Spur of the Moment Noodle Bake

It was dinner time, and I had no idea what to make. I was thinking lasagna, but I didn't have half of the ingredients to put one together. So, I improvised. I really enjoyed the finished dish, and as we were eating dinner, a miracle occurred. The teenager said, "Mom, this is really good."  I got up from dinner, took a picture of the dish-with-no-name, and sat down to write the recipe out. So, here is the teenager approved, spur of the moment noodle bake. Or some other clever title to be determined.

Ingredients:

4 oz. of cream cheese (1/2 of a block)

1/2 cup of sour cream

1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese (shredded)

1 tsp of ranch seasoning (dry)

8 oz. of mozzarella (shredded) 

1 can of tomato sauce (15 oz.)

1 lb. of ground beef

½-1 tsp of Italian seasoning

¼-½ tsp of garlic powder

½ tsp of salt

12 oz. of pasta (I used elbow)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Boil the pasta according to the (al dente) directions on the package, then drain.

In a medium sauce pan, brown the ground beef. I sprinkled it with salt, Italian seasoning and garlic powder while it was cooking (that’s why my measurements aren't exact). Drain the cooked ground beef, and return it to the pan. Add the tomato sauce and the rest of the Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt to taste. Heat the sauce on low until you are ready to assemble.

In a bowl, with a hand mixer, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan, and ranch seasoning.

To assemble, use a 9x9 pan. I like to put down parchment paper or oven paper in the bottom of the pan. Put a small amount of sauce over the parchment paper, and spread it out. Pour about half of the cooked pasta in and all of the cheese/sour cream mixture. Stir it into the pasta to coat it evenly. Top that with half of the sauce/meat mixture, followed by half of the mozzarella. Pour the other half of the pasta on, then the rest of the sauce/meat mixture, and top with the rest of the mozzarella.

Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Zucchini and Cheddar Soup with Bacon

I am already planning my garden!! With it will come lots of Zucchini! But do you ever wonder what to do with all that Zucchini come harvest time?? This recipe calls for a lot of it and it is so good! I already can't wait until next summer!

Zucchini and Cheddar Soup with Bacon

 Ingredients

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 5 1/2 cups unpeeled, sliced zucchini
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper 
• 1 lb. bacon-cooked, cut in pieces
• 2 medium potatoes, cooked, cut in very small cubes
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup lightly packed, grated, sharp cheddar cheese

Preparation

1.       Place 2 1/2 cups of the broth, the onion, celery, zucchini, salt and pepper in a 3- or 4-quart saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

2.       Puree in small batches in a blender or food processor and set aside in the saucepan.

3.       In a 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add the milk and the remaining 1/2 cup of broth. Return to heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Add to the pureed vegetables. Add cooked bacon and potatoes. Correct seasonings. Serve hot.

YIELD

Six servings

Cheese Tortellini And Sausage Soup

Cheese Tortellini And Sausage Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy)

1-2 cloves garlic minced

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (if using spicy sausage, you may want to use less)

1 teaspoon onion powder (I have picky eaters, but you could use 1/2 onion diced)

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon parsley flakes

4 cups chicken broth (or 4 cups of water plus 6 chicken bullion cubes)

1 cup heavy whipping cream (could sub milk or half & half for a thinner base)

1 bag frozen cheese tortellini (mine was 19 oz.)

2 cups kale (chopped)

Salt and pepper to taste (I like white pepper, but black pepper is fine)

Directions:

In a large saucepan add the olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, onion powder and sausage. Brown the sausage completely, then drain and return to pot. Add oregano, parsley flakes, broth and cream. Simmer for about 10 minutes, but do not let it come to a full boil. Add tortellini, kale, salt and pepper. Simmer for 3-5 minutes (until tortellini is done).