Italian Bread

This bread is amazing! I make a batch every weekend. We cut it thin for sandwiches, thicker for mopping up chili and big chunks for bread pudding. 

There is a lot of inactive time, but I have to plan for when I’ll be around the house for 3 hours. It’s usually a little more than we eat in a week. But, we use 1/2 of a loaf to make French Bread pizzas on Friday night and I always have a source of bread crumbs from the extra.

Proofing tip: When I start my stand mixer working on the flour, I put a glass measuring cup full of water into the microwave on the “Beverage” setting. Then, I put the mixed dough (in the stand mixer bowl) into the microwave and let the dough proof for an hour. The microwave is nice and steamy and produces a good rise every time!

Italian Bread

From Amanda’s Cooking

1 T active dry yeast (SAF Yeast)
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 t granulated sugar
2 cups hot water
3 T granulated sugar
1 T salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
6 cups all-purpose flour

1. Dissolve yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar in stand mixer bowl.
2. Add flour 2 cups hot water, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, salt, and oil. Dough will be smooth, but a little sticky). 
3. Leave in bowl, cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour.
4. Divide dough into 2 pieces. Roll out each piece on a floured surface into the length desired then roll up lengthwise like a jelly roll. If it's still too sticky, add more flour until it's workable but not dry. 
5. Put on a cookie sheet (with Sil-Pat or greased), sealed side down, and tuck the ends under. Slash the top diagonally across the top every couple of inches with a sharp knife. 
6. Cover and let loaves rise 30 more minutes.
7. While loaves are rising, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 
8. Bake for 28 minutes.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

The Lawrences love carbs and the Lawrences love cinnamon bread. This recipe makes 2 loaves. Since there are no preservatives, they won’t last too long....but that’s never a problem in our house. Or, you have a loaf for you and one to share. Since we make a lot of bread, I have a bread slicer and storage bags.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread
From Taste of Home

2 T yeast

1/3 c warm water 

1 c warm milk

1 c sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

6 T butter, softened

1-1/2 t salt

5-6 c flour

2 T ground cinnamon

1/2 c raisins, optional

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. 

2. Add milk, 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, butter, salt and 3 cups flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. 
3. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes.

4. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

5. Mix cinnamon and remaining sugar. 

6. Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll each portion into an 18x8-in. rectangle; sprinkle each with about 1/4 cup cinnamon sugar (and raisins, if using) to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a short side; pinch seam to seal. Place in 2 greased 9x5-in. loaf pans, seam side down.
7. Cover with kitchen towels; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours. Preheat oven to 350°.
8. Bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Macaroni & Cheese Casserole

 I already have 2 mac and cheese recipes posted. But, when you see a recipe for mac and cheese that boasts “so easy you don’t even have to boil the pasta,” YOU MAKE IT.

In 75 minutes, you can have delicious mac and cheese. With working from home during COVID, that makes it a weeknight dinner, for sure

Macaroni & Cheese Casserole
from America’s Test Kitchen

8oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups), divided
4oz American cheese, shredded (1 cup)
4t cornstarch, divided
8oz (2 cups) elbow macaroni
1c heavy cream
2c water
2 large eggs
2t Dijon mustard
2t hot sauce
2t Worcestershire sauce
1/2t salt
1/2t pepper

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Toss 4oz cheddar, 8oz American cheese, & 2t cornstarch in a bowl. Add macaroni, toss to combine, and transfer mixture to broiler-safe baking dish.

3. Whisk cream & remaining 2t cornstarch together in now-empty bowl until cornstarch is dissolved. Whisk in water, eggs, mustard, hot sauce, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper until fully combined. Pour cream mixture over macaroni mixture in dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

4. Remove dish from oven and discard foil. Stir to redistribute macaroni. Sprinkle with remaining 4oz cheddar. Return dish to oven and continue to bake until edges are bubbling and just set and center registers 150-160 degrees, about 15 minutes.

5. Broil until top of casserole is spotty brown, about 2 minutes. Let rest on wire rack for 25 minutes. Serve.

Kitchen Sink Frittata

I hosted a pasta party last weekend. Wanting to be the consummate host, I made sure there was no possible way I could run out of pasta supplies for my guests. As a result, I was left with 3 dozen extra eggs. What to do, what to do!














That's where the the frittata comes in!! I found a recipe for a basic frittata that I like and went to town. I picked sweet potato and onion because I needed to eat them up. But, this is a time to clear out your crisper drawer. Is that kale looking a bit sad? The Brussels sprouts side dish didn't happen this week? That's fine! Make a frittata! Roast up just about any vegetable and throw some cheesy eggs over them. Bam! Fast, healthy, tasty dinner!








Kitchen Sink Frittata
from Pioneer Woman

1 onion, sliced in quarter moons

1 sweet potato, diced in bite-sized pieces

1 tsp taco seasoning

12 whole Large Eggs

Salt And Black Pepper

1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Or Romano Cheese

1/2 cup Grated Cheddar Or Monterey Jack Cheese (more To Taste)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.

2. Toss sweet potatoes and onions with olive oil, taco seasoning, salt, and pepper.

3. Roast for 20 minutes until crispy. Remove and reserve.

4. Reduce heat to 375 F.

5. Beat together the eggs with the salt and pepper Stir in the grated cheeses and set aside.

In a large oven-proof non-stick skillet, add 2T of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sweet potatoes. 

6. Make sure all the ingredients are evenly distributed across the bottom of the skillet, then pour in the egg mixture so that it evenly coats everything. Let it sit on the burner for 30-45 seconds to set the edges, then put the skillet in the oven.

7. Watch the frittata as it cooks. Let it cook in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the eggs are set but remove it before the eggs brown very much on top. 

8. Slide the frittata out of the skillet and onto a cutting board. With a long serrated knife, slice it into wedges and serve warm.

Pumpkin Muffins

We've been fans of pumpkin pancakes for a long time. However, on a school night, who wants to rank out a dozen pancakes on a griddle?! Not me.

We took the same batter recipe and found the right cooking temperature and time for muffins, instead. Easy Peasy!

Pumpkin Pancakes
from Jane Maynard at This Week for Dinner


- 3c buttermilk pancake mix
- 2c cold water
- 2/3c canned pumpkin
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

** You can substitute the spices for 2T of pumpkin pie spice.

1. Preheat oven to 350º.

2. In a medium/large bowl, whisk all the ingredients until just blended. 

3. Spray muffin tin with nonstick spray and fill each tin 2/3 full

4. Cook for 18-22 minutes - or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Serve with syrup for dipping and enjoy!

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers

I'm usually a little suspect when it comes to veggie burgers. There's usually a lot of of processed soy and they're not always tasty. The first time I made them I followed the recipe exactly and they were so good! I was a little nervous because the "meat" was very wet when I formed the patties. They started to dry out and after they were flipped, it was just fine. They had good flavor and help up.

The second time I made them, it was a game-day decision. I didn't have any rice made and tried to substitute bread crumbs instead (just like a meatball, right?) nor did I have green onions. This time the patties turned out a little too bread-y and not as much flavor. Don't take a shortcut there.

You can also take a cooked patty, break it up, and use it as ground "beef" in a tacos, sloppy joes, or with noodles.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger

From Minimalist Baker

1 c mashed sweet potato (~1 large sweet potatoes)
1/2 c cooked salted black beans, rinsed and well drained
1/2 c cooked brown rice
1/4 cup walnut or pecan meal (or very finely chopped)
1/4 cup finely diced green onion
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
salt and pepper (to taste)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cut sweet potatoes in half. Rub with olive oil and place face down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake sweet potatoes until soft and tender to the touch - about 30 minutes - set aside. Reduce oven heat to 375 degrees.

2. Cook the rice while the potatoes are baking.

3. Add black beans to a mixing bowl and mash half of them for texture. Then add sweet potato and lightly mash, then rice, green onion, nut meal and spices. Mix to combine. Season to taste. Add more rice or nut meal if the mixture feels too wet. It should be very moist but moldable.

4. Lightly grease a baking sheet and form 4-6 patties.

5. Bake burgers for a total 30-45 minutes, carefully flipping 20 minutes in to ensure even cooking. The longer you bake them the firmer and drier they will get - up to preference.

6. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to a few days. Freeze for longer term storage.

Ramen Noodle Bowl

I look forward to my Cook's Country magazine. It's one of America's Test Kitchen's magazines and the recipes are always flawless.

I usually reserve the recipes for Sunday night dinners - when I have a bit more time. While ATK's recipes are tested relentlessly and are tasty, they are a bit fussy.

I added a bunch of kale that was a couple days away from the rubbish bin. The kale made the noodles a bit heartier - especially when eaten as a vegetarian dish without the pork. To compensate for adding the kale, I increased the stock from 2 1/4 to 2 3/4c.

Tip #1: when you sauce the pork, it splatters. A lot. Please see Exhibit A to the right.

Tip #2: ATK suggested to use the seasoning packet for popcorn at a later time. Well, I did....and it was DELICIOUS! I recommend you try it immediately for a savory popcorn.

This dish was very popular. The kids even ate a mushroom or two! This recipe makes A LOT of ramen. Be prepared for 6 -8 servings, or days of leftovers. But, that's okay. You won't mind, it's delicious!





Ramen Noodle Bowls
from ATK's Cook's Country magazine (Oct/Nov 2017)



1/4 c hoisin sauce
3 T soy sauce
2t cornstarch
1 (12-oz) pork tenderloin, trimmed, & sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 3/4 c chicken stock
2 T vegetable oil
4 oz white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
1 bunch kale, cut into bite-size pieces
1 T grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 (3-oz) packages ramen noodles (put spice packets to the side)
12 oz broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 scallions, sliced thin on bias

1. Whisk 1 T hoisin, 1 T soy sauce, and cornstarch together in bowl. Add pork to bowl, toss and set aside.
2. Whisk broth, 3 T hoisin and 2 T soy sauce in another bowl. Set aside.
3. Heat 1 T vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes (until browned). Add kale, ginger, and garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Add broth mixture and bring to a boil. Nestle noodles around the skillet - push down as far as you can. Cover, reduce heat to medium heat, and cook 3 minutes.
5. Uncover skillet, and use tongs to flip noodles and break them apart. Scatter broccoli, cover skillet, and cook another 3 minutes (until tender). Toss halfway through cooking.
6. Put noodles in serving bowl and cover with aluminum foil.
7. Wipe out skillet, and heat 1 T oil over high heat. Add pork in single layer and cook undisturbed for 1 minute. Stir and cook until pork is no longer pink (1 more minute).
8. Serve with cut scallions.

Basil Pesto

I love pesto. But, I have to buy $73 worth of basil at the store to make it happen, and then I only get a couple tablespoons to show for it. Sigh.....

When we moved to Michigan, we purchased a home with 0.16 acres of land. Mmhmmm. There certainly wasn't enough room to plant a garden, but there was a south-facing window box on the garage! Just perfect for three basil plants. And grow these basil plants did! I find myself practically FORCED to make pesto every 10-14 days because I need to harvest more basil from the basil farm.






I have become creative with my pesto usage now that we've had pesto all summer: pesto pasta, base sauce on a pizza, stir-in for rice or black beans, spread on a sandwich. The possibilities are endless.

 Fresh Basil Pesto
by Simple Eats

2 c fresh basil, packed
1/3 c pine nuts
1/2 c grated Parmesan
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 c extra virgin olive oil

1. Combine basil and pine nuts in food processor. Pulse several times. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
2. Add in the garlic and parmesan cheese. Pulse another couple times. Again, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. While the food processor is running, drizzle the oil into the pesto. Scrape down the sides if the pesto accumulates on the sides of the bowl.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Store in an airtight container and store in the fridge. The pesto will keep for up to a week.

Northern Cornbread

Look, guys! It's the elusive Northern Cornbread! I've been making this cornbread for a while, but it's never around long enough to photograph. I've made this cornbread for years. It calls for cornbread mix from the Jiffy box. It's delicious, but I don't always have two of the little boxes in my pantry.

Pro Tip: The Jiffy cornbread boxes go on sale for $0.25 at the grocery store now and then. Pick up 2 or 12 boxes at that point. Thank me later.

I have been looking for a good cornbread recipe for those times I don't have Jiffy boxes in my pantry. I tried a couple "southern" cornbread recipes and wasn't satisfied. I did some research and found out southern cornbread is more dense and of the savory variety. And, NORTHERN cornbread is the sweet, fluffy kind my family goes gaga over. After living in Florida for 8 years, I should have known that.

Thus I began my search for a northern cornbread recipe. I came across the Serious Eats recipe. I loved it because you put the pan in the oven while it heats up, then melt butter in the hot pan (it's the small things in life...). This is a simple recipe with amazing results. We eat cornbread with chili, black beans/rice/greens, ribs,..you name it! And, this cornbread can be on your table in 25 minutes from the time the craving strikes you.



Northern Cornbread
from Serious Eats

1 c yellow cornmeal
1 c all purpose flour
1/2 c sugar
2 t baking powder
1 t Kosher salt
1/2 t baking soda
3/4 c plain yogurt
1/2 c milk
2 large eggs
3 T melted butter, cooled slightly, plus 1 additional tablespoon for pan
2 T canola oil

1. Place a 9x13" pan on middle rack in oven and preheat to 425°F.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, milk, eggs, 3 T melted butter, and canola oil. Pour wet ingredients into bowl with dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined.
4. Using pot holders, carefully remove hot pan from oven. Place 1 tablespoon butter in skillet and swirl to completely melt and coat inside of pan. Pour in cornbread batter and place in oven.
5. Bake until skewer inserted into middle of cornbread comes out clean. Start checking at 14 minutes.

Vegetarian Lasagna

Let me forewarn you: this lasagna is a LABOR OF LOVE. There are so many pots and bowls required for this recipe. It's usually a deal breaker for me, but this is a GREAT dish. I make sure I reserve this dish for a Sunday dinner - when I have a lot more time to prep dinner. If you have a family of 4 or 5, you will be rewarded with leftovers abound. And, we all know that lasagna is even better the next day!





I read America's Test Kitchen's Cook's Country from cover to cover religiously. In the last issue, they perfected a recipe for Hearty Beef Lasagna. My crew likes lasagna, but I don't eat meat. We can make this work! I substituted finely chopped mushrooms for the ground beef. I added tomato paste for some more meaty, umami flavoring. The mashed sweet potato was for no other reason than I love sweet potatoes! They add a richness to the lasagna and make it even heartier. I was a little wary about the "no cook béchamel" because cottage cheese isn't a favorite and it was a little runnier than I was expecting. During the cooking process, the cottage cheese loses its "curd-ines" and the sauce melds nicely with the cheese and tomato sauce.




The 5-year old is notorious for asking, "What's for dinner?" "Lasagna? I hate lasagna. What's lasagna?" My crew has an adventurous palette, but only when they don't know what's in the dish to begin with. I served them the lasagna without disclosing the mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and cottage cheese and they Ate. It. Up! A win for the home team.


This is certainly a time-consuming dish to make. If I do make this dish for you, you will know that I like you very much!







Vegetarian Lasagna
Adapted from Cook's Country, Feb/Mar 2017 issue


Lasagna
12 lasagna noodles
3 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 T butter
2 T milk

Sauce
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz mushroom, finely chopped
2 T tomato paste
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 14-oz can tomato sauce
1 T dried oregano
1 t red pepper flakes

Cream Sauce
1 c cottage cheese
2 c grated parmesan cheese
1 c heavy cream
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cornstarch

1. Cook the sweet potato in a pot with butter and milk for 30 minutes until tender. Mash and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray 9x13 pan with vegetable spray. Set aside.
3. Cook noodles as per directions on package (add 1 T oil to water to prevent noodles from sticking to each other). Drain noodles and set aside.
4. Heat oil in dutch oven over medium/high heat. Add onions and mushrooms cooking until mushrooms give up their juice (about 10 min).
5. Scrape up down bits on bottom of pan and add garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Add tomato paste, mix into vegetable mixture, and cook for another 2 minutes.
6. Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir, reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes.
7. For the cream sauce, whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.
8. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with noodles. Using a table knife or offset spatula, cover the noodles with half the mashed sweet potatoes.
9. Spread 1.5 c of marinara sauce, then 1/2 cup of the cream mixture, then 1/2 c mozzarella over the noodles.
10. Repeat steps 8 & 9.
11. Lay 3 remaining noodles on top, cover with cream sauce, and then remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
12. Spray a piece of aluminum foil with vegetable spray, cover baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes.
13. Remove foil and cook for an additional 25-30 minutes until top is brown and bubbly.
14. Allow lasagna to cool and set up for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

To save for later, end at Step 11. Cover with greased aluminum foil and refrigerate. When cooking, bake as directed above, but increase covered baking time to 55 minutes.

If you want to freeze the lasagna, follow the entire recipe. Allow the lasagna to cool completely, then double wrap in foil, then plastic wrap, and freeze. Allow lasagna to thaw in the fridge. Then bake at 375 until warmed through and bubbly.

Baked Mac and Cheese Casserole

This is the Lawrence family's FAVORITE mac and cheese. It comes from the Cook's Country magazine, and is surprisingly UN-fussy for an America's Test Kitchen recipe.  It's a baked casserole with a bread crumb topping.....and that means it has to cook for 25 minutes. The recipe also calls for 20 minutes to set before cutting into it. Do not taking this setting time for granted!! With the resting time, you will have a more solid, freestanding piece of mac and cheese casserole (instead of a melting pool on your plate). Because this recipe takes over an hour from start to finish, we save it for weekends...and have precious few leftovers! 

The mustard, cayenne, and Worcestershire sauce lend an interesting flavor. This casserole sets up to be pretty solid. Rather than stringy, pull-apart cheesy, the sauce is more of a creamy béchamel. It is so rich and tasty.

For reference, this is our favorite, quick, weeknight mac and cheese.

Macaroni and Cheese Casserole
from America's Test Kitchen


8 oz elbow macaroni
2 c shredded mild cheddar cheese
2 t cornstarch
4 T unsalted butter
1/2 c panko bread crumbs
1/2 c onion, finely chopped
3 T flour
2 t mustard
1/8 t cayenne pepper
2 c water
1 c heavy cream
2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Bring 4 quarts water to boil. Add macaroni and 1 T salt. Cook for 5 minutes. Drain macaroni and set aside.
3. Toss mild cheddar cheese with cornstarch and set aside.
4. Melt 1 T butter over med-low heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook until golden (~4 min). Set those aside.
5. Now heat the saucepan up to med-high heat and melt the remaining 3 T butter. Cook the onion until soft (~3 min). Stir in flour, mustard, 1/2 t salt, 3/4 t pepper, and cayenne. Cook for 1 minute stirring constantly.
6. Whisk in water and cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low. Cook until thickened (~5min).
7. Remove sauce from heat and whisk in mild cheese/cornstarch mixture until melted. Then whisk in eggs, yolk, and Worcestershire sauce.
8. Add macaroni and stir until combined.
9. Transfer the mac and cheese to an 8-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle with sharp cheddar, then breadcrumbs. Bake until well browned and set (20-25 min).
10. Let set for 20 minutes. Then serve!

Chana Masala

I fell in love with chana masala when we went to our local Indian restaurant in Illinois. So, I went to one of my go-to blogs for a chana masala recipe. Smitten Kitchen did not fail to deliver! I usually serve the chana masala over rice. However, in my rush making making dinner tonight, I forgot to make the rice. In a panic, I made some elbow noodles and served the chana masala over them. No harm done. It turned out great.

The spices in this recipe are a bit numerous and fussy. I made up a "chana masala" blend that I keep in my pantry. Now I use it for chana masala, quinoa, and rice pilaf when I'm in the mood for an Indian flavor. I also whipped up some naan bread while the chana masala was simmering on the stovetop (I had planned ahead for that one!). And, voila! We had the perfect meal!

Chana Masala
from Smitten Kitchen


 2 medium onions, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 fresh, hot green chili pepper, minced
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 15-ounce can of whole tomatoes with their juices, chopped small
2/3 cup water
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon (juiced)

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic, ginger and pepper and sauté over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes.
2. Turn heat down to medium-low and add the coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, cumin seeds, paprika and garam masala. Cook onion mixture with spiced for a minute or two.
3. Add the tomatoes and any accumulated juices, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pan. Add the water and chickpeas.
4. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then stir in salt and lemon juice.

Mac and Cheese

We love mac and cheese. When we visit Panera, one person usually orders it....and the other three help finish it off.

I have a great baked mac and cheese casserole recipe already (in fact, the kids prefer it). But, sorry America's Test Kitchen, who has 60 minutes on a weeknight to patiently wait for mac and cheese?! Please don't be mad.

This mac and cheese takes only 10 minutes more time than it takes to boil the pasta in the first place. It's worth it, let me tell you. Then sauce is very creamy - enough to coat each of the noodles, but not so much that it's soupy. This mac and cheese reheats surprisingly well, too.

Mac and Cheese
from Annie's Eats

1 lb. pasta
4 T unsalted butter
1/3 c all-purpose flour
2½ c milk
1 t salt
2 t. Dijon mustard
¼ t hot sauce
4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
4 oz. shredded colby jack cheese

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain pasta and keep it in strainer.

2. Melt the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and cook until light golden brown, whisking constantly, about 1½-2 minutes.

3. Slowly whisk in the milk until no lumps remain.

4. Stir in the salt, mustard, and hot sauce.

5. Lower the heat to medium and continue to cook the sauce, stirring frequently, until it bubbles and thickens, about 6 minutes.

6. Remove the sauce from the heat. Stir in the cheese. Once all the cheese has been added and the sauce is smooth, add the pasta to the sauce. Mix well until the pasta is fully coated in the sauce. Serve immediately.

Cauliflower Mushroom Crumble

When my family goes out of town, that's my time to try out new recipes. They're usually ones with "strange vegetables" - heavy on the plants, low on the meats. Last week I got that opportunity and found a great new vegetarian dish. I suppose it could be a tasty side dish, but I chowed down on this as an entree over several days. Not disappointed! The par-boiled cauliflower is softened, but still retains some bite. The crumbly topping is what sends it over the edge - bread crumbs, butter, parmesan, and parsley. A winning combination!

Cauliflower Mushroom Crumble
from Steph in Thyme

• 1 head cauliflower, cored and cut into florets
• 1 T coconut oil
• ½ c white onion, chopped
• 8 mushroom, sliced
• 5⅓ T plus 1 T butter, melted
• 1 c bread crumbs (or 8 Ritz crackers crushed into crumbs)
• ½ c Parmesan Cheese
• 1 T nutritional yeast
• 2 T fresh parsley
• 1/2 t sea salt
• ¼ t freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350º. 
2. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat & add the onion and mushrooms and sauté for 10 minutes.
3. Boil cauliflower florets for 5 minutes.
4. Remove florets from the heat and drain. Place in a 9-inch pie dish.
5. Spoon the mushroom mixture over the cauliflower.
6. In a small bowl, combine the butter, bread crumbs, Parmesan, nutritional yeast, parsley, salt, and pepper.
7. Sprinkle over the vegetables in the baking dish.
8. Bake for 15 minutes.

Slow Cooker Applesauce

I wish I could call this a "recipe" with a straight face. The fact is it is SO easy to make your own applesauce. Shelby practically begs me to make it. She could eat the whole batch in 3 days. 

Between using the apple skins and using a potato ricer to mash, you get a nice chunky applesauce. It's a family favorite, and guess what?? No extra sugar.

Slow Cooker Applesauce

12 large apples


1. Section the apples discarding the cores.
2. Dump apples into slow cooker.
3. Cook on low for 8 hours.
4. Sprinkle with cinnamon, and mash apples with a potato ricer.


See? Nothing to it.

Tomato Soup

I love tomato soup. Add a grilled cheese to it, and it's one of my favorite meals of all time. It reminds me of Saturdays watching college football with my dad.

Today was the first real snowfall of the year, and after 2 hours of shoveling and playing in the snow, I figured we needed something warm and hearty for lunch. This soup certainly did the trick! And, it beats the pants off canned soup. It's thick and has great seasoning. And, there are even more vegetables in the soup than just tomatoes!


Tomato Soup
adapted from Jane Maynard

• 3 T Olive Oil
• 1 Onion, Small dice
• 3 carrots, small dice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
• 1.5 c tomato sauce
• 48 oz vegetable stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1.5 c skim milk
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• Crackers or pita chips for topping, if you're feeling it

1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Cook onions until soft and translucent (5 min). Add carrots and continue to cook another 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute.

2. Add vegetable stock, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes.

3. Fish out bay leaf, and blend the soup until a smooth consistency (either via an immersion blender or in batches in a blender).

4. Add milk to soup, and mix until incorporated. Season with salt/pepper to taste. Top with crackers/pita chips, if you so choose.

Cauliflower Rice

Psst. I need to tell you a secret. You....yes you.....have the ability to pass off cauliflower as fried rice. And there won't be any complaints.

We are not "paleo" nor are we "gluten-free," but we try to incorporate as many vegetables into our diet as possible. This recipe has been requested the past 3 weeks in a row. I served it at Easter and had 2 requests for the recipe: this is the real deal.

Take in all the cauliflower goodness...

See: it even looks like rice up close!

Cauliflower Rice

from The Bitten Word

Serves 6-8 as a side dish

Ingredients

1 medium to large head of cauliflower
2 T olive oil
1 t minced garlic
1 t minced ginger
1 T soy sauce
1/4 c shelled edamame or peas
1/4 c chopped red bell pepper
2 T sliced scallions
2 T chopped cilantro (if your palate can handle it...)

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat.
2. Core the cauliflower and chop into florets. Feed cauliflower into a food processor using the shredding disc.
3. When oil is shimmering, add the ginger and garlic and cook for 45 seconds - until fragrant.
4. Add cauliflower and toss in skillet to coat with oil/aromatics. Let it cook 4 minutes stirring often.
5. Add the soy sauce, stir, and cook four more minutes.
6. Take the "rice" off the heat, add the cilantro/scallions, and serve!

Baked Oatmeal Bars

I was on Pinterest wasting time browsing when I came across these baked oatmeal bars. I'm always up for a quick, on-the-go, healthy, filling breakfast item/treat. The blog I pulled the recipe from said these were less like granola bars than they were like oatmeal cookies. AND, they don't have any dairy?! You have my attention!

They were really good! With only 1/4-cup of sugar, they're pretty low-calorie yet filling. I might try a little less milk next time as they were pretty moist. But, they do hold together pretty well after a day.

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
from Livingwithout.com

Ingredients:

• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup almond milk

• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

• 1 egg, or 1 T ground flax mixed with 3 T boiling water (let sit for 5 minutes until thickened)

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup craisins

Directions:



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease an 8 x 8 baking pan.
2. Combine oats, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
3. Add milk substitute, egg, applesauce, sweetener, and vanilla.  Mix well.
4. Stir in dried fruit.
5. Put batter into pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Allow bars to cool completely, then cut into bars.