Summer Vegetable Tian.

Browsing the "Food & Drink" category on Pinterest has someone replaced my browsing of cooking and baking blogs.  It's just so easy to pop unto the Pinterest App vs firing up my computer.  Either way, actually making the foods that I find on blogs, pinterest, cookbooks, and magazines is key.

I had so much interest in this recipe that I made it the same day I found it.  Both because it looked easy yet delicious and because it allowed me to use some summer bounty.

Summer Vegetable Tian.
(Adapted from Budget Bytes)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 teaspoons garlic (minced)
2 cups zucchini (sliced thin)
2 cups new potatoes (sliced thin)
2 cups roma  (or other variety) tomatoes (sliced thin)
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
3/4 cup parmesan cheese (shredded)

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil.  Spread evenly in the bottom of a shallow baking dish.  Layer zucchini, potatoes, and tomatoes upright throughout the baking dish.  Sprinkle evenly with thyme, salt, and pepper.  Cover with foil and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and take off the foil.  Sprinkle evenly with cheeses.  Return to the oven for 20 more minutes.  Remove from the oven, allow to cook slightly, and enjoy.

Grilled Bread Panzanella.

I'm always looking for ways to enjoy the fresh summer produce from my garden.  I got pretty excited when my friend gave me this recipe because it appeared to be the perfect way to showcase the goods that I work so hard my husband works so hard to plant and weed.  It's true.  Both that this recipe is fabulous and that my husband works hard for us to have an awesome garden.  He is the primary planter, weeder, and tiller.  While I take on most of the harvesting and preserving of the goods.

Back to the recipe - which is becoming my favorite summer meal!  If you don't have your own garden I highly recommend hitting up a local farmer's market.  This dish is that much better with fresh produce.

And if you wonder what "panzanella" is...according to my sources it is a bread salad?  It really doesn't matter what it is...because it's good!

Grilled Bread Panzanella.
(Recipe Adapted from a Friend)
4 slices of bread (this is a great way to use up the stale bread you have laying around)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup onion (sliced into thin rings)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic
3 1/2 cups tomatoes (cut into dice-like pieces)
1 1/2 cup cucumber (cut into dice-like pieces)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
salt/pepper to taste

To grill bread: us half of the oil to brush over bread.  Season bread with salt and pepper.  Grill both sides until browned.  Allow to cool and then dice into cubes.  Toss the other ingredients into a medium size bowl.  Add bread to tomato mixture and serve.  Or, if you aren't sure if all of your panzanella will get used in one serving...keep the bread separate from the tomato mixture and combine as single servings so that you can refrigerate leftovers without having soggy bread.

Chicken Meatball Parmesan Sandwich.

This recipe came to me while driving to work one day.  I was thinking about the leftovers sitting in the refrigerator and how I really didn't want to eat them another day.  I considered treating the dogs, but know how much my husband hates it when we don't eat up the food I make.  And that's when it came to me: chicken meatball parmesan sandwiches.

Leftover chicken meatballs?  Check!  Leftover tomato sauce?  Check!  Honey Oat Bread?  Check!  Parmesan & mozzarella cheese?  Check!  Dried oregano?  Check!  That's all!

Chicken Meatball Parmesan Sandwich.
(Recipe by Me)
4 chicken meatballs per sandwich
1 or 2 slices of bread per sandwich
1/2 cup tomato sauce per sandwich
1/2 to 3/4 cup Mozzarella & Parmesan Cheese (shredded) per sandwich
sprinkle of dried oregano per sandwich

For open face sandwich (which is what I made), top one slice of bread with meatballs, tomato sauce, cheese, and oregano.  Broil in your oven until heated through and your cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Super simple!  And you can bet that I will set aside and freeze some chicken meatballs next time I make them so I can have them stashed for a quick meal this summer.  Enjoy!

Italian Delight.

I've had this recipe for some time now and finally made it a priority to make it.  And make it I did.  I went to work browning the meat, combining the ingredients, topping with cheese, and covering with foil so that I could bake the dish while away at church.  As I slide my deep dish 9x13 cast iron pan toward me...the next thing I know my knee is throbbing and my casserole is all over the floor.  Fail.

After ensuring that I was OK my husband proceeded to scoop the casserole back in the dish...five second rule, right?  I was disgusted...  Fortunately (or unfortunately) my floor was clean and our only dinner guest was there when the accident happen and was fine with the hubby's save.

I'm glad he saved it.  Aside from having to re-fill the casserole and the extra cleaning this recipe comes together quick and tastes great!

Italian Delight.
(Recipe Adapted from Michelle)
2 cups noodles (cooked according to package directions)
3/4 pound ground beef (browned and drained)
3/4 pound ground pork (browned and drained)
1 small onion (diced and cooked with the meat)
2 cups frozen sweet corn
3 small cans of tomato soup
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon italian herbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 large package velvetta cheese (cut into thin slices)

In a large bowl, combine noodles, beef/pork/onion mixture, sweet corn, tomato soup, sugar, garlic, pepper, and salt.  Transfer mixture into a deep 9x13 or larger baking dish.  Top evenly with slices of velvetta cheese.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-60 minutes.  Remove from the oven and use a spatula to spread cheese over entire surface area.  Serve!

My husband has already asked that I make this again. If you've been reading the blog for any time now you know that it's a good recipe when he requests it again.  :) Thank you, Michelle, for sharing!

Baked Pasta with Meatballs.

As much as I love brats, burgers, and steaks on the grill. As much as summer means potato salad and baked beans. I was hungry for some comfort food. Something that would made my oven work. Something that would go well with the spinach strawberry salad that I had ready to go.

I headed over to For the Love of Cooking knowing that I would find something wonderful. After bookmarking several recipes I decided to go with a baked ziti of sorts.

Baked Pasta with Meatballs

(Adapted from For the Love of Cooking)

Sauce:

2 teaspoons olive oil

3 tablespoons dried onion

3 medium sized mushrooms (thinly sliced)

4 teaspoons dried garlic

1 quart crushed tomatoes

1 quart tomato sauce

1 small can tomato paste

(This is my standard from my canned tomatoes - you could also use 1-28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes, 1-15 oz. can of tomato sauce)

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon white sugar

1 pinch of red pepper flakes

salt & pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a slow cooker. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender. Add the remaining ingredients and allow to cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Meatballs:

1 pound ground beef

3 medium mushrooms (diced into small pieces)

2 tablespoons dried onion

1/4 cup Italian style breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon dried garlic

1 egg

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley

salt & pepper to taste

Combine ingredients and mix well. Form into small meatballs. Cook in a large skillet over medium heat until browned on all sides. Remove from skillet and add to the tomato sauce.

Pasta:

1-box favorite pasta

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon fresh basil (chopped)

Prepare pasta according to package instructions. Combine pasta with sauce. Add half of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Pour pasta mixture into a 9x13 baking dish. Top with remaining cheeses and chopped basil.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

This recipe did not disappoint! It's a nice variation on spaghetti and meatballs or traditional baked ziti. The meatballs are delicious and smell so good when cooking. And who doesn't love melted cheese!!

Pizza Soup.

I welcome the early spring that we are experiencing with open arms. I enjoy the above normal temperatures and the sun's heat.

BUT I must admit that yesterday I woke up excited for a sunny yet cool temperatured day with a sharp north wind! You see, about a month ago Gary and I attended a soup dinner at Heidi's place of employment. It was a fundraiser with well over 15 varieties of soup! I opted for the pizza soup and ever since I have wanted to make it for myself and share the recipe with you!

Please make this soup soon. I am sure there will be at least one more chilly day for you to enjoy this really good soup. Do. Not. Wait. Until. Fall. Seriously. You will wish you hadn't!

Pizza Soup

[recipe adapted from that of Heidi's co-worker]

1 1/2 quart water

2 4-ounce cans of mushrooms

1/2 onion (chopped)

2 15-ounce cans pizza sauce

1 quart crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 cups chopped pepperoni

1 pound cooked ground Italian sausage

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

mozzarella/cheddar cheese mixture

Combine all ingredients (except cheese) into a soup kettle. Cook until onions and mushrooms are tender. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Stir in grated parmesan cheese.

Serve topped with shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese mix - with a side of homemade garlic bread and your family will love you.

And if you like green peppers - add 'em! Canadian Bacon, yes, please! Customize this soup to match that of your favorite pizza!

Tomato Basil & Asiago Bread.

In addition to my normal bread baking (whole wheat) this weekend I tomato basil & asiago bread! I came across a similar recipe when "reading" cookbooks at my sister-in-law's place a month ago. And now that I have my flavors down I am happy to share!

Tomato Basil & Asiago Bread

Yields 2 loaves

5 1/2 cups flour
4 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 cup tomato juice
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried basil

I need you to know that I cheat when I make my bread. I use my bread machine for the dough and then allow to rise in a traditional bread pan and bake in the oven...

Prepare dough. Divide into two loaves, place in greased bread pans, and allow to rise until doubled (about an hour). Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Remove from bread pan immediately, allow to cool, and enjoy!!

I highly recommend using asiago cheese. Parmesan could also be used, but I think the asiago gives the bread a little more ping. This bread is delicious toasted with some garlic butter.

Crab & Rotini Salad.

Let me start by saying that you need to make this. It. Is. So. Delicious. I have been making it on a pretty regular basis for the last 6 months and I can't get enough!

If you are like me, you are enjoying a beautiful spring day! The perfect day to grill out. And this, pasta salad - the perfect addition to any cookout.

Crab & Rotini Salad

(Adapted from a recipe from my Aunt Janet)

1 pound rotini - cooked according to package directions

2 1/2 cups bottled light hidden valley ranch dressing

2/3 cup light miracle whip

1 teaspoon italian seasoning

1 package imitation crabmeat - cut into bite-sized chunks

1 small package of grape tomatoes - cut into half

1/4 cup chopped onions

Combine dressing, miracle whip, italian seasoning. Mix well. Stir in cooked rotini, crabmeat, tomatoes, and onion. Cover and chill.

Seriously. It's that simple!! And, if you want to add another flavor and some additional color you could add chunks of cheddar cheese. Tastes great either way!

Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup with Cheese Tortellini.

I found a new food blogger For the Love of Cooking who has some amazing looking recipes. Below is my take on one of the many I plan to try!

Roasted Tomato & Basil Soup with Cheese Tortellini

(adapted from For the Love of Cooking)

To Roast the Tomatoes:

2 – 28 oz. cans of whole tomatoes

4 tablespoons wild tree roasted garlic grape seed oil (or olive oil)

Salt & pepper to taste

2 teaspoons dried basil

Dried garlic to equivalent 4-6 cloves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Strain tomatoes from juice, reserving juice. Line baking sheet with foil and cover with cooking spray. Place tomatoes on baking sheet and drizzle with grape seed oil. Sprinkle with basil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Place in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes – do not over roast or tomatoes will become dry.

To Make the Soup:

2 tablespoons roasted garlic grape seed oil (or olive oil)

1 yellow onion (diced)

3 carrots (diced)

4 stalks of celery (diced)

Dried garlic to equivalent 4 cloves

4 cups chicken broth

Bay leaf

1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1.5 cup milk

20 oz. package of cheese tortellini

Grated romano cheese

Heat grape seed oil, onion, carrot, and celery in large soup pan. Cook until tender. Add garlic and stir. Add broth, reserved tomato juice, bay leaf, sugar, vinegar, and roasted tomatoes. Cook over medium-low heat for 2-3 hours.

Place milk in a separate blow. Slowly add a little bit of soup mixture into milk. Do NOT pour cold milk into the soup because it will curdle. Once the milk is warm, add it to the soup and stir until mixed. Remove the bay leaf and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.

Add tortellini and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Serve in a soup bowl topped with romano!

Really, this is not difficult or time consuming to make. Most of your time is spent smelling the soup cook and resisting the urge to try it before it’s complete! The end result is tasty!

And, if you do not have an immersion blender, you will want to buy or borrow one (thanks mom!) - trying to pour or strain and use a regular blender will make more dirty dishes and make you more work than you need to!

Hearty Tortellini Soup.

No picture today. Soup is hard to photograph! If you have any tips, please share.

This soup was awesome for two reasons - it allowed me to use up some bratwurst we had leftover from out latest "grill out" and it tasted great!

Hearty Tortellini Soup

Adapted from Taste of Home

6 brats (could use pre-cooked, cook just for the purpose, or use leftovers)

1 quart water

2 quarts italian-seasoned tomatoes

1 packet lipton onion soup mix combined with one cup water

1 cup frozen cut green beans

1 cup frozen cut carrots

1 cup dried spinach (I had some dried from last summer's garden. You could also use fresh or omit altogether)

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp garlic

2 cups cheese tortellini (prepared according to package directions)

Cut brats in bite-size pieces. Place in soup kettle with all other ingredients except tortellini. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Uncover and add tortellini.

Then enjoy.

You must keep in mind that I am not a huge soup-person, but I thought this soup was delicious. I ate it for lunch almost every day this week. I even made my aunt eat some and she said it was good. My husband and his farmer intern also liked it. Make it; you'll like it!

Lasagna Soup.

First, I must tell you that I did NOT take this delicious-looking picture, BUT my soup did look and taste this good. The picture is from here.

Back to the soup...I tore this recipe out of a magazine quite awhile ago and finally got around to trying it. Very tasty and probably less calories than lasagna in its true form.

Lasagna Soup

Adapted from Rachel Ray

1 pound ground beef

1 tablespoon dried onion

1 carrot (peeled & grated)

3 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon italian seasoning

2 tablespoons sugar

1 quart italian seasoned tomatoes

1 pint italian seasoned tomato sauce

4 cups chicken broth

1 pound lasagna noodles (broken into jagged pieces)

1/2 cup dried whole basil leaves

shredded mozzarella

Cook ground beef. Place beef, onion, carrot, garlic, italian seasoning, sugar, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken broth into a soup kettle. Stir in 2 cups of water. Cover kettle and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until pasta is done (about 15 minutes). Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper as desired. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Service topped with shredded mozzarella.

I think that Gary and my parents enjoyed this soup. Really, aren't most soups perfect for a cold winter's eve?

Quick Fix Salsa

Well, if you lack ambition or time and can't make Holly's delicious salsa recipe below...

check this recipe out. All you need is two fresh tomatoes or a can of diced tomatoes and the salsa packet pictured above. My mom picked up the salsa packets at Fleet Farm and we haven't seen them elsewhere, so Fleet is definitely your best bet.



One the tomatoes are added, you only have to stir, and let it sit for 10 minutes (or longer) and then you can enjoy it! :) It keeps for quite a while in a sealed container in the fridge also.

Enjoy the quick fix!

Salsa.

As I said in my last post, I made a batch of salsa this weekend. The tomatoes are ripening really slow, but last weekend I gathered enough from my MIL/FIL's garden and our garden to make 4 quarts of canned tomatoes and then had some left over that needed further ripen. Over the course of the week the tomatoes rippend and my mom had some salsa peppers ripen so I went to work and made a batch of salsa.

Still lots more tomato preserving to do though! There will be more tomatoes to can, salsa to make, and sauce to create!

Salsa

(adapted from Mom and Janet)

16 cups tomato (peeled and cut into chunks)

4 cups onion (chopped)

1 cup green pepper (chopped)

3 salsa peppers (chopped)

2 1/2 cup white vinegar

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons black pepper

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

12 oz. can of tomato paste

Combine all ingredients. Cook for 1-1.5 hours. Mix 1/2 corn starch with water. Add to salsa mixture and stir well. Place salsa in jars. Process with a hot water bath for 20 minutes.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna.

Every time I have lasagna I am reminded of this story from Gary's childhood:

As part of learning about out cultures each student was supposed to bring in an ethnic food. Gary helped his mom make vegetable lasagna. His motive? No one would eat it because it was full of vegetables. BUT he was wrong. I tell him that's what you get for being selfish. :)

I brought out my "fall" stuff since it's been cold and rainy the last couple days. I found a Martha Stewart magazine I had kept because of some decorating ideas. I flipped through the recipes and found one that used zucchini AND eggplant. It was a hearty recipe - comfort food - perfect for this cold and rainy day!

As you all know by now, I have an abundance of zucchini, but have not given up on using it yet! And, I have one eggplant plant. The eggplant was just for fun annd because they are pretty. Turns out you have to eat them too! It tasted good on my garden fresh pizza.

Back to the recipe. The lasagna recipe....

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna.

(adapted from Oct 08 issue of Martha Stewart Living)

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil

1 Eggplant (medium sized, sliced)

1 Zucchini (medium sized, sliced)

3 Red Onions (medium sized, sliced)

1 carton cottage cheese

1 package shredded swiss cheese

1 large jar tomato sauce/spaghetti sauce

Lasagna Noodles

3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons salt over eggplant slices and allow to drain for 45 minutes.

Place zucchini in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet. Brush with oil, season with salt and pepper. Bake until tender and just starting to brown (about 10 minutes). Let cool slightly, then transfer to a dish.

Place onion rings in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet. Brush with oil, season with salt and pepper. Bake until tender and browned (about 12 minutes). Let cool slightly, then chop into smaller pieces. Set aside.

Press eggplant slices between paper towels to remove liquid. Place eggplant in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet. Brush with oil, season with pepper. Bake until tender and golden (about 7 minutes).

Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.

Combine onions, cottage cheese, and swiss cheese.

Spread about 1/2 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Place a layer of lasagna noodles over the sauce. Layer eggplant on top of the noodles. Spread half of the cheese mixture over eggplant. Spread about a cup of marina over the cheese layer. Repeat layering once, replacing eggplant with zucchini (noodles, zucchini, cheese, sauce). Place a layer of noodles on top. Spread remaining sauce on top of noodles. Spinkle with parmesan cheese.

Bake until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbling, about 45 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

The time it took to put this together was totally worth it! And, keep in mind, you can make this in steps. I roasted the veggies this morning. Put the lasagna together mid-afternoon and baked it just in time for supper. Along with some bread. All of it = SO GOOD.

Zucchini Egg Bake.

I really wasn't kidding yesterday when I talked about zucchini overtaking my diet. Today it is a zucchini egg bake! I threw this together yesterday, let it sit in the fridge overnight, and baked it this morning. So nice to be able to have a hearty Sunday breakfast without having to do any of the work on Sunday!

The basis for this recipe can be found on www.simplyrecipes.com. I altered the recipe to my liking (and the ingredients I had on hand). Turned out wonderful. I will definetly make this again in an effort to keep up with my zucchini plants and my basil and my tomatoes!

Zucchini Egg Bake

8 eggs

1.5 cups cottage cheese

1 cup shredded parmesan

dash of salt

1 tsp pepper

3 cups grated zucchini

3 medium sized tomatos - cut into chunks

20 basil leaves - cut into fine strips

4 slices of bread - cut into chunks

Beats eggs. Add cottage cheese and beat until well blended. Mix in parmesan, salt, and pepper. Remove excess water from zucchini (I squeezed it - about a cup at a time) and add to egg mixture. Remove some water from tomatoes (I slightly squeezed the chunks in a couple pieces of paper towel) and add to egg mixture. Mix in basil and bread chunks.

Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Pour mixture into dish. Refridgerate overnight or bake immediately. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes; increase heat to 425 degrees for an additional 15 minutes. Let set for a few minutes after baking and enjoy!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

You absolutely must try this recipe. Not only was it good on spaghetti noodles, but it was also delicious when I used the leftovers to make meatball subs the next day. :)

When I was eating this, it reminded me of the cute, romantic scene in the movie Lady and the Tramp. :) This spaghetti and meatball recipe is all homemade and honestly takes VERY little time. I prepared it in the morning and let it cook in my crock pot on low all day. You could also prepare it from start to finish in only an hour if you prefer to not use a crock pot.

I made this recipe all on my own and just looked at a variety of recipes on www.allrecipes.com to get an idea of what I might use. I was a little leary when i saw that almost all the recipes put the raw meatballs in the sauce without ever even browning them. Trust me- it's worth it. The meatballs were so delicious and not a single one fell apart!

FYI: this does make a large amount ... enough for at least 10 people.


Spaghetti and Meatballs

Meatballs
1 pound ground beef
1 pound italian sausage
1 2/3 cup italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 Tablespoon minced onion
2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
3 eggs

Sauce
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes, diced
1 can (16 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
*I also added about 1/4 pound Italian Sausage that I had already dried earlier in the week

Place all ingredients for spaghetti sauce together in a crock pot. Prepare meatballs using all of the meatball ingredients and shape into balls. Add meatballs to sauce (without precooking or browning them) and let cook on low all day (or at least 6 hours). Serve with thin spaghetti noodles. Enjoy! :)

If you do not want to cook in crock pot; allow to simmer for 45 minutes and the meatballs should be thoroughly cooked.

And remember to use the leftovers for meatball sandwiches the next day. :) That is, if you have any leftovers!

Spaghetti Pie.

"This is the best spaghetti I have ever had" Gary told me just moments ago. I think that says it all. Cook and enjoy!!

Spaghetti Pie

8 oz. dried spaghetti

1 tablespoon butter

1 beaten egg

1/4 cup freshley grated parmesan cheese

1 lb pork sausage

1 tablespoon garlic powder (or to taste)

1 quart of tomato sauce (or about that much - i used the second to last jar of sauce that i canned last summer)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup cottage cheese

1 cup mozzarella (and/or garlic mozzarella) cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

Return cooked spaghetti to warm saucepan. Stir in butter, egg, and parmesan cheese. Stir until butter is melted. Set aside.

Cook ground pork mixed with garlic. Stir in tomato sauce and oregano. Heat through.

Coat a 9 inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. Press spaghetti mixture on the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate to form a crust. Spread cottage cheese on the top and up the sides of the pasta crust. Spread meat mixture over that and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Bake in a 350 degree over for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. To serve, cut into wedges.

With the Weather Lately...

Here's a delicious chili recipe!


I apologize for the poor picture -- but the chili was so good that the only thing I had left to take a picture was a small container of leftovers that Lucas will be eating today for lunch!

With the weather we've been having lately, Lucas suggested that I should make chili for supper, so yesterday I made a new chili recipe and it was delicious!

2 pounds ground beef
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons oregano
4 (14.5 oz.) cans stewed tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans
1 (15 oz.) can chili beans
Elbow noodles

Fry ground beef with garlic, add rest of ingredients and allow to simmer.

Feel free to add vegetables. Lucas isn't a big fan of onions, green pepper or celery, otherwise I would have added those. Also, some people don't serve their chili with noodles, so feel free to leave those out too. We ate our chili with shredded cheese, sour cream and saltine crackers. Hopefully this weather will warm up and I won't need to make chili again until the fall! :)

Brushetta Pizza.

The moment I received my June/July Issue of Taste of Home I knew that I would be making the Brushetta Pizza featured on the cover. It didn't take me long either - maybe two days from the time I received the magazine to the time we were indulging in this ah-mazing pizza.

Don't know what is for supper yet? Make this.

Brushetta Pizza

(adapted from Taste of Home)

1 lb pork sausage

1/2 package turkey pepperoni

2 cups mozzarella cheese

homemade or pre-made pizza crust

1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Cook and drain the pork sausage. Top crust with pepperoni, sausage, and cheese. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is desired meltedness/color.

Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, basil, oil, garlic, and vinegar. Spoon over cooked pizza.

Cut and enjoy. If you are hesitant about not having "pizza sauce" you could open up a can and have it on the side for dipping. When I made my brushetta pizza I also made pizza fries - hence the dipping sauce. The pizza is equally delicious with or without dipping sauce.

Pasta Pizza.

I'm putting together a fews slides for the department newsletter at work. I wanted to concentrate on dairy farming in honor of June Dairy Month. When looking up some information I came across the original version of this recipe. Good stuff!!


Pasta Pizza.

(adapted from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board)

3 cups rotini or similar pasta

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup milk

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 teaspoon dried onion

1 pound ground beef

1 can tomato sauce (I used 16 ounces that I had canned...I think you can buy a 15 ounce can though...that would be plenty)

1 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano, garlic powder

1 medium tomato, thinly sliced

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 cup garlic cheese, shredded

Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain well and place in bowl.

Combine eggs and milk - stir into pasta. Stir in cheddar cheese and onion. Mix well. Spread pasta mixture evenly over a well-buttered 14-inch pizza pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook ground beef. Stir in tomato sauce, basil, oregano, and garlic. Spoon meat mixture over baked pasta crust. Arrange tomato slices over that. Top with mozzarella and garlic cheese. Bake about 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

This was fairly quick to make and tasted delicious. It was surprisingly really easy to serve too! I think this would also be great with some additional pizza toppings - green peppers, onions, mushrooms, etc.