Sweet Oil and Vinegar Dressing

Our favorite combination of vegetables for this are cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes (cherry or full size, diced) and onions. When using cherry tomatoes, I either cut in half or put a slice in the middle to let the dressing and tomato juices blend.

Sweet Oil and Vinegar Dressing 

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1/3 cup vinegar (apple cider, red or white wine are good)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
dash of garlic powder

In a small sauce pan, bring ingredients just to a boil. Remove from heat and cool. Pour over vegetables. Allow to marinate at room temperature for at least an hour. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Corn and Zucchini Saute

This is a great dish to use summer zucchini and corn. Lots of flavor from the bacon! 

Corn and Zucchini Saute

5 slices bacon
2 cups diced zucchini, skin on
2 cups fresh corn, cut off the cob
1 small onion, chopped or about 3-4 green onions
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup shredded cheese- Monterey Jack, parmesan or your choice

Fry bacon in skillet until crisp, crumble and set aside. Drain all but 1-2 tablespoons of bacon drippings. In same skillet, saute the zucchini, corn and onion until tender, about 15 minutes or so. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle crumbled bacon and cheese on top and serve.

Marshmallow Dip For Fruit

This is very simple and quick to whip up. 

Marshmallow Dip for Fruit

1 ( 7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme
1 ( 8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Soften cream cheese by leaving it at room temperature for about half an hour. Using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese, then add marshmallow creme and vanilla. Mix until well blended. 
Chill until ready to serve with fruit. Strawberries are my favorite for dipping.

Mom's Goulash

My family loves goulash and it is really simple to make. Each summer my mom would can jars of tomato juice and jars of tomatoes with green peppers. Home canned tomatoes taste so much better than store bought. I have only canned tomatoes once. I freeze my garden tomatoes.

Mom's Goulash

These are estimated measurements.

3 cups of uncooked macaroni- elbow or shells

1 pound of ground beef

1 medium size onion-chopped

1 (15 oz.) can of whole tomatoes- chopped

(Or, if you have them,1 pint of home canned tomatoes or "stewed" tomatoes (as my mom calls them) with onion and green pepper, are even better. During the summer when tomatoes are vine ripened, I will use fresh tomatoes and chopped green peppers that have been cooked down in a sauce pan with a little salt and pepper.)

tomato juice (around 2 cups)

salt and pepper to taste

Brown chopped onions in skillet with a tablespoon of oil. Brown well with brown/black on the edges. Mom said it's where it gets it's flavor and it's true. Add the ground beef to the browned onions, salt and pepper.

When beef is browned, drain if needed then add a pint or a can of tomatoes. Simmer.

Cook macaroni to al dente (save about a cup of pasta water then drain the rest)

Add macaroni and pasta water to tomatoes and hamburger. Add tomato juice to get it however juicy( soupy) that you prefer. We like it juicy. Simmer a bit more.

That's it. Just don't add too much tomato juice because it will dilute the flavor of the onions and hamburger. Also, if it sits and cooks too long, the macaroni soaks up the juice.

I like it with garlic bread, cottage cheese, green beans or creamed peas. It took me a few times to get it to taste like mom’s, but now I think mine is as good as hers!

Zucchini Cupcakes with Caramel Icing

I prefer to eat these cupcakes cold so I store them in the refrigerator. I love them with coffee or a glass of milk. 

Zucchini Cupcakes with Caramel Icing

2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon chia seeds (optional)

3 eggs

1 1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil-melted

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
chopped pecans or walnuts- optional

Grate zucchini and let drain over a strainer while preparing batter.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease muffin pan or use paper cups.

In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, beat eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk and extracts until well blended. Add dry ingredients and mix. Squeeze out any excess liquid from zucchini and mix into batter.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. This makes more than 12 cupcakes- about 1 1/2 dozen. I like to make 12 cupcakes then a small cake in a 3 cup baking dish.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until toothpick tests clean.

Cool in pan for a few minutes then move to rack to cool.

Caramel Icing

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

 pinch of kosher salt

3 tablespoons buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, salt and buttermilk. Bring to boil. When it reaches a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cool. Beat in powdered sugar and frost cupcakes. Sprinkle with nuts.