Friday, June 29, 2018

Baked Zucchini Rounds that even your little ones will enjoy!

This is a simple summer snack/side dish of Baked Parmesan Zucchini Rounds 
Ingredients
  • 2 medium-sized zucchini 
  • (I peel mine because our kids like them better that way)
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese
  • Garlic & herb salt blend & freshly ground black pepper.
  • Option (use your favorite cheeses and spices)
Instructions
  1. Place oven rack in center position of oven. Preheat to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with fine mist of oil on the foil.
  2. Wash and dry zucchini, and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Arrange zucchini rounds on prepared pan, with little to no space between. Season to taste. Spread a thin layer of Parmesan/Asiago cheese on each slice of zucchini. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese turns a light golden brown.For best taste, serve immediately.
(I had a couple yellow squash on hand so I also made a batch using the squash with lemon pepper seasonings in place of the zucchini and garlic and herb seasonings.)

















Spaghetti Squash is our Summertime Pasta!


Spaghetti Squash cooked in the Oven

What You Need

Ingredients
1 medium spaghetti squash (2 to 3 pounds)
Equipment
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Soup spoon
Medium-sized roasting pan or baking dish
Fork

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F: Preheat the oven while you prep the squash.
  2. Slice the squash in half: Use a chef's knife to cut the spaghetti squash lengthwise from the stem side. Spaghetti squash are really tough and hard, so be careful as you cut and work slowly. 
  3. Scoop out the seeds: Use a soup spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy bits of flesh from inside the squash. Be careful that you keep all that tasty squash flesh as the inside should look clean and fairly smooth. Discard the seeds or roast them like pumpkin seeds! 
  4. Place the squash in a roasting pan: Place the squash halves cut-side down in a roasting pan.
  5. Pour in a little water : Pour a little water in the pan, enough to cover the bottom. Your squash will roast just fine without it, but I find that the water helps the squash steam and become more tender. You can also cover the pan with aluminum foil, if you prefer.
  6. Cook the squash for 30 to 45 minutes: Transfer the squash to the oven and cook for 30 to 45 minutes. Smaller squash will cook more quickly than larger squash. Check the squash after 30 minutes for your preferred tenderness.
  7. The squash is done when tender: The squash is ready when you can easily pierce a fork through the flesh all the way to the peel. The flesh will also separate easily into spaghetti-like strands. Now is the time for a taste test,if the "noodles" are too crunchy for your liking, put the squash back in the oven for another 10 to 20 minutes.
  8. Scrape out the squash: Use a fork to gently pull the squash flesh from the peel the full length of the squash to separate the flesh into strands.  Rake your fork in the same direction as the strands to make the longest "noodles."
  9. Serve the squash: Serve the squash immediately, tossed with a little butter or olive oil. Seasoned ground turkey in red sauce is our family favorite. Spaghetti squash will  keep refrigerated for up to a week, or frozen for up to 3 months. I find it's a great way to food prep ahead of time with already made spaghetti squash bowls.






Summer lovin' cupcakes

















Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Healthy Frying for Father's Day!

Top Father's Day Gifts from Hammacher Schlemmer

As my Dad ages and faces health concerns, this Father's Day had me thinking "healthy" version of fried foods my Dad enjoys so much! I chose this amazing appliance The Toasting And Air Frying Oven for my Dad on Father's Day. 



 I really like that this is something that he will use daily and can easily manage cooking and cleaning himself. He can quickly toast bread, bagels, frozen waffles for breakfast, broil fish and veggies for lunch and with the fantastic Air Frying feature so he doesn't feel like he's missing out on his long time favorite foods for dinner.  As well as reheating anytime of the day!
 I love that it  fits right on the counter and has an auto shut off feature, just in case it gets left on. Everything needed is included so there no need to purchase pans to fit the oven.

 Here are some more in depth details: 

  • This is the 1,800-watt countertop toaster oven with a built-in air fryer. 
  • As a convection toaster oven, it bakes 12" pizzas, broils succulent tenderloins, and toasts up to six slices of crispy bread. 
  • As an air fryer, it uses a continuous flow of high velocity, ulta-hot air instead of oil to cook French fries, chicken tenders, and mozzarella sticks with the same gourmet flavor and texture of those produced using oil-based models. 
  • With an auto shut-off and interior light. Includes oven rack, baking pan, and fryer basket.
  • Plugs into AC. Stainless Steel. 16" L x 17" W x 14" H. (20 lbs.)


Friday, June 8, 2018

SunBriteTV - Veranda Series new home theater for outdoor living!

#Sponsored Post @SunBriteTV and @BestBuy #ad

Just in time for summer! Best Buy is featuring the SunBriteTV Veranda Series is exactly what your family is looking for in home entertainment! No need to be cooped up indoors watching the big game on a beautiful day. Entertaining outdoors with family and friends does not mean you have to miss what's good on television! You get the best of both worlds when it comes to home entertaining.  




  • The SunBriteTV Veranda series is a family of weatherproof televisions designed for full-shade applications: Full Shade (Veranda), Partial Sun (Signature), and Full Sun (Pro).
  • Outdoor living trends are strong, and all-weather TVs enhance the outdoor lifestyle.
  • Indoor TVs don’t belong outside. SunBriteTVs are true, made-for-the-outdoors products.
  • Creating an outdoor home theater is the most affordable room addition you can make, and the best seat in the house is in your backyard!
  • They’re engineered for permanent outdoor installation and are more durable, safer, and higher performance than using indoor TVs outdoors.
  • No more choosing between enjoying great weather or watching the game. 
  • It’s all about bringing the conveniences folks are used to indoors outside.
  • Get a free: Outdoor Weatherproof Tilt Mount for 37" - 80" TV Screens & Displays - (Black)  with the purchase of: SunBriteTV - Veranda Series - 55" Class LED - Outdoor - Full Shade - 2160p - 4K Ultra HD TV