Sweet Potato Minestrone soup

We love Minestrone soup around our house in all its varieties. So I'm always looking for new varieties. I made this last night becaue we had everthing on hand and it was delicious!

Sweet Potato Minestrone Soup
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)

1 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large stalks celery, chopped
3 tsp. Italian seasoning
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
4 1/2 c. chicken broth (do veggie if you want this totally vegetarian/vegan)
1/2 c. apple juice
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (Original recipe called for 2 which you could do. I just had one)
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced thin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 c. dry macaroni
1 (15 oz.) can cannelini beans, drained & rinsed.

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion, celery, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, with the juice, broth, apple juice, sweet potatoes, carrots, and garlic. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Add macaroni and simmer another 10 minutes. Then add the beans and heat through. 

We served this with garlic cheese toast and its a total winner!

Vanilla Wacky Cake

We may have made 3 of these in the last week...

Vanilla Wacky Cake

1 1/2 c. flour + 3 Tbsp.
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
5 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 c. water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the dry ingredients in a greased 8x8 pan. Make 3 depressions in the dry mix--2 small, and 1 larger. Pour vinegar and vanilla into the 2 small depressions and the oil into the larger one. Then pour the water over the entire pan. Use a whisk to mix it all together until its well blended. Bake for 35 minutes.

I think this cake NEEDS frosting and/or ice cream. But with those additions it is delicious. And tastes like a sugar cookie in cake form. Yum!

Everyday Waffles

Nothing special here except that I love these. My husband usually makes these for my birthday.

Everyday Waffles

1 3/4 c. flour
3 tsp. bking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 beaten egg yolks
1 3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. oil
2 stiffly beaten egg whites

Sift together the dry ingredients and set aside. In a separate bowl combine the egg yolks, milk, and oil then stir them into the dry ingredients. Stiffly beat the egg whites and then fold them into the mixture. Cook on a waffle iron.

Enjoy and don't eat too many...

Oven Baked Veggie Brown Rice

I tweaked another recipe and came up with this. It was pretty tasty and since it was brown rice and veggies I felt really healthy eating it. Even if its not really healthy.

Oven Baked Veggie Brown Rice
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)

14 oz. beef broth
1 c. uncooked brown rice
1 c. frozen mixed veggies, thawed-ish
1/2 c. milk
1 can condensed cream o' mushroom soup
1/8 - 1/4 c. butter


Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray

Stir all the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.

Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish

Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 70-90 minutes (I know. Long. But its rice. You kind of need it.)

Homemade Spaghettio's Pasta

That's what we're calling it because it reminded me a lot of Spaghettio's sauce. But it was tasty and total comfort food.

Homemade Spaghettio's Pasta
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)

1 12 oz. box of pasta (we used penne)
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
3 Tbsp. butter

Garlic powder
Black pepper
Shredded Cheese


In a large pot, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and let cool for 1 minute.

Meanwhile in a small sauce pan, melt the butter and add tomato sauce. Let simmer 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and pepper to taste.

Pour sauce over drained pasta and gently stir to combine. Add a handful of your favorite shredded cheese and stir as it melts.

We served this with some pre-cooked meatballs to give it a little more oomph but it would be tasty on its own merit too.

Crockpot Lasagna

My husband requested this for Father's Day dinner. It is absolutely delicious and not too difficult to put together, so I'm all for it!

Crockpot Lasagna

1 pound bulk Italian sausage or ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

3 cans (15 ounces each) Italian-style tomato sauce

2 teaspoons dried basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)

1 container (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese or cottage cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

15 uncooked lasagna noodles 

Cook sausage and onion in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, basil and salt.

Mix 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses. (Refrigerate remaining mozzarella cheese while lasagna cooks.)

Spoon one-fourth of the sausage mixture into 6-quart slow cooker; top with 5 noodles, broken into pieces to fit. Spread with half of the cheese mixture and one-fourth of the sausage mixture. Top with 5 noodles, remaining cheese mixture and one-fourth of the sausage mixture. Top with remaining 5 noodles and remaining sausage mixture. 

Cover and cook on Low heat setting 4 to 6 hours or until noodles are tender.

Sprinkle top of lasagna with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Cover and let stand about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into pieces. 

Makes 8 servings

Asian Quinoa Salad

We've had this twice since I found the recipe and I just love it. So tasty and so healthy! I figured it should be just about 225 calories per serving. Not bad for dinner!

Asian Quinoa Salad
(Adapted from Skimpy Pantry)

Ingredients
SALAD:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 c. coleslaw mix (or you could do your own chopped cabbage and carrots)
1 cup cooked edamame or peas
1 red bell pepper, diced small
1 cup zucchini, diced small
2 radishes, diced small

DRESSING:
1/8 cup lite soy sauce or liquid aminos (I love liquid aminos!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped green onion (I didn't have it so used onion powder)
Pepper to taste

Directions
1) Add water, quinoa and salt to a medium-sized sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Boil for 5 minutes.  Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed.  Remove quinoa from heat and fluff with a fork.  Set aside to cool.

2) While quinoa is cooking, whisk all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.  Set aside.

3) Place coleslaw, peas, bell pepper, zucchini and radishes in a large bowl.  Add the cooled quinoa; pour the dressing over the salad and stir well to combine.  Garnish with almonds or peanuts, if desired  Serve chilled or at room temperature. 

I served this with fresh muffins and an other steamed veggie. You could also easily do some grilled chicken or salmon and make this salad the side dish. Whatever way you go--enjoy it!