Homemade Spinach Dip

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I love spinach dip. I always make the Knorr's spinach dip recipe that comes on the Knorr's package. I have been waiting all fall to have enough spinach to make the recipe. It calls for a 10 oz. frozen spinach package. I decided to use 10 oz. of fresh spinach and shred it with my food processor. The dip was excellent, but the only thing that was different is that the creamy portion of the dip was a mint green color instead of white. I guess that was because the spinach was super fresh, either way it didn't affect the taste.

I washed the spinach good in my sink

Then I shredded it via my food processor.

Final product was delicious, I can't wait to make more.

INGREDIENTS

1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, cooked, cooled and squeezed dry 1 container (16 oz.) sour cream 1 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise 1 package Knorr® Vegetable recipe mix 1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional) 3 green onions, chopped (optional)

PREPARATION Everyone Loves Our Dip! Here's How We Make It:

Combine all ingredients and chill about 2 hours. Serve with your favorite dippers to your favorite people.

A new serving idea: Hollow out cucumber slices and cherry tomatoes. Fill vegetables with Knorr Spinach Dip and garnish with a sprig of dill.

Amazing Eggplant

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I have been super impressed with the output I am getting from my only eggplant. I have one black beauty plant and it has really gotten huge. I counted 14 fruits maturing on the plant, which to me seems like a lot. I harvested two eggplants tonight and made eggplant parmesan using this recipe. If anyone has any other good eggplant recipes, let me know. Looks like I will have enough to try it some different ways.

You can't see them all in this picture, but there are 14 fruits forming.

Here are the two that I harvested tonight.

Here is the eggplant parmesan dish I made using this recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 6 cups spaghetti sauce, divided
• 1 (16 ounce) package mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes on each side.
3. In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses. Sprinkle basil on top.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Yellow Crookneck Squash Harvest

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Tonight I harvested the first batch of yellow crookneck squash from my second planting of the season.  I planted four plants in one of my 4X4 raised beds.  This variety is called Dixie Hybrid and although I was disappointed in my first planting, this second planting in better soil looks promising.  The total days from planting the seed to first harvest was only 31 days! 

There are few vegetables that are going to give you such a bountiful harvest in such a short time.  My wife is going to make these into her delicious squash casserole tonight.  I hope these continue to produce so I can put some away in the freezer.

This is much better than you will ever see in the grocery store

This variety is supposed to grow on compact plants, I am pushing it by having four so close.

One of the plants loaded with flowers and buds

 

Squash Casserole Recipe

2lbs. squash
1 egg
1/2 cup shredded cheese
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup mayo
ritz crackers and melted butter.

Boil squash till soft and drain.
Mix all ingredients together and bake at 350 for 30 min. 10 min before being done add crushed ritz crackers and melted butter as topping.  

My First Zucchini Bread

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The zucchini has been really producing and I have been looking for recipes to come up with different ways to eat it. I pretty much only stir fry it and that is great, but I want to expand my culinary skills in the process. So I found a zucchini bread recipe at allrecipes.com that got excellent reviews. I made it last night and for my first time ever trying something like this, it was awesome. The only modification I made to the recipe was adding 3/4 cup of chocolate chips for my daughter.  She still didn't like it, but it was so good I ate some again for breakfast this morning.

Tonight I am smoking a chicken, and I found a recipe for zucchini fries. Hopefully those will come out as good as this did. Time to get to work in the yard.

Fresh out of the oven

Cooling on the counter

Sliced and ready to go

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 1/4 cups white sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.