Zucchini Pie and Notes on China

Zucchini Pie and Notes on China

I made this recipe for a Bon Voyage party last night at my house for a good friend, Jill, who is moving to China in a few days. (See my "Notes about China" at the end of the BLOG. I just had to include some of the things I have learned about China.  I guess I should call my BLOG "Another Year in My Kitchen and Other Geeky Stuff I Know" HA!!) The ironic part is that Jill gave me a big stack of cooking magazines and cookbooks recently, and I found this recipe in one of them.  Of course, I tweaked it a little, but most of it was what the original recipe called for. It was an overwhelming hit with the crowd and copies were distributed to those who were interested.  So, this BLOG posting is dedicated to you, Jill.  Those of us who were a part of the Lunch Bunch last year will miss you in the coming school year. We know that you will have many new adventures and stories for us when you return.

• 1 can refrigerated crescent rolls
• 3 medium-sized - peeled and thinly-sliced
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 2 tsp. dried parsley
• 1 tsp. dried dill
• 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 2 eggs - lightly beaten
• 1 cup Monterey-Jack cheese - shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Separate crescent rolls and place in a greased 9-inch pie plate with points toward the center.  Press onto the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate to form a crust.  Seal the perforations. In a skillet, saute zucchini and minced garlic in butter.  Add one-half of the parsley, dill, garlic salt, pepper, and shredded cheese into the bottom of the pie plate.  Next, spoon the sauteed zucchini into the pie plate. Pour the beaten eggs over the top and then add the other half of the spices and shredded cheese over the top.   Cover the edges of the pie plate loosely with foil.  Bake in the 375 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let the pie stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Some Notes About CHINA......
Last summer, while recovering from my right hand carpel tunnel surgery, I read a very interesting, yet sad, story by Lisa See called Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. The story took place in 19th century China and was about the friendship between two young girls who had to follow the cultural traditions of arranged marriages, the agony of footbinding, shared loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood.  The girls are paired as friends and share poems in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret. Women were not allowed to have relationships or contact with the outside world beyond that which men gave them permission.  

Lisa See has also written other books that focus on the experience of Chinese women. This book was given to me by my friend, Tina, who adopted a baby, Natalie, from China about 7 years ago. I, in turn, gave a copy of this book to another friend, Kathy, who adopted her daughter Rachel - a beautiful, intelligent young woman now, and Claire, who came to join her new family at the age of 6 - and spoke no English and who is developmentally delayed.  

While my daughter, Parker, is from Korea, I felt a bond with my two friends and their daughters.  I know the two cultures are slightly different, but we share an understanding of what the lives of our daughters would have been like had they not been adopted and came to live in United States. I am also grateful that the traditions the girls endured in Lisa See's book - like footbinding - is no longer practiced.  There are images on the Internet that you can view to see just how gruesome and mutilating footbinding was for women.  Lisa See's book really opened my eyes to the cruelty placed on women in China, making me very glad that Parker, Rachel, Natalie, and Claire are now safe and sound and blessedly American.  

China A to Z: Everything You Need to Know to Understand Chinese Customs and Culture


I have Lisa See's latest novel on my bedside table, Shanghai Girls, as well as Peony in Love.  I've included links to Amazon if you are interested in learning more about her books. Like I always tell my students, "You learn something new everyday," and historical fiction and nonfiction are definitely my favorites.

 













Chop Suey : A Mixture of the Chinese Language, Customs and Culture

Encyclopedia of Contemporary Chinese Culture

The Moon Year - A Record of Chinese Customs and Festivals