Vegetarian Mexican Lasagna (Crockpot)

I found this recipe on Parents.com a while back and never actually got around to making it until last week.  I followed the directions really closely, not really making any changes, so you can just follow the original.  It was really good.  You really couldn't tell that it was vegetarian.  I guess that you could add chicken or beef and it would work will in this recipe, but it really doesn't need them.  Sorry for the bad picture.  The one on parents.com is so much better!

Angel Hair Pasta with Broccoli and Herb Butter

This is a great light-tasting pasta dish.  I found it on epicurious.com  I made it just like they suggested and it came out great.  I served it with Salmon Patties which turned out well.  I'll put the recipe below or you can get it at the link above.

Angel Hair Pasta with Broccoli and Herb Butter

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted European-style butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons olive oil

8 ounces angel hair pasta

2 cups small broccoli florets

Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

Mix first 4 ingredients in small bowl.

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add pasta and cook until almost tender, about 3 minutes. Add broccoli and boil until pasta is tender but still firm to bite and broccoli is crisp-tender, about 1 minute longer. Drain pasta and broccoli; transfer to large serving bowl. Add herb butter and toss well to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve, passing Parmesan cheese separately if desired.

ENJOY!

Black-Bean, Cheese, and Slaw Tacos

Doesn't this look delicious?  It was!  Ben ate it well too.  I got the recipe from here, but made some changes.  The recipe with what I did is below.


Black-Bean, Cheese, and Slaw Tacos

Ingredients:

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained 

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

5 teaspoons olive oil, divided 

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 

2 cups coleslaw mix 

2 green onions, chopped 

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro 

4 white or yellow corn tortillas 

Bottled chipotle hot sauce or other hot sauce

Directions:

Place beans and cumin in small bowl; partially mash.  Add cheese.  Mix 2 teaspoons olive oil and lime juice in medium bowl; add coleslaw, green onions, and cilantro and toss to coat. Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat 3 teaspoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortillas in single layer. Spoon 1/4 of bean mixture and a little slaw mix onto half of each tortilla; cook 1 minute. Fold tacos in half. Cook until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Fill tacos with more slaw. Pass hot sauce alongside.

ENJOY!

I'm Back...with Cheesy Eggplant Bake

It's been a while! This summer has been crazy. Baby J was born in June and with him, came family visiting. When that was all over, we moved. Then, I went on vacation. I am finally getting into a routine at home and cooking for my family again. I have been taking it easy and going with simple and quick recipes, because who knows how my kids will be acting when it is time to make dinner. I have quite a few recipes saved up, which I will be putting in here and there. I am going to take this slow for a while, but I am going to try to make at least one new thing each week.

Tonight I tried a recipe that I was actually a little skeptical about. I found it on a new cooking blog I found called Cheap Healthy Good. Here's the link to the recipe. I will reprint it below. The name does not do this recipe justice! I had never cooked with eggplant and I'm not sure I had ever even eaten it before. I had no idea how this recipe would taste, but the reviews were raving, so I decided to try it. It is mostly just a vegetables, but it makes the perfect main dish. I just served it with a side of French bread and it worked perfect. I followed the directions really closely and the only thing I did differently was not add the mushrooms (one of the few things that I just cannot stand). Try this! It is SO GOOD!

Cheesy Eggplant Bake


Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant, peeled
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 egg + 2 egg whites
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
6 ounces part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:
1) Slice eggplant crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds. Arrange rounds in a colander in your sink and sprinkle salt all over them. Walk away for half an hour. When finished, "rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels."

2) While eggplant is sitting, combine bread crumbs, garlic salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or on a plate. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk eggs. When eggplant is done, douse each slice in the egg mixture. Then dip in the bread crumb mixture to coat. Shake off any excess and/or drippy-ness.

3) In a large skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook a few rounds until browned, about 2 minutes per side. When finished, arrange in 13x9-inch baking dish. Repeat for second batch.

4) Preheat oven to 350°F.

5) Heat last 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add green pepper, onion, and mushrooms. Cook until onion is softening and pepper is crisp/tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Top eggplant with mixture. Add tomatoes on top of that, spreading evenly.

6) Cover with tin foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven and take off tin foil. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake another 25 or 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and a little brown. Serve to applause.

ENJOY!

Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Pasta

I found this recipe on EatingWell.com. You can use their recipe, or my slightly modified recipe below. Healthy, sweet and delicious. You could serve this up as a vegetarian dish or add a little grilled chicken in with it or on the side. My side of steamed asparagus, fresh from the garden, was the perfect thing to top off the meal.

SWEET POTATO AND RED PEPPER PASTA

Ingredients:

8 ounces whole-wheat angel hair pasta (I used thin spaghetti)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups shredded, peeled sweet potato, (about 1 medium)
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup diced plum tomatoes (I just cut up 2 Romas)
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar, or lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese (or Parmesan)

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes or according to package directions. Meanwhile, place 1 tablespoon oil and garlic in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is sizzling and fragrant, 2 to 5 minutes. Add sweet potato, bell pepper, tomatoes and water and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bell pepper is tender-crisp (I like mine softer), 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and keep warm. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the vegetable mixture, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, parsley, tarragon, vinegar (or lemon juice), salt and cheese; toss to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, 2 tablespoons at a time, to achieve the desired consistency.