Cheesy Pasta & Zucchini

I still have an abundance of zucchini to work with these days.  My kids are being very good about having zucchini nearly every night.  Tonight I just wanted a simple, light pasta dish and happened to have some ricotta on hand.  The kids devoured it so my plan worked!

Serves 6 easily

1lb Box Short Pasta (I used nuggets, an unusually shaped pasta my kids love)
Olive Oil
2 Medium Zucchini, sliced into half moons
2 Cloves Garlic
1/4 Cup Dry White Wine
15oz Container Part Skim Ricotta
1/4 Cup Shredded Romano Cheese
Fresh Basil

Bring a salted pot of water to a boil and cook pasta to al dente.

Meanwhile heat a saute pan on medium heat.  Add about a tbsp or two of olive oil to the pan and then the zucchini and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper and cook about 5-7 minutes until al dente.  Add the wine and lower the heat to low.

In a bowl combine the ricotta and Romano cheese.  Add a couple ladles of starchy pasta water to the cheese and mix.  Season with salt and pepper.

Drain pasta.  Return the pasta to the pot or place in a serving bowl.  Remove the cloves of garlic from the zucchini and dump the zucchini on the pasta (including any juices).  Mix to combine.  Pour cheese mixture over pasta and sprinkle with some torn fresh basil.  Stir once more to combine and then serve and enjoy!

Pumpkin Banana Bread

To be honest this recipe was developed out of a need for a quiet recipe.  Yes, a quiet recipe: one that can be made after children are in bed.  So I went for the quick and easy base of a cake mix.  I figured that I use a cake mix to make coffee cake and we eat that in the morning so I could use one to make use of my two rotting bananas.  This was a seriously yummy result!  Besides tasting like fall in a bite, it is also much less dense than a typical banana bread.  Please try it and love it too!

Makes a good 12 slices

1 Box White Cake Mix
4 Egg Whites
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
2 Overripe Bananas
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp Nutmeg

It could not be easier!  Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix until combined.  The batter will still be a little lumpy.  Spray a 9x5 bread pan with nonstick cooking spray and scrape batter into the pan.  Bake bread in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes until cake tester comes out of the center clean.  Let cool in the pan for about 10 or 15 minutes and then cool completely on a wire rack. 

ATM Salad

Or avocado, tomato and mozzarella salad stacks! Simple, filling and yummy!

Serves 2-3

1 Ripe Avocado
1 Large Tomato
3 or 4 oz Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
Olive Oil

Start with a plate to stack the salad on and the first layer is the cheese! Slice the fresh mozzarella into 1/4" slices and line the plate with them. Then slice the tomato into juicy 1/8" or 1/4" slices and place on top of the cheese. Drizzle with some olive oil and salt and pepper (the salt will enhance the tomato) at this point. Finally, remove skin and pit from avocado and spoon out the flesh. Slice and place on top of the tomato. Enjoy!