Spicy Zucchini Cakes

These cakes are lighter and more tender when made with fresh breadcrumbs. Place a day-old baguette in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs are formed. For a quick sauce, mix some chopped fresh herbs (such as chives and dill) and lemon juice into mayonnaise.


Ingredients

3 c coarsely grated zucchini
1/2 tsp salt
1 c fresh breadcrumbs (from a baguette)
1 egg
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 c diced red bell pepper
1 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbs mayonnaise or plain yogurt
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbs vegatable oil, for frying
1 tsp butter

Directions

1. Place grated zucchini in a colander; sprinkle lightly with salt and let stand 30 minutes. Press with paper towels to remove as much liquid as possible. Zucchini should be fairly dry, and you should have about 2 cups. Place zucchini and remaining ingredients (except oil and butter) in a bowl. Mix well. Form into 8 patties the size of crab cakes. Chill.
2. Heat oil and butter in a skillet.
3. Add patties to skillet and cook on both sides until browned. Drain on paper towels.

note: to make mini-zucchini cakes, form the mixture into small (1 inch) patties and place on a baking sheet. Brush with oil and butter and bake at 450 degrees until lightly browned.

Cheese and Green Chile Enchiladas

recipe from Rachael Ray Show

Ingredients

    3/4 pound Monterey jack, shredded (3 1/2 cups)
    2 4-ounce cans diced green chilies, drained
    1 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
    1 small yellow onion, grated
    2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
    A small handful cilantro leaves, chopped, plus whole leaves for topping
    1 teaspoon ground cumin (about 1/3 palmful)
    Kosher Salt
    Pepper
    Vegetable oil or EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for warming tortillas
    12 corn tortillas
    Thinly sliced jalapeño peppers and red onions, for topping
    1 lime

Direction

Preheat the oven to 425°F.


In a medium bowl, combine the cheese, canned chilies, sour cream or crema, yellow onion, garlic, chopped cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper.
Heat 1/4 inch oil in a skillet over medium heat until hot. Using tongs, add 1 tortilla at a time, turning in the oil to soften for a few seconds. Drain on paper towels.


Dollop a few tablespoons of the cheese mixture onto each tortilla and roll up like a cigar (you will use about half to two-thirds of your filling). Arrange the enchiladas in a single layer in a casserole dish. Cover with the remaining cheese mixture and bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Top with the jalapeños, red onions, whole cilantro leaves and lime juice.
Yields: 4

Hot Sweet Potatoes

I know sweet potatoes are healthier than regular potatoes, if the sweet potatoes aren't COVERED in sugar and butter :) I found this recipe for a Spicy Sweet potato and had to try it out! I had trouble with my ingredient substitutions (I didnt have the garlic and onion powder, so I used fresh... which were to wet for the dry rub... So I added some water and oil to make it more of a marinade, which then made the flavors not as spicy and strong BUT they still tasted awesome!). Also, I didn't do the smashing part, because I just wanted to try slices, but next time I will! Hopefully making crispier edges!
With all that said, this was a great idea and a great recipe! Instead of giving you my take, I think the original was better, so I will just write that recipe (and I will be following it for next time!).

Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes
1 & 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon New Mexico chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic

Directions:
Put 1/2 teaspoon of salt in 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and set the timer for 10 minutes – time from when you put the potatoes in, not from when the water starts to boil.
These ended up taking about 12 minutes, though I pulled out a couple that were just a touch thinner a couple minutes sooner than that. You want them to be somewhat soft but not cooked through. Let them cool off for 10 or 15 minutes – they will hold together a little better for the next step.

Blend the spices together really well with a fork, making to sure to get the sugar completely incorporated. Then I added about ten coarse grinds of black pepper and mixed that in too.

Being careful not to squash them too much, flatten each sweet potato disk slightly. I did this right on the parchment paper on my baking sheet, and used a small bowl with a clear bottom, so I could see what I was doing. The potato stuck to the bowl each time, but I just carefully slip a spatula in there and they came right off and stayed together nicely. If they had come apart on me at all, I’d have just pressed them back into a circle on the pan. I drizzled each of them with a mixture of two tablespoon melted butted and two tablespoons olive oil and then sprinkled each one with the spice mixture, pressing it lightly on the surface. I carefully turned them over and coated the other side with the butter/oil and the spices.

This is my version, with the marinade and sliced sweet potatoes.

I roasted them in the oven, set at 375º for about 15 minutes, turned them over and roasted them another 10 minutes, till they had a nice crust on both sides from the caramelization of the sugar and spices.
If I were using fresher potatoes – and normally I would be, since it is unusual for them to sit around very long here – I would skip the parboil and begin roasting them right on the baking sheet from the start, and then when they got soft enough to flatten I would proceed with the rest of the steps. You actually don’t have to flatten them at all of course, but it does provide more surface area and some ruffly sort of edges for getting more crunch on them – worth the bother in my opinion.


These really tasted good and my husband wants me to make them again, yay! I just wish it had MORE flavor, which could have been accomplished with the rub version, or soaking the potatoes longer (maybe).