Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Veggie Stuffed Mushrooms

Veggie Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • 1 medium zucchini, quartered
  • 2 bell peppers, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 C cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1/2 lb. ground Italian sausage
  • 1 T minced onion
  • 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1 tsp. basil
  • 1 tsp. oregano
  • 4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
  • 4 portabella mushroom caps

Directions

Begin by washing the mushroom caps.  To do so, remove the stems, scrape out the gills and clean with a damp paper towel.  Place the mushroom caps facing upwards on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Season with garlic, salt and pepper.  Then, bake at 400 for 5-10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and carefully scoop out the liquid pooling in the mushrooms. 

Meanwhile, brown the ground Italian sausage (we used turkey sausage) until cooked.  Add the diced zucchini, bell peppers and cook for 5-7 minutes until veggies are crisp tender.  Add the diced tomatoes in the last 2 minutes of cooking.  Season with basil and oregano. 

Fill each mushroom cap with the veggie filling. 

Top each with a slice of cheese and return to the oven, cooking for 10-12 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and the cheese is melted. 

Serve warm. 

Enjoy!

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Menu Plan–July 26

Our recipe highlight for the week went to a summer favorite: Zucchini and Ham Tortilla Bake!  Delicious and light, this dinner is a sure hit on a summer evening. 

We also made our favorite cinnamon zucchini cake topped with cream cheese frosting to celebrate our little girl being 6 months old… and finalizing her adoption! 

On to this week:

Breakfasts
Breakfast Burritos {freezer}
Granola
Berry Baked Oatmeal
Whole Wheat Waffles

Sunday
Zucchini, Carrot and Black Bean Quesadillas

Monday
LO
To do: Thaw chicken, make wild rice and brown rice, ice cream cake base

Tuesday
Re-create our wedding dinner for our 8th anniversary!
To do: Prep veggies for BBQ, Shred carrots and zucchini, make chocolate ice cream

Wednesday
Grilled Pizza
To do: Make granola, Costco run, order brats

Thursday
Baked Veggie Sandwiches with Sweet Potato Fries
To do: Make rice salad for conference, make ice cream for cake

Friday
LO

Saturday
SABER BBQ – Wild Rice Brats, Roasted Veggie Summer Salad, Fruit and Ice Cream Cake

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Tomato and Mozzarella Vegetable Penne Bake

This pasta bake is super easy to make, and hearty on it’s own.  It’s equally delicious paired with a nice grilled chicken breast. 

The fresh mozzarella makes it extra delicious, but don’t let that hold you back from making this one.  Plain ol’ mozzarella will do. 

Tomato and Mozzarella Vegetable Penne Bake – Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café

Ingredients

  • 1 box (~1 lb) vegetable penne pasta
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
  • 1 tsp. basil
  • 1 tsp. oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 8 fresh mozzarella slices
  • 16 fresh mozzarella cubes/pieces (about 1-inch square)
  • 2 T Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a large skillet, combine the two cans of diced tomatoes with the 1/2 tsp. minced garlic, 1 tsp. of basil and 1 tsp. of oregano.  Stir well and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Bring the tomatoes to a slow simmer and allow most of the liquid to cook off and the flavors to combine (about 10 minutes).  Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to package directions, stopping the cooking time about 1 minute earlier than directed.  Rinse and drain the pasta. 

Add the cooked pasta to the tomatoes.  Stir well. 

Pour the pasta dish into a lightly greased 9x13 glass baking dish.  Stir in the mozzarella cubes.  Top with the mozzarella slices.  Garnish with 2 T Parmesan cheese. 

Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes.  Cheese should be melted and slightly browned – but be careful not to overbake so the dish dries out. 

Enjoy!

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Menu Plan–July 21

 Our week got off to a rocky start after being without power over the weekend for 17 hours.  If it weren’t for food safety concerns, it really wouldn’t have been that bad.  But, we made it, and are back up and running.  Our menu highlight last week went to these amazing zucchini burgers.  Love them. 

We followed those healthy burgers with the not-as-healthy but oh-so-delicious brownie strawberry sundaes.  Yum-o. 

Here is what’s cooking in our kitchen this week:

Tuesday
Crockpot Chicken Teriyaki with Grilled Pineapple
To do: make baked oatmeal and banana bread; go to Costco

Wednesday
Spinach and Mushroom Calzones
To do: Thaw ham, go to the grocery store

Thursday
Zucchini and Ham Tortilla Bake, Green Beans
To do: pick green beans, make cherry BBQ sauce, make bacon in oven while it is hot

Friday
Cherry BBQ Ribs, Crockpot Baked Potatoes, Corn
Cinnamon Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
To do: Make zucchini cake in the morning, make frosting; frost before serving

Saturday
Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes (make a double batch)
Roasted Tomato BLT
To do: Prep veggies for Sunday’s dinner

Make it a great week!

Thursday, July 16, 2015

S’more Oatmeal Bars

For a twist on the campfire classic, try these S’more Oatmeal Bars.

S’more Oatmeal Bars – Mom

Ingredients

  • 1 C white whole wheat flour
  • 1 C quick cooking oats
  • 1/2 C butter, softened
  • 1/2 C brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. soda
  • 2 tsp. milk
  • 3/4 C dark chocolate chips, divided
  • 2 C mini marshmallows (I used large but recommend mini!)

Directions

Being by combining 1 C flour and 1 C oats with 1/2 C brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. soda.  Stir well.  Add in 1/2 C melted/softened butter and 2 tsp. milk and mix until clumpy. 

Press into the bottom of a 7x11 baking dish that has been lined with parchment or tinfoil. 

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. 

Remove from the oven, top with 1/2 C chocolate chips and marshmallows. 

You will see I used large marshmallows (that was all I had), but I recommend mini marshmallows.  The large marshmallows overcooked and got really hard.  If all you have are large marshmallows, cut them into smaller mini-marshmallows.

Return to the oven and bake for 15 additional minutes.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle on 1/4 C chocolate chips. 

Cool completely, slice and serve.

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Menu Plan–July 12

With the heat index, it’s 107 outside right now, the dew point is 78.  It’s going to be a hot night, and a hot and rainy week.  We’ll be keeping things cool with skillet, crockpot and grilling recipes.  Here’s our menu:

Breakfasts
Breakfast Burritos {freezer}
Granola
Whole Wheat Waffles
Blueberry Pancakes

Sunday
Beef and Zucchini Skillet {new}
Brownie Ice Cream Sundaes
To do: Make ice cream

Monday
LO

Tuesday
Lasagna Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms
To do: Make buns (both kinds) while oven is hot, roast veggies while the oven is hot; slice extra peppers for cheesesteaks

Wednesday
Zucchini Burgers and roasted veggies
To do: Thaw

Thursday
Crockpot Philly Cheesesteak Melts
To do: Thaw pork

Friday
Crockpot Pulled Pork Teriyaki Sandwiches, Seared Pineapple, Kale Chips

Saturday
Blueberry Rhubarb Cinnamon Rolls
Grilled Brats and Burgers with Barley Corn Salad {new}

Friday, July 10, 2015

Lemon Skillet Chicken with Vegetables

If you are looking for a tasty and refreshing summer recipe that does not involve turning on your oven, than this is the recipe for you. 

Light and refreshing, this lemon crusted chicken skillet with tasty summer vegetables is sure to be a hit at your dinner table. 

Lemon Skillet Chicken with Vegetables – Adapted from Baked By Rachel

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe lemon butter sauce
  • 2 medium bell peppers, sliced into strips
  • 2 medium zucchini, quartered into 1-inch pieces
  • 8 stalks of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 4 T flour
  • salt and pepper, dashes of each
  • 2 T lemon zest (an entire lemon)
  • 4 lemon slices
  • 1/2 T butter

Directions

Begin by combining 4 T flour with salt and pepper and lemon zest in a shallow bowl.  Add in the chicken breasts and coat well in the mixture. 

Melt 1/2 T butter in a large skillet over medium heat. 

Add in the coated chicken and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes and then flip over. 

Add the lemon slices and continue cooking until chicken temperature reaches 180 degrees. 

Meanwhile sauté the sliced veggies in a second skillet over medium heat.  If needed, drizzle with a little olive oil to sauté. 

Cook until crisp-tender and then add the herbed butter sauce

Serve veggies and lemon chicken topped with a lemon slice. 

Enjoy!

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal

Baked oatmeal is one of our favorite ways to start the day.  Especially with a little one around these days, this quick, filling and delicious breakfast gets made once a week.

There are many recipes for baked oatmeal out there – most are filled with butter or oil and are high in sugar.  For this recipe, we went to our traditional baked oatmeal base that we’ve used in our favorites like Berry Baked Oatmeal or Zucchini Bread Baked Oatmeal.  This base is rich in flavor and has no oil or butter.  Applesauce does the trick, adding more fantastic fruit to your morning breakfast. 

This banana bread baked oatmeal got great reviews and tasted just like a slice of banana bread.  Yum, yum!  Consider topping it with your favorite banana bread add-ins, like chocolate chips. 

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients

  • 3 C old fashioned oats
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/3 C brown sugar
  • 1/2 C unsweetened applesauce
  • 1-2 medium overripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 C milk
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 egg

Directions 

Begin by mixing 3 C oats, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/3 C brown sugar together in a medium bowl.  Add in applesauce and mashed banana.  Stir well. 

Pour in 1 C milk, and 1 egg, and a 1/2 tsp. full of vanilla. 

Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 9x9 baking dish. 

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before serving. 

Serve warm with yogurt or milk and any toppings you would enjoy, or just eat as a piece, as you would cake! 

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Turkey Burgers

As the 4th of July weekend approaches, we’re thinking about firing up our grill to make some of these delicious burgers. 

Stuffed with spinach and cheese, these turkey burgers will make an excellent addition to any grill out. 

Pair these burgers with our 40-minute whole wheat buns, a tangy tomato cucumber pasta salad, and a our favorite 4th of July Cherry Berry Dessert and you have an excellent dinner. 

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Turkey Burgers

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 tsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning (by McCormicks)
  • 1 T minced onion
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika
  • 1 C fresh spinach leaves (or 1/2 C frozen spinach)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 C diced cubes of Monterrey Jack cheese

Directions

Begin by placing the ground turkey and diced cubed cheese into a large bowl. 

Add in 1 tsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning, 1 T minced onion., 1/2 tsp. paprika and 1/2 C frozen spinach.  Add in the egg and mix well. 

Shape into 6 burgers.  We love using our Tupperware burger shaper to do that!  It’s an oldie, so be on the lookout at garage sales for this one. 

Place the burgers on the grill, and grill 7 minutes per side, checking that the internal temperature has reached 180 degrees. 

Serve warm, topped with additional cheese, if desired. 

Enjoy!

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