Last Thanksgiving, my sister made this recipe for our big meal together as a family. Thoroughly impressed, I asked her for the recipe, expecting it to be completely homemade. When she gave it to me, I was really surprised - the base wasn't a time-consuming completely homemade recipe, but instead was based on Stove Top Stuffing. She got it in turn from a magazine, and I unfortunately don't remember where she got it. I'd be more than happy to include a link to the magazine website, and as soon as I find/remember it, I'll include a link on my blog.
Scrumptious Stuffing
1 12-oz box of stuffing
2 14-oz can of chicken broth
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh sage, finely diced
2 Tbsp thyme leaves, finely diced
1/2 cup pecan pieces, coursely chopped
1/4 cup cranberries
Stir up the box of stuffing and the chicken broth in a casserole dish. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
I'll definitely be making this stuffing at all my future Thanksgiving dinners, that's for sure.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Rice Pudding à la Sweden
One of my favorite memories from growing up in my hometown was hanging out with my grandma Jones. She lived just a few blocks away. She lived on her own, and loved gardening and growing roses. I'd go there a lot after school, as I had few friends my age, and I loved being with her. Although a lot of our time was spent watching old fashioned movies and working in the garden, Grandma would also make some really good food.
Although I don't have any of her recipes now, I developed a love of rice pudding, but never really found one I liked. I even tried Julia Child's rice pudding recipe, which though quite tasty didn't give the same feeling as eating Grandma's pudding. Then I got a recipe from my cousin Andrea for a traditional Swedish pudding --- and I was blown away. I did some changing of the recipe that I really enjoyed as well. It is thick and creamy, but doesn't taste overly seasoned. It's just amazing.
Swedish Pudding
a recipe from my cousin Andrea Ouzounian
1 1/3 cup pearl rice (or medium grain equivalent)
2 2/3 cup water
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
In large pot, bring to boil. Set to simmer until water is almost cooked in.
Add:
6 cups whole milk (I substituted one can coconut milk for some of the milk, just so that the total was 6 cups--- holy cow so good)
3 cinnamon sticks (optional) - I sprinkled cinnamon on it.
Simmer, stirring often so it doesn't stick to the bottom, until desired consistency. I think I cooked it about 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Pudding will thicken slightly when cooled. Eat warm or cold. Sweeten with sugar and/or cinnamon and/or nutmeg.
There it is. Simple. And delicious.
Although I don't have any of her recipes now, I developed a love of rice pudding, but never really found one I liked. I even tried Julia Child's rice pudding recipe, which though quite tasty didn't give the same feeling as eating Grandma's pudding. Then I got a recipe from my cousin Andrea for a traditional Swedish pudding --- and I was blown away. I did some changing of the recipe that I really enjoyed as well. It is thick and creamy, but doesn't taste overly seasoned. It's just amazing.
Swedish Pudding
a recipe from my cousin Andrea Ouzounian
1 1/3 cup pearl rice (or medium grain equivalent)
2 2/3 cup water
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
In large pot, bring to boil. Set to simmer until water is almost cooked in.
Add:
6 cups whole milk (I substituted one can coconut milk for some of the milk, just so that the total was 6 cups--- holy cow so good)
3 cinnamon sticks (optional) - I sprinkled cinnamon on it.
Simmer, stirring often so it doesn't stick to the bottom, until desired consistency. I think I cooked it about 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Pudding will thicken slightly when cooled. Eat warm or cold. Sweeten with sugar and/or cinnamon and/or nutmeg.
There it is. Simple. And delicious.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Carrot Casserole: Memories from growing up
As an American, Thanksgiving was the most important family holiday. We grew up about four-five hours away from my mother's parents, and we knew that Thanksgiving was one of the few times that we got to go to our Grandma Gubler's house and see our numerous cousins. And what a feast it was! Turkey, and corn, and home-made stuffing, and yams, and pies of every variety. It seemed like there were hundreds of us, but I know there were dozens of people there. And although my memory may be playing tricks on me, it seemed that we often had carrot casserole.
I know, I know. Casserole, made from carrots?? But trust me. It has been a family favorite for years and years, and my mom makes it every Thanksgiving and Christmas (and many times in between), and it is the first thing that gets devoured. I think it's all the cheese. But I digress.
The recipe is pretty simple:
Carrot Casserole
from the kitchen of Denise Jones
2-3 lbs carrots
dried basil
dried onion (or if you prefer, 1/4-1/2 of a finely diced fresh onion)
White sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cup - 2 cups milk
grated cheddar cheese
two-three slices bread, broken up into small pieces
1-2 Tbsp butter
Peel the carrots and slice --- I much prefer to use my food processor, as I don't want to follow the family tradition of spending an hour slicing the carrots. The processor takes 5 minutes, and honestly, no one really knows the difference anyway.
when they're peeled and sliced, fill a large pot with water and carrots. Make sure the carrots are covered with water. Sprinkle basil liberally in there. I'd say to use a good teaspoon at least --- I generally cover the top of the water with a solid layer of basil. Boil this until it's tender --- about half an hour or so. Feel free to add the dried/fresh onion here (or you can add it to the roux - your choice).
While the carrots are boiling, you can begin the white sauce (which for fru-fru cooks you'd call a roux). Melt the butter on medium to medium high heat, and add the flour, and cook it together until it bubbles. Add the mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour in the milk, set to low, and slowly cook until it thickens.
Drain the carrots, and grab your casserole dish (this recipe typically will fit in a 2-quart casserole dish; for a large family size, I'd double the recipe and use a 9x13 dish. put half of the carrots in the bottom of the dish, and pour half of the white sauce on. add a layer of cheddar cheese. add the rest of the carrots in the pan, pour the remaining white sauce on top, and add another layer of cheese. For the topping, break the bread into small pieces; melt the butter in a pan, and toss the bread crumbs in the butter. Sprinkle on top of the casserole.
Bake at 350-375 for 45 minutes. You may want to cover the crumbs for the first 30 minutes, or else it'll burn. Trust me, I've learned this from experience.
Now that I am starting my new traditions, one thing that will continue to show up on my dinner table will be carrot casserole - a Jones family tradition
I know, I know. Casserole, made from carrots?? But trust me. It has been a family favorite for years and years, and my mom makes it every Thanksgiving and Christmas (and many times in between), and it is the first thing that gets devoured. I think it's all the cheese. But I digress.
The recipe is pretty simple:
Carrot Casserole
from the kitchen of Denise Jones
2-3 lbs carrots
dried basil
dried onion (or if you prefer, 1/4-1/2 of a finely diced fresh onion)
White sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cup - 2 cups milk
grated cheddar cheese
two-three slices bread, broken up into small pieces
1-2 Tbsp butter
Peel the carrots and slice --- I much prefer to use my food processor, as I don't want to follow the family tradition of spending an hour slicing the carrots. The processor takes 5 minutes, and honestly, no one really knows the difference anyway.
when they're peeled and sliced, fill a large pot with water and carrots. Make sure the carrots are covered with water. Sprinkle basil liberally in there. I'd say to use a good teaspoon at least --- I generally cover the top of the water with a solid layer of basil. Boil this until it's tender --- about half an hour or so. Feel free to add the dried/fresh onion here (or you can add it to the roux - your choice).
While the carrots are boiling, you can begin the white sauce (which for fru-fru cooks you'd call a roux). Melt the butter on medium to medium high heat, and add the flour, and cook it together until it bubbles. Add the mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour in the milk, set to low, and slowly cook until it thickens.
Drain the carrots, and grab your casserole dish (this recipe typically will fit in a 2-quart casserole dish; for a large family size, I'd double the recipe and use a 9x13 dish. put half of the carrots in the bottom of the dish, and pour half of the white sauce on. add a layer of cheddar cheese. add the rest of the carrots in the pan, pour the remaining white sauce on top, and add another layer of cheese. For the topping, break the bread into small pieces; melt the butter in a pan, and toss the bread crumbs in the butter. Sprinkle on top of the casserole.
Bake at 350-375 for 45 minutes. You may want to cover the crumbs for the first 30 minutes, or else it'll burn. Trust me, I've learned this from experience.
Now that I am starting my new traditions, one thing that will continue to show up on my dinner table will be carrot casserole - a Jones family tradition
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Banana Slush
When an unseasonably cold arctic front moves through your town, bringing blizzard warnings from the National Weather Service, of course a frozen drink came to mind. We'd never made it for Thanksgiving, but with the highs outside in the single digits, we figured we'd make the world our refrigerator. Turns out it worked perfectly--- it didn't get above freezing for three days, and we didn't have to look for any room in the freezer at all.
I talked about my memory of this recipe in this entry. Drinking this DELICIOUS punch brought those memories crashing back. And with a Thanksgiving dinner that is a serious contender for the most delicious I've ever had, I've added more meaning to this recipe.
Banana Slush
a recipe from Grandma Gubler
4 cups sugar
6 cups water
1 can orange juice concentrate
juice of 2 lemons (preferably fresh)
1 quart pineapple juice
5 bananas
Sprite, Slice, or any other lemon-lime soda
Combine the water and sugar in a pot, and bring to a boil. While it's cooling, add the can of concentrated orange juice, lemon juice, and pineapple juice. Halve the bananas and put them in a blender; add a couple cups of the juice mixture to the blender and blend until only small chunks remain (about a minute). Pour everything into containers for freezing. Freeze until solid (takes about a day). When serving, scoop out a chunk of the slush into a cup, and cover with soda, like a root beer float.
This recipe is absolutely SIMPLE to make, and tastes delicious. It makes a whole lot, so if you're throwing a party or just have a case of Sprite in your food storage that's about to go bad, you can't go wrong with this. It also lasts in your freezer for a few weeks. Although Thanksgiving dinner was delicious with it, I could see how enjoying it outside in the summer could be nice as well.
I talked about my memory of this recipe in this entry. Drinking this DELICIOUS punch brought those memories crashing back. And with a Thanksgiving dinner that is a serious contender for the most delicious I've ever had, I've added more meaning to this recipe.
Banana Slush
a recipe from Grandma Gubler
4 cups sugar
6 cups water
1 can orange juice concentrate
juice of 2 lemons (preferably fresh)
1 quart pineapple juice
5 bananas
Sprite, Slice, or any other lemon-lime soda
Combine the water and sugar in a pot, and bring to a boil. While it's cooling, add the can of concentrated orange juice, lemon juice, and pineapple juice. Halve the bananas and put them in a blender; add a couple cups of the juice mixture to the blender and blend until only small chunks remain (about a minute). Pour everything into containers for freezing. Freeze until solid (takes about a day). When serving, scoop out a chunk of the slush into a cup, and cover with soda, like a root beer float.
This recipe is absolutely SIMPLE to make, and tastes delicious. It makes a whole lot, so if you're throwing a party or just have a case of Sprite in your food storage that's about to go bad, you can't go wrong with this. It also lasts in your freezer for a few weeks. Although Thanksgiving dinner was delicious with it, I could see how enjoying it outside in the summer could be nice as well.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Rainbow Jello
It's that time of year again--- where the family gathers to cook for hours and hours, spend 30 minutes stuffing their faces, and groan their way through the remainder of the day. I've always liked Thanksgiving, not just because I can eat beyond capacity and not look like a pig (mob mentality rules here), but because it's the time where I get to try to see if I can make a whole meal come together at the same time.
This year, because there are only seven of us gathering (it's the in-laws' turn for my siblings, which leaves us unmarried ones to keep my parents company), my mom wanted to make a few different dishes. One of her favorites to have is rainbow jello. Now Utah of course is famous for their sometimes bizarre jello dishes, but I promise, this one has no miscellaneous vegetables (though it does one of those other Utah staples-- sour cream). I think you could use light or fat-free sour cream, and sugar free jello, and make this dish 'healthy', but hey--- it's Thanksgiving. Bring on the heavy whipping cream.
Rainbow Jello
a recipe from my mom
various boxes (3 ounce or smaller size) of flavored Jello (I use 7: black cherry, strawberry, orange, lemon, lime, berry blue, and grape)
sour cream -- 1/3 cup for each of flavor of Jello (I got 2 16-oz tubs)
water
whipping cream
powdered sugar to taste
vanilla to taste
The jello takes a LOT of time (but you're not completely busy with it so don't fret about spending 7 hours on a dessert) --- one hour per Jello box. I like to use a 13x9 clear Pyrex casserole dish, because by the time I'm done with the seven layers, it completely fills the dish. I also like to do it in rainbow order, because I tend to be a bit OCD and I like how the colors blend together. This of course is not completely necessary, and you can mix and match as much as you want.
I like to have the following things ready for use: a 1-cup Pyrex measuring cup, a 2- or 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup, a 1/3 cup measuring cup, two spoons, and a spatula. Fill the 1/3 cup with sour cream and set aside. Boil a pan of water (you'll need at least one cup of boiling water for each step). Measure out one cup of the boiling water into the 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup. Dissolve one packet of Jello in the water, and stir until completely dissolved. (I start with the purple and work backwards so I end up with the red on top.) Try to avoid making bubbles. Measure out 1/2 cup of the Jello liquid into the 1-cup Pyrex measuring cup. Put the 1/3 cup sour cream into the 1-cup Pyrex cup and mix until all the sour cream is melted. In the other measuring cup with the remaining Jello liquid, add 2 Tbsp. cold water and mix. Scrape all the bubbles out of the Jello-sour cream mixture, and slowly pour into the serving dish. Remove any remaining bubbles from the jello, and cover with saran wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. When you pull it out, make sure the saran wrap doesn't touch the Jello--- it will remove a chunk of it (I know this from experience). Slowly pour the clear Jello liquid over the now set-up layer. I use a spoon, hovering it very close to the first layer, and pour into the spoon, so the force of pouring it doesn't disturb the layer I just made. I've tried all sorts of methods, and this one works best. Cover, and refrigerate 30 minutes. About 10 minutes before the second layer is done, I'll start boiling the water, and mix the second box of Jello up, separate, and mix in the sour cream, which usually puts me at the right time to add the next layer. Alternate sour cream and clear layers until you're done.
It's best to do this dish the night before you serve it, as the more time you allow it to harden after you're done with it, the better it sets up. Right before serving, whip up a bunch of heavy cream with powdered sugar (granulated sugar makes the whipped cream grainy) and vanilla to taste. Cover the jello with the whipped cream, and serve.
This dish has gotten me a whole lot of compliments, and it really does taste good. Your dish will definitely be the life of the potluck, and outshine the other people who dropped into Smiths/Krogers to buy a coffee cake.
This year, because there are only seven of us gathering (it's the in-laws' turn for my siblings, which leaves us unmarried ones to keep my parents company), my mom wanted to make a few different dishes. One of her favorites to have is rainbow jello. Now Utah of course is famous for their sometimes bizarre jello dishes, but I promise, this one has no miscellaneous vegetables (though it does one of those other Utah staples-- sour cream). I think you could use light or fat-free sour cream, and sugar free jello, and make this dish 'healthy', but hey--- it's Thanksgiving. Bring on the heavy whipping cream.
Rainbow Jello
a recipe from my mom
various boxes (3 ounce or smaller size) of flavored Jello (I use 7: black cherry, strawberry, orange, lemon, lime, berry blue, and grape)
sour cream -- 1/3 cup for each of flavor of Jello (I got 2 16-oz tubs)
water
whipping cream
powdered sugar to taste
vanilla to taste
The jello takes a LOT of time (but you're not completely busy with it so don't fret about spending 7 hours on a dessert) --- one hour per Jello box. I like to use a 13x9 clear Pyrex casserole dish, because by the time I'm done with the seven layers, it completely fills the dish. I also like to do it in rainbow order, because I tend to be a bit OCD and I like how the colors blend together. This of course is not completely necessary, and you can mix and match as much as you want.
I like to have the following things ready for use: a 1-cup Pyrex measuring cup, a 2- or 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup, a 1/3 cup measuring cup, two spoons, and a spatula. Fill the 1/3 cup with sour cream and set aside. Boil a pan of water (you'll need at least one cup of boiling water for each step). Measure out one cup of the boiling water into the 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup. Dissolve one packet of Jello in the water, and stir until completely dissolved. (I start with the purple and work backwards so I end up with the red on top.) Try to avoid making bubbles. Measure out 1/2 cup of the Jello liquid into the 1-cup Pyrex measuring cup. Put the 1/3 cup sour cream into the 1-cup Pyrex cup and mix until all the sour cream is melted. In the other measuring cup with the remaining Jello liquid, add 2 Tbsp. cold water and mix. Scrape all the bubbles out of the Jello-sour cream mixture, and slowly pour into the serving dish. Remove any remaining bubbles from the jello, and cover with saran wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. When you pull it out, make sure the saran wrap doesn't touch the Jello--- it will remove a chunk of it (I know this from experience). Slowly pour the clear Jello liquid over the now set-up layer. I use a spoon, hovering it very close to the first layer, and pour into the spoon, so the force of pouring it doesn't disturb the layer I just made. I've tried all sorts of methods, and this one works best. Cover, and refrigerate 30 minutes. About 10 minutes before the second layer is done, I'll start boiling the water, and mix the second box of Jello up, separate, and mix in the sour cream, which usually puts me at the right time to add the next layer. Alternate sour cream and clear layers until you're done.
It's best to do this dish the night before you serve it, as the more time you allow it to harden after you're done with it, the better it sets up. Right before serving, whip up a bunch of heavy cream with powdered sugar (granulated sugar makes the whipped cream grainy) and vanilla to taste. Cover the jello with the whipped cream, and serve.
This dish has gotten me a whole lot of compliments, and it really does taste good. Your dish will definitely be the life of the potluck, and outshine the other people who dropped into Smiths/Krogers to buy a coffee cake.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Breakfast Rolls (aka Monkey Bread)
Growing up, we used to have these awesome breakfast rolls every once in a while, especially around Christmas and Thanksgiving time. When I found out how easy they were to make, I immediately ran out and bought a bundt pan (just saying bundt reminds me of My Big Fat Greek Wedding). You have to start these rolls the night before, but they're really easy to finish the next morning.
Breakfast Rolls
a Jones family recipe
18 frozen roll dough (I use Rhodes rolls)
1/2 packet of the small box of cook-and-serve butterscotch pudding (MAKE SURE it's cook-and-serve, NOT instant)
1/2 cup-1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (again, please don't use margarine)
That's the ingredient list. And it's easy to prepare. The night before, put the chopped walnuts in the bottom of the bundt pan, and place the frozen rolls evenly on top of the nuts. Sprinkle the butterscotch pudding on top of the dough. In a saucepan, melt the butter, and add the brown sugar to it, whisking until its completely combined into a syrup. The butter will resist combining, but you need to have a smooth syrup or it'll separate in the bundt pan. After it's in a syrup, pour over the frozen rolls.
Let the dough rise overnight. The next morning, when the rolls are big and puffy, heat the oven to 350, and bake for about 25 minutes, until the rolls are deep golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. When it's removed from the oven, take a serving dish (let's be honest, most of us will use a big plate), and put on top of the bundt pan; flip it immediately over. If it cools in the pan, it'll be hard to get out, so you want to do that right after taking it out of the oven. Enjoy!
Breakfast Rolls
a Jones family recipe
18 frozen roll dough (I use Rhodes rolls)
1/2 packet of the small box of cook-and-serve butterscotch pudding (MAKE SURE it's cook-and-serve, NOT instant)
1/2 cup-1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (again, please don't use margarine)
That's the ingredient list. And it's easy to prepare. The night before, put the chopped walnuts in the bottom of the bundt pan, and place the frozen rolls evenly on top of the nuts. Sprinkle the butterscotch pudding on top of the dough. In a saucepan, melt the butter, and add the brown sugar to it, whisking until its completely combined into a syrup. The butter will resist combining, but you need to have a smooth syrup or it'll separate in the bundt pan. After it's in a syrup, pour over the frozen rolls.
Let the dough rise overnight. The next morning, when the rolls are big and puffy, heat the oven to 350, and bake for about 25 minutes, until the rolls are deep golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. When it's removed from the oven, take a serving dish (let's be honest, most of us will use a big plate), and put on top of the bundt pan; flip it immediately over. If it cools in the pan, it'll be hard to get out, so you want to do that right after taking it out of the oven. Enjoy!
Stuffed Zucchini
My dad can be a bit extreme. Where two or three zucchini plants can provide more than enough zucchini for the average family to not only use, but also as super exciting gifts to eager neighbors, my dad insisted that we plant fifteen hills. Keep in mind: a hill had 3 seeds in it. So what the heck do you do with zucchinis from 45 plants? People started getting smart and locking their car doors--- not to keep thieves from stealing their belongings, but to prevent unexpected bags of zucchini from appearing in their vehicles.
Anyone who has grown zucchini can also attest that if you are not fastidious about checking the plants, they can quickly get out of hand. Even with the one zucchini plant I planted this year, a few days of not paying attention landed me with a 30-inch-long vegetable. Fortunately, years of having extreme excess had gifted me with great recipes for zucchini, and my mom's recipe for the giant variety sounded like the perfect solution to using it.
I called my mom to send the recipe to me, and I promptly (and accidentally) sent it to the trash bin. So, after another call, I got the recipe. It's currently roasting in the oven.
Stuffed Zucchini
by my awesome mom (Denise Jones)
1-2 large zucchini
1 small onion
2 stalks celery
dash of olive oil
1 lb hamburger
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
3/4 cup rice
Italian seasoning (I added this just for flavor)
salt and pepper for seasoning
Preheat the oven to 350. Cut the zucchini in half, and scoop out the seeds. Salt and pepper it, and put it on a cookie sheet covered in tin foil in the oven. (It will need to cook for about an hour and a half, so it's good to get it started early.) Chop up the onion and the celery and soften them in the olive oil in a large skillet. When the onions are transparent, add the hamburger and brown. When the hamburger is browned, add the cans of soup, using 1/2 can of water in each can to swirl out the soup from the cans. Season to taste--- I used Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, but garlic salt or other herbs could be good. Then add the rice (uncooked) and stir. Simmer for 1/2 hour until the rice is tender.
When the rice/meat is done, pull the zucchini out of the oven and pile the mixture in the hollowed out zucchini. Put back in the oven and cook for another 45 minutes or so, until the zucchini is tender. Cover with tin foil, removing for the last 10 minutes to brown. Serve. Just a note: don't feel obligated to eat the skin--- we would just scrape the zucchini off, as the skin tended to be a bit tough.
Remember, those gigantic zucchinis are still good--- and you don't need to make a ton of zucchini bread with it either. It makes a good main dish that is pretty easy to make and is really tasty. And it brings back memories of the hordes of zucchini that we grew.
Anyone who has grown zucchini can also attest that if you are not fastidious about checking the plants, they can quickly get out of hand. Even with the one zucchini plant I planted this year, a few days of not paying attention landed me with a 30-inch-long vegetable. Fortunately, years of having extreme excess had gifted me with great recipes for zucchini, and my mom's recipe for the giant variety sounded like the perfect solution to using it.
I called my mom to send the recipe to me, and I promptly (and accidentally) sent it to the trash bin. So, after another call, I got the recipe. It's currently roasting in the oven.
Stuffed Zucchini
by my awesome mom (Denise Jones)
1-2 large zucchini
1 small onion
2 stalks celery
dash of olive oil
1 lb hamburger
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
3/4 cup rice
Italian seasoning (I added this just for flavor)
salt and pepper for seasoning
Preheat the oven to 350. Cut the zucchini in half, and scoop out the seeds. Salt and pepper it, and put it on a cookie sheet covered in tin foil in the oven. (It will need to cook for about an hour and a half, so it's good to get it started early.) Chop up the onion and the celery and soften them in the olive oil in a large skillet. When the onions are transparent, add the hamburger and brown. When the hamburger is browned, add the cans of soup, using 1/2 can of water in each can to swirl out the soup from the cans. Season to taste--- I used Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, but garlic salt or other herbs could be good. Then add the rice (uncooked) and stir. Simmer for 1/2 hour until the rice is tender.
When the rice/meat is done, pull the zucchini out of the oven and pile the mixture in the hollowed out zucchini. Put back in the oven and cook for another 45 minutes or so, until the zucchini is tender. Cover with tin foil, removing for the last 10 minutes to brown. Serve. Just a note: don't feel obligated to eat the skin--- we would just scrape the zucchini off, as the skin tended to be a bit tough.
Remember, those gigantic zucchinis are still good--- and you don't need to make a ton of zucchini bread with it either. It makes a good main dish that is pretty easy to make and is really tasty. And it brings back memories of the hordes of zucchini that we grew.
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