Meatless Monday: Spaghetti Pizza Pie

I made spaghetti a few days ago, and we ended up having a lot of leftovers because a friend of mine who I thought was going to join us didn't end up making it. And it just sat in my fridge for a couple days, like leftover pasta tends to do- it's just never the same when you have to reheat it. Thinking it may have to get tossed out once I finally remembered it was there, I then recalled my desire to want to make spaghetti pie. Paul's mom makes one that is very simple and chilled that he really enjoys, but I was in the mood for something more hearty, and I came up with this one that is sort of like a spaghetti pizza...

Spaghetti Pizza Pie
(serves 4-6)

Ingredients

Approximately 8 oz cooked spaghetti
2 eggs
1 cup grated Parmessan and/or Romano cheese
1 cup shredded or sliced mozzarella
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tsp oregano + extra
1 tsp basil + extra

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the eggs and stir in the grated cheese, basil, and oregano in a large bowl. Add the cooked spaghetti and mix with egg mixture until well combined. Press pasta mixture into a 9" pie pan as you would a pie crust, leaving a slight indentation in the middle. Pour the tomato sauce on to the indent in the spaghetti "crust", then top with the mozzarella cheese and extra seasonings (if desired), like in the picture below. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until cheese is all melted and a little brown on top. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. We enjoyed it with a nice green salad. 

So simple and so good; this really hit the spot! I can't wait to make it again and get even more creative by adding other toppings like fresh tomato, spinach, and peppers. You can even add pepperoni or sausage on a non-meatless day ;) Paul liked this version, too, but said he still prefers Mom's. Oh, well, I did my best! I like tomato sauce on my pasta, what can I say?

Enjoying her pasta

Using whole wheat pasta can provide you with a large serving of fiber, beneficial nutrients and minerals, and reduce your risk for heart disease. I tried Ronzoni Smart Taste® spaghetti for this recipe instead of whole wheat. It is white pasta that is enriched with fiber and calcium. It definitely didn't taste like whole wheat, but I don't know if its health benefits really match using regular whole grain. Sometimes you just prefer the taste of white pasta for certain recipes, but I think either kind could work for this one.

Now it's your turn to share your Meatless Monday dish below! Share your turkey-alternatives or other yummy Thanksgiving favorites. No rules, other than please only link-up meat-free recipes. No other un-related links or I will remove them. Sorry to sound so harsh, but let's keep it true to what it is, ok? Link up as much as you want, and feel free to spread the word with the button below. Thanks, and have a great week! 
          

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Meatless Monday: Lemony Spinach and White Bean Soup

During the time my family and I were stuck at home without power due to Hurricane Sandy, I was somewhat limited with what I could make for dinner. The oven wouldn't work because it has an electric starter, and I tried to use up what I already had at home as to not waste gas going to the store. I did, however, have to pick up a lemon and some fresh Parmesan cheese for this soup, but it was well worth it.

Lemony Spinach and White Bean Soup
(serves 6-10 depending on serving size)

Ingredients:

4 cups vegetable broth (you can also use chicken)
2-4 cups water (depending on how brothy you like it)
1 cup packed baby spinach
1 cup small-shaped pasta, such as ditalini
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup small white beans (cooked)
Juice of 1 small lemon
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil + extra for topping
1 tsp lemon zest + extra for topping 
Salt and pepper to taste + extra for topping
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Cook the pasta separately, then set aside tossed with a little olive oil so it doesn't stick together. Heat the 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in large pot, then add the garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes or until fragrant. Add in the broth and water and bring to a boil. Stir in the white beans then bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add in the rest of the ingredients. Serve in bowls or mugs topped with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, a pinch of lemon zest, and as much grated Parmesan as you like.

This is a very simple to make soup that is full of lots of fragrant ingredients. The garlic and lemon go together wonderfully, and are balanced nicely with the subtle flavor of the white beans and crisp green spinach. The garnishes really make this soup, so don't forget to add those or it's just not the same!

For older babies and toddlers, you can serve this soup up to them with a slotted ladle so they don't make a mess of or get burnt by the broth. The soup is full of yummy goodness to help a little one grow. Kids should like this soup too as it doesn't have too many spicy flavors, maybe just go easy on the pepper and add extra cheese ;)

Black pepper is normally taken for granted as a standard table top condiment that doesn't get much thought other than whether you're going to use it to spice up your food a bit or not. It may surprise to find out, then, that it's also full of lots of vitamins and minerals such as manganese, vitamin K, and iron. It can also aid in disgestion and has anioxidants and antibacterial properties. Using freshly ground will give you the most benefits!

Now it's your turn to share your Meatless Monday dish below! No rules, other than please only link-up meat-free recipes. No other un-related links or I will remove them. Sorry to sound so harsh, but let's keep it true to what it is, ok? Link up as much as you want, and feel free to spread the word with the button below. Thanks, and have a great week! 
          

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Meatless Monday: Crockpot Tomato Sauce

I had quite the busy last four days, which is why this post is a little late. Lily and I went to the zoo with her Aunt Kim and cousin Rhys on Thursday, caught up on chores and work on Friday, went to NYC with the grandparents on Saturday, then Lily slept over the grandparents’ house Saturday night and got back late Sunday afternoon then went grocery shopping with Mom and Dad. In between, I caught up on chores I normally have trouble doing with Lily around, like giving Ogum a desperately needed trim and FINALLY finishing painting Lily’s room (see pics below). By Sunday night I was spent!

It was Paul's idea to do the split colors like this

Lily loves ducks (and Elmo as you can see by the book she insisted on carrying around with her)

"I'm walking in the spiderwebs..."

"Honk, honk!"

Today’s Meatless Monday recipe is pretty easy, the only really active part being peeling, seeding and chopping up the tomatoes. When I first made this in my Crockpot, it was because I had recently acquired a huge batch of organic, farm-raised and picked tomatoes from Paul’s dad who works on a farm (part of the way he spends his “retirement”). I got bright red, yellow, orange and green tomatoes, more than enough to make the sauce with, the rest went into salads. The yellow and orange were so sweet (“Like candy!” according to Paul’s dad), and the red were perfect for this sauce! I just threw the green ones into the sauce as well because I am not a big fan of them alone (although I know many people enjoy fried green tomatoes). To be honest, I rarely eat fresh tomatoes because the acidity bothers my stomach. I usually will only eat plum or cherry tomatoes very thinly sliced on sandwiches or mixed up in a salad or with fresh mozzarella. But, when it comes to sauces, soups and beans, tomatoes really make them amazing!

Some of the lovely organic tomatoes from the farm

Crockpot Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

1 lb ripe tomatoes, preferably plum

6 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped

1 medium onion, diced

½ cup olive oil

½ cup fresh basil

1 tbsp white sugar

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

First, peel the skin off the tomatoes with a small, sharp knife; then seed the tomatoes and if they’re soft enough mash up into chunks, otherwise dice. Set aside. In a small frying pan, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil with the salt and pepper for about 3-5 minutes, or until fragrant. Remove from heat then add contents of the pan along with all the other ingredients to your slow cooker. Set to low and cook for up to 12 hours, minimum 6 hours. The longer you cook it the better it will taste, but in my experience, 6 hours of cooking will still taste great if you can’t wait that long!

Taste the sauce once an hour as it cooks and add more seasonings according to taste as you go. If it’s too acidic, add more sugar. Some other seasonings you can add are red pepper flake to spice it up, thyme to soften it, and cinnamon to warm it up and make it a bit less traditional if that’s what you’re into. This recipe is a basic, classic tomato sauce recipe, perfect for anything you need sauce for, but I think it tastes best smothering spaghetti!!!

Lily loves tomato sauce. Most kids do, I think. I actually was not a big fan as a kid, and now I know it’s because of the acidity. My parents just thought I was being picky and made me eat it anyway, or else cave and give me my fuselli with butter and cheese. The picky eater in my house is my husband, but even he can appreciate a homemade, slow-cooked pasta sauce.

For babies 9-12 months, puree ½ cup pasta with a little olive oil and a few spoonfuls of sauce then top with grated Parmesan.

Tomatoes- despite their acidity that my stomach disagrees with –are quite good for you. For one thing, they are loaded with the antioxidant lycopene and vitamins A, C and K with are strongly present in all red or orange-colored produce. They provide cardio-vascular support, strengthen bones and some studies show they are beneficial in protecting against cancer, especially prostate cancer.

So, next time you have time to spend at home and get a hankering for some home-style Italian pasta, give this recipe a try if you have a slow cooker or big pot and bring Italy to the dinner table. (This would be a great recipe to bookmark for a snowy day when you’re stuck inside!)

Last Minute Meal for Meatless Mondays

Hello everyone! I know I am posting this last minute, and because of that I decided to stick with the last minute theme and provide you with a super simple, cheap and healthy recipe for the entire family, picky eaters and all!

Now, some of you may be familiar with this recipe since it's not an original of mine and most people who like to cook know of it. I felt compelled to share it with you for reasons I stated already, and also because MY HUSBAND actually made this for Lily and me yesterday for lunch. Can you believe it? For those of you who know Paul, you will know what I mean. As for everyone else, Paul rarely cooks anything that isn't ready to heat right out of the box, so I was pleasantly surprised when out of the blue he told me he wanted to make these. He even went to the store and got the ingredients for it himself! And he made them really well!

So, without further ado, I present to you a quick an easy Mini Pizzas recipe!

Mini Pizzas

I didn't think to photograph the finished product myself, so this image is courtesy of jspatchwork via creativecommons.org

1 package of 6 English muffins
1/2 cup tomato sauce, homemade or store bought
1/2 cup shredded mozzerella cheese
Any of the following additional toppings, or whatever you like: olives, peppers, fresh tomato, fresh basil, eggplant, onions, broccoli, mushrooms, etc.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread each English muffin with 1-2 spoon fulls of tomato sauce. Top with shredded cheese and topping of your choice. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and muffin looks crispy around the edges. Top with a little oregano and/or basil.

And voila! Mini pizzas! I only offered meatless ingredient suggestions here, but you can obviously top with whatever you want, such as chicken, pepperoni, salami...you know what to do :) Lily just gobbled this up and I did too, also relishing in my break from preparing lunch.

For baby 6 months+:

1 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp shredded mozzerella
1/2 English muffin

Blend tomato sauce and cheese together either manually or in blender. Crumble muffin into cheesy sauce mix and spoon-feed to baby. Makes an Italian-style bread pudding! Alternately, mix into cold, cooked small-shaped pasta then spoon-feed to baby.

Make it even healthier by:

• using whole wheat English Muffins
• using fresh tomatoes only instead of sauce
• use low-fat cheese

 Enjoy this simple recipe that ANYONE can make!!!

Love you, Paul!!!