Holiday Food

We ate well over the holidays, no doubt about that. We even added a few new recipes to our traditional fare, so I should probably make note of our favorites (and have at least one post for December--oops). There will be more nutritious and veggie-tale-like recipes to come in the new year, but for now, enjoy!

Favorite New Dip:
An elder from my mission posted this recipe on his food blog (see, men can cook! even elders can cook! who knew?) I'm glad he did because it was such a fun, festive dip to bring to the Farnsworth Family Christmas Party--and we all know the Farnsworth family is a tough crowd when it comes to traditional festive food. But it passed and was invited back for next year.

Cranberry Salsa
12 oz. bag fresh cranberries
3/4 cup sugar
1 med jalapeno
2 Tbsp cilantro
1 tsp cumin
2 green onions
cream cheese

Blend all of the ingredients, except the cream cheese, in a food processor. Pour the salsa over the cream cheese and serve with tortilla chips.
(Chef Cluzey made a note that he whipped up the cream cheese with a little salsa to make it easier to eat, and I did the same--it made the cream cheese a delightful dark fuchsia color.)


Favorite New Cookies:
Both of these recipes are from the December/January issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray. I thought these were both unique and festive. We thought the coconut cookies tasted just like mango sticky rice at our favorite Thai restaurant--it was a bit trippy. We loved them, but I recognize you have to be a coconut lover to appreciate them. We added some the jeweled cookies to our plate for Santa this year and apparently he looooved them and found his way into the pantry to eat a few more :)

Coconut Snowball Cookies
3 large egg whites
1 pinch salt
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
2 cups crispy rice cereal
1/4 cup corn starch

1. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 200°. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk, beat the egg whites and salt on medium speed until thick and foamy. Sprinkle in the confectioners' sugar and, once incorporated, beat at high speed until firm and glossy, about 5 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, toss together the coconut, rice cereal and cornstarch. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold into the egg mixture until combined.
3. Drop rounded teaspoons of the mixture about 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake until firm and dry to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool completely.


Jeweled Lace Cookies
(my mom thought they looked like something we set out to feed Santa's reindeer, which I'm not going to argue with because we all know reindeer like oats, cranberries and pistachios :) But humans, and Santas, liked them too)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup flour
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup shelled pistachios, chopped

1. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 325°. Grease 2 cookie sheets. In a medium saucepan, stir together the brown sugar, corn syrup and butter over medium heat until smooth and bubbling, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. In a bowl, whisk together the oats, flour and salt; stir into the pot, then stir in the cranberries and pistachios.
2. Drop rounded teaspoons of the mixture about 3 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake until bubbly and a shade darker, 9 to 10 minutes. Let cool for 1 minute before quickly transferring each cookie to a rack using a thin metal spatula; let cool completely.

Favorite Christmas Day Dinner:
Our big traditional holiday dinner is on Christmas Eve at my parents' house. Christmas Day we have the traditional brunch at my in-laws, and by the time Christmas Day dinner comes around we're usually stuffed with sweets and worn out. So Heather's award-winning White Chili w/ Tomato Garnish just might have become our new traditional dinner for Christmas Day since is was easy, nutritious, and festive--white, red & green.

White Chili w/ Tomato Garnish
3 cans (1 lb dry) white navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 onion, chopped
8 c chicken broth
2-3 large chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 large (7 oz) can diced green chiles
2 tsp dried oregano leaves
4 tsp cumin
1 ½ tsp cayenne pepper (I used about 1/2 tsp and that was plenty for the kiddos)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c sour cream
3 c Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

In a large pot, slightly sauté onions to make them tender. Add beans and broth. Cook until onions and beans are tender. Add chicken, chiles and seasonings; continue to simmer until the sauce is thickened. (Approximately 30 min- 1 hour). Take the pot off the heat and add the sour cream and cheese. Stir until cheese melts. Serve with tomato garnish.

Tomato Garnish
tomatoes, chopped
cilantro, chopped
sweet and sour dressing

Sweet and Sour Dressing
½ c sugar
¼ c cider vinegar
juice from 1 lemon
1 tsp dried onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/3 c vegetable oil
2 tsp celery seed (optional)

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and vinegar and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. In a dressing container, combine lemon juice and seasonings. Add vinegar mixture and then add oil. Shake to combine. Dressing will keep up to a week in the refrigerator. Add only enough to coat the tomatoes and cilantro.

Pumpkin Coconut Bread

No, your eyes did not deceive you--the title does indeed read Pumpkin Coconut Bread. I know, my thoughts exactly (except you Joel, we don't think the same coconut thoughts :)) Camden needed to bring one loaf of "sweet bread--pumpkin or banana" for her Thanksgiving feast at school so I thought it would be the perfect time to give this recipe a try. Actually, I started out by experimenting with a Pumpkin Banana Bread since I had a few ripe bananas but was really in the mood for pumpkin (as any normal person should be the week of Thanksgiving), but I was disappointed with the results. Too blaaaah. It was a good lesson for the kiddos--if at first you don't succeed, try adding a little pudding. I made two batches--one loaf for the first graders and a dozen muffins for me, I mean for the family. They were sooo good (and I don't think even you, Joel, would be able to recognize coconut pudding as the secret ingredient). So, without further ado, I give you...
Pumpkin Coconut Bread

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 package (3 1/2oz) instant coconut cream pudding mix
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (I didn't use--I didn't want to be responsible for any school children swelling up)

Combine eggs, sugar, and oil in a large mixing bowl; beat at medium speed of an electric mixer hand-held until well blended.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt, pudding mix, nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon; add to sugar mixture alternately with the mashed pumpkin, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix well after each addition. Stir in pecans or walnuts.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove loaf to wire rack to cool completely. (I baked the muffins for 20-25 mins.)

Soulfull Lentil Soup

I found this recipe for "Satisfying Lentil Soup" in Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking magazine. It sounded interesting because it didn't call for any tomatoes (all my lentil soup recipes are tomato-based--which I love, but it's nice to give the tomato-haters a break every so often) and it called for minced fresh gingerroot (oh, I love fresh ginger!). So it moved to the top of my "must try" list. It also sounded like it could be a great slow cooker recipe and today felt like a slow cooker sort of day. I put all the ingredients in my crockpot and cooked it on High for 3 to 4 hours instead of on the stovetop. I loved all the spices so I changed to name from "Satisfying" to "Soulfull" because for me, a bowl of flavorful lentils is about all it takes to make my soul happy--served with a couple of baguette slices and some cheese, of course.

Soulfull Lentil Soup
4 medium carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp minced fresh gingerroot (a little less if not a ginger-fan, or 1/2 tsp dried ginger if you don't have any fresh)
2 tsp curry powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp ground coriander
5 cups water (I only used 4 because I didn't want it too brothy)
2 (14 oz) cans reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 package (16 oz) dry lentils
2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro (I didn't use because I didn't have, and sometimes I'm just not in the mood for cilantro)
3/4 tsp salt
Dast pepper

1. In a Dutch oven, saute the carrots, celery and onion in oil until tender. Add the ginger, curry, garlic, cumin and coriander; cook and stir 1 minute longer (or skip all of that and just throw it in a crock pot)
2. Add the water, broth, and lentils; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 50-55 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in the cilantro, salt and pepper.

Kugeliciousness with Apples

I've been on a potato-craving rampage lately--good thing Thanksgiving is only a week away. But until then, I thought I'd give some Potato Kugel a try because hey, it's Kugel--it's festive, it's fun to say, and it's tasty to eat. This recipe is from my Moosewood Restaurant cookbook, so I had a feeling it wouldn't disappoint--and it didn't. I served it with a green salad tossed with sauteed onions and red peppers (much to Camden and Riley's dismay). I then topped the Kugel with sour cream and served homemade applesauce on the side. Oh baby.
Potato Kugel
5 medium potatoes (2 1/2 lbs), peeled if desired
2 medium onions
4 eggs
1 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
1/4 cup matzoh meal or bread crumbs
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I'm sure butter would be delish, of course)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Coasely grate the potatoes. Place in colander and squeeze out as much water as possible.
3. Grate the onions. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the potatoes, onions, salt, pepper, and matzoh meal. Mix well.
4. Put the oil in a 9x13 inch baking pan and place it in the hot oven for 5 minutes. Pout the hot oil into the batter, stirring just a little, and then pour the batter into the hot pan. This procedure makes the kugel crusty.
5. Bake for 1 hour or until lightly browned.

Homemade Applesauce
4 or 5 apples, peeled, cored, and small diced
1/2 cup water
2 to 3 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Bring apples and water up to a boil. Add sugar and cinnamon. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, stirring occasionally.
I just kind of threw this together--I'm pretty sure you can't mess it up. Season to taste :)

Pilgrims Love Tofu

For Family Night we were learning about the Pilgrims and their voyage to the New World so I thought I'd bring dinner into the story. We made lettuce boats filled with Eggless Egg Salad sprinkled with Pilgrims, I mean sunflower seeds--because nothing says Pilgrims better than tofu, right? Regardless, it was yummy and the girls enjoyed being sea monsters munching on little people. Okay, maybe we strayed from the story a little...
But the best part of dinner was the Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies for dessert. Ever since we voted on McCain's vs. Obama's favorite cookie as part of Heather's chili cook-off, we have been obsessed with Cindy McCain's Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies. This time around I made a couple of changes and we liked them as much or more. But both ways are so good you'll eat more than your share, trust me.
Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter or margarine, softened. (This time I used 1 stick butter plus 1/4 cup applesauce--it made for a chewier texture)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup white flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour--it needed a little more I thought)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups rolled oats
1-2/3 cups butterscotch chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugars together. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating well. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture; stir until blended. Stir in oats and butterscoth chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

(I loved the original recipe, but the addition of applesauce and whole wheat flour made a more substantial, chewy cookie that I didn't feel so bad about eating for breakfast. It's 10:00 a.m. and I've already had three :))

Homemade Banana Berry Pudding

It's official--my favorite dessert is indeed Homemade Banana Berry Pudding. No other desserts need apply. I posted about this banana pudding recipe a few months ago when I used it to make the most delicious pies. But my new adaptation is even easier, and maybe even yummier. Today as it was snowing outside, and I was feeling achy from what is soon to be a cold or flu passed on to me from my children, I needed a little comfort food. Comfort banana berry pudding food. And it did just the trick--I'm still achy, but my mouth, tummy and soul are happy.
Someone couldn't quite wait 3-5 hours before taking a spoonful:

Homemade Banana Berry Pudding
1 heaping Tbsp flour…and I mean heaping!
1/2 cup sugar or a little more
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp vanilla
dash salt
Mini Vanilla Wafers (save some to crumble for the top)
1 banana, sliced
1 cup frozen mixed berries, thawed and drained

In a saucepan, mix flour & sugar then add eggs and mix well. Start your burner and slowly add milk; a little at a time stirring constantly--I use a whisk. Continue stirring until it has thickened (once it starts to boil it immediately thickens, I let it boil while stirring for another minute or so). After thick, add butter, vanilla and salt to taste.

Line the bottom of a 9x9 dish with vanilla wafers (I like the mini ones). Top with sliced bananas and then berries. Pour slightly cooled pudding over top. Cover and refrigerate until totally cooled and set (3-5 hours--if you can wait that long:)). Serve with crumbled vanilla wafers on top.

Monday Minestrone & Cornmeal Biscuits

There's nothing better on a chilly November evening than a steaming bowl of soup--and since it's Monday, I decided on Minestrone. I don't know if "Minestrone" means "throw everything you can think of into a pot and cook it," but that's what I did. And you know what, it tasted pretty great. Add a couple of cornmeal biscuits cut out in pumpkin shapes, and you've got yourself a meal.
Monday Minestrone
1/2 onion, diced
1 carrot, small diced
1 or 2 stalks celery, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 can pork and beans (I like that it adds a little sweetness)
1 can green beans
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 cup V8 (or one can tomato sauce)
1 Tbsp parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp basil
2 bay leaves
1 cup elbow macaroni

In a large pot, saute onions, carrots, celery and garlic in a little olive oil. Add remaining ingredients (except macaroni) and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add macaroni the last 10-12 minutes (and more liquid if needed). Serve w/ Parmesan cheese.

Cornmeal Biscuits
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sift before measuring
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup milk

Into a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in cornmeal. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Knead about 20 times on a floured surface. Roll out about 3/4 inch thick then cut with a 2-inch biscuit cutter. Place on baking sheet. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes.

Quantum of Spices Chili

I'm still in the hunt for the ultimate veggie chili--but I think I've come close. We had a chili cook-off with some friends tonight and my "Quantum of Spices" chili came in second place--okay, technically third place because the hostess-with-the-mostest Heather blew everyone out of the water with her "Business Time" chili (I will pass that recipe on when I get it--with her permission, of course). Anyway, I thought a chili cook-off would be the perfect time to use some of my Western Family Petite Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles because one can of that stuff is so spicy I can't use it in any recipes--and we're not wimpy when it comes to spices. Maybe I just bought an ultra-spicy batch or something (I still feel bad about the time I took dinner to a neighbor family who had just had a baby and I used a can of those tomatoes in a pot of Taco Soup--I was trying to be so nice and neighborly, but instead fed their family a pot full of fire. Sorry). Anyway, if you aren't in possession of a can of firey tomatoes, just use a can of diced tomatoes and a can of green chiles.
Quantum of Spices Chili
1 onion, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 can petite diced tomatoes w/ chiles
1 can stewed tomates, chopped
1 can vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
1 can tomato sauce
1/4 cup bulgur
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can white beans, rinsed
1 large sweet potatoe, diced
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp cumin
1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 Tbsp cocoa (secret ingredient #1)
1 Tbsp molasses (secret ingredient #2)
Topping--
2 avacados, diced
juice of one lime
season salt

Put all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Add 1/2 to 1 cup water if too thick. Top with diced avacados w/ lime juice and sour cream.

Zucchini-Feta Casserole

The thing about the Moosewood Restaurant recipes (and Mollie Katzen's recipes) is that, for me, they require a small leap of faith. I think to myself, "I can totally see myself ordering that at a cafe, but I don't know if I would dare make it, let alone feed it to my family." But that little bit of fear is just what motivates me--and my curiosity. This recipe in particular. I read the ingredients:
bulgur, got it and have been wanting to use it
zucchini, have a few left
feta, need to use the rest in the fridge
cottage cheese, love it
tamari soy sauce, eek!
I couldn't imagine how all those things would go together and actually taste good. That's where my curiousity kicked in and I threw caution to the wind. And you know what? All things considered, it was fabulous. I loved it. Nate liked it. The girls tolerated it--even squash-gagging Camden. So there you go.
Be brave!
Zucchini-Feta Casserole
3/4 cup bulgur
3/4 cup boiling water

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups sliced onions (I just chopped up one large onion)
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed (I just threw in a tsp of minced)
6 cups thinly sliced zucchini (I used the last two med/small ones in the fridge--goodbye garden!)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/8 tsp black pepper

2 eggs
1 cup feta cheese (5 oz)
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp tamari soy sauce

1 cup grated cheddar cheese (3 oz)
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced (I didn't have, sob!)
1 1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

1. Place bulgur in a bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Cover and set it aside until it has absorbed the water.
2. Saute the onions and garlic in the oil until translucent. Add the zucchini, dried herbs, and black pepper and saute on medium to low heat until zucchini is tender.
3. In a bowl, lightly beat eggs. Mix in feta and cottage cheese.
4. Add parsley, tomatoe paste and soy sauce to bulgur and mix well.
5. Assemble the casserole in an oiled 9x9 inch dish. Layer first the bulgur mixture, next the vegetables, and then the feta mixture. Top the casserole with grated cheddar cheese, tomato slices and a light sprinkling of sesame seeds.
6. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. For crustier cheese, uncover the casserole for the last 10-15 minutes. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with a tossed salad.

Mexican Vegetables on Corn Bread

The other day I was perusing the bargain bin at Barnes & Noble and came across a small little book called New Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant. Moosewood Restaurant, for those of you less-in-the-know folk (myself included :)) is a restaurant in downtown Ithaca, New York, world-renowned for its vegetarian cooking and cookbooks. Well, now we know. I'll need to do some research to find the "old" recipes from Moosewood Restaurant, but for now we'll start with the "new" ones. First up, Mexican Vegetables on Corn Bread (topped with a cilantro cream--my addition to the recipe). We loved it. I was a little concerned about the cornbread w/ whole wheat flour but it tasted good and I liked the texture--except after it had cooled, I thought the corn bread had a funny aftertaste. I don't know if it was from the whole wheat flour or what, but we liked it with the veggies, just not as a snack later by itself. Anywho, I'm not tooting my own horn, but we all agreed that the cilantro cream really made the dish (probably because of the fact that my children only eat things topped with Ranch dressing--sad, but true).

Mexican Vegetables on Corn Bread
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped onion (I used one onion, chopped)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, cut into half-moons (I used two)
1 medium zucchini, cut into half-moons
1 green pepper, diced
2 cups corn, fresh or frozen (I used one cup)
2 cups undrained canned tomatoes, chopped (I used one can diced tomatoes)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (I just used the cilantro dressing)
salt and cayenne to taste

1. In large skillet, saute the onions and galic for 5 mins.
2. Add the carrots, cover the pan and saute for another 5 mins, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in the remaining vegetables and seasonings and cook on low heat until the vegetables are just tender.
4. Serve over hot Corn Bread and top with sour cream or cheese. (I melted the cheese on top of the cornbread pieces under the broiler, topped with the veggies, and then spooned some cilantro cream on top.)

Corn Bread
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup white flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk or plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup maple syrup or brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup melted butter, cooled

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 9x13 baking pan
2. Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl.
3. In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients and stir until mixed.
4. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Pour the batter into pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife insterted into the center comes out clean.
5. Allow the corn bread to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Cilantro Cream (this is just a simplified version of the Cafe Rio cilantro dressing recipe)
1/2 bottle Ranch dressing
1/2 bunch cilantro
juice of one lime

1. Put ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.
2. Refrigerate until use.

Spaghetti Squash Ole

If my Spaghetti Squash recipe and my Cowboy Spaghetti recipe were to date, marry and have a baby--this would be it. :)

Spaghetti Squash Ole
1 spaghetti squash
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes (or tomato puree)
1 cup corn, canned or frozen
1 cup black beans, drained
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Halve the spaghetti squash lengthwise and remove seeds. Place, cut side down, on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until tender. Use a fork to shred and separate the spaghetti squash into strands.

2. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a large skillet onion, pepper and garlic until vegetables are tender.

3. Stir in tomato puree, corn, beans, chili powder, cumin and oregano. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly (I add a little spaghetti sauce if it needs to be saucier or thicker).

4. Put 1 cup spaghetti squash on serving plate. Spoon 1 cup sauce over squash and top each serving with 1/4 cup cheese.

Easy Veggie Ziti

Tuesday is run-everyone-back-and-forth-and-back-and-forth-to-dance day, so I needed to make something for dinner that was quick prep, but could sit around for a while. This was just the trick. And the leftovers that I am eating right now as I type are just as good. Yum.
Easy Veggie Ziti
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 small/medium zucchini, sliced
1 jar spaghetti sauce (maybe not quite the whole jar), I like ones w/ mushrooms, or you could add mushrooms
1/2 to 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Penne pasta, about 10 oz.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook pasta according to directions, leaving a little al dente.
3. Saute onions and peppers in a little olive oil until tender. Add zucchini. Saute until just slightly cooked.
4. Add spaghetti sauce to veggies. Simmer while pasta is cooking.
5. Drain pasta and add to sauce with mozzarella cheese.
6. Mix together and place in 9x9 baking dish
7. Top with parmesan cheese. Bake for about 30 mins until bubbly.

As we say around here, Easy Cheesy. Enjoy.

Mighty Migas

Conference weekend I decided to be adventurous for breakfast. My inspiration came from The Pioneer Woman's post about Migas. Migas? Wikipedia defines Migas as the following: Migas (pronounced [ˈmiɣas]) is a traditional dish in Spanish and Portuguese cuisine. Originally eaten as a breakfast that made use of leftover bread or tortillas, today migas, literally translated as "crumbs," is a fashionable first course served for lunch and dinner in restaurants in Spain.

Awesome. I want some Migas.

I'm posting the Pioneer Woman's recipe, but when I made it, I simplified it a little. I didn't fry the tortillas, but crisped them up under the broiler with a little drizzle of olive oil. I just used milk instead of half & half, and I only used five eggs and three tortillas (and smaller amounts of the veggies). But the concept was the same, and it really was delicioso!

photo from thepioneerwoman.com

Pioneer Woman’s Migas

4 corn tortillas
Canola oil, to fry tortillas
10 to 12 large eggs
1/4 cup half & half
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
4 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 to 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced (leave white membranes if you like things spicy)
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, depending on your taste
1 cup grated Monterey Jack or Cotija cheese

In a bowl, whisk together eggs and half & half. Salt and pepper eggs, then set aside.

In a small skillet over medium heat, heat oil and fry each corn tortilla just until crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Chop tortillas and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the olive oil with the butter. Add onions and bell peppers and cook until starting to turn brown/black, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add in diced jalapenos and stir to combine. Add tomatoes to the skillet and stir around, then add tortilla pieces, stirring gently to combine.

Reduce heat to low.

When the heat has decreased, pour egg mixture into skillet. Stir gently to cook with the peppers, folding mixture very gently as it cooks. Add in grated cheese and chopped cilantro, and stir to combine. Delicioso!

Eggless Egg Salad

The other day I came across this recipe book titled "Mollie Katzen's Recipes--Salads." I love a good salad, so I glanced through the book and realized that whoever this Mollie Katzen is, she sure loves her veggies. It began with a section entitiled, "A pep talk for wilted saladmakers" and I realized I needed a pep talk :) Her recipes are pretty hard-core, veggie-wise, and I was intrigued by the challenge. She has recipes for "Basic Green Leafy Salad," and "Warm Salad" and "Raw Vegetable Salad" and four different types of Waldorf Salad. There is also recipes for Lentil-Bulgur Salad and Perfect Protein Salad which sound like my kind of creations. Needless to say, I bought the book and have been waiting to try a recipe. You'd think I would begin with something easy--but oh no, I just randomly chose the "Eggless Egg Salad." My only reasoning was that I had a box of tofu in the pantry that I needed to use. I love tofu--I order it at restaurants all the time, but I had yet to cook with it and feed it to my non-tofu-loving family. Anyway, I decided to just jump right in and boy, I'm glad I did. I served this Eggless wonder over green lettuce but it would be excellent in a pita sandwich. I didn't tell Nate what was in it until he had finished and he loved it (but he was glad that he didn't initially know it was tofu). Game on, Salad Lady!
Eggless Egg Salad
(Nate suggested we changed the title to something like "Summer Pita Salad" because it didn't really taste like Egg Salad, but was still delish)
3/4 lb. very firm tofu
3 scallions, minced (whites and greens)
1 medium carrot, grated
1 medium stalk celery, finely minced
1/2 small bell pepper, finely minced
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
1 batch Tofu Mayonnaise (too be honest, I just used a spoonful of lite Mayo, which defeats the whole "eggless" point, but I don't have that much time on my hands, you know)
1/2 tsp salt
fresh black pepper, to taste

1. Cut the tofu into small dice, and place in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Add remaining ingredients, and mix gently. Season to taste.
3. Cover tightly and chill until cold.

Tofu Mayonnaise (I didn't use this, but I bet it would be good)
1 12-oz box silken tofu
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 to 2 Tbs cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. (and possibly more) dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp soy sauce

1. Whip everything together in a blender. Transfer to a small bowl.
2. Taste to adjust seasonings. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

Spaghetti Squash w/ Meatless Sauce

Veggie Tales is back in business! I'm not sure what happened over the Summer--we ate plenty of veggies, I just didn't have time to blog about it. But now we're finally settling into our school schedule and I'm ready for some veggie-liciousness!

Yesterday I made my favorite lentils and rice. It's not much to look at, but boy is it satisfying and yummy. That's my kind of comfort food. I served it with some sauteed summer squash and everyone gobbled it up.

Today I was watching Rachael Ray and she was making Spaghetti Squash with Super-Thick Bolognese. Mmmmm, spaghetti squash. I ate spaghetti squash quite a bit as a kid, but I hadn't ever made it for my family. It's about time, don't you think? I roasted the spaghetti squash like Rachael, but I made a different sauce. Everyone but Sidney liked it and I let the girls eat theirs out of the "squash boats" which they thought made it taste even better :)
Spaghetti Squash w/ Meatless Sauce
1 large spaghetti squash, cut lengthwise and seeded
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup diced carrots
1/4 cup diced celery
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce, or crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup lentils, rinsed
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp salt

Place the spaghetti squash halves, cut side up, onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Turn the squash over so they're cut side down and roast until the flesh is tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Once cooked, use a fork to loosen the squash strands up. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, ground black pepper, and a sprinkle of cheese. Reserve squash in the shells.

While squash is roasting, sautee onions, peppers, carrots and celery in olive oil until tender. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add tomatoes, lentils and seasonings. Simmer 45 minutes until lentils are tender.

To serve, ladle sauce over shredded squash and top with parmesan cheese.

Yep, we liked it!
What?! Do I have something on my face?

Turkey Burgers w/ Grated Zucchini

During the months of August and September almost every dinner involves some form of zucchini. This recipe is from Real Simple Magazine, June 2007. I haven't tried for a long time, but I'm pretty sure we liked it :)

Turkey Burgers w/ Grated Zucchini and Carrot
3/4 lb ground turkey
1 medium zucchini, grated
1 medium carrot, grated
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 tsp dried thyme
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 large egg

Combine all ingredients. Form mixture into 4 patties.
Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Cook the patties, turning once, until no trace of pink remains, about 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Serve on toasted bread with lettuce, mayo and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Post edit:
This summer I made these quite often and tweaked the recipe a bit--
1 lb. ground turkey
1 medium zucchini, grated
1 medium carrot, grated
1/2 red bell pepper, small diced
garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
a sprinkling of Italian dressing mix (powder)--I don't have a real amount, sorry. I had a 1/4-1/2 packet left one day and just threw it in. It added such great flavor.

Cornmeal Waffles w/ Black Bean Chili

I found this recipe in the weekend newspaper. It sounded fun and different--and I could make the kids think they're getting breakfast when it's actually dinner. Love it.

Cornmeal Waffles
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp oil
2 eggs, yolks separated
1 Tbsp sugar

Mix flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl.
Combine buttermilk, milk and oil and whisk in egg yolks.
Place egg whites in a mixing bowl and with a mixer, beat to soft peaks. Sprinkle in sugar and beat until white are firm and glossy.
Pour buttermilk mixture into flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Add egg whites and gently fold in with spatula until the whites are just combined.
Add batter to hot waffle iron and cook until golden brown.

Black Bean Chili
2 Tbsp oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 cans black beans, drained
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can creamed corn
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
sour cream

Heat oil. Cook onions until softened.
Add chili powder and cumin; cook until fragrant.
Add beans, tomatoes and corn; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer about 15 minutes.
Take off heat and stir in cilantro.

When ready to serve, add a generous 1/2 cup over each waffle. Top with a dollop of sour cream.

Nienie's Whole Wheat Lovin'

copied from the delightful nieniedialogues.blogspot.com

Whole Wheat Pizza
2-¾ whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-teaspoon salt
1 packet of yeast

Dissolve packet of yeast into 1-cup warm water with ¼ teaspoon sugar, let sit for 7 minutes (or until risen)
Mix flour, olive oil and yeast mixture with dough hook. For about 5 minutes.
Place in oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap in warm spot for about 1 hour (or desired risen state)
Roll out and add toppings. Cook for 17-18 minutes on 475 (those are my oven settings anyway)
I usually make 2 rectangle (cookie sheet) pizzas.

Favorite toppings:
Zucchini, corn and fresh mozzarella


Whole Wheat Waffles
1 ¾ cup whole wheat
1-tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 large eggs
2 cups milk (I use soy milk and it works fine)

Mix together.

Harvest Bread Pudding

Be still my heart. As soon I found this recipe in Katie Brown's Weekends I knew I would love it. As she writes, "This recipe will convert even a zucchini skeptic into a fan." Amen.

Harvest Bread Pudding
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 zucchini, sliced 1/4" thick
1 yellow squash, sliced 1/4" thick
1/2 cup corn
(I also added 1/2 onion, small diced)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage (I used oregano, I think--who knows what's in my garden :))
5 cups cubed sourdough bread (I wish I had had sourdough bread, that would be heavenly. I just used what was on hand and it still worked)
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
3 Tbsp chopped pecans
2 cups half-and-half (I just used whole milk)
5 eggs, slightly beaten
salt and pepper (about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease a 2-quart baking dish
3. In a skillet, heat oil and cook onions. Add zucchini, squash and corn over medium heat for about 3 mins. Stir in garlic and herbs. Cook until zucchini and squash are tender.
4. Remove from heat and stir in bread cubes
5. Place half of the mixture in the baking dish. Sprinkle half of the cheese on top. Cover with the rest of the mixture and sprinkle with the remainder of the cheese and nuts.
6. In a bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, salt and pepper. Pour over bread mixture.
7. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes or unil a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let stand and cool for 10 minutes.
   

Summer dinner. There is nothing better.

Summer Send-off Dinner

We're not ready to be done with Summer, but we were having one last dinner with Sarah, Joel and Eliza before they went back to South Carolina :( We've loved having them here during the Summer and have had lots of fun adventures together.
For our farewell feast I combined all of my summer favorites plus a couple of new recipes into one yummy-licious meal:

Let's start with the drink. I made this punch and it definitely lived up to the hype.

Then I thought I would try my two favorite salmon recipes to see which one came out on top. I made Nate's favorite Asian Glazed Salmon, of course, and then I also made my Potato Chip Crusted Salmon w/ Lime. It was a toss-up, but I think the potato chip salmon came out on top--everyone liked the crunchy top and the citrus flavor. Both are keepers though.

Potato Chip Crusted Salmon w/ Lime:
1 side of salmon (about 3 lbs)
salt
pepper
kettle-cooked potato chips (I LOVE the Hawaiian Luau BBQ chips, they add the perfect spicy and sweet flavor)
zest of 2 limes
1 Tbs olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Crush the potato chips into coarse crumbs and mix with zest and olive oil. Coat salmon with thin even layer. Bake 20-25 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.

For the veggies, I made my Spinach & Mushroom Salad (it compliments anything you put with it).
I sauteed fresh corn in a little butter and olive oil with salt and pepper. So good and so summery. Here's the best tip for cutting corn off the cob (I learned it from that Easy Entertaining show on the Food Network--it did indeed make my entertaining easy):
Place one cob end in the middle of a bundt pan. This provides stability when cutting and the pan catches all the flying corn. It really worked! You will thank me when you try it.
I also made these Marinated Cucumbers minus the tomatoes (only because I didn't have any ripe ones) and they were delish--not too overpowering.

And finally my all time favorite summer recipe--Zucchini Cheese Squares from my beloved Garden-Fresh Vegetable Cookbook. They're a little time intensive because you have get the excess moisture out of the shredded zucchini, but sooooo worth it.
Zucchini Cheese Squares
3 cups grated zucchini
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 small onion, diced
2 cups grated Cheddar
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup canola oil
3 large eggs, beaten

Combine zucchini and salt in colander and toss to mix. Set aside to drain for 30 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 7x11-inch baking dish with butter.
Stir together flour and baking powder. Add the onion, zucchini, cheese, thyme and pepper. Mix well with a fork, breaking up any clumps of zucchini. Whisk together oil and eggs. Pour into zucchini mixture and mix well. Spread evenly in baking dish.
Bake for about 35 minutes, until golden.
Let cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.

For dessert I drew inspiration from my newest obsession, Banana Pudding. I found this recipe and loved it--but then I thought to myself, "This would be excellent in a pie. A pie with a Vanilla Wafer crust. Yes a pie. Maybe add some berries. Let's go wild and see what happens." I did go wild and the result was heaven on earth.
Vanilla Wafer Pie Crust:
1 1/2 cups Vanilla Wafer crumbs (I'm old-school and crush them in a ziploc bag with a rolling pin. Who needs fancy-smancy electrical equipment to make crumbs?)
1 Tbsp sugar
4-5 Tbsp melted butter
Mix crumbs, sugar and butter. Pat into 9 inch pie tin. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Banana Pudding Pie
I then lined the bottom of the pie crust with banana slices and topped with half of the pudding. I did one more layer of bananas and then topped with the rest of the pudding. Done. Heaven.
Banana Berry Pudding Pie
For the berry pie, I lined the bottom with bananas and pudding. Then I added a layer of berries (I used frozen that I had thawed and drained) and then top layer of pudding. Done. HEAVEN.
Refrigerate overnight or at least 5 hours to get nice and chilled.
Lesson of the day--make your own pudding. It's worth it :)

We're sad Sarah, Joel and Eliza are leaving, but we sure had a fun, tastey time saying goodbye.

Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies Perfected

I found this recipe for Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies and you'd think I would learn to leave well enough alone--why mess with "perfect" right? But of course I couldn't help myself but to tweak the recipe a little...just a little...that's all. Yep, they're perfect all right. Perfectly delicious.

My Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter (I used 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup applesauce--you know me, I can never use the full amount of butter ;))
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour (I used 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 3/4 cup regular flour--I actually used almost 1 cup regular flour because the dough seemed too sticky)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Thoroughly cream butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients; blend into creamed mixture. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Crisscross with fork tines. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes. Do not overcook ... take them out when they are barely golden. Makes about 30 cookies (mine made only about 24). ***Also great with crunchy peanut butter.

**Warning: you will eat more than one at a time. Don't try to control yourself...it's useless. Just give in to the power of the peanut butter goodness.

Banana Zucchini Bread

I got this recipe from my friend Jamie's cooking blog, Sharing Good Eats. It's my two favorite breads combined into one--how could that not be good?

Banana Zucchini Bread
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup applesauce)
1 C sugar
2 C Flour ( I used 1 C whole wheat flour and 1 Cup all purpose flour)
1/4 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
2 t ground cinnamon
1 t salt
2 t vanilla extract
1 C raw zucchini, shredded
1 C mashed ripe banana
1 C chopped nuts(optional)

1. Shred zucchini and set aside
2. Mash bananas and set aside
3. In large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, and oil together
4. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and nuts
5. Mix together
6. Add zucchini and bananas and continue to mix until blended
7. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans
8 Bake at 350 for 45-55 min or till toothpick test is clean
9. Remove to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before removing to completely cool on wire rack
Enjoy!

Sloppy Veg-Head Joe

This was from the August Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine. She wrote, "Over the last several years I've created dozens of takes on the American classic, good ole Sloppy Joe. I can't believe it took me this long to come up with a meat-free buddy, but here you go." I was a little doubtful at first--especially with the pickles and cilantro at the end (which I didn't end up using). But I was pleasantly surprised--it tasted good (not exactly like a sloppy joe, but similar) and the kids ate it up.

Sloppy Veg-Head Joe

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 red, green or yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 jalapeno chilies, seeded and finely chopped (I didn't use--due to the kiddos)
1 red onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped (or in my case, garlic powder--yep, I'm a garlic wuss)
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained and chopped (my addition to the recipe)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
salt and pepper
1 (15 oz) can diced fire-roasted or crushed tomatoes)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (this is where it started tasting like a sloppy joe)
Juice of 1 lime (I didn't use--but would give a nice little kick)
4 crusty rolls, split and slightly toasted
2 dill pickles, chopped
1/3 cup cilantro (opt)

In large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add pepper, onion, jalepenos and garlic and cook, stirring, until tender (6 to 8 mins). Stir in the black beans, cumin and coriander; season with salt and pepper.
Add the tomatoes, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce to the bean mixture; simmer for a few minutes. Stir in the lime juice.
Serve on the rolls, topped with pickles and chopped cilantro.

Chili Cornbread Pie

This recipe is from www.zonya.com (this lady not only has a cool name, but tons of energy to boot. Maybe if I ate like she did I would perk up a bit and you could call me Zindy). She has a high-energy, living-healthy show on PBS which I've seen a few times as I sat lazily on the couch :) The website has a few recipes I'd like to try, but I've only made this one a couple times because it's a great clear-out-the-pantry type of meal, which I love.

Chili Cornbread Pie

2 (15 0z) cans chili beans--I used red beans
1 can corn
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper (this was my addition to the recipe)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (opt)
1 tsp Zippy Zony Mexi Mix (which I, shockingly, didn't have--so I used Taco seasoning instead)
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes w/ chilies (I used diced tomatoes and added a small can of green chilies)
1/2 tsp salt

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup skim milk
2 Tbsp canola oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine beans, vegetables and seasoning in a 9x13 pan. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and add milk and oil. Stir just until blended. Spoon 9 even spoonfuls of batter in a 3x3 pattern onto the bean mixture. Place in oven to bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to set about 10 minutes before serving.

Garden Pasta

Look what I pulled out of the garden today! Hooray!
To celebrate, I whipped up some Garden Pasta for dinner--

1/2 green pepper, small diced
1/2 onion, small diced
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 small summer squash, sliced
2 or 3 handfuls of spinach leaves, chopped
(you can really had any garden vegetable you have on hand, hence the name)
salt & pepper
garlic powder
fresh basil and oregano w/ 1 can small diced tomatoes
or half jar spaghetti sauce
penne pasta, cooked

Saute pepper and onion in a little olive oil until soft. Add zucchini and squash, saute until slightly tender. Season with salt, pepper and garlic. Add spinach and tomato sauce and heat until spinach is wilted. Toss with cooked pasta and top with Parmesan cheese.

This is the result:

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

I got this recipe from my cousin's blog and fell instantly in love--anything with whole wheat flour, oatmeal AND wheat germ scores lots of points with me! Plus, they're sooooo good! The only change I made was with the butter. She had written "1 cup stick real butter" so I didn't know if it was 1 cup or 1 stick (1/2 cup). Of course I erred on the side of caution and only used one stick butter (I couldn't imagine ruining something so deliciously healthy with toooo much butter even though I know many of you would disagree (Nate)). The dough seemed a little dry so I added 1/4 cup applesauce. Surprisingly, they turned out perfect! This one's a winner--thanks Kristin!

Kristin’s Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup packed brown sugar

1 cup stick real butter (I used one stick butter, 1/2 cup)

1/4 cup applesauce (my addition to the recipe)

1 large egg

1 ¾ cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup oatmeal

*1/3 cup wheat germ

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups milk chocolate chips or chunks

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 375 F
2. Mix sugars, butter, egg and applesauce in large bowl. Stir in flour, oatmeal, wheat germ, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff). Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8-10 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet. Cool on a wire rack.

*If you don’t have wheat germ change wheat flour to 2 cups

enjoy!

Quick Summer Meals

Alright, I'm not claiming to be officially back in the veggie blogging business (I enjoyed the vacation from my self-imposed menu-planning responsibility a little too much) but I did want to make note of a couple quick summer dinners we have had. One thing I have missed since my blogging hiatus (besides the benefit of eating better) has been a record of what we actually ate over the last month. My dinner plans are always so fly-by-the-seat-of-my pants, that I can never remember what we ate from one day to the next--and if it was actually something everyone enjoyed, I forget that as well. So I need to get back to blogging if for the sole reason of keeping track of my sort-of-made-up recipes. Here's a couple of favorites so far:

Spinach & Broccoli Salad w/ Ham
adapted from Kami's recipe for Spinach Tortellini Salad (posted here) which I have made and loved, but this time I didn't have any tortellinis on hand.

Spinach, cut or torn into bite-size pieces
Broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
Feta, crumbled
Ham, small diced
Sliced olives, drained
a little Creamy Ceasar dressing (a little goes a long way)

mix all ingredients together. serve with a whole wheat roll or a yummy baguette.

Grilled Veggies & Sausage w/ Rice
sliced and grilled Chicken&Apple Sausages from Costco (I also love the Spicy Mango Sausages)
sliced and grilled zucchini coated w/ olive oil, salt and pepper, and brushed with Italian dressing (can used whatever grilled veggies you like)

Serve with brown rice w/ green onions and a little Italian dressing.
Easy as that!

Buckwheat Crepes w/ Zucchini

We were in the mood for crepes so I made a batch of buckwheat crepes. I planned on just using ham & swiss for filling but remembered I had a couple of small zucchinis that I needed to use. So I cut up a small yellow onion into slivers and cooked it in a little olive oil until soft. I then cut the zucchini into slivers and added them to the onions with a little garlic, salt and pepper and cooked a few minutes longer. To top it off, I added about a teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme from the garden.

To assemble:
Sprinkle shredded swiss cheese on the second side of the crepe while cooking. When cheese is melted, remove crepe to plate. Add zucchini mixture and roll.

Ta-da! These are my new favorite crepes. In fact, I'm hungry again just thinking about it.

Update--My new favorite crepe recipe:
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup barley flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
Whisk together eggs and milk. Add flours and salt. Whisk until smooth (add a little more flour if too runny). Add melter butter and whisk to combine.

Blog Break

In case you haven't noticed, I've taken a break from the veggie blog. Sorry. Life has been too crazy--it's all I can do to even get dinner on the table, let alone blog about it :) But I promise to be back once school is done and we somehow get into our summer schedule. Our garden is planted (tomatoes, zucchini, squash, broccoli, cabbage, peppers and cucumbers a plenty) so there are many veggie meals in our future--most of which I'm planning on eating outside. Yeah! So be patient with me while I get my act together. I'd love to hear about your summer grilling and outdoor dining adventures as well!

Eat More Colors--Not Crayons

Yes, our kids have been known to take a bite or two of Crayola's "tangerine" or "periwinkle" at certain stages of their development--and with crayon names like "granny smith apple" and "macaroni and cheese" who can really blame them? But we all know the waxy version of apricot doesn't provide the same nutritional value as an actual apricot--despite what your two year old says. I can always get my kids to eat a food if I am able to say, "this will make your hair shiny," or "this will make you grow taller," etc. In fact, Camden adamantly believes that eating Thai food makes her hair grow longer--who am I to argue with that? But I found these actual benefits in the monthly Select Health "Total Fitness" magazine--and if they help in getting you and your kids to eat more real colors, than that's a good thing:
Green
The nutrients found in green fruits and veggies help keep your eyes sharp and strong and reduce your risk for cancer. Look for spinach and other leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, peas, kiwifruit, and honeydew melon.
Orange
Orange fruits and veggies are packed with powerful antioxidants that help boost immunity, fight cancer, prevent heart attacks, and improve your vision. Full of vitamin C, they also help keep your skin looking healthy and bones and teeth strong. Try carrots, apricots, peaches, oranges, grapefruit, papaya, yellow raisins, yellow peppers, pears, pineapples, butternut squash and pumpkin.
Red
Lower your risk for cancer, heart attack and Alzheimer's disease by stocking up on antioxidant-packed red fruits and veggies. They can also help control blood pressure and diabetes. (Kids may not care about any of these benefits, but you can always tell them that red food makes your blood strong--Riley loves talking about blood :)) Mix in some tomatoes or tomato-based products like juice, soup or sauce into foods. Also, watermelon, pink grapefruit, red berries, red cabbage, red onion, and red beans.
Blue/Purple
Besides fighting cancer and preventing heart attacks, high blood pressure, and diabetes, antioxidants found in blue and purple fruits and veggies can help lower the risk for memory loss as well as slow some other effects of aging. Consider blueberries, blackberries, purple grapes, black currants, prunes, raisins, plums and eggplant.
White
Boost your immunity with the nutrients found in the white onion family, which includes garlic, onions, leeks, scallions, and chives. They can also help lower cholesterol and blood pressure and reduce the risk for heart attacks or the spread of cancer. An onion a day, ... :)
Go ahead, eat your colors!

Banana Cake w/ Chocolate Chips

For Nate's birthday dinner I made the Asian Glazed Salmon that he loves. Since I didn't have a picture of it on the other post, here it is with some wild rice and salad:

For his birthday cake #1 (he'll get another one on Sunday for the family party, I just don't know what yet), I made a Banana Cake with Chocolate Chips. I got the recipe for banana bread from recipezaar.com, but I just put it in a 9x13 pan instead of two bread pans and baked it for about 40-45 mins. It was really moist and flavorful. I even used 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup white flour (instead of 2 cups white flour) AND I used applesauce instead of butter--and it still turned out! So it must be a pretty indestructible recipe. It did seem to have a lot of sugar, though, so I might use less next time--but hey, it's a party!

Banana Bread w/ Chocolate Chips
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening (I used 1/2 cup applesauce)
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 cups flour (I used 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup white flour)
4 ripe bananas, mashed (I only had 3)
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup chopped nuts
2 to 4 ounces chocolate chips

Mix the sugar, shortening, egg and banana together.
Put the flour, salt and baking soda in a smaller bowl.
Stir slightly.
Combine with banana mixture.
Stir in nuts, and chocolate chips.
Pour into two greased and floured loaf pans. (I used a 9x13 pan)
Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until bread springs back. (I baked for 40-45 mins)

Brinner--Sweet Potato Frittata

I haven't posted for a while--mostly because during Spring Break I took it to mean that I got a break from cooking. We sure ate out a lot :) I think I needed a break, so it was good. But I'm back at it now and need to go shopping to restock the fridge. We needed something for dinner though, so I made the Zucchini Frittata, but instead of zucchini, I shredded up a sweet potato and the Sweet Potato Frittata was born! I served it with our favorite Flax Plus Waffles from Costco and we enjoyed a delicious Brinner (Breakfast for Dinner, as they call it on Scrubs). There's nothing like a good Brinner!

Sweet Potato Frittata
1 cup shredded sweet potato
1/2 medium yellow onion, minced (I used a red onion)
1/2 green bell pepper, small diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
10 egg whites (I just used 5 eggs)
2 Tbsp milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp flat-leaf parsley or basil, chopped

1. Coat a large ovenproof skillet with nonstick cooking spray and warm over medium-high heat. Preheat the broiler.
2. Add the sweet potato, onion, bell pepper, and garlic to skillet and saute until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain off any moisture from the vegetables.
3. In a bowl combine the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and half of the herbs. Pour the mixture over the vegetables in the skillet. Allow to cook undisturbed until the eggs begin to set and the edges appear done, then place under the broiler. Cook until the top is lightly browned and the eggs are set. Sprinkle with remaining herbs. Cut into wedges and serve.

Baked Ziti w/ Vegetables

I found this recipe the other day from CookingLight, featured on myrecipes.com. It's basically the same thing as the Vegetable Lasagna from the previous post, just different noodles--and probably a little quicker to make and healthier (without as much cheese). So, in other words, it's yummy.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (I just used the green pepper)
1 1/2 cups chopped portobello, cremini, or button mushrooms
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
7 cups torn spinach (about 1/2 pound)
3 cups hot cooked ziti (about 2 1/4 cups uncooked short tube-shaped pasta)
Cooking spray
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell peppers, and sauté 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in basil, salt, black pepper, tomatoes, and tomato sauce, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Stir in spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts. Stir in pasta. Spoon into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Dollop with ricotta.

Cover and bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Note: To make ahead, assemble casserole as directed. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature, and bake as directed.

Vegetable Lasagna

My neighbor, upon hearing of my veggie-quest, said she had a recipe for Vegetable Lasagna. I told her I would love the recipe and the next week she not only brought me the recipe, but she also brought a piece of lasagna! Thanks Amber! So I got to taste the recipe even before I tried it--and it was delicious. I made it last night for Sunday dinner at the Taylors (since Grandma was on her way back from St. George). Everyone liked it--even Camden and Riley who kept asking, "What's in it? What's this? Is this shrimp? Is this chicken?" I don't know where all those questions came from. And Sidney (who has lately only been eating "fruit"--fresh fruit, dried fruit, fruit snacks, etc) ate hers with both hands--a winner!

Vegetable Lasagna
10-12 mushrooms, chopped
10-12 broccoli florettes
(1-2 small zucchini or summer squash may be substituted for either of these)--I added some sliced zucchini, the more veggies the better :)
1 small onion, chopped
2 (26 oz) jars spaghetti sauce
2 lbs. part-skim ricotta cheese
1 lb part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp chopped fresh basil
2 eggs
fresh spinach
1 pkg. lasagna noodles (can use the oven-ready noodles that don't require boiling)

1. Saute chopped vegetables (except for spinach) in large pan. Stir frequently over medium heat until tender. Add 1 jar spaghetti sauce and set aside to cool.
2. In separate bowl, mix together the 3 cheeses (reserve some mozzarella to put on top), eggs and basil.
3. Spread thin layer of spaghetti sauce over the bottom of 9-13 pan. Place 3 noodles over the sauce. Spread 1/3 cheese mixture over noodles. Cover with spinach leaves. Spread vegetable mixture over spinach and top with noodles. Repeat 2 times.
4. Place noodles on top, cover with spaghetti sauce and top with mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes, covered in foil. Remove foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until bubbly.

Tortellini Soup

I was feeling sick and achy today so I wanted some soup. I got this recipe from recipezaar.com and it was souper easy (ha, ha). Gramma Taylor came over and enjoyed some with us so it tasted even better.

Tortellini Soup
1 package fresh or frozen tortellini
1 can diced tomatoes (I used a can of italian-style tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic)
2 cans chicken broth
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, small diced
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons fresh basil (I used 1 tsp dried, 1/2 Tbsp if using regular tomatoes)
1 teaspoon fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh oregano (I used 1 tsp dried, 1/2 Tbsp if using regular tomatoes)
2 teaspoons crushed, chopped garlic (I used a little garlic powder)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 to 1 cup water

Directions

1. Heat oil in large pot and saute celery, onion, carrots and garlic.
2. Add tomatoes, chicken broth and herbs.
   
3. Simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender-crisp (about 15 to 20 minutes).
4. Add water, spinach and tortellini and simmer according to directions (about 10 minutes).
5. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Update:
The last time I made this, I added 1/3 cup quinoa with the tomatoes and chicken broth, and simmered 15 minutes. It added great texture to the soup along with all the nutrients packed inside those little grains of goodness :)