Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera

(Shaliese original - 2 servings)

1 tsp olive oil

1 C green beans, 2-in pieces

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small zucchini, diced

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 med. to large roma tomatoes, diced

1/4 tsp salt

1 dash ground black pepper

1 C cooked whole grain thin spaghetti (we like Barilla)

1/4 C. shredded Parmesan cheese

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add green beans and garlic powder, stir, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add zucchini and lemon juice, cook, covered, for another 10 minutes.  (times can be adjusted if you prefer your vegetables more or less al dente).  Finally, add diced tomatoes, salt, and pepper, then cook for another 10 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, toss cooked spaghetti with vegetables and shredded Parmesan cheese.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Comments:

I have had some great primavera before, but couldn't ever find the right recipe.  I finally gave up and just started experimenting with what we had.  This has become one of my favorites because it's fairly simple and still good.  Obviously it is best with fresh-from-the-garden vegetables, but even mid-winter it's not too bad with the mediocre selection from the store.  Also, it may just be that I was lucky enough to have a child who likes vegetables, but Kennedy really enjoys this dish as well!

Bowtie Pasta Salad

Bowtie Pasta Salad

(recipe from Carol Sainsbury)

1 head lettuce, washed, chilled, and cut

1 pkg. cooked bowtie pasta (Farfalle)

3/4 C. mayo

1/2 C. miracle whip

1 Tbls. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

bag peas (thawed)

1 pkg. bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 bunch green onions chopped

6 oz. bag shredded Parmesan cheese

Combine mayo, miracle whip, sugar, salt, and pepper and stir.  Add to remaining ingredients, stir, and serve!

Comments:

This is a recipe I got from a friend that I worked with at USU.  We have come to love this salad and make it when we find bacon on sale.  This makes quite a bit of salad and I have used it at showers to supplement other food.  When at home, we will actually eat this as a meal.  We'll have some leftovers, but they don't last more than a day. 

Fruit Crepes

Fruit Crepes

8-10 Crepes (see recipe below)

Cream cheese filling (see recipe below)

1/2 lb. strawberries, sliced

1-2 bananas, sliced

Spread approximately one spoonful of cream cheese filling onto a crepe.  Place strawberries and bananas (or other fruit of choice), down the center line of the crepe.  Roll and enjoy!

Crepes

(found on allrecipes.com, changes marked in green text)

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 C. milk

2 Tbls. butter, melted

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 C. all-purpose flour

2 Tbls. white sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1. In large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, butter, vanilla, flour, sugar, and salt until smooth.

2. Heat a medium-sized skillet or crepe pan over medium heat.  Grease pan with spray oil.  Using a serving spoon or small ladle, spoon about 1/4 C. crepe batter into hot pan, tilting the pan so that bottom surface is evenly coasted.  Cook over medium heat, 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown.  Serve immediately.

Cream Cheese Filling

(Shaliese creation)

1/2 container cool whip, or equivalent whipped cream

3 oz. cream cheese

1/4 C. powdered sugar

Combine cool whip and cream cheese in a medium bowl with an electric beater until smooth.  Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 Tbls. at a time, until filling is sufficiently sweetened.

Commentary:

I felt that this recipe deserved to be posted first since it was while making that these crepes that I realized that I should really just make my own food blog to keep track of my recipes.  Why?  For one, they were really good and we will definitely want to make them again and two, I often use the cream cheese filling in desserts with strawberries and have never really bothered to write down specific measurements.  So, now I have.  I also love to put this on white or yellow cake, then cover with sliced strawberries. 

As for the crepes, I think they would be great with more savory fillings as well (cheese, veggies, etc.), but I would probably omit the vanilla if that was my intended use.  Even with it, I think it would work well either way!