Zucchini Fritters

Zucchini Fritters

It's still Spring and already zucchini is growing like crazy in our garden!!!  This was quick and easy (becoming my new middle name) and DELICIOUS!!  Something special happens when you can grow your own totally organic vegetables and prepare them in your kitchen!!

Zucchini Fritters
The Chef In My Head adapted from Simply Recipes

Yield: About 8 2-1/2 inch fritters

1 pound (about 2 medium) zucchini
1 teaspoon coarse or Kosher salt, plus extra to taste
1 small bunch fresh chives, diced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp Tony Chachere Seasoning
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Coconut Oil, Olive Oil or another oil of your choice

To serve (optional)
1 cup plain, full-fat yogurt
1 to 2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinches of salt
1 small minced or crushed clove of garlic

Trim ends off zucchini and grate them using the shredding blade of a food processor, or you can use a box grater. 

In a large bowl, toss zucchini with 1 teaspoon coarse salt and set aside for 10 minutes. Wring out the zucchini in one of the following ways: pressing it against the holes of a colander with a wooden spoon to extract the water, squeezing out small handfuls at a time, or wrapping it up in a clean dishtowel or piece of cheese cloth and wringing away. This will save the fritters from being soggy!

Return zucchini shreds to bowl. Taste and if you think it could benefit from more salt Stir in chives, egg, some freshly ground black pepper and Tony's. In another small bowl, stir together flour and baking powder, then stir the mixture into the zucchini batter.

In a large heavy skillet — cast iron is perfect! — heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Drop small bunches of the zucchini mixture onto the skillet only a few at a time so they don’t become crowded and lightly nudge them flatter with the back of your spatula. Cook the fritters over moderately high heat until the edges underneath are golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. If you find this happening too quickly, reduce the heat to medium. Flip the fritters and fry them on the other side until browned underneath again, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Drain briefly on paper towels then transfer to baking sheet and then into the warm oven until needed. Repeat process, keeping the pan well-oiled, with remaining batter.

For the topping, if using, stir together the sour cream, lemon juice, zest, salt, cayenne pepper and garlic and adjust the flavors to your taste. Dollop on each fritter before serving. These fritters are also amazing with a poached egg on top!!

Confession:  We ate them before I could finish the topping!  Just as good without it!

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Join me for a cup of tea in my garden?

Remember the plans for my garden? 

Well it has come to life and I love it!!  The bees and butterflies seem to love it too!!  My wonderful husband along with our friend Mark built my beautiful garden.  Some of the fence posts came from a tear-down and the wood for garden boxes themselves came from a friend with left-over wood (Thank you Tracy!!).  We purchased fabulous rich soil full of good compost and nutrients and the mulch was all free (a fabulous price) from our county recycling center.  Along with the new plantings and a gorgeous Freestone peach tree from our dear friends Helen and Eddie, we are welcoming spring with gusto!

Sweet Cucumbers, Sugar Snap Peas

Cauliflower(just 2), and 3 varieties of Pole Beans

Spring Lettuce and Kale

(Yes, I know, too many but it's survival of the fittest around here)

Heirloom Black Krim, Celebrity, Roma, Best Boy Tomatoes

Blueberries & Blackberries

Beautiful Peach Tree to the left, a birdbath for the bees and butterflies, along with Marigolds for attracting "good" bugs and seedlings popping up Seedballs of Sunflowers!!  Seedballs are made by people with disabilities and a fun way to start a variety of flowers!

Jalapenos, Cayennes, Serranos and Sweet Banana Peppers

Can't wait my son Shane's serious salsa making!!

My peeps keeping busy free-ranging for laying delicious eggs!

Here are my garden tools, and a laminated card of local birds!

Waiting for the annual arrival of our favorite Painted Bunting!!

I keep trying but my manicure is a total loss :/

Come join me for a cup of tea in the center of my garden!

Elsewhere in the yard, the first bloom of the wisteria.

It smells amaaaazing. Bees and butterflies couldn't be happier!

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Busy Busy! Smoothies and Nina's Fabulous Radish Dip

Well it appears I have failed miserably at my goal of blogging more consistently but honestly there has been a ton of stuff going on! 

Here is my creamy, delicious and healthy smoothie I started my day with!  So easy, 2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice, 1 banana, 1-4 ounce container 0% Fat Organic Greek Yogurt, a scoop of Protein Powder and 1/2 cup of ice.  Blend well and enjoy!!

Creamy and yummy!

Let's see......Superbowl and finally succeeding in getting Nina's Fabulous Radish Dip (I have been desperate for this recipe since Halloween, it was well worth the wait!)

Nina's Fabulous Radish Dip

Nina's Fabulous Radish Dip

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 C. mayonnaise or sour cream

2 T. sweet onion, minced

4-6 radishes, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1-2 jalapenos, minced

1 T. Ranch Dressing Mix powder

dash of cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

dash celery salt

Fold all ingredients together and let flavors marry before serving.  Nina says let your tastes decide how much jalapeno, radishes, seasonings etc.  She will sometimes add fresh dill if she has it on hand.  More or less celery salt depending on what she is serving it with (chips, veggies, whatever).  Play with it a little and make it your own.

I prepared mine with low fat cream cheese and low fat sour cream.  I could not tell that it effected the taste at all.  I used purple onion for the color.  Considering the ingredients, it is not too spicy or too hot at all.  Remember the dairy cools down the heat from the jalapenos, radishes, cayenne and the pepper flakes.  I made it and it was gone in one afternoon.  I used it to butter large tortillas and made veggie wraps with it.  It was great!!  This is my new favorite dip.  Honestly, that puts it above Queso and above Spinach Dip, never thought that would happen in my lifetime.

Thank you Nina!!  We LOVE it!!

Raising (and protecting from the freeze) my small flock of chickens.  Still cranking out eggs and sharing them with friends.

Betty Jean Laying An Egg

(Sorry Betty Jean, I guess that's a rather private moment)

Eva and Zsa Zsa (Silkies)

Look at that chicken, I think Big Bird was a Silkie!

Acting like rednecks sliding down the driveway for my birthday.  We couldn't go anywhere because of the ice, but had a blast with the neighbors anyway!  Peppermint Schapps and Hot Chocolate, mmmmm good!

The trick here, watch out for the truck,

the cinder blocks or going off the hill!!

Gavin from next door making snow angels

My daughter Elise Nicole and Li'i

Glad we haven't planted the beds yet!

Went to the Grand Opening of the New Bulverde HEB Plus!!  It's amaaaazing!  So much bigger and so much more product, can't wait to get cooking!  Kellogg and HEB donated $20,000 smackaroos to the local Bulverde Food Pantry!  Tons of people showed up and samples galore throughout the store!  I feel a quick ten extra pounds coming on!  Now we wait for construction to be completed on Jess's store in Boerne.  HEB is growing by leaps and square footage around here!!

Our friends Randy with Kellogg (argyle sweater) and

Beautiful Melissa with the Food Pantry (black leather vest)

Delishhhhh!

Pretty snazzy huh? 

This is how we demo Bar-B-Q in Texas!

And last but certainly not least, I am planning my garden!  Hope to have a little (or a lot) of the vegetables I cook with frequently.  I am praying my Kale grows in abundance. To the garden, I am adding marigolds, nasturtiums, tansy, zinnias and alyssum to help with the bugs.  I have another area separate from the vegetable garden just for herbs.  Lots of basil (for lots of pesto), French tarragon, parsley, cilantro and thyme.  Wish me luck!

I hope Jess likes it!!  We can do it Honey, no worries!!

P.S.  Please don't feel too bad about the fact that I have been too busy to blog, my Christmas Tree is still in my living room :/

Happy Valentine's Day!

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