Recipe Wednesday: Joanna Aislinn

Hello everyone! Many thanks to Chris for allowing me to drop in again. This time I’m sharing an “accidental” summer recipe (chicken-zucchini stuffed tacos) that can easily be made all year. (This one surprised the heck out of me. Guess it’s that creativity-thang spilling into other areas. )

I love zucchini—especially fresh from the garden (nothing else like it); it works so well with other flavors. While making beef tacos for my kids, I made a base recipe (zuch and onions, see below) and was thinking about using it to top grillled chicken breast. (Use store-bought/pre-cooked or your own–you can even use leftover chicken from a rotisserie or home-roasted bird.) I wound up stir-frying fresh (raw) chicken breast (cut into one-inch thick strips) in the same pan I made the base recipe, adding the base at the end to heat it through. I seasoned all of it with taco seasoning, stuffed my (crunchy) taco shells (soft will do, too; it’s a preference), topped it with mild salsa and shredded Mexican style cheese–OMG! Delicious!

Base recipe: zucchini-onion sauté: Small to medium zucch are best; vary amounts based on how many people you’ll be feeding. (Make extra and use it for something else—it keeps in the fridge, cooked or not.) A small zucch will feed one person; a medium 2-3 depending on how you use the base. Heat about 2-3 tablespoons of oil (canola or olive oil are my preferences) in a large non-stick frying pan. Cube zucch (about one inch in size), chop a medium or large onion and sauté both to desired level of tenderness. Season to taste with any/all of the following: salt, pepper, Adobo, seasoned salt, salt-free seasoning. The base is done! (BTW, this recipe lends itself just as easily to roasting. Heat your oven to at least 375˚F. Spray a glass or metal pan with cooking spray, add the veggies, spray them and stir to coat, add your seasonings and roast until the mix is tender and even a little browned. Well-cooked onion carmelizes and has a sweet flavor to it. Done! (The latter, roasted version is particularly suited to any diet—both veggies are considered ‘free’ foods, meaning, you can eat unlimited amounts.)

Using the base: (1) Eat as is—you just made a side dish. (2) Use it to top any kind of pasta, ravioli or perogies—a vegetarian special. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and grated cheese, add a quick tomato salad* or grilled tomato oreganata* as a side and an elegant lunch or light dinner is on the table in a very short time. (3) make chicken-zucchini tacos or (4) stuff the Bam-Bam club*!

*See my new blog page for these recipes and don’t forget those at my website.

BTW, I’m always thrilled to have reader-feedback from anyone who tries my culinary concoctions—I mean creations, lol! And I love when people share theirs.

Again I express my heartfelt thanks to Chris for allowing me this visit in her corner of the World Wide Web, and to all of you who stopped by today.
NO MATTER WHY Jan 2010

Trust and stability are empty words to Carrie Norwell. Her brothers were murdered; her father died upon arrival at the scene. Five years later, her heart remains impenetrable. Billy Jay Eldridge believes Carrie is the right girl but is clueless his noble career aspirations will be the biggest obstacle to getting Carrie to accept what she wants and needs most.

Joanna Aislinn is an avid reader whose writing roots stretch back to her early teenage days. Life got in the way until ten years ago, when the story playing out in her head insisted she put it down on virtual paper. She's been writing and honing her craft ever since. No Matter Why (The Wild Rose Press), Joanna's debut novel hit the virtual shelves on January 15, 2010. At present, she’s busy revising its sequel, learning all she can about promo, building her web presence and finding time to work a day job and manage a home along with everything else!