Here is proof that things do grow in the desert. That gargantuan zucchini came from my friends’ garden! Pretty impressive huh? And here is something I am so glad I purchased… a giant muffin pan. Because seriously, the truth is, I make muffins, I consume two or three and then just feel guilty about it. So, I figure one monster one will satisfy my tummy and my mind. Perfect solution to my problem I think. I recommend you get one and make some of these breakfast beauties.

For the Recipe, click here:

Garden Breakfast Muffins

We just got back from such a refreshing weekend packed with long hikes and some seriously breathtaking moments. I love to be outdoors. I find myself smiling the most when I’m sweaty and suntanned and breathing in fresh air. So the past few days have been a thrill!

Zion National park is a stunning place. Ivan and I tackled Angel’s Landing which helped us triumph over any fear of heights we might have had. There were moments when the trail would shrink to 2 feet and stretching down to either side were sheer drops of 12,000 feet. You can be sure we held pretty tightly to the chains that were nailed into the limestone. Reaching the top was euphoric and offered an insane view!

Keeping in tune with this refreshing weekend, as I was browsing through our pictures, I munched on this brightly seasoned lunch.

For the Recipe, click here:

Summery Squash Salad with Barley and Shrimp

So Zucchini Bread either sounds like the weirdest thing in the world to you or you are like “I LOVE Zucchini bread. I had that all the time growing up!” Well, for me, clearly it is the latter. Zucchini or Banana Bread lasted all of fifteen minutes in my house. Usually my brothers ate the majority of it slathered an inch thick with cream cheese, but needless to say, it was definitely a family favorite.

I am starting to realize that Busy as a Brie has featured a lot of zucchini along with coconut, corn, and mango, so I promise to branch out of my comfort zone, but this bread is just too good to let wait til a further date.

I don’t like my breakfast breads super sweet, so believe it or not, 1 cup of sugar  makes a mildly sweet treat. You can always add in a half cup of sugar if you have a sweeter tooth than I do. Also, I usually try to add in whole wheat flour and cut the fats, but in all my recipes, you can always use 100% all-purpose flour and/or omit the applesauce and replace it with equal parts butter or oil. It’s just simply that I bake so much, I would weigh 500 pounds if I didn’t make some changes.

For the Recipe, click here:

Zucchini “Fit-In-My-Bikini” Bread

I gotta say, after only doing 3 mushroom dishes, I am mushroomed out! Or maybe it’s just that there are so many other delicious ingredients calling my name and mushrooms seem a little old hat! So this will be my last mushroom dish for a little. “O” is doing a cookie contest next week and you can bet your darn boots I’m participating, so that will be coming up, as well as the Superbowl. I am more excited to cook than to watch, that’s for sure.

This is a spin on Spanakopita. I wish that I had been able to find Bulgarian feta instead of Greek, but since it’s pouring outside again, and people drive like madmen in Vegas when the roads are wet, there was no way I was slipping and sliding down to the International Food Market. If you can find it though, Bulgarian feta has a milder, creamier, and less salty quality. It doesn’t overpower the other ingredients as much as Greek. (I promise my prejudice has nothing to do with my lovely Bulgarian husband!)

Zucchini and Mushroom Puffy Pie

2 tbsp olive oil

2 bunches of scallions, chopped

6 oz baby bella mushrooms, stems removed and sliced (I had some leftover shiitakes that I added too)

3/4 cup vegetable stock

1/4 cup arborio rice

2 zucchinis, skin left on, grated (you can do this in a food processor) Strain through a colander to remove the excess juice (or squeeze in paper towels)

3 oz. canadian bacon, chopped

2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

1 tbsp fresh chopped mint

3 eggs, beaten

8 oz. crumbled feta

2 sheets pastry puff, defrosted (If using phyllo sheets, 1/2 the package for the bottom, 1/2 for the top. Butter each layer)

salt and pepper

1 tbsp butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the oil in a pot over med-low heat and add the chives and mushrooms. Sautee for 5 minutes until the mushrooms are softened. Add the stock and rice and allow to simmer 15 minutes uncovered until the rice is almost done, but still slightly firm. Add the zucchini and bacon and allow to cool. When fairly cool, add the eggs, feta, parsley and mint. Season liberally with salt and pepper.

Butter an 8 X 12” baking dish. Spread one of the pastry sheets on the bottom of the dish and brush with 1/2 of the melted butter. Pour the filling over the pastry. Cover with the second pastry sheet, tucking in the sides. Brush with remaining butter. Place in an oven for 50 minutes to an hour or until top is golden brown.

I am a monster fan of zucchini. I always have one in my fridge and I usually eat the entire thing when it comes time to consume! This morning after my spin class, though I wanted to dive into the leftover pancake batter, I decided not to render my workout useless and make something healthy. This was delicious and filled me up for some afternoon shopping with the hubby.

Zucchini and Ham Scramble

1 whole zucchini, sliced

1 piece sliced ham, torn into small pieces

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp chives

salt

pepper

2 tsp olive oil

splash balsamic vinegar

Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the zucchini and chives. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat until almost translucent. Crack two eggs into the pan, scrambling with a spoon. Cook until eggs are opaque. Add the ham and heat through. Add the splash of balsamic and after leaving over heat 5 seconds, transfer immediately to a plate. Serve sprinkled with fresh chives.