Easy Tomato Basil Sauce

So my tomatoes are starting to roll in. Which is great. They started to ripen a bit late this year so I was a little worried. While I love homemade tomato sauce canning isn't something I enjoy doing, so here is a quick and easy way to make a delicious freezer-friendly sauce.

What you need-

14-16 tomatoes

about 1/2 cup fresh cut basil

1t balsamic vinegar

1t salt

garlic....I think the more the merrier!

1 - 2T of Italian Seasoning (or a mix of oregano, thyme, parsley)

parchment/waxed paper

first - take your tomatoes, clean them off and put an X in the bottom.

Preheat your oven to 375 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper of waxed paper. If you only have waxed paper that's okay, it will just stick a bit to your pan. Let them roast for about 20 minutes. Take them out & let them cool until you can handle them.

Once cooled peel the skins off & core them, do this over a bowl so any juice is kept. Once all of the tomatoes are peeled/cored you need to squish/cut them all up in your bowl.

When they are all cut up add all of the other ingredients & mix well.

Pour the sauce into clean jars/containers and pop them into the freezer for up to 6 months.

I ended up with several jars today, I put 1 right into the fridge to use for tomorrow's eggplant Parmesan! There is the eggplant I just picked too.

Even after all of the sauce was made, I whipped up some fresh salsa and still have enough left for tomato pie.....that recipe will be posted once I make it - it's from my dad & SO good!

here is the salsa - that one is usually whatever I happen to have around kind of thing....this week it was tomatoes, chives, jalapeno, green/purple bell peppers and come dried cayanne peper & cumin

4 Cheese Pasta Florentine Recipe

This is one of the best new recipes I have tried in awhile. It was even a little bit more delish on day #2 for lunch!

3 c uncooked mostaccioli noodles

1 pkg (8 - 10 oz) frozen chopped spinach

4 oz cream cheese - cube it up

1 c Cottage Cheese

2 eggs

8 oz (1 small package) shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 c Parmesan cheese

-cook pasta according to directions on package

-thaw/cook spinach according to the package as well. Once the spinach is ready & drained add it with the cream cheese in a medium/large bowl & mix until the cheese melts.

-Then add the cottage cheese and eggs - stir well.

-once the pasta has cooked drain it and add it to the spinach mix, stir in the mozzarella cheese.

-Put mixture in an 8" or 9" dish. Then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

-Bake for about 25 Minutes at 375 - or until the center is set.

I paired this up with soft rolls and garlic green beans/carrots last night - it was really good & smelled great while it cooked!

Yummy & EASY Cake Ball Recipe

For Valentines Day we made these delish little cake balls.......here is the so easy recipe

~the ball is the one on the top....the others are covered oreos~

1 box cake mix, bake the cake according to the directions on the box

1 tub of frosting

Almond Bark "candy" coating or Ambrosia Chocolate, whichever you have

Optional-

gel food coloring for almond bark

sprinkles

a little veg shortening to thin the almond bark - I like a thin coating

a cookie scoop - it makes the "balling" part SO easy!

-make the cake according to the box, let cool then crumble it up into a bowl

-add 3/4 of the frosting container.....use the remainder for graham crackers or late night snacking!

- Mix it well, it will get doughy

-scoop the dough out unto wax paper lined cookie sheets, cover then let chill overnight in the fridge, or if you are in a hurry let them cool in the freezer for about 30 minutes

-once they are chilled melt your bark, I like to thin it a bit with the shortening and then add a little colorant - this time it was pink.

- I used a slotted spoon to dunk the balls in the bark, then the slots in the spoon drained the extra right back in to the bowl

-sprinkle with jimmies if you'd like.

If it's warm out you can keep them in the fridge until they are ready to eat ....they keep well in an air tight container

Holiday Cocoa Mix

Here is a delish recipe for making hot chocolate. I like to put it in a jar with a pretty lid and pair it with fun flavored marshmallows.

1-1/2 cup cocoa powder (I use Hershey's)

3c powdered sugar

5c powdered milk

1c powdered creamer

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp allspice

mix in a bowl & put into jar/bag. Use 2-3 rounded spoonfuls - depends on the size of the mug & your flavor preference!

To make a minty varitey crush up some candy canes into the mix.

4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

1 c Peanut Butter

1 c Sugar plus a little extra for rolling

1 egg

1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 325.

Mix all ingredients. Roll rough into 1" balls, then roll the balls in a little dish of sugar to coat them. Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet & then press a fork into the top to make a criss-cross. Bake for about 15 minutes.

Enjoy

Yummy Apple Bread

This bread is delish! It's moist and easy to make.......

1-1/3c flour

3/4t baking soda

1/2t salt

1t Cinnamon

1/4t cloves

1 c sugar

1/2c oil (veggie or canola)

2 eggs, beaten

1t vanilla

2 - 3 apples, peeled & chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients together, then stir in the rest....pour into greased loaf pan, bake for 1 hour.

Banana Overnight French Toast with Syrup Baked In!

6T butter or Margarine
1-1/2c Packed Brown Sugar
5 large, ripe bananas, cut into 1/2" thick slices
1 loaf french or Italian bread sliced 1" thick - I used cinnamon bread & it was great
6 eggs
2c milk
2 t vanilla extract
1t ground cinnamon

-melt butter in a microwave safe bowl for about 30 seconds or so until melted, stir in brown sugar. Pour & press sugar mixture into the bottom of a 13x9 glass or stone baking dish
-place sliced bananas on top of sugar.
-whisk eggs, then mix in vanilla, milk & cinnamon
-I had 2 layers of bread in mine so, place 1 layer of bread on top of the fruit & then pour about half the egg/milk mixture on top. Then put on second layer of bread & pour the rest of the milk mix on top.
-Press gently to help it soak in
-cover with plastic wrap & let it sit at least 2 hours to overnight.
-Uncover and bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes until bread is browned & knife is clean when inserted into the middle

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We had this on Sunday & it was SO good! I'm sorry I don't have a picture because I had served it all before I thought about it.
Also sorry I've slacked on posting. I've been busy. Just plain old busy. And my next True Blood book came out last Tuesday so I had to sit & read that of course!

Vanilla Mousse Cheesecake

40 Nilla wafers - crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)

3 Tbs melted butter

4 pkg (8 oz size) cream cheese, softened - divided

1 c sugar, divided

1 Tbs & 1 tsp vanilla, divided

3 eggs

1 tub (8 oz) cool whip

Preheat oven to 325f.

Mix the Nilla crumbs & melted butter - press into bottom of 9" spring form pan

Beat 3 pkgs of cream cheese, 3/4c sugar & 1 Tbs vanilla until well blended. Add eggs to mix 1 at a time, mix on low after each until just blended, pour over Nilla crust

Bake 50 - 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan & let cool completely in pan.

Beat the last pkg of cream cheese, 1/4 sugar, 1 tsp vanilla until well blended. Whisk in the cool whip, spread over cheesecake. Refrigerate at least 4 hours - I like to make cheesecakes the night before - to really let the flavors mingle & ferment :)

Happy Birthday Otis - Dog cake recipe

So today is Otis's 10th birthday.....the girls & I made him dog friendly cupcakes & made him a new bed.

Here is the easy recipe for a dog cake or cupcakes.

-1 cup flour

-1 t baking soda

-1/4 cup peanut butter

-1/4 vegetable oil

-1 cup shredded carrots

-1 t vanilla

-1/3 cup honey

-1 egg

Preheat oven to 350. Spray desired cake pan or muffin cups with cooking spray (recipe makes about 9 cupcakes or small cake).

Mix all ingredients and pour into pan.

Bake cupcakes for 15 minutes, a cake pan about 20 minutes - or until cake gets golden on edges. Pop out of pan & decorate with more peanut butter and carrots.

Boston Creme Pie Recipe

Okay - I am pretty proud of this one! Look at it - it's perfect! And I usually am not so great at baking *translation - I have trouble "following" recipes - I like to wing it - that doesn't work great when baking.
Anyways, it's a friends birthday tomorrow so I decided he should have a cake, so here is the easy recipe.
1- 9" yellow cake the cake mix I had made 2,but my mom claims there is a box that makes just 1
1 small box of ready to serve vanilla pudding
1-1/2 cups thawed whipped cream
1 cup milk
1 square UNSWEETENED baking chocolate - yes the gross by itself flavor
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
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First I had to bake my cake - just go according to your box
Once cake is cooled, use a serrated knife to cut it in half
Mix your pudding mix & 1 cup milk, then stir in the whipped cream, let sit for 5 minutes
Spread pudding mix on the bottom layer of the cake, put the top on
In a small bowl put the chocolate square & tablespoon of butter in the micro for 1 minute
Stir until chocolate has melted, then mix in the powdered sugar - mix WELL
Pour chocolate over the top & pop in the fridge for at least an hour.

ENJOY

Chicken Tortilla Bake (or ground beef)

1 can condensed tomato soup

1 cup salsa

1/2 cup milk

2 cups cubed chicken (or browned ground beef - I used boca chik'n)

4 flour tortillas cut into 1" pieces

1-1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

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preheat oven to 400f.

mix salsa, soup & milk together.

spray a pie plate with cooking spray & put tortillas in the bottom

pour the salsa mix over the tortillas then stir in the chicken & 1 cup cheese

cover & bake for 30 minutes

top with leftover cheese (I like to put sour cream on too)

serve & enjoy

Rosemary Dijon Bread

This bread was so easy & yummy! We had people over for dinner & this was the bread I made. I smelled fantastic & tasted just as good. I will be experimenting more with Dijon.....

Rosemary Dijon Bread

1 tube (10 oz) refrigerated pizza dough

2 T Dijon Mustard

1 T Chopped Garlic (I like the jar kind myself)

2 t Olive Oil

1-1/2 c shredded cheese - I used mozzarella & cheddar

1 t dried rosemary

Preheat over to 425. Unroll pizza crust on a lightly greased or sprayed cookie sheet. Push the dough out to a rectangle shape (about 9 x 13) Bake for 5 Minutes.

Mix your mustard, garlic & oil together, then spread over the cooked crust.

Sprinkle the cheese & then the rosemary, pop in the oven for 8-9 minutes or until crust is golden and the cheese is melted.

And enjoy!!

Easy Banana Cream Pie Recipe

Mmmmmmm........Pie.......



What's better than pie? An easy to make, easy to change pie recipe!



1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding
1 cup cold milk
1/2 t vanilla
2 cups cool whip (if there is extra save it for the top)
2 sliced bananas
1 ready-made pie crust (I had a chocolate one)


In a bowl combine milk, pudding mix vanilla & cool whip - mix on low speed until well blended (or hand stir it - I did) then mix for another 2 minutes until thick.
Pour 1/3 of of mixture into your crust, lay the sliced bananas on top.
Pour remaining filling over the bananas. Top with any remaining cool whip.
Chill 2 hours - serve & enjoy!


The nice thing is this pie recipe is it's very flexible to what you have on hand. I had a chocolate pie crust, but a graham cracker or Nilla wafer one is great too. You can also use any instant pudding mix you have - like banana or chocolate or cookies & cream. Not a fan of bananas? Leave them out :)

"Beef" & Mushroom Lasagna

This was a recipe I found on the Campbell's Soup coupon page in Sunday's paper. It sounded easy & good so we tried it right away.



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1 can (10 oz) Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/4 c milk
1 pound beef - I used Morningstar Farm Sausage Crumble instead - yummy!
2 cups spaghetti sauce - I used an entire small jar
9 cooked lasagna noodles
1 cup shredded mozzarella or Italian-blend cheese


-Heat oven to 400, Stir milk & soup in a bowl until smooth
-Brown beef in a skillet on med-high once beef or brown (or faux meat is heated) stir in the spaghetti sauce.
-Layer 1/2 of the beef mixture, 3 noodles & 1 cup of the soup mix in a 9x9 (or 8x8) pan.
-Then put on 3 more noodles, rest of beef mixture, the last 3 noodles & the rest of the soup mix.
-Sprinkle with cheese & cover with foil.
-Bake 30 minutes. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.


Then viola - it's done! It was good & easy and it was great reheated for lunch the next day.

Easy Sweet & Sour "Chicken"

1 pkg Boca Chicken Nuggets (10 oz)

2 cups frozen veggie mix - I used a stir-fry mix

1 can 8oz pineapple chunks (juice drained & saved for later)

1/2 cup sweet & sour sauce

1/4 cup water

2 tsp cornstarch (I was out & used flour)

2 cups cooked rice

Bake nuggets according to package. I used Boca nuggets as I don't eat meat, you can use whatever floats your boat though.

While the nuggets cook bring the veggies, drained pineapple, sweet & sour sauce and water to a boil on the stovetop on medium-high heat, cover then simmer on medium-low heat until heated thru - stirring often.

When the veggies were simmering I cooked my rice - I used instant rice.

Also mix the cornstarch (or flour) with the saved pineapple juice until blended.

Add the pineapple juice to the veggies on the stove, cook for 1 minute, stir constantly.

When the nuggets & rice are all done put the rice on the plates, put nuggets on the rice & the sweet & sour veggie mix on the top.

ENJOY!

Here is a photo of our yummy dinner

In a Food Funk?

Well we sure were! I was tired of making (and eating) the same old recipes. So I have started making a new recipe at least once I week. I will share the keeper recipes with you...I will try to get a photo of each as well as I intend on making a "Mom's Cookbook"for each of the girls.

Here is my first entry....

Broccoli Cottage Bake

16 oz cottage cheese

16 oz frozen broccoli thawed & chopped (I used all broc)

(or 10 oz broccoli & 7 oz red peppers - it's up to you!)

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

4 eggs, beaten

3tbs Parmesan cheese

3tbs dry bread crumbs

Heat oven to 350f

Mix all ingredients until well blended

Pour into 9" pie plate (spray plate with cooking spray)

Bake 45 minutes or until center is set

Let sit 10 minutes & serve

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We served this with melon & toast for dinner. It was really good & easy and could also be a breakfast food.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

So I made my first (I think) pot pie last night.....it was good & SO easy! Here is the recipe:

2 refrigerator pie crusts (they come in a package of 2)
1 can roasted-garlic potato soup (the recipe used cream of celery)
1/4c water
3c frozen mixed veggies (I steamed them for a few minutes first)
3 frozen chicken patties - I used Boca- coarsely cut up
1/4t pepper
1/4c shredded cheese

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Preheat oven to 400
Spray pie plate with cooking spray, unroll & lay in 1 pie crust
I steamed my veggies in the micro for 4 minutes since they were frozen
Combine all ingredients in a bowl (except for pie crusts), mix
Pour mixture into pie crust
Unroll 2nd crust & lay on top of the pie plate. Seal the edges.
Cut a few steam slits into the top of the crust

Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until crust is nice & brown.

Enjoy!!

Holiday Treats

So what do you call it when you make yummy holiday goodies, but you didn't bake? Chocolatizing? Confectioning? Making the world better with treats?

Well while I ponder that thought I will show you a picture of my goodies. There are all different kinds of delish.....There is chocolate cookie bark, triple dipped oreos & mint cookies. They are all bagged and tagged for my work people (but shhh - don't tell them- they are for Christmas Eve)

Yummy Chili for a Rainy Day

CHUNKY VEGGIE CHILI

2 medium potatoes - cubed
1 medium onion - chopped
1 yellow bell pepper - chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes - undrained
1 can (15-16 oz) garbanzo beans – drained & rinsed
1 can (15 oz) black beans – drained & rinsed
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 medium zucchini, cubed

Heat all ingredients except zucchini to boiling in a Dutch-oven, breaking up tomatoes & stirring occasionally – reduce heat, cover & simmer for 13 minutes.
Stir in zucchini, Cover & simmer 5-7 more minutes or until zucchini is tender – then serve!!

Yummy & EASY Overnight French Toast Recipe

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 (1 pound) loaf French bread, sliced
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
Combine the corn syrup , butter, and brown sugar in a small saucepan and simmer until the sugar has melted. Pour this mixture over the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch casserole dish.
Place the bread slices over the sugar-butter mixture in the dish. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt; pour this mixture over the bread. Cover the dish and let it stand in the refrigerator overnight.

The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Uncover the pan and bake for 45 minutes. Serve while hot or warm or the French toast will harden in the pan. It can be reheated.



It was so easy & tasty!