Gingered Zucchini Marmalade

Florida Squash and Tomato Gratin

Ingredients

• 2 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced

• 2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced

• 3 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon Garlic Jelly

• 2 shallots, chopped

• 2 tablespoons of Gingered Zucchini Marmalade

• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

• 2 tablespoons Parmesan, grated

• ¼ cup breadcrumbs

• Olive oil for drizzling

• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil an 8-inch square baking dish. Evenly spread the Garlic Jelly, shallots, Gingered Zucchini Marmalade, and basil in the bottom of the prepared dish. Season with salt and pepper. Angle the yellow squash, zucchini, and tomatoes in upright alternating layers (like shingles on a roof), repeating until all the vegetables are used in the casserole. Sprinkle the top with the cheese, then the breadcrumbs. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Stuffed Florida Zucchini and Yellow Squash Parmesan

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini or large yellow squash

• ½ cup ricotta cheese

• 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

• 1 cup marinara sauce (your favorite)

• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

• ½ cup panko

• 2 tablespoons fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried

• 2 tablespoons of Gingered Zucchini Marmalade

• Olive oil for cooking

• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut off stem side of zucchini or yellow squash. Cut zucchini or yellow squash evenly in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon, scoop out seeds from each half to create room to hold other ingredients. Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the preheated pan. Season the zucchini or yellow squash with salt and pepper. Place the zucchini or yellow squash skin side-up in the sauté pan and cook for about 2 minutes on both sides. Remove from pan and place on a cookie sheet skin side -down. In a small mixing bowl, combine panko, 1 tablespoon olive oil, chopped basil, Gingered Zucchini Marmalade, and Parmesan cheese. Season ingredients to taste with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Evenly distribute ricotta cheese and marinara sauce on top of zucchini or yellow squash. Top yellow squash and zucchini with shredded mozzarella cheese. Evenly sprinkle breadcrumb topping mixture on top of zucchini or yellow squash. Bake stuffed zucchini or yellow squash for 10 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Serve warm.

Florida Squash and Zucchini Ricotta Rollups

Ingredients

• 2 large zucchini or yellow squash, sliced thin lengthwise

• 1 cup ricotta cheese

• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

• 2 cups marinara sauce

• 2 egg yolks

• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning mix

• ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

• ¼ cup fresh basil, hand torn

• ¼ cup of Gingered Zucchini Marmalade

• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

Lay out all the zucchini and yellow squash slices on paper towels. Lightly sprinkle each side of the sliced zucchini and squash with sea salt. Let the salted slices sit for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, use another paper towel to soak up any liquid from the vegetables. In a small bowl, combine the egg yolk, mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, Gingered Zucchini Marmalade, and Italian seasoning. Season cheese mixture lightly with salt and pepper. Spread a thin layer of the cheese mixture on one side of each vegetable slice. Roll each slice up carefully and place seam side down in a baking dish. Evenly add marinara sauce to the top of the vegetable rollups. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake in a 375-degree oven for about 15 minutes. Top with hand-torn basil, serve warm.

Florida Alligator Stir-Fry

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound Florida alligator nuggets, cut uniformly

• 1 sweet pepper, seeds removed and sliced thin

• 1 small zucchini, sliced thin

• 1 small yellow squash, sliced thin

• 1 small onion, sliced thin

• 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced thin

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

• 2 tablespoons Garlic Jelly

• 2 tablespoons of Gingered Zucchini Marmalade

• 3 eggs

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 cups panko

• 1 tablespoon oil, for cooking

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose seafood seasoning

• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Stir-fry sauce

• ¾ cup Florida orange juice

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and diced fine

• 1 teaspoon orange zest, finely grated

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preparation

1. In a small saucepot over medium heat, add orange juice, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, ginger, and orange zest. Bring ingredients to a boil. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of cold water. Whisk the cornstarch and water mixture until combined. Slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture into the sauce mixture. Continue to whisk until the sauce has thickened. Bring to a slight boil, remove from heat, and let cool. 

2. Add oil to deep fryer and preheat to 350 degrees. Beat eggs and ¼ cup water to create an egg mixture. Set up breading station in three separate bowls as follows: egg mixture, flour, panko. Season each with salt and pepper. Add 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose seafood seasoning to each of the flour and panko stations. Depending on the size of your fryer, divide alligator into batches. Coat the first batch in egg mixture and let drain slightly. Next, dip wet nuggets into seasoned flour mixture and gently shake to remove any excess. Return nuggets to the egg mixture, coat and drain excess. Lastly, toss the coated nuggets in panko to evenly coat and gently shake to remove excess. Fry the alligator for 2 to 3 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Drain onto a pan lined with paper towels. Repeat for additional batches. 

3. Preheat a large sauté pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the cooking oil to the preheated pan. Carefully add the onion, squash, carrot, and zucchini. Season vegetables lightly with salt and pepper. Cook vegetables for about 2 minutes, trying to maintain their crispiness. Add the fresh ginger, Gingered Zucchini Marmalade, and Garlic Jelly to the cooking vegetables. Add the crispy fried alligator to the sauté pan and toss to combine. Remove the alligator stir fry from the heat and serve over a warm bed of rice. Drizzle each plate with the homemade stir fry sauce. Garnish each finished dish with sesame seeds. 

Florida Egg and Vegetable Bake

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 10 eggs

• 2 (8-ounce) tubes of croissant dough

• ⅓ cup mushrooms, sliced thin

• ⅓ cup sweet peppers, diced

• ¼ cup zucchini, diced

• ¼ cup yellow squash, diced

• 1 cup jack cheese, shredded

• ⅓ cup bacon, cooked and chopped

• 2 tablespoons of Gingered Zucchini Marmalade

• 1 teaspoon your favorite seasoning blend

• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together eggs and seasoning blend. Open both tubes of croissant dough and unroll them on a clean cutting board. Using a knife, slice along all the connecting lines. Next, cut each triangle in half longways. Roll up each piece of cut croissant dough starting at the big end until all of them have been rolled into what looks like mini croissants. Line your medium to large cast iron pan or baking dish all the way around with the rolled croissant dough pieces to form a crust. Pour the whisked eggs into the lined pan. Start adding the vegetables, bacon, Gingered Zucchini Marmalade, and cheese to the pan. Once finished, lightly season the eggs with salt and fresh ground pepper. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 15 to 25 minutes until the eggs are cooked throughout and the croissants are golden brown. Remove from oven and serve warm.

Fresh Tip: Let each member of the family add the toppings they prefer to their assigned portion of the omelet bake.

Florida Vegetable and Gator Sausage Alfredo

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups Florida alligator sausage, diced small

• 1 cup zucchini, diced small

• ½ cup bell pepper, diced small

• 1 pound pasta (such as linguini or fettuccine), cooked al dente

• 2 cups whole milk

• 1 cup Parmesan, grated

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon Garlic Jelly

• 2 tablespoons of Gingered Zucchini Marmalade

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning (your favorite)

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

Preheat a large sauté pan to medium-high heat. Add enough butter and cook sausage, peppers, and zucchini for 6 to 8 minutes. Add Garlic Jelly, Gingered Zucchini Marmalade, and all-purpose seasoning and cook for an additional minute. Sprinkle in flour and stir. Slowly pour in milk, stirring continuously. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Toss mixture with cooked pasta and serve warm.

Fresh tip: Feel free to add your favorite seasonal vegetables to this dish and/or omit meat to make this dish vegetarian-friendly.

Fresh Florida Vegetable Medley

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 large zucchini, diced large

• 2 medium yellow squash, diced large

• 10-12 mushrooms, rinsed and quartered

• ½ onion, sliced

• 1 tablespoon fresh herbs (rosemary and thyme), chopped fine

• 2 tablespoons of Gingered Zucchini Marmalade

• 1 tablespoon quality olive oil

• 1 teaspoon Florida Everglades all-purpose seasoning, plus more to taste

• ½ lemon, juiced

• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

Preheat a large cast iron pan or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to the preheated pan. Carefully add the sliced onion to the oiled pan. Cook the sliced onions for 3 to 4 minutes until caramelized. Next, add the zucchini, mushrooms, and yellow squash to the pan. Season the ingredients in the pan with the seasoning blend, Gingered Zucchini Marmalade, and fresh herbs. Cook the ingredients for another 3 to 4 minutes until the vegetables are slightly browned and crisp-tender. Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and stir to coat. Remove from heat and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve warm as a fresh side dish.

Florida Chicken and Rice with Vegetables

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts (or 4 thighs), cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1 tomato, diced small

• 1 zucchini, diced small

• 1 squash, diced small

• 10 mushrooms, sliced thin

• 2 bell peppers, sliced thin

• 1 carrot, diced small

• ½ sweet onion, diced small

• 2 cups long-grain rice (brown or white)

• 4 ¼ cups vegetable broth

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 tablespoons of Gingered Zucchini Marmalade

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, for cooking

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped

• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

Preheat a large pot or pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Sauté the chicken for about 5 minutes, then add onion, and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Next, add rice and stir for 1 minute. Add in vegetable broth and 1 tablespoon of butter; stir and cover for 15 minutes. Uncover and add all remaining vegetables, Gingered Zucchini Marmalade, cover, and finish cooking for about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve warm.

Fresh tip: Increase cooking time by 10 to 15 minutes if using brown rice.

Florida Beef, Vegetable, and Pasta Casserole

Ingredients

• 1-pound lean ground beef

• 1-pint mushrooms, sliced thin

• 1 zucchini, diced medium

• 1 squash, diced medium

• 1 pound pasta

• 1 tablespoon Garlic Jelly

• 2 tablespoons of Gingered Zucchini Marmalade

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped fine

• 1 cup heavy cream

• ½ cup milk

• ½ stick unsalted butter

• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

• 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded

• 1 teaspoon oil, for cooking

• 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning blend (your favorite)

• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare pasta shy of al dente, drain, and set aside. In a saucepot, add the milk, heavy cream, butter, and all-purpose seasoning. Bring to a simmer and add the Parmesan cheese, ½ cup cheddar cheese, and stir until smooth and creamy. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Preheat a sauté pan on medium-high heat. Season ground beef and brown, draining excess oil. Next, sauté the vegetables until crisp tender. In a large bowl, combine the cooked beef, sautéed vegetables, Garlic Jelly, Gingered Zucchini Marmalade, cooked pasta, fresh herbs, ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, and mix. Place into a buttered casserole dish and pour the cheese sauce over the mixture. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Florida Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 3 cups chicken, cooked and shredded

• 1 zucchini, diced

• 1 squash, diced

• 4 ears (about 2 cups) sweet corn, kernels cut off the cob

• 2 cups potatoes, diced small

• 2 cups carrots, diced small

• ¼ cup celery, diced small

• ½ cup sweet onion, diced small

• 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

• 8 cups vegetable broth

• 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)

• 2 tablespoons Garlic Jelly

• 2 tablespoons of Gingered Zucchini Marmalade

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine

• 5 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped fine

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose seasoning (such as Everglades)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

Preheat a large soup pot over medium-high heat and add oil. sauté onions, carrots, and celery until translucent. Add Garlic Jelly and continue to cook for 1 minute. Next, add the remaining vegetables, chicken, and beans and stir to combine. Season with all-purpose seasoning, Gingered Zucchini Marmalade, and thyme. Pour in vegetable broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook on low for 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Finish by adding heavy cream and stir in fresh parsley.

Fresh tip: Leftover chicken works great in this soup.

Veggie Stuffed Florida Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 24 medium-sized mushroom caps, rinsed, stems removed

• 1 cup zucchini, finely diced

• ½ cup onion, finely diced

• ½ cup radish, finely chopped

• ½ cup bread crumbs

• ½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

• ½ cup of Gingered Zucchini Marmalade

• 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

• 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients except mushrooms; mix well. Stuff mixture into mushroom caps. Place stuffed mushrooms on a large baking pan. Bake approximately 15 minutes, until mushrooms soften and mixture begins to brown.

Taco Stuffed Florida Bell Peppers

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 3 large bell peppers (your favorite color), halved lengthwise, seeds removed

• 1-pound lean ground beef

• 2 cups tomatoes, diced

• 1 cup zucchini, diced small

• 1 cup squash, diced small

• 1 cup onion, chopped

• 1 tablespoon Garlic Jelly

• 2 tablespoons of Gingered Zucchini Marmalade

• 1 lime, juiced

• 1 teaspoon oregano

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 2 cups Colby Jack cheese, shredded

• Olive oil, for cooking

• Various toppings, such as tortilla chips, sour cream, and cilantro

• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add olive oil to preheated sauté pan. Add chopped onion to pan and cook until translucent. Add Garlic Jelly and ground beef to cooking onions. Brown ground beef and drain any excess fat. Add the lime juice, Gingered Zucchini Marmalade, dry spices, tomatoes, zucchini, and squash; stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Add about half of the cheese to the beef mixture. Stir to combine. Evenly stuff each pepper half with the beef mixture. Top each stuffed pepper with the rest of the cheese. Place stuffed peppers on a cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 15- 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Serve warm with chips, salsa, and sour cream.

Fresh tip: If you want your peppers to be softer, place them in simmering water for 5 minutes or place in preheated oven, unstuffed, for 5- 10 minutes before filling.

Florida Vegetable and Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 cups Chicken, cooked and chopped

• 2 tomatoes, diced

• 2 zucchini, diced

• 2 cups spinach

• 2 tablespoons of Garlic Jelly

• 2 tablespoons of Gingered Zucchini Marmalade

• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

• 12 ounces whole wheat penne, cooked

• ½ cup vegetable broth

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 lemon, juiced

• Olive oil, for cooking

• Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

Fill a medium stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and let cool. ​Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to preheated pan. Add diced zucchini and Garlic Jelly and sauté for 2 minutes. Next, add the tomatoes, lemon juice, Gingered Zucchini Marmalade, cooked chicken, and the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then add in the fresh spinach. Stir to combine and simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the butter, add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and add the fresh parsley. Garnish with parmesan cheese and serve warm.

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