Whipped Feta

Not long ago, I really enjoyed Whipped Feta alongside vegetables at a restaurant. The Whipped Feta added a fancy touch to the vegetables. Whipped Feta can be used as a topping, a dip, or a spread. I served this along with zucchini fritters, but it is also good on bread or crackers.

When I made this Whipped Feta, I did not add any seasoning. The basic recipe is delicious on its own. But, it could be made with fresh or dried herbs such as oregano, mint, or parsley. It could also be made with sweet additions such as honey or chopped fruit. When serving the Whipped Feta, you can serve it with a bit of olive oil on top along with seasonings or nuts.

Whipped Feta 

• 8 ounce block of feta
• 3/4 cup Greek Yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• optional seasonings

Rinse feta block in water. Crumble the feta into a food processor. Add the yogurt and olive oil. Blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Zucchini Fritters

When the backyard garden creates an abundance, it can be challenging to know what to do with all the produce. This summer, my zucchini plants have been producing monster zucchini. After giving one of these monster zucchini to a neighbor, she shared that she used it to make zucchini fritters. Similar to potato pancakes, these fritters use shredded zucchini, eggs, and flour to make a tasty treat. Recently, I made these zucchini fritters for a Buckley family get together for Mom's 81st birthday. The fritters were a hit. I thought I had made too many, but there were just a few left over. 

The basic recipe can be seasoned however you want. I just used ground pepper. But I think cinnamon or nutmeg would be delicious too. In preparing the zucchini, after shredding it, you may need to drain it to remove some excess water. As I was shredding the zucchini, I placed it in a colander, sprinkled it with salt, and used a paper towel to squeeze out extra moisture. The recipe below can be easily adjusted based on the amount of shredded zucchini that you have. When I made these, I made smaller fritters; you could make them any size you want.

Zucchini Fritters 

• 4 cups shredded zucchini
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• oil for pan frying

Shred the zucchini and drain out excess water by sprinkling it with salt and squeezing out water. In a large bowl, mix shredded zucchini, eggs, flour, and pepper. Add a small amount of oil to a heavy bottom skillet. Heat the skillet on medium heat. Drop the zucchini mixture by large spoonful and slightly flatten and shape the fritter. Saute for three to five minutes per side. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Pizzelles

Pizzelles are a favorite dessert, especially in the summer. Classic vanilla pizzelles are terrific, but so are the various flavors. So far, I have tried: Anise, Vanilla Orange, Chocolate, Orange Rum, Coffee, Maple, Cardamom, and Chocolate Mint. This version feature cinnamon and is another great addition to pizzelle variations.

When I was a kid, I did not like cinnamon all that much. But now, I love cinnamon and often add it to many things, such as oatmeal or coffee. The cinnamon pizzelles have great flavor. They would be delicious served with ice cream.

Cinnamon Pizzelles 

• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• powdered sugar for dusting, optional

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar. Add the cooled butter, vanilla, and cinnamon. Sift in the flour and baking powder into the egg mixture. The batter should be stiff enough to drop by spoon.

Heat up the electric pizzelle iron. Drop a teaspoon of batter onto each grid pattern and close the pizzelle iron. The pizzelles will be ready in about one minute. Remove the pizzelle with tongs and allow to cool on a flat surface for flat pizzelles or immediately shape. Dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!