Summer Zucchini Bread

This is always a favorite thing to make with all the zucchini coming out of the garden. I love it because it freezes so well! Of course, it never lasts too long! 1 cup white flour
2 cups wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
3 cups grated zucchini

Cream together sugar and oil. Add the remaining ingredients, leaving the flour and zucchini for last. Mix until blended. Pour into oiled pans and bake at 325 for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let sit in pans for ten minutes before removing.

Beef and Brocoli

My kids LOVE a good stir fry, so tonight we had beef and broccoli. Ingredients:
Top Sirloin (however much you want)
Brocoli (however much you want)
Carrots, optional
Onion, optional

Marinade:
2 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon water
2 tablespoon cornstarch

Thinly slice the steak and marinate in the marinade mixture for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking. Heat oil in a skillet and cook until meat changes color, but still has slight pink in the middle (1 to 2 minutes). Don't over cook. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel.

To cook Vegetables:
1/2 cup water (more if you use carrots and onion)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar

Sauce:
4 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoon water

Mix sauce in a small bowl and pour over vegetables and meat and heat through right before serving.

Thickener:
2 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
1 pound fresh broccoli
1 TBSP. minced garlic

To Cook Broccoli:
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar, or to taste

Saute the garlic in a little olive oil until it smells yummy. Add brocoli and saute for a few minutes. Add water, salt and sugar and cover and bring to a boil and let simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, leaving the vegetables slightly crunchy. Add meat and sauce and serve over rice.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Sweet and Sour is always a hit. Who doesn't like it? After all, it's like eating candy! My kids aren't a huge fan of peppers, but covered in the sauce they eat everything!2 lb. pork, cut into bite size chunks

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. soy sauce

2 eg whites

4 green onions, chopped

1 cup cornstarch

Cut up the pork and place all the ingredients and the pork in a ziploc bag. Coat the meat really well. Refrigerate meat mixture at least 1 hour. Then add 1 cup cornstarch to the bag and coat the meat evenly. Let sit for 10 minutes to absorb some of the coating. Brown in oil in a frying pan until browned and meat is fully cooked. Do not overcook.

6 stalks celery, cut in chunks

2 medium green bell peppers

2 medium red bell peppers

Sugar to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp.)

salt to taste (approx. 1/4 tsp.)

1 tbsp. oil

Add oil to frying pan and saute the vegetables until crisp tender. Add meat and pour sauce mixture over the top. Add cornstarch and water mixture and simmer until thickened. Serve over rice.

Sauce:

2 cups water

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

2/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup ketchup

1 tsp. soy sauce

16 oz. can pineapple chunks, undrained

4 TBSP. cornstarch

1/2 cup water

Combine sauce ingredients (except the cornstarch and water) and bring to a boil. Pour over the meat and vegetables. Combine the water and cornstarch and slowly add to the meat and vegetables and simmer until thickened.

Summer Bean Salad

This is a great bean salad. Perfect for a barbecue. It keeps well in the fridge. I love it! It tastes fresh and light. Ingredients:
1 medium green bell pepper
1 medium red bell pepper
1 cup cubed, browned ham
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 15-oz. cans white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 15-oz cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
4 TBSP. yellow mustard
4 TBSP. cider vinegar
4 TBSP. pure maple syrup
2 TBSP. worcestershire sauce
crushed red pepper, optional
fresh oregano leaves, optional

Brown the ham in the 2 TBSP. vegetable oil. Add garlic and onion and saute until tender. Rinse the beans and chop the peppers and mix all together in a bowl. Add mustard, cider vinegar, maple syrup and worcestershire sauce. Make the day before.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

This is one of our favorites. I love it in the summer!

Ingredients:

2 TBSP. butter

1 1/2 cups pecan halves

1 cup sugar

Fresh spinach

2 cups thinly sliced celery

1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced

Dressing:

1/3 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

3 green onions, chopped

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 cups vegetable oil

1 1/2 TBSP. poppy seeds

Directions:

In a saucepan, melt butter and sugar and add pecan halves. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Pour out onto a lightly greased piece of tinfoil. Let cool.

Wash spinach, celery, strawberries and red onion and cut up and put in a bowl. Add sugared pecans and toss with dressing.

Dressing: Place first five ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Slowly add oil and mix until creamy. Remove and add poppy seeds. Chill. Toss with salad right before serving.