RecipeSwap: Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables

It's recipe swap time again and I was very excited to try this one. I was given Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables from Nicole with Cookies on Friday. I looooove meat so I am always skeptical of main recipes that don't have any. This recipe was delicious and perfect without meat. It was light and tasty. I did add more cheese than it called for and used jarred spices instead of fresh.

Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables

4 ounces uncooked ziti

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups chopped yellow squash

1 cup chopped zucchini

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cups chopped tomato

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 cup (2 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Cooking spray

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

 2. Preheat oven to 400°.

 3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan. Add squash, zucchini, and onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add tomato and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper.

 4. Combine ricotta, remaining salt, and egg. Stir into pasta mixture. Spoon into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until bubbly and browned.

Recipe from Cooking Light, July 2011

RecipeSwap: The Pioneer Woman's Peach-Whiskey Barbecue Chicken

Holy crap this is good! I love bourbon/whiskey so this was right up my alley. The recipe called for 1 1/2 cups of whiskey but I just couldn't do it. I put in one cup and drank the other 1/2. I also used chicken breasts instead of thighs. Thank you Chrystal!!


Pioneer Woman's Peach Whiskey Barbeque Chicken

• 12 whole Chicken Thighs, Bone-in, Skin-on
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Yellow Onion, Diced
• 1-1/2 cup Whiskey
• 12 ounces, fluid Barbecue Sauce
• 1 jar Peach Preserves
• 1/2 cup Water
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 4 cloves Garlic, Peeled
• 3 whole Green Onions, Sliced Thin
  

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat olive oil and butter in a pan. Add chicken and brown on both sides. Put on a plate and set aside. Add onions and to pan and cook till translucent. Pour in whiskey- carefully if using an open flame. Mix in remaining ingredients and return chicken to the pan. Cover and put in oven. Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

RecipeSwap: Strawberry Muffins

It's recipe swap time and the theme this time was fruit. I was given Strawberry Muffins from DeLish. The batter was so good that I had to stop myself from eating it so that I would have enough to make muffins. I had enough to make 12 muffins and 2 tiny heart shaped cakes. Sorry for the bad photo. K doesn't understand the art of taking a good pic for blogs sake! We loved these muffins so much that I plan on making different kinds of muffins with this mix. K loves blueberry so that is next.

Strawberry Muffins

1 cup diced fresh strawberries (+1 TBSp flour)
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin tins with cooking spray. Toss the strawberry pieces in the flour to coat; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine flour, salt & baking soda; set aside.

Using a mixer, beat the butter, sugar, & vanilla until fluffy. Add in the egg.

Now, alternating between the two, stir the dry ingredient mixture & sour cream into the batter. Muffin Batter should be lumpy! Fold in the strawberries.

Fill muffin tins about 2/3 of the way. Cook for about 30-35 minutes. Muffins will be golden brown when done but, of course, do the toothpick test!

Weekly Menu 3/19-3/23

I started a new job last week and found that I didn't have time to cook. Our meals consisted of several drive through meals and cereal. I've decided to make a menu this week, two meals will always be crock pot meals because I get home late those days. So here goes!

Monday 3/19: Baked Cod

Tuesday 3/20: Dijon Pork Tenderloin (Crock Pot)

Wednesday 3/21: Hamburger Goulash

Thursday 3/22: Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken (Crock Pot)

Friday 3/23: Country Ham

We go out on the weekends and eat any leftovers. Look for blog posts on the meals by Sunday! :)

Gnocchi Mac N Cheese

It's recipe swap time and this time the theme was pasta. I got Gnocchi Mac N Cheese from The Jey of Cooking and it was awesome! I followed the recipe exactly and it received rave reviews. I made gnocchi from scratch before but due to time restraints I used the kind in the package. It was just as good.

Gnocchi Mac N Cheese:

1 Lb. Gnocchi (I used pre-packaged)
6 Slices Bacon
1 Sweet Onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. Butter
2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
8 Sage Leaves, finely chopped (I used a small palm full of dried)
1 Tbsp. Flour
1 Cup Milk
1 Tbsp. Ground Mustard (omitted-I didn't have any)
1/2 Cup (or more) Gruyere Cheese, shredded
1/2 Cup (or more) Fontina Cheese, shredded
1/2 Cup (or more) Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375.

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium low heat, turning frequently until crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate, chop and set aside. Add onion to the skillet with the bacon grease and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and caramelized, anywhere from 10-30 minutes.

Drop the gnocchi into a pot of salted boiling water and cook until they float to the top, 2-3 minutes. Drain in a colander then return gnocchi to the pot.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and sage and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the flour and whisk until it bubbles, then add the milk and ground mustard. Cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the Gruyere and Fontina and stir until melted. Mix in the bacon and caramelized onions. Pour over the gnocchi and stir until combined.

Transfer the gnocchi and sauce to a lightly oiled baking dish and cover with the Parmesan cheese. Bake until the cheese is golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Crock-Pot Chicken and Dumplings

I found the original recipe for this on Allrecipes. I had all of the ingredients and love something I set and forget. K put his over rice but I ate it like it is. We both had seconds!

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (frozen is fine)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can chicken broth/stock
Can of peas with carrots
Small onion, diced
1 can of canned biscuits

Place chicken in slow cooker and season with spices (I used salt, pepper & garlic). Top with remaining ingredients and cover. Cook on high for six hours. After four hours add canned biscuits by tearing them into pieces and balling it up. I used crescent rolls. Let cook for remaining two hours. Serve!

Breakfast Pocket

I wanted to make something new for breakfast and came up with this. Next time I will use more cheese and add mushrooms and onions. It would also be good with bacon or ham.

Breakfast Pocket:

1 can crescent rolls

1/4 tube of sausage
2 eggs, beaten
Cheese

Preheat oven to according to directions on the can of crescent rolls. Unroll crescent roll dough and arrange flat on a medium baking sheet. Pinch together perforations to form a single sheet of dough. Brown meat and scramble eggs. Set both to the side. On the first half of the dough spread a layer of cheese. Top with sausage and eggs and a second layer of cheese. Take the second half of dough and top. Pinch edges together and bake for 15 minutes or till brown. Cut, serve, enjoy!