Z is for Zzzzz's and Zucchini recipes

Z is for more Zzzzz's.

Strange that the first thing that came to mind about Z is the thought that I need to catch up on having more Zzzzz's as in catching up on sleep. Many of us are in need of that, I think.

So many things to do, so little time.. Yes?

Z is also for many other things. Zebra is the most common. Ai Shiang in the Y post asked if I was going to use zebra. That's an easy one, isn't it?

Z is also for Zeppelin, Zero, Zeus, Zip, Zombie, Zoo, Zygote, Zucchini and more. And speaking of zucchini, here are three recipes to try out with zucchini.

Are you a brownies fan?
Bake yourself some delicious moist zucchini chocolate brownies.

Having an abundant harvest of zucchini from the garden? Why not make some cheesy Zucchini patties. Yum, served with a bit of tomato sauce or sour cream dabbed on top.

And here's a recipe for blueberry zucchini bread for bread-lovers!









And this ends the 2016 A to Z Blogging Challenge! Yay! I made it!

Thank you for visiting. See you around.


Image source: Allrecipes

One-Pot Meals - try them all

Let's start the week with food, which I seldom write about, I must confess.

One-pot meals, I like! At the MPH Bookstore last week, I browsed through a cookbook on one-pot meals. I've always been interested in one-pot meals simply because (I think) they are easy and less time-consuming to prepare. They could be nutritious too if you put in the right foodstuff.

There are lots of cookbooks on one-pot meals and plenty of ideas to pick up. The Internet too offers tons of recipes and ideas for such meals. I came across an article on the Martha Stewart site yesterday - all 52 different one-pot meals for the busy you! Which means you can try out one recipe a week for the next one year! Game?

Here are just a few. You can check out the entire list on Martha Stewart's One-Pot Meals.. recipes included, of course.

Chicken with tomatoes and mushrooms. Yum!

Salmon, red cabbage and new potatoes. Yum Yum!

Pork and plums. Yum Yum Yum!

Do you have your own favourite one-pot meals to share?

Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes from Delish

Malaysians, comprising of diverse ethnic groups, celebrate a variety of festivals and holidays, each culture having its own unique celebrations. Even Thanksgiving, which is celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada has also caught on here. My local friends celebrate the holiday each year. Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday of October and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. This Thursday is Thanksgiving Day in the United States.

Over here in Kuala Lumpur, Thanksgiving dinners can also be enjoyed in most of the 5-star hotels. Of course, turkey will be on the menu with all the right dressings, deserts and such. What would Thanksgiving be without turkey, eh?

This being Thanksgiving week, chefs at home would be busy sourcing and shopping for ingredients to cook up a delicious turkey dinner. Thanksgiving isn't Thanksgiving without a turkey, after all it is the star or centerpiece of the meal.

If you would like to try something different this year, i.e., cook your turkey a different way from your usual, here are some Thanksgiving turkey recipes you can check out - deliciously seasoned, glazed, stuffed, or rubbed turkey recipes with homemade gravy. Recipes are compiled by Kara Rodemer on Delish.

All recipes can be found on the Delish website where there are also more turkey ideas and recipes, stuffing how-to's as well as answers to your questions on turkey. Let's have a sneak peek.

Butter-Basted Roast Turkey with Mushroom Gravy
The star of Thanksgiving will be this roast turkey, glazed with a buttery herb sauce and encircled by fresh herbs and fruits. Serve this with a lighter-than-expected Sourdough Mushroom Stuffing.

Apricot-Glazed Turkey with Fresh Herb Gravy
The gorgeous mahogany color of this roasted turkey comes from a glaze of lemon-infused apricot jam.

Citrus-Marinated Turkey
Jose Garces prepares this turkey in the same style as a traditional Yucatán dish called cochinita pibil, a slow-roasted pork marinated in citrus and annatto paste (made from achiote seeds, the condiment adds an orange hue to foods). Brining and marinating the bird make it especially succulent.

Herb-Roasted Turkey
Stuffed with onion, apple, lemon, orange, and fresh herbs, this turkey will fill the house with a tantalizing aroma. Make sure you show this beauty off at the table before you carve it. Garnish your serving platter with fresh herb sprigs and citrus wedges.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mixed Grain and Blueberry Muffins

When I dine at Kenny Rogers, I seldom pass up on their muffins. Even though their chocolate muffins are nice, my favourite is still their basic corn muffins. I came across this recipe for mixed grain and blueberry muffins. Thought bakers among you may like to try it.

The writer said these muffins aren’t at all like the cakey blueberry muffins from your local coffee shop. They have a nice texture and a wholesome, grainy flavor. Better yet, your child will get lots of fruit in each muffin. Happy baking!


2/3 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1/4 cup cornmeal

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large or extra-large eggs

1/4 cup mild honey, like clover

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 heaped cup blueberries (a 6-ounce box)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with a rack in the middle. Oil 12 muffin cups. Combine the oats and milk in a bowl, and let sit for 15 minutes, until the oats have softened.

2. Sift together the cornmeal, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, honey, buttermilk, canola oil and vanilla. Quickly whisk in the flour, then fold in the oats and the blueberries. Combine well.

4. Spoon into muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then remove and cool on a rack.

Yield: Twelve muffins.

Advance preparation: These will be good for a couple of days, and they freeze well. Thaw overnight or in the microwave.


Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.


Source: NY Times

Fried Dates or Date Fritters

Dates are popular this time of the year, during the fasting month. There are different types in the market, some are rather hard and dry, others big and moist. Dates have a high source of iron.

Before the war, Iraq used to be the world's biggest producer of dates but these days, they don't even have enough for themselves let alone export them. Shortage of water is partly to be blamed for the low production as their rivers are drying up making the land unproductive.

I have eaten fried bananas, yams, sweet potatoes, tempura, even fried ice cream but reading about fried dates took me by surprise. Dates that are hard and dry taste better in fried form as they become softer and moist. Have you eaten fried dates? Here is a recipe from The Star if you'd like to try it.



Ingredients:

10 dates, seeded
Half cup flour
1 egg
A pinch of salt
Half cup water
Oil for shallow frying

Method

Make a batter with the flour, egg, salt and water, ensuring the consistency is not too thick.

Heat up the oil.

Dip the dates into the batter and fry.

Drain and serve.


Source: The Star

Mustard-roasted Potatoes, anyone?

It's been raining the past few days. The good side of it is, it cools down the temperature, otherwise it can get rather unbearable here what with the high humidity.

The weather is beautiful today. Beautiful as in the sun is up, the sky is blue and today being Saturday. Saturday! Yes! I went to Old Town Petaling Jaya on a mission. This part of PJ is still a bit kampong (rural) and you can sometimes catch chickens picking food by the roadside.

I saw a scene that made me gasp. It was too faraway to be captured on film though. It was a flock of birds - three turkeys, a few hens and a dark, tall and handsome cockerel. What a sight. They were all hanging out together, something like a multi-ethnic group of human friends. Cool!

Back at home, online now, and the first link on Twitter brought me to this wonderful potato dish/snack. You know I don't review food here but I just can't resist posting this for you - easy-to-prepare mustard-roasted potatoes. I'm thinking great as a snack with a long cool drink or just vegging out in front of the tv. I'm posting the pictures here but you can go here for the recipe. Enjoy the day!

Shrimp Recipes

I love eggs, any way they are cooked. I love shrimps too and shrimps or prawns as they are commonly referred to here, are one of the food I look for in a buffet line. I have to remind myself, everything in moderation, though.

I found an interesting site on shrimps as food, that is. The site has recipes, cooking tips, nutrition and health facts, etc. It's at http://www.eatshrimp.com/. You might want to check it out.