Baked Zucchini - Serves 1-2

 BAKED ZUCCHINI 

Adapted from: RecipeTinEats

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 20 minutes total

Ingredients

• 1 small to med zucchini (King Soopers size)
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tbsp breadcrumbs (panko or matzo meal)
• 1/2 tbsp parmesan or other cheese, grated (pre-grated actually good for this recipe)
• Optional: Small wedge of lemon

Equipment: Bowl to toss, small baking tray with rack preferred, airfryer or convection oven

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F with oven shelf high on the rack (no preheat necessary if using airfyer)

2. Trim ends of zucchini. Cut lengthwise into 6 wedges. Cut across in half for a total of 12 small wedges.

3. Toss zucchini in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper. Sprinkle with most of the breadcrumbs.

4. Line the zucchini in two rows next to each other, skin side down. 

5. Sprinkle with the rest of the breadcrumbs and the cheese. 

6. Bake or airfry 12 minutes until parm is golden

7. Serve immediately

Chile Verde Stacked Enchilada with Eggs

Servings: 4

Source: Pati Jinich 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying tortillas
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 3/4 of a white onion, halved and slivered (about 2 cups), plus more chopped for assembling the enchiladas
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 pounds fresh green chiles such as chilaca, California, Anaheim, New Mexico, or poblano, roasted, sweated, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-x-½-inch strips
• 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
• 1½ teaspoons dried marjoram, or 3  tablespoons fresh
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 12 corn tortillas
• 8 eggs
• 6 ounces (1½ cups) shredded Mennonite, Chihuahua, or Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

• Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the slivered onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until softened. 
• Add the garlic, cook for another couple minutes, until the onion is completely wilted and the garlic has changed color. 
• Stir in the flour, mix, and cook for another minute, until it smells a bit toasty. 
• Add the chile strips, salt and marjoram, and cook for 3-4 minutes until moist but not wet. Stir in the broth, bring to a simmer and cook 5-6 minutes more. Remove from heat.
• Transfer the chile mixture to a blender and puree until completely smooth. Return the chile verde sauce to the same saucepan and keep warm over low heat.
• Heat ¼-inch oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, quick fry the tortillas, one at a time, 20-30 seconds per side, until lightly browned. The oil should be bubbling around the tortillas. Place on a paper towel covered plate to drain. Alternatively, you can heat the tortillas on a preheated comal or skillet set over medium heat.
• Separately, cook two sunny side up eggs per person to desired doneness.
• One by one, dip a tortilla in the chile verde sauce and place on a plate. Top with 2 tablespoons cheese and 1 tablespoon onion. Follow with the next tortilla and repeat a couple more times to make a stack with layers of cheese and onion in between. Top with more sauce, two eggs, and garnish with cheese, onions and chives.

Pumpkin Apple Empanadas

Source: Pumpkin Apple Empanadas - Pati Jinich

Pumpkin Apple (makes ~18 -5" Empanadas):

INGREDIENTS (Filling)

• 2 piloncillo cones, (16 ounces) or 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup water
• Juice of an orange, (about ½ cup)
• 1 2-inch piece of canela or true cinnamon stick
• 2 whole cloves, stems discarded
• 1½ pounds (3 to 4) Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into small dice
• Juice of 2 limes, (about ¼ cup)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 15oz. can pumpkin puree
• ½ cup finely chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:

• Place the piloncillo cones, 1 cup water, orange juice and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once it starts to simmer, reduce to medium-low heat, cover and let the piloncillo completely melt, about 8-10 minutes. 
• Add the clove berries, mashing with your fingers as you do, along with the apples and lime juice, and stir. Raise heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the syrup has thickened and the apples have gained an amber color.
• Add the vanilla and pumpkin puree, stir, cover partially (as the mixture will get jumpy), reduce to medium-low, and continue cooking for another 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mixture will look like a soft puree with apple chunks. Set aside and let cool uncovered. As it cools, it will thicken a bit more.

INGREDIENTS (Dough)

• 2.2 pounds (about 8 cups) all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups vegetable shortening or lard
• 1 cup sugar
• 1½ cups whole milk
• 3 large eggs, divided

 DIRECTIONS (Dough):

•  In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the shortening and break it apart with your fingers, combining it with the flour, until it feels like a fine coarse meal. Add the sugar and mix again. Add the milk and one of the eggs, lightly beaten, incorporating as you knead for a couple minutes, until you get a homogeneous dough. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, beat the remaining 2 eggs to use for sealing the empanadas and the egg wash.
• Cut the dough into quarters. On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll out a quarter of the dough at time to under ¼-inch thick. Then cut out circles of about 4½-inches in diameter.
• One by one, add a tablespoon of apple filling and a ½ teaspoon of chopped pecans. Brush around the edges of the dough circles with the beaten egg. Close the empanadas, encasing the filling and sealing the edges with your fingers, and then seal the deal by pinching with a fork. Place the formed empanadas on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the rest of the dough and the filling; you can gather scraps of dough together and reuse. You will need to bake in two batches.
• Brush the tops of the empanadas with egg wash, then place in the oven. Bake for 23-24 minutes, until lightly golden on top and a bit more browned on the bottom.
• You can eat empanadas hot or at room temperature. They will keep for 5 days in a tightly sealed container.