One Dish Pasta and Vegetables

Happy Patriots' Day

For those who do not live local, the third Monday of April is when we celebrate the battles of Lexington and Concord, which happened to be the first battle of the Revolutionary War.

In Boston, it is always Marathon Monday.
We have had some odd weather years for the runners, but starting this AM with ice and snow (just a dusting) isn't very runner (or spectator) friendly!!

The rain should settle in for the day. This is the first time (since sometime in the 80's) that the Red Sox annual Patriots' Day game has been postponed,

Enjoy your day!




Ingredients:

1 ½ Cup Rotini (uncooked)

2 Medium Carrots (sliced)

1 Cup Broccoli florets

1 Can (10 ¾ oz) Condensed cheddar cheese soup

½ Cup Milk

1 Tbsp prepared mustard

Directions:

1. Prepare pasta per package directions

2. Add broccoli and carrots during the last 4 minutes of cooking

3. Drain well, return to saucepan

4. Stir the soup, milk, and mustard into the saucepan and cook until hot

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Pierogi Casserole

I feel like I have been MIA for the last few weeks. Not much blogging going on.

I'm hoping I can get back in to it starting now. I miss talking to you all!
Like I said last time...my world was switching to a better place. It still is...but it took a small detour.
Been down this road before, we will get through it.


I had my first free weekend in years. Two days of no plans.
Saturday we ran a few errands.
Since I was going to be home, I made plans to actually make some lunch. Hubby threw a wrench when he wasn't hungry. Sigh.
Just did gooey nachos for dinner though as we were watching a movie.
(The Dark Tower. I do not recommend it. As a lover of the series, I died a little on the inside)

Sunday we have some more errands, but decided to make it a family day and enjoy a little lunch. The three of us rarely have the same time off, so we took advantage.

Tomorrow will start a week of insanity for me, but, a relaxing weekend will certainly help deal with that.
How is your week looking?



Ingredients:

¾ LB Lasagna noodles (cooked and drained)

¾ Cup butter

5 Cups Mashed potato (cooked)

12 Slices cheddar cheese

2 Large onions (minced)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Melt butter and saute onions until tender

3. Place half of the cooked noodles into the bottom of a 9x13 pan

4. Place 6 slices of cheese on noodles

5. Add mashed potato, spreading evenly

6. Top with noodles

7. Add remaining cheese

8. Poke holes in cheese layer

9. Pour butter/onion mixture over top

10. Bake 15 minutes, or until cheese is slightly browned

Print

I used instant potato just for the ease factor, but please feel free to make extra the next time you have some with dinner. Steam and Mash should work well too. Just seasoned with butter, salt, and pepper, didn't want to distract from the simplicity of this meal.

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Adapted from: Moms Who Think

Roasted Veggie Pizza

I have been totally M.I.A for the last week!
"Life" just always seems to get in the way.

Lots of good happening my friends, lots of good.

I feel like I am a pretty positive person, as a whole, but really pleased with my current situation.
I love my friends and family.
My work life is balancing out.

I'm just in a great mood.

Easter is coming up, looking forward to family and food.
Happy is the place to be!



Ingredients:

1 LB pizza dough

8 oz Mozzarella

1 Cup Ricotta cheese

1 Tbsp Rosemary

6 Cups Roasted Veggies *

Olive Oil

*Veggie Suggestions: Carrots, Onions, Squash, Zucchini, Peppers, Potato, Eggplant

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475

2. Brush a large baking sheet with olive oil

3. On a lightly floured surface, stretch dough into an oval

4. Transfer dough to prepared sheet

5. Sprinkle dough with half the mozzarella

6. Spread veggies on top of cheese

7. Dallop with ricotta

8. Top with remaining cheese and rosemary

9. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper

10. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until bubbly and golden

Print

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Cheesy Olive Poppers

Had an appointment this afternoon, so the three of us decided to make a day of it. We went out to lunch and ran a couple of errands.

One (oh so fun) stop was the grocery store. It wasn't super crowded, which was nice for a change! Headed for the register, and every line was sooo long though (ahhh...that's where everyone was) except this one. I should have know better.

We get in line. Hubby heads in first so he can unload the cart onto the conveyor. There is an older gentleman in front of us. He started showing hubby all his groceries and telling about all the "deals" he was getting. No big deal.

I forgot something, so I took off real quick. When I came back, we were being rung up (by the slowest cashier on the planet, but that is beside the point)

Fast forward, we are home, groceries unloaded, I am putzing around with this that and the other, and hubby just pops out with "I didn't care for that man in front of us in line".
I said that he seemed nice enough to me.
He looked at me with this ugh look on his face and proceeded to tell me that as soon as I took off, the guy leaned over to him and started telling him dirty jokes.

Now, hubby is a man's man, and he and the guys tell their fair share...but apparently this guy was making him blush.
I guess the guy finished and left quick enough that hubby decided it wasn't worth saying anything to him over.
Note to guys: Other guys think it's strange if you randomly start telling dirty jokes to strangers at the grocery store.
That is our lesson for the day.

Ingredients:

2 Cans Crescent rolls

24 Jumbo sized Spanish olives

½ Cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 Tbsp Toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Unroll crescent dough, separate into rectangles (made up of two triangles)

2. Press seams closed

3. Cut each rectangle into three equal squares

4. Sprinkle approx 1 tsp of cheddar cheese on each section of dough

5. Place an olive on top of the cheese

6. Roll dough around olive and seal well

7. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top

8. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes

Print

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Mushroom and Sweet Pea Risotto

It is so cold.
So so very cold

I know, it's cold everywhere.
Snow in Florida?! What!

Not that I am a fan of waking up to -10 degrees with a windchill of -30...
but, it IS winter. Winter is temporary.

We got a big storm last week, about 18 inches of snow in our area. The winds were flying so high yesterday it looked like mini blizzards every time a gust came by.
That can be annoying.

My big problem is the complainers!
Oh. My. Word.
(yes, I see the irony of me complaining about others that complain)

Facebook is FULL of everyone "OMG it's too cold"
"I HATE WINTER"
"Make it end!"
"Another day, still in the single digits. GAAAAAH"

Now, maybe I am confused...but...
Didn't you make a choice to live here?
Learn to dress for it people!

Personally, I cannot stand it when it rains.
Drives me to drink.
So, I make it a point not to live in, say, Seattle.

I get it. It's cold.
Our heating bills are up and we stay inside more.
BUT
It's beautiful white and sparkly.
You get an excuse to make soups, stews, chilis, and casseroles all the time.
Not to mention, you get to wear all those fluffy comfy sweaters!

Now that I am done complaining...I still find this giggly

Are you the half full or half empty type when it comes to winter?
What's your favorite "warm the bones" winter food?



Ingredients:

4 Cups Chicken broth (for vegetarian, use vegetable broth)

1 Tbsp Butter

½ Cup Sweet onion (finely chopped)

1 ½ Tsp Garlic (minced)

1 Cup Arborio rice (uncooked)

½ Cup Dry white wine

1 Tbsp Olive oil

4 Cups Mushrooms (sliced)

2 Tsp Thyme

¾ Cup Frozen green peas

6 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

¼ Tsp Ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In medium saucepan, heat broth over low heat (keep warm)

2. In large skillet, melt butter over medium heat

3. Add onion, cook until clear

4. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds or until fragrant

5. Add rice, cook (stirring) for 3 minutes

6. Add wine, cook until liquid is absorbed (stirring constantly)

7. Stir in ½ cup of broth, stir constantly until liquid is absorbed.

8. Repeat until all broth is gone and rice is tender

9. Heat oil in large skillet

10. Add mushrooms, cook until tender

11. Add the mushrooms, thyme, peas, ¼ cup cheese, and pepper to the rice

12. Stir and cook for 3 minutes, just until everything is warmed

13. Spoon into bowls and top with remaining Parmesan

Print

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Adapted from: Recipe Girl

Eggs on Toast with Creamy Spinach Sauce

My daughter has inherited my low iron.
Of all the "gifts" I could give her, this one is the suckiest.

She is on a pretty heafty dose of iron every day. In order to not feel, well, horrible all day from the supplements, she must have breakfast every morning.
As a non breakfast type of family, this was a hard routine to get used to. After a couple days of forgetting, she has been eating every AM since.

On the weekends I try to make at least one hot breakfast so make up for all the toast and cereal she has 5 days a week.

When I spotted this recipe on Our Best Bites, it sounded like a winner. Not only are we a spinach loving family, spinach is also very high in iron.
Double bonus!

It was creamy and delicious. I made ours with fried eggs for this particular day. We had some of the spinach mixture left over and I scrambled an egg and mixed it in for another day's breakfast YUM!

Ingredients:

½ Tsp olive oil

1 Cup sliced mushrooms

2 Cups loosely packed spinach

1 oz cream cheese

2-4 Tbsp milk

⅛ Tsp garlic powder

⅛ Tsp onion powder

⅛ Tsp dried oregano

⅛ Tsp salt

2-3 Grinds of black pepper

Toast

Eggs

Directions:

1. Heat a medium skillet to medium high heat

2. Add olive oil and mushrooms. Cook until golden brown.

3. Place cream cheese in a small, microwave safe bowl

4. Warm cream cheese in 20 second intervals until melted

5. Add garlic, onion, oregano, salt, and pepper

6. Add milk a little at a time and whisk until smooth

7. Add spinach to pan with mushrooms until wilted

8. Add cream cheese mixture and stir until heated through

9. Remove spinach mixture, put in a bowl

10. Wipe pan clean and cook eggs as you prefer

11. Spoon spinach mixture over toast, top with egg

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Asian Ginger Broth

It's been a very busy week!
My parents came up to visit as we were planning a (belated) 50th anniversary party for my aunt and uncle.

We planned a nice brunch with a bunch of family.

A few days before, we planned to order subs from a fave place at another aunt and uncles...and invited the anniv couple, who, at this point, had no idea my parents were here.
My parents sat on the couch to the side while the guests of honor came in.
They walked right by them...assuming they were my other aunt (who was unable to join on that evening)
Once they realized what was going on, the tears were just flowing!
It was great!

My mother and her siblings are so close, and it's always great to see them together as it doesn't happen as often as they would all like.


It just makes me smile.




Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Ginger (finely minced)

2 Tbsp Garlic (finely minced)

1 Tsp Canola Oil

3 Tbsp Corn starch

1 Cup Cold water

7 Cups water

4 Vegetable bouillon cubes

Salt and Pepper

Assorted toppings: Green onion, noodles, chow mein noodles, mushrooms, carrots, tofu, chicken, radish, snow peas, spinach

Directions:

1. Combine oil, ginger, and garlic in a pot and saute for 5 minutes

2. Combine cornstarch and water

3. Add water to garlic mix, and add bouillon cubes

4. Add cornstarch mix

5. Bring to a boil, simmer 15 minutes

6. Season to taste with salt and pepper

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Adapted from: Do They Have Salsa in China?

The toppings I grabbed

Then hubby decided he wanted to add radishes to his

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