Eggplant with Lemon Zest Ricotta Recipe

The holidays are here!  I can't believe Thanksgiving has passed and Christmas is knocking at my door.  It snowed, a lot, today.  My older kids were so excited to put on their snow suits and play in the white fluffy stuff.  My oldest loves to build castles, forts, and other structures.  The trouble is, that she usually insists on building them in my driveway...not the most convenient spot if you ask me.

My oldest building driveway obstructions.

My middle child eating snow and playing with our snow beast.

My family doing a turkey trot Thanksgiving morning.

Now back to the subject at hand...food!  Not just food, but really super good food.  I found this tasty delight here and boy am I glad I did!  I have whipped up this dish twice and I love the flavor combo.  To try and save a few calories I decided to roast the Eggplant rather than fry it.  My kids weren't thrilled with the Eggplant skin so the second time I made the dish I cut off the skin.  Give it a try when you have an eggplant or two just hanging around.

You will need Panko Bread Crumbs, Parmesan Cheese, Lemon, Marinara, Thyme, Eggplant, Ricotta Cheese, and a Mandolin slicer.  You could probably get by without the Mandolin...but it sure makes things easy.

This recipe takes a little prep to try and extract the liquid in the Eggplant but it is so worth it!

The filling is so lemony and delightful.  I could probably just eat it with a spoon.

I used jarred Marinara but you could make your own to up the awesome.

Enjoy!!

Eggplant with lemon Zest Ricotta Recipe
Source:  Alexandra's Kitchen

1 Eggplant
Salt
Marinara Sauce
1/2 C Panko Bread Crumbs
1 C Ricotta Cheese
1 Lemon, all the Zest and 1/2 the Juice
1 tsp Thyme
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice the Eggplant thinly lengthwise with a Mandolin slicer.  Sprinkle both sides with a bit of salt and let sit in a colander over a sink for about 30 minutes.  This will draw out excess moisture and help them to roast up nicely.  Use a paper towel to get off moisture and excess salt.  Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle with a little olive oil.  I used my Misto and gave them a light spraying.  Roast for about 20 minutes, or until they are tender.  Check at 15 minutes because they go from good to crispy pretty quickly.  Allow them to cool.

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees

In a Bowl mix together the Lemon Zest, Lemon Juice, Ricotta Cheese, Panko Bread Crumbs, Thyme, and a bit of Salt & Pepper.  Lightly cover the bottom of a baking dish with Marinara Sauce.  Place a Heaping spoonful of the Ricotta mixture on one end of the Eggplant and roll it up.  Place seam side down in the baking dish.  Top with More Marinara and a good sprinkling of Parmesan Cheese.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!
 

One pot Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Basil Recipe

Fall has come around in a real hurry.  Last week my kids and I were out in our short shorts enjoying water activities.  This week we have been huddled up under our coziest blankets watching the rain ruin all our summer fun.  In fact, I heard that it snowed not too far from where I live.  I love the fall...but I'm just not ready for snow yet.  Looks like we are in for a cold winter this year. 

Warm, cozy, and having a blast!

As an ode to summer ending I am going to post a fun, easy, and surprisingly yummy recipe I tried.  I came across the recipe here, but I believe it was dreamed up by Martha Stewart and all of her infinite wisdom.  This pasta recipe cooks up super quick and somehow everything all works together despite it being against all food rules.  You literally toss everything into a pot and cook away.  I ate my leftovers with a bit of bacon mixed in and boy did that pump up the yummy.

You will need Fresh Tomatoes (these beauties came fresh from my garden), Fresh Basil (I snatched it from my sister's garden..I have no shame), Onion, Garlic, Spaghetti, Olive Oil, Red Pepper Flakes, Salt & Pepper, and water.  I also snuck in a couple of dashes of Italian Seasoning for good luck.

Chop up your veggies..make sure to leave a little Basil as a garnish.

How did this get in here?  She is almost 9 months old!!!  What!?

Toss everything into the pan!  Did I mention that you don't cook the noodles on the side before this step?  Oh no, you just toss 'em in with everything else?!  What is this madness!  Cook until the noodles are tender and most of the water is gone.  It kind of turns into a sauce.

Garnish with a little Parmesan Cheese and fresh Basil.

My older kids thought I was a cooking master and gobbled it all up!

One Pot Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Basil Recipe
Source:  Apron Strings

1 package of Spaghetti (I used Whole Wheat)
A bunch of garden fresh Tomatoes or a 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
1 Onion
1/2 tsp Pepper Flakes
Handful of fresh Basil
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
Salt & Pepper to taste
4 1/2 C Water
2 TBSP Olive Oil
Parmesan Cheese and Fresh Basil to garnish

Chop up the Tomatoes, slice the Onion and Garlic thinly.  Place everything in the pot and bring to a steady boil.  Lower the heat to medium low and simmer for approximately 10 minutes, stirring often, until most of the liquid is gone and the noodles are tender.  Top with Parmesan Cheese and fresh Basil.

Enjoy!

Summer Vegetable Casserole Recipe

Summer is very quickly coming to a close.  My heart is breaking a little right now.  I got up early this morning and noticed a significant chill in the air.  What, a chill!?  I'm not ready for a chill yet!  I even wished I had put a sweater on before I left the house.  I've been enjoying my summer way too much to have it get chilly.  Luckily it warmed right up once the sun came out.  My oldest daughter got to play in the water at her cousins house after preschool which was a perfect way to play off some of her extra energy.

Before summer officially ends I found a yummy recipe for you.  It was seriously simple and my oldest gobbled it up.  My youngest who is just shy of 2 was a bit picky and wouldn't even give it a taste.  My husband and I both really enjoyed this and it made me wish that I had planted a fantastic garden this year so I could use my own produce.  Too bad this year I took the lazy route and no garden was planted.

You will need a Yellow Squash, Zucchini, Onion, Potato, Garlic, Tomato, Cheddar Cheese, Canola Oil, Salt & Pepper, and a Mandolin.

Start by chopping your Onion and mincing the Garlic.  Warm a pan over medium heat, add the Canola Oil, Onion, and Garlic and cook about 5 minutes until the Onion is softened.

Meanwhile, using the Mandolin slice the Potato, Zucchini, Yellow Squash, and Tomato very thin.  I cut the Tomato with a knife to avoid smashing it and making a huge mess with the mandolin.

Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray.

Place the Onion/Garlic mixture in the dish and spread it out evenly along the bottom.

Place the sliced veggies in the dish alternating the veggies to get a good mixture.  Sprinkle with a bit of Salt & Pepper.

Grab your trusty bottle of Italian Seasoning.

Sprinkle it over the top to your liking.

Cover the dish with foil and bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile grate the Cheese.  Make sure to feed some to your 2 year old or she will get really super mad at you.

When the timer dings grab the casserole out and sprinkle the cheese over the top.  Place back in the over for another 15-20 minutes.  You want the veggies to be good and tender at this point.

Gooey Cheesy Goodness.  Gotta love the Cheese.

Enjoy!

Summer Vegetable Casserole Recipe
Source:  Budget Bytes

1 TBSP Canola Oil
1 Yellow Onion
1 tsp Minced Garlic
1 Zucchini
1 Yellow Squash
1 Potato (I used a Yukon Gold)
1 Tomato
1-1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Chop the Onion and Mince the Garlic.  Warm a skillet over medium heat and add in the Canola Oil, Onion, and Garlic.  Saute until the Onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, using the Mandolin slice the Zucchini, Yellow Squash, and Potato as thinly as you can.  Using a knife thinly slice the tomato.

Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray.  Place the sliced veggies standing up alternating the veggies for ultimate flavor distribution.  Sprinkle with a bit of Salt & Pepper to taste (remember that potatoes like Salt).  Then sprinkle the Italian Seasoning over the veggies.

Cover the dish with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and sprinkle the Shredded Cheese all over the veggies.  Place back in the oven and bake another 15-20 minutes.  You want all the Veggies to be tender and the Cheese to be melted.

Enjoy!

Philadelphia Cooking Creme Savory Lemon & Herb review

My oldest has a gymnastics class every Wednesday.  She loves the class and I really enjoy watching her learn and grow.  The trouble is, the class starts at 5:30 and goes for an hour.  We don't usually eat dinner until 6:00, and I find it difficult to have dinner ready early enough for us to eat before class.  So I am always looking for a something that I can whip together quickly so we can eat shortly after we get home. 

Enter one of my favorites..Philadelphia Cooking Creme. I have made several dishes using the different flavors of Cooking Creme.  But this was my first time trying the Savory Lemon & Herb flavor.  I was really excited to give it a try.  I love lemon flavor in savory dishes.  Let me just tell you that this was my favorite flavor of Cooking Creme so far.  Yummy.  The Lemon and herb flavor just goes perfectly with pasta.

Hello my tasty little friend.

I decided to try this with the fun Asparagus & Gruyere Ravioli I had left over after I tried the Dave's Gourmet sauce.

I just sauteed some half an Onion with a bit of Canola Oil until they were softened.  Then I added in the Cooking Creme until it was good and warm.

Served with Asparagus this dish turned out so well.  My kids and husband loved it.  We will absolutely be purchasing this flavor of Philadelphia Cooking Creme again.  I highly recommend this to you for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

Overnight PB, Banana, & Blueberries Oatmeal Recipe and Giveaway # 4

We eat a lot of oatmeal at my house.  It is one of my favorite go to breakfasts with a bit of raisins and pecans added in.  Lately I have been seeing lots and lots of overnight refrigerator oats online.  Oats that don't require cooking?  Oats that soften and taste good after a night in the fridge?  Oats without Raisins or Pecans?  This sounded a bit strange but also crazy delicious.  The more I saw online the more I had to try it.  So I did..and my husband and I loved it.  The kids didn't go for this flavor much but I think they would like it if it had been a bit sweeter.  I will absolutely be trying this again and playing around with different flavors.  I really liked having the Chia Sees in the mixture.  Very good.   I found the recipe here and made a few little changes of my own. 

You will need Old Fashioned Oats, Ripe Bananas, Peanut Butter, Half Pint Jars, Blueberries, Yogurt, Honey, Chia Seeds, and Milk.

Add the Oats and Chia seeds to the Half Pint Jar.

Next add in the Yogurt and Honey.

Add in a good scoop of Peanut Butter.

Then add sliced Bananas and fresh Blueberries.

Pour in some Milk and put the lid and ring on the jar.

Then shake, shake, shake the jar.  I also gave the contents of the jar a good stirring because  a bit of the honey stuck to the side and didn't want to mix in.  Pop in the fridge and let sit overnight. 

The next morning give the jar another little shake.  Take off the lid and top with a few fresh Blueberries.  Add a little honey for added sweetness.

Yum!  Enjoy!

My tiny one wouldn't let the spoon get any closer to her mouth than this.  Little stinker wouldn't even give it a try!

My oldest tried a few bites but in the end chose to eat Krave Cereal instead.

Overnight PB, Banana, & Blueberries Oatmeal Recipe per jar
Source:  The Yummy Life

1/4 C Old Fashioned Oats, uncooked
1/3 C Milk
1/4 C lowfat Yogurt (I used plain Fage Greek yogurt)
1 1/2 tsp dry Chia Seeds
1 TBSP Peanut Butter
1 tsp Honey
1/4 C diced ripe Banana
Fresh Blueberries to fill up the jar
Half Pint mason jars with lids and rings

Add the Oats, Chia Seeds, Yogurt, Honey, Peanut Butter, Bananas, and Blueberries to the mason jar.  Then add in the Milk and top the jar with the lid and ring.  Shake the contents well to thoroughly combine the ingredients.  Place in the refrigerator overnight and enjoy the next morning.

Enjoy!



Now time for our next Giveaway!!



 

I am loving all of these fun giveaways!  I just wish I could win each and every one of them.  Remember to check back here every day for the next giveaway.  I can't believe it is day 4 already!  I am excited to announce that Jennifer from Making my Way in Texas is giving away...

a $20 credit to her online store LoneStar Lovlies

Check out her blog to enter the giveaway and you will also find a discount code to the store.  


She is also giving away a super cute Gold Fish Pouch

Head on over the Finding My Way in Texas to enter! 

Don't forget to check out the previous giveaways:
1.  Bling flig flops and cute bag  
2.  Kids apron, chef hat, and Recipe Cards 
3.  $20.00 Amazon Giftcard

Also..while you are here don't forget to check out the Chicken Alfredo baked pasta recipe I posted last year.

Quick & Easy Mushroom & Asparagus Quiche with a Crescent Roll Crust Recipe

When I was in Junior High school I had a Home Ec. class that I really enjoyed.  We would make a little something during the class, set the table, and enjoy the fruits of our labors with our partners.  I remember one time we were using a blender to make something.  The schools blender was much different than the one my parents had.  Our pitcher screwed on and off the base...the schools pitcher just sat on top of the machine and the parts screwed together.  Well there I go trying to unscrew the pitcher from the base and I just ended up removing the glass pitcher from the bottom part with the blades and the contents went everywhere!  Sadly we didn't get to enjoy the fruits of our labors that day.  Plus I felt like a total idiot.  From that day forward I swore off blenders and made my team do all blender required activities with me giving moral support from the sidelines.

Despite this horrible memory I also have a fantastic memory that came out of Junior High Home Ec. class.  I tried my very first ever quiche.  It was an amazing Quiche Lorraine and I have had a deep love for Quiche ever since.  The other day I came across this easy Quiche recipe that uses Pillsbury Crescent Rolls dough as the crust.  Let's just say that I was on it like a bum on a Bologna sandwich!

You will need Sage, Oregano, Basil, Mozzarella Cheese, fresh Parsley, Dijon Mustard, Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, Mushrooms, Onion, Butter, Asparagus, Salt & Pepper, Eggs, and Garlic Powder.

Chop up the Onion and Asparagus.

I swear that chopping Onions is very therapeutic for me.  They always get a good cry out of me.

Warm a non-stick skillet over Medium heat and allow the Butter to melt.  Add the Onions, Asparagus, and Mushrooms and cook until the Asparagus is tender but still a bit crisp.

Meanwhile place the Pillsbury Crescent Rolls triangles in a pie pan and press them together to seal the edges. 

In a bowl add together the Cheese, Salt & Pepper, Chopped fresh Parsley, and the spices. 

Mix the Asparagus mixture in with the Cheese Mixture.  Lightly beat the Eggs and add them in and mix everything together very well. 

Spread the Dijon mustard all over the "crust".

Pour the Mushroom/Cheese/Asparagus/amazingness mixture on top of the Dijoned "crust" and bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  Make sure a knife comes out of the center clean.

If you notice that the "crust" is getting really dark (which it will) you can cover the edges with tin foil to keep it from burning.

Well howdy!

Enjoy!

Quick & Easy Mushroom & Asparagus Quiche with a Crescent Roll Crust Recipe

1 tube Pillsbury Crescent Rolls dough
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 1/2 Lbs Fresh Asparagus cut into 1/2 in bits
1 Onion Chopped (try to pick a strong one to ensure a really good cry)
1/2 C Sliced Mushrooms
1/4 C Butter
2 Eggs, Lightly beaten
2 C Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 C Roughly chopped fresh Parsley
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Dry Basil
1/4 tsp Oregano
1/4 tsp Sage

Warm a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the Butter.  Once the butter is melted add in the Asparagus, Onion, and Mushrooms.  Cook until the Asparagus is tender but still crisp.

Meanwhile grab a pie pan and place the Pillsbury Crescent Roll dough in with the skinny end of the triangles in the center.  Press together at the edges to seal the crust.  Spread the Dijon Mustard all over the "crust".

Mix together the Cheese, Dry spices, Salt & Pepper, and Parsley.  Add in the Asparagus mixture and the two Eggs, which have been lightly beaten.  Mix everything together really well.  Try to temper the eggs a little (to avoid scrambled egg Quiche) by adding in a bit of the warm Asparagus mixture before dumping everything together.

Dump the mixture out on top of the "crust" and bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  Test the center with a knife to ensure it is done.  If the knife comes out clean then supper is ready.

Enjoy!

 P.S. Don't forget to check out the quick and delicious Banana Stack snacks I whipped up last year.

P.P.S. Come back tomorrow for the first giveaway in Blog-A-Pal-Loosa!!  It's gonna be so much fun.