Panzanella

I learned this recipe from a show called Real Simple. It is croutons with olives and tomatoes, which is a nice salad alternative when you already have enough green things on the plate. I also like it toasted in a pie pan the next day, with a sprinkle more of Parmesan.

5 cups 1-inch whole wheat bread cubes

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup minced parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 large ripe tomatoes cut into wedges

1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1/2 cup oil-cured olives, pitted and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup shaved Parmesan

Dry the bread in a 350° F oven on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, and salt. Fold in the bread, tomatoes, onion, olives, and basil. Toss with the Parmesan. Serve.

Yield: Makes 8 servings

Zucchini Cheddar Bread

No tricks to this bread (although I make a Zucchini Chocolate Cake that you would not believe has tofu.) I make it all through fall and winter, and it is guaranteed no fail, no yeast, and no leftovers. I just made this for Charles’ dad last weekend using muffin tins to cut the baking time to a third, and we paired it with spinach salad and hard-boiled eggs for lunch. I include it exactly as it appears in my kitchen bible, Joy of Cooking (1997):

Zucchini Cheddar Bread

10-12 servings. We make this bread whether or not the garden runneth over! Serve with soup or salad for lunch or add to an assortment in a bread basket. Lovely toasted the next day.

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch (8-cup) loaf pan.

Whisk together in a large bowl:

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Add and toss to separate and coat with flour:

1 cup coarsely shredded zucchini

3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup chopped scallions

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill, or 2 teaspoons dried

Whisk together in another bowl:

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) warm melted unsalted butter or vegetable oil

Add to the flour mixture and mix with a few light strokes just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix; the batter should not be smooth. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely on the rack.

P.S. No buttermilk? Add a touch of vinegar to 1 cup of milk.

Spinach Salad

1 bag baby spinach leaves

Sunflower seeds

Simulated bacon bits

Annie’s Goddess Dressing

Add ingredients to a large bowl and toss gently with a pair of tongs. The dressing will coat every leaf and wilt the spinach slightly. You can slice or chop hard-boiled eggs to add to the salad, or sometimes I just halve them and serve them on the side. (Try whisking together tahini, apple cider vinegar, sunflower oil and honey for a close-enough approximation of the Goddess.)