Tuesday, September 24, 2013

One Pot Eggplant and Zucchini Pasta with Soppressata


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The last days of Summer have slipped away. We have beautiful days with really cool evenings and all the leaves have started turning.

Which means the garden has pretty much stopped producing summer squash, eggplant, peppers and tomatoes. What better way to make use of the last crop than a hearty and satisfying pasta dish??

And even better, it's all made in ONE POT!!

Yep, that's right, all the vegetables are sauteed and then add in tomatoes, pasta, broth and bake! 

Easy Peasy!! (oh and yeah, I am back to using my oven now that it's cooled off!! Yay!!)

Friday, September 13, 2013

Blueberry Crumble Bars




The blueberries are so plentiful this summer. I buy pint after pint, after awhile you can only make so many smoothies and add them to cereal or oatmeal only so much much.

My family loves them, but like anything, it needs to be eaten in moderation, except Peaches-I could eat a fresh peach every day of my life.

So to give my family a break from "fresh" blueberries, I made these delicious bars.

Now we need to figure out a way to eat these in moderation-they want me to make them ALL the time!

Haha, can't win sometimes...

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Ranch Chicken and Noodles




 My family thinks you can make anything better with Ranch. So I am carrying on the tradition and I upped the ante by making a classic chicken and Noodle dish more "Ranchy".......

It's still the comforting, creamy-dreamy casserole we've all loved, but that added tang of ranch just knocks it up a notch and now my family wants it into some sort of meal rotation!

Not that I would mind, its super simple to throw together, and the leftovers (if you should have any.....) are just as awesome!


You know you want to see this recipe....

Monday, September 9, 2013

Chicken and Zucchini Enchiladas



Another winner from the summer garden, These enchiladas may seem unconventional but in all actuality they are a common recipe in Hispanic cuisine. 
Give them a try, they are muy delicioso!!



These delicious (super easy) enchiladas are another celebration of Summer.

Using fresh zucchini, and ground chicken breast, they are light, yet hearty tasting.

Minimal ingredients are used to create this dish, using even your favorite jarred Green chili Salsa, lean ground chicken, fresh zucchini and shredded cheese.

What couldn't be easier or more delicious!!


Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Easy Beefy Bean Tostadas


Sometimes, things just get away from us.

I mean with school starting, sports practices, games, tournaments, the girls going to and from their part-time jobs...

It can sometimes feel like your living in a whirling vortex that consists of laundry, food and car pooling.

So it's during these times that even a quickly made meal is better than wolfing down a cold piece of pizza or a bag of popcorn at a sports event concession stand.

These Tostadas are a snap to prepare especially if you have pre-cooked taco meat on hand or if you just go with the bean route it's even faster!!

Top with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and drizzle with your favorite taco sauce or salsa. Our family loves a large dollop of sour cream as well.



Sunday, September 1, 2013

Ratatouille & Sausage Pasta

The garden is finally producing daily and we have a bounty of zucchini, eggplant, beets, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, kale and chard.

Weeee!

To honor this bounty I made this flavorful dish using the beautiful zucchini and Asian eggplant from our garden.


 Ratatouille & Sausage Pasta

This is a beautiful dish, that celebrates the abundance of fresh garden vegetables and it comes together fast enough to be an easy weeknight meal.

Filled with veggies, we served ours with a fresh baked (take & bake) Ciabatta loaf cut and slathered with butter. 
Make it totally meatless and forgo adding the sausage, making it vegetarian but an awesome meal as well!!