How to Make Tomato Zucchini Ragout

I was going to do a summer wrap-up, but a zucchini showed up in my refrigerator, so I decided to do one last stove-top meal!

My dish was loosely based on this recipe. However, I didn't have all the ingredients and I didn't follow the instructions too well. And I still had good results. So what I'm trying to say is that if you have zucchini on hand and some kind of tomato product, you can make a tasty dinner!

Parmesan cheese on top would be a nice addition!

The instructions said to saute the bell pepper for a few minutes and simmer in the tomatoes/zucchini/etc. for 15 min. Ummm, try more like 30! I don't know if it was me or what but I am trying to brush up on my cooking chemistry skills to better understand how to time things. Anyway, I had the cover on the sauce while heating the pasta water, so that the veggies would get all nice and tender. And then for the last few minutes I had the cover off to let it cook down into more of a ragout as opposed to a liquidy sauce. We like it that way around here.

Summer Dishes

It looks like I just don't have time for typing up recipes these days. :( However, I AM sticking with the summer challenge and aiming for dishes that don't use the oven.

Here are a few things Andrei and I have added to our rotation...

Savory Dishes:

-Chicken Spaghetti Alfredo

-Tex-Mex (most recent was pork fajitas in enchilada sauce, rolled up and crisped in a saucepan)

-Stove-top Potatoes au Gratin (potatoes are boiled ahead of time, then browned in a saucepan and simmered in a creamy cheese sauce, with or without meat added)

Andrei's panna cotta with mint leaves and fresh strawberries

Desserts:

-Panna Cotta (Andrei made it; main ingredients are heavy cream, non-flavored gelatin, sugar, and vanilla)

-Fresh Fruit Trifle (A good way to use fruit in season, layered with cake and custard cream)

Salads:

-Fresh Broccoli Salad (with cheese, bacon, onion, and a mayonnaise sauce, doesn't sound too healthy-I think this was the Paula Deen version!)

Summer No-Bake Challenge

My favorite cooking methods by far involve the oven. I find it to be more forgiving, and I also like popping a dish in the oven and doing clean-up while it cooks. Then I get a ready meal and a clean kitchen (almost) at the same time.

But now that it's hot, I'm trying to avoid the oven, and that leaves me strapped for dinner ideas. I have to say goodbye to lasagna, pizza, and other favorite dishes until fall comes around. I might make an exception for desserts.

Here are the conditions:

-no soups or stews* (my husband likes soup for lunch only and doesn't like stew)
-must be doable without the help of the oven
-limited to chicken/pork dishes
-sandwiches don't count either, must be hot meals

I guess that leaves me with dishes like:

-spaghetti bolognese/spaghetti and meatballs
-pan-fried pork or chicken pieces
-stir-fries
-taco-type dishes
-....?

*stewed meat can be used later in other dishes, though

Help me out here! 

Meals we had, May 13-19

Getting behind on blogging. Looks like it's time to start keeping my camera in the kitchen again!

Meals from the week BEFORE last (when we had pork almost every night, yikes!):

Monday: Cheesy pork cubes, sauteed eggplant with garlic, angel hair pasta
Tuesday: Sausage and veggie skillet, pasta
Wednesday: Leftover stewed pork, boiled buckwheat
Thursday: Hot dogs, buckwheat, fresh salad
Friday: Cold sliced pork sandwiches (we had a chicken lunch)
Saturday: Roasted chicken, sauteed squash, boiled buckwheat*
Sunday: Pork/Veggie/Buckwheat skillet (Southwestern style with sour cream, cheese, and green onion

One question I explored was whether or not buckwheat could be substituted in "Mexican" dishes. It has a stronger flavor than rice but it can serve the same purpose. And the Tex-Mex condiments help dress up the buckwheat a little bit.

*This was the weekend that my mother-in-law boiled us a HUGE post of buckwheat and we were eating it for the next 3-4 days. :)