July 1, 2021

Ella’s Kitchen

How do you celebrate July? Backyard cook-outs, camping, picnics? July in the Quad Cities offers Red, White ‘n Boom, Fire Cracker Run, the John Deere Classic, Times Bix 7 road-race, music festivals and so much more. Here are some recipes to try for gatherings at any of these events.

Pinwheel Bites

Lately there has been quite the controversy about the dill pickle wrap. I was raised in Kansas and spent 17 years in Michigan. I don’t think I ever heard of the Dill Pickle Wrap until I moved here. But we did do green onions in cream cheese and sliced meat. I have pictured here four different varieties of the roll up.

  1. Olive loaf luncheon meat with cream cheese around a green onion in the center of platter, surrounded by rows of
  2. Sliced turkey with cream cheese around a green onion
  3. Sliced ham with cream cheese around a green onion
  4. Sliced ham with cream cheese around a 1/4 of a dill pickle

Let the cream cheese shorten to room temperature. It is easier to spread. Using a flat butter knife or small icing spatula, spread the cream cheese on the meat slice. Roll up the pickle or onion in the cream cheese and meat. Refrigerate the roll to set the cream cheese. When firm, cut the roll in five or six pinwheel like slices. Refrigerate until served.

Many variations are possible. Use any sliced meat; turkey, ham, roast beef, luncheon meat, bologna, deli thin slices or even dried beef slices. Some people like to sprinkle a seasoning on the cream cheese before adding the onion or pickle and rolling up. Even powdered ranch dressing mix could be used. The possibilities are as endless as your spice rack and imagination.

If you take a platter of these to any get-together, I doubt you will have any left at the end of the day.

I find that if you blot the meat slice with a paper towel, the cream cheese (at room temperature) is easier to spread. Do not use whipped cream cheese as it will not firm up in the refrigerator.

Oven Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries and Oven Baked Parmesan Green Beans

Zucchini

3 zucchini (about a pound)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 (10 ounce) container Shake ‘n Bake coating mix (or make you own – see recipe below)

1 egg

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Trim zucchini- cut in half crosswise, then cut each half into 1/4-inch sticks. In a large zip-lock bag, combine grated cheese and coating mix. Shake gently to mix. Whisk egg in a medium, shallow bowl. Put zucchini in the bowl and
gently coat. With tongs, place about 1/4 of the zucchini in the shaker bag, seal the bag and shake to evenly coat.

Spread coated zucchini sticks on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. I prefer to line my baking sheets with parchment paper. Repeat process with the remaining zucchini.

Bake for 12 – 15 minutes or until golden brown, turning the baking sheet 180 degrees after about 7 minutes.

Cool and enjoy.


Green Beans

Use about 1 pound of fresh green beans, washed and trimmed.

Follow the same directions as for the zucchini.

Serve with Ranch dressing or sour cream for a dipping sauce. You can reheat in a toaster oven or for a minute or two under the broiler. The microwave will heat them, but will not make them crispy.

Homemade Shake ‘n Bake

  • 4 cups fine bread crumbs. (I used prepackaged Italian seasoned, but you can make your own dried crumbs if you have bread you want to use)
  • 1 Tablespoon paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon celery seed or celery salt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cajun spice
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Combine crumbs and spices in a large zip lock bag. Gently drizzle the oil over the mixture and shake together until it is all combined. Here is your own personal coating mix. Delete or add spices as you like. The choice is yours.

[Ella can be contacted at publisher@50pluslife.com or Ella – 50+ Lifestyles, P. O. Box 2125, Davenport, IA 52809]

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