Easy Zucchini Parmesan

Submitted by: MATCM81

This quick and healthy snack takes minutes to prepare! And as a bonus, it's an easy way to get the kids to eat their vegetables.

Number of Servings: 1

Ingredients

Zucchini, 1 cup, sliced
Parmesan Cheese, grated, 1 tbsp
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, Original Buttery Spray, 10 sprays
Non-stick cooking spray

Directions

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, then coat with some non-stick cooking spray. Place the zucchini slices out on the pan, then spritz with them with the butter spray. Sprinkle on the parmesan cheese and then pop it in the oven. Broil for a few minutes - until the cheese starts to brown. Enjoy it while it's warm!

Make a larger batch for a delicious and healthy side dish for any meal! Your family will love it!

artichoke dip

8 oz cream cheese 2 cups mayo 2 cups Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoon fresh dill 2 cloves garlic minced 3 (6 oz) jars marinated artichoke hearts drained and chopped 1large round loaf sourdough bread Cut thick slice off top of bread and hollow it out. Fill food processor with all ingredients except artichokes. Blend. Add artichokes and pulse lightly. Fill bread and cover with top. Wrap in 2 layers of foil and bake at 300 for 2 hours. Thank you Michelle.... this is amazingly good! I can't wait to make it and eat it up!

JELLO COOL WHIP FRUIT SALAD

JELLO COOL WHIP FRUIT SALAD

Read more about it at www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1819,157169-231203,00.html
Content Copyright © 2011 Cooks.com - All rights reserved.

2 cans fruit cocktail
1 can mandarin oranges
1 (20 oz.) can chunk pineapple
3 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. Cool Whip
3 oz. Jello (strawberry, cherry or banana)

Drain fruit. Soften cream cheese in a large bowl. Add Cool Whip and dry Jello (don't add water, just powder). Blend cheese, Cool Whip and Jello together. Mix with fruit and serve.

cranberry sauce

Ingredients

* 1 cup (200 g) sugar
* 1 cup (250 mL) water
* 4 cups (1 12-oz package) fresh or frozen cranberries
* Optional Pecans, orange zest, raisins, currants, blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice.

Method

1 Wash and pick over cranberries. In a saucepan bring to a boil water and sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.

2 At this point you can add all number of optional ingredients. We typically mix in a half a cup of roughly chopped pecans with or without a few strips of orange zest. You can add a cup of raisins or currants. You can add up to a pint of fresh or frozen blueberries for added sweetness. Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice can be added too.

3 Remove from heat. Cool completely at room temperature and then chill in refrigerator. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

Cranberry sauce base makes 2 1/4 cups.

yummy sweet potato casserole

Ingredients

* 4 cups sweet potato, cubed
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 4 tablespoons butter, softened
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
*
* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 3 tablespoons butter, softened
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water to cover. Cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and mash.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. In medium bowl, mix the sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown.

sweet potato eggnog casserole

Ingredients

* 2 (15 ounce) cans sweet potatoes, mashed
* 1 cup eggnog
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 2 tablespoons grated orange zest
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Mix sweet potatoes, eggnog, butter, sugar, salt, ginger, clove, orange zest, and pecans in a large bowl. Pour into a 2-quart baking dish.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and golden on top, about 40 minutes.

sweet potato souffle

Ingredients

* 3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1/3 cup butter, softened
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1 cup flaked coconut
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1 cup chopped walnuts
* 1/3 cup melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Combine the mashed sweet potatoes with the white sugar, soft butter or margarine, beaten eggs, vanilla and milk. Spoon into a 2 quart oven proof baking dish.
3. Combine the coconut, flour, brown sugar, chopped nuts and melted butter. Sprinkle over the top of the sweet potatoes.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes.

triple cheese pasta

Ingredients

* Kosher salt
* 12 ounces gemelli, cavatappi or other spiral-shaped pasta
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon dry mustard
* Pinch of cayenne pepper
* 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
* 1/2 cup whole milk
* 3/4 cup shredded yellow sharp cheddar cheese
* 3/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
* 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
* 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, chives and/or scallions

Directions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, mustard and cayenne and stir with a wooden spoon to make a paste. Cook, stirring, until the paste puffs slightly, about 1 minute. Whisk in both milks and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened and creamy, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the cheddar and jack cheeses and all but 2 tablespoons of the parmesan and whisk until melted; keep warm.

Combine the panko, herbs and/or scallions, 1 tablespoon butter and the remaining parmesan in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until the butter melts, about 1 minute; toss.

Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup cooking water, and return to the pot. Toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, then stir in the cheese sauce, adding the reserved cooking water if needed. Season with salt and top with the breadcrumb mixture.

roasted veggies

Ingredients

* 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 3 medium carrots (about 3/4 pound), cut into 1 1/2-inch thick circles
* 1 1/2 cups Brussels sprouts (about 1/2 pound), halved
* 4 cups red bliss potatoes (about 1 pound), cut into 1 1/2-inch thick slices
* 3 medium parsnips (about1 pound), cut into 1 1/2-inch thick slices
* 1 cup sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), cut into 1 1/2-inch thick slices
* 1 tablespoon dried oregano
* 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
* 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Grease an 11 by 17-inch baking sheet pan with extra-virgin olive oil. Place vegetables in baking sheet and add the dried herbs, salt and pepper. Toss well, evenly coating all the vegetables with the seasonings and oil. Add more oil if the vegetables seem dry

Spread the vegetables evenly on a large baking sheet. Place on middle rack in oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

blue cheese walnut mashed potatoes

Directions

Make Classic Mash. Brown 4 tablespoons butter with 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 2 tablespoons each chopped rosemary and parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; add a pinch of sugar. Crumble blue cheese over the mash; drizzle with the browned butter.
Directions

Classic Mashed Potatoes Cover 2 pounds whole russet or Yukon gold potatoes with cold salted water; simmer 45 minutes. Drain, peel and mash with 1/2 to 1 stick butter. Add 1 cup hot milk, and salt and pepper; mash until smooth and fluffy.

apple raisin stuffing

Directions

In a large deep skillet, saute 2 chopped red onions, 2 minced garlic cloves and 3 chopped celery stalks in 1 stick butter for 1 minute.

Season with salt and pepper and add 4 diced peeled apples, 1 tablespoon chopped thyme, 1 teaspoon aniseed and 1 cup golden raisins; cook 5 minutes.

Pour in 4 go 6 cups chicken broth. Simmer until step 5.

In a large bowl, mix 3 eggs, a scoop of grainy mustard and 3 tablespoons each chopped parsley and tarragon.

Add to the bowl 8 cups each toasted pumpernickel and sourdough bread cubes and the hot broth mixture.

Gently toss the stuffing, then spread in a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Dot the top with butter or turkey pan drippings, cover and bake 30 minutes at 350. Uncover and bake until golden, 20 more minutes.

green beans with lemon and garlic

Ingredients

* 2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 2 large garlic cloves, minced
* 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 1 tablespoon lemon zest
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Blanch green beans in a large stock pot of well salted boiling water until bright green in color and tender crisp, roughly 2 minutes. Drain and shock in a bowl of ice water to stop from cooking.

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and the butter. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans and continue to saute until coated in the butter and heated through, about 5 minutes. Add lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.

Nutty green beans with bacon and blue cheese

Ingredients

* Kosher salt
* 1 pound haricots verts, trimmed
* 3 slices bacon
* 4 ounces blue cheese, cut into small chunks (recommended: Shropshire)
* 1 1/2 cups toasted whole pecans, coarsely chopped
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the haricots verts and cook for about 2 minutes. Remove the beans from the water and immediately place in a bowl of ice water. Remove the haricots verts from the ice water and set aside in a medium bowl.

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and place on paper towels. Add the beans to the bacon drippings and cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the blue cheese and toss just until it starts to melt. Break the cooked bacon into bite-size pieces and add to pan. Finish by stirring in the toasted chopped pecans. Season with the freshly ground black pepper and just a tiny pinch of kosher salt. Serve immediately.

baked corn pudding

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)
1/2 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 cups milk (1 quart)
6 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
2 bags (12 oz) Green Giant ® Valley Fresh Steamers™ Niblets® frozen corn, thawed, drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or 2 tablespoon parsley flakes
3/4 cup Progresso® plain bread crumbs
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted


1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish or 3-quart casserole with cooking spray.
2. In 4-quart Dutch oven, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended. Stir in milk. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Gradually stir in eggs and cheese. Stir in corn and parsley. Pour into baking dish.
3. In small bowl, mix bread crumbs and 3 tablespoons melted butter; sprinkle over corn mixture.
4. Bake uncovered 55 to 65 minutes or until mixture is set and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Broccoli Salad

SERVES 6 -8
Ingredients

* 1 bunch broccoli, uncooked, washed, cut into florets
* 1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
* 1/2 cup cashews
* 1/3 cup raisins
* 1/4 cup red onion, chopped

DRESSING

* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Mix the broccoli, bacon, cashews, raisins and onions in a large bowl. In a second bowl, beat dressing ingredients together gently until smooth.
About 10 minutes before serving, toss the salad with the dressing to allow flavors to meld.

Potato Salad

Potato Salad

A great salad to make in advance, to have great “on-the-go” salads for a week.

INGREDIENTS:

* 10 lbs. red potatoes
* 5 cups chopped bacon
* 1 ¼ cup chopped onion
* 2 ½ cup chopped celery
* 1 ¼ cup zesty salad Italian dressing
* 3 ½ cup mayonnaise
* 10 hard boiled eggs, chopped
* 4 teaspoon salt
* ½ teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large pot, cover potatoes with salted water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 20-30 minutes. Strain potatoes. Once the potatoes have cooled, cut into 3/4 inch chunks.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the Italian dressing, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Add the potatoes, onion, celery, bacon and eggs; use a rubber spatula to gently fold to combine. Cover; refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to one day.

Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Tomato Mozzarella Salad

This refreshing salad is wonderful in a sandwich with Italian bread, but also makes an elegant appetizer.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tomatoes, sliced
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 leaves of fresh basil, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. On a plate, in a bowl, or on a slice of bread, arrange alternating slices of tomato and mozzarella. Sprinkle basil on top.
2. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over salad.

Pesto Pasta Salad with Chicken

Pesto Pasta Salad with Chicken

Here’s another great pasta salad; this one’s from Allison Fishman, the Cooking Maven on the Home Made Simple TV show.

For basil pesto:
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 small garlic clove, peeled
2 packed cups basil leaves
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil, divided

For pasta salad:
1 pound spiral pasta
2 pounds chicken tenders
1 cup tomatoes, halved
3 tablespoons pine nuts
Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1. Process pine nuts and garlic in a food processor until the texture of coarse sand; about 30 seconds.
2. Add basil and parmesan cheese, process until a paste forms. Add 1/3 cup olive oil. Process to incorporate; about 10 seconds.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking liquid. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water until the pasta is room temperature.
4. Heat an electric griddle, or large nonstick skillet. Coat with non-stick spray and cook chicken over medium heat until golden on both sides, about 8 minutes total.
5. Place pasta in a large bowl. Add tomatoes, 1/4 cup pesto, pine nuts, lemon juice and zest. Toss to coat. Add pasta cooking liquid, a few tablespoons at a time, to coat pasta and thin the pesto sauce. Add chicken, toss and serve.

Caesar Pasta Salad

Caesar Pasta Salad

Using Caesar dressing gives this pasta salad a garlicky tang. Use light dressing for a healthier version of this tasty salad.

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz. small pasta shells or macaroni
1 can (15 1/4 oz.) Del Monte® Sweet Peas, drained
1/2 cup coarsely shredded carrot
1/2 cup julienne-cut zucchini
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup sliced green onion
3/4 cup Caesar salad dressing
lettuce (optional)
shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente; drain.
2. Toss with peas, carrot, zucchini, green pepper and green onion. Add dressing; toss to coat evenly.
3. Chill 2 hours or overnight. Serve in lettuce-lined bowl with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Rice/Veggie/Chicken dinner

umm nice name huh? Well again threw together some Trader Joe's goodies and discovered this one, again no left over around and Paisley our 2 year old ate it up like candy!

Rice
brown long grain rice cooked (any rice will do this is our preference)

Veggie
half a package of Trader Joe's vegetable medley cooked(carrots,peas,cauliflower,corn)(your preference of veggies will do just fine)

Protein
cut up into bit sizes some frozen chicken breasts
marinade them as at least 15 min in Trader Joes Island Soyaki (or whatever you so choose)
brown them a drizzle of olive oil


You can buy the rice cooked or precooked, cook the veggies according to the bag and then brown the chicken bites all all together and EAT WHILE HOT!!! you may want to add a dash of soy sauce... but we ate it as it, the chicken had marinated long enough it had enough flavor :)
ENOJY