NEWS FLASH!

My Chow.com Video Tip for my Homemade Ketchup is up NOW. Full Ketchup recipe is up at Chow.com as well. Video Tip for Homemade Hot Sauce - to be posted soon!

Basil Zucchini Soup

I'm overrun with zucchini. You don't watch the garden and poof! three and four pounders abound. This week I gave four of these big guys away and set out to cook up the rest. Besides a double order of zucchini brake, I made a funky Zucchini Matuffi I saw in my latest Wine Spectator and put my own twist on this Basil Zucchini Soup that I discovered in an old Gourmet magazine. It's surprisingly vegan despite a very creamy texture.

Yes, zucchini as big as a cutting board!

Basil Zucchini Soup
Adapted from a recipe in July 2008 Gourmet
Servings: 6
Time: About 30 minutes active; 45 minutes total
Price: ~$7.05 total; ~$1.18 per serving
Nutrition (per serving):
Calories: 81.8
Protein: 5.3g
Fat: 3.5g
Saturated Fat: 0.82g
Carbohydrates: 10.2g
Fiber: 1.1g
Sodium: 427.9mg
Cholesterol: 0mg

1 Tbsp EVOO
1 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 lb zucchini, trimmed and roughly chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
3 cups vegetable stock
1/3 cup basil, packed

1. Heat onion in a soup pot over medium low heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add chopped zucchini and SnP, and continue to cook another 5 minutes. Add stock and simmer, partially covered, for about 10-15 minutes, until zucchini is tender.

3. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor or using a hand blender in the pot. Be careful with hot liquids! Serve hot with a garnish of basil.

Chocolate Covered "Bacon"

Well I know I said I'd be off today, but I was doing my weekly post for Davis Life Magazine (called the Early Girl Foodie Weekend) and I covered the California State Fair that opened last Wednesday. Every year they announce a new food item, usually a greasy, fried abomination. This year was no different (for example, fried scorpions are a new menu item), but I was quite intrigued by the chocolate covered bacon. I had heard of people making bacon ice cream so this seemed interesting. I made my own, veggie style, and I have to say the results were not that bad. I added some creative enhancements - freshly cracked salt, red pepper flakes, brown sugar and banana. I would have to say, remembering what bacon used to taste like, that unless you are a veggie, go with the real stuff. The fakin' bacon just doesn't have the fat and salt punch. Nevertheless, it's a fun little dessert.

Chocolate Covered "Bacon"
Servings: 1 slice (package of fakin' bacon has 14 strips)
Time: 10 minutes active; about 30 minutes total (including cooling)
Price: ~$0.44 per slice
Nutrition (per serving):
Calories: 84.3
Protein: 3.1g
Fat: 4.8g
Saturated Fat: 2.1g
Carbohydrates: 9.6g
Fiber: 1.1g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 140mg


1 package fakin' bacon (I used Smart Bacon)
2/3 cup chocolate chips
Creative toppings: brown sugar, salt, red pepper flakes, banana, coconut, chopped nuts, etc.

1. In a double boiler over medium low heat, melt chocolate chips.

2. Meanwhile, preheat toaster oven to 450 degrees or a skillet over medium heat. Spray surface with cooking spray. Lay 5-6 strips of bacon in a single layer and spray the tops of them with cooking spray. Cook about 3 minutes per side in the skillet and about 5 minutes per side in the toaster oven. Remove and let cool.

3. When chocolate is melted, dip bacon strips in or paint chocolate on the strips with a pastry brush. Add your creative toppings. Put strips on a cooking sprayed wire rack over a plate or on sprayed wax paper. Put in the fridge for about 10 minutes so chocolate can harden. Then enjoy!

No Sunday Serving: July 11 or 18

There will be no Sunday Serving on July 11th or 18th. July 12th is our anniversary - 12 years! We are celebrating with a weekend in Monterey and the World Cup Finals. The following week Michael's brother is in town. I'll be back up with a new recipe on July 25th. Until then, stay cool!