Creamy Tortellini Casserole

This recipe was requested by a few people, so here it is. You could easily add chicken, or use chicken & cheese tortellini if you don't want to make it vegetarian! It was super easy, and even more super yummy. So, enjoy! This recipe is not my own!

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
1 package (8 oz.) sliced fresh mushrooms (3 cups)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
3/4 cup frozen sweet peas thawed
1 package (9 oz.) refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1/2 cup finely crushed buttery crackers

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray. In 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add carrots, onions, and mushrooms. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender

Stir in flour and salt. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese, peas, and tortellini. Spoon into casserole. Sprinkle with crackers.

Bake uncovered about 15 minutes or until edge begins to bubble.

What is coming in the New Year

At the beginning of the year my blog will once again change formats. I started with a traditional blog where I shared my thoughts and things around my world. I felt that a public forum may not be the best place to share all my opinions, so I changed my blog as a journey through my experiment with becoming a vegetarian. Since that isn't much of a journey anymore, I am once again changing the format of my blog.

Starting January 1st I will be attempting something called Project 365. What I will be doing is taking a picture every day of the year as a photo journal. I am hoping I will improve in photography through this process. I am also hoping by advertising my intent I will be help accountable to finish my year-long commitment. Anyway, this blog will be where I will share my photo journal that I will be taking throughout the year. I don't intend to update it every day, but hopefully once a week!? :o)

Anyway, as I embark on this journey I would welcome any comments, both good and bad, on my photography. I am not expecting to get a stellar photo for each day, but I am sure as I practice more I will be able to view the world that I live in more creatively. Stay tuned in the new year as I take on this exciting project!

Also, once I start this I will stop my live feed to Facebook, so if that is how you follow this blog, you may want to subscribe to follow me via blogger!

Spinach Lasagna

I have been a little busy and haven't been dabbling in new recipes a whole lot lately. While my mom was here to help us after Elin was born, we adapted this recipe and froze it for after she left. I loved it so much that I wanted to share my adaptation with my followers! It was very delicious and very easy to make!

Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 jar spaghetti sauce
2 eggs
1 pint ricotta cheese
fresh spinach
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
8 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese
12 lasagna noodles

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease one 13 x 9 inch baking dish.

Cook noodles according to package.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Combine them with the ricotta cheese. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, basil, and oregano to taste. Mix in the Parmesan cheese.

Spread a small amount of spaghetti sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Place 4 noodles over the sauce, spread half the ricotta mixture, top generously with fresh spinach, top with 1/2 the sliced mozzarella cheese, and drizzle spaghetti sauce over top. Repeat layers, using remaining ingredients (save some spaghetti sauce for the top). Top with remaining noodles, spaghetti sauce, and shredded mozzarella cheese.

Cover dish securely with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour.

Pesto Broccoli Pockets

Ok, this is a completely original Leigh Anne creation. I was walking through the grocery store inventing this one as I went. It turned out really good, and the whole family enjoys it! You could probably add chicken to it to make it non-vegetarian if you desired! My measurements are all pretty vague, because I don't measure much anymore. So, good luck! :o)

1 roll Pillsbury Pizza Crust
Frozen Broccoli pieces (cooked)
Ricotta Cheese
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Pesto
1 Recipe White Sauce (following recipe) OR bottled alfredo sauce

Roll out the pizza dough. Cut into four equal pieces. (Ok, to be honest, I cut into three pieces and make them a little larger, so whatever you desire or works for your family is fine!) Start with one piece of dough. Brush each side of dough with olive oil. Place on baking sheet. On half of the piece of dough layer ricotta cheese, a spoonful of pesto, and some cooked broccoli. Drizzle with desired amount of white sauce and top with shredded cheese. Make sure to leave room on the sides. Fold the other half of the dough over your layers and pinch the sides closed. Stab a few holes in the top of the dough. Continue with the rest of the pieces of dough.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes. Eat and enjoy!

White Sauce: (Not my own creation!)

2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup milk (I use skim and it works great!)
1/2 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

Melt butter in a sauce pan. Stir in flour and milk. Continue stirring until boiling. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. I also add garlic, oregano, and italian seasoning to this sauce to give it more taste! Add in the seasonings after you add the milk if you desire to add them!

Pasta in Tomato & Basil Sauce

Ok, so tonight's dinner ended up being a success with the entire family. Long story short, I swore I had a recipe that I was going to tweak for this, and when it was time for me to prepare dinner I couldn't find the recipe anywhere. I had never made this before, so I went in completely on my own. I'm sure this isn't completely an original recipe, but I did not follow anything, so some measurements may be a little vague! Hope someone out there tries it and enjoys!

2 cans tomato soup
Fresh Basil (I used a small package of the organic basil, and used the whole thing) chopped
1 Green Pepper chopped
1/2 small onion chopped
Fresh spinach chopped
Garlic & Italian Seasoning to taste
1 pound pasta of your choice
Parmesean Cheese

Optional: Add some ground beef or cooked sausage (I did not do this, but I'm sure it would be good!)

Cook pasta according to directions on the package

In small saucepan combine two cans tomato soup and enough liquid to get to the desired consistency. (I used about 1/2 can water and 1/2 can vegetable broth) Add the rest of the veggies and herbs. You could add more or less depending on your desires. Stir frequently as sauce heats up, about 10 minutes.

Add sauce to the pasta. Sprinkle with parmesean cheese.

Makes 6 servings

Trying to Raise Healthy Eaters!

I am wrestling with something, and right now I welcome a friendly discussion on the matter of kids eating healthfully.

For the most part, Jason and I are healthy eaters. Since Kaelyn was a baby I was pretty set on the fact that I was going to raise my child (and future children) to eat healthy foods. This is not to say that I NEVER feed them "junk." I will occasionally cook up a "blue box" (Kraft Macaroni N' Cheese) for lunch. I will occasionally feed them chicken rings out of the freezer. But, these times are always balanced with ham and cheese sandwiches (with nothing else on them like butter or mayo), and other healthful options. Usually my kids eat what we eat for dinner, but sometimes if I know they won't like it (as in it would be too spicy) I will prepare one of the above. Since becoming vegetarian I have gotten the question quite often, "Are your kids vegetarian too?" The answer is, no, they are not, but for the most part they end up eating what I prepare for dinner. Breakfast always includes fresh fruit. Lunch always includes raw carrots, and sometimes more fresh fruit. Dinner almost always has some sort of vegetable with it. My kids never drink juice (ok, MAYBE at a birthday party) or chocolate milk, always white milk, and candy is given out very rarely.

So, where does the friendly discussion come in. Here it is. How much is too much? Today Kaelyn has seemed almost obsessed with healthful eating. It seems like too much for a 4-year-old to worry about. Sometimes we will have discussions with her about why we don't eat candy all that often, but it seems she has taken these discussions a bit too far. Today she informed me that she hates McDonalds, because it makes you sick. (We had a discussion about how certain foods if you eat them all the time can make you sick, and she has linked this to McDonalds.) She used to LOVE the rare occasion that we would go to McDonalds after getting shots or on her birthday. She is always asking if there is meat in things. And she is very concerned about getting sick.

How do we teach our kids to eat healthfully in moderation (again, I am ok with the rare treat of McDonalds, or other indulgences)? I feel so bad that as a 4-year-old she is so concerned about what is going to make her sick and what is going to make her big and strong.

I am proud of my kids and their eating habits. Quite often Jason and I will get stopped in restaurants by total strangers who are impressed at how well our kids eat and the things they eat. I would like to think this is because we have modeled good eating, as well as provided healthful options, as opposed to junk. And we have had our battles with our kids, but they know if they refuse to eat something they will not get another tastier option later. They know if they refuse dinner, it will show up again when they come to us saying they are hungry. I'm not saying I have it all figured out, obviously, since my daughter seems crazy obsessed with this area right now. I'm just trying to figure out where the moderation point is and how much is too much.

Also, I am not attacking parents who don't choose to be as strict with eating as we are. Please don't hear that from me. Every parent chooses what works best within their system, and for us this is what works best, mainly because we prefer healthful eating. So, please don't see this as an attack on someone else's parenting!!!

Easy Mushroom Pizza Pie

Ok, another yummy meal that you could be creative and make non-vegetarian if you desire by adding some of your favorite pizza toppings! Hope you enjoy! The whole family loved it!

1 can (4 oz.) mushroom pieces and stems, drained
1 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
3 eggs
3/4 cup Original Bisquick mix
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (4 to 6 oz.)

1) Heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease 10-inch pie plate with shortening (again I used Olive Oil). Sprinkle mushrooms, 2/3 cup of the onion, and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese in pie plate.

2) In blender or bowl with wire whisk or hand beater, beat milk, eggs, and Bisquick mix 15 seconds on high speed or 1 minute with whisk until smooth. Poor over vegetable mixture.

3) Bake uncovered 20 minutes. Spread pizza sauce over top. Top with remaining ingredients. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until cheese is light brown. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting!

Enjoy! This is another easy meal that everyone in the family can enjoy!

Stacked Enchilada Bake

So, before I give you guys this new awesome recipe, I just have to give one small vegetarian update that has really impressed me that I didn't realize until I went to my last OB/GYN appointment. Don't worry, this won't be too much information or anything. But, one of the major symptoms that I have dealt with in my past pregnancies has been HORRIBLE heart burn. Anyway, at my appointment, my doctor had asked me how the heartburn was, and I realized I have not even had a trace of heartburn this pregnancy! I would like to think this is linked to the vegetarian diet!

Ok, on to the good stuff. This was too good and too easy not to pass along. Once again, you could make this vegetarian or non-vegetarian.

12 corn tortillas (5 or 6 inch), torn into bite-size pieces
2 cans (15 to 16 oz. each) chili beans in sauce, undrained
1 can 10 oz. enchilada sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (6 oz.) Actually, I used Cheddar, and it was wonderful!
3 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

If you are making this non-vegetarian, I would recommend only one can of the beans and mix it with some browned ground beef.

1) Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 2-quart casserole with shortening (I used olive oil). Arrange half of the tortilla pieces in casserole. Top with 1 can beans (or half bean/meat mixture). Repeat layers. Pour enchilada sauce over top. Sprinkle with cheese and onions.

2) Bake uncovered about 20 minutes or until bubbly around edge.

That's it, and it is really yummy!

One More Reason to Love In-N-Out!

So, I said I wouldn't be blogging anymore about my vegetarian journey, but this was just too good not to blog about! This would all have not been possible without a PBS special... I know, kind of lame, but its true.

This past Friday night Jason and I got home from a Good Friday service, and I had been working all day at cleaning, getting ready for Brendan's birthday party, and if I needed to add one more thing to the list I had decided to finally switch out our snowman sheets for normal ones on the bed. (I couldn't bring myself to celebrate Easter and still have snowmen on the bed, which most Southern Californians would already say that my snowmen have overstayed their welcome, but it is the last trace of me still being a Midwesterner since people laugh at me for keeping snowmen up past Christmas around here.) Whew, that was a digression... So, we get home from church, and I had put our pillows in the washer for while we were gone. Well, for those of you who have washed pillows, they take forever to dry! And with us being as tired as we were, I should not have taken on this project, but I was this far into it, so I was stuck. Basically we were keeping ourselves awake until 11:00 until the pillows were dry! And being as tired as we were, we resorted to PBS... the only thing we could find on television that was somewhat interesting.

Out here on PBS we have this show called California's Gold with Huell Howser. If you have never had the privilege of seeing this show, I am convinced that Huell only has a job because he knows someone, because he can be a bit over-dramatic and state the obvious waaaay too many times! But we were intrigued because it was all about In-N-Out Burger! We learned a lot about the history of In-N-Out, which was started right here in the San Gabriel Valley, and we actually have store #2 right near our house! Whoo hoo! But, one other thing we learned was the things that you can get that are not on the menu. In-N-Out's menu is very simple... They have a burger, a cheeseburger, fries, and various drinks, and that's it. No chicken, no salads, nothing special. But, apparently through the years by word of mouth there are things you can get. Today I tried the "Grilled Cheese" which is a VEGETARIAN OPTION at In-N-Out Burger! Basically you get all the In-N-Out yummyness without the burger patty. I just have to say that it was amazing!!! I seriously didn't even miss the burger patty on it! I still got the awesome sponge-dough bun, the fresh veggies, and even the sauce, with melted cheese! Who knew! I would never have known without Huell!!!

The reason I had gone to In-N-Out today is because today was Brendan's birthday. Jason and I always make it a point to take the Birthday kid out for lunch, and it is usually McDonald's, since that is such a rare treat in our house. But, today I was thinking about going to McDonald's and realized that I would have to go somewhere else to pick up my lunch, since McDonald's has NOTHING vegetarian on their menu, unless I was to piece together a bunch of "snack options." So, Brendan still got a "burbur" (what he calls burger), and I didn't have to make a bunch of different stops! Yay In-N-Out burger!

Fast, Easy, Healthy... Can be vegetarian or not!!!

4 days left of my vegetarian challenge. I have decided that I am continuing on as a vegetarian come Easter morning, however. I absolutely love this new lifestyle. I feel better (although my allergies over the last 5 weeks have helped to counteract how good my body feels...), I feel healthier (At my 19 week pregnancy check-up I had only gained three pounds... Go me!!!), and I feel good about the choices I have made to not consume meat. So, from this point on I don't think I am going to be blogging much more about my journey as a vegetarian. I may blog once in a while about it. We will see what will come of my blog from here.

However, today I have a new recipe to share. Again, have not tried it. It is in the oven right now. But seriously, this is the easiest meal I have prepared this entire time I have been a vegetarian. It is low fat, and you can easily add chicken to it if you are not a veggie! My vegetable of choice for the last month has tended to be broccoli, so hope you like broccoli.

Broccoli-Rice Bake

1 1/2 pound broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces (a bag and a half of frozen chopped broccoli works great, and makes this even easier!!!)
2 cups uncooked instant brown rice
1 can (14 oz.) vegetable broth
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of broccoli soup
1 jar (2 oz.) diced pimentos, drained
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons firm butter or margarine
1/2 cup original Bisquick mix

1) Heat oven to 425 degrees F. In 2-quart saucepan, heat 1 inch water to boiling. Add broccoli, return to boiling. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook about 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain. (Or if using frozen broccoli, cook according to package!)

2) In ungreased 2-quart casserole, mix broccoli, rice, broth, soup, pimientos, and pepper.

3) Cover; bake 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in medium bowl using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, cut butter into Bisquick mix until crumbly.

4) Sprinkle crumbly mixture over broccoli mixture; bake uncovered 8 to 10 minutes longer or until top is light brown.

Ok, now time for the fun... I wanted to try adding cheddar cheese to this. Unfortunately, I used up all my cheddar cheese in a failed attempt to make broccoli cheese sauce for baked potatoes last night. But, I'm sure it would be super tasty in this meal! Also, as I mentioned you can add chicken. You can add 1 cup cubed cooked chicken with the broccoli and other ingredients in step 2.