Baked Zucchini and Cheese Casserole

Combine:
3/4 lb zucchini, grated (not peeled)
1 large onion, minced
3 slices bacon, minced
4 oz cheddar cheese, grated
1 c flour
1/2 c vegetable oil
5 large eggs
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Spray a 10x6x2 in pan (I used an 8x8 and it worked great!).  Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

2 cups strawberries, hulled

1 cup orange juice

1 (8 ounce) container strawberry yogurt

2 cups ice

1 banana

In a blender combine orange juice, yogurt, strawberries, banana and ice. Blend until smooth. 2 servings.

(I halved the recipe for just myself and gave the other half of the banana to the little guy!)

Edamame Salad

5 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 limes, juiced

1 teaspoon white sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (1 pound) package frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans)

3 cups frozen corn kernels

1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered (or diced romas)

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

In a large serving bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, cilantro, lime juice, sugar, salt and garlic. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the soybeans and boil for 3 minutes. Add corn to the boiling water and continue cooking for 1 more minute. Drain very well, and pour into the bowl with the dressing. Gently mix in the tomatoes, green onions and black beans. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to chill and blend the flavors. 8 servings. Great as leftovers, too!

Photo courtesy allrecipes.com

Swedish Cinnamon Twists

Ingredients

• 2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
• 2 cups warm buttermilk (110° to 115°)
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 7-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 
  FILLING:
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 
  GLAZE:
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon hot water

Directions

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the buttermilk, butter, sugar, eggs, salt, baking soda and 5 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
• Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.
• Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll each into a 16-in. x 9-in. rectangle; brush with butter. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough.
• Fold in half lengthwise, forming a 16-in. x 4-1/2-in. rectangle; pinch edges to seal. Cut into 4-1/2-in. x 1-in. strips; twist each strip two or three times. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over warm twists. Yield: 2-1/2 to 3 dozen

*recipe from Taste of Home

Garlicky Butternut Squash

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

In a large bowl, combine the parsley, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add squash and toss to coat.
Transfer to an ungreased shallow 2-qt. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 50-55 minutes or until squash is just tender.

*Recipe found here.

Crunchy Cheese Sandwiches

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

1 medium tomato, diced

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1-2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt, optional

6-7 slices bread

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the onion, tomato, celery, bell pepper, cheese, chili powder and salt. Arrange slices of bread on a baking sheet or broiling pan. Top each one with mixture, spreading out to the edges.

2. Broil for 4 to 5 minutes, or until cheese melts. Watch closely to prevent burning. Serve immediately.

For more toasty bread: Toast the bread before topping it & broiling it

For cheesier sandwiches: Top the mixture with small slices of cheese

For cooked onion taste instead of raw onion taste: Broil for 4-5 minutes, top with extra cheese, then broil until that cheese melts

For different flavor: substitute curry instead of chili powder, or omit chili powder and just sprinkle on the curry

Or mix and match!

(Can you tell we make these a lot?)

Quick Skillet Chicken and Macaroni Parmesan

1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 cups cubed cooked chicken

1 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Heat the sauce, 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (reserving the rest), chicken and macaroni in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling, stirring occasionally.

2. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Note: for a little more pizazz try added a little cayenne pepper