Broccoli Sausage Penne

Sometimes when it's hot outside it's hard to think about cooking dinner.  I just want to grab a salad or Popsicle or just something light.  Which means sometimes we don't eat very healthily in the summer.  I've been searching for light meals to cook for when we feel like this at my house and I came across some pasta recipes but nothing that my kids would eat. We decided to create our own using ingredients we love. 

Broccoli Sausage Penne

1 small package frozen broccoli florets
1 package  (1 lb) regular pork sausage (I used Jimmy Deans)
2 cups cooked penne noodles
2 TBSP butter
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Crushed red pepper
Salt & Pepper to taste

Brown sausage in a pan, drain and set aside.  Cook noodles according to directions on package, rinse in cold water, drain and set aside.  Cook broccoli in microwave following directions on the package. 

Mix broccoli, sausage, penne and butter in a pan on the stove.  Stirring occasionally, just long enough to melt butter over noodles and make everything nice and warm.  Serve with Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper, and salt and pepper to taste.

We seriously have this meal about once a week.  It's becoming one of our favorites since it has a ton of flavor, is filling, and it's super fast and easy to make.

Zesty Oven Roasted Beets

When I first started dating my husband I quickly discovered he was the pickiest eater on the planet.  His main food groups where cold cereal, meat and potatoes.  Also, he flat out told me he didn't like any ones cooking but his Grandma's.    I had some seriously big shoes to fill.

We dated for 3 years and during that time I hardly ever cooked for him.  He ate out a lot and he lived on cold cereal.  Then when we finally got married (3 years of dating is considered a really, really, really long time here in Utah), I told him that eating out was going to be a rare occasion and that I would be cooking dinner at home every night.

I'm not going to lie, it was a rough start.  Most of the time I would cook something and he wouldn't even try it.  He would just pour himself a bowl of cereal and my daughter and I would eat dinner alone.  It got old really fast.  One day I told him that I wouldn't be buying cereal anymore and if he didn't eat dinner with us then he could starve.  (I've never been afraid to speak my mind).

He said he would "try."  Which was a start.

Since my mom is the best cook out there, I grew up with a love of all foods.  She made everything from scratch.  I mean literally, everything from yogurt to condiments.  Amazing lady I tell ya.  She was also so good at having us try everything.

My husband however, grew up in a small farm town.  They ate what they could grow and what they could kill.  So he never had even tried rice or any kind of vegetable besides cor, green beans, and peas.

That was 17 years ago, and I'm happy to say that he now thinks I'm a pretty dang good cook (though I will never be as good as his Grandma), and he is very willing to try ANYTHING I make.

We have been working on different vegetables to incorporate into our diet.  When I was at the grocery store the other day I saw the most beautiful beets.  (I love beets).  I decided to bring them home and create something amazing for my family.  Some of the kids liked them and some didn't (if I'm being honest).  But it's a start.  Keep working with your kids (husbands).  Have them try new things.  Eventually their picky pallet will go away.

Zesty Oven Roasted Beets
3 beets
2 TBSP Zesty Italian Dressing
Sea Salt

Cut tops off beets, then peel and cube.  In a small bowl toss beets with Italian dressing.  Spread in an 8x8 square pan, prepared with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake in 425 oven for 40 minutes, or until beets are fork tender.  Sprinkle with sea salt just before serving.  (Serving Size - 2)

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

The kids are back in school and our summer is winding down.  The air is turning colder, and the days are getting shorter and fall is well on it's way.  But, the zucchini...it is still going strong around here. 

We decided to try something a little different this time with our zucchini.  I still wanted my kids to eat it, because it's a fantastic vegetable.  But I wanted something fun  and sweet for a treat instead of our standard zucchini bread.

I searched through some of my cookbooks and found a recipe for zucchini bread and thought it would be amazing if it was chocolate.  So I left out 1/2 c of flour and replaced it with cocoa powder and added chocolate chips.

The end result is amazing.  The whole family loves it, which is always my goal when trying a new recipe.  This one is definitely a keeper.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread
3 eggs
1 c oil
1 TBSP vanilla
1 c granulated sugar
1 c brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 TBSP cinnamon
1/2 c cocoa powder
2 1/2 c flour
2 c grated zucchini (not peeled, unless its a bigger zucchini, you might want to remove the seeds)
1 bag milk chocolate chips (about 2 cups)

In a bowl, beat together eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugars.  Add salt, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and cocoa.  Mix till well blended.  Then add zucchini and flour, mixing until all combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Pour into two loaf pans, greased.  Bake at 325 for 1 hour.

*As a side note, zucchini freezes really well.  I usually just cut mine open, remove the seeds, then grate it.  I store it in freezer, zip lock bags in 2 cup measurements.  That way you can have zucchini ready all winter long when you feel like making a treat.

Deep Fried Zucchini

Is your garden overflowing with zucchini?  Are you starting to see your friends and family post pictures on Facebook for free zucchini?  Well, welcome to zucchini season.  At least here  in Utah.  This time of year we literally have zucchini all over the place.  If you are like me, you might be completely sick of zucchini bread and in need of some other way to use your zucchini.  This recipe is an old one, but we love it.

Deep Fried Zucchini
1 or 2 zucchini
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 c flour
1 egg
2 TBSP milk
1 c Italian bread crumbs

Peel and remove seeds from zucchini, cut into sticks.  In one bowl, combine flour, salt, and pepper.  In a second bowl combine egg and milk.  Put the breadcrumbs in a third bowl.  Roll zucchini sticks in flour mixture first, then egg mixture, then bread crumbs.  Lay on wax  paper and chill in the fridge for 1/2 hour. Then fry in oil until light brown.  Drain on paper towels.  Serve while hot with a side of ranch.

As a side note:  if I have extra zucchini I usually peel, remove seeds, and grate the zucchini.  Then I put it in zip lock bags and freeze it to use during the winter months when I really want zucchini bread.

Lemon Pepper Asparagus

Lemon Pepper Asparagus
10 asparagus spears (fresh)
2 TBSP butter
lemon-pepper
water

Begin by washing asparagus and cutting off the woody bases (if your not sure where to cut them, starting at the base and working toward the tip, bend the spear several times until you find a place where it breaks easily, cut there.  Usually about 2 inches up from the base).

Place asparagus in a single layer across the bottom of a frying pan.  Pour just enough water over the top to cover the asparagus.  Cook on high heat until water has boiled off and the asparagus in tender (but not mushy).  Turn heat to medium, melt butter over the asparagus and sprinkle with lemon-pepper.  Serve along with your favorite main dish.

We are experimenting with vegetables at our house.  We are trying new things since our old favorites are usually green beans, corn, or a green salad.  This was a nice change for us and  definitely something we will eat more often.

Colored Celery

When I was little my mom always had something fun to teach us.  I remember this one very clearly.  We would take celery and color it, or mix baking soda and vinegar to make it foam up and lots of other fun things.  The kitchen is where we created many memories as kids and it is a place I hope to create many memories for my own children. 

This week we decided to do some "science in the kitchen" for St. Patrick's Day. 

Colored Celery
1 bundle of celery ( divided into stalks, do not remove the leaves)
6 jars
water
food coloring

Divide the bundle of celery into stalks, leaving the leaves on.  You must have the leaves intact to make this work.  Next fill jars 1/2 with water and add 3-5 drops of food coloring to each.  We made the colors of the rainbow, but you can do whatever colors you want.

Cut about 1/4 inch off the bottom of each stack of celery to give it a fresh edge, this will also help the celery absorb the colored water.

Let sit on  counter overnight.  Then remove from colored water, cut, and serve with your favorite garnish.  We like peanut butter, ranch, or cheese spread.  You could also use them in a salad.

Orange-Ginger Glazed Sugar Snap Peas

Orange-Ginger Glazed Sugar Snap Peas
1 small bag (8 oz) sugar snap peas or about 1 1/2 c.
3 TBSP orange marmalade
1/4 tsp cider vinegar
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1 TBSP butter

Wash peas and remove tips and strings.  Cook fresh peas, covered in a small amount of boiling water in microwave for about 4 minutes, or till crisp-tender (you don't want to overcook these or they will be mushy and they won't taste as good).  Drain well.

In a small saucepan heat marmalade just till melted, then add vinegar and ginger and pepper.  Pour sauce over hot cooked peas.  Add butter, tossing lightly to melt butter and coat peas.  Makes 2 servings.

I am trying to get my family to venture outside of the box with our vegetables.  We have our usual veggies that we eat regularly, you know the ones; corn, green beans, or a green salad.  So I wanted something different.  I ran across a version of this recipe in an old cookbook I have and revamped it.  I was a bit skeptical because I don't really like my veggies sweetened, but these were perfect. They turned out amazing.  Honestly we just sat and ate the whole plate. 

*As a side note, these can be made diary free by replacing the butter with earth balance buttery spread or stick.  Also,  these are gluten free, however check your marmalade as I have noticed that some brands say they "may contain traces of wheat"  this means that they were made in the same factory where other products containing wheat or gluten were made"  Just keep an eye out for this.

Stuffed Mushrooms

 Stuffed Mushrooms
1 large package mushrooms
1/4 c chopped green onions
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 lb Italian sausage
1 TBSP cooking oil
2 TBSP bread crumbs
2 TBSP Parmesan cheese

Rinse mushrooms and drain mushrooms.  Remove stems; reserve caps.  Chop enough of the stems to make 1/2 cup.  In a skillet cook the stems, onions, garlic, and sausage in a little bit of oil.  (depending on your sausage, you might not need the oil, but there was absolutely no grease on my sausage so I had to add a little oil).  Cook till sausage is no longer pink.  Add bread crumbs and cheese.  Spoon mixture into mushroom caps.  Arrange mushrooms in a large glass baking dish (9x13), prepared with a little non-stick spray so your mushrooms don't stick.  Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes or until mushrooms are heated through.

I can honestly say  that I have never made anything with mushrooms in my life, until now.  Let's just say mushrooms are NOT my favorite food.  In fact they are one of the only things I really don't like.  But, as they say, opposites attract, and my household is no exception.  My hubby loves, loves, loves mushrooms.  I decided to give in and make him some.  He said they were the best stuffed mushrooms he had ever had, hands down.  So there  you go.  You will  have to take his word for it.

15 minute Fish Fry DInner

With summer winding down and school coming back into session you think that you will have more time to cook dinner right?  EHH!!  Wrong!  With car pool and homework and dance/tumbling/soccer/karate/football/etc... after school is now crazy town!  And for those of us who don't have all that and have toddlers and babies not in school are just as crazy busy as always!  So I have a dinner solution for all!  It's yummy and healthy and fast!  It can make a little or a lot!  And it is one of those dinners that I have all the staples in my cupboards and freezer and you can change up how you like... it's my go to 15 minute fish fry dinner (or 20 minutes if you use regular rice like I do, but I realize that most people use instant rice nowadays.)



15 minute fish fry dinner-

fish (I use tilapia that is individually wrapped)
shake and bake (I like pork flavored the best)
olive oil
rice (instant or the 20 minute kind)
any flavor bouillon cubes
any kind frozen veggies (I LOVE steamfresh broccoli and how fast it cooks)

Start off by thawing out your fish, (you can already have it thawed and waiting in your fridge if you are thinking ahead.)  by putting it in your sink with packaging still on and letting cool water run over it.  I usually fill my sink up a bit and let the fish sit for a minute.  Fish is great because it thaws and cooks quickly. While the fish thaws start the rice, cook as the package directs you, but add a bouillon cube instead of salt.  I use about 1 cube per 1 cup rice. While the rice is sitting/cooking check your fish and when it is thawed take all the packaging off and with it still damp put it in the shake and bake bag and give it a good shake until each piece is completely covered.  (I usually put all my fish in at once so it's pretty evenly coated but if you are cooking a lot you might need to only do a couple at a time.)  In a pan (that has a lid) add some olive oil and heat to medium.  Put the fish in the pan, add the lid and let cook for about 3-4 minutes.  While the rice is still cooking and the fish is in the pan, you can now put your veggies in the microwave for the amount the package states.  Flip the fish and lid it again for another 3-4 minutes.  Then all at once, WA-La!  everything is done and is now ready to serve!  You just cooked an entire meal in no time at all,...  You're Welcome!

Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad

Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad

1/2 lb bacon
2 C  rotisserie chicken
1 C (cooked) bow tie pasta (or spiral)
Lettuce (about 2 cups)
Cherry Tomatoes (about 1/4 cup)
Ranch


Cut bacon into pieces and fry till crispy.  Set aside on paper towel to drain the grease and let cool completely.  Remove chicken from bones and cut into bite side pieces.  Rinse lettuce and tomatoes.  Break lettuce up into smaller pieces.  Put bacon, chicken, pasta, lettuce, and tomatoes in a large bowl.  Pour enough ranch over it to just coat the salad, you don't want to add to much. 

There isn't an exact science to this recipe.  I added as much lettuce and tomatoes as we like, but you can add less or more depending on your family.  You could also add onions, or whatever else you like.  It's a pretty versatile recipe and can be adapted in many ways.  We loved it because its a simple summer time meal.

Southwest Pumpkin Soup

Southwest Pumpkin Soup

1 TBSP olive oil
1/4 c chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
4 C water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 can (15oz) white beans (drained & rinsed)
1 can (15oz) 100% pure pumpkin puree

In a pot fry onion and garlic in oil on medium heat.  Add rest of ingredients, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.  Serve with Parmesan toasted bread and a swirl of sour cream.

It's my favorite time of year.  I have been wanting to make some pumpkin soup but all the recipes I came across called for ingredients like nutmeg and brown sugar.  A few of them even called for maple syrup.  Now while I love pumpkin pie and sweet potatoes, I did not want a soup for dinner that tasted like pie or sweet potatoes.  So I found a recipe for spicy pumpkin soup which had a few weird ingredients in it (jalapeno and red wine vinegar) but I thought I could adjust it to fit the ingredients we already had.  This is what I came up with.  My family was a little skeptical about it at first but then they had one bite and loved it.  We will definitely make this again.  Hope you are all having a wonderful fall season so far.

Colorful Corn Salad

Colorful Corn Salad
1 pkg. frozen corn (10oz. thawed)
1 c. chopped green pepper
1 c. chopped red pepper
1 c. chopped green onion
1/4 c shredded parmesan cheese
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 TBSP olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
3 TBSP lemon juice

In a large bowl, combine vegetables, cheese and seasoning.  In a small bowl combine olive oil, garlic and lemon juice.  Pour over vegetable mixture.  Refrigerate.  Enjoy!

I found this recipe in a cookbook my mom gave me.  It was a great side dish.  Don't let the peppers fool you, the flavor is great, even my little kids who usually don't like peppers ate this salad.  They loved it.

French Fries

French Fries

6-8 potatoes peeled & cut in long slices
oil for frying
water
1/4 c sugar
seasoning salt

Put sugar in water.  Then peel & cut your potatoes and soak them in the water until all of your potatoes are peeled and your oil is nice and hot.  Cook about a handful at a time.  Take the potatoes out of the water and dry them off on a towel, then put in oil and cook 5-6 minutes or until golden brown.  Place them on paper towels in a pan to soak up the oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt (or regular salt).  Place the pan in the oven on 300 while you cook the next batch of fries.  This keeps the fries warm and crispy.  Continue the process until all of your french fries are cooked.

Fry Sauce

1/2 c ketchup
1/2 c miracle whip
garlic salt

Mix these ingredients together.  You could also add a little Tabasco sauce if you want.

These french fries where a quick and easy addition to our dinner one night.  We were having hot dogs and I didn't have time to make a potato salad so this was my substitute.  They turned out great.

Broccoli & Cauliflower Salad

Broccoli & Cauliflower Salad

1/2 c mayonnaise
1/4 c sugar
1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1/2 head broccoli
1/2 head cauliflower
1/2 lb fried bacon, broken into small pieces
1 small sweet purple onion
1/2 c Parmesan cheese

Chop broccoli, cauliflower and onion into small pieces. In a large bowl mix veggies, cheese and bacon. In a small bowl mix mayo, sugar, and vinegar. Pour dressing mixture into large bowl mix well. Chill before serving.

My sister Mary made this salad for a family party. It was delicious. I have had similar salads before, but this one is the best. Also, she used bacon bits instead of the regular bacon.

Garden Fresh Stir Fry

Garden Fresh Stir Fry
1 pkg chow mein stir fry noodles (cook & set aside)
1 small yellow squash
1 small zucchini
1/2 onion chopped
1 c carrots, sliced
2 chicken breasts - sliced (marinated for 1/2 hour in soy sauce & Worcestershire sauce)

Put onion and carrots and 1/2 cup water in a small pan. Bring to boil, then cover and simmer for 5 minutes until carrots start to get tender. Then drain water and set aside. Fry chicken in a small amount of oil and set aside. In a large frying pan, put in a little bit of oil, vegetables, noodles, & chicken, stir fry for several minutes. Add soy sauce if desired.

Our friends invited us over a couple of weeks ago for dinner and they had made us this stir fry with veggies from their garden. They had some deer meet instead of chicken, that they had marinated and set on the side. As a side note I also pre-cooked the squash and zucchini a little bit, but next time I won't because they turned out a little bit too soft for a nice stir fry. Hope you all enjoy. Let me know what variations you guys come up with.

Potato Pancakes

Potato Pancakes

2 large potatoes peeled, grated and well rinsed
1 small onion chopped
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 TBSP flour
1 large egg

Drain potatoes, add the remaining ingredients, mix well. Fry in butter, serve.

My husband hates hash browns. I mean he really hates them, but he loves these potato pancakes. My mom used to make them a lot when we were younger. They are really good by themselves or we eat them with pork chops. Note: these do not keep well in the refrigerator, they turn a funny color. So this is a small batch.

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
1/2 c chopped onion
1 clove garlic
3 TBSP butter
1/4 c flour
2 c milk
6 medium potatoes
3 cups grated cheddar cheese

In a saucepan cook onions, garlic, and butter until onions are tender but not brown. Add flour, salt & pepper, and milk. Cook on a medium heat until boiling and sauce starts to get thick. Peel and thinly slice potatoes. Grease 1 1/2 q casserole dish. When sauce is done, mix in potatoes and 1 1/2 cups cheese. Put in greased pan and cook at 375 for 45 minutes. Then take out and stir and put remaining cheese on top. Cook for another 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

I adapted this recipe from one that I found in my old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. Its a really easy, yummy sidedish that I serve with a lot of things.

Oregano Rosemary Cherry Tomato Walnut Pizza

Oregano Rosemary Cherry Tomato Walnut Pizza
-Makes 4 servings

-1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
-1 (12 inch) unseasoned prebaked pizza crust or make your own
-2 cups ( about half a 5-ounce bag) baby spinach
-1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
-3/4 cup chopped walnuts
-1 1/2 tsp herbes de Provence*
-1/2 tsp salt
-freshly ground black pepper
-1 package (8oz) low-fat shredded mozzarella or Italian cheese blend

*herbes de Provence: Combine 1 teaspoon each dried rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, sage and/or marjoram with 1/4 teaspoon dried lavender (found in spice shops and some supermarkets). Store, tightly covered, in cool, dark place.

Heat oven to 400 degrees or according to crust directions. Brush the oil on the pizza crust. Scatter the spinach on the crust then spread the halved tomatoes over the spinach then sprinkle the walnuts over the pizza. Season with the dried herb mix, salt and pepper to taste. Top with the shredded cheese. Bake according to the crust directions, 10-12 minutes, Remove, let cool for 5 minutes, slice, and enjoy.

I am so excited to post this recipe. It was sent to me by some of our blog readers (Jeb & Molly). Thanks you guys. I can't wait to try it. Also to our other readers, if you have a recipe you would like to see on our blog, just send a picture and the recipe and we will be happy to post it!!!

Potato Salad

Potato Salad
6-8 potatoes
4 hard boiled eggs
2 pickles
1/4 c chopped onion
Sauce
1 1/2 c miracle whip
1/4 c mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 TBSP pickle juice

Boil & peel potatoes, then cut into cubes. Chop up pickles, eggs, & onions, then add to potatoes. Mix all ingredients for sauce then add to potato mixture. Sprinkle paprika on top before serving.

After trying many different recipes for Potato salad, this is the variation that I came up with. Most people love it, but a few (not naming names) hate it. Atleast give it a try!!

Corn on the Cob

Corn on the Cob
6 ears of corn, husked & rinsed
1 pot, filled 1/2 with water
1/4 c. granulated sugar
butter
salt & pepper

Husk & rinse corn, put sugar in water and bring to a boil. Put corn in water, cover & boil for 6 minutes. Pull corn out, spread in butter, salt & pepper to taste.

There are lots of ways to cook corn on the cob. Some may leave it in the husk and put in on the bbq, some might cook it in the microwave like my mom does, but I have found that I like it the best boiled in a little bit of sugar water. It makes it sweet and yummy!! Let me know if you guys have other ways to cook it, I would love to try them out.