Summer Squash Saute

Zucchini season!
This recipe comes from June Bon Appetit Magazine and I have already made it twice.  Always looking for new ideas for Zucchini this one is easy, quick and delicious!  I just cut the Zucchini into matchstick size pieces, it is so easy to cut it isn't worth cleaning a mandoline to me.





Summer Squash Saute

Ingredients:

2lbs zucchini cut into matchstick size pieces or julienned

1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 c sliced almonds
2 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced (I grate it on a micro plane)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (adjust if you like more or less spice)
1/4 c finely grated fresh Parmesan
black pepper to taste

Directions:

Place squash in colander, sprinkle with salt and allow to sit about 10 min to remove liquid.  Squeeze out squash with paper towel till dry.

Meanwhile toast almonds in dry frying pan tossing a few times just till browned.  Transfer to plate and set aside.

Heat oil in same skillet over medium heat add garlic & red pepper cook till fragrant about 2 min.  toss in zucchini and saute till crisp don't overcook you want them to have a bit of texture...about 5 min. (I increased the heat to get a quick sear like a stir fry dish)  Fold in Parmesan, salt & pepper to taste, add almonds and serve.

Zucchini in colander with salt to remove liquid, then
squeeze dry in paper towel.

toasted sliced almonds adds a nice crunch

Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake

While I enjoy an occasional piece of cheesecake it isn't a favorite.  A brownie or chocolate chip cookie would be the top of my dessert list.   This is Austin's birthday so I did something he would like, Mexican meal and a chocolate cheesecake for dessert.  I haven't made a chocolate cheesecake in about 30 years but this came out amazing.  The recipe comes from Bon Appetit  2006 from Jeanne Kelley.  I adapted it a bit, this is a cheese cake to feed a large crowd.  It is so rich and dense you'll want to serve very small pieces.



Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake
      (my adapted version)

Ingredients:

Crust:  24 chocolate wafers (I substituted Oreos--good choice)
           1 T sugar  (I omitted this)
           1/4 c butter, melted

Filling:

1-- 9 oz bar of your favorite semi-sweet chocolate
4 -- 8oz pkgs cream cheese @ room temperature
1 1/4 c sugar
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
4 large eggs

Topping:

3/4 c whipping cream
6 oz semi sweet chocolate
1 T sugar


For crust:
   preheat oven to 350°.  Butter 9" spring form pan or 13 x 9 pan.

Place all cookies and sugar in food processor until finely ground, then add melted butter and pulse till blended.  Press into pan and bake 5 minutes, let cool while making filling.

Filling:

In double boiler melt chocolate till smooth, let cool till room temp.
Wipe out processor blend cream cheese, sugar and cocoa till well blended, then add eggs one at a time blending between each.  Mix in chocolate.  Pour mixture over crust and smooth out top.  Bake for about 1 hour or till just set, top will look dry.  Cool 5 min, run wet knife around edge to loosen from pan.  Refrigerate overnight ( I made it in the morning and refrigerated it about 6 hours)

Topping:

In top of double boiler again melt chocolate with cream and sugar stirring well.  When melted, blended and smooth spread over top of cake to within 1/2 inch of cake edge.  Chill about 1 hour.  If using spring form you can now release sides and remove cake.  Cover with foil and keep refrigerated.

crumbs baked 5 min @ 350°

spread cream cheese layer over crumbs

bake about 1 hour @ 350°

let cool, run knife around edge (mainly to remove if
using springform pan), refrigerate overnight

spread topping to just short of edge, refrigerate 1 hour

top with some grated chocolate

Enjoy!

a few of the crew stopped by

By the way,
it is a messy clean up!