Here’s a delicious veggie-loaded pasta bake that's perfect for a springtime meal!
 |
| Delicious! |
It’s a great dish for the nights you want to go meatless.
Showing posts with label Mozzarella. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mozzarella. Show all posts
Serve Belly-filling Baked Ziti for Dinner!
Cheater’s Lasagna should be
the name for this dish!
Do you like lasagna, but could do without the fuss? Make this baked ziti instead. It has about the same flavors, is easy to make and is just as tasty.
Lightened up Chicken Parmesan
I love the Italian-American classic, Chicken Parmesan ~ breaded, then fried and smothered in mozzarella cheese and served alongside a plate of pasta.
This recipe is sort of like it, just lightened-up.
Great Summertime Fresh Rustic Tomato Tart
This is a tasty meatless
main dish, side dish,
or even an enjoyable appetizer,
using oval-shaped plum tomatoes.
 |
| The rustic look, for sure! |
It's Stuffed Peppers with Grits and Italian Sausage!
You ask, “What could possibly make a cheesy grits and Italian pork sausage combo taste better?”
Southern Living magazine has the answer:
It’s seasoned cheesy grits and Italian pork sausage, stuffing a tender bell pepper with mozzarella cheese sprinkled over all and baked!
Deliciousness comes together in this flavorful and easy meal for your family and friends too, it's that good!
Surprisingly, all bell peppers contain more Vitamin C than an orange, ranging from 95 mg in a green to a whopping 341 mg in a yellow. They're also super low-cal, containing just 45 calories per cup, making them the the perfect snack. Maybe we should be eating bell peppers instead of of reaching for a glass of sugary orange juice to ward off a cold!
And who doesn't like grits?
Here's the Ten Commandments of Grits:
1. Thou shalt not put syrup on thy Grits.
2. Thou shalt not eat Cream of Wheat and call it Grits; for this is blasphemy.
3. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors Grits.
4. Thou shalt only use Salt, Butter and Cheese as toppings for thy Grits.
5. Thou shalt not eat Instant Grits.
6. Thou shalt not put syrup on thy Grits.
7. Thou shalt not put syrup on thy Grits.
8. Thou shalt not put syrup on thy Grits.
9. Thou shalt not put sugar on thy Grits either.
10. Thou shalt not put sugar or syrup on thy Grits.
Amen, right on!
There are 8 colors in the bell pepper family. Besides the usual green, red and yellow, the family includes orange, black, brown, ivory and purple.
Any color bell pepper could be used in this slightly adapted Southern Living recipe, I opted for red peppers simply because red is my favorite color. The important thing is to make sure the peppers are large enough to be stuffed with the cheese and grits filling, 3 of them should total about 20 ounces.
After stuffing the peppers with the savory filling, and baking them, whisk a simple vinaigrette, then toss in a few grape tomatoes to drizzle over the peppers before serving.
We all really liked this savory and satisfying version of stuffed peppers, so the recipe is a keeper!
Yield: 6 servings
Stuffed Peppers with Grits and Sausage
Cheesy grits and Italian sausage provide a savory and satisfying filling for bell peppers!
prep time: 15 MINScook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 hours and 15 mins
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 large red bell peppers (about 20 oz.)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 hot Italian pork sausage links, casings removed
- 1 cup chopped sweet onion
- 1/2 cup stoneground grits (or regualr)
- 11/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup), divided
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°. Microwave bell peppers on HIGH 2 minutes to soften slightly. Cut bell peppers in half through the stem. Remove seeds and white membranes using a serrated tomato corer or melon baller. Discard seeds and membranes.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage to skillet; cook 4 minutes, stirring to break into small pieces. Add onion to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is cooked and onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Remove sausage mixture from pan.
- Add grits to skillet; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add broth, milk, and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt to skillet; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir in sausage mixture, and half of the cheese.
- Divide mixture evenly among bell pepper halves. Place side by side on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven until cheese is browned and peppers are tender, about 30 minutes.
- Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, black pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
- Add tomatoes; toss to coat. Serve over peppers.
Enjoy!
Our Prayers and Best Wishes to everyone in the path of the hurricanes!
And let's remember, honor and pay tribute to all those affected by the events of 9/11...
Sautéed Vegetables with Fresh Mozzarella
This is a side dish that is a big hit here in the summer ~
thanks to good fresh veggies!
Included in the dish are some of the best vegetables that
summer has to offer: fresh juicy
tomatoes, woodsy-tasting mushrooms, sweet onions, mild zucchini, and colorful
bell peppers.
All sautéed into deliciousness with seasonings and served
with chunks of slightly melted mozzarella cheese. Mozzarella is perfect with tomatoes and other vegetables, tallying
in at 70 calories and 5 grams of fat per ounce ~ tasty and diet-friendly!
We really enjoy this ~ summertime goodness! I hope you do too!
Sautéed Vegetables
with Fresh Mozzarella
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and seasoned pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 pound fresh whole mushrooms, cut into chunks
1 large Vidalia onion, cut into thick wedges
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 each, small red, yellow, and green bell peppers, sliced
1 medium zucchini, cut into bite-size chunks
1 large tomato, cut into wedges
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced ¼” thick and cut into
quarters.
Method:
Pour oil into medium-hot nonstick skillet.
Add mushrooms, cook until they begin to release their juice,
about 5 minutes.
Stir in onions and garlic cook for 1 minute.
Add peppers and toss.
Add zucchini and tomatoes, sauté until crisp-tender.
Stir in seasonings.
Add fresh mozzarella to hot vegetable mixture.
Toss together so that the mozzarella begins to melt.
Transfer to a serving dish.
Serve
ENJOY!
Tomato Pie ~ My New Favorite Summer Dish!
All of you tomato lovers
out there have to give to give this recipe a go before the summer is over ~ while
tomatoes are still in season!
I’ve been buying tomatoes at the farmers’ market lately like I’m afraid there will be a shortage of them. This summer, I’ve served this several times to family and guests, and got nothing but rave reviews. If we’re lucky enough to have a slice or two left over for lunch the next day, all the better!
There are many tomato pie
recipes out there, and this one
caught my eye because of the cheese crackers --- a little twist on the
recipe. Start with a good pie
crust and sliced tomatoes, add a little fresh basil, some freshly grated
Parmesan and mozzarella cheese, mayonnaise and last, but not least: BACON! Bake until it’s puffed and golden and ~ VOILA! ~ you have
about the most delicious thing on earth for your mealtime!
 |
| Bacon! |
 |
| Mayo & Parm |
 |
| Cheese crackers |
 |
| Baked! |
Tomato Pie
Ingredients:
1 (9-inch) pie crust, blind-baked
– see recipe below*
8 tomatoes, divided—5 in
bottom layer, 3 in top layer**
¾ - 1 pound bacon; however
much pleases you, cooked and crumbled
1 tablespoon fresh basil
or ½ teaspoon dried
¾ cup mayonnaise
¾ cup Parmesan cheese,
grated
2 tablespoons onion,
minced
¾ cup cheese crackers,
crushed (I use Cheez-Its)
1 cup Mozzarella cheese,
shredded
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
Method:
Preheat oven to 350
degrees.
Slice tomatoes and drain
well.
Place 5 tomatoes
overlapping on cooled pie crust.
Scatter bacon and basil
over top.
Mix together mayonnaise
and Parmesan.
Spread over top of bacon.
Sprinkle with crushed
crackers.
Layer with shredded
mozzarella.
Place remaining 3
tomatoes, overlapped, on top.
Sprinkle pepper over all.
(You may need to cover the
edge of the crust with foil to keep it from becoming too brown.)
Bake for about 35 minutes.
Cool pie for 20 minutes
before slicing.
*Blind-baked crust:
Preheat oven to 425
degrees.
Line crust with foil or
parchment paper.
Fill with rice or dried
beans.
Bake about 10 minutes
until lightly browned.
**I peel the tomatoes.
If you want a delicious summer time
dish, make this!
Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My
Kind Of Cooking for her tips on Tuesday and yummy recipes on Friday!
Cheesy Baked Mostaccioli
A lot of recipes for mostaccioli call for 5 or 6 Italian sausage links and then tell you to remove the casing before cooking. I don’t know about anyone else, but why bother… just buy the sausage in bulk form to make the job easier.
This recipe makes a lot of mostaccioli ~ note the size of the baking dish! It’s great for a small group and is perfect for a potluck; or, half would freeze well for a later meal. This is easy and delicious and gives you that satisfied feeling after eating it. Use jarred pasta sauce if you want to make it even easier. It’s delicious!
Cheesy Baked Mostaccioli
Ingredients:
16 ounces mostaccioli
2 pounds bulk Italian sausage
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14.5 ounce) Hunts Fire-roasted Diced Tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
½ cup water
1 (8-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained well
½ cup black olives
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook mostaccioli according to package directions, drain well; set aside.
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, crumble sausage.
Add bell pepper and onion and cook until sausage is done.
Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste, mix well.
Add additional ingredients up to cheese.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Stir in mostaccioli.
Coat an 11” x 16” baking dish with nonstick spray.
Place half of mostaccoli mixture in baking dish.
Top with half of mozzarella cheese.
Spread remaining mostaccoli over all.
Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top.
Top with Parmesan.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated throughout.
Remove foil and bake for 5 minutes.
Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
12 servings
Try it for cheesy goodness!
Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and delicious easy recipes!
Joy Bauer’s Food Cures Review and Healthy Chicken Parmesan and Broccoli
I have been a fan of hers since her well-rounded doses of
nutritional segments started on the Today
show!
I am referring to Joy Bauer!
I was thrilled when Kathleen,
Partnership Director at Joy Bauer.com, offered to send me a copy of Joy Bauer’s Food Cures.
Other than being the nutrition expert for the Today show, Bauer also is the bestselling author of six other books on food and nutrition, and a contributing editor to Parade and Woman’s Day magazines. Joy is the nutritionist for the New York City Ballet and the creator of www.JoyBauer.com. She lives in New York with her husband and three children.
Other than being the nutrition expert for the Today show, Bauer also is the bestselling author of six other books on food and nutrition, and a contributing editor to Parade and Woman’s Day magazines. Joy is the nutritionist for the New York City Ballet and the creator of www.JoyBauer.com. She lives in New York with her husband and three children.
Joy Bauer’s Food Cures is a great read and an
informative reference for those of us who are taking steps to be
healthier. It’s a huge book ~ 516 pages
~ full of nutritional facts and recipes; grouped into sections regarding numerous
diseases and issues.
Joy shares her knowledge of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, weight loss, arthritis, osteoporosis, migraine headaches, cancer prevention, vision issues and memory problems ~ just to name a few.
Joy shares her knowledge of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, weight loss, arthritis, osteoporosis, migraine headaches, cancer prevention, vision issues and memory problems ~ just to name a few.
Joy Bauer says, “Life is hard. Food should be easy.” I agree with Joy, life can be stressful and thinking
about what foods to eat, or not to eat, shouldn’t drive us crazy.
We all know that the food we eat affects how we feel, as well as our appearance. A healthy lifestyle should be easy and attainable, and that is exactly what Joy assists us with in this book.
We all know that the food we eat affects how we feel, as well as our appearance. A healthy lifestyle should be easy and attainable, and that is exactly what Joy assists us with in this book.
 |
| Photo credit Handout Today |
Whether, you are looking to improve a health issue or you want to take off excess pounds; Joy can help you do it. The basic format of each chapter of the book begins with an explanation of the condition; followed by what generally affects the condition, how food affects the condition, bonus points to assist in managing the condition, and ending with supplements you may want to consider in addition to the food fixes.
Interspersed through those pages are several “FAQS”
sections, such as this entry from the insomnia chapter: “When I drink coffee, I drink only decaf, but
on the nights I have a cup, I notice I have a hard time falling asleep. My friend told me that even decaffeinated
coffees and teas contain small amounts of caffeine. Is that true?
Do I need to stop drinking hot beverages at night?” In each of the chapters of Joy Bauer’s Food Cures, we can
read the examples of her clients and the issues they encountered, and how Bauer
responded to them.
Lastly, each chapter ends with a 4-Step program, which recaps
all of the advice offered in that specific chapter. Joy’s 4-Step Program for insomnia goes like
this:
Step 1: Start with
the Basics: A list of the first things
you should do in trying to achieve a good night’s sleep. One thing she says to do is: “Avoid
heavy dinners, especially within three hours of going to bed.”
Step 2: Your Ultimate
Grocery List: This consists of a list of
foods that aids sleep, including those with tryptophan and high-quality
carbohydrates. These are the best
sleep-inducing fruits: bananas,
grapefruit, grapes, mangoes, oranges, papayas and plums. And all vegetables but, especially these: asparagus, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts,
cauliflower, celery, corn, dark leafy greens, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, spinach and
squash. Additionally, lean proteins are listed,
as well as which nuts and whole grains to consume.
Step 3: Going Above
and Beyond: Here, Joy includes various
remedies you can try for a dreamy night’s sleep; like, “Try a white noise
machine to block out distracting ambient sounds.” She mentions the power of lavender. Bauer tells us, “I’m pretty sure lavender won’t
solve all of your sleep issues, but there’s certainly no downside---and you and
your house will smell divine!” I’m a
believer!
Step 4: Meal
Plans: Bauer concludes the chapter with
sample menus of foods that may assist in sleeping better and offers
delicious-sounding recipes. The Warm Turkey
Bacon-Spinach Salad and the Banana-Mango Parfait sound yummy to me.
Joy Bauer explains she doesn’t expect us to “eat perfectly
100 percent of the time. Even nutritionists
have days when we indulge our food lusts.
But I make healthy foods my habit and rich desserts an occasional
treat. If you really want to think like
a nutritionist, start by becoming mindful of your eating habits.” Joy exalts:
“You can do this… Dive in!”
Bauer’s book also gives us excellent tips on what we should
eat and drink for healthy skin, healthy hair and how to feed a beautiful smile. It’s about much more than pearly white
teeth!
To wrap up my review of this extraordinary book ~ if you
have health issues that you believe could be cured or controlled by foods you
do or don’t eat, if you want to ward off various conditions, and if you want to
maybe even reverse symptoms, you can benefit from Joy Bauer’s Food Cures.
It is a “must-have” reference book for good health and nutritional food
choices. Bauer offers exceptional advice for restoring our damaged bodies. Read it, practice what she preaches, and get healthier!
Go here to visit
Joy Bauer’s website and here to
purchase this fantastic book. It will
become your “go to” reference for healthy nutritional information!
Joy Bauer’s Food Cures is chock full of good recipes
and one of them I made was her Healthy Chicken Parmesan and Broccoli. It’s an absolute favorite from the book for Joy’s
husband and youngest daughter: “Great
taste and stellar nutrition – home run!”
Healthy Chicken
Parmesan and Broccoli
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 can (28 ounces) no-salted-added diced tomatoes
- 1⁄4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, plus 1 whole sprig
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- 1 large bunch broccoli, cut into florets
- 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs
- 1⁄4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1⁄4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 large skinless chicken cutlets (6 ounces each),
pounded very thin
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 cup grated reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
Preparation:
1. Coat a large skillet with
nonstick cooking spray. Place over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the
oil is hot, add the onion, two-thirds of the garlic, and bay leaf. Cook,
stirring, for 6 to 7 minutes, until the onion begins to soften and become
translucent. Reduce the heat to medium and add the tomatoes and sprig of basil.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce starts to thicken, about 10
minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer on low heat while you
prepare the broccoli and chicken.
2. Preheat the oven to 450
degrees F. Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Sprinkle the remaining garlic over the broccoli, and season with salt and
pepper. Wrap the broccoli tightly in aluminum foil. Set aside.
3. Place the flour on a piece
of waxed paper or aluminum foil. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg whites. On
another piece of waxed paper or aluminum foil, mix the bread crumbs with the
oregano, rosemary, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and season with a pinch of salt and
pepper.
4. Sprinkle both sides of the
chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the cutlets in the flour,
then dip in the egg whites, shaking off any excess egg, then dredge in the
bread crumb mixture. Coat both sides of each cutlet with nonstick cooking spray
and place on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake the chicken and foil
packet of broccoli until the cutlets are golden and the broccoli is tender, 8
to 10 minutes. Remove the broccoli and chicken from the oven.
6. Preheat the broiler.
Sprinkle the cutlet with the mozzarella and remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan.
Place under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, until the cheese is golden. (Watch
carefully — they can burn easily!) Transfer the chicken and broccoli to a
platter. Remove the bay leaf from the tomato sauce and ladle the sauce around
the chicken. Sprinkle with the torn basil and serve immediately.
Nutrition information per
serving: 569 calories, 59 g protein, 41 g carbohydrate, 16 g fat (4 g
saturated), 111 mg cholesterol, 670 mg sodium, 7 g fiber; plus 365 mg calcium
(36% DV), 86 mg magnesium (22% DV), 97 mcg vitamin K (122% DV), 1,017 mg
potassium (29% DV), 113 mcg folic acid (28% DV)
Serves 4
It’s a favorite of ours too!!!
Many thanks to you, Kathleen, for sending me this superb informative book!
Go visit
my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind of Cooking for excellent tips and recipes. She’s having a
great giveaway now---this book!
Not Your Usual Tomato and Mozzarella Sauce with Pasta
Do you want a
different side dish or even a main dish?
This is definitely not your mama’s pasta with tomato sauce!
This recipe came
from a 1990 Hometown Collection of America’s Best Recipes Cookbook and was
submitted by The Women’s Art Guild, Laguna Gloria Art Museum in Austin,
Texas. I have no recollection of where I
picked up this cookbook but it is filled with some tasty recipes.
If you adore ripe
tomatoes and pasta, you will enjoy this for a meal. It is a simple recipe that is easy to toss
together.
The finished dish has a strong tomato taste and the texture of the cheese becomes softer. I like it warm so I serve it immediately. I’m guessing it would be fine if it were served with the pasta at room temperature.
It is definitely different!
The finished dish has a strong tomato taste and the texture of the cheese becomes softer. I like it warm so I serve it immediately. I’m guessing it would be fine if it were served with the pasta at room temperature.
It is definitely different!
 |
| Ready to rest for an hour |
Tomato and
Mozzarella Sauce with Pasta
Ingredients:
6 to 8 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup fresh basil, minced
¼ cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (16-ounce) package spaghetti
Method:
Combine first 7 ingredients, stir well.
Cover and let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain
well.
Immediately transfer hot spaghetti to a large serving
bowl.
Pour sauce over hot cooked spaghetti, tossing gently to
combine.
6-8 servings
ENJOY!!!
Be sure to visit my friend,
Linda’s blog @My
Kind of Cooking for
great tips, recipes.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
DINNER PARTY
Jules-Alexandre Grun
ᴡᴏᴏ ʜᴏᴏ!!!
