Zucchini & Yellow Squash Au Gratin

Zucchini & Yellow Squash Au Gratin
Serves 6

1 large yellow squash
1 large zucchini
2 shallots, minced
1 teaspoon minced garlic or 1 clove
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon oregano
9 slices Sargento Thin Sliced Provolone
3-4 Tablespoons (4 Tablespoons is 1/4 cup) Fresh Grated Parmesan

I started by using my mandoline to slice the squash 1/4 inch thick. Then I layered them in our baking dish -- 1 row of yellow squash and then a layer of zucchini -- I ended up with 4 rows on the bottom and 4 rows on the top.

In a small skillet or pan, add the butter and shallots and let them saute until translucent. Then add in the garlic and oregano. Let it cook a minute or two. Finally, add in the cream and Parmesan just until bubbly. Pour over the squash.

Cover with the slices of cheese -- I had two rows of 4 slices, and tore the remaining slice into 4 pieces and placed those extras in the corners where I had some squash showing. Bake at 350 for about 20-30 minutes. We enjoy our cheese really brown -- so it was perfect for us, but if you like yours less brown cut the cooking time back by a few minutes and check it.

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Greek Pasta Salad

Greek Pasta Salad

Dressing:
3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive oil
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 teaspoons dried Oregano
1 tablespoon minced garlic or garlic powder
Freshly cracked Pepper
Salt to taste

Salad:
1 lb box of Tricolor Rotini Pasta - cooked and cooled
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into wedges
1 red onion, minced
1 small red bell peppers, seeded, deribbed and thinly sliced crosswise into rings
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced across the stalk
1/2 lb Feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
20 Kalamata olives, halved
2-3 tablespoons of the juice from the olives

To make the dressing, in a bowl, whisk all ingredients together. Set aside.

In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cucumber, celery, onion, Feta Cheese, olives, juice and bell peppers. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss gently to mix. For the best result, we make the salad the night before to allow everything to marry together before serving. 

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Fettuccine Salad

I used to LOVE getting this at Souper Salad back when they were open... and this is a really good copy-cat version.

Fettuccine Salad

8 oz Fettuccini, cooked & drained
1/2 cup Mayonnaise (I used Hellman's, but just make sure it's real mayo)
1/2 cup Frozen Corn
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated (I used fresh Parm and my Microplane - but I'd get the powder)
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Pepper
Salt to taste

Mix all together in a large bowl while the noodles are warm. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!Pin It Now!

New Years Day Greens

New Years Day Greens

Rendered grease from 4 slices of bacon

1 bag chopped turnip greens

1 bag chopped mustard greens

1 bag chopped collard greens

2 smoked ham hocks

10 cups chicken stock

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 turnip - cut into 3/4” chunks

Heat bacon grease in the bottom of a large stock pot - when hot, add one bag of the greens and cook until wilted.  Add the next bags of greens and wilt.  Add the final bag of greens - by this point, you may need to go ahead and add the cover to help wilt the greens.  Once wilted, add your broth and 2 ham hocks.  Bring the greens to a boil and then turn down the heat to med-low and simmer for 4 hours minimum.  Serve piping hot with cornbread and hot pepper sauce.

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Roasted Zucchini and Grape Tomatoes

Roasted Zucchini & Grape Tomatoes

This is more of a method rather than an exact recipe... I was making this for just John and I -- so I only used a small amount, but adjust as needed for the number of people.

For 2:

1-2 Zucchini, halved and sliced
1/2 pint Grape Tomatoes, sliced in half
Olive Oil
Minced Garlic
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/4-1/2 cup Fresh Grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, mix the zucchini and grape tomatoes along with the olive oil, garlic, and Italian Seasoning. Mix until everything is coated in the spices and oil. Place vegetables in a casserole dish and sprinkle the top with the freshly grated Parmesan. Roast for 20-25 minutes or so -- until the vegetables become soft, but not mushy.

You could try this same method with other vegetables as well -- we love roasted broccoli and yellow squash. I've also thought about trying fresh green beans as well. Pin It Now!

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

1 – 15 OZ Can of Black Beans (drained & rinsed)

1 – 15 OZ Can of Whole Kernel Corn (drained)

1 – 10.5 OZ Can of Rotel (drained)

¼ c. Red Bell Pepper - Minced

½ c. Red Onion - Minced

¼ c. Fresh Cilantro – Finely Chopped

¼ c. Jalapeno – Minced (optional)

Salt, Pepper & Garlic Powder to taste

Dressing:

1/3 c. Red Wine Vinegar

1/3 c. Vegetable Oil

1/3 c. Lime Juice

Instructions:

Mince the Red Bell Pepper, Red Onion & Jalapeno (if using) and place them in a mixing bowl.  Next, chop up the cilantro and leave it on the cutting board – we will add this later.  Open all cans and begin by draining and rinsing the black beans.  Once the black beans are drained and rinsed, add them to the mixing bowl.  Continue with the corn & the Rotel in the same manner until all 3 cans of ingredients are in the mixing bowl.

Measure all of your liquids for the dressing into a 2 cup measuring cup and once they are all in (1/3 c. of each), use a small whisk or a fork to mix them together well.  Pour the mixture over the bowl of ingredients.

Add the cilantro to the top and stir to mix all ingredients and incorporate the cilantro and dressing.  Taste and add salt/pepper/garlic powder as desired.  Enjoy by the spoonful, or on a corn tortilla chip.

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Cheesy Broccoli Cups

Cheesy Broccoli Cups


1 cup quick-cooking rice (like Minute Rice)
1 cup chicken stock
1 10-oz. box frozen, chopped broccoli florets, thawed and excess water squeezed out
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 cup Homemade Ranch Dressing, or store bought
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Prepare your rice using chicken stock instead of the water. Once the rice is cooked, put it in a bowl to cool. Squeeze the water out of your broccoli, and add it to the bowl with the rice. Add 1/2 a cup of cheddar cheese, the ranch dressing, eggs, and salt & pepper to your bowl. Mix everything together, and spoon the mixture into a regular sized muffin pan -- top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes or until the cheese on the top is browned.

You could steam fresh broccoli for this recipe as well, and it would be great! 

This was a toddler sensation, so we will be making them many times in the future!  Pin It Now!

Caesar Pasta Salad

Caesar Pasta Salad
Courtesy of: A Bountiful Kitchen (via Pinterest)

1 pound Pasta (I used veggie spirals)
1 package Grape Tomatoes, halved
1 head Romaine, chopped
1 half pint Grated Parmesan (I went for the good stuff from the deli)
1 bottle Girard's Caesar Dressing
1 package croutons (I used Texas Toast Caesar Croutons)

Boil the pasta according to the package directions, drain and rinse with cold water. I then put it in the fridge for a couple hours until it was cold.

Just before you're ready to serve the salad: in a large bowl - mix the pasta with about 1/2 of the bottle of salad dressing. Add in the halved tomatoes, chopped lettuce, Parmesan, and croutons. Mix well, and add more dressing as needed.

For another fun serving idea - you could mix everything except the lettuce... leave the leaves whole, and pile the pasta and tomatoes on the leaves.Pin It Now!

Green Bean Bundles

Green Bean Bundles
Courtesy of Jen Bettis

4 cans whole green beans
8 slices bacon, cut in half so that you have 16 short pieces (We actually quartered the bacon and got 32)
1 cup brown sugar
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 stick butter, melted

Divide green beans into 32 bundles - our bundles had about 8 green beans a piece. Wrap each bundle with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place in baking dish. Combine sugar, garlic, and butter and pour over bundles. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bacon reaches desired "doneness".Pin It Now!

Sweet Potato Praline Souffle

Sweet Potato Praline Souffle
Courtesy of: Cindy Harris (my sister)

3 cups sweet potatoes (4 good size fresh)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup melted butter

My sister cubes her sweet potatoes, boils and mashes them. We opted to roast our sweet potatoes, then peel and mash them. Once mashed, while still hot - add in the sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, milk and cinnamon. You may not need all the milk - you want the mixture creamy but not soupy.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Pour the mixture into a 13x9 inch baking dish. Then make the topping. In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients: brown sugar, flour, and pecans. Add the butter while stirring - the topping should be crumbly. Sprinkle the topping over the potatoes in the baking dish - then bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until topping is browned and heated all the way through.

Our boys literally couldn't get enough of these, and they were MUCH better than the standard canned yams with marshmallows on them. (I'm not a fan of those.)
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Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
Courtesy of: Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa)

3 tablespoons pine nuts
4 to 5 pounds broccoli
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
6 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves (We did not use the basil in ours)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the pine nuts onto a baking sheet and place in preheated oven 5-7 minutes until fragrant. Shake the baking sheet halfway through baking so the nuts will toast evenly. Remove nuts from oven and set aside to cool completely. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F.

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets. Place the broccoli florets in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

Roast until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.

We served this with the TGI Fridays Jack Daniels Chicken
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Autumn Chopped Salad

Autumn Chopped Salad
Adapted from: Espresso and Cream

6 to 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 medium pears, chopped
1 cup chopped pecans
8 slices thick-cut bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
4 to 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
Balsamic Vinaigrette (we used Brianna's Home Style dressing)

Chop all of the lettuce, pears, pecans, bacon, and feta into very small pieces. Combine in a bowl for mixing. Pour the dressing over the top and toss with the dressing.

The original recipe also added in dried cranberries and used a dressing mix of 70% poppy seed dressing mixed with 30% of the vinaigrette. We personally aren't huge fans of dried cranberries or poppy seed dressing so I left those out of our salad.

We really enjoyed this salad combination, and will be making it again sometime soon!
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Fruity Spinach Salad

(Photo from Taste of Home.com)

Yet another salad that makes me drool right now... pregnancy might just be VERY good for my diet! Because protein is important to me right now - I'd likely either have a side of grilled chicken with this, or toss it into the salad.

Fruity Spinach Salad

Courtesy of Taste of Home.com

Servings: 8

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon grated onion
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 package (12 ounces) frozen unsweetened strawberries, thawed and undrained
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• 1 package (9 ounces) fresh spinach, torn
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 large banana, sliced
• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  
  
• In a large bowl, whisk the first five ingredients until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in thawed strawberries and poppy seeds.
• Place spinach on individual salad plates. Arrange the fresh strawberries, banana and avocado over spinach. Top with green onions and dressing. 

Nutrition Facts: 1 cup equals 214 calories, 13 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 29 mg sodium, 25 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 2 g protein.

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Garlic Cheese Croutons

Garlic Cheese Croutons
Courtesy of Cypress Family Fellowship Recipe Party 2009

1 loaf sourdough bread cut into bite sized squares
olive oil
garlic powder
parmesan cheese

Place bread pieces in a large flat pan, drizzle with olive oil, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese. Stir and place in 200 degree oven for at least 1 hour or until golden brown. Stir every 15 minutes. Place in an airtight container until use.Pin It Now!

Sweet and Crunchy Broccoli Salad

Sweet and Crunchy Broccoli Salad
Courtesy of Cypress Family Fellowship Recipe Party 2009

1 package Ramen Noodles, broken up into pieces (without seasoning packet)
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup pecans
1 bunch romaine lettuce, in bite sized pieces
1 stalk broccoli, chopped

Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
salt & pepper to taste

Saute noodles and nuts in butter until lightly browned. (Add the nuts to the pan a few minutes after the noodles) Cool on a paper towel. Mix together with the lettuce and broccoli. Add dressing just before serving.Pin It Now!

Broccolini with Carmelized Shallots

Broccolini with Carmelized Shallots
Courtesy of Cooking Dunkin Style

1 bunch Broccolini, rinsed and woody stems removed - chopped in large pieces
2 large shallots, sliced
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter (I added this to the recipe)
Fresh finely grated Parmesan

In a non-stick skillet, heat your olive oil over medium heat. Add your shallots and cook them until carmelized. This may take a few minutes, be patient and stir constantly. Add more oil if needed. (I was trying to cook mine at the same time as making another dish - so mine might have gotten darker than intended... but they tasted great!)

Remove the shallots from the pan and deglaze with the white wine scraping up all the bits on the bottom of the pan. I added the butter at this stage because I was afraid the wine would be too much for us - we're not big wine drinkers.

Add the broccolini and put a lid on to steam until it is tender.

Sprinkle with shallots and parmesan to serve.Pin It Now!

Garlic Cibatta Bread

Garlic Cibatta Bread
Courtesy of John

1 loaf of cibatta bread, sliced into 1/2 inch slices - maybe a little smaller
Butter
garlic power
Parmesan cheese

Lay the slices of bread on a baking sheet. Spread with butter (you can use margarine if you'd like), sprinkle with garlic powder, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Broil until browned...Pin It Now!

Roasted Garlic Fingerling Potatoes

Roasted Garlic Fingerling Potatoes
Courtesy of The Neeleys

1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
8 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tablespoon freshly chopped italian parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a casserole dish; mix together - potatoes, oil, butter, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.Pin It Now!

Mango Salsa

Mango Salsa
Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

1 mango, peeled and diced
1/2 cup peeled, diced cucumber
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno
1/3 cup diced red onion
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro
salt and pepper

Combine the mango, cucumber, jalapeno, red onion, lime juice and cilantro leaves and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.Pin It Now!

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Courtesy of Food Network.com

Kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes
1/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter - I would have gone for the whole stick
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Add them to the boiling water and bring the water back to a full boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan, making sure it doesn't boil. Set aside until the potatoes are done.

As soon as the potatoes are tender, drain them in a collander. Place a food mill fitted with a small disk/blade over a heat proof bowl. (We just used our potato masher) Pass the potatoes through the food mill, turning the handle back and forth. As soon as the potatoes are mashed, stir in the hot milk mixture with a rubber spatula. Add enough buttermilk to make the potatoes creamy. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and the pepper, and serve hot.

To keep potatoes warm, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water for up to 30 minutes. You can add a little extra hot milk to keep them creamy.Pin It Now!