Cheesy Zucchini Rice

     I saw this recipe on a different blog and I thought to myself, "I can make that better." And so I did.

     If you're wondering what Cheesy Zucchini Rice is, you might not be that quick on the uptake. It's exactly what it sounds like and best of all you can customize this dish to your preference! Originally, this recipe had "shredded zucchini in it, but I prefer a crunch to my vegetables. So this time, we're going to get out the peeler and do our very best to peel a zucchini or two. And it just so happens that I GREW a HUGE zucchini in my very own garden this Summer, BAM!


You will need:

• 1 medium OR 2 small zucchini(s), peeled approximately 2 cups
• 1 cup rice
• 2 cups chicken broth OR 2 cups water and 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, OR go FANCY and use 1/3 cup Mozzarella, 1/3 cup Parmesan, and 1/3 cup Gruyere
• 1/2 TSP garlic powder
• salt and pepper to your liking
• 1-2 TBSP milk (optional if it comes out too thick)

     Start with the rice first. This whole process should take under 25 minutes. Boil the chicken broth in a small sauce pot and then add the rice. While the rice is cooking, we're going to prep everything else.







 
     Peel your zucchini, and then chop them up into bite-size pieces. Grate the cheese or cheeses of you choosing. This is where you can really customize this dish. It can be totally kid friendly or parent-pleasing. Either way, you will receive rounds of applause for this little jewel!

   
     When the rice is done after about 20 minutes, remove it from heat and quickly add all of the ingredients. All that remains is to stir it up until all of the cheese is melted.

     The heat from the rice actually cooks the zucchini just enough so that it's not raw but still crunchy! This is also an excellent way to sneak some vegetables into your diet without being overwhelmed by all that green. Don't judge me!


     Ok, well - I hope you like Cheesy Zucchini Rice as much as my people and I do. I've had to make it twice this week.

Love,

Liz

Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I'm OBSESSED with Panera's soup. But I don't always feel like driving 10 minutes down the street to get it in the cold snowy, snow. PLUS, I don't want to spend $7 on a bowl of soup that is in no way big enough to satisfy a hunger like mine. After a lot of prodding and nagging, I finally gave in to myself and took a swing at making this creamy, cheesy concoction last Friday night.
I based this on a recipe I found and took out the nasty things like nutmeg, and added delicious things like carrots and potatoes. Who wants nutmeg in their soup? Gross.

You will need:

• 1 bunch of broccoli
• 1 small onion (diced)
• 2 medium red potatoes (diced)
• 1/2 cup carrots (shredded)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth (I prefer chicken)
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup milk
• 1 TSP Worcestershire sauce
• 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
• salt & pepper to your liking
• 2 scallions (to top off your soup, optional but HIGHLY recommended)

You're going to start by cutting up your broccoli, keeping the stems and the florets separate. Finely dice the stems, coarsely chop the florets and - once more - KEEP THEM SEPARATE. Trust me, it's a real pain in the ass to do it afterwards.

Grease up a big soup pot and put it on medium heat. Toss in the carrots, diced onions, potatoes, and broccoli stems. Make sure to stir them up a lot until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour next and stir it around until it becomes toasted which should take about 2 minutes.

While you have the vegetables sauteing, prepare a small saute pan with 1/2 cup of water and dump in the broccoli florets. Bring the florets to a boil and steam them until they're crisp and bright green, about 5 minutes.

Now is the time to stir in your broth and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to keep the pot on a steady simmer. Stir the pot every occasionally until the vegetable are soft and the soup is thick, 12-15 minutes.

Empty the broccoli and florets and any remaining water into the soup pot. Give it a stir and then add the Worcestershire sauce, milk, cheese, and evaporated milk. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Garnish with a little extra cheese and some fresh scallions - you will be addicted to the cheesiness!

This recipe is guaranteed to cure the Winter blues!

Love,

Liz

Spoiled Dog Omelette Treats

This is Shadow!

Like most people my age, I've hit hard times in this economic quagmire we live in. In other words, the Super Chef is SUPER BROKE! Now that I live with my mother again, only organic produce and products enter this domicile. Since my mother graciously lets us (my cats and dog) stay with her, I can't help but think, "Why shouldn't my dog be eating organic, too?"

Then I really started looking at what was is in these dog treats. You see, nothing is "too good" for my "spoily" boy! He's my dog, I raised him - ya know? So I want to give him something that isn't killing him. A lot of these treats contained meat and bone meal, which is pulverized animal bones and meat scraps that aren't fit for human consumption let alone a beloved best friend. There were also many ingredients with names far too long to remember or pronounce paired with a string of numbers to classify the chemical compound. WHOA. This is too many ingredients for a dog biscuit.

See the wonky one?

After the last batch of cheap dog treats, as I mentioned before I am lacking in funds, in which I found a jagged shard of bone, I realized it was time to take matters into my own hands. Also, I concluded that baking my own dog treats was the most viable, and fun, option!

I  scoured the internet looking for suitable recipes, tweaked one to suit my doggie's appetite, and came up with this! Since I used a hard boiled egg and cheese, and my boy is so spoiled, I decided to call them Spoiled Dog Omelette Treat!

You will need:

• 2 1/2 cups flour (wheat flour or oatmeal can be substituted for flour)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp beef or chicken stock (bouillon granules or broth can be substituted for stock)
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 hard boiled egg (chopped)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese

Preheat the oven to 350.

Take a small pot of water and heat it on low-medium heat and add the beef or chicken stock. Stir it every so often until it breaks up in the water.

Mix the flour, raw egg, diluted beef or chicken stock, 1/4 cup shredded cheese, and chopped hard boiled egg in a large mixing bowl with a big wooden spoon. Once it starts getting difficult to stir, dig in! Knead the dough for about 3 minutes. If the dough is too dry add a little bit of water, but not too much or the dough will turn to paste.

Form the dough into a ball and place it on a piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle some flour onto the parchment paper and rub some onto your rolling pin. This will keep the dough from sticking when you're trying to roll it out. Roll out the dough until it's about 1/2 inch thick.

COOKIE CUTTER TIME! This is the fun part, getting creative with the cookie cutters! Dog's don't care what shape their food is, but it's fun for us. I choose a tiny star cookie cutter my mother had. There are lots of different kind of cutters to choose from though, including bone shapes! So cute!

Lightly grease a cookie sheet with olive oil and place the biscuit pieces on the sheet. Top each biscuit with a little bit of the remaining cheese. Throw it in the oven for 30 minutes. Before you think you're done, check the biscuits through with a toothpick.

Of course, you don't want to burn your hungry, hairy friend so wait about 5-10 minutes for these cheesy, eggy wonders to cool. Make sure they've completely cooled down before putting them away. Store them in an air-tight container when your pup isn't chowing down on some Spoiled Dog Omelette Treats!

BEWARE: Not all dogs can digest eggs as well as my boy. Try giving your dog a small piece first and wait a day if your not sure how he'll respond.

Love,

Liz

My Nanna's Twice-Baked Potatoes, Simply Satisfying!

One night, I was on the phone with my Nanna complaining about my boyfriend's eating habits. Here's the thing; I love mashed potatoes and gravy, but my boyfriend prefers baked potatoes. My Nanna suggested a compromise. "Why not make twice baked potatoes? They're just as soft as mashed potatoes but still baked on the outside!"

My Nanna is a genius. She's also the best chef in the world so of course she had a recipe. It was simple, tasty, and was sure to please the most discerning of potato lovers! Right off the top off her head, she told me . . .

 You will need:

• 2-4 large Idaho potatoes
• 1-2 cups shredded cheese (your choice!)
• Butter
• Paprika
• Seasoning Salt

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Wash and dry your potatoes. Use a tooth pick or a fork to poke several holes in them. Don't forget that part because potatoes can explode. That's a fact, look it up, brosef. Wrap each potato individually in foil then place in the oven. Bake for about 1 hour.

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Use a butter knife to cut a criss cross pattern in the potatoes. Do not cut through the potato skin or the whole thing will just fall apart. Place a few small pads of butter, about 1/3 of a TBSP thick (just look on the label to see how much a TBSP of butter is, they usually mark for us) on the potatoes. Sprinkle on a little seasoning salt and some paprika, like so.

Place the seasoned potatoes back in the oven on an aluminum covered tray. Bake for 1 more hour. Remove them from the oven and sprinkle on your cheese of choice. Place back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is golden.

Hopefully, yours Twice Baked Potatoes come out a little cheesier than mine did. Mmm, but they were still so good! These cheesy spuds make a great side for a steak or they can be a meal of they're own!

Hm, you know all this talk about Twice Baked Potatoes reminds me of a recipe I came across a few years ago. They may not be Nanna-fide, but they are most certainly bona fide in flavor!

Stay tuned to more Super College Chef and more Super Easy Recipes for College Students! Sorry, I think I've been watching The Hub too much. So many cartoons.

Love,

Liz

Beefy Potatoes Au Gratin, My Favorite!

This was one of the very first recipes I posted on Super College Chef oh-so many years ago and it is time for an overhaul. Beefy Potatoes Au Gratin is the easy, cheesy dish that's perfect for a meat-and-potatoes kind of gal like me. I love this meal so much, I honestly make it a couple times a month. The best part about this dish is that it takes minutes to prepare!


You will need:

• 1 lb. ground sirloin
• 1 box of Potatoes Au Gratin
• 1 cup shredded Taco Mix cheese
• milk
• butter
• water

Preheat the oven to 400.

While you brown the ground sirloin in a skillet, take a look at the direction on your box of Potatoes Au Gratin. Every brand differs, but most boxed Potatoes Au Gratin require varying amounts of water, butter, and milk. Follow the stove top directions almost until you find your potatoes simmering in a cheesy sauce.

Drain the grease from the ground sirloin, then pour it into an 8x8 in. casserole dish. Use 1/2 cup of shredded cheese to cover the meat. Carefully pour the cheesy potato concoction over the cheese and meat. Spread the potatoes evenly over the top. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the potatoes.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and pop it in the oven for 30 minutes. Then, remove the aluminum covering and place it back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Finally, it's done! Almost, not yet, eager beaver. Let it set for 10 minutes to let the cheesy sauce solidify and so you don't burn your little tongue.

The great thing about thing recipe is that it's so versatile! You can substitute ground turkey, Scalloped Potatoes, Mozzarella cheese for an entirely new flavor. Don't get me started on toppings; salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, BBQ sauce, chutney, really anything goes with meat and potatoes!

I truly hope you love this dish as much as I do. Keep eating, my friends!

Love,

Liz

P.S. Photos provided by our own lovely and talented Allison McWilliams!

Spicy Artichoke Dip, in other words, CHEEEEEEEEESE

Here's the straight dope, I made this TWICE in one week and finished it all by myself BOTH times. Yes, it will make you covetous. Yes, it will make your lips tingle from the spice of the mighty jalapeno! But you will be fat and you will be happy.

Get it:

• 6 1/2 oz can of marinated artichoke hearts
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese (grated)
• 1 small can diced jalapenos (drained)

Preheat the oven to 350.

Drain the artichokes and jalapenos, and make sure you drain those jalapenos well. That spicy leftover juice can make your dip incredibly spicy. Chop up the artichoke hearts. Combine the artichoke with the mayonnaise, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, and Mozzarella cheese in a large mixing bowl, and mix them up good.

Pour the mixture into an oven safe baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese on top in golden brown and scrumptious-looking. Make sure to let the dip cool from boiling lava-hot to warm. You'd be surprised how much spice those jalapenos add on their own.

Feel free to use more or less or the jalapenos depending on your taste buds.

Serve with some nice bread, or pita, or my personal favorite, Santitas $2 Only Tortilla Chips.

Love,

Liz & Santita