Slow Roasted Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

I don't like the cold, but I do like warming up with a steaming bowl of homemade soup. A few of my favorites are butternut squash, black bean, and tortellini vegetable. I recently created a new favorite though, Slow Roasted Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup. It is the perfect "warm you up" recipe. Gaby posted a hearty chicken chili recipe today that will also keep you warm this winter.

Over the summer when the tomatoes were flourishing I made a large pan of slow roasted tomatoes and put some of them in the freezer. I knew they would come in handy later on. The slow roasted tomatoes were the base of my soup, along with onion, garlic, and fresh basil. To stick with the roasted theme, I also added a roasted red pepper.

I used my immersion blender to puree the soup. I just stuck my "magic wand" into my big soup pot and blended until the smooth was nice and smooth. I love my kitchen toys:)

This soup is full of flavor and will warm you up in an instant. Josh enjoyed his with a grilled cheese sandwich. Give it a try on a chilly day and don't forget to try Gaby's chili too!

I want to thank FriendsEAT.com for listing Two Peas and Their Pod as one of the top 25 foodie blogs! I am honored to be listed with such fabulous food bloggers. Click here to view the top 25!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Slow Roasted Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

(Printable Recipe)

1 T olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Dash of red pepper flakes
Slow roasted tomatoes-about 1 cup
Roasted red pepper-1 pepper (you can use store bought if you wish)
2 cans diced tomatoes, I used low sodium
1 can vegetable broth, I used low sodium
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh basil and parmesan cheese-for serving

*If you need instructions for slow roasting tomatoes, click here. An easy way to roast a pepper-cut the pepper in half, remove the seeds. Turn the oven on high broil. Broil the peppers until they are black. Put the peppers in a brown paper bag so they can steam, for about 20 minutes. Peel the pepper and use. *

1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add in the onion and cook until tender.
2. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for a couple of minutes.
3. Add the slow roasted tomatoes and roasted red pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the diced tomatoes and vegetable broth. Add the fresh basil and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 15-20 minutes.
5. Puree the soup with an immersion blender. If you don't have one you can use a regular blender or food processor. Just transfer the soup to the kitchen gadget of your choice. Puree until smooth.
6. Serve hot. I like to add fresh basil and parmesan right before serving.

If you like this soup, you might also like:
Hearty Tomato Soup from Two Peas and Their Pod
Homemade Tomato Soup from Local Lemons
Tomato and Cilantro Soup from Kalyn's Kitchen
Cream of Tomato Soup from Taste and Tell

Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Rosemary

It's Friday! My favorite day of the week. Not only because I have the day off, but because I get to team up with Gaby, from What's Gaby Cooking!

Today for Fall Friday, we are sharing a pizza and pasta recipe. I made Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Fresh Rosemary. Gaby created a festive squid ink pasta dish with tomatoes, I can't wait to try it.

When I told Josh my pizza idea, he turned up his nose. He thought butternut squash pizza sounded weird and not too tasty. I know it is not your traditional pizza, but I still wanted to try it, so I pressed forward. Josh wasn't thrilled, but still helped out. He made whole wheat pizza crust while I worked on the toppings.

I diced up a butternut squash and roasted it in the oven. I also caramelized red onion slices. I love the little tricks you can do in the kitchen to maximize flavor. Roasting and caramelizing made the squash and onions so flavorful. I didn't use a sauce, I just drizzled the crust with olive oil. I also topped the pizza with garlic, fresh rosemary, feta, and mozzarella cheese.

When the pizza was cooking, I knew it was going to be a winner. Our house was filled with the most amazing aroma. We didn't let it cool for long, I was too excited to wait. Josh was still skeptical, but after the first bite, he said no more. He loved it and so did I. We splashed on a little balsamic vinegar and it was the perfect finishing touch. All of the flavors worked so well together. This is the perfect fall pizza.

If you think this pizza combination sounds weird, I still urge you to try it. It really is amazing! And don't forget to check out Gaby's pasta! Have a great weekend friends.

Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Fresh Rosemary

(Printable Recipe)

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (or use your favorite crust)
Roasted Butternut Squash
Caramelized Red Onion Slices
Olive oil
Garlic, minced
Feta cheese
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Fresh rosemary, chopped
Balsamic vinegar

1. To roast the butternut squash, place peeled, diced squash on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 40-50 minutes, at 400 degrees. Stir occasionally.
2. Caramelize the onions. See this post from Simply Recipes for directions.
3. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees, or as hot as it will go, with a pizza stone inside.
4. Make your pizza dough. We used our favorite whole wheat crust. You can use store bought crust if you wish.
5. Roll out your pizza crust. We sprinkle our pizza peel with corn meal and make the pizza on the peel. Drizzle the crust with a little bit of olive oil and spread it around the crust.
6. Add the garlic, butternut squash, onions, cheese, and rosemary.
7. Slide the pizza onto the stone that is in the hot oven.
8. Cook the pizza for about 12-15 minutes. Just watch it. You want the cheese to be melted and the crust to be golden brown.
9. Cool and slice. Sprinkle balsamic vinegar on slices of pizza if you wish.

If you like this pizza, you might also like:
Pizza with Potatoes, Thyme, and Rosemary from Baking and Books
Jim Lahey's Pizza Bianca from Smitten Kitchen
Buffalo Sweet Potato & Blue Cheese Pizza from BitchinCamero
Pizza Roll Up from Two Peas and Their Pod

Black Bean and Sweet Corn Soup with Cilantro and Lime

I am so happy soup season is here! Soup is the perfect comfort food on a chilly fall day. I always make a big pot so we can have leftovers and freeze some for later. This weekend I made Black Bean and Sweet Corn Soup with Cilantro and Green Chiles.

In the summer, we froze some sweet corn when it was at it's peak. I took some out of the freezer and added it to my black bean soup. I also stirred in cilantro, green chiles, diced tomatoes, spices, and fresh lime juice. This soup is great on it's own, but even better with toppings. I cut up corn tortillas and baked them in the oven. They are crisp and so much better for you than fried tortillas:) I also set out Pepper Jack cheese, cilantro, lime wedges, and avocado slices.

Josh has been working very hard on our basement remodel project. We dug out window wells, added new big windows for extra light, and now Josh is busy sheet rocking, dry walling, painting, etc. It is a disaster downstairs, so I stay upstairs in the kitchen and cook/bake for my handsome, handy husband. It is my contribution:)

Josh doesn't like to take breaks, he is a hard worker, but he did stop to eat a big bowl of my black bean soup. I had all of the fixings ready for him to pile on. He said the soup hit the spot! I am glad he approved.

Black Bean and Sweet Corn Soup with Cilantro and Lime

(Printable Recipe)

1 T olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cups sweet corn (ours was frozen, no need to thaw)
1 small jalepeno, minced
1 can diced green chiles
4 cans diced tomatoes (I use low sodium)
4 cans black beans, rinsed and drained (I use low sodium)
3 cans vegetable broth (I use low sodium)
2 T chile powder
1 1/2 T cumin
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Juice from 1 lime

Toppings:
Tortilla strips
Pepper Jack cheese
Avocado slices
Cilantro
Lime wedges

1. In a large soup pot heat olive oil. Add in onion and cook until tender.
2. Add in garlic. Cook for 2 minutes and add in green pepper.
3. Stir in sweet corn, jalepeno, green chiles. Stir and let cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in tomatoes and black beans. Next, add the vegetable broth. Stir in the spices, cilantro, and salt/pepper. Squirt in the fresh lime juice.
5. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
6. Taste, you might need to add more seasoning. I always end up adding a few extra dashes of chile powder and cumin.
7. Serve hot. If you want to add toppings, go for it. It makes the soup even better!

If you like this soup, you might also like:
Black Bean and Rice Soup with Lime and Cilantro from Kalyn's Kitchen
Black Bean and Quinoa Chili from Closet Cooking
Black Bean Chipotle Soup from A Good Appetite
Vegetarian Tortilla Soup from Two Peas and Their Pod

Pasta with Slow Roasted Tomatoes, Artichokes, Zucchini, and Roasted Red Peppers

Our tomato plants didn't do that well this year, but our cherry tomato plant surprised us a few weeks ago. The plant was loaded with little red tomatoes. I like popping cherry tomatoes into my mouth for a healthy snack, but I saved these little red guys for slow roasted tomatoes.

I cut the tomatoes in half and placed them on a baking sheet. I added a little olive oil, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and fennel. I roasted them in the oven on 225 degrees for about 4 hours. I turned about every 30 minutes or so. The house smelled amazing!

I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them. They freeze really well, but I was too excited to use them. I decided to make whole wheat pasta with slow roasted tomatoes, artichokes, zucchini, and roasted red peppers. The slow roasted tomatoes made this pasta dish extra special. The tomatoes were so flavorful and delicious. I will be making this meal again. One of my new favorites and Josh loved it too.

If you haven't tried slow roasting tomatoes, I encourage you to do so and soon. They have the best flavor and are so good in soups, pasta dishes, sauces, etc. I used cherry tomatoes, but Roma tomatoes work really well. If you want to read a detailed post about slow roasted tomatoes, visit Kalyn's Kitchen.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Slow Roasted Tomatoes, Artichokes,

Zucchini, and Roasted Red Peppers

(Printable Recipe)

Cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Seasonings-I used dried basil, fennel, and oregano

Whole wheat pasta, I used rigatoni

Olive oil

1/2 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

Red pepper flakes

Fennel

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 red pepper, roasted, and chopped

1 1/2 cups slow roasted cherry tomatoes

Artichoke hearts, I used bottled, just drain them

Fresh basil, chopped

Parmesan cheese, optional

1. First, slow roast the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half and put them on a baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and seasonings. Roast for about 4 hours on 225 degrees. Turn them about every 30 minutes or so. Tomatoes will shrivel and smell really good. You can let them cool and freeze them or you can use them immediately.

2. To make the pasta dish. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add salt and the whole wheat pasta of your choice. I used rigatoni. Cook until al dente.

3. Drain pasta and set aside.

4. In a large pan, heat about 1 T of olive oil. Add in onion and cook until tender. Next, add in garlic, a dash of red pepper flakes, and a dash of fennel. Cook for 2 minutes.

5. Stir in the zucchini, roasted red pepper, roasted cherry tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. Saute until veggies are tender and hot.

6. Stir in fresh basil and add the pasta. Mix until the pasta is fully coated with the sauce.

7. Serve hot. Add fresh basil and parmesan cheese to the pasta if you wish.

You might also like these recipes:

Slow-Roasted Tomato Bruschetta from The Perfect Pantry

Slow Roasted Tomato Hummus from Andrea's Recipes

Roasted Tomato, Basil, and Goat Cheese Holiday Spread from Kalyn's Kitchen

Slow Roasted Tomato Dressing from A Veggie Venture

Spinach Salad with Tortellini, Dried Cranberries, Apples, Almonds, and Feta

I love browsing Foodgawker and TasteSpotting for cooking and baking inspiration. The only problem is I usually end up hungry:) Last week I saw Picky Cook's tortellini salad and immediately bookmarked it.

On Sunday I was feeling lazy, but still wanted a tasty meal. This salad popped into my mind. I didn't have the exact ingredients, but that didn't stop me. I just switched things up a bit. I used frozen cheese tortellini and spinach as the base of the salad. I also added in dried cranberries, Granny Smith apple slices, almonds, and feta cheese. I drizzled the salad with balsamic dressing and voila-a masterpiece in minutes.

The dried cranberries and apples gave the salad a nice sweetness. The almonds also added a nice crunch. This salad is very filling because of the tortellini and all of the goodies involved. Enjoy it as a meal or serve a little bit on the side of your favorite fall soup.

Spinach Salad with Tortellini, Dried Cranberries, Apples, Almonds, and Feta

Inspired by Picky Cook

(Printable Recipe)

Fresh spinach leaves

Cheese tortellini, cooked, drained, and chilled

Dried cranberries

Granny Smith apple, cut into thin slices

Almonds

Feta cheese

Balsamic dressing

1. Cook the tortellini according to package instructions. I used frozen tortellini. Drain and rinse with cold water.

2. Place a bed of spinach on a plate.

3. Add tortellini, dried cranberries, apple slices, almonds, feta cheese, and dressing.

4. Eat and enjoy.

You might also like:
Greek Style Tortellini Salad from RecipeGirl
Pesto Tortellini with Sauteed Vegetables and Parmesan Cheese from For the Love of Cooking
Tortellini Skewers from Dana Treat

Tortellini Vegetable Soup from Two Peas and Their Pod

Grilled Mediterranean Pizza

Is everyone ready for the holiday weekend? What are your plans for Labor Day? We are going to Illinois to visit my family. I am beyond excited! I haven't been home since Christmas.

The highlight of my trip will be meeting my new little niece, Ramona. She was born in April and I am finally going to meet her. We don't have set plans but I know good food will be part of the trip. My dad is a fantastic baker so I want to learn from the master while I can.

I know we are having a bbq on Saturday. I am not sure what we will be grilling up, but I wanted to share one of our favorite grilled meals-PIZZA! I posted about grilled pizza before, but we can't get enough.

I really loved this Mediterranean version. We topped the pizza with a little bit of olive oil and then loaded on the veggies-artichokes, peppers, zucchini, eggplant, yellow squash, tomatoes, and fresh basil. We used mozzarella and feta cheese. You can see Josh's side has way more cheese:) We didn't use any sauce, just the olive oil and after we sliced it we drizzled balsamic vinegar over the top. It was so fresh and tasty. One of my new favorite pizzas.

Here is the recipe for our whole wheat pizza dough. We usually use that because it is easy and good for us. Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day also makes great pizza dough. Take your pick and try grilled pizza this weekend.

Have a safe and fun Labor Day!

White Bean Salad with Zucchini, Green Beans, and Tomatoes

We didn't plant a big garden this year, but our friend has been sharing his garden goods with us. He brought over zucchini and green beans the other day. I made zucchini bread and created a new salad.

I love salads anytime of the year, but especially in the summer when it is hot and the produce is at it's peak. For this salad, I sauted zucchini and green beans in a tiny bit of olive oil. I didn't cook them for long because I wanted them to be crisp. I added white beans-a great source of protein, and tomatoes. I gave the veggies a nice splash of fresh lemon juice. To top things off, I threw in some fresh basil and Parmesan cheese too!

This is one of my new favorite salads. It is super simple, tasty, and good for you!

White Bean Salad with Zucchini, Green Beans, and Tomatoes

(Printable Recipe)

1 can cannellini beans (white beans), drained and rinsed
Olive oil
1 zucchini, chopped
1 cup fresh green beans, remove the ends
2-3 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
Juice of one lemon
Parmesan cheese-just guess on the amount
Coarse salt and ground pepper

In a small sauce pan, heat up the olive oil and sauté the zucchini and green beans. Don’t overcook them. You want the vegetables to be crisp.

In a medium bowl, place cannellini beans, zucchini, green beans, tomatoes, basil, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Vegetables and Chickpeas

When we were participating in the $100 Food Challenge we had to “put on our thinking caps” to create some of our meals. I tried to cook healthy, tasty dishes using the ingredients we already had at home. It was challenging on some nights, but we had fun coming up with new recipes.

This pasta dish was one of my favorites. I used whole wheat spaghetti and added in zucchini, yellow squash, green beans, and chickpeas. The chickpeas added a nice nutty flavor and gave the pasta an extra boost of protein. I finished the pasta off with some of our homegrown fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.

The pasta was very light and easy to prepare. It makes a great, affordable summer meal!

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Vegetables and Chickpeas

(Printable Recipe)

1 box whole wheat spaghetti

Olive oil

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 onion, chopped

1 Zucchini, chopped

1 Yellow squash, chopped

Large handful of fresh green beans, snap off the ends

1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Fresh basil

Parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Make sure you salt the water for flavor.

In a large skillet, sauté the onion in a little bit of olive oil. Add in the garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add in the vegetables. Cook until tender. Add in the chickpeas. Cook until warm. Drain the pasta and add it to the vegetable mix. Toss with fresh basil and parmesan. Drizzle with more olive oil if you wish. Enjoy!

Grilled Vegetable Salad

We've been putting our grill to work lately. I love cooking and eating outside. This week we grilled eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes. I really wasn't sure what to do with them when I started, but I ended up creating my new favorite salad.

I marinated the vegetables in a balsamic, garlic, basil concoction. Josh grilled them to perfection and then I added the veggies to a bed of fresh spinach. I also added artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, feta cheese, and fresh basil. For fun, I grilled whole wheat pita bread and served little pita triangles on the side.

While we were eating I kept raving about the salad to Josh. I honestly wasn't looking for a pat on the back, I just couldn't believe it tasted so good:) It really took no time to make and we didn't have to heat up the house! This is a quick, healthy, tasty salad for summer. I can't wait to make it again.

Grilled Vegetable Salad
Serves 2-3

(Printable Recipe)

1/3 cup Balsamic vinegar
1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh basil, chopped-to taste
Water-to taste

1 eggplant, sliced into rounds
1 zucchini, sliced into rounds
2 Roma tomatoes, halved
Artichoke hearts
Roasted red peppers
Feta Cheese
Fresh basil, chopped
Balsamic dressing
Whole wheat pita bread-optional

1. In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, garlic, basil, and just a splash of water. The balsamic was too strong so I had to dilute it. You can skip the water if you like it really strong:)
2. Sprinkle the eggplant, zucchini, and tomato halves with salt and pepper. Lay them out in a dish. Pour the balsamic mixture over the vegetables. Make sure each side gets coated. Let veggies sit for 10 minutes or so.
2. Heat up the grill. Place eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes on the grill. Cook each side for a couple of minutes, until the veggies are tender with grill marks.
3. Place fresh spinach on a plate. Top with the grilled veggies, artichoke hearts, red peppers, feta cheese, and fresh basil. You can add extra balsamic dressing if you wish.
4. If you want, you can grill whole wheat pita bread and serve it on the side. I cut the bread into little triangles.

Vegetable Panini on the Grill

We love making panini! We have a panini maker that we LOVE, but since it is summer we decided to try them on the grill. I put grilled zucchini, yellow squash, onions, roasted red pepper, artichokes, spinach, tomatoes, fresh basil and a balsamic glaze on mine. Josh loaded his with veggies, turkey, and cheese. I love customized sandwiches:)

The panini started out HUGE but we smashed them down to compact sandwiches full of flavor and goodness! I loved using the grill for our panini. Yes, they were delicious and nutritious, but the best part was eating outside in the summer sun!

Panini on the Grill

(Printable Recipe)

Whole Wheat Ciabatta Bread-we buy ours at a local bakery. You can use whatever crusty, hearty bread you like. We brushed our bread with balsamic vinegar and grilled it briefly before putting on our panini fillings.

Grilled Veggies-we used grilled zucchini, yellow squash, and onions. I brushed them with balsamic and grilled them on both sides for a couple of minutes.

I also added roasted red peppers, artichokes, fresh spinach leaves, sliced tomatoes, and fresh basil. Josh added turkey and cheese.

Place panini directly on grill. Use a heavy pan to press down the panini. Cook for a couple minutes. Flip sandwich and press again. Cook for another couple of minutes. It's that easy!

Grilled Cilantro Lime Shrimp Skewers

Happy Father's Day! I hope you are all celebrating the men in your life.

I wish I could be with my dad today, but he lives far, far away. I am very close with my father, we still talk and email every day. I am a daddy's girl:) I am grateful for the sacrifices my dad has made for me and my siblings. He always puts others first and is a great example to all of us. I could go on and on about why I love and appreciate him, but I know he would be embarrassed. He is my best friend and the greatest father. Plus, he is an amazing baker, but that is just an added bonus:) We love you pops! Happy Father's Day!

We are really enjoying our grill. We use it at least once or twice a week. We bought fresh shrimp and grilled shrimp skewers. Josh made a cilantro lime marinade for the little shrimpies. They cooked up in no time. They turned pink almost immediately after we set them on the grill. You don't want to overcook shrimp, tough shrimp is not a good thing:)

We served the skewers with brown rice, black bean salsa, and a salad. This was a simple summer meal with great flavor. If you don't have a grill, you can cook the skewers inside on a grill pan, but grilling outside in the summer sun is so much better:)

Grilled Cilantro Lime Shrimp Skewers

(Printable Recipe)

Wood Skewers-you can find them at any grocery store

Shrimp-peeled and deveined

Olive oil

Fresh lime juice

Lime zest

Cilantro-chopped

Garlic-minced

1. Soak the wood skewers in water for about 10 minutes.

2. In medium bowl, mix together the olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, and garlic. Again, we didn't measure but just guess to your taste. We didn't use much oil, maybe 1 Tablespoon.

3. Toss the shrimp in the lime/cilantro mixture. Let them marinade for about 30 minutes.

4. Put the shrimp on the wood skewers. As many as will fit.

5. On a heated grill, grill the skewers, only a few minutes for each side.

6. Serve with rice and black bean salsa, if you wish.

Soba Noodles with Edamame, Zucchini, and Spinach

Every Wednesday we go to the Sunflower Market and stock up on produce. It is our date night, I know we are nerds:) Wednesday is double ad day, so everything from the week before and the new week is on sale. That means tons of cheap and delicious produce! We load our cart and usually only spend $12. It is our magic number.

Last week zucchini was on sale for 88 cents a pound, such a bargain! I loaded the cart and probably got a little carried away. I've been trying to find ways to use it before it goes bad. I made pasta with zucchini, we grilled zucchini, and I made this amazing soba noodle dish.

Have you tried soba noodles? We love them. Soba noodles are thin Japanese noodles made with buckwheat and wheat flour. They can be served hot, cold, or in soup. This time we served them warm with an Asian sauce. We added in edamame, spinach, and our star ingredient, zucchini.

We loved this dish. Soba noodles aren't heavy like some pastas can be. I loved the light Asian sauce and green vegetables too. It not only was a pretty dish, but a tasty one! I will be making this one again and again. I might even add tofu next time.

Soba Noodles with Edamame, Zucchini, and Spinach

(Printable Recipe)

Sauce:
Low sodium soy sauce
Water
Rice wine vinegar
Honey
Garlic Chile Paste

Soba noodles
1 T Sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup shelled edamame
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
3 green onions, chopped
Black pepper, to taste
Sesame seeds
Extra green onions for garnish

1. First, make the sauce. In a small bowl whisk together the ingredients. I guessed on the measurments, so just make sure you taste as you go. Sorry we forget to measure sometimes.
2. Cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions. Drain them and set aside.
3. In a large skillet heat the sesame oil. Add in garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. Add in zucchini, edamame, spinach, and green onions. Cook until the zucchini is tender and the spinach is wilted.
4. Pour in the sacue. Stir well. Add black pepper, to taste.
5. Stir in the soba noodles. Let everytihng cook together for a couple of minutes.
6. Serve in a bowl. Add sesame seeds and green onions on top, if you wish.

Stuffed Shells with Ricotta, Spinach, and Portobello Mushrooms

I never get sick of Italian food. Sometimes I think I am Italian, my name is Maria, I have dark hair, I could pass, right? :) I love pasta, pizza, gelato, panini, etc. Italian food always hits the spot for me.

I recently made stuffed shells for dinner. I started with the classic ricotta spinach mixture. I also added in portobello mushrooms, onion, garlic, and red peppers. I made a homemade marinara sauce and topped the shells off with cheese.

I loved peeking in on the bubbling shells that were oozing with cheese. The house smelled amazing too. I am glad I added in the extra vegetables, the portobello mushrooms and red peppers worked well with the spinach and cheese.

I think this is a great dish to serve to guests. You can prepare the filling and stuff the shells in advance. Keep the stuffed shells covered in the refrigerator until you are ready for dinner. Bake them 35 minutes before the guests arrive and you will have an amazing dinner with no last minute hassles.

Stuffed Shells with Ricotta, Spinach, and Portobello Mushrooms

(Printable Recipe)

1 T olive oil

1 large portobello mushroom, chopped

1/2 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red pepper, diced

1 15 oz ricotta cheese - I used low fat

1 egg

3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (divided)

1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and chopped (use a potato ricer to get rid of the water)

1/2 tsp dried basil

Dash of crushed red pepper

Salt and pepper

About 3 cups of marinara sauce (I made my own, you can use store bought)

About 18 jumbo pasta shells, cooked al dente, read box instructions:)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large casserole dish or Pyrex 9 by 13 pan with cooking spray. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Once hot, add the onion, cook until soft. Add in garlic, mushrooms, and red peppers. Remove from heat and cool.

In a large bowl combine the ricotta, 1/4 cup of the mozzarella, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, stir well. Add in the egg, spinach, dried basil, crushed red pepper,salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Mix well until creamy. Add the mushroom, onion, red pepper mixture.

Pour 1/2 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of your sprayed baking dish. Place the cooked shells in the pan. Make sure they are spaced out evenly. Stuff each shell with cheese/veggie mixture. Use a spoon, it might get messy:)

Pour the remaining sauce over the stuffed shells. Add the leftover mozzarella and Parmesan.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. You want the shells to be bubbling with goodness. Let cool for a few minutes and serve warm.

Baked Penne Pasta with Italian Sausage

Last week Josh and his brother, Matt, spent numerous hours working in our yard. I feel guilty because I really didn't help much. I think I picked up a rake once, oops! They really worked hard and did a great job. I did contribute by feeding them though. That should count for something, right?

One night I made pasta for the boys. I love pasta because it is cheap, easy, and the choices are endless. We had leftover grilled Italian sausages and ricotta cheese so I decided to do a baked pasta. I added in onion, garlic, and roasted peppers too. I topped everything off with my homemade marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.

The individual baked pastas came out nice and bubbly. The guys were thrilled to come in for dinner. I didn't taste it because I don't do meat, but the lack of conversation at the dinner table was a good sign. They devoured their pasta in minutes.

Sorry this recipe is kind of random. I just made it up as I was cooking. If you have questions let me know. I don't think you can mess it up! Just mix it all up, bake, and I am sure something good will come out of the oven:)

Tomorrow we are leaving for Palm Beach, Florida. We will be vacationing for an entire week. Josh's brother, Ben, and his wife, Whitney, are joining us. Should be a great time! We will try to check in from the beach! If anyone has Palm Beach suggestions-places to go or eat, let us know! Thanks friends!

Baked Penne Pasta with Italian Sausage

(Printable Recipe)

Penne pasta-cook until al dente, drain and set aside
Olive oil
Garlic-chopped
Onion, chopped
Fennel seed
Crushed red pepper
Basil, chopped
Roasted peppers-I used red and yellow-we had some in the freezer
Italian sausage-I used leftover grilled Colosimo's sausage, just cut it into chunks
Marinara sauce-I used my homemade sauce, but you can use store bought
Ricotta cheese
Mozzarella cheese

1. Spray baking dish with cooking spray. I used 2 individual dishes. You can use a big one for a large group. Spread marinara sauce on the bottom of the dishes.
2. In a skillet, heat olive oil. Add in onion, garlic, fennel seed, crushed red pepper, basil, and roasted peppers. Cook until tender.
3. Add in sausage chunks. Cook for a couple of minutes.
4. In a bowl, mix pasta with marinara sauce. Add in the pepper/sausage mixture.
5. Divide pasta evenly in dishes, or put all of it in one big dish.
6. Drop spoonfuls of ricotta cheese into the pasta dishes. Make sure to mix it a little bit. You want it to be in with the pasta/sauce mixture.
7. Sprinkle with mozzerella cheese and mix a little bit.
8. Cover the top of the pasta with more mozzerella and fresh basil.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until bubbly.
10. Enjoy!