ZUCCHINI FRITTERS & GARLIC ROASTED TOMATOES

Tired of eggs and bacon? Looking for a way to spice up your weekend breakfasts or brunch. Well do I have the recipe for you! Zucchini Fritters with Garlic Roasted Tomatoes. A late lazy breakfast is one of the best parts about the weekend - and sometimes it is so nice to just stay in your pj's and cook at home! A delicious and different breakfast is a great start to any day - but is perfect for trying out when you have loads of time of the weekend. Here is the divine recipe from none other than the LCBO's FOOD&DRINK.

ZUCCHINI FRITTERS (roasted tomato recipe below)

Ingredients:
- 1 and 1/2 c flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1 and 1/2 c shredded zucchini, approx. one zucchini
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs - basil, tarragon or parsley (we used basil and parsley)
- vegetable oil

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300 F - to keep fritters warm as you make them in batches
- Combine four, baking soda, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, using a fork, whisk together eggs and yogurt. Stir in zucchini and herbs.
- Pour the wet mixture over the flour mixture and combine with a fork just until evenly moistened.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour in a thin layer of oil. Drop a heaping TBSP of batter for each fritter into pan (be careful not to crowd the pan) and flatten slightly.
- Cook for about 3 minutes or until dry around the edges and bottoms are browned. Flip over and cook for about 3 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Transfer to plate in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil between batches if necessary.
Top hot fritters with roasted tomatoes*.

* ROASTED GARLIC TOMATOES

 

Ingredients:

- 8 deep red tomatoes

- 16 garlic cloves, unpeeled

- 1/4 cup olive oil (more if necessary)

- salt and pepper

Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 425 F

- Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and arrange, cut-side up, in a single layer in a large, ovenproof dish. Place a clove of garlic on each tomato.

- Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the tomatoes are softened and beginning to char slightly around the edges. (I usually do 30 minutes and then check on them)

- Remove and serve hot or warm. Squeeze the garlic out of its paper casing - and voila!

photo credit: my own

HERBS DE PROVENCE

The lovely and fragrant Herbs de Provence (or Provencal herbs in English) is a traditional blend of aromatic herbs that flourish in the hills of Southern Frnace during those hout summer month. Herbs de Provence are used abundantly when fresh in France but is just as lovely dried. Some of the herbs typically used in this mixture include bay leaf, thyme, fennel, rosemary, chervil, oregano, summer savory, tarragon, mint and marjoram. Depending on who is making the concontion people often choose to add orange zest or lavender – even though they are less traditional.

This herb blend is a perfect addition for any dish from the Mediterranean region – especially when mixed with olive oil. The mix of olive oil and Herbs de Provence can be used for a slew of foods; chicken, fish, tomatoes, potatoes, pizza sauce, kabobs, salad seasonings, sauces, cheeses and soups. Throw some on some tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for 25 minutes. SCRUMPTIOUS!

Herbs de Provence is often sold dry, in traditional terracotta jars, which makes it even more charming! A perfect gift and a very effective storage container.

Test out this lovely mix of herbs. Anything you roast from now on will be magical!

Herbs de Provence
Ingredients::
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- 1 tablespoon chervil
- 1 tablespoon rosemary
- 1 tablespoon summer savory
- 1 teaspoon lavender
- 1 teaspoon tarragon
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon mint
- 2 powdered or chopped bay leaves

Preparation:
-Mix together all of the ingredients and store in a tightly sealed container.
- Makes about 1/3 cup herb mix


Herbs de Provence Chicken
Ingredients:
-2 pounds boneless chicken, trimmed of any fat
-1/4 cup flour
-1/2 tsp. paprika
-3 tbsp. olive oil
-3 cloves of garlic, minced
-2 cups wine
-1 tbsp. Herbes de Provence
-fresh rosemary, basil, parsley (optional)
-black pepper and salt

Preparation:
- Mix the flour and paprika.
- Roll the chicken breasts in the flour mixture.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot, browning it in small enough batches so that the meat browns nicely.
- Remove meat, and saute the garlic.
- Add the wine and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot, stir, and cook on high until a sauce forms.
- Turn down heat to a low simmer, add the chicken back to the pot. Sprinkle with the herbes de Provence, salt, pepper and minced fresh herbs if desired.
- Bake at 300F. for 2 1/2 hours, or until the chicken is quite tender. Serve with a rice or potato dish.

DRINK OF THE WEEK: MOJITO

What could be a better refreshing drink during those hot summer days then a MOJITO! The original Cuban drink is now popping up everywhere - even in pre-made forms at the liquor store! Mojito's became one of my drinks of choice when I first went to Cuba about 7 years ago. They were so delicious, and sooo easy to drink! After Cuba, my friend Kate and I learned to make them ourselves. They are so easy, and trust me, will make your summer. My dad is a HUGE fan of the Bacardi pre-made mojito's, such an easy drink for the dock.

Mojito's are a summertime classic and a drink that I now order on the regular!

Mojito's are traditionally made with five main ingredients: white rum, sugar (or sugar cane juice), lime, sparkling water and mint. The drink combines sweet, refreshing citrus and mint which compliment the potent kick that the rum produces - making it an extremely popular summer drink!

There are a few theories as to where the name "mojito" comes from. One thinks that it relates to mojo, a Cuban seasoning made from lime and used to flavour dishes. Another thinks that it is derived from the Spanish words mojadito = a little wet, or mojado = wet.

Mojito's were Ernest Hemingway's favourite drink, and the bar La Bodeguita del Media became famous for their mojito's. The wall in the bar even says, "mi mojito en la Boedguita." (My mojito at the Bodeguita). The expression is still there today in Hemingway's handwriting.

To make a delicious mojito:

Ingredients: For a batch of six

- 1 part white rum
- 3 parts club soda
- 12 mint leaves
- 1/2 lime
- 1/2 part sugar

Directions:

- Place 12 mint leaves, 1/2 part sugar and 1/2 lime in a glass
- Muddle (mash ingredients together to release the oils from the mint leaves)
- Add rum
- Top off with club soda
- Stir well and garnish with a spring of mint or a lime wheel (for a fun trick - garnish with a rock candy stick)

photo credit: google images

HERB POTS

I love using herbs in cooking, especially in the summertime. These herb pots from Crate&Barrel are perfect for growing your own herbs this summer. Growing your own is so much better then just buying the prepackaged one's from the grocery store. They are fresh and delicious, we grow parsley and basil all summer long at the cottage - and use it daily! Crate&Barrel have these great terra cotta and white clay pots. They are handpainted and made in Portugal. I think these pots would be perfect in the summer - they are nice looking, and each pot is decorated according to the herb.

Check them out online at: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=12300&f=37013

You can also buy the chalkboard markers for each plant from the Crate&Barrel website. I think they are really cute and would be fun for summer!

photo credit: crate&barrel

INDOOR GARDEN

Another great find at Chapters this weekend. Eco-culture's SERACON INDOOR GARDEN. A variety of plants, vegetables and herbs which you can now grow right in your own home. I thought these potted plants were extremley neat and I can't wait to get home and try them out this summer. These are perfect for students without backyards or growing areas and for those living in condos or appartments that don't have outdoor sunlight. Will you give these a whirl?!