help for zucchini overload, autumn layering & six feathered ladies in september!

august 2018

dearies,

it's the middle of august and the temperatures are soaring! fortunately, we have a/c inside the dearie bungalow, which is where you'll find us during the dog days of summer.

an exuberant thank you to all of you who personally wrote to me to share your excitement in trying my fruit crisp in last months missive! hopefully your results were just as delicious and well received.  because summer usually means bountiful crops in the garden, i wanted to share another recipe to help control any overabundance of zucchini and squash you may have encountered. this is a recipe my mum would make when i was growing up during the summer months, which we would often enjoy along side oven fried chicken. it's also a big hit for sharing at barbecues and potlucks. i've actually made it a habit to write out the recipe on cards to bring along with the dish. without fail, the host/hostess and other guests, will rave about it and request the recipe, which i am able to then provide and everyone is happy!

zucchini herb casserole

1.5 lbs of zucchini or a mix of zucchini and yellow squash, cut into quarters
2 tbsps vegetable oil
1 cup sliced green onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp kosher salt
1.5 tsp dried sweet basil
1.5 tsp dried oregano
1.5 tsp paprika (we like to use smoked bittersweet paprika)
1.5 cups chopped seeded tomatoes or sliced grape tomatoes
2 cups white long grain rice, cooked
1-2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

• heat up vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-medium high heat. add garlic, saute a minute, then add cut zucchini & squash, green onions

• saute for about five minutes. add all spices, mix well.

• add cooked white rice and all of tomatoes, mix well.

• add one cup of cheese, mix well

at this point, you can transfer the mixture to an oven-proof casserole dish, topping casserole with one more cup of grated cheese and bake in a 350 F oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. or, you can just serve it directly onto plates from the skillet. delicious with oven fried chicken or just by itself as a vegetarian entree!

soon autumn will arrive and bring cooler weather. i love that i intentionally designed all of my original, one-of-a-kind frocks to be easily layered over long sleeved t-shirts, turtlenecks as well as jeans, leggings or woolen tights. you can keep the chill away and still be stylish whether at work or on the go! for more ideas on how to style your dress, please click here.

in saving the best for last, as a family we are very excited to announce that there will be six feathered additions to our dearie clan beginning this weekend. i'll provide proper introductions to these beautiful ladies in september!

until my next missive...

xoxo

darling