Tortellini Soup

Thanks to my mom for this one! It's yummy but make sure your zucchini and carrots are cooked all the way before serving, 10 minutes wasn't long enough for mine.

1 lb. Italian Sausage (i used turkey sausage links)
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. basil, oregano, parsley

Saute above ingredients.

In a large pan add:

5 cups beef broth

1 cup water

1 can tomato sauce

1 large can stewed or diced tomatoes

1 cup sliced carrots

Cook on low heat for 40 minutes.

About ten minutes before serving add:

1 diced green or red bell pepper

2 cups zucchini (quartered chunks)

1 large package cheese tortellini

1 small can sliced olives

If desired, sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

Enjoy!

Rigatoni with Grilled Peppers and Onions

(yes, this is a pic from the magazine)

I'm always looking for a recipe without meat, and this looks delicious! I haven't made it yet, but I'll be getting the ingredients next time I'm at the store.

2 medium red onions, sliced into 1/2inch-thick rings
2 large red bell peppers, cut into quarters
1 tbls olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
12 ounces (4 to 5 cups) rigatoni
1 bunch spinach, stems trimmed or one 5-ounce package
1 cup (about 31/2 ounces) grated cheese
3/4 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Heat a grill or girill pan to medium-high
2. In a large bowl, toss the onons, bell peppers, oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Grill, turning occasionally, until tender 8-10 mins. Transfer to cutting board and cut into bite size pieces
3. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta, and return the pasta to the pot.
4. Add the grilled vegetables, spinach, the reserved pasta water, and 3/4 cup Parmesan to the pasta and toss to combine. Top with basil and the remaining Parmesan before serving.

hands on time:25 mins, serves 4 (according to the magazine!) p.s. I hate spinach, so I'll be leaving that out!

Chicken Veggie Casserole

We went to Disneyland, got the free Mission Tortilla, and we got a free cookbook to go with it! I decided to try something out of it. This is what we tried, and it was really good.

1 C sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp margarine
1/2 C sour cream
1/2 C Sliced green onions
1 medium garlic clove minced
1 C sliced cooked carrots
1 C cooked broccoli florets
1 C condensed cheese or broccoli cheese soup undiluted (10 oz)
2 C cooked or leftover chicken cubed
6 Mission Fajita size flour tortillas

1. Lightly brush six 1 c custard cups or small oven proof bowls with softened margarine
2. Shells soften tortillas by warming briefly in skillet or microwave, then gently push tortilla into cup or bowl and place on baking sheet.
3. Filling saute mushrooms and garlic in 1 tablespoon margarine. Stir in soup and sour cream, blend well.
4.Add chicken, broccoli, carrots and green o nions. Spoon 1/2 cup filling into each tortilla shell, Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until filling is hot. Carefully remove shells from cups and serve.

Sorry no picture... but they it was SOO good. I ate it before I could take a picture!

Crater Cake

This is a really tasty version of banana bread. It's got chocolate chips and cinnamon sugar. It's one of my favorite things to bring to ward parties, or social gatherings.

Ingredients:

· 1 C. butter

· 2 C. white sugar

· 2 eggs (beaten)

· 1 t. vanilla

· 4 ripe bananas

· 3 C. flour

· 2 t. baking powder

· 2 t. baking soda

· 1 C. sour cream

· 2 t. cinnamon

· 1/2 C. brown sugar

· 1 1/2 C chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Cream together sugar and butter. Add beaten eggs. In a separate bowl add the vanilla to mashed bananas.

2. Mix dry ingredients (except the cinnamon, brown sugar and chocolate chips) together then add slowly to creamed mixture. Next fold in sour cream, and then banana mixture.

3. Pour half the mixture in a greased 9x13 casserole dish. Mix together the cinnamon and brown sugar. Sprinkle half of the mix over the batter, and sprinkle 3/4 C. of chocolate chips.

4. Pour the rest of the batter on top, and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar mix and chocolate chips again.

5. Bake at 350*F for 45-50 minutes.