Veggie Spiral

Well, it is supposed to be a spiral but is more like a circle with more veggies shoved in the middle.  I think it still looks pretty and like it took a lot of time to make, when in reality it is pretty quick and easy and tasty too!  I pinned it from here.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil 
1 large sweet yellow onion cut in half and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 russet potatoes, unpeeled
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
3 large Roma tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Dried thyme, to taste
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

-  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
-  In a large skillet, saute onions and garlic in olive oil until tender.
-  Pour onions and garlic into the bottom of your round baking dish.
-  Slice the potatoes, zucchini, squash and tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick.
-  Layer the slices in your dish on top of the onions in a single layer formed to look like a spiral.
-  Season with salt, pepper and thyme.
-  Drizzle with olive oil and cover with foil.
-  Bake for 35 minutes.
-  Remove foil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
-  Return to the oven for another 25-30 minutes.
-  Remove from oven and serve!

Sweet Bean Salad

Another Pinterest find.  This cold, sweet bean salad from Mrs. Paula Deen is perfect with BBQ.  Try it, I know you will like it.

Ingredients:

1 can green beans

1 can yellow wax beans

1 can butter beans

1 can chick peas 

1/2 purple onion, sliced

1 (4 oz.) jar pimentos

1/2 c. salad oil

1 1/2 c. cider vinegar

2 c. sugar

2 tsp. salt

pepper to taste

1 can tomato soup

Directions:

-  Drain and rinse all beans and place in a large bowl.

-  Add sliced onion and pimentos.

-  Stir in salad oil.

-  In a sauce pan bring the vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and tomato soup to a boil.

-  Pour over beans and toss gently.

-  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

-  Drain liquid before serving.



Roasted Green Beans

I love green beans.  They are only one of about 5 veggies my husband will eat and my daughter loves them too.  Cole on the other hand hates anything green (we are working on it).  So, when I saw this on Pinterest from Kalyn's Kitchen I knew it was the perfect recipe to spice up ordinary green beans.

Ingredients:

8 oz. of mushrooms, sliced

1 lb. fresh green beans

1/1/2 Tblsp. olive oil

1 Tblsp. Balsamic vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 Tblsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

-  Rinse and slice mushrooms.

-  Cut ends of green beans off and then cut in half.

-  Put mushrooms and green beans in a plastic bag.

-  In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.

-  Pour mixture into the bag and massage it into the green beans and mushrooms.

-  Pour onto a sheet pan and make sure you spread the beans and mushrooms out, try not to have anything overlapping.

-  Bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until beans are tender- crisp and mushrooms are soft.

-  Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan before serving.

Countdown to Thanksgiving - Broccoli, Rice and Cheese Casserole

This dish is a staple on our Thanksgiving dinner table and to be honest it is so good I don't know why we only eat it once a year!
Ingredients:

2 c. minute rice, cooked
2 (8 oz.) jar cheese whiz
2 sticks of butter
3/4 c. onion, diced
2 pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, cooked and drained
2 cans cream of mushroom soup

Directions:

- In a medium skillet, saute onions in a tablespoon of the butter.
- In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- Pour into a large casserole dish.
- Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Countdown to Thanksgiving - Sweet Potato Casserole

My Aunt Melinda is famous for her Sweet Potato Casserole. It would not be Thanksgiving without it. This casserole is so good that when I was in college she would make an extra casserole for me so I could have the leftovers to take back to Lubbock with me. When my sister was studying in London and missed Thanksgiving she wished my aunt could have mailed her a casserole but settled for having it during Christmas instead. It is so good you could put it in a pie crust and eat it for dessert. YOU MUST TRY this recipe. You will NOT be disappointed!
Ingredients:

Filling:
3 c. mashed sweet potatoes
3/4 stick of butter
1 c. evaporated milk
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. each of vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon

Topping:
1 c. crushed corn flakes
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. light brown sugar
3/4 stick of butter at room temperature

Directions:

- Peel and cut your sweet potatoes and boil in a large pan until fork tender.
- Drain and mash in a large bowl
- Add all remaining filling ingredients and mix well.
- Pour into a 9x13 baking dish.
- Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
- For the topping; mix all topping ingredients in a medium bowl. It is easiest if you use your hands. The mixture will be crumbly. After filling was baked for 15 minutes add topping and return to oven for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.