cut the zucchini into 1/4 in slices. I like them thinner because it cooks faster. Crack the eggs and whisk milk into them. Pour bread crumbs into a separate bowl.

 Meanwhile heat olive oil in frying pan. I used about three tablespoons of olive oil. The key is to lightly cover the bottom of your pan. You aren't deep frying, but you want the oil to fry all of the zucchini. All that to say- the amount of olive oil really depends on the size of your pan.

Preheat oven to 400. Pour half a jar of red sauce into a baking dish and begin heating in the oven.

Dredge zucchini slices in egg mixture first and then dip in bread crumbs. Fry on both sides for about two minutes per side or until golden brown. After each batch place fried zucchini in the baking dish with sauce to keep warm. When you finish frying the zucchini, add parmesean on top and bake until cheese is melted.

I served mine with linguine tossed with olive oil and salt and pepper.

Cookie Bar

For my friend's, Kirk, wedding shower, I made a cookie bar. I was trying to think of something yummy to make that could kind of be an "event." It was so easy to pull off and we had a lot of fun with it.

I just made several types of cookies (peanut butter, chocolate chip, sugar cookies, and chocolate chip oatmeal). Then I dished out vanilla icing (using the colors that went with our theme) along with chocolate and cream cheese icing. Then I served it with smashed up candy and sprinkles. I also made simple tags to label everything. The girls were very creative and made some beautiful cookies!

Cornbread Tuna Fritters and Easy Lemon Aïoli

I adapted the cornbread tuna fritters recipe from Cooking Light's Tuna Cornbread cakes. This meal is a must try! We loved it combined with the salad. Bill is not really a fish person and was not very excited about this, but he was pleasantly surprised. Bill even commented that this seems like something you would find at a fancy restaurant. Score! And the best part is that it's super cheap. This is definitely a budget friendly meal and it doesn't even leave out meat.  

• 1 (6 oz) buttermilk cornbread mix (I used Martha White Buttermilk Cornbread mix)
• 2/3 cup of milk
• 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
• 5 green onions chopped
• 1 teaspoon of creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon of dried chives (you can switch this out for fresh parsley!)
• 2 packages of Tuna (Use the kind in the foil that you don't drain. I used albacore)
• 3 tablespoons of butter'
• 1 egg 
• 1/4 cup of vegetable oil ( I used 1/2 vegetable oil and 1/2 olive oil)

Make cornbread with the directions on the back. Since it is going into your fritters, you only need to cook the bread for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Let bread cool until just warm.

Combine mayonnaise, green onions, egg, seasonings, and tuna into bowl. Crumble your cornbread into your mixture. Stir until blended. Next, shape the mixture into round patties (about 1/2 inch thick.)

Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a frying pan on medium high.  Add patties to the oil once the oil is hot. I was able to fit about four in the pan at a time. For my second (and last) batch, I needed to add a little bit more oil.  Cook three or so minutes on each side until golden brown.  Place cooked patties on a plate with paper towels to degrease. Serve with the  Lemon Aïoli. The  Lemon Aïoli is a must!

 Lemon Aïoli:

• 3/4 cup mayonaisse
• 1 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of grated lemon rind
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
• dash of salt and pepper

Stir together  and serve on top of cornbread tuna fritters!

I served this meal with a spinach salad that had a raspberry vinaigrette ( I love Cape Cod's all natural) along with bacon, feta, and sliced strawberries.