I had some frozen chopped spinach and decided to throw it in! I am really satisfied with the result. It is always nice to have an extra vegetable on the dinner table.
3-4 Tbsps Butter
1/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
10oz Package of Frozen Butternut Squash
1/2 Cup Milk
2 Cups Shredded Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Frozen Chopped Spinach (I used a half of a package but you can use the whole thing)
Pasta (Shells or Bowties are great)
Bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta and drain when ready.
While cooking the pasta, in a medium sized saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and the squash. The mixture will be clumpy. Add half of the milk to smooth out the mixture. Stir in the cheese and remaining milk. Stir until cheese is melted and then lower heat. Add the spinach and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the drained pasta into a greased casserole dish. Pour the cheese and spinach mixture over the pasta and mix it all together.
I like to top this casserole with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs.
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Pasta & Pancetta
This is a delicious pasta sauce with only a few ingredients. It can partially be done ahead of time in the slow cooker or all done stove top prior to serving.
Olive Oil
4-6oz Pancetta, diced
1 Medium Onion, diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper
28oz Can Crushed Tomatoes
2 Tbsps pf Tomato Paste (if you like a thicker sauce, you can add more)
Basil
Spinach (optional, I always add extra veggies)
1/2 Cup Pecornio Romano or Parmesan Cheese
Pasta
In a large skillet heat about 2 tbsps of olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook for about 7 or 8 minutes until pieces start to brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta from the pan and reserve.
In the pancetta drippings and olive oil, add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and paste and some basil (fresh or dried). Let sauce cook for about 5 minutes.
Boil water for pasta. Cook pasta while finishing the sauce.
If you are adding the spinach, add now and let spinach wilt. Stir the pancetta back into the sauce with the cheese.
After you drain the pasta, add it to the skillet with the sauce. Mix together and serve.
Olive Oil
4-6oz Pancetta, diced
1 Medium Onion, diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper
28oz Can Crushed Tomatoes
2 Tbsps pf Tomato Paste (if you like a thicker sauce, you can add more)
Basil
Spinach (optional, I always add extra veggies)
1/2 Cup Pecornio Romano or Parmesan Cheese
Pasta
In a large skillet heat about 2 tbsps of olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook for about 7 or 8 minutes until pieces start to brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta from the pan and reserve.
In the pancetta drippings and olive oil, add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and paste and some basil (fresh or dried). Let sauce cook for about 5 minutes.
Boil water for pasta. Cook pasta while finishing the sauce.
If you are adding the spinach, add now and let spinach wilt. Stir the pancetta back into the sauce with the cheese.
After you drain the pasta, add it to the skillet with the sauce. Mix together and serve.
Monkey Cake
If you have some browning bananas and chocolate chips, this is a tasty dessert to throw together that is very kid friendly (though my husband loves it too).
4 or 5 Ripe Bananas
3 Carrots, peeled
3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar
2 Tbsps Vegetable Oil
1/4 Skim Milk
1 Egg and 1 Egg White
2 Tsp Vanilla
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/4 Tsp Salt
1 3/4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 Cups Chocolate Chips
Puree the bananas and carrots in a food processor. It will not be perfectly smooth but be sure all large chunks are gone. Stir together puree, brown sugar, oil, milk, and vanilla until well blended. Add cinnamon, baking soda, salt and flour. Stir until just blended, it will be lumpy. Fold in 3/4 of a cup of chocolate chips.
Pour batter into a greased 13 x 9 cake pan. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 of a cup of chocolate chips over the top of the cake.
Bake the cake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until cake tester comes out of the center clean.
4 or 5 Ripe Bananas
3 Carrots, peeled
3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar
2 Tbsps Vegetable Oil
1/4 Skim Milk
1 Egg and 1 Egg White
2 Tsp Vanilla
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/4 Tsp Salt
1 3/4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 Cups Chocolate Chips
Puree the bananas and carrots in a food processor. It will not be perfectly smooth but be sure all large chunks are gone. Stir together puree, brown sugar, oil, milk, and vanilla until well blended. Add cinnamon, baking soda, salt and flour. Stir until just blended, it will be lumpy. Fold in 3/4 of a cup of chocolate chips.
Pour batter into a greased 13 x 9 cake pan. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 of a cup of chocolate chips over the top of the cake.
Bake the cake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until cake tester comes out of the center clean.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Irish Potatoes
Okay I am totally a day late with this one! Yesterday I made these with my Daisy troop and they had a great time. I think they enjoyed licking their fingers when we were done the most.
You cannot have St Patty's Day without Irish Potatoes for dessert!
2 Cups Sweetened, Flaked Coconut
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
4-5 Tbsps Light Cream or Half and Half
Cinnamon
Place coconut and powdered sugar in a bowl. Adding the cream 1 tbsp at a time, use your hands to mix everything together. The mixture should be slightly wet but still workable. Roll the mixture into 1 inch balls. Take the balls and roll them in cinnamon (placing the cinnamon in large somewhat flat bowl works best). Makes about 25 potatoes.
Keep refrigerated.
You cannot have St Patty's Day without Irish Potatoes for dessert!
2 Cups Sweetened, Flaked Coconut
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
4-5 Tbsps Light Cream or Half and Half
Cinnamon
Place coconut and powdered sugar in a bowl. Adding the cream 1 tbsp at a time, use your hands to mix everything together. The mixture should be slightly wet but still workable. Roll the mixture into 1 inch balls. Take the balls and roll them in cinnamon (placing the cinnamon in large somewhat flat bowl works best). Makes about 25 potatoes.
Keep refrigerated.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Pizza (with Spinach & Mushrooms)
Tonight we needed a quick dinner so I turned to a homemade pizza. I have tried tons of pizza crusts over the years and think that the 2 best are: dough from a local pizza place or Pillsbury thin crust.
1 Pizza Crust
1/2-3/4 Cup Pizza Sauce (Can use leftover pasta sauce, jarred sauce or small can of tomatoes)
5-7 Mushrooms, sliced
4 oz Baby Spinach
2 Cups of Shredded Cheese (a pizza blend or mozzerella are great)
Dried Oregano and/or Basil
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Spread the pizza crust into a baking sheet. Pour the sauce on to the crust and spread around. Top with mushrooms and spinach. Cover the toppings with the cheese. Sprinkle with oregano and/or basil.
Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until cheese is browned.
1 Pizza Crust
1/2-3/4 Cup Pizza Sauce (Can use leftover pasta sauce, jarred sauce or small can of tomatoes)
5-7 Mushrooms, sliced
4 oz Baby Spinach
2 Cups of Shredded Cheese (a pizza blend or mozzerella are great)
Dried Oregano and/or Basil
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Spread the pizza crust into a baking sheet. Pour the sauce on to the crust and spread around. Top with mushrooms and spinach. Cover the toppings with the cheese. Sprinkle with oregano and/or basil.
Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until cheese is browned.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin
This pork is tender and flavorful. It can be eaten by itself or as a delicious au jus pulled pork sandwich.
2 Medium Onions, sliced
Olive Oil
1 1/2-2 lb Pork Tenderloin
3-4 Tbsps Dijon Mustard (I love Grey Poupon Country Dijon)
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tbsps Cider Vinegar
1 Tsp Dried Thyme
Place onions and about 2 tbsps of olive oil in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the pork tenderloin on top of the onions. Salt and pepper the pork generously. In a separate bowl mix together the mustard, brown sugar, vinegar and thyme. Pour the thick mustard mixture over the pork. Cook on low 7-8 hours, flipping the pork over once halfway through the cooking process.
2 Medium Onions, sliced
Olive Oil
1 1/2-2 lb Pork Tenderloin
3-4 Tbsps Dijon Mustard (I love Grey Poupon Country Dijon)
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tbsps Cider Vinegar
1 Tsp Dried Thyme
Place onions and about 2 tbsps of olive oil in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the pork tenderloin on top of the onions. Salt and pepper the pork generously. In a separate bowl mix together the mustard, brown sugar, vinegar and thyme. Pour the thick mustard mixture over the pork. Cook on low 7-8 hours, flipping the pork over once halfway through the cooking process.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Easy Asparagus
Asparagus is one of those vegetables that my family has come to love and has, therefore, become a staple side dish. This is a super easy recipe for asparagus!
1 1/2 lbs Asparagus (green)
Olive Oil
1 1/2 Tbsps Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Pour about a tbsp of olive oil into a baking dish. Break off the hard ends of the asparagus (the bottoms) and place the remaining pieces in the baking dish. Pour another tbsp of olive oil over top the asparagus. Salt and pepper the asparagus. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes (slightly less if the asparagus a really thin). Pour the soy sauce and balsamic vinegar over the asparagus. Roast for an additional 5 minutes and then serve.
1 1/2 lbs Asparagus (green)
Olive Oil
1 1/2 Tbsps Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Pour about a tbsp of olive oil into a baking dish. Break off the hard ends of the asparagus (the bottoms) and place the remaining pieces in the baking dish. Pour another tbsp of olive oil over top the asparagus. Salt and pepper the asparagus. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes (slightly less if the asparagus a really thin). Pour the soy sauce and balsamic vinegar over the asparagus. Roast for an additional 5 minutes and then serve.
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