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While running last weekend I came across a family giving away Summer squash.  They had grown so much that they were unable to eat it all and thus, to my benefit, were sharing it with the neighborhood.  After toting the rather large white squash home the remaining 1.5 miles (yes, funny looks ensued), I added it to the pile of farmer’s market finds and thought about what to make.

In the meantime, I decided to prepare my steak halibut-thick-enough-to-be-a-steak and pop that in the oven.  Sometimes I wish fish were cheaper so I could make it more often, but it is a nice treat every now and then.  I created a concoction of dijion and honey mustard for the fish then covered it with panko.  I generally prefer panko to other breadcrumbs because they are less dense and crispier than the traditional kind.

Then back to those squashies.  What to make.  A little help from the interwebs and I decided on zucchini fritters.  Frying your vegetables is a great idea.  The fish was healthy, so a little olive oil won’t kill you, right?  As a side note, make sure your pan heats evenly otherwise you will end up with half-cooked fritters.

Halibut and Horseradish

• 1/4 c dijion mustard
• 2 tbsp horseradish
• 1/3 c panko breadcrumbs
• 2 lbs halibut fillet

1. Pre-heat oven to 375.
2. Mix the mustard and horseradish together and generously spread over the fillet.  Cover the fillet with the panko.
3. Bake until cooked.  I don’t have a time because it really depends on the thickness of your fillet.  The one I purchased was exceptionally thick an took approximately 45 minutes to cook.

Zucchini Fitters

Adapted from Martha Stewart

• 1 pound (about 2 medium) zucchini
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Grated lemon zest (1 lemon)
• 10 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Sour cream

1. Grate the squash using the large holes of a box grater, food processor or any other contraption you have.  Add salt, lemon zest, parsley, garlic, and eggs. Mix well to combine. Slowly add flour, stirring so no lumps form.
2. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Place some of the mixture into the pan and flatten it out so it forms a small disc.  They take about 2-3 minutes per side.  Serve with sour cream.
   

Plain Yogurt + Farmer’s Market Berries

Hmm…methinks I’m forgetting something

Ah yes…the honey.

Delicious.

For years I hated, hated avocados.  I thought they were gross, slimy and terrible tasting.  Then, I went to college, grew up (just a little) and being a mature food-loving adult, gave them another shot.  I loved them.  I was angry with myself for missing out on years of guacamole, how could I have done that?!  The only acceptable solution is to devote this post to a really quick and easy recipe for my dear new friend.

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I never ever thought I would make granola bars.  There a tons of agreeable varieties on the shelves at Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Shaws…hell, even Food Emporium (whom I loathed in NYC) had a decent selection.  They aren’t very expensive so picking up a few different types is never a problem.  So I think I shocked even myself when I decided to whip up a batch this week (ok, it was actually because I didn’t have buttermilk in the house to make a chocolate cake).

My apartment smelled delicious though; warm honey, cinnamon and toasted oats make for a nice combination of scents when it’s chilly outside!  And then, I pulled the ultimate rookie move.  I burned them. Sigh.  That will teach me for attempting to write a cover letter, gchat with a team member and tweet all while attempting to make these!  The ones on the edge of the pan are pretty unbearable, but the inner ones aren’t too bad.  In fact, the top half are actually quite tasty.  I will need to make a second attempt because I know their potential goodness.  I will also need to start buying rolled oats in bulk if that is the case, 7 cups is a lot of whole grain!

Granola Bars

• 7 c rolled oats (NOT quick-cooking oats)
• 1/2 c vegetable oil
• 1/2 tspn salt
• 3/4 c honey
• 3/4 c packed light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tspn cinnamon
• 1 1/2 c coarsely chopped nuts (I used sunflower nuts, almonds and added dried cranberries)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F
2. Toss oil, oats and salt together and put on a baking sheet.  Toast in the oven, stirring frequently ~20-25 minutes
3. Cook honey and brown sugar in a sauce-pan over medium-heat to melt the sugar.  Add the extract and cinnamon then set aside
4. Remove the oats from the oven and lower the temperature to 300°F.  Toss the oats with the honey mixture and nuts
5. Line a 12×18 baking sheet with foil and coat with a vegetable spray.  Spread the mixture onto the pan and pack tightly and evenly
6. Bake until golden, 34-40 minutes
7. Cook on a wire rack for ~15 minutes then cut into 2×3 inch bars in the pan.  Let cool completely before removing from the pan
8. Because I think everything tastes better with chocolate, I melted some semi-sweet chips and drizzled over the bars prior to removing them from the pan (which also helped with the burn taste)

Source: The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook