The Lazy Cook

My job at Medco ended last Tuesday. I'm home tending to my garden. I'm not really in the mood to go shopping so tonight we will eat whatever's in the house.

We've had zuccinni muffins for the past 3 weeks. So tonight it needs to be something different.

Items from the garden:
Basil
Green Beans
Peppers (hot)
Peppers green
Tomatoes
Zucchini

Pesto
2 Basil plants - remove leaves.
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
Green bean seeds - don't have pine nuts (remove beans from over ripe green beans and substitute for pine nuts)
Salt
Parmesan cheese

Place in mini chopper. Pour on any cooked pasta. Toss with fresh zucchini and green beans from the garden.

Zucchini brownies.
1/2 cup sunflower oil (it's what I have.
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (it's supposed to be 1/2 cup but I only have 1/4 cup)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded zucchini
2 oz bittersweet chocolate melted (to make up for the missing 1/4 cup cocoa powder)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add egg. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and melted chocolate. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched.

Frosting to come.

Tomato Salad
4 tomatoes sliced and cut in half
1 large slice red onion chopped
chopped mint
oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper

Pickled Peppers
1-3/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (ran out of white)
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon olive oil
whole juniper berries (no idea I had)
whole allspice (who knew I had)
1 clove garlic

Bring to boil and remove from heat. Put peppers, cut zucchini, green beans and slice red onion in jar. Pour hot liquid over vegetables. Wait a few days.

I'll let you know how it turns out.