It feels like an eternity since I last posted. I have been on two vacations and keeping four little ones entertained is no small feat. I feel like this week's worth of recipes more than makes up for the times I haven't posted. All of these recipes are company worthy and if you have any leftovers, they are just as good as the first time. I am including one recipe that is a cheat but it's one that is a requirement in the south during the summer…cobbler!
Meal 1 - White Veggie Lasagna
This has become a retreat staple, especially if we have any meat-freers in the bunch. It's really easy if you use the no boil noodles but you are more than welcome to use the regular kind, just follow the directions on the box.
1 box no boil lasagna noodles
2 jars alfredo sauce
3 cups chopped broccoli
2 cups shredded carrots
1 can or 2 two large tomatoes, diced
2 bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg
3 tablespoons italian seasoning
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all veggies in a bowl. Mix ricotta, parmesan, egg, and seasoning in another bowl. In a casserole dish, spoon 2/3 cup alfredo sauce. Top with noodles and spread half the cheese mixture on top. Place 2 1/2 cups veggies on top and sprinkle with a cup of mozzarella. Repeat again with sauce, noodles, cheese mix, veggies, and cheese. Top with more noodles. Spread with remaining alfredo sauce and cheese. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour until bubbly and golden on top. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Meal 2 - Pork Tacos
This crockpot wonder is amazing. The pork could be used in a ton of recipes but this is the easiest. I use this one for taco Tuesdays or for when guests come over. Do everything the night before and keep it in the fridge for a no-mess morning.
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoon salt
1 small onion thinly sliced
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 4 ounce can diced green chilies
1 tablespoon honey
4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, or picnic cut, fat and skin removed
Place all ingredients in a ziplock back and mix around. Place in fridge overnight or for 4 hours. Place in a crockpot on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Shred meat and use in your favorite taco, burrito, or nacho fixings.
Meal 3 - Baked "Fried" Green Tomatoes
This time of year, none of our tomatoes are ready. My son also likes to pick any vegetable that he can get his hands on. This week, he picked 5 very small green tomatoes. I was not letting them go to waste. These make a great main course with a couple other vegetables or a tasty sandwich. You can even layer them with mozzarella and marinara for a quick parmesan. You can even switch out squash, zucchini or eggplant for the tomatoes. The possibilities are endless.
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons italian seasoning
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with a cookie rack. Mix bread crumbs, cheese, and seasonings on a plate. Brush tomato slices with mayo and dredge in crumb mixture on both sides. Place on rack. Coat all the slices. Bake for 25-35 minutes. If they are not dark golden brown, place them under the broiler on high for a couple of minutes to finish them off. I usually give them a generous sprinkle of salt right out of the oven. Enjoy!
Meal 4 - Lemon Honey Chicken (via Gordon Ramsey)
I found this recipe on an old Rachael Ray episode. The recipe itself left a lot to the imagination as the measurements and cooking times were all really vague. I tried it anyway and made my own modifications. This chicken is AMAZING!!!! It uses a whole cut up chicken which I found on sale the store. If you're really brave, buy a whole bird and cut it up yourself.
1 large chicken, cut into 8 to 10 pieces
Sea salt and black pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 head of garlic, halved horizontally (Leave it all together, don't peel it!)
4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
1 lemon, finely sliced
Bunch of Italian parsley, chopped
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Brown the chicken pieces in 2 batches over high heat with the garlic for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Return all the chicken to the pan, add the vinegar, and bubble until reduced by half. Drizzle over the soy sauce and honey and shake the pan to mix. Pour in a half cup of hot water and add the lemon slices. Let the liquid bubble and reduce down until syrupy, which will take about 10 minutes or so. By now the chicken should be cooked through. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
Meal 5 - Greek Salad with Eggs
I love a good salad in the summer and especially love a Greek salad. I became obsessed with them during my second pregnancy. I have my recipe for Greek salad dressing on the blog before so you can look it up if you want a great tasting homemade dressing. Here's the down and dirty recipe of the salad itself. The dressing recipe is found in the March 6, 2014 post.
3 tomatoes, chopped
4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
3 heaping tablespoons pickled banana peppers, drained
4 oz. feta cheese crumbles
1/2 jar sliced olives, drained
1/2 sliced red onion
salad dressing of your choice
Make salad with the top 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Toss well. Drizzle with dressing and serve.
Cuppa' Cobbler (Grandmama's Recipe)
I made one modification of this recipe. I switched out self-rising flour for whole wheat. You will not miss it. If you'd like it more traditional just use a cup of self-rising and omit the baking powder.
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 stick butter
2 cups soft fruit, blackberries, blueberries, peaches, plums, etc.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place casserole dish with the stick of butter in it in the oven to melt butter and grease pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, and sugar together and stir in milk. Remove pan from oven. Pour flour mixture into butter and whisk. Top with fruit. Bake for 30-45 minutes until the cobbler is golden brown and fruit is soft and bubbly. This is best served warm with vanilla ice-cream on top.
These are some tried and true recipes. They are sure to fill you belly and feed your soul. Let me know what you've tried and how you liked it. I love getting feedback.
With fresh veggies and tanned shoulders,
Brooke
